Pax Prime Costumes 2011!

TOGSolid

AaronC wrote:

(also, the Protomen are playing at PAX, at Jamspace)

That would be what the PAX safe buster cannon would be for. Don't worry guys, I'm an engineer, I've got backup plans for everything.

arwen_doll16_LOTR

Sweet score! I took my tabard design from WoW for Vanessa to the print shop this last week, they said it was not in the correct format and I would have to get a graphic designer to remake it and send it to them. I found one in town but he wanted a minimum of $50 for the design. I logged onto WoW and asked my guild if anyone was a graphics designer even just on the side. SCORE! Three of my guild mates are and one of them was free enough this week to just make it up for me and email it in about a day. So I am taking the tabard to the print shop this week and once i get it back my costume will be done!!

Redwingedblackbird

I was Spider-Man the last couple years... This year however, I'm thinking of going as a Dark Jedi, with the release of Old Republic coming soon

Tango

zerzhul wrote:

it has been said in the past that anything that has *ever* had the ability to fire is banned

Clearing up things like this is one of the reasons for the new weapons policy.

The wording in the weapons/props post didn't explicitly call out deactivated things one way or the other.

Deactivated things are covered by implication:
Deactivated real firearms - Obviously no, as they are / resemble live firearms.
Deactivated airsoft - Also no, for the above reason.
Deactivated Nerf - In general this will get a pass, but please don't be offended if an Enforcer checks it!

Also, don't worry too much if an Enforcer does ask to see your cool prop weapon - I know that I sometimes ask just because I want to admire the work that went into them

Looking forward to the awesome costumes this year, again!

TOGSolid

Tango wrote:

zerzhul wrote:

it has been said in the past that anything that has *ever* had the ability to fire is banned

Clearing up things like this is one of the reasons for the new weapons policy.

The wording in the weapons/props post didn't explicitly call out deactivated things one way or the other.

Deactivated things are covered by implication:
Deactivated real firearms - Obviously no, as they are / resemble live firearms.
Deactivated airsoft - Also no, for the above reason.
Deactivated Nerf - In general this will get a pass, but please don't be offended if an Enforcer checks it!

Also, don't worry too much if an Enforcer does ask to see your cool prop weapon - I know that I sometimes ask just because I want to admire the work that went into them

Looking forward to the awesome costumes this year, again!

If you guys are allowing deactivated nerf guns, then hooray because it doesn't get much more deactivated than this:

Spoiler:

The nerd corner of the house is a bit of a disaster area atm.

Handelabra

Hi all,

We're looking for anyone attending who is willing to cosplay as an american president during pax. If you are, we'll cover the cost of your badge for any day you dress up.

message us if you are interested or have any questions. thanks!

Jeremy

susan

Handelabra wrote:

Hi all,

We're looking for anyone attending who is willing to cosplay as an american president during pax. If you are, we'll cover the cost of your badge for any day you dress up.

message us if you are interested or have any questions. thanks!

Jeremy

For some reason, this intrigues me. Which Presidents do you have in mind?

Red Raider

I keep wanting to go as Baldur from Too Human but there is no way I could get his outfit drummed up. I look just like him. Token white guy with a shaved head. What more do you need? Unfortunately all my(spare) money goes to beer, guns, ammo, and games. My(spare) time to beer, guns, ammo, and games.

MrZeebub

This is the first PAX for me and my people. My girlfriend and I are bringing some Cave Story cosplay. Assuming I have time to build 2 guns beforehand.

krikitarmy

My STALKER costume. Still a work in progress, but it's getting there. Waiting on my patches and geiger counter and have some work to do on my artifact (no weapons for this STALKER). Gotta figure out how to cut down the layers because it's an unbearably hot costume right now.

Tango

TOGSolid wrote:

The nerd corner of the house is a bit of a disaster area atm.

On a totally non rules-related note - I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out. There were a couple of awesome Protomen-style Mega Man / Protoman cosplays this year at East. It's one of my favourite cosplay concepts.

