ComicLife
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Comic Life 3 adds new filters and more
Are you a fan of Comic Life? The Mac application has been around for years, giving you the opportunity to put yourself or friends into comic strip-like images complete with halftones and fun titles. For many years, Comic Life came pre-installed on Macs so you could process photos with wild abandon. Time rolls on, and now the developers at Plasq have released Comic Life 3 to the public. The upgrade to version 3 is significant, so much so that the upgrade from earlier versions costs US$14.99 (introductory price; regular price after October 20 will be $29.99) -- the same as buying a new copy from the Mac App Store or Plasq. What's new in Comic Life 3? A script editor if you want to write up a script before lining up your characters in your comic book Parametric filters including new Rotoscope, Retro and Sketch filters Instant Alpha for removing backgrounds from photos before giving them the Comic Life treatment Brush strokes for giving elements a hand-drawn look. 3D lettering for titles New fill options New editing controls, including parametric balloon shapes, rulers, alignment and spacing guides and master page elements Plasq offers a 30-day free trial if you're not sure the app is right for you, but be sure that you take advantage of the limited time 50 percent discount if you're currently a fan of Comic Life.
Plasq brings Comic Life to the iPad
Comic Life, the popular Mac application that takes your photos and lets you turn them into a comic book, is now available on the iPad. The iPad version launched late last week and includes several features of its desktop counterpart, including templates, balloon controls and social network integration. The iPad app is optimized for the touchscreen with a user interface that lets you edit and move items using your fingertips. You can also use photos from your photo library or capture them on the fly using the iPad 2 cameras. Once you create a personalized comic book, you can share it via email or Facebook or wirelessly print a hard copy for archival purposes. If you use Comic Life in the classroom or other group settings, you will be able to drag and drop comics between iPads so that you can share your creation with your fellow classmates or friends. You can grab your copy of Comic Life for the iPad from the App Store for US$7.99. [Via The Loop]
Comic Life 2 for Mac delivers more thought-balloon fun
From time to time, I'm asked to name my favorite Mac app -- as if such a designation was even possible (I love you all equally, kids, don't worry). If you pushed me and narrowed the question a bit to, "Is there a Mac app that you keep coming back to when you have to create something cool in a very short period of time?" the answer is easy. Plasq's Comic Life is my favorite quick turnaround tool, smile inducer and fun photo mauler. The $30 app, from the incubator firm of Skitch, is a delightful (if at times a bit busy) way to take your favorite pictures, add quick captions and layouts, and immediately print or share them with a click. I've used it for refrigerator magnets, party invites, birth announcements, process documentation and more over the years. Yesterday Plasq released version 2.0 of Comic Life, which adds template support, Facebook integration, advanced word-balloon controls and more. It's a $9.95 upgrade for existing users and $19.95 to move to a five-machine family pack. (Note that Comic Life Magiq is $20 more costly; it adds image edit/warp controls and other high-end features, but it isn't file-compatible with CL2 yet.) This is the biggest revamp for the core Comic Life product in its five-year history, and it's fantastic to see one of our favorite indie studios putting out refreshed products right before the Mac App Store hits. There's a free 30-day trial, so check it out!
Apple patent turns video games into comics
This might be the wackiest patent that I've ever seen Apple apply for. The company has recently put in a patent to describe the process of making a digital comic book out of a video game playthrough. The idea here is that you'd play through a segment of a video game (Mass Effect is the one used in the example), and then Apple would collect information about your character and the way that you played the game. It would then use that information to turn the experience into an e-book, which could either be sold digitally or printed. Say what? I guess that's cool, but this just seems like Apple is laying down a quick patent on a pretty harebrained idea; it doesn't seem like a preview of an actual service that we'll eventually see implemented on the Mac. Then again, Apple has worked pretty closely with Comic Life in the past, and it has connected the popular comic creation app to both iPhoto and MobileMe. Maybe it's looking at extending that service further. Another (presumably more practical) patent has Apple examining improved equalizers on iTunes and in the iDevices. This one I can get behind. The EQ that's there right now works, but the patent involves more dynamic adjustments and some user-free audio enhancement. Again, Apple patents ideas, not actual products, but there's still a possibility that we'll see either or both of these ideas implemented in the future.
