NVSE's Starkiller: Desert Survival Gear

[NVSE]

Hi all, I've been working on this one on and off since July. Just making this post to document the journey, and get advice where needed and help people with their own DSG kit.

Will also add my reference pictures for anyone needing them.

Uploading whatever I model for this to my Thingiverse

DSG Starkiller 3D Model You'll need to make an account to view it in 3D.

 

List of items:

 

Helmet: Done! 

Braid: Done!

Scarf/Neck Wrap: Done!

Tunic, Skirt: Done!

Gloves & Arm Wrappings: Done!

Claws: Done!

Arm Spike: Done!

Bandoliers: Done! I am however looking to upgrade it to full leather instead of faux. Will reach out to the local 501st leatherworker to see if they could possibly make it in the future.

Waist Sash with accessories: Done!

Pants: Done!

Boots: Done! 

Lightsaber: I'm currently rocking no lightsaber, I have however 3d printed one so I can attach it to the waist sash like in the game. I'll be purchasing a metal version that I can use in the future.

 

References for paint & alignment.

I can post them full size if anyone needs them. Resized them so it wouldn't take up a whole page.

References Helmet:

 

 

References Waist Sash:

 

 

References Boots:

There's another strap at the top.

 

 

I'll add more if I do get some more reference pictures. Thanks for reading!

 

Edited March 30 by NVSE

[NVSE]

Helmet progress so far, sorry for the horrible camera quality:

 

 

Claws, lots of sanding and filling ahead:

 

I'll get some proper pictures of everything I have as soon as I'm back home!

Edited August 24, 2023 by NVSE
Added last paragraph

[RedSabersFr]

Hello superb.
I wanted to do it too. Did you buy the headset plan?
The helmet is in one block?

Edited August 24, 2023 by RedSabersFr

[NVSE]

19 hours ago, RedSabersFr said:

Hello superb.
I wanted to do it too. Did you buy the helmet plan?

No, I didn't and it wasn't in 1 piece. I took a Sith Stalker helmet off of Thingiverse for free and made some changes to it to look more accurate then sliced it into 4 pieces and printed them one by one. I'll be happy to post the helmet file with the changes made to it if it's possible on here when I'm home!

 

Edited August 25, 2023 by NVSE
Clarification

[Naasad Tal]

Awesome work so far! This one is on my list to do as well, but I need to finish my Heavy Training Gear first

[NVSE]

Hey guys, happy New Year and Christmas in advance! Placed the project aside for a little bit but slowly getting back on it. Updated the list! Currently working on the finishing up the claws. Heard a lot of good things about wood filler + acetone mixture to make it smooth, tried it and it honestly works wonders. I'll get some pictures of the finished product whenever they're done. I also figured out the correct saber placement on the belt, but the Kazdan Paratus saber accidentally snapped in half somehow during a test fit. Also received my XenoPixel board to put into the saber!

[NVSE]

Hey all, I've been looking around for glove alternatives but am unable to find ones that look remotely like the ones on the CRL. I originally went for olive satin gloves but they dont really look like the ones on there. Does anyone know which ones are used, or something that can point me in the right direction?

 

On a more positive note, I've recently gotten game accurate finger blades files that'll replace my current ones.

[Naasad Tal]

Looking at the reference pic again, the bunched end near the elbow made think of these gloves (see pic). I can't post the link, but if you go to Amazon and search "Chemical Resistant Gloves", you will find several to choose from (including green ones)

 

Unfortunately, the CRLs don't give any specific info on what gloves are actually used for this costume, but the ones above look pretty close and they might give you a jumping off point.

 

Hopefully this helps!

Edited January 14, 2024 by Naasad Tal

[NVSE]

Hey all, I've got a little bit of progress to share.

 

Back in December I've gotten new finger blade files from MysteryMaker, it's a pretty big difference quality wise compared to my old ones, so I've printed them and am in the progress of sanding and filling. (Top old, bottom new.)

 

There has also been helmet progress. Still a lot of sanding and filling ahead, but it's getting there!

 

For the gloves I've decided to go with thin long elastic satin ones, my hands are on the smaller side so rubber gloves would just look too big. They came in a lighter color than I wished for but I can make it darker. I wrapped around a piece of velcro at the top and sewed a couple pieces on on the inside of my tunic to keep them up.

I also picked up black fabric that I'll sew on in certain spots so I can cut out parts of the green glove to reveal the robotic hand with.

 

As for the tunic, I've lost some weight in the time that I've made it and now: so I'll have to make some adjustments to make it fit better.

