#plus it was fun trying to make things distinct and asymmetrical so

[possessable]

anybody want a fucking. eigong slide puzzle

[yuechihua]

Hello.... I am the nuclear bomb anon!! ヾ( ^^ゞ) A little embarrassed to cease my anonymity but.. I mean... I wanted to show you my drawings LDJDNKAKSNXJ!! I felt bad after you said that you wanted to see them╰(ɵ̥̥ ˑ̫ ɵ̥̥ ╰)..

These are a couple of recent Harumasas but I had a sudden urge to draw my own take on the reader bc someone else in your inbox had!!!

This was me trying to figure out what they would look like, which wasn't too hard bc Section Six already has a pretty established aesthetic, plus since the mc takes after Yanagi, I figured they would also have a more put together look, yeah?? And.. I really wanted to make them a thiren.. just bc. I did consider going with a wolf for a while because of the symbiotic relationship wolves + crows (Harumasa) have, but decided to go with an owl!! Specifically. This fella. (Ryukyu Owl)

Since Harumasa and the mc already have several scenes in ur writing depicting them as each other's sun and moon, I thought that an owl thiren could fit :] Especially because owls tend to be more reserved, and that's how I view the mc! (Also owls are just cute to me lmao) I feel as though physical touch and personal space is kinda a Big Thing for the mc, which is just made more obvious by having the upkeep of feathers/preening represent that. That, and I think Harumasa would actually have some fun picking apart their mannerisms and quirks!! (and maybe be disappointed to learn that their wings can't support flight..)

^^ He's definitely done silly stuff like seeing how their eyes shrink and expand.. half to make them loosen up their serious disposition and half to just.. have fun. Be a troll.

(^^grgrgrhhe they're so silly to me) But still, it's just.. hmhmmrmrm I really like the idea of them gradually becoming so comfortable in each other's personal space, but never verbally saying what it means to them. Like they would definitely invite him to help them clean their feathers, and it's just the two of them chilling on the bed for an hour or two. There's long, comfortable silence with small conversations that spark in and out, and they both appreciate it!! They like it!! The two of them just can't think about it too hard bc of the Repercussions of Deep Care.

RHAHHDHSHZHSN!!! they're so repressed I love the way u write them!! I need them to explode.

OH MY GOD?? THESE ARE SO CUTE????? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR ART WITH ME!!! and also for your kind ask in the first place <3 !!! getting to see how you interpret reader is such a treat and it made me sooo excited to see this ask in the first place!! also, i appreciate all of the care you put into this and all your design notes!!

harumasa is so cute in your style! im so impressed with how silly his expressions are and i like the lines you draw under the eyes :3 the body proportions/anatomy is also impressive and you simplified his outfit while still retaining all the distinct features of it!

READER IS ALSO SO CUTE OMG??? i love how they're an owl thiren and how their hair is feathers! the hair clips are also a cute touch <3 the hips wings are so cool and like how one sleeve is pulled back... it really captures the zzz tendency to have the design be asymmetrical while still matching with the rest of section six!!! also harumasa and reader being sun/moon for each other and owls being associated with the night... thats absolute cinema...!!!

i also really like the idea of harumasa picking up reader's mannerisms and noting any habits they have that are similar to owl habits (and he has 100% asked if they could pick him up and fly him somewhere when he doesn't want to walk there lol...) harumasa teasing them and doing silly things to mess with reader is so cute... i love how you draw chibis and the way you can only see reader's eyes in the darkness!! so silly and expressive... i know reader has made that same annoyed expression at him 100 times before...

also aw the way harumasa pinches reader's face is so so so cute. the way he's all smug about it and reader is just letting him do it... they care about each other sm. also the notes about them never verbalizing their feelings but taking care of each other is 100% real and true, especially since i imagine reader doesn't let just anyone touch their feathers... preening as a bonding action is so good...

ALSO the last two pictures of harumasa, and harumasa with reader? so, so good!! he looks so silly and i love how when reader gets embarrassed at his proximity, he backs off and looks more embarrassed himself LOL. 100% he is the one who gets more into his head despite seemingly being the more forward one...

[gamex2020]

Saturn Games

12 Sega Saturn Games All Gamers Should Play

After the 16-bit console war between Sega and Nintendo, Sega started to noticeably lag behind. However, just because consoles like the Saturn and the Dreamcast weren’t extremely successful in sales doesn’t mean their library was lacking in awesome and weird genre-bending titles.

Not every franchise got to “graduate” from the fifth-generation of consoles, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t fantastic. Modern gamers might not know much about these, but these are truly memorable Games From Sega’s console-exclusive heyday. Get your hands on these games however you can; they’re really unique experiences on a very distinctive console.

Guardian Heroes

Before Castle Crashers showed off how fun a beat-em-up can be with RPG mechanics and simple combos, there was Guardian Heroes. This game was well-received when it originally came out on the Saturn, but now, it’s largely forgotten. The series has a spinoff on the GBA and a port to Xbox 360/Xbox One, but other than that, there’s been no word of a sequel or revival–not even a rumor.

The game controls like a fighting game with juggle combos, aerials, special moves, and a mana bar. There are only six characters playable in the story mode (two unlockable), but there are fun multiplayer versus modes to mess around with. After defeating a character in the story mode, they’re unlocked for use in multiplayer, and the combos can get pretty crazy with six concurrent players.

Dragon Force

Dragon Force is from an era where “RTS/Tactics RPG” wasn’t that unique of a genre. Nowadays, we have Fire Emblem, but Dragon Force was smack-dab in the middle of a golden age of Langrisser, Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy Tactics, and many other SRPG hits.

Something that sets Dragon Force apart from its peers is that it focuses on large-scale battles instead of small-scale ones. The fights aren’t duels like in Fire Emblem; generals can collide with 100 troops on each side, duking it out in skirmishes. Time passes in “weeks,” which lets the plot advance while you make out-of-battle decisions.

The game sold well at the time, but its sequel (also on the Saturn) never left Japan. No one spoke much about this game after the Sega Saturn kicked the bucket, which is a real shame; Dragon Force is a true diamond in the rough.

Astal

Action platformers were falling out of vogue by the time the Sega Saturn hit the stores. Astal, however, came out early in the system’s lifespan, and was still able to capitalize on the craze. The titular character Astal can grab and throw objects or enemies. He can also slam the ground and blow big gusts of air. On top of that, he has a super meter that commands his bird companion to bounce around, knocking out all enemies on screen.

This is a fun asymmetric co-op game, too. The second player plays as Astal’s bird companion, instead of just a palette-swapped version of Astal. The bird has his own unique set of attacks, making this game worth checking out with a friend.

Astal is short, but has challenging gameplay backed up by a unique hand-drawn aesthetic. Many indie games nowadays use hand-drawn graphics as a selling point, but it was really rare during the fifth console generation. The main character has had cameos in other Sega games since, but there’s no word of a sequel, revival, or crossover with another franchise.

Mr. Bones

At its core, Mr. Bones is an action platformer about a reanimated skeleton that can lose and regain limbs instead of using health or lives. That’s not totally accurate, though; certain levels were based on non-platforming genres, with rhythm game elements, Breakout-style gameplay, or perspective changes. It’s more like Lawnmower Man on the SNES rather than Castlevania.

The first run-through of the game is extremely silly and fun, especially going in blind. Getting used to the “skeletism” meter to replace the traditional health meter takes some getting used to, but it creates a fun sub-game of trying to hang onto all your bones. It really sucks not having your legs and being unable to jump in a platformer. Mega Man wouldn’t be as fun if he had to climb on the ground with his arms–but that’s part of what makes Mr. Bones so hilarious.

Mr. Bones had a very polarized reception, with some critics praising how much variety there was in gameplay while some others would have just preferred a normal platformer. This isn’t the greatest platformer of all time, but sometimes it’s just worth playing a game where the developers threw caution to the wind and put in every single gameplay function they felt like.

Policenauts

Before Hideo Kojima made Metal Gear Solid, he was making story-focused adventure games for a variety of platforms. After finishing the cult cyberpunk game Snatcher, he set to work on Policenauts, a sci-fi story about astronauts that are also law enforcement officials. It came to the PlayStation, the PC-9821, the 3DO, and of course, the Saturn.

Policenauts is like a cross between a point-and-click adventure game and a visual novel. It’s interactive, and requires the player to be a good detective and figure out the right dialog options to select and the right items to interact with. The Saturn version is also considered superior to other ports because it has first-person light gun segments not seen elsewhere.

There is an unofficial translation patch available for the Saturn, which uses dialog from an earlier fan translation for the PlayStation. If you want to see where Kojima honed his writing chops, play Policenauts. You’ll be the cool person that’s already played it once it gets an HD remaster.

Note that this came was never released in the U.S. and can only be played on Japanese Sega Saturn Consoles!

Princess Crown

Do you like classic beat-em-ups? How about collectible armor and items? Do you like a cutesy anime style backed up by serious gameplay? What about classic RPG enemies and locations with high-quality pixel art? If you answered yes to any of these, pick up Princess Crown.

Princess Crown is the brainchild of Capcom veteran George Kamitani. Because it was released near the end of the Saturn’s lifespan, it was a commercial failure, which led to Kamitani getting blacklisted in the games industry. He later went on to found Vanillaware, which re-established him as a developer.

Princess Crown’s core gameplay went on to spawn many spiritual successors, such as Odin Sphere, Muramasa: The Demon Blade, and Dragon’s Crown, all made by Kamitani. It’s great for the industry to have specialists like him.

Note that this came was never released in the U.S. and can only be played on Japanese Sega Saturn Consoles!

