THIS AUGUST, WONDER WOMEN MUST SAVE THE MULTIVERSE IN WONDERVERSE
Just announced, DC Universe Online's next content features a broken multiverse and the only heroes strong enough to heal it: each universe's Wonder Woman! The new episode WONDERVERSE will launch this August.
NEW EPISODE: WONDERVERSE
In WONDERVERSE, the Source Wall has cracked and the multiverse is collapsing. The Amazons awake to find a Themyscira dimensionally-patchworked as their universes merge. The Sphere of the Gods is in ruins, and so the Greek Gods and the New Gods - in fact, all gods - desperately seek fragments of the Source Wall to reclaim their power.
However, if the multiverse is to survive, our Diana - our Wonder Woman - knows the only chance is to collect those fragments to repair the Source Wall. She must face the gods and overcome their greed, and she knows she cannot do it alone. Answering her call are the players, heroes and villains alike recognizing the severity of the situation, and...the Wonder Women of the other collapsing universes!
With the multiverse at stake, will the Council of Wonder Women and players be enough to defeat the gods and repair the Source Wall? Or does another power lurk in the background with other, more sinister plans?
SJ'S TAKE: "What’s my favorite thing about this episode? Without a doubt, the opportunity to create the concept of the Wonderverse! Nothing like it’s ever been done before in DC’s comics and it fits in perfectly in DCUO. We had the councils of Lex Luthor and Batman – why not Wonder Woman? Who else is better at leading us into the battle of our lives?" - SJ Mueller, DC Universe Online Creative Director
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT WONDERVERSE:
EPISODE 38: WONDERVERSE will launch this August on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Poison Ivy is back to wreak havoc on the people of Gotham City! We’ve added three new Feats, new Spring-themed Base items, and new Spring-themed gear. Collect Seed Pods and purchase Spring items from “Arborist Louis” next to Swamp Thing in the Watchtower or “The Misgiving Tree” next to Poison Ivy in the Hall of Doom.
Villains can learn more about Poison Ivy’s plans by speaking to her in the Hall of Doom’s Pit, while Heroes can speak to Swamp Thing in the Watchtower’s Aquacultural Area to help bring down Ivy and her minions. Plus, speak to Veronica Cale (Villains) or Doctor Sarah Charles (Heroes) to find out more about taking on Swamp Thing. Level Requirement: 10
Celebrate this year’s Spring event with our new Holi Festival celebration! Pummel your friends and foes alike with handfuls of colorful powder!
New Feats:
New Episode: Birds of Prey
Metropolis has descended into a battle royale due to the machinations of Lex Luthor. Is Luthor dead or alive and what’s his master plan? Team-up with the street-level heroes and villains of the Birds of Prey team: Black Canary, Huntress, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and their newest member - Harley Quinn - to find out.
Travel from Metropolis’ burning LexCorp Tower to Luthor’s hidden lair, and for the first time: Oracle’s Clock Tower HQ! You never know what to expect where Luthor’s involved, so be ready for anything, from Lobo to Amazo to Brimstone: a towering threat from the heart of Apokolips!
To play this content your character must be level 30 and have a minimum Combat Rating of 287.
For a limited time, special “Event” versions of all content in Birds of Prey will be available to all players level 15+ as well! Look for these Event versions in the Events tab of your On Duty menu.
New Open World Missions – BoP: Metropolis Metropolis descends into a battle royale after Lex Luthor broadcasts to the world that he's leaving his wealth, technology, and weapons to anyone willing to take them. Crime is rampant and the Birds of Prey are on the case! Each of the Birds of Prey has a mission for players in the new open world. For example, Heroes will help Huntress fight crime while Villains partner with Catwoman for a piece of the action!
New Solo – BoP: Lex Tower An explosion at LexCorp Tower causes a mad rush for Luthor's tech and spurs an investigation into Luthor's fate. Heroes find H.I.V.E. harvesting what they can while Villains work to prevent A.R.G.U.S. from taking Luthor's tech. Work with Superman and the Birds of Prey to battle your way to Luthor's inner sanctum.
