It’s hard to imagine that a few short years ago, nearly all PC Gamers were playing with ball mice, freebie cloth mouse pads, bulky CRT monitors and ugly beige towers.  Since then, however, gamers have created their own industry, where you can’t even turnaround in a CompUSA without bumping into gear designed for gamers.  These days, we have high DPI optical and laser mice, mouse pads of every material, super fast LCD monitors and cases reminiscent of that crazy guy down the street that blows a couple thousand dollars in Christmas lights every year.   

     Appealing to the gamer’s wallet has become a case of one-upsmanship over the last couple years.  Every time a company comes around with an extreme design, another is right behind it ready to make it look bland again.  Some gamer’s tastes are so extreme that the only cure involves a Dremel. 

     So how does a gamer-centric company go to the next level in design?  Simple, let the gamer make their own design.  This is the goal of Func Industries’ Custom Gear Utility.

The Market for Custom Gear 

     An obvious demographic for the custom mouse pad is gaming clans.  Gaming clans are no different than any other sport team out there; a good team has a high level of pride that is evident in their clothes, websites, and computers.  A quick tour around the internet, and you find that just about every clan has a custom designed logo.  A generation ago, kids admired teams by the name of “Cowboys”, “Yankees”, and “Bulls”, and everywhere you went, you saw people with jackets, jerseys and hats proclaiming their allegiance.  The idea now is no different, only the team names are now “World Killing Spree”, “ClockWork Killers”, and “Suicide Kings”.  Many clans are going so far as to create their own brands, plastering them on everything from hats to banners to T-shirts, and now, mouse pads. 

Overview of the Custom Gear Utility

     Func Industries’ Custom Gear Utility marries Func’s high quality mouse pad designs with customized graphics that makes every mouse pad truly unique (and hopefully, 1337).

To get started on the Utility, all you have to do is visit Func.net, and click on the “Get Started” button.

     Once you click the link, Func Industries starts you on a wonderful journey via the web-based wizard.  The first step is to choose from one of their three mouse pad designs: the F-Series, the Surface 1030, or the Archetype.

The F-Series:

• Single-sided mousing surface
• Currently available in two sizes:
  • LARGE: 14" x 11"
  • EXTRA LARGE: 17" x 11"
• Available in two textures: F10s or F30r
• Less than 1/16" thick
• Comes with cord clip (Large & Extra Large Only)*

The Surface 1030:

• The original Func Industries Award-Winning Mousing Surface
• Large mousing surface area: 10" x 8.5"
• Textured base bottom ensures the solution remains in place on your desk while mousing
• Rubber edging surrounds the surface component providing a soft feel to the wrist
• High quality, durable rubber construction

The Archetype:

• Large mousing surface area: 11.5" x 9.5"
• 20% larger than the original sUrface1030 product
• Redesigned shape
• Soft-Feel Hard Plastic base component feels like Suede, while the Machine Billet Aluminum base component is hard as nails

     Once you select the type of pad you want, you can select the type of surface.  There is the 10s smooth surface or the 30r rough.  On double-sided pads you can choose to put one on each side, or have both sides the same. For the Archetype you can decide which base you prefer.

     Once the details of your mouse pad have been determined, the real customization begins.  Essentially, you get a web-based photo utility to design the layout of your pad.  The tools include re-sizing, pre-made designs, an image upload utility, and a text-box tool.  Just about anything you want to do can be done here.  Once you finish your design, just click confirm, and it will give you the ability to preview the image in full screen.  If you approve, then the mouse pad gets added to your cart and you can checkout.

About the Upload Image Requirements

The details straight from Func’s website:

UPLOADING IMAGES

You may upload an image using the UPLOAD IMAGE button on the IMAGE tab. When you upload a new image, it will automatically be stored in the CHOOSE IMAGES box in case you want to use it later.

Image Formats. We support images in both JPEG and PNG formats. Both formats will produce great quality products as long as the resolution meets or exceeds our recommendations.

JPEG FILE FORMAT

! The JPEG format supports millions of colors, which allows for great design flexibility.

! The JPEG format compresses the image information, keeping the file size small and reducing the upload time.

! Most digital cameras can save their images in JPEG format.

PNG FILE FORMAT

! PNG is a completely lossless compression format.

! Most graphic design programs (e.g. Photoshop) can create PNG images.

! With the PNG format, full alpha transparency is supported!

