Helljumper425

Took my getup to ACen this year, got a lot of attention with it. I'm happy with how it turned out, even ran into a few other Andrew Cook followers. Had a blast with the girlfriend and I can't wait to finish up/redo some armor sets.

Didn't take you guys long enough to start branching out, Kill. Took me too long to notice this was here. I'm just going to say this before anyone decides this may be a good idea. Yappa's RP forum may seem friendly at face value, but be there for more than a few days and you're sure to run into issues with either staff or veteran members. They give little to no room for any kind of creativity and when it comes to new people, no one has their backs. Often times when disagreements happen, cases are built by veteran members and typically the new members are outnumbered and forced to back off from their argument, and when they try to defend themselves it's labeled as instigating and prolonging the problem. While I understand the idea of loyalty, this is an unfriendly approach to a forum mentality and thus why I was quick to leave. It seems the general population here isn't accepting this advertisement well as it stands, so I'm not worried. But in all honesty, even with nine years backing Yappa's forum, it's not without the sin of drama and elitism. Save yourself the headache and stay away from it.

My gripe about hot glue thus far is that when I test out some pieces in the heat, they can tend to come apart real easily unless you later it on heavy. I might start using rubber cement or some form of super glue. Practicing with pepakura has given me some pretty steady hands with pieces. On that note, most of the gear is complete, though I'm struggling ober putting straps on a few pieces. The shoulders are gonna be giving me some trouble if I don't velcro them in, but so far it's looking good. I also finally received a helmet I've been long awaiting. I've got my own personal gripes about it only because I've waited so long to get it, but even though I'm starting to make a new helmet myself, I've started to make peace with it. And I have to say, at a glance, I'm not sure anyone's gonna notice. The size of the helmet is my biggest gripe, so to bridge the gap over my neck, I input a little detail that is signature to some of my favorite OCs; the shemagh. I didn't know what to expect out of the look, but I like the wastelander look to it. Also, I've deviated away from the use of the compression shirt. I'm not really confident in its look, as it shrinks me down and makes the armor stand out more. If you've ever switched your Halo: Reach character model to female, you'd know what I mean when I say the armor is too bulky for the body. With that said, I tried out one of my rapid assault BDUs and found it to meld very neatly, adding a bit of size and texture to the sleeves unlike the smooth compression wear.

Quick little update. Please excuse the less than stellar quality of the photo (I still used a Blackberry...). I wanted to capture the Halo 3 style ODST shoulders as my attempts at the H3: ODST/Halo Reach shoulders ended up in partial failure. I'll retry eventually, but I was never really fond of the newer look, as cool as they are. Too edgy, I kinda like the smoother look. I used white acrylic after masking out the pattern on the pieces. When I removed it, it seemed to contrast the black base coat way too much, which wouldn't be a problem for a factory issued look, but I had already applied weathering to the main torso. So to give it that used look, I took a sanding tool to the accents to give it a nice, messy, scuffed look, then masked it off again for a second coat of spray paint. I've learned a lot from working with foam and certain paints as of late, so this will likely be a method that I'll probably only use once unless I really have to.

I'm going to give it the stock ODST look really. I ordered a helmet from a guy on etsy and told him to give it the "off the assembly line" look, so no weathering, no scuffs. This set of armor probably won't have anything other than the simple wear that I have on it now. Some of the shins might have some battle damage to cover up some stuff ups I made while dremeling some rough edges off. But other than that, it's going to be all black. Except for the shoulders, they're getting that white accents from the Halo 3 version of the ODSTs. I also scuffed the paint off a bit to make them look worn. I'll likely make another set, as this one is rather amateur. Then I'll toy with some paint schemes. Thanks for following! All of the pics from ACen are on my girlfriend's album. Sadly we didn't get as many pics this year as we did others. I'll let you know if I got anything in mind. Right now I'm just thinking of a replacement for hot glue, but other than that I can't think of much else.

And done with the torso! Now I need to finish the shoulders and shins as far as paint goes. In addition I still need to cut out the gauntlets, the abdominal piece, and the sacral plate. But so far so good. Gave this bad boy some weathering and sealed it all up.

