makeover
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'StarCraft' gets the cartoon makeover nobody asked for
When you think of kid-friendly video games, StarCraft might not top the list. But that could change. A new version, StarCraft: Cartooned, reimagines every unit, structure, map, menu and mission with art by CarBot Animations. The usually dark game is swapping its Warhammer-like visual style for a complete makeover with cute cartoon graphics.
Netflix courts HGTV fans with its first home makeover series
Netflix appears to be looking to pull in more of that HGTV crowd, as Deadline reports that the streaming service just ordered its first property-focused original series. With a working title of Amazing On The Inside, the show will reportedly feature homes that look ordinary on the outside but have incredible interiors that reflect their owners' passions and identities. Deadline says Netflix has ordered 12 30-minute episodes.
Taking a look at the Black Desert cash shop
So what does the inside of Black Desert's cash shop actually look like? Sure, the exact contents aren't going to matter to players who hate having cash shops at all or the players who were going to play the game no matter what, but a good implementation or a bad one could have an impact. Hence a new post on Steparu walking through the options available and giving a loose idea of how the pricing breaks down. With a $50 budget, some options were simply out of reach on the shop, specifically the limited edition mount armor. A handful of limited-time packs with boosts are already in-place in game, alongside the usual options of dyes, inventory expansions, and makeovers. The cash shop also contains exclusive hairstyles and under-armor options. Check out the full piece for a more comprehensive glance inside of the game's real-money marketplace.
World of Warcraft finally integrates Night Elf ears
Lest you forget, with World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor, the older character models in the game will receive a huge visual update. Today Blizzard posted a preview of what the Night Elf female will look like come this fall, and it appears that she's due for more than her first change of underwear since 2004. "Overall, we've made her new model a little more defined, made some of her proportions a bit more realistic, and added a bit more muscle tone," the studio wrote. "We wanted to visually communicate that she is a fully capable warrior huntress, and small details like muscle definition help highlight that." One interesting fact about this makeover is that the Night Elf ears will finally be "fully integrated" into the model itself instead of being separate pieces that were tacked on to the head.
Guild Wars 2 sells makeovers, explains authenticator issue
If you haven't been completely satisfied with how you styled your Guild Wars 2 character to look but don't have the heart (or time) to reroll, ArenaNet has a solution... for a price. The studio added two options to the game's cash shop that allow players to fiddle with their characters' visuals. The new items are a self-style hair kit (which costs 250 gems but can be purchased in bulk) and a total makeover kit (this goes for 350 gems and also has a bulk purchase option). While the total makeover will allow for a change in height, hair, skin, and even gender, it does not include a name change. ArenaNet also addressed an authenticator issue that arose when players noticed that the game stopped asking for the code. It turns out that the team switched to an updated version of the system that remembers computer locations verified by email and will not ask for an authenticator code from that place. Security Coordinator Mike Lewis reassured players that their game was still safe: "Please be aware that your accounts are still protected by the mobile authenticator at this time."
Allods Online overhauls female model and animations
Female Xadaganians in Allods Online are in for a treat come patch 3.05. The devs recognized that the characters didn't look up to snuff compared to the other races and genders and thus have devoted some time to giving them (yes) a makeover. Are we in an '80s romcom montage or what? The makeover for the women includes a more detailed character model, improved animations, an additional face, and more hairstyles. The team is also tweaking hair models so that locks of hair will now be seen falling from inside of whatever helm that character is wearing. To promote the Xadaganian makeover, gPotato released a video diary starring actress Nataliya Zemtsova. Zemtsova was used for the motion capture and voiceovers of the new models and is apparently amazed that you can assign a character a name. Check it out after the jump!
Digg to get a complete redesign, relaunch in August
Well, that was fast. Not two weeks after Digg was bought out by Betaworks (parent company to Bit.ly, among other startups), we're learning the crowd-sourced news aggregator is poised to relaunch as soon as August 1. In a blog post, the 10-person engineering team promises an overhaul of the site, once a litmus test for what was popular on the internet. Most interesting, perhaps, is the revelation that while Digg will not be a rebadged version of News.me, the aggregation app already owned by Betaworks, the two services will eventually be folded into one product. And while the team isn't revealing how, exactly, the new Digg will differ from the old, they did promise it would eventually receive personalization features similar to what News.me already offers. Other than that, Betaworks didn't share any specifics, but luckily, you'll only have to wait two weeks to find out what's in store.
