X-Girl Explained: A Tool For Creating Your Very Own Heroines

X-Girl Explained: A Tool For Creating Your Very Own Heroines

It was only recently that I saw screenshots of a popular Flash game called X-Girl Creator. As such, it seemed inevitable that I would take the plunge and try it out for myself. And now, having created a few test characters to demonstrate some of the possibilities, I will offer a brief description of this short but surprisingly addictive Web game.

So what exactly is X-Girl Creator? Well, it's a Flash game in which you create your own heroines - and, if necessary, give them superpowers. In a nutshell, the game allows you to edit your character's appearance, hair pieces, outfits, powers, accessories and other items. Once you are done designing your character, you can select from a wide variety of backgrounds to place her against, or write a description of the heroine and her abilities. You can even add some dialog boxes, presumably for adding a motto or two. And if you wish, you can fit multiple characters within the screenshot, although you cannot place more than four without them overlapping. Below is an example I made recently to show an example of how the creator can be used to dress up your characters in activewear.

A quartet of X-Girls in activewear, ready for a workout.

Would I recommend this deceptively simple yet potentially addictive Flash game to anyone? Absolutely. With virtually endless possibilities there is no way you will run out of ideas with your characters in the long term. The only thing I would wish for is the addition of a three-dimensional version of the game, but that would require a lot more work. Still, as it is, X-Girl Creator is a great way to indulge in your comic book fantasies. You can create your X-Girl designs (and save them as a JPEG image) at this site:

http://www.dolldivine.com/x-girl.php

The Way Back North: My Visit to Toronto Explained

The Way Back North: My Visit to Toronto Explained

Next week, I will accompany my parents on a trip to Toronto, Ontario, where they will be attending a conference. To make the most of my time there, I plan to visit several major sites in and around the city. For this, my first visit to Canada (or anywhere in North America for that matter) in more than 15 years, I will be staying in the Chelsea Hotel, off Yonge Street and just north of the Eaton Centre. And since it is the middle of the northern hemisphere fall, I will need to wrap up warm, but I am sure it will be well worth it.

So what does this mean? First, I will be unable to fulfill my duties as an Automationeer for the duration of the visit, and as such will not be able to submit anything for any forum challenges until I return home. Second, my first overseas trip for more than a year should allow me to spend some much-needed time away from a screen. Finally, I will have a chance to visit North America for the first time in more than 15 years, ticking another item off my travel bucket list in the process.

I will be staying at the Chelsea Hotel in downtown Toronto for the duration of this trip. While my plans include a visit to the Niagara Falls (on the Canadian side, obviously), of greater concern will be the sites covered by the Citypass. This ticket costs $72.10 per adult visitor and grants access to the CN Tower, Casa Loma, Royal Ontario Museum, Ripley's Aquarium and either the Toronto Zoo or Ontario Science Centre for the next nine days. Of these, the CN Tower and Ripley's Aquarium can be visited in one go, being located so close to each other and with the Rogers Centre right across the street.

Other places in Toronto which I plan to visit include the Distillery district, formerly the site of actual distilleries but now a sprawling marketplace complete with restaurants; the Hockey Hall of Fame in Brookfield Place, filled with tributes to the best ice hockey players there have ever been; and the St Lawrence Market, another open-air market full of assorted retailers. Also, my literary interests And then there's the Art Gallery of Ontario, a Mecca for anyone interested in creative arts. Finally, the Harbourfront Centre affords excellent views of the Toronto skyline to the north, and lake Ontario to the south.

So in accompanying my parents on this impending trip to Toronto, I not only want to see one of the world's great cities, but also gain a broader understanding of how Canadian culture works, allowing me to compare it with those of other countries I have visited. I'll see you again in a week or so when I have the chance to reflect on what promises to be a wonderful experience.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 23: The Great Automation Run, Part 1 - An Overview

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 23: The Great Automation Run, Part 1 - An Overview

While the UE4 version of Automation is still being polished, the Kee version remains in use for virtually every challenge that is currently being hosted. Among these is the Great Automation Run, the closest thing there has been so far to a Cannonball Run event on the forums. The premise of the event is as follows: In 1995, a shady organizer hosts a 5600-kilometer road race from Malaga in the south of Spain to the Greek capital, Athens. Whoever wins the race will receive a whopping $5 million - quite a lot back then, and it still is today.

Now, since this is going to be an illegal unsanctioned race, held on a variety of roads, there are many differences between this and a legally sanctioned race on a closed track. First of all, there is a possibility that racers will be pulled over and fined by the local police, which obviously costs them some time and money. Second, in the event of a crash or mechanical breakdown, a contestant will be forced to undertake roadside repairs, which also cost time and money - the more severe the failure, the more costly the repair will be, and as such, cars with fewer production units and less engineering time will be easier to repair. On top of that, any entrants who run out of money will immediately be eliminated from the race. Third, drivability is a crucial factor, since drivers are less likely to make mistakes in cars which are easier to drive. Finally, a balance between fuel economy and outright speed is essential, since each fuel stop takes several minutes - a faster car can theoretically cover more distance than a slower one in the same period of time, while a more economical one will need to stop for fuel less often.

As for the cars, the trim year must be set to 1995, with the model year being any year from 1946 to 1995 (inclusive). There is no upper limit on production units or engineering time; however, as stated previously, the lower these values are, the easier the repair process will be. Moreover, the base price of the modified version of any car submitted for this challenge must not exceed $17000 before markups, and both the base and tuned trims must be included in the export file for submission. Also, no more than 15 quality points could be added to the trim and engine tabs, while exactly one wing and up to two lips could be installed. Finally, while engine and drivetrain swaps are allowed, 95 RON premium unleaded petrol is mandatory.

In keeping with my policy of adding lore to companies which did not have much of it previously, I entered a bright yellow 1995 WMD Guardsman 3.0. The modified trim was no more powerful than the base car, but was lighter thanks to the deletion of its rear seats and the fitment of lightweight front seats, plus a set of forged, rather than cast, alloy wheels. The engine was entirely stock apart from a set of straight-through mufflers. The most obvious changes were found on the exterior, with additional cooling vents up front and a larger wing at the back.

Lighter, louder and lairier - the Guardsman 3.0R is ready to conquer Europe.

At the time this post was published the deadline for submissions has not yet closed; however, the field for this challenge is not only very large, but also encompasses a wide variety of vehicles, from sleek sports cars to massive trucks. So stay tuned while the countdown to the start of the Run continues - once it commences, it will most definitely be a wild and exciting ride.