customization
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All Points Bulletin video podcast shows off some ink
All Points Bulletin is one of those upcoming games that tends to defy easy categorization. It's an urban crime game that has persistence, quests (missions), and fantastic customization options. It's not an MMO as we'd typically define it, and APB developer Realtime Worlds has also hinted that it may eventually become something of a virtual world. Maybe this is part of why we're interested in this game, it seems to be breaking new ground in online games. We've been checking in now and again on the All Points Bulletin video podcast which always gives us some new perspective on this title. Realtime Worlds often emphasizes how deep the game's customization options are going to be in these videos, and this week's is no different. Given that you'll play a criminal (or a vigilante who hunts them) in APB, what self-respecting felon doesn't overload on tattoos? The fifth APB video podcast shows us some of the ink players will soon be sporting in the game. Chris Collins from the ABP team visits Metalurgey tattoo and piercing parlour in the Realtime Worlds hometown of Dundee, Scotland, to see how the game's ink compares to the real thing. Stay with us after the jump for a video embed of APB Podcast Episode 5: APB Tattoos vs. RL Tattoos.
EVE dev blog explains tricking out your ships with new rigs
Pilots in EVE Online can do a lot to optimize their ship loadouts for specific purposes. Many ship hulls in the game can be quite versatile depending upon which modules you choose, allowing a pilot to excel in a particular pursuit or task in EVE. Another layer of ship customization is the use of rigs, essentially devices that impart specific bonuses to a ship. These add-ons allow you to do anything from perma-running your Level 4 mission tank to pinpointing hidden exploration content. But the high costs and fact that rigs can't be removed without destroying them have ensured they're used almost exclusively on large ship classes, namely battleships, given their substantial tanks and survivability. Pilots who prefer to fly smaller ships like frigates and cruisers will soon have more cost-effective options for tricking out their ships using small and medium rigs, to be introduced with Apocrypha 1.5 in August. Small rigs will be used on frigates, destroyers, interceptors, and interdictors, priced between 100k - 1 million ISK. Medium rigs will be installed on cruisers, industrials, and battlecruisers, at a cost between 600k ISK and 5 million ISK. These are substantially reduced prices from the game's current offerings, but these smaller rigs won't have watered down bonuses. They will provide the same benefits (and drawbacks) as the larger rigs in terms of percentages.
All Points Bulletin video podcast shows off symbol creation and character customization
Since E3 2009 the All Points Bulletin team at Realtime Worlds has been releasing video podcasts showing aspects of the urban crime title, and no doubt gaining some new fans in the process. We mentioned an earlier video that focused on customization options players will have, but Realtime Worlds is taking that a step further in their latest video podcast, which walks the viewer through the layer-based symbol customization players will use in All Points Bulletin.The demonstration from senior concept artist Jon Stockwell shows how simple it is to create and manipulate layers in a symbol, resulting in your own unique look. As the video shows, that symbol can be applied to characters in the form of tattoos or graphics on clothing, and even used to detail your vehicles. Have a look at the video we've embedded for you below, and let us know what you think.
New Global Agenda gameplay vids show off customization and PvP
As the shooter-MMO hybrid Global Agenda enters closed beta this month, the team at Hi-Rez Studios has begun to release more videos showing off gameplay footage. John Walker over at Rock, Paper, Shotgun hunted down and rounded up the new videos from Gametrailers, which give us a good look at how the game is shaping up. The first video shows off the character creation process, with a cut scene explaining your introduction to the world, trapped and floating in a cloning tank monitored by machines, then rescued by armored human allies. That's followed up by footage of other character creation options in Global Agenda, from the look of your agent's body to armor customization, as well as showing how large and open the game's social hubs will be. Even better, there are two more videos that show off Global Agenda's combat, demonstrating both co-op gameplay and PvP. We've got video embeds of the combat footage after the jump:
The 5th Column returns as City of Heroes Issue 15: Anniversary goes live
It was only a few weeks ago that we wrote about the City of Heroes Issue 15 beta testing, but this latest update to the game, Anniversary, has gone live. Issue 15 brings a host of improvements to City of Heroes particularly in terms of hero and villain character customization. There are 20 new character faces to choose from, two new costume sets, and costume change emotes, which provide flashy transitions between costumes for your characters. Issue 15: Anniversary also marks the return of The 5th Column and The Reichsman, and thus new missions at levels 45-50 -- with Villain Strikeforce and Hero Taskforce arcs, depending upon which side of the law you're on. NCsoft has more info about Issue 15 on their Anniversary overview site, and asks, "What does the opening of the Omega Team Time Capsule hold in store for Paragon City and the Rogue Isles?" The answers, we suspect, should be clear as City of Heroes and City of Villains players explore the new Issue 15 content.
