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Clan Gear: guild clothing for the masses
Adam and Freya Chapman have run Threadsafe, a direct-to-garment printing business, for the last two years, and have managed to pull in a number of corporate clients. They provide printing services for Bountee -- a custom t-shirt site on the internet -- and shirts for Freaklabel music, just to name two. Now, in conjunction with Adam's brother Keith, they're opening Clan Gear, a direct-to-garment printing outlet for gamers, where the focus on the printing is your artwork, your character, and your designs.Here's the rub: while Threadsafe has been in business for a couple of years now, Clan Gear is just starting up, and they're still working on their proof catalog. While you can keep up with the advances in technology (and the company itself) via Clan Gear's official forums, the best way to see what they've done in the past is to check out Threadsafe's commercial customers and the clans that have already availed themselves of Clan Gear's printing. Current samples up on their web page include shirts for Marshmallow Underground -- a World of Warcraft guild with over 300 members -- and Guilds United, a coalition of ten WoW guilds.
The Young King goes to school, learns magic
Five fresh screens of Square Enix's quirky country-building sim Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Young King and the Promised Land appeared on Famitsu today, though there is little that is particularly new to be found in these.What is new, and thus of greater interest to us, is some of the artwork that accompanied them. This depicts the game's Black Mages and White Mages, and also two more of the buildings we'll be able to construct in the game: a Black Magic School (as pictured to the right) and a Law Institute, where White Mages can gather to learn the tricks of the trade.Yell "Abracadabra" and whoosh past the break for the rest of the screens and artwork.
Age of Conan artwork for your drooling pleasure
To follow our earlier post about the Age of Conan press event, here is a Gallery full of artwork given to us by the AoC artists themselves. We're talking screenshots, renders, and concept art, all of which look outstanding. It's clear that one of the mandates for the art direction was to go for a core of realism in all things, from building design to creature physiognomy. Certainly the fantastical elements are in force, but they're tempered by a solid aesthetic that really appeals to those who aren't into the cartoony, oversaturated palette of World of Warcraft and the like. And, in fact, I'd be willing to bet that the artists took some inspiration directly from the pulp novels themselves. There's an almost indefinable quality here that hearkens back to those great old covers. This is a well-executed strategy that will keep players fully immersed in the world, and it's all absolutely gorgeous. Without further ado, have at it!%Gallery-11743%
Gifts for the City dwellers
Whatever you celebrate this time of year, December seems to be when the majority of gifts are exchanged among friends and family. Everyone has their own idea of what is and isn't appropriate in a gift-giving manner, and it's difficult to decide what's best to give, and what we most want to receive. Well, that's where we come in.We have the good fortune of having two of the fae here -- one from the Rogue Isles, and one from Paragon City -- to share with us their views of appropriate gifts for those of you who are playing in NCsoft's realms this holiday season. Their selections range from cost-free, in-game offerings up to something you can tuck under the tree ... or the computer desk, as the case may be.
New City of Heroes Fanzine released
Did you enjoy the stories and artwork that ran in the Top Cow line of the City of Heroes comics? Ever regret not sending in your work? Well, here's your chance, because Issue #0 of the new City of Heroes Fanzine was released today.For those of you who may be concerned that this publication is replacing the City Scoop, fear not: the fanzine was never intended to replace the scoop, but to add to the lore and backstory of the CoX universe. Then, too, the fanzine will only be coming out quarterly, so you'll have to rely on the Scoop ... and Massively, of course ... for timely news about the Rogue Isles and Paragon City.So pull out your pens and digital tablets, and share your stories and visions of the digital world all of our alts inhabit. We're looking forward to seeing what you have to offer. And don't forget, if you have any thoughts about the fanzine, issues you'd like to raise, or concerns you feel need to be addressed, bring them up in the City of Heroes official forum.
The opening art of Fury
Fury seems to be getting a drubbing in the game critics press lately; I've just started the 10-day trial, so I'll know for myself how it all pans out, but one of the things that struck me most about starting up was the introductory story sequence. I'm one of those people who finds 'behind the scenes' footage sometimes more interesting than the finished product, so I'm always checking out 'making of' bits in the media.The artwork on display for the opening intro for Fury looks like the kind of artwork I'm talking about; the rendering is about mood and color, and in the concept art style, where it's not necessarily detail-driven, but has that soft-focus quality that I find far more evocative. Whether or not I find lasting value in gameplay, I appreciated the graphics here so much I wanted to share them with you. Enjoy!%Gallery-10074%
Updating the graphics of WoW
The times they are a changin'. If you've ogled the latest WotLK screenshots as much as I have, then you'll notice that the art department at Blizzard has been pushing the envelope style-wise of late. It seems that since TBC the graphics in WoW have gotten not just better, but measurably more detailed and stylistic. Each new instance, area, race -- heck, even the new weapons added to the game -- they all just get more interesting and creative as time goes on. I am continually amazed at what these artists do with 1000 polygons. Some players are asking about updating the older models in the game to reflect the updated style evidenced in the newer content. Anyone who's run Old Hillsbrad can see exactly how far we've come from the WoW original models, and some would like to be able to have new choices as we progress into WotLK. Drysc reminds us, though, that some people are very attached to their character's physical appearance. Some players have been with those characters since 2004. To change their faces would be like giving a friend plastic surgery. Or what about body types? Would you feel that you were playing the same character if there was suddenly a major change to their physique?Personally, I am eager for the hairstyle changes coming in the expansion. I don't feel like my character needs a new face perse, but the difference between a Blood Elf or Draenei hairstyle and a human one is pretty drastic. I actually considered rerolling my main character because the new races just look a whole lot cooler than she does. Faces though, I'm not sure. How would you react if Blizz changed the models, or gave you more choices?
