Team Fortress 2 Cosplay
For Video Games Live last week in our area, I put together three costumes as a set, for Team Fortress 2.
We're all BLU team because I like playing BLU.
Imp is the Scout. This is possibly the easiest outfit to put together, because the props aren't too specific and you can fudge quite a bit. Imp loves to play the Scout in-game and he's darn good at it, since he's got those twitch reflexes. That helps considering I use a trackball which as I understand is not as desirable for these sorts of games.
Scout as he appears in the game:
What I used:
Result:
(I realized after the pix were taken that he's missing his wraps and dogtags. The full costume pictures are farther down in the post)
Scout!Imp spam!
Pixie is the Engineer. :)
Engineer as he appears in the game:
What I used:
The overalls were the hardest part, because overalls in stores are either manly-man sized (like at farm and feed) or bizarrely shorty-shorts (for girls) or toddler sized. We finally had to order some online, making the overalls the single most expensive item in the whole set of three costumes. Fortunately they fit perfectly, which means she'll outgrow them within a year. OTOH, since you tuck them into the boots, maybe she can get more than a year's worth of cosplay out of this. Because after all this effort, we really should hit the cons and show off.
The boots do have some "bling" on them which we could have cut off, but I want her to be able to use them for other occasions. Besides, she's a girl engineer.
There is just not enough room on Pixie's skinny little waist to get another pouch on there, so she gets one that I made to hold the wrench when she doesn't need/want to carry it.
Since a real monkey wrench would be heavy as all get out, and possibly not legal/approved for public events, a foam one (like the bonesaw, below) was a better choice. The wrench was actually made last, after I had cut my teeth on foam implements with the Medic's props. So I have pictures, too!
Printout of approximately the right size for the wrench, which is all black in the game. I then traced the pieces I'd need to make out of foam.
The ruler and cutting mat are from iceraptoress who got them for me last fall when trying to get me into quilting. :P These tools are the bestest thing ever, honestly. These and a good set of exacto knife blades and I was good to go.
Various pieces of foam hot-glued together.
Side view - two thicknesses for the handle, and more for the top parts. (Also see my MST3K mousepad up there - this was taken at my desk at home, where I actually have a desk with my desktop, and the work laptop there, and the mousepad is for the work mouse)
Partially assembled wrench on top of the printed image. So far, so good!
Handle with thumbtacks for rivets.
The bolt was going to be the hardest part - a real, metal, bolt would stress the foam construction, but trying to cut a round item out of flat foam... Fortunately for me, I know someone with a 3-D printer, and they made me two black bolts and one orange one (why orange? you tell me!).
Some more foam pieces to anchor the bolt in place and we're good to go! It's a little thicker than the in-game model, but honestly, I think it came out really nice. The thumbtacks should be painted black, but I like the silver look.
Result:
Pixie assembled the kneepads and glove herself. She decided on braids.
I went as the Medic, which I like to play as and it's probably the one I'm best at, since I can't twitch-game and my aim sucks. :/ Medic has three major props, and I got two of them done. The third is just going to take a while.
Medic's three props are the Medigun (which I didn't get to), the backpack, and the Bonesaw, for that up close and personal killing touch.
Medic in-game with the bonesaw: (note: the bloodstains are after he's been beaten up a bit; they're not a default effect)
Medic's complicated backpack:
What I used:
I owe ENORMOUS debts and thanks to faeriedreamer on DeviantArt for her tutorials. I was making the stuff myself but mine was going to take a lot longer and be heavier (always an issue with cosplay).
The boots were originally purchased as black garden boots for my Mad Scientist costume a couple of years ago, so they're doing double duty. It's not easy to find a low-heeled non-blingy boot in my size at a reasonable price. The labcoat was the expensive item up until those overalls for the Engineer.
The backpack and bonesaw took about 3 full days of work, due to paint drying, etc.
I didn't take any pictures of the creation & assembly process. Sorry.
Result:
(I'm missing my gloves in these pix)
Full team!
I would've liked to take some pictures outside, but it was midafternoon and ninety-blazes degrees out in the shade, so not this time.
We had a lot of requests for photos at VGL, probably because we were a team and also because we put a lot of work into these costumes. :) So here are some pictures Toly took of us at VGL.
Another backpack view:
The Medigun would be really cool, but the Bonesaw is much more portable.
Those pouches are huge! Also, sitting down in a concert chair was really awkward for the backpack (which is removable) and pouches. I have to do a pouch repair before I wear it again. At an actual con, I'd be on my feet a lot more.
Also, I don't know how I would've managed the Medigun and the backpack in a concert chair. Just as well I didn't get the Medigun made in time.
Force-a-Nature, baby!
Buildin' a Sentry!
BLU TEEEEEEAAAAAM!
We're all BLU team because I like playing BLU.
Imp is the Scout. This is possibly the easiest outfit to put together, because the props aren't too specific and you can fudge quite a bit. Imp loves to play the Scout in-game and he's darn good at it, since he's got those twitch reflexes. That helps considering I use a trackball which as I understand is not as desirable for these sorts of games.