All Points Bulletin players to help determine game's evolution
The team at Massively is pretty happy to see that Realtime Worlds has broken radio silence with All Points Bulletin, first with the E3 2009 announcement and a video podcast, and now with some in-depth interviews about the urban crime game. Gamasutra's Christian Nutt recently spoke with APB lead designer EJ Moreland about some of the elements that could make this game different from most anything else presently on the market. The game is clearly a departure from some of the conventions and game mechanics typical of an MMO. The game's emphasis is on dynamic action; Moreland describes APB as "an online action game with persistence." And, of course, there's that incredible potential for customization they've shown off.
All Points Bulletin video podcast shows off scope of customization
Things were very quiet on the All Points Bulletin front for quite some time, but now we're seeing why. Realtime Worlds has been busy, and since E3 2009 the APB team at Realtime Worlds has revealed a ton of info about their upcoming game. Massively interviewed APB lead designer EJ Moreland who gave us some perspective on what the title will be like, but we're always looking out for more info. On that note, the All Points Bulletin game site revamp was accompanied by a new series of video podcasts, the second of which is now out. This second All Points Bulletin video podcast "E3 and Beyond" has Chris "Deum" Collins from the APB community team speaking with lead gameplay designer Jesse Knapp about the game's extensive customization options, and is in two parts. Actually it's largely a montage of the E3 customization videos with commentary from the APB devs, where they answer questions posed to them by the game's fans. It's a great look at what's possible in the game and we highly recommend you give it a look. However, if that's not enough to get you to check it out, we've got two words for you: Suicide Girls. We've got YouTube embeds of both parts for you below the cut. Have a look:
Earthrise newsletter Issue X updates players on game's state of development
Newsletter X for the post-apocalyptic MMO Earthrise is here, after these community updates from Masthead Studios went on hiatus since March. This tenth newsletter mentions how their current development focus is on the game's crafting system, which they've said will allow for a high degree of customization, allowing skilled players to become well-known among their peers for their particular creations. There's also a fair amount of coverage of some of the various Earthrise community efforts, ranging from fansites to player-created art, as well as a media coverage recap. There's definitely a few things in there worth checking out if you're interested in keeping up with Earthrise. While Masthead Studios may not feel quite this way about the game, this writer feels that Earthrise has some of the makings of a terrestrial EVE Online: a sandbox setting; guild-level world and resource control in what are now called 'Concession grounds'; and hopefully with that, player politics. If they can develop Earthrise along these lines, we suspect it could prove to be popular with fans of both sci-fi and post-apocalyptic games.%Gallery-48760%
E3 2009: Bill Roper on character themes and customization in Champions Online
The superhero MMO genre has been ruled by one game and one game alone for the past five years: City of Heroes. NCsoft's title being quite literally the only game in town for superhero fans is about to change, with competitors like DC Universe Online and Champions Online on the way. We have a good idea of what to expect with DCUO given the recognizable characters the game incorporates, but what of Champions Online which is based upon the Champions pen and paper RPG?We've wondered what Cryptic Studios will do to differentiate Champions Online from the competition; Massively had a chance to sit down with Bill Roper, the game's executive producer, to discuss that question at E3 2009.%Gallery-17946%
Star Trek Online preview looks at ship battles and exploration
There are few science fiction properties in existence that command the fan devotion that Star Trek does. Cryptic Studios is hoping to tap that huge fanbase with Star Trek Online, one of their massively multiplayer online games in development. Gamespot writer Andrew Park recently got a hands-on with STO that sheds some more light on the title. Park explains where Star Trek Online is set in terms of the IP's extensive timeline (the year 2409) and the political backdrop (The United Federation of Planets/Khitomer Accords). Much of his preview of STO focuses on three main aspects of gameplay -- ship battles; exploration; and away teams -- but Park also imparts some details about race customizations and the importance of preparation (advance recon, crew choices, weapon and shield decisions) in succeeding as a starship captain. If you're interested in hearing more about the upcoming title, you'll want to check out Andrew Park's "Star Trek Online Exclusive Impressions: Ship Battles, Exploration, and Away Teams" at Gamespot.