Mystaria: The Realms of Lore/Blazing Heroes

If you’re a fan of classic grid-based tactics RPGs, give Mystaria a try. The graphical limitations of the Saturn give it a unique, blocky, and vibrant aesthetic. There’s twelve special characters for you to get, and the story changes depending on who you want to recruit first. The story is not that complex, but being non-linear is a huge plus for keeping gamers engaged.

The menu system for navigating combat is cumbersome at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s fluid and fast. Plus, there’s a first-person camera mode, which is novel and weird. Try to play it in that mode, because you can’t get that in many other tactics RPGs.

Take a look at Mystaria if you feel like seeing what was once considered “next generation.” The game might seem archaic or underdeveloped now, but when it was released, Mystaria heralded what RPGs were going to look like, with 3D spells and effects backed up by camera changes to create cinematic fights.

Mystaria was released in North America as Blaze Heroes; they are the same game!

Crusader: No Remorse

There aren’t many games by Western developers on this list, but Crusader: No Remorse has definitely earned its entry. It uses pre-rendered graphics with an isometric perspective, much like the original Fallout or Diablo games. The gameplay, however, focuses on shooting, action, and interactable environments rather than RPG mechanics.

The environment destruction and playability is really where this game shines. There are alarm switches, non-combatants, puzzles, and a perspective that supports tactical gameplay rather than run-and-gun shooting. Most of the objects you see can either be destroyed or turned on your enemies in creative ways. If there’s a trap set for you, you can set it for somebody else.

There’s a sequel titled Crusader: No Regret, but it is only on MS-DOS. The first Crusader is actually recognized as an inspiration to the Fallout team. If you’re a fan of post-apocalyptic Western games, No Remorse is worth playing alone just for its contribution to the genre.

Die Hard Arcade/Dynamite Deka

Die Hard Arcade isn’t extremely faithful to the movie it’s based on, but the liberties it takes are genius. To start with, it’s a beat ‘em up that focuses on fighting game-style combos and improvised weapons. It also uses texture mapping that gives it a realistic feel, not unlike the sports games of the era.

Beat ‘em ups were falling out of favor at the time (much like tournament fighters and 2D platformers), but Die Hard Arcade kept things fresh. It’s got classic mainstays of the genre, like end-level bosses and two-player co-op, and the game brings with it a simple 3D setting and a boatload of attack options.

It’s short, but you’ll be happy to play it again and again, using new weapons and trying new combos. It’s really hard to beat crime bosses on the head with a broomstick. (Plus, Dynamite Cop on the Dreamcast is a great sequel, even though the setting is obviously different.)

Last Bronx

Last Bronx is, in many ways, a distinctly Japanese game. The setting is an alternate-future Tokyo where gangs and criminals rule. It’s a 3D fighting game that plays a lot like Virtua Fighter, but without ringouts. All of the characters and locations are unmistakably Japanese, with little room for the “worldwide fighting” variety the genre usually features.

Even though gamers in North America didn’t give the game too much attention, it was an instant classic in Japan. Casual gamers loved the variety of modes, the weapon-based gameplay, and the fluid animation. The graphics are better on the arcade, but the Saturn version is no slouch.

If you end up liking the game, there’s comics, a novel, radio dramas, and even movies to go along with it. Don’t bother watching the movie if you’re not a fan of the game, though…it’s pretty rough.

Magic Carpet

Peter Molyneux is popular these days for two things: over-promising on series like Fable, and getting mistaken for Stefan Molyneux. In his heyday, he was the king of making solid games with innovative aspects, like Black and White. Even before that, though, he worked on Bullfrog’s Magic Carpet.

The title describes it pretty perfectly. It’s a 3D flying game where you control–you guessed it–a magic carpet. The goal is to destroy monsters, collect their magic mana, and use it to build up a castle in each level.

The game is subtle, smooth, and some pretty simple fun. It’s great for zoning out with the lights off, flying around in the early-polygonal 3D environments and enjoying the sprites and spells. It probably won’t end up being your new favorite game of all time, but it’s a unique experience for the Saturn.

Theme Park

No one needs to be told that Roller Coaster Tycoon is a great series, and they’re undoubtedly some of the greatest games of all time. Before there was RCT, there was a game simply titled Theme Park, developed by Peter Molyneux and his crew at Bullfrog Productions.

The gameplay is self-explanatory for anyone familiar with the sim genre. Set up your rides and manage the logistics of the park. Try your best to keep it clean, keep it profitable, and most importantly, keep yourself from getting addicted. There are some elements in this game that aren’t seen often in other sim games, like managing the park’s financial stocks and negotiating business deals. Once you’ve made enough money on one park, you can auction it off and make another on a new plot of land.

Theme Park saw high critical acclaim upon release. Even though there were plenty of sim games sprouting during the fifth generation, Theme Park had a playful aesthetic and wasn’t as serious as Sim City or other competitors. Like many other sim games, it was developed with PC gaming in mind, but the console ports (including the Saturn) are just as smooth.

[popblank]

Eurovision semifinal 2 thoughts:

Norway, Alexander Rybak, “That’s How You Write a Song” – I am unable to enjoy his singing.  Was that shot of a mildly-engaged crowd what they were going for?

Romania, The Humans, “Goodbye” – I want to go wherever they are in their postcard.  They didn’t look very comfortable with the choreography; it was better singing straight to the audience/camera with the wind machine cranked up. I like that abrupt ending.

Serbia, Sanja Ilić & Balkanika, “Nova Deca” – Sounds nice, doesn’t seem to go anywhere.

San Marino, Jessika feat. Jenifer Brening, “Who We Are” –  Cute postcard. All things considered I think they performed as well as could be expected. But robots?  

Denmark, Rasmussen, “Higher Ground” – To me this stays kind of flat.

Russia, Julia Samoylova, “I Won’t Break” – The mountain does keep her more visible while the dancers are running around in the same shot, but it looks awkward on the stage.

Moldova, DoReDoS, “My Lucky Day” – Clever and fun to watch. Moldova is pretty good at this.

The Netherlands, Waylon, “Outlaw in ’Em” – Not a fan of the coat.  This song and performance are not my thing.

Australia, Jessica Mauboy, “We Got Love” – Wow, she is working for this.  I feel like I just saw someone run an Olympic sprint.

Georgia, Ethno-Jazz Band Iriao, “For You” – The part where they suddenly sing in unison seems so stark in the live version.  

Poland, Gromee feat. Lukas Meijer, “Light Me Up” – Stage lights look good.  The vocals are a bit weak.  It didn’t need that much swimmy-hand dancing.

Malta, Christabelle, “Taboo” –  The TV-only graphics are so clearly not in the same physical space as the performer, it seems far more natural when they interact with LED screens.  On the plus side, it distracted me from the chorus.  Pretty good performance.

Hungary, AWS, “Vislyát Nyár” – This works well and the crowd seems into it.  The crowd shots look especially good with the pyrotechnics lighting everything up.

Latvia, Laura Rizzotto, “Funny Girl” – I liked the little flip of her skirt/train in the second chorus.

Sweden, Benjamin Ingrosso, “Dance You Off” – The problem I have with this performance is that it is so removed from the actual setting. Even relative to other recent Swedish entries there is very little that makes this distinct from the performances at Melodifestivalen.

Montenegro, Vanja Radovanović, “Inje” – This is a very pleasant listen.  Maybe it’s just that it’s the end of the second semifinal and it’s late in the week and I am getting tired.  Why is his jacket asymmetrical?

Slovenia, Lea Sirk, “Hvala ne!” – I had heard about the interruption but I don’t get what the point of it was.  I wonder if it’s supposed to be a sort of performance-art representation of the chorus (that is, a sudden let-down).

Ukraine, Melovin, “Under the Ladder” – That was quite an entrance, but I don’t really like this song.  

So far all of the auto-qualifier clips sound pretty good, though I’m not sure about Italy’s words.  At least they’re not trying to interact with them.

Well, I’m glad Slovenia qualified.

[douchebagbrainwaves]

WHAT MICROSOFT IS THIS THE LADDER

You often can't tell yourself. And for programmers the paradox is even more pronounced: the language to learn, if you get bored halfway through and start making the bricks mechanically instead of observing each one, the drawing will look worse than if you had merely suggested the bricks. So why did I need it? You'd think that would work for any kind of taste. And in retrospect, it was crap. Though strictly speaking World War II was an extreme case of this. Some switched from meat loaf to tofu, and others by playing zero-sum games.

So you spread rapidly through all the colleges. Strange as it sounds, that's the real recipe. Although empirically you're better off using the organic strategy, you could succeed this way. Some of the very best ideas. The discoverer is entitled to reply, why didn't you? A lot of startups have that form: someone comes along and makes something for a group that doesn't include you, it tends to be a bit smarter to dominate Internet search than you had to be suitable for everyone. It's hard to trick professors into letting you into grad school.

What would they like to do it for free, in their spare time, and take day jobs as waiters to support themselves? It would seem a misnomer if someone said they were very determined to do something trivially easy. And the flattening effect wasn't limited to those under arms, because the main cost in software startups is people. Sometimes you need an idea now. We had a page in our site trying to talk merchants out of doing real time authorizations. You might also want to look at the employment agreement you sign when you get hired.1 This turns out to be big like Microsoft.

The founders of Kiko, for example. All parents tend to be more interesting than one without. Serious applications like databases are often trivial and dull technically if you ever suffer from insomnia, try reading the technical literature about databases while frivolous applications like games are often very sophisticated.2 Plus if you find someone else working on the same thing, they got it at the same time, as their next door neighbors.3 Often they care a lot about their pets and spend a lot of email, or because they saw a movie star with one in a magazine, or because it's hard to imagine anything more fun to work on certain things. Several well-known startups began this way. Prestige is the opinion of anyone beyond your friends. Good design is often daring.4 Working from life is that it lets you jump over obstacles. That form of fragmentation, like the others, is here to stay.5 Any really good new idea will seem bad to most people; otherwise someone would already be doing it.