CoH's City Scoop drops player written news
One of Paragon City's best-kept open secrets is that its heroes - everyday people who put on their spandex and weapon harnesses just the same as you and me -- are pretty incredible folks, and nowhere is this more obvious than in the pages of the City of Heroes player-written City Scoop.What do we like most about the Scoop? It's not just the consistently high quality of the writing, the in-depth retrospectives of the individuals Behind the Mask, or the artwork, but it's all of those elements combined with the passion put into it by the people behind the project. The pages show that real thought is put into layout and leading, that each person cares about the final product, and that everyone wants to make -- and succeeds in making -- the Scoop fun to read.
Zelda Week: Player's Guide artwork
Having covered our favorite fan-made Link artwork two days ago, we're sharing with you our most beloved official pieces today. These illustrations from the Official Nintendo Player's Guide books that supplemented A Link to the Past and Link's Awakening have always been, without a doubt, our favorite art for The Legend of Zelda series.Their use of color and light sources vividly recreate scenes from the early NES, Game Boy, and SNES games better than anything we've ever seen before. We have dropped a few choice images from the books past the break so you can see what we mean -- don't miss out!
We Built This City on Project O (artwork)
Not all of you shared our excitement when we posted Project O's trailer two weeks ago, many questioning our declaration of the game as a "must buy." We considered sassing back with our usual acerbic wit, riposting, "Yeah, well your mother is a 'must buy.'" Oh, how it would have burned. We eventually decided against attacking our readers, opting instead to chip away at your defenses with as many updates on the RPG/sim as we can muster.Jeux-France posted new artwork of Project O's buildings and characters that strengthen analogies between the game and a Pikmin-styled RTS. Some of the structures are predictable, like the smithy and archery hut, while others, such as the mustachioed and heavy-eyebrowed fish restaurant shown above, are a bit more eccentric.We've got more images past the post break which you can preview while you try desperately in vain to shake the musical stylings of Starship out of your head. Consider that last link our weekend gift to you. You know, to make up for that whole your-mother-being-a-must-buy burn.
Forum Post of the Day: Shadow of the Death Knight
I love fan fiction, I always have. There is a point where an author or artist ends the story and those that have been enthralled with it pick it up and continue the journey. With WoW the opportunities for fan fiction are numerous, since it's a persistent world we roam, and we make what we will of the characters we play. I guess you could say our role play today is the fan fiction of tomorrow.Thus it was with relish that I began reading the tale of Spooner, a paladin struggling in a world of frustration until he finally encounters his ultimate form. I won't spoil it for you, and I'm sure there is considerable debate that could arise from this author's viewpoint, but remember, it's how he sees the progression in the game, and to some extent so do I. Anyway when you have a moment pop on over to the European forums where this story was posted and add a little art to your day.[thanks Dego!]
The lore we make
With so many fascinating places and quests in the game, players can get caught up for hours (or days, or weeks) in the world that Blizzard has created for us to play. But the beautiful thing about an MMO is that in the game we encounter the stories already in the game, as well as create our own. Many of us have built backstories for our characters, but have you ever considered taking a step further?Recently a player applied to a guild that has been creating their a lore of their own for their boss kills. Converge (A) on the Anachronos realm doesn't just post the normal group photo with the corpse of [insert epic monster here]. Instead they weave a tale about their exploits. Their most recent addition to this catalog is a poetic guide to running Karazhan: Attumen, a Huntsmen and his good horse Midnight, Offers a gear-check to prove you can fight. Hyakiss, Rokad and Shadikith three, Hide in the shadows before coming to see. Moroes, with four friends, will vanish a lot, Then return with the gift of a crunchy garotte. The Maiden, all holy, makes no exemption, And kills your tank during peaceful redemption. I know I am eternally fascinated by the artwork of the game, and I am equally overjoyed to see that artwork created about or even in the game itself. It's important to realize that we can create something beautiful with the tools given us in WoW, and we can use our creative talents in addition to simply playing the game. Have you encountered any personal lore or artwork created about the game?