Scout as he appears in the game:
What I used:
- black plastic baseball bat (already owned)
- blue T-shirt from Goodwill
- short pants from Goodwill (hemmed up)
- soccer socks
- hand-me-down shoes
- existing black baseball cap, logo painted over with black acrylic paint
- athletic wrap tape for the hands
- sling bag from Goodwill (logos and stuff painted over with black acrylic paint)
- headset - nonworking headset that the telecom guys at work said I could have, with yellow acrylic paint
- can of BONK! soda (printed label glued on a soda can)
Result:
(I realized after the pix were taken that he's missing his wraps and dogtags. The full costume pictures are farther down in the post)
Scout!Imp spam!
Pixie is the Engineer. :)
Engineer as he appears in the game:
What I used:
- foam construction hat from Hobby Lobby
- yellow kitchen glove with aluminum tape accents
- boots from Goodwill
- kneepads - already owned
- blue button-down shirt from Goodwill
- bungee cord from dollar store
- wrench - handmade by me
- belt with pouches - I made the pouch
- overalls
The overalls were the hardest part, because overalls in stores are either manly-man sized (like at farm and feed) or bizarrely shorty-shorts (for girls) or toddler sized. We finally had to order some online, making the overalls the single most expensive item in the whole set of three costumes. Fortunately they fit perfectly, which means she'll outgrow them within a year. OTOH, since you tuck them into the boots, maybe she can get more than a year's worth of cosplay out of this. Because after all this effort, we really should hit the cons and show off.
The boots do have some "bling" on them which we could have cut off, but I want her to be able to use them for other occasions. Besides, she's a girl engineer.
There is just not enough room on Pixie's skinny little waist to get another pouch on there, so she gets one that I made to hold the wrench when she doesn't need/want to carry it.
Since a real monkey wrench would be heavy as all get out, and possibly not legal/approved for public events, a foam one (like the bonesaw, below) was a better choice. The wrench was actually made last, after I had cut my teeth on foam implements with the Medic's props. So I have pictures, too!
Printout of approximately the right size for the wrench, which is all black in the game. I then traced the pieces I'd need to make out of foam.
The ruler and cutting mat are from iceraptoress who got them for me last fall when trying to get me into quilting. :P These tools are the bestest thing ever, honestly. These and a good set of exacto knife blades and I was good to go.
Various pieces of foam hot-glued together.
Side view - two thicknesses for the handle, and more for the top parts. (Also see my MST3K mousepad up there - this was taken at my desk at home, where I actually have a desk with my desktop, and the work laptop there, and the mousepad is for the work mouse)
Partially assembled wrench on top of the printed image. So far, so good!
Handle with thumbtacks for rivets.
The bolt was going to be the hardest part - a real, metal, bolt would stress the foam construction, but trying to cut a round item out of flat foam... Fortunately for me, I know someone with a 3-D printer, and they made me two black bolts and one orange one (why orange? you tell me!).
Some more foam pieces to anchor the bolt in place and we're good to go! It's a little thicker than the in-game model, but honestly, I think it came out really nice. The thumbtacks should be painted black, but I like the silver look.
Result:
Pixie assembled the kneepads and glove herself. She decided on braids.
I went as the Medic, which I like to play as and it's probably the one I'm best at, since I can't twitch-game and my aim sucks. :/ Medic has three major props, and I got two of them done. The third is just going to take a while.
Medic's three props are the Medigun (which I didn't get to), the backpack, and the Bonesaw, for that up close and personal killing touch.
Medic in-game with the bonesaw: (note: the bloodstains are after he's been beaten up a bit; they're not a default effect)
Medic's complicated backpack:
What I used:
- blue labcoat from JC Penney
- blue tie, already owned
- white button down shirt, already owned
- black pants, already owned
- black boots, already owned
- exterior belt, already owned
- blue dish gloves, valve and tubing from Ace Hardware
- prop "where's Waldo" glasses from Amazon
- tons of fun foam
- black acrylic paint, thumbtacks, silver spray paint, gesso, white acrylic paint, blue acrylic paint
- lots of cardboard, toilet paper tubes, itty bitty craft boxes
- empty 2 liter soda bottle
- corks
- hot glue gun and glue sticks
I owe ENORMOUS debts and thanks to faeriedreamer on DeviantArt for her tutorials. I was making the stuff myself but mine was going to take a lot longer and be heavier (always an issue with cosplay).
The boots were originally purchased as black garden boots for my Mad Scientist costume a couple of years ago, so they're doing double duty. It's not easy to find a low-heeled non-blingy boot in my size at a reasonable price. The labcoat was the expensive item up until those overalls for the Engineer.
The backpack and bonesaw took about 3 full days of work, due to paint drying, etc.
I didn't take any pictures of the creation & assembly process. Sorry.
Result:
(I'm missing my gloves in these pix)
Full team!
I would've liked to take some pictures outside, but it was midafternoon and ninety-blazes degrees out in the shade, so not this time.
We had a lot of requests for photos at VGL, probably because we were a team and also because we put a lot of work into these costumes. :) So here are some pictures Toly took of us at VGL.
Another backpack view:
The Medigun would be really cool, but the Bonesaw is much more portable.
Those pouches are huge! Also, sitting down in a concert chair was really awkward for the backpack (which is removable) and pouches. I have to do a pouch repair before I wear it again. At an actual con, I'd be on my feet a lot more.
Also, I don't know how I would've managed the Medigun and the backpack in a concert chair. Just as well I didn't get the Medigun made in time.
Force-a-Nature, baby!
Buildin' a Sentry!
BLU TEEEEEEAAAAAM!