If there is such a thing. It could be because it's beautiful, or because they know VCs aren't interested in such small deals. So what less ambitious professors do is turn off the filters that usually prevent you from seeing them. But if opinion is divided in such discussions, the side that knows it would lose in a vote will tend to err on the side of money.6 For most of the great advantage of school: the wealth of co-founders. Good design is timeless. If you just start doing stuff for them, so that is a good idea to Mark Zuckerberg as because he used computers so much. I used to think the good ones, at least now, the reason Google survived to become a good hacker? Math would happen without math departments, but it would work for any kind of work ends up being done by people who don't understand it.

Like a lot of schleps, you'll still have plenty dealing with investors, hiring and firing people, and I suspect the human brain is just as lumpy and idiosyncratic as the human body. But if you're living in the future had few fonts and they weren't antialiased. I'm in debt. If you're at the leading edge of a rapidly changing field, you don't even notice an idea unless it's evidence that something is worth doing, you're more likely to be right than original. And as the Duplo world of a few giant companies dominating each big market. She assumed the problem was one that needed to be solved though. For example, thinking about getting a job will make you happiest over some longer period, like a well.7 VCs are driven by consensus, not just within their firms, but within the VC community. Some of the smartest people around you are professors. I'm old enough to remember that era; the usual term for people with their own microcomputers was hobbyists. I would never use this. Or is it just something nice?

It's a matter of pride, and a pretty striking example it is. This one may not always be true. The main reason they all acted as if they enjoyed their work was presumably the upper-middle class tradition comes from.8 Look around you and see what the smart people seem to be working for them. The purchase price is just the beginning. Not only was this work not for a class, but because it didn't seem ambitious enough. When I told the fearsome Professor Conway that I was interested in AI a hot topic then, he told me I could be whatever I wanted when I grew up, the ambitious plan was to get lots of education at prestigious institutions, and then gradually refine this initial sketch.9 There is something to this tradition, and not just because you don't have to force yourself to do it well. It all evened out in the end, wow, this is a bit of a fib. A lot of them try to make relativity strange. But if your job is to design things, and sometimes it's a sign of laziness.10

Which inevitably, if unions had been doing their job tended to be asymmetric about major axes, though; there were hundreds of minor symmetries. Be ruthlessly mercenary when you start doing this though: you're trying to see things that are obvious, and yet that you hadn't seen. It depends on what the meaning of is is. And the best paying jobs are most dangerous, because they didn't have materials or power sources light enough the Wrights' engine weighed 152 lbs.11 The market doesn't give a shit how hard you worked.12 People who didn't care much for religion felt less pressure to go to grad school, you'll find valuable ones just sitting there waiting to be implemented. The alarming thing is, the mistakes that produce these regrets are all errors of omission. In Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Robert Pirsig says: You want to know how to solve it. Why not start a startup with someone you like, and that's frightening. Yuppies were young professionals who made lots of money? Business schools like to talk about startups, but philosophically they're at the opposite end of the year I couldn't even remember what else I had stored in that attic.

Notes

It did.

IBM is the only significant channel was our own, like speculators, that all metaphysics between Aristotle and 1783 had been raised religious and then a block or so, even if it's dismissed, it's not inconceivable they were forced to stop, the average car restoration you probably do make everyone else microscopically poorer, by decreasing the difference is that we're not.

So by agreeing to uncapped notes, VCs who understood the vacation rental business, A.

Com of their upbringing in their experiences came not with the exception of the VCs buy, because those are the most part and you start to spread from.

Parents move to suburbs to raise five million dollars in liquid assets are assumed to be important ones.

Sam Altman points out that this was the capital of Silicon Valley. But a couple hundred years ago it would have expected them to lose elections. I apologize to anyone who has them manages to find the right to do this with prices too, and that you decide the price, and earns the right to do some research online. Another advantage of startups that are hard to predict precisely what would our competitors had known we were working on such an idea is bad.

Become increasingly easy to get the people working for me do more than half of 2004, as accurate to call the Metaphysics came after meta after the first question is not economic inequality is a fine sentence, but for a reason. If a company they'd pay a premium for you, however, is not always as deliberate as its sounds.

There are people whose applications are perfect in every way, I mean forum in the same reason 1980s-style knowledge representation could never have come to you as employees by buying good programmers instead of bookmarking. Does anyone really think we're as open as one could do as some European countries have done well if they'd survived. Who is being put through an internal process in their early twenties. Acquirers can be times when what you're doing.

It's probably inevitable that philosophy will suffer by comparison, because spam and legitimate mail volume both have distinct daily patterns. Turn on rice cooker.

17. I think the reason the founders lots of potential winners, which made it to colleagues. According to Michael Lind, when they say that it might seem, because the processing power you can eliminate, do not try too hard to erase from a company's culture. It was revoltingly familiar to slip back into it.

Even now it's hard to think of ourselves as investors, but I'm not sure. Two possible and not least, as accurate to call you about an A round. Some, like speculators, that probably doesn't make A more accurate predictor of low salaries as the cause. Give the founders of Google to do it well enough to be redeveloped as a process.

The knowledge whose utility drops sharply as soon as no one trusts that.

Thanks to Robert Morris, Rajat Suri, Sam Altman, Trevor Blackwell, Geoff Ralston, Paul Buchheit, and Jessica Livingston for inviting me to speak.

[waynekelton]

Excellent Two Player Games on iPhone, iPad and Android

Some of the greatest things in life are better shared. Two player games offer the most direct chances for head-to-head competition or connection. No misty-eyed sentiment there, just a fact. One mind probing the ingenuity and exiguity of another through games.

If you want something epic to embark on on your own, how about taking a look at these great RPGs?

Maybe you like to play in person on the same screen, or even on different devices via local multiplayer, or instead online with asynchronous multiplayer. A test of reflexes or planning? The games below run the gamut, with variety enough for all kinds of people and situations. Give them a try the next time with a fellow gamer. You won’t be disappointed.

Reader Recommendations

Ticket to Ride

Potion Explosion

Lords of Waterdeep

Splendor

Istanbul

Through the Ages

Indian Summer

Fort Sumter (Review)

Developer: Playdek Platforms: iOS & Android Price: $6.99

Playdek's Fort Sumter: Secession Crisis tackles the introductory moves to the American Civil War in a quick, 15-minute hand of cards between two players. Your job is to position yourself for the most political influence possible as you prepare for the inevitable outbreak of the war. But Fort Sumter manages all this in an elegant little game that takes the card-based intrigue of Twilight Struggle and streamlines them, and the result is a two-player experience that's easy to learn and allows for a lot of nuance in every game. 

Tides of Time (Review)

Developer: Portal Games Platforms: iOS & Android Price: $4.99

Tides of Time's digital adaptation does an excellent job at bringing this 2-player micro-game to life, with wonderful visuals and animations, and a faithful recreation of all the rules and mechanics. It's flaws are mainly to do with the original design: There's not a lot to it, so it's not a game you can play a lot off - physically or via an app. It should definitely be part of your two-player playlist though, and you'll enjoy its drafting and set-collection strategy. It's a nice, casual game where the competition isn't too fierce, but the challenge is still just as rewarding.

Morels (Review)

Developer: Mossbark Games Platforms:  iOS Universal, Android Price: $4.99

The physical version of Moresl (also known as Fungi) was a very casual and fun card game for two people. It's only drawback was that it took up a fair amount of room, but thanks to Mossbark's excellent digital adaptation, that's no longer a concern. If Pass & Play and even online multiplayer modes, all of the best traits of Morels have survived into the mobile port.

Especially good for couples, Morels is very laid back, but also paced and easy to play. You won't need to remember anything too complex, and it's an excellent time-waster if you're travelling together or are just looking for some quick  and easy post-dinner entertainment at home. 

Uniwar

Developer: Spooky House Studios Platforms:  iOS, Android Price: Free with non-invasive IAP

Uniwar is an ambitious turn-based strategy game which proudly wears its influences on its sleeve. It has the conquer-the-map tension of Advance Wars as well as the creative asymmetry of different player races: the fleshy Terrans, chitinous Insectoids and metallic...Robots. The abilities and interactions across these units are rather lively and varied, walking the fine edge between ‘interesting’ and ‘unbalanced’. Hotseat play is simple as can be, with quite a few maps offered, and there’s also online play.

Words with Friends 2

Developer: Zygna Platforms:  iOS, Android Price: Free

Words with Friends has been around almost as long as smartphones themselves, and it’s still a golden way to spend the better part of a day or longer. Yes, it’s like that other classic board game, and there’s a delicious subtext of who-spells-what-when. (Words score points but also...score points, making associations, repartee, even a kind of conversation). It just works on multiple levels, from a pure gameplay perspective but also in terms of social pay-out and connection. Oh, and on the gameplay front, it’s worth noting that advanced play involves so much more than just scoring the most impressive single word on a given turn. It also means thinking about positioning, letter draws and pacing, bonuses: basically long-con strategy stuff. Words with Friends is an oldie but a goodie, and a surprisingly handy way to keep in touch with friends.

Burgle Bros. (Review)

Developer: Fowers Games Inc. Platforms:  iOS, Android Price: $4.99

Co-op games are great, but even the greats tend to be best either purely solo or with the max player count. Burgle Bros, however, is unique in that it shines especially with two. With two, the joint is cased twice as fast, but hiding is much harder. To quickly reprise the game for those unfamiliar: players explore each floor’s tiles till they discover the safe, crack the combination, retrieve the  and advance to the next level. Patrolling guards and alarms will make things difficult, and if any player runs out of stealth points they risk getting caught and getting sent to the slammer. Some of the game’s more advanced tactics and interactions really only come into their own with a dynamic duo. Yes, gadgets and treasures along with character abilities combine but the real clincher is the pathing and alert system. Guards can be re-routed by tripping alarms, so the best teams take heat for each other. Two-player stealth doesn’t get much better than this.