TOGSolid

krikitarmy wrote:

My STALKER costume. Still a work in progress, but it's getting there. Waiting on my patches and geiger counter and have some work to do on my artifact (no weapons for this STALKER). Gotta figure out how to cut down the layers because it's an unbearably hot costume right now.

I designed a CS-3a costume last year and yeah, you're gonna sweat your balls off, just accept it now, especially with that gas mask on. I only had a stretchy face mask and even that on its own was kinda torture since it was directing my already hot breath down under my jacket. Much water was consumed that day. One thing I wish I had done was snagged a surplus canteen with a carrier for my combat vest so that it'd look more awesome than a water bottle.
If you're in need of ideas/inspiration:

Spoiler:

I found some lacrosse armor on clearance and chopped the shoulder pads off to create my armor's shoulder armor.
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com is a fantastic site for all sorts of goodies for creating a solid Stalker costume.
(Note: That AK was just to make the picture suitably more awesome. I was not dumb enough to try and bring a live firearm to PAX, lol.)

I think my one big suggestion would be to get a hood onto the jacket. All of the lower grade STALKER outfits rock hoods and it's kind of an iconic STALKER thing.

Tango wrote:

TOGSolid wrote:

The nerd corner of the house is a bit of a disaster area atm.

On a totally non rules-related note - I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out. There were a couple of awesome Protomen-style Mega Man / Protoman cosplays this year at East. It's one of my favourite cosplay concepts.

It's coming together. All I've got left is the buster cannon and the helmet. The big challenge atm is trying to figure out what the hell to use as my helmet's ridge. If I can hammer that out, I'll have completed pictures up before PAX.

krikitarmy

The gas mask, like your AK, is for posing. I'll have goggles and a bandanna for walking around. Good tip on the coat and canteen

TOGSolid

krikitarmy wrote:

The gas mask, like your AK, is for posing. I'll have goggles and a bandanna for walking around. Good tip on the coat and canteen

Ah, gotcha. Do be warned that even just the bandanna might cause you to basically breath in already heated up air and make life a little harder on you.


Oh, I got a military style backpack to carry all my swag in. It looks like you have some sort of sack thing, but if that's not what that is, getting some sorta rucksack or militaryish bag would give you something cool to carry your stuff in.
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/PACK125-1.html

Spoiler:

That's the backpack I got for PAX. Turns out it also makes a damn good range bag and I've been using it as such since PAX last year. I got it from cheaperthandirt.

arwen_doll16_LOTR

Would it be odd or too noticeably distracting to have a camel pack underneath my costume? It lays pretty damn close to my back (to the point where I am allowed to put in beneath my marching band uniforms for game days and no one noticed till I took out the little straw for it) I am just thinking I would like to not get dehydrated this year and my boyfriend is going to have the backpack for the two of us. I would rather not annoy him by taking a water bottle in and out of the pack all the time and having him turn around etc.

TOGSolid

Can you put a pouch on your belt that you can sneak a bottle into or a canteen? If not, whether the CamelBak is noticeable or not can't really be determined without seeing the costume design and how it lays. I've seen CamelBaks before and they are damn thin, but I'm not sure what sorta wiggle room you've got on your back.

krikitarmy

If you have a coat or any sort of second layer, most camelbacks will be subtle, if not impossible to notice. If you're just got a single shirt though, it'll be pretty obvious it's there.

arwen_doll16_LOTR

I have a tight shirt on and then a tabarad over that, I imagine the camelback would be able to hide enough under the tabard or I will slightly change the design (what I wear underneath the tabard is really no matter nor has it been settled) As for putting something on my belt, I have a few things that will already be there and I prefer not to weigh it down more >.< I will try it on when I get home tomorrow and see how much it shows.

I was just wondering for the sake of costumes that if you say it a little would everything just look silly if you could see it some.

G4MER

So will a NOISE maker laser gun be acceptable?

