The Enloe Trials Premier - THE BARON'S CRUSADE

[YAK_Chewie]

When I get the time, I'll have to take some new pictures of all my customs and post them in the appropriate forum. I've also prepared an endor rebel soldier head for making a quick custom of Rykrof, I'm just waiting to pick up the figure I need for the body I want to use.

That would be great, I'd love to see more of your work, and I'm sure many around here would as well.

You're making a Rykrof? I think that's awesome. If you don't mind sharing a pic of that once completed, please do.

[YAK_Chewie]

I cannot say it better than anyone else or with enough emphasis, your work is amazing

Thanks stroebel - I'm glad that you enjoyed it, and thanks for the support.

[YAK_Chewie]

NICE!

I like the newer "GRITTIER" look.

Thank you, I was definitely trying to go with a grittier look since so much of the OT has that. And that goes for Tylin Gere too, I didn't want him to look so smooth skinned as in the past.

[YAK_Chewie]

Justin,

I think the mountain painting worked great. Did you actually have it set as a backdrop or did you add it through Photoshop? Either way it gives your pictures great depth where they actually appear to be in an alien enviroment. Hopefully you can utilize it somewhere else in the series.

Concerning the opening crawl - I never knew about that site, I'll have to check it out. I did take a snap shot from the films and compared it, and the angle is perfect. It's made me go back and adjust the angle and font size on my next chapter. Also meant to say this last post, but I like how you've tied events (Sith relic) from the first series into the second. Do you anticipate as many chapters as the first? If so will the "Trials" extend to the events of ANH?

Jason

It was just a backdrop - I didn't add or alter it any. If did add some depth I think like you said, which is something I feel is missing in most of my stories.

Yeah, here is the specific link:

http://www.starwars.com/play/online-act ... l-creator/

It really is a great tool! I was amazed by it. After you add your text, all you need to do is capture a screen shot of it, then adjust for your pics as needed.

And yeah - I will try and connect a few things to the prequel series - but as for 32 chapters, that's probably not going to happen... though I'd be lying if I said that I didn't want it to. It all depends on where life leads me in the next several years...

As for how long it will extend, I'd like for it to extend all the way to ROTJ.

Thanks again!

[Darth Phantom]

Ha Ha, you returned with a BANG:




Chewie, that's a great start for a new series of the Rykrof Enloe Adventures.
As is the usual case, photography, customs, background and the story itself are very well executed.
Might I ask how long it normally takes you to do all of that?

The only critique I might have is that the opening chapter was a bit short. On the other hand, however,
it could also be a brief prelude to more complex story that is to be revealed soon!

BTW, from all the Tylin Gere customs that you made over the years, I like this one best. The part selection
and the colouring look extremely good and make his appearance more of one of the Empire's sinister agents.

Damn good work as always, Chewie.
Really looking forward to the day when Chapter II will be released.

[Scarrviper]

When I get the time, I'll have to take some new pictures of all my customs and post them in the appropriate forum. I've also prepared an endor rebel soldier head for making a quick custom of Rykrof, I'm just waiting to pick up the figure I need for the body I want to use.

That would be great, I'd love to see more of your work, and I'm sure many around here would as well.

You're making a Rykrof? I think that's awesome. If you don't mind sharing a pic of that once completed, please do.

Thanks. I'll try to get some pictures of my customs taken sometime this week once I'm done with stuff for school.
Right now I've got my custom Rykrof head on a corrected VC stormtrooper body, but I'm planning one putting it on an extra colonel Cracken body once I find the deleted scenes wave locally. Still haven't spotted them yet.

[YAK_Chewie]

Ha Ha, you returned with a BANG:




Chewie, that's a great start for a new series of the Rykrof Enloe Adventures.
As is the usual case, photography, customs, background and the story itself are very well executed.
Might I ask how long it normally takes you to do all of that?

The only critique I might have is that the opening chapter was a bit short. On the other hand, however,
it could also be a brief prelude to more complex story that is to be revealed soon!

BTW, from all the Tylin Gere customs that you made over the years, I like this one best. The part selection
and the colouring look extremely good and make his appearance more of one of the Empire's sinister agents.

Damn good work as always, Chewie.
Really looking forward to the day when Chapter II will be released.

Thanks buddy - very happy you read this, and thank you for the feedback!

As for how long it takes to make one of these, it's really difficult to say. Some of the customs can take a few or so hours each, the dioramas sometimes take upwards of 20 hours to complete... then shooting the pictures is probably 5-10 hours... editing... anywhere in the ballpark of 10-15 hours.

So, a lot goes into the bigger chapters - but this one was not a big chapter, which was planned that way - it was just a prologue, to help set the stage for the series. Basically to establish that Imperial domination is in full swing, and that Tylin Gere is on a personal mission - one that will bleed into other chapters.

Thank you again for the feedback, and taking the time to share some thoughts. It always means a lot.

[YAK_Chewie]

When I get the time, I'll have to take some new pictures of all my customs and post them in the appropriate forum. I've also prepared an endor rebel soldier head for making a quick custom of Rykrof, I'm just waiting to pick up the figure I need for the body I want to use.

