cosplay
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Hitting the Books: How 3D printing helped make cosplay costumes even more accurate
In "Cosplay: A History," Andrew Liptak explores the theatrical origins of the craft and its evolution from costuming enthusiasm to full-fledged fandom -- as well as how advances in technology have impacted the cosplay community.
Virtual 'Minecraft' convention Minecon Earth returns September 29th
Minecon is returning to a livestream near you. On September 29th, the virtual fan convention will broadcast a 90-minute show featuring panels, a costume contest and news. To participate in the first two, you just need to fill out an application form and submit photos, respectively, and if the judging committee is impressed with your ideas, you could get flown to the filming location and be a part of the show.
World's largest game expo tightens security following violence
Germany has been hit by a string of mass violence as of late, and the effect of those tragedies is about to spill over to the gaming community. The organizers behind Gamescom, the world's largest gaming trade show, have introduced tighter security measures that will definitely be noticeable if you make it out to Cologne for the event. They're banning not only weapon replicas, but "weapon-like items" -- like it or not, your Deadpool or Harley Quinn cosplay will have to go without armaments. Even exhibitors will have to label any vaguely threatening props to avoid raising alarm bells.
Recommended Reading: A look at what music does to your brain
The Surprising Science Behind What Music Does to Our Brains Belle Beth Cooper, Fast Company You probably enjoy listening to music while you're in the office, at the gym or to relax in the evening. But did you know just how much playing some tunes affects your brain? Fast Company dives into the science behind what music does for your creativity and overall mindset.
ICYMI: Brightest X-ray laser, 3D printing cartilage and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-741239{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-741239, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-741239{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-741239").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Stanford's National Accelerator Laboratory is upgrading a laser beam to make it the brightest X-ray laser in the world, enabling all sorts of as-yet unseen science. Popular Chinese phone maker Xiaomi makes a ceramic-backed phone that appears to be near indestructible. And medical researchers are using patient-derived, stem-cell cartilage to repair joints by 3D-drawing them when doing surgery, rather than harvest existing cartilage from elsewhere on the body. We'd also like to share this video of the cutest little BB-8 cosplay artist. As always, please share any great tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Dear Veronica: Become a cosplay master!
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-238240{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-238240, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-238240{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-238240").style.display="none";}catch(e){} I start this episode with a little rant about some Apple rumors that have been circulating about: I'm pro-headphone jack, though many Apple fans out there seem to disagree with me. Insanity, I tell you! However, my friend Bill Doran lightens the mood a bit with some tips for making your own cosplay! In my opinion, he's one of the most creative guys out there in that world, and you can't have a better teacher. He even made me look cool! Finally, I give you a little tutorial for adding people on Snapchat. Specifically, I cover searching for people's names, but you can also add new friends by taking a photo of their Snapcode (the QR-code like image in your profile) or by using location to find people in your immediate area. I will shamelessly use this opportunity to link you to my account (open on mobile), in case you'd like to add me there! ;) Keep sending those questions in using the hashtag #DearVeronica! Subscribe in iTunes, RSS or YouTube!
Capcom is making a light-up 'Mega Man' helmet
Want to up the ante on your costume for the next big comic convention? Capcom will soon have you covered. The game developer has teased plans for an official, wearable Mega Man helmet that lights up. It won't grant you cybernetic powers, but it definitely looks the part -- combine it with Think Geek's Buster Gun and you'll look like you're ready to take on Dr. Wily. While Capcom hasn't even mentioned a pre-order date, let alone a release date, it could be worth holding out if you're determined to trump other would-be Blue Bombers.
Seven times Kanye West dressed like a 'Final Fantasy' character
Apparently the Kanye West role-playing game, Kanye Quest 3030, contains an eerie hidden area involving a butterfly and a New Age cult called Ascensionism. We know, it's hard to believe that Kanye has a video game. Anyway, this secret game-within-a-game is weird, but it's certainly not surprising considering that, for years now, Kanye has been dressing like characters from one of the most nonsensical video game franchises of all time, Final Fantasy. We've collected a few of Kanye's standout cosplay attempts in the gallery below. Happy Friday, folks.