Diorama sculpture #1 unveiled at Comi Con
Most of our news of late has been about BlizzCon, but as anyone interested in comics knows the mother of all comic conventions began today in San Diego, Comi Con. Blizzplanet today posted about one little bit of WoW-related news released at the convention today: the first in a series of WoW sculptures. This particular sculpture is based on that spectacular mural we saw at the first BlizzCon (okay, so maybe this story is related to BlizzCon after all) featuring the battle between a Blood Elf and a Draenei. This series of sculptures, created by Sideshow Collectibles, will be available next year, so we have a while to wait, but the images sure are amazing. I'm not one for statue collections, but I will definitely have to pick this one up, especially considering the collector's edition will feature a Nether Whelp.[via Blizzplanet]
Menuet and Art Collector released as careware
Ollie Wagner sends word that he has release both of his Spencere apps, Menuet and Art Collector, as careware. Over on his site, you can get both of the apps for free, as long as you promise to donate to the charity of your choice (he's listed eight good choices if you don't have a preference).We've covered both before-- Menuet is a pretty iTunes controller with a few other features built in, including Last.fm support, themes, and a sleep timer. Art Collector grabs artwork from Amazon for your iTunes library-- it's a little useless, because iTunes now does this for you, but if there are a few covers iTunes can't find, maybe Art Collector can.Together, they used to run around $13 (although Art Collector separately was $7, and was originally bundled with Menuet). If you've seen these before and never gotten a chance to try them, here's it is, and hopefully you can help out a charity as well.
E307: Zelda screens and delightful artwork
It's true, we didn't hear much about The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass at Nintendo's E3 keynote. But Nintendo discreetly dropped some images into a press release and stuffed them into our briefcase, giving us the notion that if they happened to be shown to you guys, it wouldn't be terrible.A few new screenshots have been added to the gallery, as well as some character art. One of the pieces is the same artwork used in the supposed US boxart, which, to us, confirms the validity of that boxart. Man, the Wind Waker art style still out-styles pretty much everything else out there, especially in mainstream AAA games. Sorry, every other game.%Gallery-4748%
Doki Doki Majo Shinpan artwork rips
For those who place little value in the chase, that exhilarating, flirtatious period when nothing is guaranteed, actually playing through Doki Doki Majo Shinpan is secondary to groping its adolescent witches. Rather than have you labor through the text-heavy release's dialogue and plot setup, Stage Clear has posted artwork wrested from the Japanese game, enabling you to skip the journey and get right to your depraved destination. While none of the shots are scandalous enough to land you a ten-year stay in a federal prison, we wouldn't say that they're safe for work viewing either. The wiccan nymphets are depicted in poses that would leave Humbert Humbert dizzy with delight ("the king crying for joy, the trumpets blaring, the nurse drunk"), their faces reacting to the taps and strokes of an unseen stylus. Scurry shamefully past the post break for a couple of those images.
The Zune giveth us Halo artwork [update 1]
Everyone knows that the Halo 3 Zune comes jam packed with exclusive Halo content and for those of us who don't own one all we want to do is take a look at the cool media. Heck, seeing the Zune exclusive Red vs Blue episode on YouTube made our day. So, we couldn't help but share with our fellow fanboys all the exclusive Halo artwork that's included on the Zune. Yup, deadlycyclone48 ripped all the backgrounds off his Halo 3 Zune and posted them on Flickr for everyone to enjoy. Go ahead, look through all the Halo artwork without needing to buy any music player. It kind of feels dirty, doesn't it?Update 1: It looks like this linked set doesn't include all the Halo backgrounds included on the Zune. But don't worry, NitroFrost came to the rescue and posted the completely complete set. Go check 'em out.[Thanks, Rick-E]
iPod blamed for stealing the thunder from contemporary art
If you've been yearning for controversy, why not meet Mr. David Hockney? Commonly know as "Britain's best-loved living painter," Hockney has suggested that the proliferation of the iPod has been a primary contributor to the recent "fallow period of painting." He insists that today's society is "all about sound," and even mentions that people are turning off their eyes and ignoring contemporary art whilst "plugging their ears." Put simply, he believes the modern "decline in visual awareness" rests heavily on Apple's own cash cow, and further stirred the pot by insinuating that it led to "badly dressed people" who cared not about lines nor mass. As expected, a spokeswoman for Apple Australia refuted the claims, and while we certainly have seen no shortage of brilliant creations since the iPod explosion, there's always two sides to the canvas.
Crazy good Forza 2 custom paint jobs
Forza 2 isn't even a week old and players have already unleashed some killer custom paint jobs for their rides. A slick iPod theme, several anime-inspired cars along with South Park, Jack Sparrow, and a little game you might have heard of called Gears of War. Readers at Xbox 360 Fanboy have chimed in with their own works as well, proving once again that videogames don't kill brain cells, people kill brain cells.[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
New Sadness artwork is not screenshots
Oh, Nibris. We recently had some real-looking videos of what appeared to be a real game on the DS. But all we've had about their Wii game Sadness recently is bad news (and responses to bad news). Well, they seem to be back on track with Sadness, or at least they're back on their uniquely Nibris track of showing a few tidbits of artwork, but no screens and no evidence that there is any game at all.For what it's worth, the artwork looks okay. We're glad work is being done on this game at all. Do you think the issue with Sadness is that Nibris has been unusually transparent with the earliest stages of their game design, leading to the impression that it's been a really long time without seeing anything? Or is it just that they're really late getting to showing any real content? Check out the artwork after the break, and feel free to discuss what has become an impromptu Wii Warm Up in the comments thread.
