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[Erock73]

Hey guys so I just wanted to start a thread on here as to see if I'm on the right track and also for help/tips as I go along.

Concept:

Being as I'm from the PNW I want something that portrays the woods/temperate rainforest. (Think Endor or similar). Kind of a hunter type. I'm still designing looks but I think I have a color scheme :OD Green/Brown with a gold visor. Stealth would be the key that I'm thinking.

I have my sidearm designed but unsure if it meets the requirements since I'm going to modify nerf guns. ( I have no idea how to attach pictures at this time) Anyways that's my thoughts so far.

[Fenris Claddanna]

For attaching photos, you'll need to upload them to an image host such as Imgur, and then copy the direct link (the one ending in .jpeg) and add it between the image tags. It should end up looking something like this:

Code: [Select]

[img]www.imagehost.com/pathway/filename.jpeg[/img]
Your colour scheme sounds good, but I might be a bit biased on that part . Since you're looking to do a woodland Mando, I'd suggest paying close attentin to how your character is going to be moving through the underbrush and add weathering accordingly. A lot of horizontal-ish scratches from branches, brush, and brambles will go a long way towards visually selling the forest Mando concept.

For sidearms, I would strongly encourage staying away from Nerf-type props, as they do require a lot of work to bring them up to par with the CRLs. Even the ones that are based on canon Star Wars weapons will require moderate work to make them passable. If you haven't already, I'd suggest browsing through this thread in the Weapons Armoury subforum for inspiration. It is possible to bring a Nerf gun up to par, but it requires a lot of work to completely disguise its origins.

Hope this all helps, and please ask away if you have any other questions. Cheers!

[Sep Ho'ban]

Fenris has your straight on the image posting and some great recommendations for weathering

I'd also like to echo what he said on the weapons front.  Being a nerf-herder is more work than most people think going in.  I'll go into a bit more detail:
You need to get rid of all the textures on the gun that identify it as "nerfy" which means a lot of the detail some people like that saves adding greeblies, has to go anyway.  You also have to chop up the gun graft on pvc, sintra, or pieces from other guns so that you alter the profile significantly from the original.   Trigger, trigger guard, and grips are some of the most readily identifiable as nerf parts.     All this, remembering that nerf guns are hollow, so sanding may reveal holes that you have to patch with sintra etc.  You'll then need to bondo any seams you've created and sand smooth before you're ready for primer and paint.   Don't forget to fill in any screw holes -- either with more bondo, or with hot glue.   

But it's possible you've already accounted for most of this, so I'm looking forward to seeing your concept now that you know how to post images

[Erock73]

Thank you for all the feed back! I was able to get some drawings done last night.

[Fenris Claddanna]

Looks good, vod. The only two things that jump out at me are you will need to have an ab plate, as well as a second waist item(ammo or gunbelt in addition to the waist sash) as per CRLs. Other than that, I'm not seeing anything that's off.

Unless Sep or any of the other App Team members see something that I'm missing, I'd say your next step is probably going to be template sizing.

[Sep Ho'ban]

I agree with Fenris -- I really like the galaxies style stuff

[Erock73]

I plan to add a utility/gun belt just didnt add it to the drawing. How can I go about sizing a template as I am figuring i will have to make my own? And is there a place to get helmet templates as well?


(ps ignore the different shades of green in my drawings, seems like every green I had was running out)

[Fenris Claddanna]

There's actually a whole slew of templates hosted here on the site. If you go to the "Home" tab, there's a option for "Get Involved", which has a link to most of the templates we tend to use and recommend. The Galaxies ones are located here. Pretty much just print them on normal copy paper, tape them together, and have someone take some straight-on shots of them taped onto you so we can get an idea if they need to be adjusted to fit you better. Alternatively, I do have them vectorized so they can be scaled and adjusted in Illustrator or a similar vector design program. If you'd like, I can upload them to my Google Drive for you. It'd still be the same process, but with easier adjustments - especially if you have access to a CNC cutting table with the capability of cutting cardstock or drawing on kraft paper.

ALso, I figured that was the case with the gunbelt, but I wanted to comment on it just in case 

[Sep Ho'ban]

. Alternatively, I do have them vectorized so they can be scaled and adjusted in Illustrator or a similar vector design program. If you'd like, I can upload them to my Google Drive for you.

I'D like to have a copy of those in vector   Love you bunches!!!

[Erock73]

I appreciate it. I'll start on these asap. I've also checked out some weapons and have no idea where to start (I was kind of not wanting to go with a nerf gun if I could help it) but my thoughts are for weapons a revolver type blaster and a some sort of sniper type rifle. And of course Vibroblade, gauntlet weapons, etc

[Fenris Claddanna]

For revolver type weapons, offhand there's the DE-10 pistol from Star Wars Galaxies, the DG-29 and RSKF44 from Solo, and the one from the Old Republic game whose in-universe designation escapes me. All of those should be approvable as long as they're well-crafted. You can also do custom builds, as long as the finished product looks in-universe.

For sniper rifles, it seems a lot of folks go with Verpine Shatter Rifles, since those are easy to build and scale. There's also the DLT-19X from new Battlefront, the A-300 from Rogue One, and quite a few other canon sniper rifles out there. Again, you can also do a custom build if you'd like. I've seen quite a few that look amazing. One of them was literally nothing but plumbing parts put together.

For where to start on weapons, my suggestion is to start with the pistol and go from there. Generally speaking, it'll be the hardest to incorporate into your kit, since you'll probably want to have a holster for it. Rifles and other props can always be added down the road. I'd also recommend keeping n mind the kind of events you're likely to attend. While a four foot sniper rifle looks impressive, toting it around a crowded convention hall is going to be rather annoying. Ditto to long swords.

As a side note on weapons bases: if you do go with a dart gun or airsoft replica base, they need to be rendered incapable of firing for safety reasons. Bladed weapons should be from lightweight woods or plastics rather than metal, and the edges should be rounded for safety.

[Erock73]

Thank you for such a detailed explanation! It really helps.


I have a rough draft of what I was thinking for using a nerf gun ( this is just a first brainstorm if you will)




Let me know what you think on this.

I also have a kydex press and have some experience making sheathes and holsters for my real knives and firearms, so I was thinking about going that route for a holster if its approved.

[Sep Ho'ban]

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2377780  Your pistol concept looks a lot like the DE-10 -- this is a link to a thingiverse model of it.  Worth noting the example photo isn't finished up to our standards, but it'd be a great starting point.

Based on your sketch -- you'd still need to modify the black part of the gun to be approvable.

[Erock73]

I actually really like that and if I could find someone or someplace to make me 2 of them I'd much rather go this route. Thank you very much!




UPDATE: After a couple days of research and like 50 drawings I finally have completed my concept. 



Now I have to teach myself how to make the kit.

[Raynos Ge'tal]

check out gree, or the endor rebels for good forest camo colors. also those look like the beckett blasters from solo. one of my UMs has a set of them 3d printed from a vendor. Ill have to find out their name and get it back here

[Erock73]

check out gree, or the endor rebels for good forest camo colors. also those look like the beckett blasters from solo. one of my UMs has a set of them 3d printed from a vendor. Ill have to find out their name and get it back here

Thank you!