Makies FabLab is a free new app for iOS 7, a game extension to Makies, the customizable avatars that become 3D printed dolls (which we've blogged about many times before), which turns user-made fashion design into a kind of social game:
Grow materials with cute plants and pets, make Makie doll clothes and accessories using adorable machines, and decorate your fashion with patterns you create yourself. Take fabulous photos in your Photo Booth and add them to the Look Book, where others can fave your fashion.
Unlike other fashion-type social games, however, this game rewards actual user creativity and commitment:
"We always envisioned Makies living in a game world," Makies CEO lead developer (and longtime pal) Alice Taylor explains to me, "and Makies FabLab is the first instance of what we want to see expanding over a time: a creative space where 'dress up; becomes an actual skill, and where digital fashion becomes a proper case of self-expression."
The game's lead designer, Sulka Haro (who was also lead designer of Habbo Hotel), cleverly combined the game's fashion creation and dress-up aspects with a resource management mechanic. Even more cool than that, players can make their Makies doll fashion real:
"At the moment players can build up their FabLab, and fab clothes and accessories for their avatar -- which, of course, can be Made Real into a doll at any time, if the player wishes, too." Eventually, Alice adds, "digital patterns created by each player will be printable on real cloth, and digital accessories - like shoes and hats - will be customizable and printable too."
That part is most cool and groundbreaking for me -- just think if other games and virtual worlds had a Send to 3D Printer function.
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Update, 8:00pm PST: Corrected Alice's role and noted that Sulka Haro is the game's lead designer
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