New Alert – BoP: Volcano Mining Facility Follow intrepid reporters Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen as they investigate Luthor's hidden lair. No one's shocked that Luthor built a volcano lair, but he has plenty of surprises in store for uninvited guests!
New Raid and Elite Raid – BoP: Clock Tower You’ve received a distress call from Oracle! Lex Luthor has initiated a direct attack on her safe house, the Gotham City Clock Tower, and has taken control of Oracle's security measures, turning them against her. Get to the Clock Tower and protect Oracle from her own technology and from a new danger even she never saw coming!
New Raid and Elite Raid – BoP: Fire & Brimstone Lex Luthor’s plans have finally come to fruition and they're not good for anyone. Battle Luthor in the heart of his volcano and discover the world-killing threat he’s been working towards this entire time!
Welcome heroes and villains to our first Birds of Prey Dev Diary. The new episode launches April 16, 2020, so it is time to share what’s ahead.
Today we are here with dev and artist Megan “Megzilla” Cheever to pull back the curtain on how we go about creating the “key art” or promotional art you see with each new episode. Enjoy!
Let’s start with the basics. What is your role here on the DCUO team and how long have you been at it?
I’m the 2D Artist for DCUO – I handle concepts for our gear suits, our UI (such as the icons and menus), texture support for our environment artists, emblems, and I help out with marketing art - which includes key art! I’ve been helping design for DCUO for about 4.5 years now.
What does it mean to be a 2D Artist? What things do we see that you make?
For concept art, I help give a road map for our 3D artists (character and environment) to help visualize what a prop or gear suit would look like. My job there is to solve any discrepancies between a comic book suit and how our styles are broken up in the game. Translating a 2D comic into 3D is not always as simple as it might look.
My icons, UI, and texture work are pretty straight forward. Sometimes I’ll help make a pattern or do a monitor screen or a poster. My actual in-game handiwork is emblems that players can wear, and I’ve been doing the key art, or promotional art, for episodes since Deluge in Spring 2018.
What tools or software do you use most?
95% of my work is done in Photoshop. For all the previous key art, the art team would work within our UE3 editor to get our DC characters posed and lit to start off with, though that’s not the case for Birds of Prey.
How did you get into the industry and find yourself at Dimensional Ink?
I went to Academy of Art University for art school, which is in San Francisco. I attended GDC in 2014 on a student pass and made sure to go talk to as many studios as I could. Life happened in such a way where I ended up in Austin, TX and one of the studios I kept in touch with was also located there. I got my foot in the door via an internship there, and by expanding my professional network.
One of my friends presented the knowledge that DCUO was looking for a UI artist, I took an art test, and now I rule the second dimension with an iron fist.
Do you have any advice for folks out there considering a career as an artist in the game industry?
Work hard and network. Educate yourself on what a concept artist or illustrator needs to bring to the table and have examples of that in your portfolio. Be open to feedback and have a growth mindset!
Do you have any advice particularly for women looking to break in?
Same as anyone else – work hard, be passionate. Don’t be afraid to speak up or have a voice.
Okay, let’s talk about key art. First of all, what is it and why do we create it anyway? Don’t just say “marketing.”
I like to think of it as our hype piece! Like a movie poster. Something that gets people curious and excited about our upcoming content. The key art is the centerpiece of the marketing material for our episodes, so it needs to convey an idea of what the episode is about and what the overall mood will be.
For example, our Metal episodes had really dark key art. For Metal Part II, I wanted to convey a feeling similar to a Frank Frazetta painting, utilizing the drama of a hero versus a big bad monster-creature. Our Birds of Prey key art is much different – more of a fun and and light tone. It features some of our key DC characters in a girl-band team-up vibe which helps convey some of idea of our story.
We also use the key art for some of our loading screens and I think that extra reminder of our comic roots is enjoyable for everyone.
It’s episode time and the team needs you to do your magic with key art. What's your first step?
When we are getting ready to start key art work, I like to have a meeting with design, marketing, community, and other stakeholders to discuss what we want to convey. What are the key story points, who are our DC characters, what are we trying to say?