Plasq ships Comic Life Magiq
It's Magiq day. First announced and demoed at Macworld Expo in January, and eagerly awaited by doodlers everywhere: Plasq's new evolution in the Comic Life product line, Comic Life Magiq, is shipping now. Magiq is not an upgrade to Comic Life, which is still sold separately -- it's a whole new tool, including an embedded image editor and pro-level layout and masking components. A slew of new templates and a Core Animation-driven UI complete the package. As you might surmise, CLM is a Leopard-only Universal Binary release (it actually calls for 10.5.2 as a minimum OS version). A full license is $45 and cross-grades from Comic Life (including the bundled version that shipped with some Macs) are $30; however, for a limited time you can get a license for $40 and a crossgrade for $20. A 30-day unlimited demo can be downloaded from plasq.com now. We're looking forward to some hands-on Magiq time and posting some screenshots later today.
Freeverse holds a 30% off sale
Freeverse, winner of many design awards (and publisher of Marathon on the 360-- I had no idea!) is throwing down with a software sale on their website. By using the code montyrules with any purchase before September 20th, you can pick up any of the software and games they're selling for a whopping 30% off.Heroes V for $35! Euchre (my favorite card game ever) for $14! Wingnuts 2 for $21! And the apps aren't to be scoffed at either-- they've got the great Comic Life, Lineform, and Sound Studio 3 all on sale as well.Woot for Freeverse, and woot for selling great games and apps for cheaper than usual. Now that you guys are flush with money, how about convincing Microsoft to let you put that Euchre game on my 360, too?Thanks, Brian!
Death Knights not welcome at town picnic
It's a problem: here you are, a master of your very own runed blade, a summoner of an army of undead, an immensely powerful tank and damage-dealer -- and yet no one will let you into the lore party over at Starshine Shadowstrider's house! "Yuckie!" they say. "He got his powers from the Lich King! ...Eww!""But I turned against him!" you proclaim in your defense. "I wised up and came back to the Light, sorta. Okay not really but I'm still not completely bad! It's like... fighting..." your voice gradually gets quieter as party-goers stop listening, "... fighting fire with ... fire. Dammit. I'm gonna go kill Onyxia by myself! That'll show 'em."Yes indeed. It's looking like the future's going to be pretty rough for Death Knights. As Nethaera explained, "It's most likely that Death Knights aren't going to find themselves being popular guests at the town picnic."But Death Knights aren't alone in dealing with this sort of thing. "Keep in mind," Nethaera points out, "that Warlocks aren't generally welcomed with open arms either (depending on the culture of the race in question)." Here we have a good role model for plucky summoners of the undead: Warlocks are magic users who use the powers of the Burning Legion against the Burning Legion itself! Have not the Alliance and the Horde not gradually come to accept that just because some people happen to summon demons, cause agony, corruption and ruin, as well as steal people's souls -- that doesn't make them inherently evil, right? So it is with Death Knights. So what if you betrayed all the peoples of Azeroth to go and serve the Lich King for a little while? So what if his taint of undeathiness is still flowing through you while you draw those unholy runes and create zombies? You can now go to Shattrath to have your picture taken with a Naaru! Your reputation should be squeaky clean.While Blizzard may yet find a plausible reason for Death Knights to be fighting against the Lich King rather than with him, keep in mind that even if that doesn't work out, you've got one magic word that will make everything okay. Whenever people won't trust you or play with you just because it would seem that you might possibly be technically evil (on the outside)... Just say: "Lore, lol."
Breakfast Topic: Is WoW science fiction?