Onitama

Developer: Asmodee Digital Platforms:  iOS, Android Price: Free (with expansions, content packs as optional DLC)

Onitama is a game primarily about not losing. Sounds like weak, roundabout praise, I know, but what this means in practice is thinking many steps in advance, reasoning recursively to move from point B to point A, something surprisingly difficult. Woah there, let's back up a little and actually talk about the game. Onitama is a two-player abstract game played on a two-dimensional square grid, much like chess. Players win by either capturing their opponent's 'King' piece or alternatively by moving their own respective King onto the other player's start space. The twist is how movement patterns work, for they are dictated by cards which can be used once, then eventually become playable by the opponent. There are only five given movement pattern cards (of a larger set) in a specific game, and this larger flow between good positioning and a good hand of cards makes the game quite intense. The app is free and as well-polished as any of Asmodee's releases.

Neuroshima Hex

Developer: Portal Games Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $4.99, 2.99

This one features asymmetrical factions trying to control the board by selecting two of three tiles (six-sided hexes, that is) each turn. The post-apocalyptic setting and wildly divergent playstyles of the groups make it an unusually colorful strategy game, but these flourishes of variety do nothing to detract from the game’s balance. The base game only includes four races, but that alone is plenty to start with and the rest are available as paid DLC. Tile-laying madcap fun.

Glow Hockey 2

Developer: Natenai Ariyatrakool Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $0.99, Free.

Arcade- or action-style two player games are the epitome of beer-and-pretzel fun. Crystal clear consequences, nothing to overthink or overanalyze just quick wrists instead of quick wits. Pure impulse and reaction make for some reliable fun, and Glow Hockey is a passable digital dupe for Air Hockey, minus the constant click-clack of the pucks. The physics are satisfying, the controls responsive. It works well in an understated and way that is impossible to hype, but it still entirely worth recognizing.

Antihero (Review)

Developer: Versus Evil Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $4.99

There is no high road in Antihero. Mischief and misfortune rule in its Victorian, Dickensian setting which makes the sooty and sullen into something fun. (The art direction and design are majorly on point with this game). Plus, the game itself is incredibly intense and stressful, always putting players in a race for victory points over a shockingly brief time. The game still manages to have a distinct beginning, middle, and end while allowing for a non-trivial variety of build paths and playstyles. It’s fog-of-war and bluff systems inject just enough tension to keep the game from becoming deterministic, and it’s one of the best original digital games to come out within recent memory. Oh, and it’s exclusively for two players, either through asynchronous or real-time play.

Ready Steady Bang

Developer: Cowboy Games Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $0.99, Free.

A western showdown at sundown. Quick-draw, one-shot, one-kill. Ready, Steady, Bang is this experience, over and over, with variable countdown timing and a variety of death animations. Technically there’s also a short ‘campaign’ mode vs. AI with ironclad timing thresholds, but the meat of the game can be reduced to a single perfectly timed gesture. Dead simple, quick and satisfying. Just don’t be the other guy. 

Patchwork (Review)

Developer: DIGIDICED Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $2.99

Patchwork may be pint-sized compared to some of its juggernaut neighbors on this list, but what it lacks in player count or time commitment it makes up in charm and crystal-clear, razor sharp strategy. (Those two make for quite the odd couple) Patchwork is a variable-setup perfect information abstract for two players. Players work to fill up their empty boards by adding patches to them, of various polyomino sizing, with the ultimate goal of filling the whole swath and collecting as many covetous buttons along the way. It is almost instantly intuitive yet perplexing and sophisticated even after dozens of plays, with turns chained together or telegraphed from miles away. A sweet game that can also be a hardcore match of wits.

What are your favourite games to play between two people? Let us know in the comments! 

Excellent Two Player Games on iPhone, iPad and Android published first on https://touchgen.tumblr.com/

[unixcommerce]

20 Best New Portfolios, October 2018

Hello Readers! Can you believe that I have not found one single Halloween-themed portfolio? I guess no one wanted to base their entire site on a one-day holiday. While understandable, this disappoints me.

Someone get me a vector skeleton!

What we do have is a general mix of calm and soothing minimalist sites punctuated by riotous color which might, if you’re not ready for it, hurt your eyes for a second. Enjoy.

Note: I’m judging these sites by how good they look to me. If they’re creative and original, or classic but really well-done, it’s all good to me. Sometimes, UX and accessibility suffer. For example, many of these sites depend on JavaScript to display their content at all; this is a Bad Idea, kids. If you find an idea you like and want to adapt to your own site, remember to implement it responsibly.

Landscape

To start us off, Landscape brings us an almost classically minimalist design, with a bit of an asymmetrical, collage-style layout. The (thankfully soundless) highlight reel on the home page can be a little jarring, but does a good job of showing the striking variety in their work.

Platform: WordPress

Louis Ansa

Continuing under “L”, Louis Ansa has an even bolder and even more animation-heavy site, though the animation is a bit easier on the eyes. There is a bit of “collage” in the design, but it’s a light touch that quickly gives way to a more typical layout style, while keeping everything (literally) moving. I personally love the way they used color for this one.

Platform: JS App

Serious Business

The logo for Serious Business has an ironic smiley face because of course it does. They even go so far as to promise to “make Millenials fall in love with your brand”… but I’ll try not to hold that against them.

I’ll say that they’re good at branding, though. The typography combined with some small graphical elements gives the site a distinct personality, while the variety in layout and presentation encourages exploration of the site. Animation takes you pretty seamlessly from one page to another in a way I can’t deny that I like.

Platform: Vue JS App

Fleur Moreau

Fleur Moreau is a studio that seems to make very minimalist and modern school supplies. When it comes right down to it, they do some pretty precision engineering, so their site reflects that professionalism, rather than going for the throw-colors-everywhere approach you might expect. For a site that sells things kids will inevitably destroy, it looks downright elegant, and this is accomplished mostly through typography.

Platform: Vue JS App

Ahmad Fakhry

Ahmad Fakhry is an interior/furniture designer, and so his site is predictably minimalist. What makes it fun for me is that I’m a sucker for those 50/50 split website layouts, though this one adapts, depending on which content is taking priority at any given moment. That last bit is something I like to see.

Platform: Static Site

Adele Bates

Adele Bates’ portfolio is one of those that puts the navigation all around the edges of the design. I’m normally not a fan, but there’s enough contrast to make it work.

The rest of the site is even structured specifically to draw your eyes to the sides of the page at any time, so you can’t miss the bits you’re supposed to click on. Combine that with a solid modernist design aesthetic, and it all works rather well.

Platform: WordPress

Mynd

Mynd’s portfolio site is fairly standard layout-wise, and depends on the graphical talents of its creators to stand out, and stick in your head. Said graphics are simple, but visually striking enough to pull it off. To paraphrase Star Wars, it’s an older approach, but it checks out.

Platform: Static Site

Erudito

Random blobs of color used to be the domain of cheap flyers made for local businesses in the ’90s. But if you make those colors kind-of-pastel, use the blobs sparingly, and throw them on to a delicious yet solid foundation of simple type and layout, you get Erudito.

I haven’t been this excited about blobs of color since I was eight years old, or so.

Platform: Static Site

Moshin

Moshin makes use of the good-old grid-as-aesthetic-element trick, though you’re not going to see any actual lines outside of project preview images. However, those hints at simplicity and order sort of train the eye to see the same principles at work in the rest of the website, which I thought was a nice touch.

Platform: WordPress

Brand Affair

Is it just me, or are branding-focused studios usually the ones that really go all out with the fun stuff? Well Brand Affair is carrying on the tradition with their sunsets, their animals, and their clear and ever-present flair for the dramatic. I guess when your color palette is “all of the colors”, you truly have some room to get wild.

And yet, according to my browser, it’s not quite as bandwidth-heavy as you’d think. On top of everything else, I have to give them props for their optimization.

Platform: Static Site

Fully Studios

Fully Studios is another one that’ll throw the rainbow at you, but this time it comes with a healthy dose of illustration, and SVG animation. The rest of the site is a lovely mix of soft colors, retro-style UI elements, and a bit of monospaced type.

Platform: Static Site

Benjamin Guedj

Bringing us back from the edge of color-induced hypnosis, Benjamin Guedj’s portfolio is clean and pretty, with elegant-feeling type. The serif font chosen here can get a little hard to read at smaller sizes, but otherwise this is just a small, good-looking site that doesn’t do any more than it needs to.

Platform: Static Site

Series Eight

Series Eight: It’s simple. It’s somewhat monochromatic. It’s very “sans-serif”. Those are all compliments.

Platform: Static Site

Faculty

Faculty doesn’t quite look like a spreadsheet or database, but it kind of feels like it was inspired by one. All of the content gets its own column, and stays there across all pages. The overall effect is one of clear organization and goals, and I love it.

Platform: WordPress

Alex Firs

Alex Firs’ portfolio evokes a little bit of comic book flavor in its typography in with its modernism, and goes for a quite bold look. It’s all black, white, and solid reds.

One thing I’d like to note for other portfolio designers: the video backgrounds are only animated when you hover over the projects associated with them. This is a good way to focus a user’s attention, and save bandwidth. I’m just saying.