Usually we don’t start this process until we are about a month or two out from releasing the episode, since we were utilizing our in-game models, but for Birds of Prey we went full illustration, so we were able to brainstorm together much earlier. It was a really fun and collaborative process.
How much do you refer to the comics directly in this process?
We rely a lot on our own narrative for the storytelling in the key art. For a couple pieces, we’ve done an homage to other comic book covers to give “our spin” on something we thought was very cool. Our Metal Part I key art took inspiration from DC’s Batman Who Laughs comic book cover, and this Birds of Prey key art is very much inspired by a gorgeous DC Batgirl and the Birds of Prey cover by Kamome Shirahama.
With Birds of Prey, there is a different mood going on. What makes it stand out?
This episode is FUN and features completely new refreshes on our major DC characters – doing a “band” style illustration allows for the piece to focus on the DC characters. It is much more subtle storytelling than something like our Superman vs. Doomsday key art, but we are also telling a different story in this episode. The mood comes across as entirely different, and that's the point.
Can you speak to that tone or vibe you were looking to communicate, about the episode itself?
Light-hearted! Teamwork! Funny! They let me draw Isis chewing on cords. :)
You mentioned the Birds of Prey key art is full illustration, which is different than the way some other key art was done. Can you explain the differences?
All previous key art that I have worked on utilized our 3D models set in our actual environments. There were a lot more hands that touched the art – we had environment artists help with the levels and posing our character artists’ models, we had our animator making specific poses, and then I helped composite and fill in any gaps. There is a lot of collaboration among the different disciplines, which is really rewarding. This also means it gets done much quicker!
In the past, we have also had a couple of amazing DC artists do key art for us (Age of Justice, for example) and I thought those turned out super neat. So this time, I asked if I could do an illustration for Birds of Prey.
A lot of the collaborating was done on the front end so we could hammer out the finer details of the background, the poses, etc. I worked with another concept artist here on the characters themselves, since it is always good to have another set of eyes checking your work. A lot more of my time goes into something like this since everything is handcrafted. I referred to our in-game models for some pose help and used a lot of photo reference as well.
I know getting from blank page to final piece has a lot of steps. Can you walk us through the process, and maybe shows us some of the major work-in-progress versions along the way?
Sure, here goes!
Earliest Thumbnail Sketches Set 1
Earliest Thumbnail Sketches Set 2
These were my first batch of thumbnails. I thought it would be cute to explore the selfie idea with this team. I could really ham up Harley with duck face or very expressive posing, and I could lean into Huntress being reluctant and DARK in the background.
It was overall a little too silly for what we wanted for this particular key art. I only had one action sketch since that wasn’t really what we were going for, but I wanted to throw it out there just to see. Since Black Canary is a singer in the comics, I liked the idea of “GIRL BAND” for this set of characters. Using the speakers as the main environment element allowed us to go more pin-up and “graphic design” rather than a literal location.
Color Rough
After much discussion, we went with #6 from thumbnails. The next part was for me to flesh out the sketch a little bit and make sure this was really the direction we wanted to go, as well as address any concerns. We liked the monitors from Kamome Shirahama, so I went ahead and composed those here. At this point, we sent this version to DC to get approval with this direction.
Poison Ivy Sketch with Feedback
Poison Ivy Variant Sketches
This is an example of me sending my linework to one of the other artists. I sent him WIPs of everyone when I was able – this is a great of example of how small changes can really make the difference. Here I thought Poison Ivy’s shoulders were stronger than I wanted and she was overall a little too “tough” – his changes of softening the shape of the shoulder and for the hair to drape over the ear really helped soften her look.
Updated Color Rough
Here is an updated version of the color rough. I had painted in Harley and some of Poison Ivy, and this was another progress check for our internal team and with DC. Here you can see the refined linework and drawing for all the characters and background. I think characters are much more interesting to draw, so I made sure I blocked in my background and got that linework done before jumping into painting characters. Between here and the final, it’s just rendering out everyone.
Episode 37: Birds of Prey Final Key Art
Looking at this completed and now out there for everyone to see, where does your artist's eye go when you look at it? Walk us through the piece.
