berzerker

That's the helmet that was on the main 501st forums around September, isn't it. I so wanted it too. Great get for you. It is one of Rob's MWA helmets and is a great piece. I look forward to your build progress.

Looks great from what can be seen. More pics and some light would help if you want some real valuable feedback.

Not thrilled with the hand. It works but I will be looking to sculpt a better, more accurate right glove that better represents the mechanics/cybernetics in the hand. I've learned a lot in the process and each time it gets better. Next will be a perfect Stalker hand. Need still to wrap the hilt of the saber and add a few spikes to the shoulders. The physics of it has proved a challenge. Lastly, I want to cast all the arm spikes in Silicone. They are presently resin and I have lost 2, one at FanExpo and one at Montreal ComicCon. I can afford the lost piece, it's the exposed screw I can't risk harming someone. Very little recognition of this character but that was expected. When someone does call out "starkiller" or "Sith Stalker" it makes an immediate connection as many of my fellow TFE members likely understand given our choices for the obscure characters. Zero regrets choosing this character.

And some fun me and some friends had the other half of the day as some other Tattooine inhabitants.

So long in the making. Got caught up with commissions and stuff. Anyway. I am approved. Again an SL. Again a member of TFE. Pics from a few weeks ago at Montreal ComicCon.

Thank you. This is far from my first costume so I feel confident in it but do recognize that, as the builder, one can get too close to a project at times and miss things that are sometimes glaringly apparent to others. That is why I am taking the time to post my WIP here. (OK, a WIP also has a vanity element to it as well. Can't deny that.) I am really enjoying this build as it involves many disciplines rather than being a kit with minor alterations. I'll be sharing to the end.

As luck would have it, I'm hosting an armour party and doing a little show-off so here are the latest pics: I like praise but need constructive criticism. Please share your thoughts.

THE HELMET: The helmet was acquired, 2nd hand, from a TFE member. It is one of Robs, MWA, pieces. I love it, but like most things I have a hand in, I wanted to change it up to better suit my ideal look. I scrapped the fabric cap and the side flaps. The sides tended to 'wing out' and look wide. The offered solution was a small elastic to keep them together but I didn't want that exposed so had to come up with something new. I used an existing life cast of my head and did an fg shell over it. Slid the shell into the helmet and secured it in place. Now the helmet fit me perfectly. Cut out space for my ears for comfort. It's really tight in there. Added some leather on the sides as well as a raised element. Then put on the ear caps. I had all the Tusken bits on hand as I am a regular Tusken builder. I guess that's what drew me to this version of the SS. So, with this much done it was display ready for my basement. The Tusken is sooooo happy! Next I had to map out the wraps. How many? Where does each start and end? Tried hard to match the layering as well. When the wraps were on I hated it. The edgy look of the helmet was gone. It was no longer sinister or wicked. Boooooooooo. No pics. The next morning I added 3 colours or weathering and enhancement. It really started to look better. When I placed it on the display with the rest of the costume it really came together and I was happy again. There are some spacing inconsistencies on the forehead that I may or may not address - depends on the LMO response to the submission. Installed a 2-fan, 5V system for air circulation. Super loud so I threw in a potentiometer to turn down the fans and the noise. Very happy with it. Arms are my next and final element.

Speaking of bandoliers... 8 columns of 3 pockets times 2 belts means 48 pockets, each made up of 2 pieces of leather. 96 cut pieces after size was best determined via mock up and templates were created. Belts made. Pockets sewn and glued. Some extras to ensure quality control. Made a mistake on the belts... I assumed two identical belts and made the canisters straps accordingly. As I looked at reference pics it took an instance of saying aloud "cannisters on left shoulder" when looking at the front shot and repeating the same"cannisters on left shoulder" when looking at the back. Only one belt had both sets of cannisters. Not identical at all. Quick fix but mildly embarrassed. Could not emulate the fill of the pockets on the curve of the belt. Trying to match a video game reference can be impossible at times. Did my best.

I used 1/4" sintra and used Darkside501st's pepakura files ( http://www.therpf.com/f79/darkside501st ... ed-137668/ ) I found via google as a template for size and shape. The rings are just electrical conduit in 2 different diameters and a through cut into it to seat the blade. Very easy component of the build but super high impact. I have made over 15 Tusken Raiders that have found home in the costume caches of 501st members so this variant appealed to me. Once I finished the bandoliers I was sure that I'd be able to pull it off.