Yesterday we talked about similarities between World of Warcraft and other fantasy franchises. Commenting on that post, Baluki noted that "Warcraft is also somewhat unique in mixing some sci-fi elements into its fantasy universe." But not everyone thinks that's a good thing: back around the time that Burning Crusade previews were coming out, the draenei and the naaru caused quite a bit of stir among lore fans who felt that "space pallies" and "interdimensional ships" like Tempest Keep were going too far.One poster to the forums linked to this screenshot and said, "When did this turn into a friggin space game... Draenei, Exodar... hell this battleground feels more like UT Facing Worlds map than an RPG..." Drysc replied: "I believe you may be creating your own idea of what Warcraft is and has been, while it's been anything but a traditional medieval fantasy setting. The lore and history is full of interstellar travel and themes one may consider 'sci-fi'. There are warp gates that link various worlds together, planets blowing up, space traveling demons who enslave entire planets, inter dimensional ships, time travel, etc. "You say '[this] feels more like UT Facing Worlds map than an RPG... ', when RPG simply stands for Roleplaying Game. Warcraft has and always will be beyond a singular tolkienesque world, and I think those who know and understand the lore and history are more apt to recognize and accept how the story is progressing as 'clearly Warcraft'."What do you think? Are the "sci-fi" elements minimal enough that WoW still doesn't count as "science fiction" or even "science fantasy?" Or do World of Warcraft and The Burning Crusade launch the lore off the Tolkienenque fantasy homeworld and into the anomalous nebulae of Stargate, Alien, or even Transformers? Personally, I think WoW gets the balance right -- I'm happy to see some creative mixing of different themes that breaks the traditional fantasy molds. I'd like to see more sci-fi elements in future expansions too, though I doubt that's likely. WTB more WoW Lightsabers!
Mysterious Mysteries: Arakkoa superhero, or druid in disguise?
Refugees dwelling in the Bone Wastes not far from the blasted ruin of Auchindoun have reported seeing a bird-man Arakkoa soaring through the sky! Kirrik the Awakened at the refugee caravan gave a speech today regarding the momentous significance of this sighting: "This is none other than Superarakkoa, the prophesied super-hero of the Arakkoa, come to reform the Arakkoa people and finally get our caravan moving again!" Superarakkoa is widely known among Arakkoa to be the invincible savior of "Truth, Justice, and the Arakkoa Way," only vulnerable to the deadly "dark crystals" or "Thraptonite," from the mythical planet of Thra.A night elf standing nearby said that the superhero is a hoax. This elf, named Jared, claims to know the hero's secret: "There is a quest for the Skyguard called 'A Shabby Disguise' in which you disguise yourself as an Arakkoa to buy a book from some guy. Well, I discovered that Druids can use their forms while in this disguise and it doesnt change their appearance." Showing us pictures he himself took of the hero (Superarakkoa's personal photographer, apparently), he claimed that the druid in question tried using his epic flight form while disguised, and was thereby able to fly about looking like an Arakkoa. "The disguise can only be used in Terokkar," he said, "but I still think it is a neat trick."Many thanks to our reader Jared for providing us with the inside scoop on this mystery! We wonder who Superarakkoa's secret identity is... but while we investigate that, what other mysterious uses have you adventurers found for other quests and disguises?
Video: a tour of Skitch
Click To Play Skitch is the latest app from the boys of Plasq, makers of the hugely popular Comic Life. If you've never seen it in action, take a few to check out the simple yet powerful interface.
The ridable flightless bird boss
Attention mount collectors! In the process of completing the quests involved in acquiring his or her Swift flight form, any dedicated druid friend of yours will get an item that allows access to a special boss, called Anzu, the Raven God. It behooves you to make this druid like you very very much, and take you to fight this Raven God many many times. Rarely, this boss will drop a very very special mount: itself. That's right! One of the items a lucky few will be able to loot from this dead bird's corpse is the dead bird itself, raised to life as a ridable mount. This may be the only item in the game where you can summon a boss and ride around on him to your hearts content, and look pretty spiffy while you're at it, too. The only odd thing about this bird is that it can't fly; this is a land mount only. At least it doesn't look anything like a penguin. If one wants a real flying raven mount, the only option is to level a night elf druid up and learn how to shapeshift into a raven form. But in the meantime for all other classes (as well as greedy druids who want this mount to go with the theme of their Flight Form), this is the next best thing, or even better, depending on your point of view. This is the indisputable number one top right answer for today's breakfast topic, "Neatest Land Mount." Discuss.