Platform: WordPress

Common Works

Common Works embraces some, well… common design patterns, but it is a beautiful site nonetheless. It made the list specifically because I am a sucker for Easter eggs, though. The animated QR code can be a bit tough to scan because of the animation, but it’s worth it.

Platform: Static Site

Bix Archer

Now Bix Archer’s portfolio does have a spreadsheet that serves as her main project archive, and a collage of modals to feature specific projects. As models of curation go, it’s a good setup for a one-page portfolio.

Platform: Static Site

Light and Shadows

Light and Shadows evokes an early 00’s idea of what a futuristic interface would look like, while still retaining a distinctly contemporary feel overall in its presentation-style UI. It comes complete with animated lines, text that “descrambles” itself, everything.

And yet, there’s no auto-playing audio. Good work, guys. You designed a site that excited my inner child without annoying the rest of me.

Platform: WordPress

Bison Studio

Bison Studio is a lovely-looking portfolio with solid type (except for a few instances where it could use more contrast), and that thing where almost every elements will, at some point, overlap onto another one. Plus, how many websites will put a buffalo chewing on something on their home page? How many?

Platform: JS App

Dragon Rouge

Dragon Rouge doesn’t hold back on the personality. Start scrolling through the site, and you’ll get hit with some pretty large images out of nowhere, and then there’s that mouse cursor.

Look, I’m usually not a fan of custom cursors, because half the time they’re just harder to see. This one is… not like that. Just give the link a click. You’ll see what I mean.

Platform: WordPress

Add Realistic Chalk and Sketch Lettering Effects with Sketch’it – only $5!

Source p img {display:inline-block; margin-right:10px;} .alignleft {float:left;} p.showcase {clear:both;} body#browserfriendly p, body#podcast p, div#emailbody p{margin:0;}

https://www.webdesignerdepot.com

The post 20 Best New Portfolios, October 2018 appeared first on Unix Commerce.

from WordPress https://ift.tt/2O9Mege via IFTTT

[webbygraphic001]

20 Best New Portfolios, October 2018

Hello Readers! Can you believe that I have not found one single Halloween-themed portfolio? I guess no one wanted to base their entire site on a one-day holiday. While understandable, this disappoints me.

Someone get me a vector skeleton!

What we do have is a general mix of calm and soothing minimalist sites punctuated by riotous color which might, if you’re not ready for it, hurt your eyes for a second. Enjoy.

Note: I’m judging these sites by how good they look to me. If they’re creative and original, or classic but really well-done, it’s all good to me. Sometimes, UX and accessibility suffer. For example, many of these sites depend on JavaScript to display their content at all; this is a Bad Idea, kids. If you find an idea you like and want to adapt to your own site, remember to implement it responsibly.

Landscape

To start us off, Landscape brings us an almost classically minimalist design, with a bit of an asymmetrical, collage-style layout. The (thankfully soundless) highlight reel on the home page can be a little jarring, but does a good job of showing the striking variety in their work.

Platform: WordPress

Louis Ansa

Continuing under “L”, Louis Ansa has an even bolder and even more animation-heavy site, though the animation is a bit easier on the eyes. There is a bit of “collage” in the design, but it’s a light touch that quickly gives way to a more typical layout style, while keeping everything (literally) moving. I personally love the way they used color for this one.

Platform: JS App

Serious Business

The logo for Serious Business has an ironic smiley face because of course it does. They even go so far as to promise to “make Millenials fall in love with your brand”… but I’ll try not to hold that against them.

I’ll say that they’re good at branding, though. The typography combined with some small graphical elements gives the site a distinct personality, while the variety in layout and presentation encourages exploration of the site. Animation takes you pretty seamlessly from one page to another in a way I can’t deny that I like.

Platform: Vue JS App

Fleur Moreau

Fleur Moreau is a studio that seems to make very minimalist and modern school supplies. When it comes right down to it, they do some pretty precision engineering, so their site reflects that professionalism, rather than going for the throw-colors-everywhere approach you might expect. For a site that sells things kids will inevitably destroy, it looks downright elegant, and this is accomplished mostly through typography.

Platform: Vue JS App

Ahmad Fakhry

Ahmad Fakhry is an interior/furniture designer, and so his site is predictably minimalist. What makes it fun for me is that I’m a sucker for those 50/50 split website layouts, though this one adapts, depending on which content is taking priority at any given moment. That last bit is something I like to see.

Platform: Static Site

Adele Bates

Adele Bates’ portfolio is one of those that puts the navigation all around the edges of the design. I’m normally not a fan, but there’s enough contrast to make it work.

The rest of the site is even structured specifically to draw your eyes to the sides of the page at any time, so you can’t miss the bits you’re supposed to click on. Combine that with a solid modernist design aesthetic, and it all works rather well.

Platform: WordPress

Mynd

Mynd’s portfolio site is fairly standard layout-wise, and depends on the graphical talents of its creators to stand out, and stick in your head. Said graphics are simple, but visually striking enough to pull it off. To paraphrase Star Wars, it’s an older approach, but it checks out.

Platform: Static Site

Erudito

Random blobs of color used to be the domain of cheap flyers made for local businesses in the ’90s. But if you make those colors kind-of-pastel, use the blobs sparingly, and throw them on to a delicious yet solid foundation of simple type and layout, you get Erudito.

I haven’t been this excited about blobs of color since I was eight years old, or so.

Platform: Static Site

Moshin

Moshin makes use of the good-old grid-as-aesthetic-element trick, though you’re not going to see any actual lines outside of project preview images. However, those hints at simplicity and order sort of train the eye to see the same principles at work in the rest of the website, which I thought was a nice touch.

Platform: WordPress

Brand Affair

Is it just me, or are branding-focused studios usually the ones that really go all out with the fun stuff? Well Brand Affair is carrying on the tradition with their sunsets, their animals, and their clear and ever-present flair for the dramatic. I guess when your color palette is “all of the colors”, you truly have some room to get wild.

And yet, according to my browser, it’s not quite as bandwidth-heavy as you’d think. On top of everything else, I have to give them props for their optimization.

Platform: Static Site

Fully Studios

Fully Studios is another one that’ll throw the rainbow at you, but this time it comes with a healthy dose of illustration, and SVG animation. The rest of the site is a lovely mix of soft colors, retro-style UI elements, and a bit of monospaced type.

Platform: Static Site

Benjamin Guedj

Bringing us back from the edge of color-induced hypnosis, Benjamin Guedj’s portfolio is clean and pretty, with elegant-feeling type. The serif font chosen here can get a little hard to read at smaller sizes, but otherwise this is just a small, good-looking site that doesn’t do any more than it needs to.

Platform: Static Site

Series Eight

Series Eight: It’s simple. It’s somewhat monochromatic. It’s very “sans-serif”. Those are all compliments.

Platform: Static Site

Faculty

Faculty doesn’t quite look like a spreadsheet or database, but it kind of feels like it was inspired by one. All of the content gets its own column, and stays there across all pages. The overall effect is one of clear organization and goals, and I love it.

Platform: WordPress

Alex Firs

Alex Firs’ portfolio evokes a little bit of comic book flavor in its typography in with its modernism, and goes for a quite bold look. It’s all black, white, and solid reds.

One thing I’d like to note for other portfolio designers: the video backgrounds are only animated when you hover over the projects associated with them. This is a good way to focus a user’s attention, and save bandwidth. I’m just saying.

Platform: WordPress

Common Works

Common Works embraces some, well… common design patterns, but it is a beautiful site nonetheless. It made the list specifically because I am a sucker for Easter eggs, though. The animated QR code can be a bit tough to scan because of the animation, but it’s worth it.

Platform: Static Site

Bix Archer

Now Bix Archer’s portfolio does have a spreadsheet that serves as her main project archive, and a collage of modals to feature specific projects. As models of curation go, it’s a good setup for a one-page portfolio.

Platform: Static Site

Light and Shadows

Light and Shadows evokes an early 00’s idea of what a futuristic interface would look like, while still retaining a distinctly contemporary feel overall in its presentation-style UI. It comes complete with animated lines, text that “descrambles” itself, everything.

And yet, there’s no auto-playing audio. Good work, guys. You designed a site that excited my inner child without annoying the rest of me.

Platform: WordPress

Bison Studio

Bison Studio is a lovely-looking portfolio with solid type (except for a few instances where it could use more contrast), and that thing where almost every elements will, at some point, overlap onto another one. Plus, how many websites will put a buffalo chewing on something on their home page? How many?

Platform: JS App

Dragon Rouge

Dragon Rouge doesn’t hold back on the personality. Start scrolling through the site, and you’ll get hit with some pretty large images out of nowhere, and then there’s that mouse cursor.

Look, I’m usually not a fan of custom cursors, because half the time they’re just harder to see. This one is… not like that. Just give the link a click. You’ll see what I mean.

Platform: WordPress

Add Realistic Chalk and Sketch Lettering Effects with Sketch’it – only $5!

Source from Webdesigner Depot https://ift.tt/2QAuA1N from Blogger https://ift.tt/2OcXzMn

[iyarpage]

20 Best New Portfolios, October 2018

Hello Readers! Can you believe that I have not found one single Halloween-themed portfolio? I guess no one wanted to base their entire site on a one-day holiday. While understandable, this disappoints me.

Someone get me a vector skeleton!

What we do have is a general mix of calm and soothing minimalist sites punctuated by riotous color which might, if you’re not ready for it, hurt your eyes for a second. Enjoy.

Note: I’m judging these sites by how good they look to me. If they’re creative and original, or classic but really well-done, it’s all good to me. Sometimes, UX and accessibility suffer. For example, many of these sites depend on JavaScript to display their content at all; this is a Bad Idea, kids. If you find an idea you like and want to adapt to your own site, remember to implement it responsibly.

