Hero's Domain - Get your Screenshot Professionally Rated

To everyone that applied: I said clearly on the first post on the front page that I'm not accepting applications at this time as the waiting list is full.

 

Hero's Domain Review for: DimmestBread

Screenshot name: "Contrast" and can be found on page 4.

Originality: Well I don't know whether to say if this was original or not because of the fact that pretty much nothing caught my attention. Then I noticed that it was on campaign which increased my interest...slightly. Good campaign screenshots are hard tocome by, and difficult to stage.

Effects used: Hmm... from this view it looks as if no effects were used. No explosions, weapons, or objects to be found. It looks as if you merely stood in front of...whatever is behind you. As there are no effects can be found, it would be unfair for me to judge of effect mechanics.

Camera Angle: A very simple camera angle. With the lack of effects, the angle comes off as a bit boring. The one thing I like about it was the fact that you included interesting scenery in the backround. Not the best choice, but the best you probably could have done on campaign.

Style: The fact that it's on campaign raises it's appeal some. However, I don't like to encourage the simple use of 1 figure and 1 piece of scenery. The entire style of the shot is kind of drab. It just seems that anyone could pull off this shot, which is not what you want to have in a screenshot.

Lighting: Pretty standard lighting throughout. The only difference in lighting would be the white strips going across the top of the screen. Once again, the lighting is very simple and gives the screenshot a sort of amateur look.

Blending: Probably the strongest point of the screenshot. I like how it blends from blue to green. The whole picture seems to meld together because of the blue glow off the armor.

Overall Presentation: It was an ok screenshot overall. Everything was pretty ordinary and didn't impress me to much. The fact that it was in campaign was kind of cool because that type of color in the backround was kind of hard to find.

I give your screenshot a rating of: 4/10

 

Ahh I see. Being new to the site, I hadn't a clue that black was the new skin. I will do as you requested.

 

I don't know whether you meant it like this, but that sounds like an insult. Standard and boring? You must not understand the thousands of ways you can tweak a screenshot to display what you want. They are fair for boring. Not quite the opposite: they add character to the shot.

Anyhow the waiting list is full so I'm not accepting applications, which can clearly be seen on the frontpage.

 

Hero's Domain Review for: Halo Orlando

Screenshot name: "Darkened View" and can be found on page 4.

Originality: Usually in screenshots, a person will decide either to have an explosion/effects in the backround, or just a simple backround that they think is cool. Few times do you see the use of both a backround and an effect. That's what I like about yours: the explosion is so similar to the backround that it almost looks apart of it.

Effects used: Obviously an explosion was used. This is all fine and dandy, as explosions can offer a lot to a shot. The single effect does make the shot look a bit more simplistic which I try not to do, but you seemed to pull it off partly-well.

Camera Angle: The camera angle is ok. It's a good angle for the person in ratio to the explosion, but it did brighten up the shot a bit to much for a "dark" screenshot.

Style: The style was ok, though it's been done several times before. Battle rifles, however formitable, are used is most of the screenshots. Might I suggest using glowing weapons like the sword, plasma rifle or pistol? I think those have some promise to make a good screenshot, with the right effects.

Lighting: Probably the weakpoint of the screenshot. It's too bright to be a dark screenshot and too dark to be a bright screenshot, so you're kind of stuck in limbo.

Blending: The blending was well done. I liked the slight orange glow coming off the helmet. It helps the character blend with the explosion, and gives him depth. Also, I'm liking the different shades of white across his forearm and wrist. This also helps with the depth of the person because it creates shadow.

Overall Presentation: It was a nice screenshot. A bit standard but well made. The simple effect did give it a bit of a simplistic outlook, which isn't nessessarily a bad thing. Your strongpoints are blending and angle, while your weakpoint is lighitng.


I give your screenshot a rating of: 6/10

 

When I am down to 5 people on the waiting list. Then I will open it again.

 

Hero's Domain Review for: NYYanks33

Screenshot name: "Untitled" and can be found on page 4.

Originality: Well, there have been many white-washed screenshots done before, so it's not to impressive to see another one. However, usually when someone doesn't a screenshot like that, the lighting is so bright that the player over-blends into the white which is not the case of this screenshot. So, although you don't get many points for originality, I can foresee you getting some points later on in lighting and blending.

Effects used: Well I would guess, being Cold Storage, that some special effects were used, maybe juicy or pen and ink. I would think it is also acompanied by a gernade of some sort. Although I might not know the exact composition of the effects, the result is clear: a clean white-washed shot. White usually means the death of a screenshot, because of how unattractive it is. Your screenshot seems to have the guy suspended in purgatory.

Camera Angle: The camera angle is alright. Don't like it, but I don't hate it. Your angle turns focus away from the figure, which is what you should be focused on, to the sniper rifle. This diminishes the value of the shot because now you have less emotion.

Style: This style of screenshot has been done many times. I like to call them reverse-silhouette shots because instead of the figure being unseen, it's everything around him. These shots are hard to pull off most of the time because of the shear brightness invovled. You pulled it off nicely.

Lighting: Well there are two different types of screenshots: bright and dark. Bright usually focus more on emotions and inspiration while dark ones focus more on hardcore action. Although the shot lacks emotion, the sense of lonliness can erect inspiration from someone that may have a similar situation.

Blending: The slight use of blending is actually a good thing when it comes to bright screenshots, especially in white-washed shots. If it were too bright, the figure would have barely been seen, which would have ruined the shot. The slight blending across his helmet is enough to leave me mildly impressed.

Overall Presentation: All and all a decent screenshot. No where close to the best I've seen but not the work of an ameteur.

I give your screenshot a rating of: 5/10