Your customized Xbox controller is more intricate than you think; I had a conversation with the person who created it.

      In a time when individuality is a form of social currency more precious than gold, digital customization is revolutionizing consumer products, ranging from gaming controllers to daily clothing. Co-founded by Levi Patterson, Spectrum, located in Portland, has developed an advanced 3D-to-factory platform that facilitates personalized designs for prominent brands such as Xbox, Carhartt, and Hydro Flask.

      Levi also co-founded the marketing agency Pollinate, where he leverages his knowledge to enhance strategic integrations that transform user interaction with custom items.

      In a discussion with Digital Trends, Mr. Patterson shares insights on the engineering breakthroughs that allow for realistic product previews, the challenges of scaling these systems globally, and the future of engaging, tailored experiences in gaming and other areas.

      Digital Trends (DT): As one of the founders at Spectrum since 2011, what ignited your interest in 3D product customization, and how has your marketing experience from co-founding Pollinate shaped the platform’s emphasis on seamless consumer experiences like Xbox Design Lab? What obstacles do companies encounter when incorporating 3D visualization tools, like those used in Xbox Design Lab’s real-time previews, into e-commerce, and how does this affect the experience for casual vs. hardcore customizers?

      Levi Patterson (LP): My decade-long experience in digital marketing prior to launching Spectrum provided us with valuable insights into our priorities. It quickly became clear that “what you see is what you get” (WYSIWYG) is a fundamental expectation among customers. Consequently, we recognized the necessity to develop 3D visualization, which ultimately evolved into 3DTrue, focusing on accurately representing customer creations in 3D. Our commitment to our clients and their users is to ensure that what’s designed on-screen aligns with what arrives in the package. Thankfully, this expectation is consistent among both casual and hardcore users, prompting us to prioritize premium visualization as our default. While this has been a challenge, we have continually adapted and progressed.

      DT: Spectrum boasts a 100% factory integration rate across various brands. Can you describe a significant “aha” moment early on that convinced you this technology could bridge the digital design and real-world manufacturing gap?

      LP: Unlike many configuration solutions that concentrate on the front end, we invest substantial time in factories and embellishment facilities aligning digital designs with reality for automated file delivery. Initially, we worried that we had taken on too much, but witnessing our first fully sublimated garment come off the production line was a defining moment, affirming that we had something remarkable. Attention to detail is crucial, and we've successfully codified those details into our platform.

      DT: Spectrum's data indicates a 72% reduction in 3D load speeds and a 63% decrease in resource sizes. How did your team prioritize these improvements for crucial applications like Xbox Design Lab, and what does this mean for gamers adjusting designs on mobile devices?

      LP: Our team at Spectrum has dedicated years to fine-tuning our 3D asset pipeline to ensure optimization at every stage. Beginning with the models, we take the provided CAD files, reconstruct only the visible components, and aim for clean, quadrangulated topology to facilitate straightforward texture assignment. The team's focus on weight, map counts, size, and device detection all enhance swift, interactive experiences across desktop and mobile platforms. These memory optimizations support more real-time features—like translucency, sheens, lightmaps, and intricate animations—allowing us to expand the limits of what can be done while sustaining sustainable frame rates.

      DT: With precise material rendering for everything from controller plastics to Carhartt fabrics, how does Spectrum tackle the challenges of simulating textures such as leather or metal in real-time, and might this evolve to facilitate AR try-ons for custom gaming peripherals?

      LP: Our PBR approach, combined with the scanning technologies we've embraced over the years, leads to the creation of highly authentic materials. To accurately replicate existing products in 3D, we also receive samples to observe how the surface interacts with light. Moreover, all assets are constructed to real-world scale, making it easy to transition into an AR environment using supported formats.

      DT: Features like roster/group orders and artwork re-coloring seem transformative for teams or esports squads. Could you highlight one lesser-known tool in Spectrum’s toolkit that has changed how brands like JBL or Leatherman engage their communities?

      LP: Moderation comes to mind as a crucial feature since protecting the brand is vital. We aim to provide users with a platform for their creativity while maintaining boundaries. We've been employing AI for this purpose long before ChatGPT gained mainstream attention, analyzing images in real-time to detect inappropriate content, copyright infringement, or prohibited terms and phrases.

      DT: Drawing from successes like Life is Good Custom and Hydro Flask's personalization, what insights have you applied from apparel and drinkware to gaming gear, and how might Spectrum expand into custom VR headsets or modular console skins?

      LP: We can now visualize nearly anything on any product