Daily iPad App: Perfect365 touches up faces in a snap
I'm really impressed when powerful applications or techniques migrate to iOS and seem to work as well (or better than) as they do on the desktop. A good example is Perfect365 HD. This iPad app lets you take a photo of a person and modify it, 'improving' their facial structure, lips, eyes, nose, cheeks -- just about any part of the face that may need a nip here or a tuck there. Basically, the app gives any person a one click makeover. It's plastic surgery without the risk. Portrait photographers and advertising agencies have been using these techniques for years, but usually the work is complicated and takes a long time. Perfect365 can do it in a click or two. Facial recognition features identify the parts of the face and with a couple of clicks your can turn your significant other into something a bit beyond their normal look. You can be subtle or extreme. Images can be from your photo albums, or you can activate your camera and take the picture any time you want. When you're done, the enhanced image can be saved back to your photo album, or sent to Facebook, Twitter or Flickr. I tried the app on some pictures of people I had stashed on my hard drive, and I must say the results are pretty amazing and easy to accomplish. Some friends really liked the enhancements, some found it all a bit creepy. I found subtle changes were the best, cleaning up complexions or whitening teeth. The app provides a before and after view so you can see exactly what has changed. I have some examples in the gallery. The app sells for US $4.99. I've used some Mac applications that are far more expensive but give similar results, although they offer more control and features. There's an iPhone version of the app that is now selling for $1.99. If you're a casual photographer with friends that aren't happy with their 'look' I'll bet this app will please them and make you popular at the same time. With the holidays here up you may be taking a lot of photos, and I think you'll be pleased with Perfect365. The app requires iOS 3.2 or greater. Arcsoft, the company that created the app, also has a Mac OS X version coming with, you guessed it, more control and more features. Check the gallery for some before and after photos. %Gallery-139899%
Treat yourself to a makeover with Allods Online's Hall of Changes
Last weekend, we took a look at Allods Online's upcoming Astral Ship customization options. As it turns out, Astral Ships aren't the only things that players will be able to make fabulous. When patch 2.0.06 hits the live servers, players will be able to give their characters a makeover with the introduction of the Hall of Changes. Upon entering the mythical (and stylish!) Hall of Changes, players will be able to recreate their characters from the ground up. And when we say "from the ground up," we mean it; if you're tired of not having an hourglass figure and a bootylicious posterior, forget exercise! Just change your gender. Each race will also receive two brand-new hairstyles -- one for each gender -- as well as a new skin texture option, which will allow players to modify their characters' skin textures regardless of skin color. For the full details, head on over to the Allods official site and give it a look!
Notion Ink Adam update overhauls UI, provides a smidgen of extra stability (video)
We'd be lying if we said the Notion Ink Adam tablet wasn't a major disappointment, but the tiny Indian company that brought us the slate hasn't packed it in yet -- this week, Rohan Shravan announced a new round of sales, and issued a massive software overhaul for all existing Adams to go along with it. We've been playing with the new software for over a day now, and we can attest that the Eden 1.5 UI is much improved -- it's less flashy, but far more responsive, less prone to crashes, and generally more useful. We'd still call it a beta, mind you, as we still managed to find some nasty bugs and slowdown while browsing around, but we're digging the new Chords music player, the new To-Do list, and the multitasking-friendly App Manager you see above. Notion Ink also claims we'll see better battery life in this version, and we're putting the Adam through a thorough drain test right now. We're also hearing that Notion Ink is still working on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) builds. While you wait, why not click past the break for video of the new features in motion. Update: We're not sure about day-to-day use, but we're not getting better results in our battery drain test -- we're still looking at under 6 hours of juice with the backlight at roughly 65 percent brightness.
Omnimo: desktop Windows given fashion makeover with Phone 7 Series flair
Can't wait for Windows Phone 7 Series, but can't hack the emulator, either? Don't lose hope, Windows junkies -- you can still bring some semblance of WP7S order into your life with this Metro UI-inspired desktop HUD. Based on the open-source desktop customization platform Rainmeter, the "Omnimo UI" will overlay your desktop with a minimalist, tiled interface not unlike the one you've been drooling over for weeks, with live hooks into many useful services (including Gmail, iTunes, Steam, Twitter and SpeedFan) as well as the usual widgets and a host of program shortcuts. The best news of all? It's available now for all versions of Windows since XP, completely free of charge; simply follow the source links or flit over to Lifehacker, where good folks will teach you how it's done.
Nikon D90 torn down, rebuilt in pink (video)
Words... what good are words when you're trying to describe the horrific visage of a growling, rugged, heavyweight camera coated in the frilly tutu of the color spectrum, magenta? We shan't try to describe the peculiar mix of revolt, disgust and subtle desire that this whole thing incites in us, and will just point you after the break for the video. There's plenty of good clean fun to be had while exploring the dismantled D90 (though there's one instance of foul language when the modder gets an electric shock, understandable) and if you're of a nervous disposition you can always skip the shockingly pink finale.
