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Trick or treat or high-velocity death: Global Agenda takes on Halloween
In the future, nobody can hear you scream -- but that's mostly because everybody's shooting noisy pulse rifles all willy-nilly. Even though Global Agenda skews more toward sci-fi than horror, it doesn't mean that the two can't form a temporary alliance. To celebrate the holiday, Global Agenda is rolling out a specially-themed defense raid from October 27th through the 31st. Defense raids are 10-man missions that require a team to defend a point from waves of invaders. This particular Halloween raid -- available for players level 30 and above -- is notable for its quirky loot: 13 new Halloween masks are available as drops through this mission only, and any team that downs the final boss will receive an additional mask as a bonus. Unfamiliar with defense raids? Hi-Rez Studios created a quick two-minute dev blog of these special missions, which you can watch after the jump.
DIY robot mask uses iPhone display to lip sync your drunken Halloween slurrings
You know, after getting beat up last year at the Engadget HQ Halloween party for daring to dress up as an iPod, we're ready to exact a little bit of revenge with this most excellent robot mask idea. The idea is simple enough: it simply pairs the MouthOff app with a cardboard box and tinfoil, but the results speak (and lip sync) for themselves. Check out the video how-to after the break.
World of WarCrafts: Masks for BlizzCon, plus favorite WarCrafts
World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music and fan fiction. Show us how you express yourself by contacting our tips line (attention: World of WarCrafts) -- not-for-profit work only, please.Don't have enough time left to assemble a costume for the BlizzCon costume contest (or maybe it was the fierce competition that Feared you off)? We see you poking around over there for ideas that allow you to dip into the spirit of things -- you know, something that doesn't require blue makeup, showing your belly button or spending the next 72 hours with pins, glue and an X-acto knife at the kitchen table ...Dear cosplay casual, we have your backs (or in this case, your fronts): a mask of one of the new races to be announced at BlizzCon, from Shelbi of The Bronze Kettle. Shelbi (a World of WarCrafts alum and former columnist, herself) dropped us a line to let us know that she's posted a how-to for masking yourself as one of the races of the moment [Spoilers]. This one's as quick, easy and good-looking as they come, so click over to Shelbi's complete instructions and face up to this heady way to look like one of the in crowd at BlizzCon.After the break, we'll include a spoilerific picture of the front of the new masks (SPOILER ALERT: don't click onward if you don't want to see which race the gorgeous sample represents!), plus we'll announce the World of WarCrafts crafters who've been selected for an upcoming geek crafts book from Chronicle Books.
More Halloween masks uncovered, mayhem ensues
In what may be an attempt to throw everyone off the recent speculation that Goblins and Worgen just might be the next playable races in the World of Warcraft, new Halloween masks with both male and female versions were found in the latest PTR build. The discovery sent players into a frenzy, and got everyone speculating about the next expansion and what it holds. During last weekend's WoW.com radio show, Turpster said he wished that the whole Halloween mask thing were planted by Blizzard to confuse the player base, and it turns out that they just might be... except that it might be the other way around and the devs are trying to cover up the Goblins and Worgen discovery.MMO Champion, the data-mining heaven, has the full image of all the "new" Halloween masks, which include Murlocs, Vrykul, Naga, and Ogres, including a never-before-seen-in-game female ogre! However, astute readers point out that the female ogre is actually a "direct copy-paste of an old drawing from one of the RPG books." Closer inspection of the female ogre mask will reveal some rendering inconsistencies compared to the other skins, which were lifted from in-game models. Clever Blizzard - could these new masks be a red herring? Or could the red herring actually be the Goblin and Worgen masks, and this is just one elaborate ploy to obscure the big announcement at BlizzCon? Let the mayhem commence!Oops, forgot this earlier... thanks to Malfural of But Wait, There's Lore for the tip! EDIT: Whoops again! Malfural has nothing to do with BWTL, but says he's a great fan. Thanks for the tip, anyway, BWTL reader!
Kojima countdown site reveals 'MASK'
The weather's getting weirder on the Kojima Productions "NEXT" teaser site. Not only have glimpses of more letters and what appears to be Raiden begun to materialize as the 90 hour mark approaches, but clicking on the studio's eerily morphing logo now takes visitors to an age-gated site for "MASK."Fittingly, a mask appears, slowly revealing a ghastly female face. The accompanying music only serves to make the whole thing creepier. It would seem this is yet another new project, wholly separate from what the studio is doing on the Metal Gear front, but anything goes at this point. Now we have two enigmatic sites to watch and wonder over. Hopefully all is revealed at E3 ... and we haven't been driven absolutely mad by then.We've included an image of maybe-Raiden after the break. What's your take on all of this?