TOGSolid

G4MER wrote:

So will a NOISE maker laser gun be acceptable?

As in a Warhammer 40k Noise Marine rifle, or a toy rifle that makes noise when you pull the trigger?

G4MER

HA, we have a 40K nerd among us. Naw just a little light and sound pistol thing. it looks like a lasgun kinda.. old ones not the new ones.

TOGSolid

G4MER wrote:

HA, we have a 40K nerd among us. Naw just a little light and sound pistol thing. it looks like a lasgun kinda.. old ones not the new ones.

Oh, I can't see why it wouldn't be allowed. It doesn't shoot anything and as long as you don't run around like a 5 year old jackass annoying random people with constant PEWPEWPEWPEWPEWPEWPEWPEWPEWPEW noises you'll be golden. Gonna paint it up and go as an IG grunt?


Shitty camera pictures, yay!

Spoiler:

The basic shape is completed. I need to do some basic finishing to it and then it's off to the spray paint factory.

GamingGoddess

I have bought too wigs now. The color of the first one I bought was perfect for Poison Ivy, but i hated the way it looked. Now this one I have is the perfect style, but I'm afraid it's too orange instead of red and I'm afraid to dye it with fabric dye because idk if the curls will look the same after washing since it is synthetic. Do you guys think this wig will be alright?

Spoiler:

TOGSolid

The wig looks pretty good from what I can see.

GamingGoddess

Idk, it's just SUPER orange

G4MER

Nope I am Gonna be something Extra Special. Something I hope people find Funny, and want picture with.

TOGSolid

GamingGoddess wrote:

Idk, it's just SUPER orange

It looked reddish in the picture. Lighting hilarity and all that. If it's mega ultra orange it might be best to find a different wig.

Mogs

GamingGoddess wrote:

I have bought too wigs now. The color of the first one I bought was perfect for Poison Ivy, but i hated the way it looked. Now this one I have is the perfect style, but I'm afraid it's too orange instead of red and I'm afraid to dye it with fabric dye because idk if the curls will look the same after washing since it is synthetic. Do you guys think this wig will be alright?

Spoiler:

When I put together my C. Viper outfit, I thought my wig was WAY too fluorescent (almost pink). I thought for sure it would make the whole costume look off. I can't tell you how many compliments I received about the wig in particular - it made me feel silly for even worrying about it. I think your wig looks fantastic. It's doesn't look orange in the photo, so unless the lighting is really off or something, I wouldn't worry.

faerielaurelyn

I hope someone shows up in a Link costume, so I can hover around them going HEY! LISTEN! HEY! WATCH OUT! HEY! LOOK!

G4MER

HA! Faerie.

Pipistrelle

GamingGoddess wrote:

I have bought too wigs now. The color of the first one I bought was perfect for Poison Ivy, but i hated the way it looked. Now this one I have is the perfect style, but I'm afraid it's too orange instead of red and I'm afraid to dye it with fabric dye because idk if the curls will look the same after washing since it is synthetic. Do you guys think this wig will be alright?

Spoiler:

If the color is really bothering you, I don't think you'll really need to worry about losing the curl in your wig. As long as you don't use heat at all, and air dry the wig, the curls should definitely stay in the wig. You'll obviously need to brush it out once it's dry, but synthetic fibers don't work like real hair. The curls should be set in the wig until you use heat to deliberately straighten it. And if you do lose any curl, just get some no heat curlers and a blow dryer with a low heat setting and you'll be able to get that curl back.

Cosplay.com has a couple of tutorials for dyeing synthetic wigs.