Play 'Zelda' IRL with this jug-busting, arrow-stopping shield
There are Hylian Shield replicas and then there are Hylian Shield Replicas. The one above fits into the latter and probably could've been used with a certain live-action Netflix series that sadly isn't happening. The team at Baltimore Knife and Sword makes all kinds of armaments for their YouTube series Man at Arms: Reforged, and their latest project is the perennial shield from Nintendo's Legend of Zelda series, along with what NeoGAF posits is a Link to the Past-styled Master Sword. The level of craftsmanship is what separates this gear from what you'd typically see cosplayers brandish at PAX; the Triforce is made of amber and the shield can even withstand a barrage of arrows.
Warcraft wallpaper, costume, art, and comic updates
Another round of new art and updates has been added to Blizzard's official website. This time around, the costume updates are all featuring cosplay from BlizzCon 2013. Mylune makes another appearance, along with some stunning costumes of various tier sets and familiar characters from the franchise. In addition to the costume updates, a new wallpaper has been added to the fan art section. The piece, by Juyoung Oh, is a warlock flanked by a couple of Nightmare steeds and wings that would make Deathwing jealous. And if you're still anxiously awaiting Warlords of Draenor, the concept art gallery has been updated with some new images. There are a few new concept pieces of draenei temples, as well as a pretty stunning piece of Tanaan Jungle lit at various times of day. Rounding it all off is an update to the comic section, appropriately themed for Hallow's End. Take a look at Blizzard's official post for links to all the new updates.
The fun and weird moments of Tokyo Game Show 2014
The annual Tokyo Game Show has just wrapped up, and while there weren't any major console announcements, we still had our fair share of memorable moments on the show floor. On top of trying several different virtual reality demos, we also watched Japanese girls giggle away at a romance simulation booth, and we even bumped into Japanese porn stars without realizing who they were at the time. Check out our list of TGS highlights in the gallery below.
New Warcraft wallpaper, costumes, art and comic updates
Blizzard has put together another giant pile of updates to many of the fan content galleries on the official site this week. Included with this round of updates is a new wallpaper featuring Chen Stormstout, along with a new fan comic. But the highlight of the gallery updates this time around has to be the costume section, featuring a ton of the costumes and cosplay from Gamescom 2014. The attention to detail with all of that armor continually impresses me, and this round of updates features a ton of trolls! I think what excited me the most, however, was the fact that we got a couple of new concept art pieces -- and this time, it's Warlords of Draenor art! Don't get me wrong, I love seeing the Mists of Pandaria concept art, but Draenor is so visually unique on the beta servers that I pretty much figured the concept art for the expansion had to be some amazing stuff. While we only got a couple of pieces this time around, I'm hoping we'll see more added as the weeks go on. Check out Blizzard's official post for links to all of the new additions.
New Warcraft wallpaper, costume, dessert, art and comic updates
Blizzard has put together another gigantic round of updates to many of the fan content galleries on the official site this week. Included with this update is a new wallpaper featuring Grommash Hellscream, a Pandaria-themed cake, another round of Mists of Pandaria concept art, and a new Warcraft fan comic. In addition to all of that, there's another group of images for the costume gallery, including the familiar face shown above. Cosplayer Lyz Brickley made the amazing recreation of everyone's favorite critter enthusiast Mylune for BlizzCon 2011, and we interviewed her about the process shortly after. I think the costume section updates win out as my favorites for this round -- in addition to Mylune, there are several other really well done costumes featured, including an amazing Garona and even someone who chose to cosplay as a Training Dummy, of all things. This is also the first update we've seen to the dessert gallery in quite some time -- I'm hoping that means there are more updates on the way for that particular section as well. Check out Blizzard's official post for links to all of the new additions.
RuneScape celebrates player creativity with Golden Gnome Awards
Nominations have opened for RuneScape's Golden Gnome Awards, the fourth such award ceremony devoted to celebrating player creativity and talent. "We want to continue to recognise all forms of talent, moving beyond just the video making awards given in the past," the team posted. "Whether you're an artist, video maker, cosplayer, or a role model for the community, there's a Golden Gnome out there waiting for you." This year the categories have expanded to award excellence in video and live streaming, art, cosplay, and being a community champion. The latter is an "unsung hero" whom players feel should be recognized for his or her contributions. The Golden Gnome Awards will be given out at the next RuneFest.
