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KOTOR II - Nihilus Build and Game vs Current (09/2019) CRL Comparison


TeaJay

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On 11/15/2019 at 7:22 PM, DarthValkyria said:

Pleats are the devil, man. At least you're keeping up with it!

They absolutely are! Slow and steady.

 

I've got the rest of the effort laid out on what needs accomplished. I need to get out to Jo Ann Fabrics to pick up some specific 1" black elastic that I apparently cannot purchase at my local AC Moore, Michael's, or Walmart. It will be used to replace the elastic band around the waist of the skirt for some added thickness. The stock one from WA was a bit too thin for my liking and would cause some sliding/lowering of the skirt. A thicker waist band will keep it up on my skinny butt a bit better.

 

I will also be using the same 1" black elastic to "upgrade" the stock WA elastic on the mask.

 

The nearest Jo Ann Fabrics is about 30 minutes from our house and with Thanksgiving fast approaching, I will likely not resume the build until we return from visiting family. So the build will resume at the beginning of December.

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As we all know, Nihilus doesn't speak Basic. So to stay true to the character and keep things immersive, I've recently picked up a "sound glove" loaded with voice lines clips of Nihilus from KOTOR II. This glove kit arrived today and I've already started to modify it. The placement will be around my lower inside forearm and the battery pack, etc. will be concealed in the inside bicep portion of my inner tunic/shirt.

 

I either plan on running the wire to a speaker out of the bottom of the shirt towards my waist hidden by the skirt or out of the neck hole and hidden by the hood/cowl. My goal is to identify which option hides the speaker the most and use that solution.

 

oYHF9Us.jpg

Edited by TeaJay
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The updated remaining To-Do list is:

 

  • Finish trimming outer tunic chest padding to conform to my upper torso.
  • Attach strapping to chest padding to secure its position on my body. 
  • Upgrade stock WA elastics for the waist of the skirt and add sewn velcro.
  • Attach new strapping to mask -- sew velcro onto elastic and glue elastic to inside portion of white mask.
  • Adjust height of cape -- measure and re-hem lower portion of cape to just touch/barely hover while wearing boots.
  • Adjust stock WA cowl/head covering to mimic in-game model. This will need some stitching to be removed and reattached with pinlocks in specific locations.
  • Add velcro to upper head/crown of balaclava and add velcro to the inside of the cowl/head covering to keep the "cat ears/crown" in constant correct position.
  • Re-iron the cape one more time to add subtle pleating.
  • BONUS: Wire up and hide sound board, buttons, and aker speaker for Nihilus' Sith Language -- sample

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19 hours ago, wilson5710 said:

Looking fantastic TJ! Can't wait to see it completed. 

Thank you!

 

I had some time last night to knock out these two items.

 

  • Upgrade stock WA elastics for the waist of the skirt and add sewn velcro.
  • Attach new strapping to mask -- sew velcro onto elastic and glue elastic to inside portion of white mask.

 

Hoping to have this done before end of the year, we'll see. :)

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I've started working on the lower section of the cowl. WA's stock cowl is a great start and I really enjoy the simplicity, yet sharp look of the "cat ears/crown" that comes standard. The one change that needs to be made is the opening of the lower section. The stock solution lays in a more circular pattern based on how it is sewn. Which is very close, but just not as straight and open as I'd like:

 

Nv73StE.png

 

So I've split a center seam and will be adjusting how it lays around the neck area. Here's the initial seam removal, I continued onward for another 2 inches.

 

JPr5pgb.jpg

 

Here's a quick shot of how I want the upper and middle portion of the cowl to lay. The plan will be to tuck and sew/pin these corners into the inner section of the cowl. Once those are positioned, the lower fabric will be bunched into sections and pinned into place (using pinlocks) to mimic the folds in-game.

 

BDDuBa7.jpg

 

Sorry for the slightly blurry photo, it's a bit hard to see in that mask. :) 

 

I still need to do some work on the cape to bring it up off the ground a bit more as well as finish my chest armor that will be attached to the inside of the outer tunic. My goal is to finish this up by the new year.

 

 

Edited by TeaJay
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I've finished adjusting the cape height to just barely miss touching the floor while wearing my boots. Once the cowl updates are completed, I will be ready for the first full test suit-up. During that suit-up, I'll be looking for places to hide an Aker speaker for the voice glove audio.

 

Just a few more things to tackle:

 

  • Adjust stock WA cowl/head covering to mimic in-game model. This will need some stitching to be removed and reattached with pinlocks in specific locations.
  • Re-iron the cape one more time to add subtle pleating.
  • BONUS: Wire up and hide sound board, buttons, and aker speaker
Edited by TeaJay
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Spent 3 hours sewing for the cowl/head covering. Just need to iron everything one more time and try it on. If I'm satisfied with it all, I'll be taking photos to post up. I will be busy with other things the next few days leading up to Christmas. Hoping to have photos around then! :)

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I've just tried on the full costume after making the initial modifications. Based on the first fitting, I've already identified things that need improved or adjusted to keep the costume's components in place while moving around.