WOW! Small internet world. Sorry we didn't send those pictures to you, my girlfriend's computer crapped out among other complications and I've been beating her over the head to send them. Anyways, the whole ACen album is up on her FB page, but if you still want the high-res photos I can keep cracking the whip (so to speak) https://www.facebook.com/nell.lisabeth/media_set?set=a.10201854830123745.1073741847.1572756576&type=3 . Update time: Finally put some coats onto the main armor. Tried Satin first...ended up a bit to glossy for my liking. But luckily it was paint/primer in one, so I decided upon a flat black. Much better. In the mean time, the recon project is coming along at its leisure. I took this side by side with a custom design I purchased off etsy ( Luna Armor Works FB https://www.facebook.com/lunaarmorworks - Custom Helmet https://www.etsy.com/listing/195106081/completed-black-modified-halo-recon?ref=related-0 ). Gotta say, it's come pretty far from its base design, but I often prefer creativity and customization over stock. Anyways, I finally applied a base coat to the Recon Helm as well. My girlfriend chose the paint for this one, deciding upon a glossy, Colonial Red...thinking it's a bit too glossy. A dulling agent, clear coat might help, as will the accents when we finally get around to giving it some more detail

I have this feeling that the DC17 would be kinda easy to make, at least as far as the base SMG style blaster goes. Still, would be cool if someone were to make it all interchangeable too. From in-game animations, it looks like swapping out attachments is as easy as a few clicks.

I wanted to guess the Nerf Recon after seeing someone make a UNSC Army build, but then I remembered he used the Recon for the MA35 assault rifle. Still, really cool. I'm gonna practice customizing a nerf Firestrike into a Mass Effect pistol for my girlfriend's Kasumi Goto cosplay and see how I do with it before moving on to something bigger.

I might. I plan on handing off the master helmet to my girlfriend once I'm done with figuring out how to make a mother mold. I also played with the idea of helping her make her own build too, so endless options.

Been absent for a while working on my projects, including fiction and again, cosplay and prop making. Thought I'd make my return and show off a few of my accomplishments. UNSC MARINE BUILD I ran out of time with this and ultimately decided upon just dealing with the helmet and chestplate for when I attended ACEN 2014 in Rosemont. I liked how it turned out, seeing as most people who approached me knew exactly what I was supposed to be, and in my opinion that's what matters. You don't have to be 100% perfect the first time through. People just have to appreaciate it, and making it yourself is satisfying enough as it is. Without further adeu... Day one: I get oggled by Korean tourists. It must be a cultural thing. Also, that's rain atop my helm. I foolishly didn't hit my helmet with a coating of clear coat to seal in the paint. Don't make the same mistake I did. It didn't damage the paint, but it did take it a while to clear off the rain properly. The weapon's not mine, it belongs to the Spartan in the photo with me. I'm not entirely sure what her exact materials are, but I know for a fact the framework for the sniper rifle was build up from a nerf gun of some kind. Possibly a Nerf Recon, not sure. There are definite parts that I can tell are cardboard, like the flash hider at the end of the barrel. It goes to show, you can make a prop weapon for dirt cheap if you're motivated. Lucked in on my romantic interest...and photobombed by Tony Stark. In the words of this awesome Colonial Marine beside me, "Space Marine then; Space Marine now..." This was just some kind of great irony. "Hail to the King, baby." ODST Work In Progress This time around I decided to try out EVA foam for my materials rather than pepakura. DaFrontlineTrooper, otherwise known properly as Andrew Cook, has a lot of helpful tutorials on youtube that have walked undoubtedly dozens of fans through making their own builds. I myself am almost halfway done with my outfit and even start painting someone of the main components. The work time thus far has only taken me about a week collectively. EVA foam is a lot less labor intensive but takes a bit of patience, sharp knives, and some steady hands. Also, good brand hot glue is a must. Here goes. Sorry I don't have my girlfriend's shiny camera to help out, so my BlackBerry had to do the trick (work with what ya got, right?) I propped it up beside some of the leg and waist plates. Also ,yes, that's a recon helmet. That's a project that I'm not sure is going to be as good as I hope, but I'm figuring out how the visor installation is going to work. Not quite happy how the shoulder turned out. I never did like the Halo 3: ODST design, much preferred the smoother Halo 3 variant... But it does look cool when put into perspective. Also, that abdomen piece looks like crap so I may or may not replace it since it's the best that I managed of that piece after mutliple attempts. Just remember the words "Screw it; it's good enough." And that being said, it just might get the point across. (BTW compression shirts like the one above...really don't leave much to the imagination. Use at your own risk.)