Harley is our bright, center of the piece – I think she definitely has the loudest personality and probably the goofiest, so by personality contrast and literal contrast, she stands out the most.
I wanted everyone to have their personality show through in their pose and placement. Poison Ivy is our femme fatale seductress, Black Canary is cool and badass, and Huntress is a little grumpy about being thrown into the girl gang, so she’s hanging in the back but also still here to be part of the group.
Oracle’s role is less front-line punchy, so I have her represented through her persona and the monitors. We weren’t confident that Catwoman could fit into this particular composition, and throwing Isis (the kitty) in created an opportunity for some humor.
Are there certain elements or choices that stand out to you as an artist that an average looker-at-art like me probably wouldn't directly notice or have the vocabulary for?
From a technical standpoint, it was interesting to separate the DC characters from the background since there is a lot going on. Then, I had to get them to read separately from the speakers themselves. There was a balancing act of keeping an appropriate visual hierarchy (which means my focal point is the characters, secondary is the background, and Isis is my third read).
Harley is very light and dark so by value contrast she naturally stands out the most. The background is relatively low contrast to not take focus away from them. There is also a vignette effect, which means I have the edges of the picture darker to guide your eye towards the center.
Are there any elements that surprised you or ended up very different than you expected by the end?
I did all the characters separately and first, which I’m not sure was the best solution to putting this piece together. The most difficult part of this was trying to get everyone to look cohesive and in the same space.
A couple of my sketches had Black Canary as a ginormous, giant woman since it is a little harder for me to tell proportions when someone is sitting, and I think I had to shrink Poison Ivy down a couple times. Harley also had some leg surgeries throughout the process. It happens!
I haven’t done very many pieces with multiple DC characters so this was an interesting learning experience. I’m definitely going to ask other artists what they would’ve done differently!
Finally, just in your own response looking at this art finished, what comes up? is there something you are most proud of here?
It means a lot to me that the team was so supportive of going this route with full illustration and just how excited about this project everyone was the whole way. And now I’m geeking out seeing the Birds of Prey art on sites like Steam. SO COOL!
One more big thank-you to Megan for taking the time to walk us through key art today. We hope you have enjoyed the little look behind the scenes.
If you have questions for Megan, she will be able to answer some of them over on the official DCUO forums, or you can find her on Twitter @megillakitty.
And remember, Birds of Prey launches April 16, 2020, on PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Check back for more inside looks soon!
Double Thanagarian Marks and New Rewards!
BONUS THANAGARIAN MARKS!
Be a hero. Stay home. If you do, you will get DOUBLE Thanagarian Marks in Episode 36: Metal Part II this week. In case you haven't heard, Episode 37: Birds of Prey launches April 16, so now is the time to get caught up or pick up some of these hot new rewards.
Thanagarian Marks are the currency found in Episode 36: Metal Part II. These are primarily used for obtaining new gear and rewards from the Metal Part II vendor.
This week – from Thursday, March 26, 2020, through Wednesday, April 1, 2020 – all players will receive double Thanagarian Marks when completing instanced and mission content in Metal Part II (event, regular, and elite versions).
PLEASE NOTE: The bonus weekend will begin this Thursday with daily server restarts, and will last through Wednesday to daily server restarts on (next) Thursday morning.
NEW METAL PART II REWARDS!
Seven new items will be added to the episode vendor for Metal Part II (Episode 36):
These vendor rewards are permanent additions to the game.
Tenth Metal Chroma Set
Blackout Construct Aura, Gotham Knight Hairstyle
Henchmen Uplink Device: Dawnbreaker Constructs
Red, Green, and Yellow Lantern Orbital Strikes
Open Episodes, Bonus Weeks, and More!
In the real world, the next few weeks are likely going to be difficult, perhaps scary, definitely isolating. Here at Dimensional Ink, we can't fundamentally change that - even with all the capes and cowls in the world - but we can do our small part.
We know DCUO can be a way to escape or distract from hard times, and we know playing can be a great way to stay connected with friends from the comfort and safety of our own homes.
For the team, there is an elevated sense of meaning and passion about what we do right now. If we can make anyone's next few weeks easier, that's important to us on an entirely different level.