 

  • Cowl/head covering rear section needs a way to stay in position to keep the rear of the shirt/cape area hidden. It stay in position quite well, but wind, leaning over, etc. will cause problems.
  • Cowl/head covering front neck opening needs slightly adjusted and likely a way to keep the front in place to reduce it moving around.
  • The black under-mask has managed to get white paint rubbed onto it from the outer white mask. Clean up the white spots and buff the shine the will be reduced due to cleaning.
  • Spray the white mask with a matte clear coat spray (inside edges) to reduce paint rubbing off onto the black under-mask.
  • Adjust the shoulders of the cape and add velcro onto the shirt and bottom of cape to prevent the cape from drooping too far over shoulders. (Test fit shoulder look a little high too)
  • Add additional velcro to waist of skirt so that it can be fitted tighter.
  • Add velcro to front of shirt and inner section of the chest armor foam to prevent it from drooping/sliding down.
  • Simple Suit Up Issue -- Make sure that shirt sleeves do not bunch up when putting on leather gloves to reduce sleeve wrinkling effect.

 

I may think of some other items, but these will need addressed. Once completed I will take new photos. But in the meantime, here's some from the initial fitting....

 

I'm not a huge fan of the "chest armor" you can see it very subtly in this first photo. I will likely need to raise it some, it looks like its on my belly, but that is due to the skirt being too loose and I had to hike it up a bit.

 

H4mKDJb.jpg

 

qpior7i.jpg

uQBnoF8.jpgD8zDyP0.jpg2xFmtgq.jpgHXvltwO.jpgs7EJTNy.jpg 

4ryFOiA.jpgm5HSLXO.jpg0Daoyru.jpg

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I've fixed the shoulders and tightened the elastics around the waist of the skirt. Here's an example of how subtle the chest armor is, when I've taken a breath in and then exhale...

 

GvGnI9J.png

 

WMR9g0h.jpg

Mn3hBIY.jpg

Edited by TeaJay
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Nearing the finish line for submitting photos for this one. Almost 100% happy with the cowl/hood. One last thing I plan to do is add small fishing line weights to each side of the hood to get a more straight/boxy shape on the left and right.

 

Excuse the bad lighting and dirty mirror. Just wanted to take a quick photo to show the layering of the neck portion of the cowl/hood.

 

9Sjc4Vo.jpg

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Alright! Here are my photos that I will be submitting. I'll pass these along to my GML who will coordinate with Nina and the LMOs. Any questions or comments please feel free to provide feedback!

 

FULL ALBUM (Including reference images): https://imgur.com/a/EBBox8A

 

K66ztKH.jpg3NyQkfq.jpg

OuU9o3T.jpgnLHBBDT.jpg

nLHBBDT.jpg1F6few7.jpg

zJqP87T.jpgiBmoEek.jpg

WUIbXOC.jpgjLikBBU.jpg

wGVn074.jpgot7jcrN.jpgDNw1ieW.jpg

 

REFERENCE IMAGES:

 

djvGg1N.jpgJt5lVYD.png

zpStdYQ.pngYWNBNps.pngGNIzCS4.pngBOcn7d1.pngJQ7ZUUo.png4WVAuil.png

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This is an interesting costume to me because there aren't really perfect screen caps available and I think you have put together the best sources in this thread. The screen caps that exist show the low res that we have to work with, and reveal the inconsistencies the game designers programmed into the game. 

 

The Wicked Armor outfit is the best commercially available -- on ebay there are copycats who use the WA photos illegally -- and I believe the WA can and should be approved right out of the box if you have the proper gloves and boots. As an approved Vader, the thought of an approvable costume out of the box for under $500 is astounding. 

 

What you have created here, in my opinion, is what it will take to get to Level III approval.  You will have the most accurate interpretation of the KOTOR II in existence.

 

Local GML's can't approve the KOTOR II, and the CRL is still incomplete.  While I see where you are going with this, I hope the CRL doesn't force mods to the mask and pleats for basic approval.  Your mods and work on this is AMAZING, but doesn't it really create the standard for Level II and Level III? 

 

I've spoken to Rob and Melanie at WA and finally decided on COTF Darth Nihilus after they offered to make one (the web site shows them as sold out).  There are more approved COTF DN's out there, and they only require local GML approval because the CRL is defined. 

 

You are doing groundbreaking work with KOTOR II.  Keep it up! I'm following with extreme interest because my wife may end up with a KOTOR II from WA.

 

Thanks for doing the deep dive on this. Everyone is better off because of your efforts.

 

Dave

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