NICE. I'm working on an ODST build myself, was just about to put it up too. Looking good. It may not be finished but I can definitely identify it as a Mark VI from Halo 3's setup.

Well, OP, if your goal was to prove Bacon Shelf wrong, then it seems you're off to a bad start and he knows it. How does that make you feel now?

Anyone?

Not bad. I'm no expert on armor making--I only just picked up the pepakura habit--but I'd say maybe some more bondo and sanding. The helmet looks great save for some rough edges.

Okay...so where do we begin?

[There's really no point in ending it, but since not everyone seems to understand that, there's no point in even trying. Seriously, guys, it would've worked and kept going if you just stuck with it.]

[i can't blame you this time, Bacon. RPs seem to be short lived on this site, but I'd like to know your reasoning this time around.] IC: In short, the walk back to the Pelican was quicker this time. One less Elite standing in their way, neither Vivian nor Eric had to stop for a kill. Lo and behold, the dropship was still there. By now, between the group's difficulty keeping warm and the idleness of the craft, Vivian began to question if it were operable at all. The idea of mechanical trouble on the only evacuation vehicle in sight felt like a punch in the gut as she stepped in again, killing her excitement of being rescued. "Is everyone alright?" she asked, glancing over a few of the occupents, Ashley especially.

[i'm sure we can stumble upon him sooner or later. I'm gonna have Vivan start to evac with Eric, so if you want to intercept them, feel free.] "That should be enough," the Specialist said, stuffing a final stack of gauze rolls into a makeshift first aid bag. She slung the bag at her hip, using its weight and momentum swing herself around for the door. Eric gave her the slightest nod then lead the way through the hall with his sidearm raised to eye level, sweeping every inch as they moved with grace and speed back the way they came.

Surprised, Vivian raised a brow at Eric's comment. "I thought you were a Helljumper," she said, taking her eyes away from him and back to her path. "I figured you'd be the one teaching me how to shoot." She dismissed the subject once she saw the flickering lights of the medlab. It seemed that whatever had plowed through the base had left Storm's prioritied dispersed well enough away from the more essential parts of the base. She put her shoulder to the doorway, peered in, and waved the all clear to Eric. For her first time in a leadership type position, she felt fairly confident. All that time she spent observing others in command of squads was starting to pay off. Inside, the lights flickered until they gave out a steady glow. It was still a little dim, brighter in some areas, but she felt safe enough to navigate the infirmiry. "I spent a lot of time here playing PA, even though we don't really have physicians--just field surgeons." Off to the right, she slung her rifle over her chest and pried open a cabinet. Inside were neatly arranged drawers of various equipment, though mostly items for light trauma cases; instant hot and cold packets, in addition to soft gauze rolls, elastic bandages and some relief gel. She grabbed all that she could, stuffing it into a plastic garbage bag. "See if you can find any saline," she said, "might be labeled as 'sterile water.' We can use it for your injured friend back at the pelican. Grab some tournequttes too, and IV tubing. Maybe some medi--" she stopped herself, waving a dismissive hand. "Just grab whatever you can find."