That would be great, I'd love to see more of your work, and I'm sure many around here would as well.

You're making a Rykrof? I think that's awesome. If you don't mind sharing a pic of that once completed, please do.

Thanks. I'll try to get some pictures of my customs taken sometime this week once I'm done with stuff for school.
Right now I've got my custom Rykrof head on a corrected VC stormtrooper body, but I'm planning one putting it on an extra colonel Cracken body once I find the deleted scenes wave locally. Still haven't spotted them yet.

Yeah, I was thinking Cracken too for one... unfortunately, Cracken is a little shorter than I thought he would be though.

[Darth Depressis]

I really think you should quit using digital pictures of
ships and start doing models.
Imagine a chewie painted fleet of fighters..it sure would add
A layer to this series.

[YAK_Chewie]

I really think you should quit using digital pictures of
ships and start doing models.
Imagine a chewie painted fleet of fighters..it sure would add
A layer to this series.

If I had the means, I probably would give it a try...

[Darth Depressis]

Considering how much you Pride yourself
Upon being digitally inept or whatever
You see it as; one would assume you'd
be far above the likes of using screencaps
When you could assemble, paint and even
Design your own ships with model kits like they
Used in the original films. Huh?

[YAK_Chewie]

Well, I'd like to; but I just don't know how practical it is for me. I did some test shots a while back with Micro Machine stuff, and it ended up really looking bad. I am not against the idea though, I just don't know how successful I'd be at it. I really like the idea of using model kits to make fan fic ships though. A lot.

I think though that unless I could come up with a cheap/effecient way of doing it, I'll probably use digital elements for the space shots. I don't have anything against digital shots though, but for my stuff I just prefer to make environments (or purchase them when I can). For me at least, it's easier on that side of things.

[julianmaurice]

We each have a different style, which is how it should be. Comparing them is like saying Abstract Art is better than Portrait's, they are totally different and preference is down to personal taste, which is subjective.

[Darth Depressis]

I'm not comparing styles, I'm just saying coming from the
The guy who boasts his style is non-digital its really kinda
ridiculous to see him using random screenshots...it really
Takes away from all the illusion one can find in dioramas, and
Painted backdrops.

Apparently your not inclined to learn how to composite shots yourself
so yeah I doubt we' ll ever see any actual model ships in this series.
When one takes into account the amount of anti-digital sentiment
You've blithely stated over the years; one would assume chewie
Shot his photos on a non-digital camera and developed them in
His basement...I'm just saying the random screen caps take me
Outta the story...clearly I'm one of those people...lol

[YAK_Chewie]

I'm not comparing styles, I'm just saying coming from the
The guy who boasts his style is non-digital its really kinda
ridiculous to see him using random screenshots...it really
Takes away from all the illusion one can find in dioramas, and
Painted backdrops.

Apparently your not inclined to learn how to composite shots yourself
so yeah I doubt we' ll ever see any actual model ships in this series.
When one takes into account the amount of anti-digital sentiment
You've blithely stated over the years; one would assume chewie
Shot his photos on a non-digital camera and developed them in
His basement...I'm just saying the random screen caps take me
Outta the story...clearly I'm one of those people...lol

To each his own; I am not offended by criticism about this. I'm happy to respond/clarify though for anyone wondering.

It's my style; for a few reasons... one being I have serious carpal tunnel, and the less I have to click around on a mouse, the better. Another reason is that my computer is in my bedroom a few feet from where my wife sleeps. The only time I even have time to work on this stuff is after midnight too - when she's trying to sleep. She doesn't like me even working on these things so it's a smart move for me to spend less time on the PC annoying the hell out of her if I can. It's out of desire, lack of skill on photo editing skills, and also some necessity. Plus, I enjoy making dioramas a lot. It's a lot of fun for me. I also get to keep a physical aspect of the photonovel other than just figures too.

Usually, the only time that I use digital backgrounds/etc. is for space shots - they're not just straight screen captures though, they're from a space shot that I made, then I add/borrow from images I find online - just cutting/pasting images of planets, ships here and there, etc. Kind of like what most people do for their photonovels. But for me to try and make models/etc. doesn't seem practical in most cases. If I could do it and make it look okay, I would. But I don't feel I'm short cutting things when I use a digital image either - that one of the planet of Dantooine took me well over an hour to compose - yes, I suck at it. Most people with any skills could probably do that in less than 5 minutes. But I'm not good at it; and simply have not had great experiences with it. All the reason for me to use less digital backgrounds and go with a medium that suits me better.

I use digital elements when I feel I don't have any other options. I don't see what's wrong with that; if it detracts from the story because 99% of my images are hand made dioramas, I'm sorry. I am not getting paid to do this and already struggle to find time to make them without adding more hours of labor into them. That's why I took over a year off from these, and am frankly tempted to stop them altogether.

It's not always easy when your trying to be a good father for two little kids and a good husband, maintain a house, coach baseball, while also working a lot of overtime... and that's all before this hobby of trying to keep active in photonovels, customizing, promote other people's work, run Yakfinities (out of my own pocket), promote and monitor the forums, etc.