By Chaz Hamilton
There is already a nice buzz going around about the upcoming Halloween Cosplay Contest, where players are invited to re-create their Heroes Rising character. I'm excited to see what players come up with.
What surprises me is the number of players who seem apprehensive to participate. There is a level of needless concern over getting it right. I want to help alleviate those doubts and worries with some helpful hints and suggestions to help everyone succeed.
1) The Costume Contest will most likely be based on the character you have created for your avatar. Unless you plan on igniting yourself to reproduce a flaming aura or holding a plasma light in your hands to reproduce and arcing, electrical flare, those effects could prove difficult. Take a look at what is in the avatar creator and match it with what is available to you
Hint 1) I've seen some people talk about the difficulty of portraying a female character because of having facial hair. There is a full surgical face mask in the Avatar Creator that could be used to cover one's face and hide a beard.
Of course, this is a super-hero themed game and costume, you will need to include some of those elements if you want to do well. A chest emblem. A cape. Gloves. With Halloween being so close, these are all items that could easily be purchased or cobbled from ordinary daily items.
2) There are many videos out there on the internet about crafting a Cosplay costume. Take a look and search for ideas. One thing to remember is that superhero costumes come in many shapes and sizes. Does the Punisher have a complicated costume? How about Namor? The modern Superboy or any number of characters from current television or movie programs. Yes, there are complicated costumes out there, but there are some very simple ones as well.
Hint 2) The true secret to creating any believable character is crafting the correct ATTITUDE!! The proper mindset and pose. A good gimmick doesn't hurt either. Something that is evocative of who and what your character is. While there aren't many objects in the game yet, a magical character holding a crystal ball or a brawler like Chase carrying a pair of knives (or shuriken, if she remembers getting them) would be perfectly appropriate.
The truth is the challenge here is to have fun, not be perfectly accurate. In fact, accuracy in comic books themselves is completely dependent on the artist. You will rarely find two individuals who create a character the exact same way. Look at the various incarnations of Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Wonder Woman, etc...
Find the interpretation that works best for you.
3) If nothing else inspires you, remember the old anagram; K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid). Overcomplicating your project can either make your task overwhelming or overly-complex. Do you need to create a set of lily-white wings by tearing apart a pillow or plucking hundreds of chickens to get their feathers? A black marker and some white paper can create the same effect.
Hint 3) What is the foundation for the images in the avatar maker? A human form in its underwear. I can guarantee that most people have what they need to create that costume right now. The only question is how far are you willing to strip it down to get some extra Morphons?
I look forward to seeing what people come up with, in the base challenge and in Trace's bonus cross-gender contest. Look at it this way. Think about the smile you will put on other people's faces when they see your efforts. I think there are several players who could use a good reason to chuckle, grin, or fall on the floor laughing as they appreciate your efforts.
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