Vivian pulled the MA5C's magazine, glanced the rounds over, then slapped it in with a fresh click. The weapon's topside display accomodated her with an azure 32, indicative of a full magazine. When the man, seemingly an ODST, claimed he wasn't proficient with the weapon, she was about to ask why he was carrying it in the first place, but that's when he referred to her as "sir." Her mouth opened to speak, but all that came out was an apathetic, "Yeah..." With that, she turned about, doing a double-take and snatching of the Pelican's first aid kits before she leapt off the back. Again, the cold nipped at her skin, so she made it an effort in getting back inside, her ad hoc partner close behind as she dug through weather's obstacles. Their jog left a cloud of dusty snow in their wake, and as they reentered the base, a wave of inside heat nearly knocked her over thanks to the difference in air pressure. Past the first door, she swept left to right with her MA5 as she cut across to the other side of the room in a diagonal. She braced her back to the wall, one foot paralleled to the door and a hand over the control panel. She bobbed her head at the ODST, counting down silently, down to three. Her palm smacked the controls, the door parted with a hiss. Months of training kicked in as she pushed off of her back foor, swinging herself around the corner with the rifle raised. Reflex was everything when it came to breaching, and as she moved in, she was thankful to have taken boot camp seriously. A lone Sangheili Ranger was skulking the hallway. She had him dead to rights, but that didn't matter; he too knew he was threatened. Before he could swing himself around and even raise his plasma repeater, Vivian had cut loose with a full spray of 7.62 NATO. His shields warped and twisted, expanding like an overfilled neon balloon until it burst with an electric pop. She eased off the trigger once to appropriate another shot. The break in fire allowed her eyes to readjust in the dim light. The Elite stumbled back once, jarred by the shield failure, but raised his weapon again. Nyro didn't wait, pulling the slack on her trigger until it let out another roar of FMJ. The rounds sparked through its armor, streams of blood spraying out as it twitched and fell backwards. Scanning for anymore threats, her eyes flicked back and forth, once at her MA5 display--17, it read. "Clear," she muttered, moving forward.

Just as Vivian stepped out to the open air, cold began to bite at her face. Instictively, she raised a gloved hand, shielding her exposed face from the cold, cursing herself for not keeping her scarf handy. It was the one other thing that her captors took from her, aside from...well everything else but her armor. She made it into Pelican, casually stepping by the surrounding personnel all of them Spartans. She tilted her head up to look one of them in the visor. She was about to speak when a voice caught her attention. "There has to be something we can use to keep warm," a man said, standing out from the group, mainly due to his lack of MJOLNIR bulk. "There should be some instant-hot packs in medlab. I can take us there. Otherwise," she shrugged, "you could always use your flameless ration heaters." With that, she moved further in, glancing around, taking stock of the situation she was in. She wanted to get out of there, but despite this she didn't take a seat just yet. "Got any spare weapons? They took mine."

With the turn of events unfolding at an alarming speed, Vivian seemingly had no choice but to run from the mayhem. Unarmed, she wasn't much use to anyone who wasn't wounded and outside of an active combat zone. When one barked an order to another to evacuate everyone, she followed the first person out, this "Mal." After a while, she lost track of him. Glancing down one end of the corridor, she saw blackness, save for a few flickering emergency lights, and at the other end she saw an exit to the flight pads. "Sh**..." she muttered, torn between trying to find and assist her rescuers and evacuating. As far as she knew, this was a rescue operation, thus she was their objective. The last thing she needed was to compromise them by returning to the danger. She let out a heavy sigh and exited the base, hoping that said Pelican was nearby.

Vivian had been scrambling now, looking for something, anything that might help her escape. The Covenant hadn't underestimated the UNSC base they captured, seemingly knowing best where to place a holding area. The shots were coming closer, and if the Covenant were pinned in a corner, she wouldn't want to be their leverage out of the bind. Suddenly a handful of shots rang out in quick succession, scraping and crackling against her cell's shield wall. She spun around, ducking low, only to see a figure on the opposite side of the bright glow. It was definitely human, but rather tall, built stockily with its heavy armor. Spartan, she mused. She straightened out, raising a brow. "I think 'hello' would'ved worked. You're not alone are you?"

Commotion in the base started to pick up. Vivian's meditative escapism was broken by the sounds of Elites barking orders to subordinates, followed by a stampede of Grunts, Jackals and their ilk. Even the set of Sangheili sentries seemed to veer away from their duties, convinced that the remaining UNSC prisoners weren't going anywhere. Nyro took this as a window of opportunity, rising off of the ground, sweeping up her boots and then pacing to her neatly folded armor. She hefted the vest, then the covers for her extremities. The aliens had taken her CH252 helmet, laughing as they did when she was captured, as though it brought dishonor to her namesake. She only smiled at the attempt. While she felt less protected than before, she had enough excuse to let her hair sway, tying it back in a ponytail. She rested a palm against the energy wall, feeling it hum through her glove. It'd take some thinking to get out. She only hoped that whoever was raising hell outside was okay with keeping it up for a while.