Landscape

To start us off, Landscape brings us an almost classically minimalist design, with a bit of an asymmetrical, collage-style layout. The (thankfully soundless) highlight reel on the home page can be a little jarring, but does a good job of showing the striking variety in their work.

Platform: WordPress

Louis Ansa

Continuing under “L”, Louis Ansa has an even bolder and even more animation-heavy site, though the animation is a bit easier on the eyes. There is a bit of “collage” in the design, but it’s a light touch that quickly gives way to a more typical layout style, while keeping everything (literally) moving. I personally love the way they used color for this one.

Platform: JS App

Serious Business

The logo for Serious Business has an ironic smiley face because of course it does. They even go so far as to promise to “make Millenials fall in love with your brand”… but I’ll try not to hold that against them.

I’ll say that they’re good at branding, though. The typography combined with some small graphical elements gives the site a distinct personality, while the variety in layout and presentation encourages exploration of the site. Animation takes you pretty seamlessly from one page to another in a way I can’t deny that I like.

Platform: Vue JS App

Fleur Moreau

Fleur Moreau is a studio that seems to make very minimalist and modern school supplies. When it comes right down to it, they do some pretty precision engineering, so their site reflects that professionalism, rather than going for the throw-colors-everywhere approach you might expect. For a site that sells things kids will inevitably destroy, it looks downright elegant, and this is accomplished mostly through typography.

Platform: Vue JS App

Ahmad Fakhry

Ahmad Fakhry is an interior/furniture designer, and so his site is predictably minimalist. What makes it fun for me is that I’m a sucker for those 50/50 split website layouts, though this one adapts, depending on which content is taking priority at any given moment. That last bit is something I like to see.

Platform: Static Site

Adele Bates

Adele Bates’ portfolio is one of those that puts the navigation all around the edges of the design. I’m normally not a fan, but there’s enough contrast to make it work.

The rest of the site is even structured specifically to draw your eyes to the sides of the page at any time, so you can’t miss the bits you’re supposed to click on. Combine that with a solid modernist design aesthetic, and it all works rather well.

Platform: WordPress

Mynd

Mynd’s portfolio site is fairly standard layout-wise, and depends on the graphical talents of its creators to stand out, and stick in your head. Said graphics are simple, but visually striking enough to pull it off. To paraphrase Star Wars, it’s an older approach, but it checks out.

Platform: Static Site

Erudito

Random blobs of color used to be the domain of cheap flyers made for local businesses in the ’90s. But if you make those colors kind-of-pastel, use the blobs sparingly, and throw them on to a delicious yet solid foundation of simple type and layout, you get Erudito.

I haven’t been this excited about blobs of color since I was eight years old, or so.

Platform: Static Site

Moshin

Moshin makes use of the good-old grid-as-aesthetic-element trick, though you’re not going to see any actual lines outside of project preview images. However, those hints at simplicity and order sort of train the eye to see the same principles at work in the rest of the website, which I thought was a nice touch.

Platform: WordPress

Brand Affair

Is it just me, or are branding-focused studios usually the ones that really go all out with the fun stuff? Well Brand Affair is carrying on the tradition with their sunsets, their animals, and their clear and ever-present flair for the dramatic. I guess when your color palette is “all of the colors”, you truly have some room to get wild.

And yet, according to my browser, it’s not quite as bandwidth-heavy as you’d think. On top of everything else, I have to give them props for their optimization.

Platform: Static Site

Fully Studios

Fully Studios is another one that’ll throw the rainbow at you, but this time it comes with a healthy dose of illustration, and SVG animation. The rest of the site is a lovely mix of soft colors, retro-style UI elements, and a bit of monospaced type.

Platform: Static Site

Benjamin Guedj

Bringing us back from the edge of color-induced hypnosis, Benjamin Guedj’s portfolio is clean and pretty, with elegant-feeling type. The serif font chosen here can get a little hard to read at smaller sizes, but otherwise this is just a small, good-looking site that doesn’t do any more than it needs to.

Platform: Static Site

Series Eight

Series Eight: It’s simple. It’s somewhat monochromatic. It’s very “sans-serif”. Those are all compliments.

Platform: Static Site

Faculty

Faculty doesn’t quite look like a spreadsheet or database, but it kind of feels like it was inspired by one. All of the content gets its own column, and stays there across all pages. The overall effect is one of clear organization and goals, and I love it.

Platform: WordPress

Alex Firs

Alex Firs’ portfolio evokes a little bit of comic book flavor in its typography in with its modernism, and goes for a quite bold look. It’s all black, white, and solid reds.

One thing I’d like to note for other portfolio designers: the video backgrounds are only animated when you hover over the projects associated with them. This is a good way to focus a user’s attention, and save bandwidth. I’m just saying.

Platform: WordPress

Common Works

Common Works embraces some, well… common design patterns, but it is a beautiful site nonetheless. It made the list specifically because I am a sucker for Easter eggs, though. The animated QR code can be a bit tough to scan because of the animation, but it’s worth it.

Platform: Static Site

Bix Archer

Now Bix Archer’s portfolio does have a spreadsheet that serves as her main project archive, and a collage of modals to feature specific projects. As models of curation go, it’s a good setup for a one-page portfolio.

Platform: Static Site

Light and Shadows

Light and Shadows evokes an early 00’s idea of what a futuristic interface would look like, while still retaining a distinctly contemporary feel overall in its presentation-style UI. It comes complete with animated lines, text that “descrambles” itself, everything.

And yet, there’s no auto-playing audio. Good work, guys. You designed a site that excited my inner child without annoying the rest of me.

Platform: WordPress

Bison Studio

Bison Studio is a lovely-looking portfolio with solid type (except for a few instances where it could use more contrast), and that thing where almost every elements will, at some point, overlap onto another one. Plus, how many websites will put a buffalo chewing on something on their home page? How many?

Platform: JS App

Dragon Rouge

Dragon Rouge doesn’t hold back on the personality. Start scrolling through the site, and you’ll get hit with some pretty large images out of nowhere, and then there’s that mouse cursor.

Look, I’m usually not a fan of custom cursors, because half the time they’re just harder to see. This one is… not like that. Just give the link a click. You’ll see what I mean.

Platform: WordPress

Add Realistic Chalk and Sketch Lettering Effects with Sketch’it – only $5!

Source p img {display:inline-block; margin-right:10px;} .alignleft {float:left;} p.showcase {clear:both;} body#browserfriendly p, body#podcast p, div#emailbody p{margin:0;} 20 Best New Portfolios, October 2018 published first on https://medium.com/@koresol

[waynekelton]

Excellent Two Player Games on iPhone, iPad and Android

Some of the greatest things in life are better shared. Two player games offer the most direct chances for head-to-head competition or connection. No misty-eyed sentiment there, just a fact. One mind probing the ingenuity and exiguity of another through games.

If you want something epic to embark on on your own, how about taking a look at these great RPGs?

Maybe you like to play in person on the same screen, or even on different devices via local multiplayer, or instead online with asynchronous multiplayer. A test of reflexes or planning? The games below run the gamut, with variety enough for all kinds of people and situations. Give them a try the next time with a fellow gamer. You won’t be disappointed.

Reader Recommendations

Ticket to Ride

Potion Explosion

Lords of Waterdeep

Splendor

Istanbul

Through the Ages

Indian Summer

Tides of Time (Review)

Developer: Portal Games Platforms: iOS & Android Price: $4.99

Tides of Time's digital adaptation does an excellent job at bringing this 2-player micro-game to life, with wonderful visuals and animations, and a faithful recreation of all the rules and mechanics. It's flaws are mainly to do with the original design: There's not a lot to it, so it's not a game you can play a lot off - physically or via an app. It should definitely be part of your two-player playlist though, and you'll enjoy its drafting and set-collection strategy. It's a nice, casual game where the competition isn't too fierce, but the challenge is still just as rewarding.

Morels (Review)

Developer: Mossbark Games Platforms:  iOS Universal, Android Price: $4.99

The physical version of Moresl (also known as Fungi) was a very casual and fun card game for two people. It's only drawback was that it took up a fair amount of room, but thanks to Mossbark's excellent digital adaptation, that's no longer a concern. If Pass & Play and even online multiplayer modes, all of the best traits of Morels have survived into the mobile port.

Especially good for couples, Morels is very laid back, but also paced and easy to play. You won't need to remember anything too complex, and it's an excellent time-waster if you're travelling together or are just looking for some quick  and easy post-dinner entertainment at home. 

Uniwar

Developer: Spooky House Studios Platforms:  iOS, Android Price: Free with non-invasive IAP

Uniwar is an ambitious turn-based strategy game which proudly wears its influences on its sleeve. It has the conquer-the-map tension of Advance Wars as well as the creative asymmetry of different player races: the fleshy Terrans, chitinous Insectoids and metallic...Robots. The abilities and interactions across these units are rather lively and varied, walking the fine edge between ‘interesting’ and ‘unbalanced’. Hotseat play is simple as can be, with quite a few maps offered, and there’s also online play.

Words with Friends 2

Developer: Zygna Platforms:  iOS, Android Price: Free

Words with Friends has been around almost as long as smartphones themselves, and it’s still a golden way to spend the better part of a day or longer. Yes, it’s like that other classic board game, and there’s a delicious subtext of who-spells-what-when. (Words score points but also...score points, making associations, repartee, even a kind of conversation). It just works on multiple levels, from a pure gameplay perspective but also in terms of social pay-out and connection. Oh, and on the gameplay front, it’s worth noting that advanced play involves so much more than just scoring the most impressive single word on a given turn. It also means thinking about positioning, letter draws and pacing, bonuses: basically long-con strategy stuff. Words with Friends is an oldie but a goodie, and a surprisingly handy way to keep in touch with friends.