Warhammer Online's Realm War site gets guild support
Mythic has changed Warhammer Online's default Realm War home page to display a few useful bits of guild information when you are logged in to your account. The new default home page lists your server's zone control war status, a guild overview section including recent activity and real-time roster, and a social section listing all your friends.The rest of the site hasn't changed much and remains a work-in-progress. Character profiles are still showing inconsistent items/stats on your character and suffer from display issues (e.g., the top Phoenix Throne all-time renown earner shows as having a renown rank of 44 but the 6th place person on the list displays a realm rank of 60).The Realm War does contain loads of great information though and when Mythic gets it working properly, it may even surpass the Camelot Herald and WoW Armory as the most informative web-based official database for an MMO. The leader boards spur on additional server-wide competition to see who can come out on top and the war status updates allow players to stay connected to what's going on even when they're away from their gaming rigs.
Brack clarifies graphical update plans
We heard just last week that J. Allen Brack said Blizzard was definitely considering a graphical overhaul for WoW in the future (something players have been asking about for a while), and now WorldofWar has asked Brack to clarify exactly what's going on with the game's graphics. And he's answered. He says that Blizzard's approach to updating the game's graphics will likely be very different than other games' attempts -- they want to do it organically and iteratively rather than all in one go.Which follows with what's happened already -- Burning Crusade got a few tweaks and upgrades, and Wrath has its own. Not only will they implement that shader system we heard about way back, but the shadows for each model ingame will be updated (and real-time, very cool), and Blizzard is increasing the view distance (to help out with vehicular combat, we hope?). But other changes, Brack says, will come in waves, not all at once.He does mention an upgrade of how the water in the game looks, though of course he doesn't say when that might happen, only that Blizzard is looking at it. But it seems like a pretty sure bet not to expect an upcoming content patch to be "the graphical update patch." Blizzard is improving the way the world looks, but they're doing it one step at a time.
Who to enhance with a gaming face-lift?
Frodo et al. over at The Weekly Geek compiled the games that could use a makeover, but only in the most superficial sense. They aren't talking about gameplay, they are just asking about Nip/Tuck style upgrade to bring their old beauty back to the surface. As the perfect example they use Super Mario All-Stars for the SNES, which took Mario Bros. 1-3 (Japan SMB 2 included) and gave them a graphics upgrade -- it was fantastic. And for those that remember it, makes us wonder why Super Mario Bros. is on the Wii Virtual Console with its tired look, instead of the great makeover. Here are some of the games Weekly Geek suggested for makeover: Mega Man 2 - "Mega Man 2 really needs the Powered Up treatment. Enhanced music, a level editor, expanded gameplay ... Just put it on something a bit more accessible than the PSP, mmkay?" Maniac Mansion - "A Wii version with beautiful hand-drawn characters and voice acting would basically make me weep with joy." Secret of Mana - "One of the most visually and audibly stunning titles on the SNES, but imagine it on a current system with Squeenix's Mana lineup. Lush environments, fully orchestrated soundtrack, cutscenes and online co-op would make this classic even classic-er." The Legend of Zelda - "I would love to see a Mario All-Stars treatment for Zelda. Imagine Zelda 1 and 2 with Link to the Past or Minish Cap quality graphics and remixed music ... We got a remake of the first Metroid a couple of years ago, why not your biggest cash cow, Nintendo? I'd drop a cool 1000 Wii points on that title in a heartbeat." Final Fantasy VII - "Rumored, speculated, rumored some more, an updated FF7 has been the holy grail for Final Fantasy fanboys ... imagine, if you will, that entire soundtrack performed by a full, real live orchestra. Beauty." It is disheartening to see "classic" games being dragged out on Xbox Live Arcade and Wii's VC without some noticeable graphics enhancement. Granted, the pessimist in all of us says they're just cheap grabs for cash. But imagine if they had that graphics upgrade, then they'd be cheap grabs for cash that we'd be totally fine with. So, what games would you put under the knife for purely superficial enhancement?
Japanese department stores trialing virtual makeover machines
Although some women do indeed prefer an in-store (human) professional when looking for a new lineup of cosmetics to try, those independent ladies who'd rather take things solo just might prefer this method. Mitsukoshi, Shiseido, and Fujitsu have teamed up to bring a virtual, real-time makeover machine into Japanese department stores in order to give women a chance to test out a smorgasbord of shades on their virtual face before throwing down their hard earned loot. Sure, we've seen hypothetical approaches before, but this rendition lacks the mess and time requirements of previous methods by allowing customers to snap an image of their face, and then scan electronic tags of interesting looking makeup in order to dash their on-screen persona with whatever they please. The system allows the user to test endless combinations of products without causing a mess, using up samples, or demanding extra help, and the "before and after" feature should do a number on same-store sales. While there's no details about a mass rollout, the system is being tested right now in the Mitsukoshi store in Ginza, so fellas, steer your ladies clear of this one if you value your bank account.[Via PlasticBamboo]
Sony to get a marketing makeover
It's pretty obvious that Sony and its image in the public realm has depreciated over the past few months. They're ridiculed time and time again by many writers on the internet (Joystiq included), using old internet memes about giant enemy crabs and real time weapon switching. Behind the humor, there are some real concerns that they need to address:
