customization
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ABC: Moto X smartphone to ship with custom colors and engraving
We've heard few details about Motorola's upcoming flagship smartphone since the firm's CEO teased the device at D11, but a full-page advertisement in several of the country's top newspapers today hinted at customizability, which ABC News has now confirmed. According to an article on the broadcaster's website, the device will be available in different colors, with an optional engraving. And, since it's due to be manufactured in Texas, the customized device will reach American consumers within a few days of an order. Customers will be able to select colors for both the back panel and the smartphone's side trim. Additionally, you'll be prompted to upload a photo that'll be used as the device's default wallpaper. Like traditional handsets, Moto X will also be available in retail stores, according to ABC's sources, though you'll need to order online if you want a non-standard configuration. We're still waiting on specification details, pricing and availability, but if today's ads are any indication, we can expect a formal launch soon. Update: Wednesday is turning out to be a good day for Moto X leaks. Following news of customizable colors, we've just come upon a snapshot that purports to show off three of these options: teal, red and fushia. You can take a peek after the break, and we have a feeling these might be just the first of many colorful leaks to come.
Gazillion adds Colossus, Ms. Marvel costumes to Marvel Heroes
If you've been thinking that what Marvel Heroes really needs is another couple of costumes, well, the game's newest blog post is probably going to put a smile on your face. Gazillion's new title already boasts over 110 costumes, but the company says it's just getting started. The newest update adds a pair of 1980s-era outfits, one for Ms. Marvel and one for Colossus. Both are available either via an in-game loot drop or the cash shop. Click through to the original post for more info and a couple of close-up images.
Leaderboard: Marvel Heroes' character customization - Good deal or deal-breaker?
Every once in a while I get intrigued by Marvel Heroes, and then I do a bit of research and I remember that it forces me to play as a pre-existing comic book character rather than an avatar of my own creation. I love superhero MMOs, see, but dude, that's a complete deal-breaker. Half the fun of my favorite superhero MMO -- DC Universe Online -- is coming up with both character concepts and superheroic costumes. The other half of the fun is the IP, but that's neither here nor there, at least for this edition of Leaderboard. What about you, Massively voters? Does MH's lack of original avatar options turn you off or is the rest of the game enjoyable enough even with that restriction? Vote after the cut! Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!
Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's customization cash kitty
It's a hard thing to admit when you're wrong. But I admit that I was wrong about Star Wars: The Old Republic Update 2.1: Customization. Even as late as last night on The Republic, I believed that things like the new Appearance Designer might not cost players Cartel Coins to use, but now that the update has arrived, I admit that is certainly not the case. Had I known that it would cost CCs to so much as use the Appearance Designer, I would be in the camp of players upset about this update containing only Cartel items. If you define an expansion or DLC as additional content that costs money, then that is exactly what this update is. I'm not against BioWare making money, and to be completely honest, I'm not upset about the company making money on many of these items. Perhaps through my own misunderstanding, I feel a bit cheated with the update. Let me break down the Update 2.1 items for us. I'll point out the good and the bad, and maybe you will understand my perspective, even if you don't agree.
SWTOR customization update goes live
With all of the glamor and glitter, fashion and fame coming to Star Wars: The Old Republic these days, it must either be a Jem and the Holograms expansion or Game Update 2.1: Customization. It's the patch that says that it's OK to be a vain, preening peacock as long as you're saving a galaxy far, far away, and it's totally live, like, right now. Update 2.1 includes new dye modules, a collection interface, name changes an appearance editor, and the option to play as a member of the Cathar race. Check out the update trailer after the break!
TUG offers design video and new Kickstarter reward tiers
A couple weeks ago we introduced you to an aspiring sandbox game with a focus on exploring and building that hit Kickstarter. Titled The Untitled Game (a.k.a. TUG), the open-world venue plans on using technology and social sciences to directly involve players in the design. And after listening to community feedback, developer Nerd Kingdom has introduced three new reward tiers for backers as well as a video that spotlights design features such as crafting, companions, and more. The new tiers offer digital beta or alpha access as well as in-game extras like tattoos on your character and a baby sabre tiger companion. Prices range from $30 to $65. Folks can also get gift packs to share that give bonus copies of the game in addition to the personal copy. Check out all the details on the latest update post. And be sure to watch the design video after the break.
Dyeing your armor the SWTOR way
Let's make a quick list of items Update 2.1 for Star Wars: The Old Republic will bring us: a new species, an appearance designer kiosk, name changes, and armor dyes. It's understandable why this update is named Customization. Details about each about each of these systems are trickling out slowly, and the latest crop of information comes from MMO fansite Dulfy.net. Dulfy spoke with BioWare about the armor dye system and scrounged up some very specific details about how it works. After the release of 2.1, players will be able to find a total of 48 different dye modules: 25 from the Cartel Market, 3 from the security key and collector's edition vendors, and 20 made through Artificing. There are three types of dyes modules: one with a primary color, one with a secondary color, and one with both a primary and secondary color. Unfortunately, not all armor with be able to be dyed. BioWare explained that the Knights of the Old Republic-inspired outfits will not have dye slots, so that those costumes can remain true to Star Wars lore. Sorry, no bright pink Bastila Shan outfit for you, sir.
