Hyper Light Drifter Costume

[KingKozuma]

Hey guys,
With Hyper Light Drifter kickstarter up and running, I have been really looking into the idea of making a costume for the game before it launches. For those of you who do not know what Hyper Light Drifter is here is a link to the kickstarter: Hyper Light Drifter by Heart Machine — Kickstarter. I'm not sure if anyone would be interested in helping me with it or what I should do since there are absolutely zero resources available to make the costume. Any help would be really appreciated.

Thanks,
KingKozuma


Some pictures for reference :
https://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/assets...d0a706637fd07a672679f882_large.gif?1381080164

https://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/assets...a20474411b08058414429433_large.jpg?1378595881

 

[nick daring]

This game looks mega rad. Can't wait to see people making stuff for it!

 

[KingKozuma]

Yeah, after I found out about it I immediately thought about all the cool stuff you could make for it so I am hoping someone can help me get the ball rolling for it. I'm hoping I can have it for the cons that are around the launch of the game in June.

 

[KingKozuma]

*bump*

 

[nick daring]

You need to ask more specific questions.

"Help me make costume" doesn't help guide the discussion on your project.

If I may make a suggestion, I say start with trying to make the helmet. There are a ton of helmet making tutorials here and on the web and if you don't get any further with the costume at least you have a cool helmet to put on your shelf.

Or start with the sword. Swords are pretty easy to build. Again lots of tutorials everywhere for making great costume swords.

Make some sketches. Play with some materials and see if you come up with something cool. Post photos of your mistakes and victories and people will start helping you.

 

[Hexvas]

With the small amount of resources available for now, I'd save, screenshot and hunt down any and all images you can from the project. Since the art is really stylized and fairly simple it leaves itself open to personal interpretation. This will allow you to put your own personal touch on the costume and its elements.

nick daring had some really good advice and I'd take it

I look forward to progress and thank you for sharing this unique game.

 

[writefast]

As to resources, the helmet looks like it would lend itself to cardboard and craft foam with ease. For the weapon I'd say modified need gun, same for the sword. Goodwill for the outfit?

 

[jdford]

I'm doing research and design on one of these, m'self. Will share anything I come up with. Thinking about clear or translucent acrylic for the sword, and I already have a wonderful old laser tag gun from the 1990s that looks very much like the one in the concept art.

Wondering which pepakura helmet would work best as the base for this one. Obviously it would have to be modded to fit the HD concept. As far as I can tell, the costume would break down into the following pieces:

- Dark Gray Undersuit
- Helmet
- Bandanna (Red, same color as outer cape)
- Outer Cape (Red, Burnt Orange, Design?)
- Inner Cape (Burnt Orange)
- Upper Chest Armor (Slate Gray)...not sure about this, could just be the upper torso in the undersuit
- Shoulder pauldrons/armor...again, this is a guess based on the way the capes fall
- Midriff Armor/Cummerbund
- Tan/Khaki Belt (with what appears to be a sword frog or perhaps a double loop)
- Warrior's Kilt/Skirt (Gray w/ Design)...not sure if this is "armored" or fabric
- Gauntlets
- Black Gloves (3 finger)
- Knee Boots (Gray, Cuffed)
- Light Sword (Blue blade, Orange hilt/Gray fittings)
- Pistol
- Cloak Clasp or Medallion (Gold or Brass)


~J. D.

 

[KingKozuma]

Thanks for the input guys. I don't have much experience with this and it's really the first full set I'm going to try to work on.

 

[KingKozuma]

So an update:

My genius friend did me a major favor and made pepakura files for the helmet and sword. After unfolding, printing, and putting them together I will post them for you guys to see.

 

[Froggie]

You can definitely put together a really impressive costume until June.

I saw the Hyper Light Drifter Kickstarter and thought it looked amazing, and then I promptly forgot about it.
Now I found myself back at the page and really working up the hype, which is very rare for me.

I like seeing the odd costumes that not many people go for, and I find the concept art and sprites of this character to be really beautiful.
In short I'd be willing to help you with whatever limited advice and insight I can offer.

Some questions though: What is your budget, both in terms of economy and time.
Can you spend a large amount of money on it or do you need to be thrifty, and can you put a lot of time into it to make a lot of stuff yourself, source materials, experiment etc?

The other big question: Have you asked the developer for information? It's a Kickstarter project which was funded well over its initial goal, but if I'd hazard a guess they wouldn't see someone in costume as a negative thing, quite the opposite. They might be happy to give you some information that's not readily apparent but still does not cause spoilers in the game.

My first advice, if you haven't done so already that is, would be to send a polite letter explaining what you're working on and ask if they could disclose some information about the characters clothing to help you along the way.
For example what the green thing is made of. It's not readily apparent and they might be willing to fill in the blanks.
Or if the helmet is supposed to be a helmet or a wolfs (or similar creatures) skin, like how Heracles is often depicted with the Nemean Lion draped on his back?

I'm all for helping you find solutions. It's fun to see things like this come to life, and the game really needs some replicas, seeing as how it looks amazing.

 

[KingKozuma]

My time fluctuates as I do biology research at a college while taking classes. My budget is mid range as I do have other things to take care of but I plan to do it right regardless of cost. I can make the majority of the things I need for the costume myself as far as I can see so I don't think that will be an issue.

I haven't thought about e-mailing them at all and that is a phenomenal idea. I just never thought about it assuming that most companies sort of treat fans e-mails as an overwhelming waste of time to answer but these guys seem like a much different crowd. I will definitely do that and ask about the character information that they will allow me to do.

I just recently got the 3D renders of the sword and helmet finished from a friend who is an animator and I am going to try to pepakura them within the next week or so if time allows. I will definitely post them asap.

 

[KingKozuma]

UPDATE: Hey guys, I got the pepakura file for the helmet finished and put together and here is my progress so far:

Feel free to let me know what you think

 

[Froggie]

I instantly recognize it as what the drifter wears on his head, so in that regard it's a smashing success thus far, at least if you ask me.

Some questions:

How does it fit?
Will you add padding and/or some kind of rim to hold it in place securely, like some bicycle helmets have?

I thought you'd go the route of having the orange spots be acrylic or similar, but this works too.

Are you planning on having the colors be very "unshiny" (sorry, can't think of the right word right now, too tired) to emulate the flat graphic style of the game, or have you not decided yet?

Finally, have you mailed the developers, and if so, have they answered?

Nice to see the progress. It's a very promising start.

 

[KingKozuma]

It fits really well, which I was somewhat worried about but am glad to know it works. As far as the eyes and nose on the guard of the helmet, I thought about making them acrylic and putting LED's to make them light up but I'm not entirely sure if I could do that just yet without some kind of help so for this build I may just paint them in a way that builds the same effect. I do plan on adding some padding to keep it in place not exactly sure which route to take with that just yet until it's completely bondo'ed and at least in the shape I need it to be. I am going to try to make it look worn so unshiny is definitely the feel I am trying for. I did mail them and was really happy to hear from them. They told me to go with my gut and that they were excited that someone was wanting to do it (which coming from them made me really excited to get further into it). I just started the bondo earlier and will post pics as soon as I can get to it.

 

[ELF4000]

So an update:

My genius friend did me a major favor and made pepakura files for the helmet and sword. After unfolding, printing, and putting them together I will post them for you guys to see.

i just started making this cosplay as well, the onlything that's stumping me is the helmet. can you post the files for it? that would be a huge help

 

[KingKozuma]

I would but they aren't my files and I have come across a lot of people who are more interested in taking them and selling them more so than just using them so I plan to ask my friend if he is interested in selling them or what but I won't be giving them out for free. Sorry.