General Building Help: Video Game Props (Metroid and The Legend of Zelda)

[LuffyDan]

When I say that I'm new to the whole prop building thing, I literally mean just that.. I've little to no experience with this thing but I'm trying to figure out a good place to learn and begin. I'm not even sure if posting here is the proper place to do this, but I'm going to take a stab at the dark and hope this is the right avenue to follow.

I have the desire to learn and experiment, though I know I'm terrible at dealing with failures (which I'm sure to experience a lot of in this hobby). I've been trying to find good build tutorials for things, but I'm having trouble at finding anything that is truly concise or really user friendly. Perhaps I'm going about this the wrong way and I should just hop into making things and see how it goes, but I'd really like to have the knowledge and at least some frame of skill in order to make the most of my efforts and finances.

So.. My grand plan is as follows:

1.) I'm trying to build replicas of all of the inventory items the protagonist Link from The Legend of Zelda uses in the game A Link to the Past. Some of them seem simple enough, but I'm not entirely sure where to begin when building certain things. Perhaps I'm thinking too big here. I'd like to start with Link's Hylian Shield and the Master Sword, and then once I've finished those I'd like to try and make the final version of the sword as well as the Mirror Shield. My dream is to have everything from the Hookshot to the Book of Midora made, if only to substitute them out for whenever I wear the costume.

2.) I have a Skyward Sword Link costume made, but rather than make actual chainmail, I knitted metallic looking wool together to give it a chainmail look. I'd like to try and build a chainmail jacket for this costume, and the few tutorials I've found have been decently helpful, but I'm looking to see what other techniques and tricks are out there that might make the task easier or better looking.

3.) My partner in cosplay crime (my girlfriend) built a Zero Suit Samus costume and is in the works of fine tuning it for MAGFest this coming January. I've wanted to try and build a replica of the pistol she uses in Smash Bros. Brawl and make it so that the gun has a laser sight but also makes sound when the trigger is pulled. Once again, I might be overshooting on a project being that I know very little about wiring or LEDs and the like. Again, trying to find good tutorials on these things and unsure of where to even begin. I know so far that I can purchase certain speakers and recording devices on Amazon to make the sound effects, but as far as powering and scaling the gun, I'm all thumbs.

Any and all help or being pointed in the proper direction would be wonderful. My hope is to gain as much knowledge as I can for these projects and pay it forward. I can't imagine I'm the only person in a position like this, so I'm hoping to try and post enough build notes about these things if/when I am able to begin work on them so that others can do the same.

Thanks again. Hopefully this is the right place for discussing/asking such things. If not, I apologize! If so, thank you so much for reading this and thanks for all the help!

 

[KWBreaker]

Hola! I've been doing prop building for about 5 years now and am also a huge Nintendo fan. My current project is just getting wrapped up, my Samus helmet from scratch. I started the build on a basketball and built and built from there.

That being said, I would honestly suggest starting with the basics, printing off a couple of easy peps, doing the resin (I use liquid plastic, Smooth Cast 300 instead), perhaps fiberglass, bondo and if you want to jump into it, siliconing and casting.

I have made 9 helmets using pep, MOST of them garbage. I also have made quite a few guns and some armor, but all were kind of weak. But every time i did it it helped me to get my head around the real '3D' aspect of the job and now I currently don't even use pep. (I haven't written it off, just been having fun freehanding.) I know work with poster board and cardboard and build everything by guessing and measuring and it is far more satisfying, but I am still using the basic principles from the pepakura method.


And as far as chainmail goes, TheRingLord.com is a nice place to buy rings, I used them for my scale mail captain america I built, but they can run kind of pricey if you are just trying for standard rings. I would suggest getting 18 gauge chicken fence wiring from Home Depot and using a (don't quote me) 1/8th inch thick rod to wrap them around(?) If you find out their diameter you can get a metal rod the same width and wrap your own, then use aviation cutters ($15) from Home Depot/ Lowes and cut them down the side. I have been making my own rings and 'stitching' my own mail since I was 14. I work with 18 gauge and 12 gauge, 18 being more similar to what shark mail or mythril mail looks like and 12 being closer to the armor that gimli wears, a little more rough looking but gets the point across. Also, go for aluminum. 18g is $20 for a half mile, and in ten years I've never bought more lol


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[KWBreaker]

P.S. I do have work in progresses for that helmet, I know seeing the beginning and then the end makes it look like I'm lying, but I swear it's the same helmet lol


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[A Happy Pumpkin]

I'm working on a costume of Link from Twilight Princess for a video, I decided to buy a chainmail shirt instead of making one, I'm already moving slow as is. Normally they're pretty expensive but the one I found happened to be pretty cheap and fits almost perfectly like it should.