 

I've also been making minor adjustments to the sash so it looks like the positioning in-game, and I've been working on the saber trophies. Managed to snap my Kato saber in half while I was going over it with a handpalm sander, so I've decided to model another one without the flaws of other one & printed it with a lot higher infill percentage.

 

Going to be working on all of it a lot more since there's a local comic con coming up next month that I want to wear this to.

[NVSE]

Lightsaber printed and ready to be sanded and filled. Depending on what will look best, will most likely change the position of the piece it'll hang from from the waist sash. In the CRL it states that it needs to be attached via a covertec wheel, but the way my sash is built it wont be possible to. I'll most likely have to attach it via a tiny hook or a small carabiner.

 

Edited March 12, 2024 by NVSE

[NVSE]

Tunic & skirt weathered, just needs the tusken spikes on it. Will most likely make it darker at the part where the tunic and skirt meet, will see how dark the sash gets. Might also add a bit more weathering on the tunic.

[NVSE]

Updated my progression list, going to my local comic con tomorrow with this costume and hoping to get some proper pictures there, will also meet up with the local 501st garrison for feedback.

I'll post all of the progress what and hows tomorrow after the con or the day after if I'm exhausted tomorrow!

 

A little sneakpeak:

[NVSE]

Hey all. went to my local con on Saturday. The kit held fairly well together. Couple of headspikes snapped off, thermal detonators fell off and bandolier velcro came loose. The rest held up great. Spoke with the 501st leather worker and discussed getting a proper bandolier. Other than that got some good pictures of it.

 

The scarf on the pictures are underneath it, its supposed to be on top so the bandolier attachment methods are hidden; definitely going to use some velcro or something to keep it in place in the future.

Tunic sleeves will definitely have to be more up, arm spike will need a better attachment method to keep it in place. Might also just attach the waist sash to the tunic. I'll also definitely look into adding some sintra or something to my shoulders to get them wider. Tunic definitely also needs some weathering. Will also redo the dried up blood on the helmet with a darker paint.

 

Missing the arm tubes and hand robotics still, will be one of the first things I'll add.

 

 

 

Any other changes that you guys see that'll need to happen that I haven't summed up?

Still a lot of work ahead!

 

Will also try posting more info on helmet paints and such this week or next week for anyone trying to get the same finish as myself.

 

Thanks for reading and thanks in advance!

 

 

Edited April 8, 2024 by NVSE

[Naasad Tal]

Sorry for the delayed response...looks like you had a perfect first outing and sorted out some issues. One thing I would suggest would be a coffee/tea soak to darken your lighter fabrics, right now they look a little too on the "white" side of tan. You want everything to look more like the wraps on your helmet. Great start though and glad it survived your first con!

[NVSE]

Hey everyone, I'm back from a little break. I did work on my helmet a tiny bit, the tusken spikes on top of the helmet I painted metal, I also added the hair braid.

 

Also about time I posted about paints:

Helmet:

-Tan: The Army Painter: Colour Primer Skeleton bone.

-Metal parts: The Army Painter: Warpaints: Gun Metal

-Dried blood: Just a random /brown/ I had laying around.

After everything was painted I went over it with a heavy black wash.

 

Finger blades, Arm Spike:

Both were done with Spectrum Silver, with the arm spike I applied a heavy black wash over it.

 

As for my future plans:

1. Hand robotics, and tube.

2. Combine the tunic and shirt, I really don't see any signs on the actual in-game model that they're separate. The color is just a little different.

 

3. I'm also still planning on getting a proper bandolier sometime in the future, or making a new more accurate one myself, the last one was rather rushed since I wanted one for the con.

4. I'm also planning on seeing if I can add a tiny bit of a greenish tint to the metal parts on the helmet as seen in-game.

 

I'm hoping I can complete all of the above by the next con in April! We'll see how it goes!

 

On 8/5/2024 at 6:45 PM, Naasad Tal said:

Sorry for the delayed response...looks like you had a perfect first outing and sorted out some issues. One thing I would suggest would be a coffee/tea soak to darken your lighter fabrics, right now they look a little too on the "white" side of tan. You want everything to look more like the wraps on your helmet. Great start though and glad it survived your first con!

Thank you! You're definitely right, It's way too white right now. I'll try the bath and see how it comes out.

 

[NVSE]

Hi everyone, happy new year!

 

I updated my progression to reflect what I've done so far. I'll be posting pictures as soon as I receive my changed bandolier!

 

What I've done so far:

- Bandolier is getting changed up as we speak to reflect the thinner bandolier in the game.