Sharpie method: http://www.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=82947
http://www.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=152637
Acrylic Artists Ink: http://www.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=57484

GamingGoddess

Thanks guys! I'll put up a picture of everything all together and get more opinions from there, and in better lighting xD

Cliffs of Sanity

So this PAX will be my first time ever cosplaying, and it will also be my first time buttoneering. I don't know if anyone here has ever done both simultaneously, but does anyone have any suggestions on how to do it? My only idea was just to carry a bag and not worry that it doesn't go with the costume. Most buttoneers seem to put their buttons on their bags or their hats, but my costume doesn't have either. For that matter, although my costume does have pockets (yeah!), I'm concerned about not having any way to carry swag if I don't take a bag at all. Do people think non-costume accessories detract too much, or is a swag bag/bag to display buttons a reasonable compromise for practicality?

SvK

The best solution is to convince your friend to carry all your stuff.

TOGSolid

Cliffs of Sanity wrote:

So this PAX will be my first time ever cosplaying, and it will also be my first time buttoneering. I don't know if anyone here has ever done both simultaneously, but does anyone have any suggestions on how to do it? My only idea was just to carry a bag and not worry that it doesn't go with the costume. Most buttoneers seem to put their buttons on their bags or their hats, but my costume doesn't have either. For that matter, although my costume does have pockets (yeah!), I'm concerned about not having any way to carry swag if I don't take a bag at all. Do people think non-costume accessories detract too much, or is a swag bag/bag to display buttons a reasonable compromise for practicality?

What are you cosplaying as? You could easily snag a bag that while not 100% true to the costume, at least looks like something the character would use if they needed/wanted a bag. That's what I did last year for my STALKER costume.

GamingGoddess

Cliffs of Sanity wrote:

So this PAX will be my first time ever cosplaying, and it will also be my first time buttoneering. I don't know if anyone here has ever done both simultaneously, but does anyone have any suggestions on how to do it? My only idea was just to carry a bag and not worry that it doesn't go with the costume. Most buttoneers seem to put their buttons on their bags or their hats, but my costume doesn't have either. For that matter, although my costume does have pockets (yeah!), I'm concerned about not having any way to carry swag if I don't take a bag at all. Do people think non-costume accessories detract too much, or is a swag bag/bag to display buttons a reasonable compromise for practicality?

I personally don't think that it'll be a problem. I cosplayed last year and still carried my purse around. I just had my boyfriend hold it for pictures and stuff the people of PAX aren't cold hearted pricks that will stop you and be like "HEY THAT CHARACTER DOESN'T HAVE A (enter object)!" Most people will think its cool you even dressed up at all haha butttt if you're like me and a perfectionist just try and make it work somehow. Other than that though, I don't see a problem

hml151

I always put purse/bag behind me or to my crew!

Cliffs of Sanity

Thanks to all for the tips. I like the idea of looking for something that would at least kind of fit with the costume. Ordinarily I would just go for the plan to have my friend (read: husband) carry my bag. But he's also cosplaying. We're going as the 11th Doctor and Amy Pond (I know, not video game characters, but what can you do). Completely his idea initially, and I never would have imagined in a million years that he would suggest cosplaying at PAX, but he actually wears tweedy jackets and bow ties anyway, so he couldn't pass up the chance. So he's kind of in the same boat of trying to figure out how to carry swag and buttons.

TOGSolid

Cliffs of Sanity wrote:

Thanks to all for the tips. I like the idea of looking for something that would at least kind of fit with the costume. Ordinarily I would just go for the plan to have my friend (read: husband) carry my bag. But he's also cosplaying. We're going as the 11th Doctor and Amy Pond (I know, not video game characters, but what can you do). Completely his idea initially, and I never would have imagined in a million years that he would suggest cosplaying at PAX, but he actually wears tweedy jackets and bow ties anyway, so he couldn't pass up the chance. So he's kind of in the same boat of trying to figure out how to carry swag and buttons.

A leather (or a look-alike material) shoulder bag wouldn't look out of place in any way, shape, or form.

hml151

Cliffs of Sanity, technically 11th Doctor and Amy Pond are in a video game now! We have our peoples doing the doctor who thing too. Boys are cross dressing as the companions and the ladies are 10th and 11th, capt jack, and the tardis. We will have to find each other if you cosplaying Friday, well either way I would like a photo.