Amazon:
Amazon.com: Haubergeon Replica Chain Mail Armor Long Shirt: Sports & Outdoors

eBay (No bids yet):
Haubergeon Medieveal Knight Renaissance Replica Chain Mail Armor Long Shirt | eBay

 

[KWBreaker]

That's not bad. What is the video for? If you don't mind me asking. I have a degree in film and have been trying to piece together a team to do stuff I want to do. I am currently the set builder for a space short here at SCAD, but it's not my project, so it's kind of a drag lol


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[A Happy Pumpkin]

It's for Youtube... and kind of for me. I wanted to go to film school too, but I kept reading about how sometimes you just have to get out there and film stuff. So my friend and I came up with what we think is a pretty good idea, a fun little story to tell, and we plan on going through with it.

 

[LuffyDan]

Thanks, guys! I appreciate the help!!

I've been toying around with making a suit for Samus as well, given that I think the girlfriend would eventually like to try and pull the costume off for MAGFest.

I'll look into grabbing the chainmail. Just hoping they have it in my size ;A;

 

[KWBreaker]

http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=213548

If you are interested, this is my junkyard thread where I am selling completed and raw cast kits for my finished helmet, and I will be selling the various parts as I complete them for the suit and I want them done in the next couple months, if you would be interested. Just get you part of the way there to completing the suit.

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[KWBreaker]

It's for Youtube... and kind of for me. I wanted to go to film school too, but I kept reading about how sometimes you just have to get out there and film stuff. So my friend and I came up with what we think is a pretty good idea, a fun little story to tell, and we plan on going through with it.

From experience, you're being very smart. I did film for 3 years before college and I did learn a lot in college, but nothing compares to what you learn by getting out and doing it. Before college I worked on Sheriff's Dept commercials and got to do deep sea shoots and blow stuff up with C4. After college, I haven't filmed in almost a year and I am working full time as well as trying to sell my prop stuff to make it by. Don't waste your time and money, at least not unless you are going to SCAD, USC or NYU lol


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[A Happy Pumpkin]

I'll look into grabbing the chainmail. Just hoping they have it in my size ;A;

They should have one that'll fit, I think they go all the way up to extra large. The one in the link should be a small or medium, so I'm assuming they have sizes between XL and S.

From experience, you're being very smart. I did film for 3 years before college and I did learn a lot in college, but nothing compares to what you learn by getting out and doing it. Before college I worked on Sheriff's Dept commercials and got to do deep sea shoots and blow stuff up with C4. After college, I haven't filmed in almost a year and I am working full time as well as trying to sell my prop stuff to make it by. Don't waste your time and money, at least not unless you are going to SCAD, USC or NYU lol

Sounds pretty cool. You should try to get back to blowing stuff up or shooting under water if you ask me, I'd love that! Two years out of High School now though and I haven't got around to actually filming anything yet. For whatever reason I want my first video to be as good as I can get it to be, even with 0 experience... For the past year I've been slowly learning 3ds Max so I can use it for videos, but soon I'll need to start with After Effects and Premiere, and those look harder to me. :/

 

[MikeX]

I just finished this build a couple days ago. I felt like I did to much in the step-by-step aspect. Maybe it can help.
http://www.therpf.com/f9/links-extremely-battle-worn-hylian-shield-work-progress-213051/

 

[LuffyDan]

I just finished this build a couple days ago. I felt like I did to much in the step-by-step aspect. Maybe it can help.
http://www.therpf.com/f9/links-extremely-battle-worn-hylian-shield-work-progress-213051/

Awesome! Thanks for the link! I'll definitely have to check out all the finer details. I don't think it's too much to do it that way. In fact, it's pretty helpful for doing a build of my own if that's fine?