Unleash your inner Hobbe with this wearable latex mask
Those interested in setting free their inner Fable 2 Hobbe will be pleased to know that a custom latex Hobbe mask is now available for purchase on eBay. The horrifying creation was expertly crafted by Lionhead employee Jamie Durrant from (what we guess is) the finest latex and Earth-friendly paints. The highest bid on the auction, which wraps up on March 1st, is currently £26.While we're aware that Halloween is still months away, it doesn't mean you couldn't wear the mask to the grocery store, to a cousin's wedding or, the most likely event, while playing Fable 2. Not actually being able to see the television could be a (minor) problem, though.[Via Fable 2 Development Blog]
How to use Photoshop's Lens Blur tool with masking (Part 2 of 2)
Yesterday, I showed you how to simulate a photograph taken with a tilt-shift lens by using Photoshop CS3's Lens Blur tool. Today, we'll do something a bit more practical: clipping out an object that's not entirely in focus. Clipping out objects that are out of focus can be something of a chore: either you have a hard, dark edge somewhere you don't want, or you have to settle for feathering the whole thing, leaving edges that should be sharp a little too blurry. We'll be clipping out this old book, and dropping it on a new surface.
WoW licenses official Halloween costumes
Our homies at WoW Insider have discovered something wonderful: official World of Warcraft costumes for Halloween. Costumes Inc. are supplying the line, and there's a fine selection on offer. Season 2 Warrior helmets, Taurens, Orcs... and the weapons also make an appearance, though by the look of them, nobody's going to be doing anyone any damage. The fidelity to the original designs is excellent, and they're fully sanctioned by Blizzard, not just cheap knock-offs.There are even elf ears available, in both Night Elf and Blood Elf varieties! Just imagine how much fun could be had even after Halloween, with... um... live roleplaying. Yes. That is totally what we were thinking. Live roleplaying with friends. In woods. And stuff. With those long, pointy, slender elf ears. Elf... ears.Check out the complete gallery at WoW Insider!
Mask of Emotion displays your feelings via LED emoticons, we cry/laugh/yawn
Since most people spend their days behind computers expressing emotions via colons and parentheses anyway, the Digital Media Design Dept at Hongik University figured they'd just be done with it all when they created the "Mask of Emotion." It displays LED emoticons that supposedly react to external stimuli, such as a smile when the wearer shakes hands with someone. Its creators say it was designed to hide real emotions and -- literally -- mask them with whatever is being presented on the mask. Peep the mildly creepy video after the break.[Via MAKE]
Cinemassively: Mask
Robbie Dingo has done it again! Last month, he put out a call for picture submissions for an unnamed Machinima. He finally released the finished project today, a piece titled Mask. Using Second Life avatars, he effectively blended one person into the next, for over 100 people.One of the things I've always loved about Robbie's work is that he thinks outside of the box. Instead of producing standard corporate fluff, he engages residents with tales of the handicapped using SL to fly, fathers spending time with their children, and paintings coming to life. Mask is no exception.[Thanks, Johnnie!]
DS Daily: Legend of Zelda: Item of Great Importance
According to the latest news about The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, the eponymous hourglass keeps your hearts from draining while in a cursed underwater shrine. Link must go from island to island to find sand so he can keep the hourglass full. Basically, he is addicted to sand.That sounds like an interesting gameplay mechanic, lending the game a sort of Fushigi no Dungeon-esque resource upkeep element (like keeping the light glowing in The Nightmare of Druaga.) However, that's not the issue for today's discussion. We want to talk about the item as it relates to Zelda's history. In most Zelda games since the N64 one, there has been an item in the title that is central to the game's plot and/or gameplay-- the Ocarina of Time and the very similar Wind Waker, Majora's Mask, Four Swords, the Minish Cap, and now the Phantom Hourglass. Do you think basing the game (and its title) around a single item is a neat storytelling convention, or lazy formulaic design? We are declaring this a Safe Zelda Bashing Zone. Don't be afraid to say something negative about Zelda! Here, we'll start: the first one didn't even have a subtitle, and it's still the best one.[News item via NeoGAF]
Thanko's USB Mask circulates air, freaks out co-workers
Nah, USB-powered fans aren't anything special these days, but infusing a couple of 'em into a bizarre facial mask and marketing it to folks with allergies earns top marks in the outlandish department. Thanko, the folks who continually put the fun back into USB, is busting out yet another oddity that relies entirely on USB power and your willingness to suffer through public humiliation. The whirlwind mask purportedly circulates airs and filters the incoming flow in order to provide a constant stream of clean, "purified" air, which could actually be useful for secretaries or other cube-dwellers who are forced to inhale the same stale office air day after day. So if you've been having trouble breathing, and don't mind being tethered to your computer nor the constant whirring that'll surround your mouth, you can snag the USB Mask now for ¥2,480 ($21).[Via Engadget Japanese]
ChocoFlop - powerful image editing
Even as an alpha image editor, I think it's safe to dub ChocoFlop a true "poor man's Photoshop." It offers layers, real-time preview of filters and effects (of which there are many), a slew of selection tools, blending modes, masks, color adjusting and a whole bunch of file formats it can save to and even more it can read from - including many versions of RAW. For the full details, check out the longest image editor feature list I've seen in a long time.As an alpha it's free, and the author has stated on his blog that, once it goes official and commercial, ChocoFlop won't cost more than $50 USD. I haven't cracked this open yet myself, but if you've been looking for a powerful image editor that offers quite a bit more than the standard CoreImage-based options out there, ChocoFlop should be right up your alley.