Burgle Bros. (Review)

Developer: Fowers Games Inc. Platforms:  iOS, Android Price: $4.99

Co-op games are great, but even the greats tend to be best either purely solo or with the max player count. Burgle Bros, however, is unique in that it shines especially with two. With two, the joint is cased twice as fast, but hiding is much harder. To quickly reprise the game for those unfamiliar: players explore each floor’s tiles till they discover the safe, crack the combination, retrieve the  and advance to the next level. Patrolling guards and alarms will make things difficult, and if any player runs out of stealth points they risk getting caught and getting sent to the slammer. Some of the game’s more advanced tactics and interactions really only come into their own with a dynamic duo. Yes, gadgets and treasures along with character abilities combine but the real clincher is the pathing and alert system. Guards can be re-routed by tripping alarms, so the best teams take heat for each other. Two-player stealth doesn’t get much better than this.

Onitama

Developer: Asmodee Digital Platforms:  iOS, Android Price: Free (with expansions, content packs as optional DLC)

Onitama is a game primarily about not losing. Sounds like weak, roundabout praise, I know, but what this means in practice is thinking many steps in advance, reasoning recursively to move from point B to point A, something surprisingly difficult. Woah there, let's back up a little and actually talk about the game. Onitama is a two-player abstract game played on a two-dimensional square grid, much like chess. Players win by either capturing their opponent's 'King' piece or alternatively by moving their own respective King onto the other player's start space. The twist is how movement patterns work, for they are dictated by cards which can be used once, then eventually become playable by the opponent. There are only five given movement pattern cards (of a larger set) in a specific game, and this larger flow between good positioning and a good hand of cards makes the game quite intense. The app is free and as well-polished as any of Asmodee's releases.

Neuroshima Hex

Developer: Portal Games Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $4.99, 2.99

This one features asymmetrical factions trying to control the board by selecting two of three tiles (six-sided hexes, that is) each turn. The post-apocalyptic setting and wildly divergent playstyles of the groups make it an unusually colorful strategy game, but these flourishes of variety do nothing to detract from the game’s balance. The base game only includes four races, but that alone is plenty to start with and the rest are available as paid DLC. Tile-laying madcap fun.

Glow Hockey 2

Developer: Natenai Ariyatrakool Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $0.99, Free.

Arcade- or action-style two player games are the epitome of beer-and-pretzel fun. Crystal clear consequences, nothing to overthink or overanalyze just quick wrists instead of quick wits. Pure impulse and reaction make for some reliable fun, and Glow Hockey is a passable digital dupe for Air Hockey, minus the constant click-clack of the pucks. The physics are satisfying, the controls responsive. It works well in an understated and way that is impossible to hype, but it still entirely worth recognizing.

Antihero (Review)

Developer: Versus Evil Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $4.99

There is no high road in Antihero. Mischief and misfortune rule in its Victorian, Dickensian setting which makes the sooty and sullen into something fun. (The art direction and design are majorly on point with this game). Plus, the game itself is incredibly intense and stressful, always putting players in a race for victory points over a shockingly brief time. The game still manages to have a distinct beginning, middle, and end while allowing for a non-trivial variety of build paths and playstyles. It’s fog-of-war and bluff systems inject just enough tension to keep the game from becoming deterministic, and it’s one of the best original digital games to come out within recent memory. Oh, and it’s exclusively for two players, either through asynchronous or real-time play.

Ready Steady Bang

Developer: Cowboy Games Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $0.99, Free.

A western showdown at sundown. Quick-draw, one-shot, one-kill. Ready, Steady, Bang is this experience, over and over, with variable countdown timing and a variety of death animations. Technically there’s also a short ‘campaign’ mode vs. AI with ironclad timing thresholds, but the meat of the game can be reduced to a single perfectly timed gesture. Dead simple, quick and satisfying. Just don’t be the other guy. 

Patchwork (Review)

Developer: DIGIDICED Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $2.99

Patchwork may be pint-sized compared to some of its juggernaut neighbors on this list, but what it lacks in player count or time commitment it makes up in charm and crystal-clear, razor sharp strategy. (Those two make for quite the odd couple) Patchwork is a variable-setup perfect information abstract for two players. Players work to fill up their empty boards by adding patches to them, of various polyomino sizing, with the ultimate goal of filling the whole swath and collecting as many covetous buttons along the way. It is almost instantly intuitive yet perplexing and sophisticated even after dozens of plays, with turns chained together or telegraphed from miles away. A sweet game that can also be a hardcore match of wits.

What are your favourite games to play between two people? Let us know in the comments! 

Excellent Two Player Games on iPhone, iPad and Android published first on https://touchgen.tumblr.com/

[waynekelton]

The Best Two Player Games on iPhone, iPad and Android

Some of the greatest things in life are better shared. Two player games offer the most direct chances for head-to-head competition or connection. No misty-eyed sentiment there, just a fact. One mind probing the ingenuity and exiguity of another through games.

If you want something epic to embark on on your own, how about taking a look at these great RPGs?

Maybe you like to play in person on the same screen, or even on different devices via local multiplayer, or instead online with asynchronous multiplayer. A test of reflexes or planning? The games below run the gamut, with variety enough for all kinds of people and situations. Give them a try the next time with a fellow gamer. You won’t be disappointed.

Editor's Top Tip:  I've been playing a lot of Ticket to Ride with my wife recently. It's already on our list of the best Board Games so it's not feature below, but between the challenging bots and the pass-and-play functionality, it's a great one to whip out when it's just the two of us and we're stuck for something to do.

Morels (Review)

Developer: Mossbark Games Platforms:  iOS Universal, Android Price: $4.99

The physical version of Moresl (also known as Fungi) was a very casual and fun card game for two people. It's only drawback was that it took up a fair amount of room, but thanks to Mossbark's excellent digital adaptation, that's no longer a concern. If Pass & Play and even online multiplayer modes, all of the best traits of Morels have survived into the mobile port.

Especially good for couples, Morels is very laid back, but also paced and easy to play. You won't need to remember anything too complex, and it's an excellent time-waster if you're travelling together or are just looking for some quick  and easy post-dinner entertainment at home. 

Uniwar

Developer: Spooky House Studios Platforms:  iOS, Android Price: Free with non-invasive IAP

Uniwar is an ambitious turn-based strategy game which proudly wears its influences on its sleeve. It has the conquer-the-map tension of Advance Wars as well as the creative asymmetry of different player races: the fleshy Terrans, chitinous Insectoids and metallic...Robots. The abilities and interactions across these units are rather lively and varied, walking the fine edge between ‘interesting’ and ‘unbalanced’. Hotseat play is simple as can be, with quite a few maps offered, and there’s also online play.

Words with Friends 2

Developer: Zygna Platforms:  iOS, Android Price: Free

Words with Friends has been around almost as long as smartphones themselves, and it’s still a golden way to spend the better part of a day or longer. Yes, it’s like that other classic board game, and there’s a delicious subtext of who-spells-what-when. (Words score points but also...score points, making associations, repartee, even a kind of conversation). It just works on multiple levels, from a pure gameplay perspective but also in terms of social pay-out and connection. Oh, and on the gameplay front, it’s worth noting that advanced play involves so much more than just scoring the most impressive single word on a given turn. It also means thinking about positioning, letter draws and pacing, bonuses: basically long-con strategy stuff. Words with Friends is an oldie but a goodie, and a surprisingly handy way to keep in touch with friends.

Burgle Bros. (Review)

Developer: Fowers Games Inc. Platforms:  iOS, Android Price: $4.99

Co-op games are great, but even the greats tend to be best either purely solo or with the max player count. Burgle Bros, however, is unique in that it shines especially with two. With two, the joint is cased twice as fast, but hiding is much harder. To quickly reprise the game for those unfamiliar: players explore each floor’s tiles till they discover the safe, crack the combination, retrieve the  and advance to the next level. Patrolling guards and alarms will make things difficult, and if any player runs out of stealth points they risk getting caught and getting sent to the slammer. Some of the game’s more advanced tactics and interactions really only come into their own with a dynamic duo. Yes, gadgets and treasures along with character abilities combine but the real clincher is the pathing and alert system. Guards can be re-routed by tripping alarms, so the best teams take heat for each other. Two-player stealth doesn’t get much better than this.

Onitama

Developer: Asmodee Digital Platforms:  iOS, Android Price: Free (with expansions, content packs as optional DLC)

Onitama is a game primarily about not losing. Sounds like weak, roundabout praise, I know, but what this means in practice is thinking many steps in advance, reasoning recursively to move from point B to point A, something surprisingly difficult. Woah there, let's back up a little and actually talk about the game. Onitama is a two-player abstract game played on a two-dimensional square grid, much like chess. Players win by either capturing their opponent's 'King' piece or alternatively by moving their own respective King onto the other player's start space. The twist is how movement patterns work, for they are dictated by cards which can be used once, then eventually become playable by the opponent. There are only five given movement pattern cards (of a larger set) in a specific game, and this larger flow between good positioning and a good hand of cards makes the game quite intense. The app is free and as well-polished as any of Asmodee's releases.

Neuroshima Hex

Developer: Portal Games Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $4.99, 2.99

This one features asymmetrical factions trying to control the board by selecting two of three tiles (six-sided hexes, that is) each turn. The post-apocalyptic setting and wildly divergent playstyles of the groups make it an unusually colorful strategy game, but these flourishes of variety do nothing to detract from the game’s balance. The base game only includes four races, but that alone is plenty to start with and the rest are available as paid DLC. Tile-laying madcap fun.

Glow Hockey 2

Developer: Natenai Ariyatrakool Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $0.99, Free.