SWTOR is finally getting a barber shop feature
If you find yourself asking, "Hmm, when will I see more customization options for my character, new vehicles, and possibly a convenient one-stop-shop to adjust my character's look?" while playing Star Wars: The Old Republic, then your answer lies in the latest Insider video. In it, BioWare producer Cory Butler details some of the new features inbound for the space MMORPG. What does the Cartel Market have on offer this month? There's a new Eradicator's Warsuit, a killer-looking outfit that was inspired by the original Deceived trailer. The trooper's armor set will be introduced later in the month, and then look out for the Vice Commandant's Contraband pack, which includes all new pets, vehicles, and gear. After April, the game will introduce the appearance designer kiosk, an all-in-one barber shop that allows players to change their appearance and even race! And oh yeah, players can also re-color armor sets. It's time for a new summer look, Jedi! (The Sith can't stand the sun.) Click onward to check out the video for yourself.
The Cathar arrive in SWTOR's next update
How long has it been since BioWare announced the new player-species for Star Wars: The Old Republic? Officially, it was a year ago at E3. Today, SWTOR explained via fansites that Cathar will finally come in the next major patch, better known as GU 2.1: Customization. Producer Cory Butler explained that Cathar can be unlocked for 600 Cartel Coins on an account for subscribing, preferred, and free-to-play players alike. Previous species unlocks have been per server only. When asked why BioWare implemented the cat-like race, Butler told SWTORFace, "One of the reasons we chose Cathar is because they are new and unfamiliar to many of our players -- in much the same way as Rattataki and Chiss -- but have been well-received by our players." Check out the announcement video after the cut.
Star Trek Online's character creator revamped for Legacy of Romulus
The seventh installment of Star Trek Online's Legacy of Romulus dev blog is live. This time, the subject is character creation, and Cryptic has apparently revamped the system from the ground up to coincide with the introduction of the game's third faction. The dev blog talks everything from design flow to thematic presentation to the UI to selection presets, and it's clear that the company put a lot of thought into STO's character creator 2.0. Read all about it on the game's official website.
BioWare: SWTOR servers 'teeming with people'
BioWare executive producer Jeff Hickman has penned a state-of-the-game post for Star Wars: The Old Republic. In it, he says that the firm's "new high-capacity servers are teeming with people." SWTOR has seen more than two million new accounts created since its free-to-play switcheroo, and Hickman also promises that the dev team's "eight-week new content cadence" will continue. New features are coming, too, including a new avatar customization feature and the new Cathar species, not to mention the Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion.
BioWare hints at barber shop functionality for SWTOR
Fansite SWTOR-RP.com has posted an interesting Q&A with BioWare devs Damion Schubert and Charles Boyd. Boyd, Star Wars: The Old Republic's lead writer, and Schubert, its senior designer, have a lot to say regarding Game Update 2.0 (otherwise known as the Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion). The interview should prove particularly welcome for players itching to customize their existing characters with some sort of barber shop functionality. "A feature which scratches this itch is in active development right now, but will not be part of Rise of the Hutt Cartel," Schubert says. "But this should get to you sooner than you think!"
Hands-on with Neverwinter's character creator
Cryptic is well-known for giving players powerful tools to create from the get-go when a new character is rolled in one of its titles, so it stands to reason that Neverwinter would fall in line with this philosophy. Because of this, I wanted to mine some of the details of Neverwinter's character creator so that you might be able to start planning out your ideal character -- if only in your mind (for now). At the time of the press preview yesterday, Cryptic was still keeping a few classes and races under wraps. Even so, I was able to make some interesting class/race combos, like a Halfling Devout Cleric and a Tiefling Guardian Fighter. What was of more interest to me was how these characters can be customized, both visually and personally, so I quickly skipped past this step to get into the good stuff. Read on for a look at my hands-on and a pair of videos exploring the character design process.
DayZ standalone version jacks up graphics, player customization
The race to a DayZ standalone version release is on, and creator Dean Hall is feeling excited and confident about the progress being made. Hall posted a list of improvements that the team is currently working on, from graphics to customization, and gave an update regarding the testing process. DayZ standalone's graphics are clearly improved from the ARMA II-modded version, and Hall includes side-by-side comparison photos of a town to show just how big of a difference the new engine makes. He said that the team is working on vehicle, character, and weapon customizations, although players will find that the real avatar customization will come while engaging in the game proper. One notable entry on Hall's list is the fact that the team is building the servers to be "MMO-like" so that hacking and cheating will be markedly more difficult. He also said that while external testers haven't been invited into the beta yet, this will happen once the full server/client architecture is completed.