That's why we remain (safely) hard at work on our upcoming episode (Birds of Prey), so you can enjoy it as soon as possible, and that's why we're rolling out bonus WEEKS for the foreseeable future.
Take a break, log in, have fun - and stay safe.
OPEN EPISODES
First up, we invite everyone to come play all of our storylines and content with Open Episodes. All players will have free access through Episode 35: Metal Part I (with increased loot lockout times) from March 19, 2020, through at least April 15, 2020.
Wherever you might be in the game, with whatever content you own, you can log in and be a Super Hero without worrying about real-world costs.
Remember, also, that our latest episode's event versions are always accessible to everyone for free, so yes, the entire game is here waiting for you.
BONUS WEEKS
No more bonus weekends! Starting tomorrow, we're pulling out all the stops, adding to our previous plans, and converting every bonus weekend into bonus WEEKS.
For now, know that we're kicking things off with a bonus currency weekend!
Open Episodes begin March 19, 2020, and end May 11, 2020. Excludes Episode 36: Metal Part II and Episode 37: Birds of Prey.
St. Patrick's Day Seasonal Event
St. Patrick's Day Seasonal Event
Mister Mxyzptlk is back this year to taunt Metropolis with his riches! Look for “Mxyleprechauns!” in your Mission Journal, and speak to Mister Mxyzptlk in your HQ.
New Feats!
That Feeling Something's Off
Dressed to Perplex
Jynxed! You owe me an… umbrella?
For 2020, Mister Mxyzptlk has new base and style items! Start now before your luck runs out! Level Requirement: 10
The event begins March 12, 2020, and ends March 26, 2020.
Oracle's Time Capsule
Oracle's Time Capsule
Oracle will soon be calling up the Birds of Prey and YOU in Episode 37: Birds of Prey. Get ready for the big day with Oracle's very own Time Capsule! This capsule, like all Time Capsules, can be unlocked with Stabilizers or purchased directly in the Marketplace. Stabilizers can be earned in-game or purchased in the Marketplace.
If you’re looking to learn more about how to get, open, and use a Time Capsule - or what is in previous Time Capsules - check out our helpful guide!
Please Note: Oracle's Time Capsule and its contents cannot be traded cross-platform.
Oracle's Gear Styles
Oracle herself, Barbara Gordon, created a humanoid robot - you know, just in case. And it is this robot that the new Combat Protocol gear style is inspired-by. Take the most advanced technology on the planet out for a spin with your very own suit. The Enhanced version of this style is battle reactive, meaning it bursts with energy while you are in combat.
Remember, you will receive a random gear piece as a choice in your loot selection window for each Oracle's Time Capsule you open. When consumed, the gear will become level-appropriate to your character. The Enhanced version of the gear will also appear in the loot selection window, and when consumed will also become level-appropriate to your character.
Oracle's Collection Rewards
Complete three collections for Birds Of Prey-inspired rewards. Put on Dove's mask, Hawk's legendary cape, or channel your own inner hacker with the Network Infiltrator accessory.
These styles are earned through collections, which will appear as a choice in the loot selection window for each Oracle's Time Capsule.
Oracle's Birds of Prey Emblems
The Birds of Prey are a team, but each of Oracle's closest friends keep to their own style most of the time. This Time Capsule features eight new emblems inspired by characters that have answered the call as the Birds of Prey, along with eight more Enhanced versions. These will randomly appear as a choice in the loot selection window for each Oracle's Time Capsule you open.
Extras
Each capsule opened has a chance to reward the special Harlequin Chroma Pack. Opening the pack will provide a set of chromas inspired by Harley Quinn! Plus, take home the Orbital BOP Uplink Device and rain down Harley's vengeance on your enemies. The device becomes available after opening 15 Oracle's Time Capsules.
AVAILABLE February 20, 2020
Oracle's Time Capsule will launch on February 20, 2020. Log in and unlock yours!
THIS SPRING, ORACLE AND FRIENDS FACE OFF AGAINST LEX LUTHOR IN BIRDS OF PREY
Just announced, DC Universe Online's next content release assembles a new team: the Birds of Prey! The new episode BIRDS OF PREY will launch this April.
