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Customizable Reeboks in RL and SL
By Choice Sliter | October 8, 2006
I initially popped over to the new Reebok sim for the novelty of having said I had visited. It’s much the same reason I visited Adidas when it opened. With all the detail we’ve come to expect in our RL sneakers (or trainers, for my UK friends), it has been hard for SL show designers to duplicate the look of RL shoes, especially if they do not want to infringe on anyone’s copyright. So, the idea of getting a replica of a RL shoe–even when it is practically unwearable due to high prim counts and fit issues, as with Adidas–is novel and fun. And with a tiny price point of just L$50, it was worth it for me to give these Reebok shoes a try.
The shoes for sale at Reebok are part of the Rbk brand. The only style available currently is called DJ II. There are many sizes in the box. Since I am used to keeping my foot at size 0, the size Small shoe fit wth no issues. As for the design, it’s a cute retro style, similar to late 90’s Vans or late 80’s Adidas shell toes. They have a cool, hip hop vibe and seem to call out for doing a front-side 360, some Capoeira-style breakdancing, or, if you’re like me, just walking around looking cute.
What is unique about these shoes is that they are color customizable. The vendor you see in the photograph allows you to select different parts of the shoe and color it using a selection of predefined shades. Coloring costs L$5 and you can recolor your shoes using these vendors as often as you want. Similarly, when you buy these shoes from the Rbk custom web site, you have the ability to pick custom colors, which is then shipped to your house. Unlike SL, however, you can’t simply change the colors again on a whim.
Although some would probably prefer that the color change ability be scripted, this vendor-generated color change works for me. Even though I love and own other scripted, color change shoes, there is something mechanical about typing commands in order to see the effect. On the other hand, there is pleasure for me in having a continuing relationship with the shoe seller, and having to return to the shop for a custom job. It feels more natural. Though I realize it will be considered inconvenient by some.
As for getting the color change to work, it’s a little clunky right now. There are instructions on the wall that explain the five steps necesary to color your shoes, which seem simple enough. However, I found that it took me multiple tries to go from picking my colors to actually getting them transferred to the shoes. The problem lies mainly with the Accept button. When you click Accept, a message pops up and tells you to right-click on on the Accept button and then choose Accept. That would be fine, except there is no Accept Pay. The correct option is. Small usability problem, that I’m sure will get corrected, but it did cause me frustration until I figured out what to do.
All in all the Rbk DJ II’s are good looking sneakers with a lot of flexibility. If you’re interested in a RL brand and like the look of these, at L$50, they’re an easy buy. Even if it’s just for novelty’s sake.
Topics: Reviews |
I felt like the shoes could have used a little more texture to them. Also with both Adidas and Reebok coming in and pricing their shoes at L$50, it undercuts the resident shoemakers who typicaly charge L$200-300 for a pair of shoes. Obvoiusly for Adidas and Reebok it’s about viral marketing and not money, which is the problem for those trying to make some L$ creating shoes.
Posted by: Nicholas Shaftoe on October 8th, 2006 at 7:53 pmI understand what you’re saying about the texture, but I felt like the RL version wasn’t particularly textural. That said, it doesn’t mean they couldn’t have added some more shading and highlighting. As for the pricing, I also agree. The small price tag can have a depressive impact on the shoe market for native SL designers. However, if they had priced their shoes at L$200-300, I would never have been tempted to spend money on them. At L$50 it’s a novel, impulse buy. At L$300 it’s a competitor. Then I’m not as forgiving when it comes to texturing and fit problems. But at any price point, I think it is particularly difficult for SL shoe designers to create a sneaker that meets our RL expectations and isn’t a copyright violation.
Posted by: Choice Sliter on October 8th, 2006 at 8:17 pmI live an advertising-free lifestyle, so I don’t want logo’d shoes even for L$50.
Posted by: Anya Ristow on October 9th, 2006 at 5:09 amThat’s interesting because ever since Adidas came people have been wishing for retro versions… However, from what I see in you pic, they look awfully noob-ish done… :/ So yay if they are 50$L because solid color + weird unprofessional-looking-shape = not impressed… However they own the marker because noone else did retro shoes so far (I’m trying tho! :P) and so it = we will want them anyways! XD
Posted by: elka on October 9th, 2006 at 12:07 pmYes. I hope it’s clear from my review that I consider them acceptable, definitely not impressive. They are clearly not as refined as they could (or perhaps should) be. At L$50 it’s forgivable (to me, at least). But yes, I’d much rather pay more to a native SL designer who gets the texturing and fit right. So please come through for us, elka :-)
Posted by: Choice Sliter on October 9th, 2006 at 1:06 pmI think I’m going to have to check these out for myself, $50L is really low for a pair of shoes, and I know designers who would ask $150-200L for that quality of work.
Posted by: Kalia on October 9th, 2006 at 2:48 pmAdding to my must-see list!
Commercial brand names are one more nail in the coffin of SL.
An average user/resident/designer cannot compete with corporations like substandard UK brand Reebok and German Adidas.
If you took an adidas shoe from RL and made an SL copy, you would be stopped from selling it pretty quickly by LL as we have seen with some WB avatars being removed recently.
Posted by: Wanda on October 10th, 2006 at 9:10 amNow, what happens if Adidas took an sl shoe design from an unknown designer and made a RL version of it?
Can you afford to drag them into court? Will Linden Lab help you in any way, shape or form?
I don’t agree Wanda. While sneakers is a market that I think RL companies have potential for making good ground, I don’t believe that RL companies will be the death of SL fashion. For one thin RL companies are used to producing for two seasons. That would mean two release periods a year. They are also used to being confined to a set of predetermined colors that trend watchers have established and fabric makers have designed for. It will be a major adjustment for a RL company to adapt to making new releases even once a month (which is a long time by SL standards). Equally difficult for a RL brand is dealing with the concept that they will have objects under their brand on SL that do not exist in RL. When you are as protective over your brand as Nike and Reebok, that is not a small issue to reconcile. And, as you can see from both the Adidas and Reebok examples, designing for the avatar is different from designing for the human. In RL you don’t have to paint your own light and shadows. In RL, 15 color options might be a lot. In SL, it might be too limiting.
Posted by: Choice Sliter on October 10th, 2006 at 9:49 amI agree with Choice, RL clothes/shoes manufacturers aren’t in SL for competition, they are simply for advertising. Also, with SL, it isn’t like RL where one only buys one or the other, it’s priced at a point where one could easially buy both.
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