 

[LuffyDan]

I'm going to also try and see if I can figure out a way to do pepakura and fiberglass, but I have no idea how to even begin using that sorta' stuff. Anyone know of any good tutorials or a good step-by-step how to when using it? I know where to get the files needed to make the swords and shields, but heck if I know how to even begin making these things. I feel like such an idiot here, ha. Or a prop-iliterate.

 

[MikeX]

yeah that's fine. The whole reason I put it up step by step was to help other people. I didnt use a template or anything but I showed a cut spread, so people could figure out a template. If you do it the way I did, just hit me up if you get stuck.

 

[Workshoppe]

If you want tutorials on how to use the materials itself, I'd recommend checking out Smooth-On's and BrickintheYard's youtube channels. They show step-by-step methods of using their different molding and casting materials and it'll give you a general idea on what material to use for what part. Even some of the older Back Yard VFX videos by Indy Mogul will teach you a few things.

Also, there are tons of prop armor and weapon tutorials online. It doesn't have to be a Metroid specifically. You can read on the hundreds of Halo or Mass Effect builds, and not forgetting the tons of Star Wars build threads out there, take down some notes, save images for references and learn what problems other people encounter and how they solve it. See what kind of methods they use and see if you can apply it to your build. As Volpin Props once said "You make stuff by reading about other people have done, and then doing it better."

 

[KWBreaker]

"Unless you are checking out Volpin Props, then you can't get much better than that" lol

But I agree 100%. Some of the best lessons I learned were me failing. I have made two halo helmets, 3 attempts at war machine, my loki helmet went through three versions and I just now finished that Samus that I am proud of... That all happened over 6 years. This isn't a quick process, but remember, even Volpin started out trolling threads and watching tutorials, and now he has a 20,000 sq foot studio where he makes props full time.

If you care enough, putting in the time will not be hard. And if you look hard enough, you can find all the help you need.

Ps. If you get a chance to go INTO a carrier of smooth on products, I suggest it. Reynold's advance materials is where I order all my stuff for molding and casting and I have for years, and when i went to their store in Orlando, Fl the guy working there gave me a full break down on the process, the materials for clay molding vs Bondo molding, etc. and you can call any day of the week when they are. Open and they will answer questions.


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[KWBreaker]

For the past year I've been slowly learning 3ds Max so I can use it for videos, but soon I'll need to start with After Effects and Premiere, and those look harder to me. :/

I would LOVE to get back to blowing stuff up, but all of my film team bailed on me. And don't worry. After effects is my baby, I have been using that for years and I am adobe premier and after effects certified. Any help you need for after effects go to videocopilot.net. Those tutorials are the ****, he gives out free patch stuff as well as teaching basic 3ds max stuff and how to integrate it with video using AE. that is my go to. Place, and even though I haven't had a PC in 2 years, I still stay up on the tutorials cuz they are sweet and I hope soon to get a computer and get back to work.

Currently my fiancé and I are working on building a space ship set and real life model of the same space ship for a film through SCAD, so we might make a thread about that as it comes along.


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[A Happy Pumpkin]

I would LOVE to get back to blowing stuff up, but all of my film team bailed on me. And don't worry. After effects is my baby, I have been using that for years and I am adobe premier and after effects certified. Any help you need for after effects go to videocopilot.net. Those tutorials are the ****, he gives out free patch stuff as well as teaching basic 3ds max stuff and how to integrate it with video using AE.

That sucks about the team. Sounds like you might be working on some other cool things anyways.

I'll probably take a look at that site soon though. We're trying to limit the amount of effects we have to do, but we did want a few 3d objects put in throughout the video. I couldn't imagine not having them in there now, so that's one thing I really need to figure out. I started working on a Fairy Fountain scene in Max recently and I'm sitting here thinking how I'm gonna make this work... Then instead of making a separate Link costume, I need to find out a way I can mask myself, and only myself, to be gray and black while the rest of the scene is left normal. Are these types of things covered in those tutorials?

 

[KWBreaker]

ALL OF IT. Trust me, it'a what you want.


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