Kindle 2 gets the Colorware treatment, prepares to burn some retinas
We know that the only reason you're holding out on buying a Kindle 2 is your aversion to that sterile plastic shell. Well, you're in luck, aesthete... 'cos the folks at Colorware will happily sell you a model that lives out loud for a song (and $599, baseline). Or you can send in your own e-reader, in which case a cool $199 will get you the paint job you deserve. It will be 2-3 weeks before you get your device back in your hot hands, but when you do you'll be ready to read The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby in pop art style. Hit that read link to get started.[Via Slash Gear]
We [heart] Icons really does [heart] icons
One of the most common ways to customize your tried-and-true desktop is by changing the wallpaper. While easy and effective, the wallpaper switcheroo is not the only trick up the sleeves of the customizers among us. For some, the most rewarding customization results from replacing icons. There are many reasons to do this, including replacing system and application icons to create an overall aesthetic, easing the identification of a particular external hard drive by using its product image as an icon, or even replacing poorly-designed icons entirely (we're looking at you, Adobe).We Love Icons aims to make it easy for icon lovers to discover new icons from around the web that are free for personal use. In their own words, designers Dan Wiersema and Nando Albuquerque started We Love Icons because, well... they love icons! The site itself is very well designed and easy to navigate; there is even an easy-to-spot option for filtering icons based on type: Mac-compatible, PNG file format, or Windows-compatible.Further adding to the greatness of this site, the How-To page is a great resource for those new to the icon-customization game. There are links to external content on the history of icons, tutorials on changing icons, and even design-related icon articles. The How-To area also features an Apps section which lists several useful programs for replacing and creating icons. Each application list item includes a one-sentence summary, the application's platform (web, Mac, or Windows), and also the application's price.Overall, I am impressed with the content of the site and the quality of its presentation. We Love Icons has secured a bookmark in my "Icons" folder right next to the link to InterfaceLIFT's icon section. Dear readers, I present this question to you: in my never-ending search for the best icons, do you have any favorites that you have either designed or found? Hit up the comments and share the love.
Star Trek Online executive producer Craig Zinkievich discusses ship customization
The concepts behind Star Trek need no introduction to its legion of fans well-versed in the various films and TV incarnations of this particular sci-fi IP. Given how zealous science fiction fans can be about continuations, offshoots, or reboots of their favorite properties, we've been curious about how well Star Trek Online will match up with player expectations, especially given the disappointment some Trekkie gamers have had with older Star Trek titles of the non-MMO variety. That said, we're always looking to find out more about what Star Trek Online will offer MMO gamers, whether they're Trekkies or not. Cryptic Studios has been releasing bits of the game's lore which we hope will give us an accurate picture of where the game sits in the Star Trek timeline. We've also came across a Star Trek Online interview that might interest you. Gareth Von Kallenbach from Skewed and Reviewed recently interviewed Star Trek Online's executive producer Craig Zinkievich, who discusses some of the customization options that will be available to players in STO.
Free Realms interview explains character customization options
Free Realms is a pretty hot topic in the MMO world right now, and with good reason. If the game can live up to expectations, Free Realms may just be a game that both adults and young kids can enjoy. The art style of Free Realms is distinctive and this carries over to the look of the characters themselves. Carolyn Koh from MMORPG.com recently caught up with Free Realms art director Rosie Rappaport and associate art director Sebastian Strzalkowski to talk about some of the game's character customization options. The interview kicks off with a discussion of the inspiration for the art style we'll soon see in Free Realms, but the discussion focuses heavily on the potential for customization. The game will launch with Humans and Pixies as the playable races, with some customization options unique to each race. The title will not have slider bars to scroll through the various character creation options as with some other MMOs, but will have more 'playful' icons that open up the various options for skin tone, face paint, hairstyles, and wings (in the case of Pixies). According to the SOE artists, "In the case of the Pixies, the wings can be customized to look very elegant and floral or they can be bat-like and scaly." If you're interested in the customization options available to Free Realms characters, have a look at the MMORPG.com interview with the title's artists.