Image Resolution: 200dpi is recommended. If you submit images with lower than 200dpi, you run the chance of the image appearing fuzzy and/or distorted. Most web images are created in 72dpi and we do not suggest you upsize from 72dpi to 200dpi as the image will become distorted and fuzzy. We recommend that all images start out as 200dpi.

Background Image Size: If you create an image that you would like to use as a background, we recommend that the image you upload be no smaller than the following guidelines. The following sizes will insure that your design covers the entire surface area and will print without degrading the resolution:

! SURFACE1030 ARCHETYPE: 3375 pixels x 2850 pixels = 11.25"W x 9.5"H

! 17. F-SERIES: 5100 pixels x 3375 pixels = 17"W x 11.25"H

! 14. F-SERIES: 4275 pixels x 3375 pixels = 14.25"W x 11.25"H

! SURFACE1030 ORIGINAL: 3062 pixels x 2574 pixels = 10.205"W x 8.58"H

Other Image Sizes: If you are uploading other images that you will be using to enhance one of our existing designs or colors, please make sure the image is 200dpi, saved as a transparent .PNG or .jpg using the highest save quality.

Transparency: With PNG, we can support full transparency of your images as you design. This can be especially useful if you are creating a design with multiple overlapping images such as borders to go around your design, or shapes with non-rectangular edges.

IMPORTANT COLOR INFORMATION . RGB vs. CMYK

! When uploading your own files, it is important you supply images and graphics in the correct mode or color space - CMYK. Many software programs give you the choice to work in either the RGB or CMYK mode.

! RGB stands for Red, Green and Blue which are the primary colors of light. Scanners and digital cameras generally create images using combinations of the three RGB colors. In addition, computers display images on the computer screen as RGB colors.

! Printing presses print full color pictures using a different set of colors than RGB. Generally, full color images are created using the primary colors of pigment: Cyan (blue), Magenta (red), Yellow and Black - otherwise known as "CMYK printing" or "4 color process". By combining different percentages of the 4 CMYK inks, the illusion of continuous tone in images is created.

! Please convert all images and graphics to CMYK prior to upload. We will not be able to print files using RGB color.

! For best results, we recommend working in CMYK mode whenever possible. Some applications like Photoshop and Illustrator actually allow you to work in different modes so be sure to choose the correct one!

     We can see here that Func is serious about maintaining high image quality.  High quality image uploads translates into better results.  For our sample, our clan ordered mouse pads based on an image done by a friend of ours, Jeff Rice.  We were very interested to see how the pads would look, as the image is very dark with many shades of gray, and doesn’t work with compression very well at all.  The original image is available here:

http://www.wksclan.com/WKSWall_11x.jpg

      Once the pad is ordered, Func claims it takes about three weeks to make and one week to ship.  We received our order of eight pads in just under three weeks.  So how did they turn out?

Results:

 We eagerly awaited the shipment of our new “WKS” branded mousepads, and we were not disappointed.

     The pads were attractively packages, with the gaming surfaces each individually bubble wrapped and the bases bubble wrapped together.  An attractive silver Func sticker secures the wrapping, and proclaiming the goodness that lies in wait.  Time to rip the veil off, like an eager groom.

     Here is the pad by itself.  It is difficult to take a decent picture of the pad due to the shiny surface, so let me vouch for the quality of the image:  it’s astounding!

     And here is the Full Monty.  The base is attractive, and a mouse clip is included.  I was also curious what the image quality would be with the smooth and rough surfaces on top of the image.  My concerns were laid to rest, the image still looks great, and unlike some pads, the image does not interfere with the surface.

Conclusion

     What can I say.  I love this pad.  The idea of our clan attending some of the larger LANs, packing our own mouse pads was very attractive to us, and Func has enabled that to happen for us.  The mouse pads are only a few dollars more than the regular pad, and everything about the process suggests quality.  The pads came out great, and I cant wait to show them off at the next LAN.  So with all these accolades, is there anything I would change?  Only one thing: I would like to suggest to Func that they modify the online tool to make it easier to design multiple pads at once.  Our clan ordered eight pads, with the only difference being the text of the names.  Because of the slight difference, I ended up having to re-upload the same image eight times to create each mouse pad, which was a bit of an inconvenience, considering that images of such high resolution take some time to upload.  Other than that small caveat, the whole process was easy and the final product was great.