Breakfast Topic: Little Red Riding Nether Ray
I know, I know... today's breakfast topic comic seems a bit dark and gloomy -- but don't worry! Things are not what they seem! The girl's grandma is actually a professional hunter of evil grandmavores. The girl-grandma team tricks the beasts into their doom: first, little Red lures the beasts close to the cottage, and then Granny springs a woodsman-shaped target dummy on them and mutilates them from behind with her epic daggers disguised as knitting needles. Annnywaaaay, the topic for today is these scary creatures known as nether rays! Now we can ride them! But... the question is, does anyone want to? I know the nether ray in this picture looks pretty spooky, and I'll admit that there are some screenshots in which they look okay at first. But over all, aren't they really rather ugly, pudgy and too much like a fish with serious dental problems? I was over there questing in Skettis with a friend of mine today, just earning some money in a few spare minutes I had to play, when we stopped to gawk at the Sha'tari Skyguard dwarf just swooshing along on his nether ray mount, looking as pudgy and as awkward as can be. I realized, this thing doesn't look like it should be a mount at all. Your legs kind of sink through the creature's tendril hood or whatever it is, and some races apparently have their hands hanging out in thin air, holding on to reins that should be there on any normal mount, but not on this one.Do you agree that this thing is an ugly waste of your reputation grinding time? or am I totally missing the aesthetic genius of this?
Breakfast Topic: Knowing when to quit
How do you know when you've had enough of Azeroth and it's time to go do something else? Do you play for a certain amount of time every day? Do you PvP until your eyeballs get all red and puffy? Do you grind and grind until you at last have something to show for your effort?Personally, on most days, I have lots to do, and commitments force me to say "I gotta go!" But on days when I have the whole day off and nothing specific planned, sometimes I feel like I can just let loose and play as long as I want. Other times I feel the need to limit myself to a certain amount of time with WoWTimer. I try to listen to that little intuitive meter inside my body that is always measuring whether or not whatever I'm doing is still a good use of my time. Seriously, when I'm spending too much time on WoW (or on anything really), I get this feeling in my chest and in my back, something like a tensing of muscles that tells me I should be more productive. It's different from sitting in a chair too long... it's more psychological, perhaps.How do you prevent yourself from getting carried away?
Breakfast Topic: WoW vs. Real Life
Sometimes it happens: you get online and meet up with some of your Azerothian friends, and they invite you to go do something interesting when suddenly your phone rings, and one of your Earthling friends invites you to go do something interesting in real life! You're faced with a choice of staying in Azeroth or returning to Earth.For my part, I mostly made one of those unconscious choices a long time ago, that if this sort of thing happened, I would usually choose to leave Azeroth and go experience real life. I had realized that it's too easy to lose oneself in the imaginary world and then come back to real life with a sense of emptiness. But with the right kind of moderation, I feel like both my time on Earth and my time in Azeroth are full and enjoyable.What do you do when someone says "do you want to go hang out with us?" when you had planned to play WoW? Do you usually choose one or the other, or does it totally depend on the situation?
POW! THWAK! Comic Life updated
Notwithstanding the pre-beta Skitch product announcement, the Plasq crew have been busy as beavers (despite having never met in person before Macworld; talk about your distributed development teams) on their already-released products. Comic Life 1.3 is out for download now and includes: Visual preview of styles an "Email" button to send comics directly from Mail.app, Entourage, Eudora or AOL Publish your comic to iWeb Copy and paste Comic Life elements to other apps Speech and thought balloons now have "Multi-tail" capability :-) Multiple images per panel and more. CL 1.3 requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or higher; the upgrade is a free download for owners of the retail, Deluxe or bundled editions.Thanks Matthew!