Vivox to provide voice solutions for urban crime MMO All Points Bulletin
If you're a fan of GTA-style urban crime games, you might be interested in what Realtime Worlds is cooking up for the MMO space: All Points Bulletin, which could very well prove to be the online evolution of single-player games like Grand Theft Auto and Crackdown. While new details on this title are still light, Vivox announced today that they'll be providing voice solutions for APB. The integration of Vivox with the All Points Bulletin client will include voice fonts, where players will be able to alter their voices to better fit their character. Vivox has already established its presence in EVE Online and Second Life, and recently announced plans to extend gaming VOIP to web browsers as well. There could be interesting times ahead with this agreement between Vivox and Realtime Worlds in All Points Bulletin.
Customizing to your heart's content in Star Trek Online
When it comes to quantities of races in MMOs, Star Trek Online will probably have every other game beat. Not only does the official canon offer plenty of racial choices, but the level of person-by-person customization offers endless combinations.If you need some detailed examples of how all of this will work, look no further than the latest Ask Cryptic for Star Trek Online. In this edition of the venerable community-driven question and answer bonanza, the focus is firmly upon visual and statistic customization choices. Yep, that's right, not only will we be allowed to make a character with ridges and point ears -- we'll also be able to make them psychic or resistant to poisons as well.Want to make an android? Go for it, the creation process very much allows you to achieve it through visual, technical and story avenues. About the only limitation will be our imaginations and the classic Trek adherence to bipedal abundance.
The Daily Grind: Is Free Realms on your radar?
With beta kicking into motion and a release date that's just barely more than a month away, are you keeping an eye on the free-to-play game looking to break all expectations, Free Realms?We ask, because many of the videos and information we've seen concerning the game sounds pretty exciting. The plethora of customization, gameplay modes and level of visual fidelity tends to stop people in their tracks the first time they see it all in one place. Or at least, it did for us.And while there certainly will be payment methods for people looking to invest more into Free Realms, it remains -- as the title of the game suggests -- largely free for all to to experience as they like.
EVE Online developer explains major new feature: Tech III
The dev blog many EVE Online players have been waiting for was published today. Tech III ships have been the subject of a great deal of excitement and no small amount of trepidation from the game's players. EVE developer CCP Nozh introduces the playerbase to "the dark delights of Tech 3 ships" in his dev blog "Strategic Cruisers: A New Breed." This moniker "Strategic Cruisers" is a fitting one, as they certainly are a new breed of ship, and one that requires some explanation. Nozh writes, "The elation of happening upon a unique fit, some fresh and clever setup, has always been a very appealing aspect of EVE. One of our primary goals for the Tech 3 ships was to bring this customization to a whole new level. The new ships are a fundamental departure from the tried and tested, offering such unparalleled customization that discussing them on the same terms as previous ships belies their true extent -- we're talking full-fledged, independent systems within the system. A little bit scary, really."
Watch this strikingly good Star Trek Online character customization video
Look, we know City of Heroes was the first MMO to offer so many character customization options it caused brains to melt out of people's nostrils. And it's becoming exceedingly apparent that Champions Online will have a customization system that will cause our once-liquefied brains to ooze their way back into our skulls and do the chicken dance -- but this new Star Trek Online video is almost too much.What are our brains supposed to do when they process the fact that craniums, noses and more can be dynamically scaled? That scar textures can be applied and then moved around the head freely? Don't even get us started on the reality that we can finally make that Klingon-Vulcan hybrid race, either. Take a look at the dauntingly awesome video after the break.
Felicia Day teaches Jimmy Fallon about World of Warcraft
I'm back and forth on Jimmy Fallon -- when NBC first announced that he was taking over the great Conan O'Brien's late night spot, I wasn't real impressed. But since then, you can't say he hasn't worked for it -- the show, which isn't even on the air yet, has been blogging and running all over the country to drum up some interest (including a little gig with the guys at sister site Engadget), and their latest stop takes then to the abode of our good friend Felicia Day to play World of Warcraft.As you can see above, Fallon isn't much for Azeroth -- while Felicia is rocking a pretty hardcore Warlock, Jimmy still has a tough time getting past the character creation screen. But he did drum at least one laugh out of me (which is one more than he ever got from me on SNL), so well done. I very much agree with the commenters on the blog -- if he can keep the show technology and geek-focused like this (and maybe get at least one character up to level 30 -- all Felicia had to do was say "roll on a PvE server," right?), he might have a chance at filling Conan's shoes.Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