This is the Modem World: Please don't personalize me. I know who I am
Each week Joshua Fruhlinger contributes This is the Modem World, a column dedicated to exploring the culture of consumer technology. Here's the thing: I know who I am. I don't need Facebook or Google or Microsoft or Apple or anyone else to collect data and tell me what I'm interested in. I'm pretty sure I know what I like and don't like. I'm also pretty sure I know my friends, and if I am looking for a recommendation on something, I'll hit particular ones up based on what I know of who knows what. Know what I'm saying? This week Facebook announced its new search technology that a lot of us knew was coming. The premise is, if I may minimize, that what my friends like is probably good for me. I can see how scientists may think that this is plausible, but in reality, this can't be further from reality.
Wurm Online 1.0 is officially official today
It's official -- Wurm Online has finally released! Wait, haven't players been enjoying this free-to-play sandbox for many years already? Yup, that's quite true. Although folks could log in, subscribe, and participate in building the world from the ground up since 2006, though, the game was still technically in testing. So, what's an official release without new features? Wurm 1.0 brings more character customization, more animations, and the ability to add multiple stories to houses. Folks delving in today will also find new frontier servers where everyone is starting from scratch. If you have wanted to check out the game, but didn't want to be at a disadvantage, now's the time to jump in and start fresh. [Source: Code Club AB press release]
MechWarrior Online gives players control over their looks
Maybe you want your machine of choice to have a careful camouflage pattern to make it harder for your MechWarrior Online opponents to spot you at range. Maybe you just want to cover it in inherently terrifying clown patterns. However you like to decorate your multi-ton 'Mech, you're now able to do so with the release of the game's new Camo Spec patch. This patch adds paint shop functionality to the game and allows players to enjoy a variety of external decorative options as well as cockpit decorations. Not enough for you? The patch also adds the classic battle announcer from the original MechWarrior computer games as well as the option for Premium players to choose the start date of their enhanced play time. Only a few decorative options are available at launch, but players can expect more in the future, both earned and (presumably) purchased in the game's cash shop. [Source: Piranha Games press release]
The Daily Grind: How much time and effort do you spend on your character's appearance?
Guild Wars 2 has an interesting way of handling dyes, with a pool of colors that you can alter at any time that propagates to all of your present and future equipment. It also makes me stop dead in the middle of my leveling and spend about an hour trying out color combinations and then start over when I got a new chestpiece and a nice new pale green dye -- something that I will no doubt do all over again as soon as I replace the existing chestpiece. This isn't unusual. I spend a lot of money in Guild Wars on dyes and mixing them for just the right look. I've spent huge chunks of time in Star Wars: The Old Republic hunting for just the right modifiable pieces of armor. These are times spent looking for things that look the way I want, not actually spent playing the game or improving my character in any other way. But what about you? How much time and effort do you spend on your character's appearance? Is it a major part of the game for you, or just something that you barely consider? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
SOE Live 2012: A deeper look at DCUO's housing lairs
Thursday's announcement of the addition of player lairs to DC Universe Online set this little housing-lover's heart all aflutter! While there were more bits of news about the new Home Turf DLC coming next year, my focus was understandably on the lairs. And I was very happy to sit down at SOE Live and talk shop with Jens Andersen. As creative director for DCUO, Jens shared many juicy tidbits about the new system for this special edition of Some Assembly Required. So what's in store for denizens of Gotham and Metropolis? Let's start with personal instances that are accessed from realistic points within the cities, functions that stretch to accommodate different levels of creativity and decorating savvy, and a unique dueling system that will be unlike anything players (or their furniture!) have seen before. Players can even get rewards and achievements for collecting items and decorating their homes. Sounds intriguing, no?
Choose My Adventure: Illuminati takes the lead
It is a tale told by an Illuminati member, full of sound and fury, signifying... something? The stage was set. An air of conspiracy permeated the theater as trappings of The Secret World hung from the balustrade and peeked from the corners to taunt the audience. Discerning eyes could spot a triangle here, a cross there. A soft buzzing could be heard, an undercurrent of sound. But something was missing. The show couldn't go on without... aha! The star! The final task before starting this Choose My Adventure production was the selection of just who will bask in the spotlight. As director, you took on this task. Would it be a martial artist from the Orient or a proper English knight? Would the stage ring out with the sound of shots or metal upon metal? After much deliberation, you finally found the one. With her hair aflame, a sword in her hand, and a rifle within reach, the young Illuminata was perfect for the lead role. Now, it's opening night. A hush falls. The curtain rises. All eyes turn to the stage as you start to wonder, "What on earth did I get myself into?!"