Arcade- or action-style two player games are the epitome of beer-and-pretzel fun. Crystal clear consequences, nothing to overthink or overanalyze just quick wrists instead of quick wits. Pure impulse and reaction make for some reliable fun, and Glow Hockey is a passable digital dupe for Air Hockey, minus the constant click-clack of the pucks. The physics are satisfying, the controls responsive. It works well in an understated and way that is impossible to hype, but it still entirely worth recognizing.

Antihero (Review)

Developer: Versus Evil Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $4.99

There is no high road in Antihero. Mischief and misfortune rule in its Victorian, Dickensian setting which makes the sooty and sullen into something fun. (The art direction and design are majorly on point with this game). Plus, the game itself is incredibly intense and stressful, always putting players in a race for victory points over a shockingly brief time. The game still manages to have a distinct beginning, middle, and end while allowing for a non-trivial variety of build paths and playstyles. It’s fog-of-war and bluff systems inject just enough tension to keep the game from becoming deterministic, and it’s one of the best original digital games to come out within recent memory. Oh, and it’s exclusively for two players, either through asynchronous or real-time play.

Ready Steady Bang

Developer: Cowboy Games Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $0.99, Free.

A western showdown at sundown. Quick-draw, one-shot, one-kill. Ready, Steady, Bang is this experience, over and over, with variable countdown timing and a variety of death animations. Technically there��s also a short ‘campaign’ mode vs. AI with ironclad timing thresholds, but the meat of the game can be reduced to a single perfectly timed gesture. Dead simple, quick and satisfying. Just don’t be the other guy. 

Patchwork (Review)

Developer: DIGIDICED Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $2.99

Patchwork may be pint-sized compared to some of its juggernaut neighbors on this list, but what it lacks in player count or time commitment it makes up in charm and crystal-clear, razor sharp strategy. (Those two make for quite the odd couple) Patchwork is a variable-setup perfect information abstract for two players. Players work to fill up their empty boards by adding patches to them, of various polyomino sizing, with the ultimate goal of filling the whole swath and collecting as many covetous buttons along the way. It is almost instantly intuitive yet perplexing and sophisticated even after dozens of plays, with turns chained together or telegraphed from miles away. A sweet game that can also be a hardcore match of wits.

What are your favourite games to play between two people? Let us know in the comments! 

The Best Two Player Games on iPhone, iPad and Android published first on https://touchgen.tumblr.com/

[unixcommerce]

20 Best New Portfolios, October 2018

Hello Readers! Can you believe that I have not found one single Halloween-themed portfolio? I guess no one wanted to base their entire site on a one-day holiday. While understandable, this disappoints me.

Someone get me a vector skeleton!

What we do have is a general mix of calm and soothing minimalist sites punctuated by riotous color which might, if you’re not ready for it, hurt your eyes for a second. Enjoy.

Note: I’m judging these sites by how good they look to me. If they’re creative and original, or classic but really well-done, it’s all good to me. Sometimes, UX and accessibility suffer. For example, many of these sites depend on JavaScript to display their content at all; this is a Bad Idea, kids. If you find an idea you like and want to adapt to your own site, remember to implement it responsibly.

Landscape

To start us off, Landscape brings us an almost classically minimalist design, with a bit of an asymmetrical, collage-style layout. The (thankfully soundless) highlight reel on the home page can be a little jarring, but does a good job of showing the striking variety in their work.

Platform: WordPress

Louis Ansa

Continuing under “L”, Louis Ansa has an even bolder and even more animation-heavy site, though the animation is a bit easier on the eyes. There is a bit of “collage” in the design, but it’s a light touch that quickly gives way to a more typical layout style, while keeping everything (literally) moving. I personally love the way they used color for this one.

Platform: JS App

Serious Business

The logo for Serious Business has an ironic smiley face because of course it does. They even go so far as to promise to “make Millenials fall in love with your brand”… but I’ll try not to hold that against them.

I’ll say that they’re good at branding, though. The typography combined with some small graphical elements gives the site a distinct personality, while the variety in layout and presentation encourages exploration of the site. Animation takes you pretty seamlessly from one page to another in a way I can’t deny that I like.

Platform: Vue JS App

Fleur Moreau

Fleur Moreau is a studio that seems to make very minimalist and modern school supplies. When it comes right down to it, they do some pretty precision engineering, so their site reflects that professionalism, rather than going for the throw-colors-everywhere approach you might expect. For a site that sells things kids will inevitably destroy, it looks downright elegant, and this is accomplished mostly through typography.

Platform: Vue JS App

Ahmad Fakhry

Ahmad Fakhry is an interior/furniture designer, and so his site is predictably minimalist. What makes it fun for me is that I’m a sucker for those 50/50 split website layouts, though this one adapts, depending on which content is taking priority at any given moment. That last bit is something I like to see.

Platform: Static Site

Adele Bates

Adele Bates’ portfolio is one of those that puts the navigation all around the edges of the design. I’m normally not a fan, but there’s enough contrast to make it work.

The rest of the site is even structured specifically to draw your eyes to the sides of the page at any time, so you can’t miss the bits you’re supposed to click on. Combine that with a solid modernist design aesthetic, and it all works rather well.

Platform: WordPress

Mynd

Mynd’s portfolio site is fairly standard layout-wise, and depends on the graphical talents of its creators to stand out, and stick in your head. Said graphics are simple, but visually striking enough to pull it off. To paraphrase Star Wars, it’s an older approach, but it checks out.

Platform: Static Site

Erudito

Random blobs of color used to be the domain of cheap flyers made for local businesses in the ’90s. But if you make those colors kind-of-pastel, use the blobs sparingly, and throw them on to a delicious yet solid foundation of simple type and layout, you get Erudito.

I haven’t been this excited about blobs of color since I was eight years old, or so.

Platform: Static Site

Moshin

Moshin makes use of the good-old grid-as-aesthetic-element trick, though you’re not going to see any actual lines outside of project preview images. However, those hints at simplicity and order sort of train the eye to see the same principles at work in the rest of the website, which I thought was a nice touch.

Platform: WordPress

Brand Affair

Is it just me, or are branding-focused studios usually the ones that really go all out with the fun stuff? Well Brand Affair is carrying on the tradition with their sunsets, their animals, and their clear and ever-present flair for the dramatic. I guess when your color palette is “all of the colors”, you truly have some room to get wild.

And yet, according to my browser, it’s not quite as bandwidth-heavy as you’d think. On top of everything else, I have to give them props for their optimization.

Platform: Static Site

Fully Studios

Fully Studios is another one that’ll throw the rainbow at you, but this time it comes with a healthy dose of illustration, and SVG animation. The rest of the site is a lovely mix of soft colors, retro-style UI elements, and a bit of monospaced type.

Platform: Static Site

Benjamin Guedj

Bringing us back from the edge of color-induced hypnosis, Benjamin Guedj’s portfolio is clean and pretty, with elegant-feeling type. The serif font chosen here can get a little hard to read at smaller sizes, but otherwise this is just a small, good-looking site that doesn’t do any more than it needs to.

Platform: Static Site

Series Eight

Series Eight: It’s simple. It’s somewhat monochromatic. It’s very “sans-serif”. Those are all compliments.

Platform: Static Site

Faculty

Faculty doesn’t quite look like a spreadsheet or database, but it kind of feels like it was inspired by one. All of the content gets its own column, and stays there across all pages. The overall effect is one of clear organization and goals, and I love it.

Platform: WordPress

Alex Firs

Alex Firs’ portfolio evokes a little bit of comic book flavor in its typography in with its modernism, and goes for a quite bold look. It’s all black, white, and solid reds.

One thing I’d like to note for other portfolio designers: the video backgrounds are only animated when you hover over the projects associated with them. This is a good way to focus a user’s attention, and save bandwidth. I’m just saying.

Platform: WordPress

Common Works

Common Works embraces some, well… common design patterns, but it is a beautiful site nonetheless. It made the list specifically because I am a sucker for Easter eggs, though. The animated QR code can be a bit tough to scan because of the animation, but it’s worth it.

Platform: Static Site

Bix Archer

Now Bix Archer’s portfolio does have a spreadsheet that serves as her main project archive, and a collage of modals to feature specific projects. As models of curation go, it’s a good setup for a one-page portfolio.

Platform: Static Site

Light and Shadows

Light and Shadows evokes an early 00’s idea of what a futuristic interface would look like, while still retaining a distinctly contemporary feel overall in its presentation-style UI. It comes complete with animated lines, text that “descrambles” itself, everything.

And yet, there’s no auto-playing audio. Good work, guys. You designed a site that excited my inner child without annoying the rest of me.

Platform: WordPress

Bison Studio

Bison Studio is a lovely-looking portfolio with solid type (except for a few instances where it could use more contrast), and that thing where almost every elements will, at some point, overlap onto another one. Plus, how many websites will put a buffalo chewing on something on their home page? How many?

Platform: JS App

Dragon Rouge

Dragon Rouge doesn’t hold back on the personality. Start scrolling through the site, and you’ll get hit with some pretty large images out of nowhere, and then there’s that mouse cursor.

Look, I’m usually not a fan of custom cursors, because half the time they’re just harder to see. This one is… not like that. Just give the link a click. You’ll see what I mean.

Platform: WordPress

Add Realistic Chalk and Sketch Lettering Effects with Sketch’it – only $5!

Source p img {display:inline-block; margin-right:10px;} .alignleft {float:left;} p.showcase {clear:both;} body#browserfriendly p, body#podcast p, div#emailbody p{margin:0;}

https://www.webdesignerdepot.com

The post 20 Best New Portfolios, October 2018 appeared first on Unix Commerce.

from WordPress https://ift.tt/2O9Mege via IFTTT