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My judging was based on how the heroes fit into a melee game. I tested all the heroes in real games with no cheats. Anything external to the hero like back stories or flavor text had no consideration.
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Really? Well then I'm surprised I did so well; I'm all about putting (too much) emphasis on Theme (back-story, flavor text, lore, fittingness, etc). It's what the "Theme" Criteria category is all about, too.
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Based on the review Softmints was more reliant on technical problems. For instance while we pointed out some of the same balance concerns you got a higher rating from me because I grade the whole project both in what it currently is and what it can be. What you have here is not a finished hero entry for the resource section, but a wonderful platform to expand upon. Dreamscape especially is something worth pursuing.
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That's true, and appreciated. At first I thought a lot of his concerns could be resolved through simple number-balancing (at least I know so with Preservation), and thusly I felt a bit "cheated", as I didn't consider that that should be as strong a weight as some other issues. (however, now I know otherwise).
Also true. I wasn't really thinking about the Resource section, but who knows... Also, about Dreamscape; I'm glad you liked it (it was one of my favorites, Thematically at least), but what part did you like? The "Astral Projection" bit or the <span style="font-size: 9px">(more literally)</span> "Dreamscape" bit? (I liked both, but for this guy I prefer the latter)
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I would agree that some of the visuals can improve. I also agree that you should build his three regular abilities around his ultimate. Softmints defining it as a "plane-swapping" hero is something I really like. Move more towards that. I do not agree that your hero is the second-worst entry but that is my opinion.
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Yeah, definitely, some better/custom SFX would really take this up a notch.
Hmm... "plane-swapping"? I suppose. Thematically it makes a lot of sense. I would have to restructure the rest of him a good deal for that to work (as I've said, the "Astral Projection" was the part whose Idea was 'tacked on' (to the central Idea of "Dreamscape"), while it's the Implementation of the "Dreamscape" that was 'tacked on' (to the central Implementation of "Astral Projection")
I am a little more inclined to go for the latter (see above & below), but I would encourage you to take what I've done and make whatever changes you want, incorporate it into your stuff if you desire. Credits are nice, but have fun with it! I probably won't be able to use him as he is anyway.
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You should go back to work on your hero and polish it. The one flaw I see in many contests we have here is that so many times a contestant is dissatisfied with their score and walks away from their entry rather than refining and submitting it.
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I will try to, though as aforementioned, I really don't have much of a place for him in his current iteration (he uses a lot of spells/ideas that I'm already using elsewhere, and I'm not making any Night Elves (well, except for possibly a "Neutral Hero" for when I make full factions out of the sub-races & relegate the "main faction/races" as "neutrals", lol. Might be able to polish him up for that)).
However, I'll admit some surprise; I never really considered these sorts of Contests as being focused towards submissions to the Resource section. Models, textures, icons, sure, spells, ok, but Heroes? <span style="font-size: 9px">(though on 2nd thought, I remember several people from Wc3C doing just that...)</span> I have never submitted, not because I was dissatisfied or nonplussed, but because that wasn't what I intended on doing in the first place. Usually I just do these things to "get me off my duff" and actually get down to designing & making something for my projects for once (same with the Zephyr Contests, actually); you'll never see me do a Troll (at least so far, as I try to keep those guys 'under wraps'), but everything else I mod is fair game, and I try to intend to use it elsewhere. Just not... submit it.
So like I said, if you could see some benefit to yourself or others in me submitting, I'll certainly put it on my To-Do list (and hopefully not too close to the bottom xD). I'll admit, after reading some of what Softmints has said, I'm a little bit shaken in my self-confidence as to my ability to produce something worthwhile to others (i.e. I liked it, but it in some way(s) is/are extremely lacking in something(s))... But ok.
Again, if you liked it, I implore you to "do what you will" with it; take it, mod it, enjoy it, whatever.
Thanks again. : )