The Cocoa Conundrum
When it comes to software on the Mac platform it's a mixed bag. I don't mean like on Windows, where the bag is full of snakes, scorpions, rusty blades, and the occasional bit of peach. Software on the Mac has been in flux for a decade. When Apple bought NeXT, most of us figured Copland was dead in the water (and it was). Personally, I wish we'd seen OpenDoc come to fruition, but that comes from years of dealing with bloatware. OS X pushed the "Classic" Mac OS further and further into the shadows, until, with the advent of Intel Macs, it's pretty much dying off... Read the fine print on these Leopard features for developers, and you'll realize how dead "Classic" really is. Perhaps we should call it "Relic."Now ask anyone (well, almost anyone) who's coded Cocoa apps and they'll tell you it's lovely. Shoot, Apple's so proud of the frameworks they provide for devs, they even touted a new one, Core Animation, as one of the 10 things coming in Leopard. But we're still living a dual-existence (triple or quadruple or more, if you get technical) in that you have Cocoa apps, and you have the non-Cocoa apps. Perhaps you know about Java, which is what Limewire uses. Or X11's ability to run apps like GIMP. Both of those have their quirks. Java apps can be all over the place, and X11 doesn't integrate the UI of OSX, among other issues. Carbon is a mix of old-skool API's (implemented in good ol' C if I recall), and permeates Mac apps like Office and Photoshop, where a teardown/rebuild would be too unwieldy. There's also the fact that key apps like Finder and QuickTime are Carbon enough to still have some legacy code from way back when, which might account for some of their quirks too... No holy wars about Cocoa vs. Carbon, OK? I'm with David Weiss on this one. So you have Cocoa, Carbon and everything else.Getting granular for a moment, look at a tale of two browsers: Safari vs. Firefox. Safari is a Cocoa app, and it is tightly integrated with OS X tools. It maintains the ability to look up words in the Dictionary app with a right-click, and access the OS X Keychain. Firefox is not a (full) Cocoa app, and you can't niftily use a keyboard shortcut to look up a word, nor will it store passwords in Keychain. I've learned to use this "wall" to my advantage. Since the passwords are stored differently, I can automatically log in to systems (like gmail) using two accounts simultaneously. I use my business gmail on one browser, and personal on the other. Unfortunately, you're limited to 3, as all Firefox-based browsers will share their version of Keychain, and all Webkit-derived browsers use Keychain. I say three, because Opera stands alone (and doesn't always play nice with Gmail). There's the conundrum: to the average user, they don't care, but when little non-Cocoa quirks appear, they scratch their heads and wonder why the Mac doesn't just "do stuff" one standard way.Keep reading for my take on shareware, freeware, and malware in OS X...
Comic Life 1.2 review
The good folks over at Nonstopmac (where they talk about Macs nonstop I would assume) have taken a close look at Comic Life, and they like what they see.Give the app 9 out of 10 nonstopmacs, I would say you should check out Comic Life (and plus we have written about it about a million times).
Comic Life now bundled with intel iMacs
If you need another reason to lay down the dough for a new Intel iMac then I have got one for ya. Cris Pearson, the CEO of plasq, just let me know that Comic Life is bundled with the new iMacs.Comic Life is a favorite app around here, and this can only mean good things for iMac buyers and plasq.
Comic Life Updated
Just before the weekend Comic Life, which is a great fun product that I blogged about previously, came out with an update to 1.0.1 with a few new templates (but, alas, no PSP template yet) and reduced the price: "Yes! 1.0.1 has new styles, new export options and more... now at only $24.95 USD with a new Education Price ($19.95 USD) and Household License Price ($39.95 USD). Existing customers: Thank you! - please contact us so we can organize your special offer." I contacted them, but still haven't discovered what my special offer is. Hopefully, it's about $15, which is the difference in price from what I paid, and what the software now runs.