NEW EPISODE: BIRDS OF PREY
In BIRDS OF PREY, Oracle faces new challenges: Lex Luthor is back and more dangerous than ever, citizens need immediate help as Luthor's plot turns Metropolis into a near lawless war-zone, and her scrappy bunch of most-trusted associates might be too busy roasting and fighting and mistrusting each other to get the job done.
With time running out and a deeper threat to investigate, will Oracle be able to mold her...vibrant...friends into the new kickass team she needs? Or will the Super-Villains have their day?
SJ'S TAKE: "I've spent the last ten years of my life preparing for this episode, so this time my snappy quote has been replaced by a heart-felt one. In my early adulthood, I managed a comics and game store, and the Birds of Prey comics series highlighted so many amazing female characters written in a way that was extremely relatable. It inspired me to become not just a fan, but a creator. I know you're going to enjoy our Birds of Prey, and I hope it makes you love these characters as much as I do." - SJ Mueller, DC Universe Online Creative Director
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT BIRDS OF PREY:
EPISODE 37: BIRDS OF PREY will launch this April on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Introducing Dimensional Ink: Letter from CEO Jack Emmert
Welcome to Dimensional Ink! Don’t mind the wet paint – we’re still a little under construction (I kid, of course). Let me tell you how all this came to be….
A few years ago, I left Cryptic Studios (which I co-founded in 2000) to join Daybreak here in Austin (which also formed back in 2000). My mandate was pretty simple: run DC Universe Online and eventually get a new game under development. The Austin studio had been part of SOE with a long legacy; it had launched Star Wars Galaxies before it turned to work on DC Universe Online.
But it started to become pretty darn obvious that the Austin studio had its own vibe and culture. DCUO was dramatically different than the other games in Daybreak’s portfolio. Our workflow was completely unique. We still used Daybreak for a lot of supporting resources (like Legal, Finance, and CS), but these were basically the same publisher roles that Perfect World and NCSoft had served for Cryptic back in the day.
We felt that the future of Daybreak Austin lay within the developers: so we decided to carve ourselves out officially as our own studio.
Ultimately, as a team we felt that the future of Daybreak Austin lay within the developers: so we decided to carve ourselves out officially as our own studio. We still publish with Daybreak, but the future is ours to forge. Admittedly, the name was really hard to carve out. We went through weeks of voting on options, finding out they were already taken, going back to come up with new names. Finally, the studio leadership locked itself in a conference room and I refused to let people leave until a name we could use came up. And out of this arose Dimensional Ink.
The Ink part is pretty darn obvious. My career started with comic books. City of Heroes was my first game and DC Universe Online is a clear successor. But if you dig a little deeper,Star Wars Galaxies itself has its origins in four color comics too. George Lucas’ inspiration for Star Wars came from Flash Gordon, which originated in the Sunday color comics section. So comic ink has literally moved this studio forward for nearly twenty years!
Dimensional is probably not so obvious. We tried a lot of more common adjectives (like Comic, Digital, etc.) but they were all taken. In our discussions, we realized that the games we’ve made, operate, and will make all have one thing in common: they take people to iconic worlds. We take players on adventures beyond imagination. In other words, we travel to different dimensions!
We realized that the games we’ve made, operate, and will make all have one thing in common: they take people to iconic worlds.
And voila Dimensional Ink was born! What does this mean to all our great fans? You’ll know that it’s the devs who are guiding every game decision. There’s no corporate overlord to blame; every forum, facebook, and twitter post are being read and absorbed by yours truly and the team here. We are utterly focused on making great games that last for years and years. Nothing is changing at all with DC Universe Online. In fact, we’re cooking up lots of neat stuff for the coming year (including some oft requested characters…).
What about our new game? Well, I can’t say much right now, other than it’s a next gen MMORPG. It’s an action MMORPG, so no old fashioned click “A” and pray. And we’re hiring like crazy! We totally need YOU to make this game! Check out our openings and apply now!
You can probably find me in DCUO playing away – and I promise I’ll be posting more. So expect to hear from me again soon!