Claws are done. These have to be the coolest thing ever. Sadly, saber spins are made difficult, particularly the flip to backhand grip.

Not wearing my pants/leg wraps, though they are complete. I am wearing some modest shoulder padding to give an 'amplified' look to my upper body. I will be able to mount some of the spikes into it as well as the two large caribiner style handles on the shoulders. Next project element is the hanging/wearing of all the sabers.

I'm quite far along, just haven't really taken the time for WIP pics and posting. Need the boots - a JDOS purchase. Need to create the arms including the cybernetic/damaged skin right hand/forearm. All else is done.

I have a passions for the creatures of Tattooine and when I saw the Tattooine version of the Sith Stalker in The Force Unleashed's DLC, I knew that, one day, I would be him. Scored one of Rob's helmets and a set of sabers so I got to work. Started with research. Lots of reference pics of Google. Here is my album of pics: http://s837.photobucket.com/user/Berzer ... %20Stalker and some game specific detailed images: and some pre-production images with the skirt layers removed so I could see boot / pant details: Minor differences in the two sets of reference pics. While I have seen some SS:Tattooine costumes out there, I have not seen one that is 501st approved. Hopefully I can change that by May 2014, before our local Con (assuming my JDOS boots arrive by then). I'll be sharing more soon.

Past SL - COTF Nihilus and future Sith Stalker: Tattooine Variant chiming in... Does the canon/non-canon issue make a difference? I ask specifically related the TFU DLC and more specifically, the Tattooine variant of the Sith Stalker referred above by Damien as Lord Starkiller and refrred to directly by Sidious as "my Apprentice." I know the DLC was a 're-imagined' storyline but, in that storyline SS is a "Lord" and as such, should be bestowed the SL designation IMHO.

Last week at FanExpo, SL-2928 and I dressed as Savage Opress and Darth Maul respectively. It was his first wearing of Opress and, as far as I know, the first North American appearance. (now get this man his approval designation) While taking a few pics I decided I wanted to do the iconic boxing poster pose. A local friend, Tim Bacon, saw our pic and made a poster of it. Thanks to Cindy Harper, future Darth Traya, for snapping the pic.

Thea, you rocked this on Saturday's troop. Amazing. FanExpo with you in this, Jody as Savage and me as Maul will be EPIC!!!

Welcome and congrats. You Nihilus looks exceptional. Be warned though, this costume thing can be addictive.

I just had my virgin troop in Nihilus this Sunday past. It went really well but no voice distortion amp this time. In truth, I am rather disappointed in it. I has all the attributes of the highly acclaimed Aker 12W amp (same design and specs but no extra audio in jack) but the speaker in it is just crap. It is rated for 3W but cracks and buzzes. It is clearly underpowered for the amp. I am presently looking to gut the speakers from a laptop. They tend to produce good sound. If they work as I hope then I will build them into my crown. A second issue is that the voice distortion module appears to have a voice activation switch on the motherboard (can't turn it off). Because of this my throat mic won't work with it. I can hide a mike under my mask/blackout but have yet to break one down into it's minimum components to best hide it. Still working out the kinks on this and will post details when I have something to share, good or bad.

As I expected, getting out of the sun eliminated the disparity in shade between your upper and lower garments. My local fabric store has no windows and I have frequently had to ask them to take a bolt of fabric outside to check it against a sample. Looks great.

WIP threads are my favourite reads in all the detachments I visit. Like you, I have tonne of fabric in my skirts. I attached suspenders to them just to keep them in place. Looks like you're close to completion. Can't wait to see your final pics.

Tell me about it. I had to pin the cloak to the shoulders using snaps at 2 points per shoulder. My knot is placed with a rare earth magnet. Having made clone armour (a CGI character that never existed in real life) and now Nihilus (a CGI charater that never really exisited) it is a real challenge to achieve accuracy for the pics and more so to make a costume that you can move in and still looks right 30 minutes into a troop. Your cloak is looking great. My "crown" was different so I'm interested to see other ways to achieve the same result.

That's 2 of us. APPROVED My 2nd SL designation. SL 9223 Darth Nihilus (COTF) Glad to formally be a part of this detachment you've all been welcoming and helpful.

Thanks, If the review is easy it's because of the guidance I've received to date. I'll hit the studs tonight to dull them down.