- Made 'shells' for my arms so I can put on the arms a lot quicker, and that way it stays like it's supposed to.

- Combined the tunic and shirt and weathered it

- Added tubes and hand electronics to right arm

- Remade the belt to reflect the game more, and replaced the belt underneath to an elastic one so it adheres to my body and is a lot easier to put on.

 

What I'm planning to do in the coming days/weeks:

- Better scarf, looking to maybe combine it with the helmet or balaclava directly?

- Rivetting and putting the little metallic rectangles on the pouches

- Weathering the lightsaber trophies, only Starkiller's original lightsaber got the desert weathering in the game, but I think of giving the desert weathering to all the lightsaber trophies.

 

Hoping the bandolier gets finished this week so I can take some proper pictures with it soon!

If I do end up forgetting: there's a con in the beginning of April where'll definitely get some good pictures, talk with my local 501st Garrison and maybe even take my application pictures 😁

[NVSE]

Hi everyone, the pictures are here!

 

 

As you can see the helmet is a bit too big, I hoped that getting a padded shirt would help relieve the effect but sadly not (The pictures above are still without padded shirt). So I started printing a couple of days ago and today a smaller one finally finished! This time it really hugs my head, there's absolutely no space left for fans or my ears really 😆, I'm VERY happy how it looks now, measurement wise. This is personally a very big improvement for me as I wasn't too sure about the helmet in the first place. Here is a V1 and V2 comparison! (With padded shirt)

 

 

I've also weathered the bandages a bit, and added bandages at the top of the arm, but that was after I took the pictures at the top, I haven't had time to take new ones with the small changes 😅

 

In the meantime any feedback on the rest of the outfit, except the helmet and the changes mentioned above?

 

Edited March 21 by NVSE

[NVSE]

Hi everyone, helmet is done! The color I like much more, the front cheek tusks are spot on as well now! I also took some full costume pictures and noticed some changed I need to make

 

 

30

 

One of the changes was the gap between the helmet and the scarf, and the white spot on the scarf.

 

I'm happy to say that both were an extremely easy fix. For the gap I attached a piece of cloth around the inside of the helmet, perfectly connects the helmet to the scarf now! And the white spot on the scarf I just went over it with the dye.

 

 

I'm really proud of how the new helmet turned out, it really can't get smaller in size now, my ears thank me everytime I get out of the helmet😆

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Edited March 27 by NVSE

[NVSE]

Hi everyone, I submitted my costume! I'm really proud of how it turned out. Now we wait for a fix list or potential approval! 😅

 

I did notice that putting on the helmet was a pain in the ass in full costume, I'm looking into attaching the piece of cloth mentioned in my previous post onto my balaclava, I'm unsure of how the neck spacing would look though, so might just give that a try so putting the helmet on is easier!

 

 

The next time I post will probably be after I hear back from the GML! Wishing myself good luck 😆

[Naasad Tal]

That looks great!!

[NVSE]

Hi everyone!

Con has passed, GML looked at the costume from close up and pointed out some changes I need to make! Which I did as soon as I came home 😁

The only changes were: A more intense blood drip under the eye and the sections on the braid.

 

 Pictures from the changes:

 

 

Submitted these today, with some CRL inconsistencies that were also pointed out!

 

And now some con pics:

[Starkiller]

(Palpatine here) Love this pic of you kneeling before me! Was cool seeing a Desert Starkiller IRL

[NVSE]

On 4/8/2025 at 5:58 PM, Starkiller said:

(Palpatine here) Love this pic of you kneeling before me! Was cool seeing a Desert Starkiller IRL

A bit late but thank you!! One of my favourite pictures! I can't imagine how hot it must've been in the costume 😆

[Starkiller]

You can't even imagine indeed 😆
But it was ok once we were outside tbh

We must suffer to be beautiful

[NVSE]

Hi everyone, heard back from my GML yesterday!

 

The only changes that I need to make are:

- Gloves need to be darker or weathered.

- The arm spike needs to extend over the elbow.

 

Decided to just make a new spike instead, so the sizing is a bit more accurate to the game with the requested change.

New vs old

 

While looking at the in-game model I discovered that the spike is attached via solid ( shaped piece at the bottom of the spike, exactly like the Sith Stalker arm spike, so that's what I'll be doing as well.

This makes it so much easier, I can just attach this to the arm shells I use, so I don't have to mess with velcro anymore and get the perfect placement every time 🥳

 

 

New colored gloves compared to the game

 

The end is in sight after nearly 2 years!