Warcraft wallpaper, costume, art, fan art and comic updates
It's been a while since we've seen any updates to the various galleries Blizzard has featured on the World of Warcraft site. Blizzard has just updated its costume and fan art galleries with a handful of new photos from various artists. The costumes are pretty clever, but my personal favorites have to be a really clever training dummy costume, and a checkered box that should be very familiar to anyone who has played on any of the beta servers over the years. In addition to the costume and fan art galleries, there is a new community comic available in the comic gallery, as well as a new wallpaper featuring the Jade Forest rare, Martar the Not-So-Smart. And if that weren't enough, several new images of Mists of Pandaria concept art have also been added to the Blizzard art gallery. I do love the early hozen concept art, but I hope we get to see more of the concept art from Warlords, too. Check out Blizzard's official post for links to all of the new additions.
Anzu cosplay takes first prize at China Joy
The annual China Digital Entertainment Expo, also known as China Joy, is known for its cosplay, and for Blizzard Entertainment's cosplay contest. This year's winner was Zhang Lu, a well-known China Joy cosplayer who has placed in the contest before. Her winning costume is pictured above, an incredible, intricate Raven Lord Anzu. Lu created the costume herself, carving and painting each piece. As part of her prize, she and the runner up Xu Rujunn will be flown to BlizzCon later this year to stand on stage. It's an honor well-earned, because this costume is simply stunning. You can check out more pictures of the costume plus Lu's creation process over here--it's all in Chinese, but the pictures speak for themselves.
Cosplay as Capcom's stars in Dead Rising 3 DLC, available now [Update: Trailer]
Channel the Dead Rising series' zombie-stomping cast and other iconic Capcom characters in an four-player co-op, arcade-flavored piece of downloadable content, available for Dead Rising 3 today. Characters from Capcom's highlights, like Street Fighter's Ryu and Final Fight's Mike Haggar, appeared next to a giant playable block of tofu. In case you were worried about Dead Rising's comical flavor being lost. As for the official name, uh ... Super Ultra Dead Rising 3 Arcade Remix Hyper Edition EX Plus Alpha. Yuuup!
Blizzard highlights Crimson's cosplay
The Heroes of the Storm official site has posted an extensive interview with Singapore-based cosplayer Crimson about his incredible costumes for two iconic heroes from the Diablo series: the demon hunter and Tyrael, master of justice. Crimson and his girlfriend, Angelus, are the organizers behind International Cosplay Day, Singapore, and it's easy to see why. Their costumes are gorgeous, expertly crafted homages to the characters and franchises they love. The interview covers many of the aspects of cosplay you'd expect--how the costumes are designed, the kind of materials used in production, what are the major challenges of bringing a costume to life, as well as advice for aspiring cosplayers. There are some wonderful photos of Crimson's costumes, including a 6-step visual tutorial on the making of El'druin, Tyrael's sword. If you're interested in cosplay and costume construction, check out Crimson's interview.
New costume galleries highlight Blizzard cosplay
Three new galleries have been added to the official website, this time to feature Blizzard costumes. The galleries highlight recently-featured cosplayers in addition to contest winners and honorable mentions for costume contests from the Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo franchises. Although the galleries are a little small for now, more costume photos will apparently be added over time. Each of the galleries show winners all the way back to the first BlizzCon in 2005, so they're well worth the look. It's kind of cool to see how costumes and cosplay in general have progressed over time in terms of materials, construction, and detail. Hopefully we'll see other contestants past added soon as well -- costumes are always one of the coolest parts of BlizzCon, so it's nice to see them finally recognized with galleries of their own.
League of Angels introduces two new angels for official full release
Forget cupids, League of Angels has added two other heavenly beings to its angelic arsenal. Amora and Nyssa join the list of angels players can select to take on their adventures. R2Games also announced that the game is now officially official, noting that all previous releases of the game were still beta. This full release also includes a marriage system and new ranking tables. R2Games also revealed the four cosplayers who will be representing some of the free-to-play game's angels in a live action shots: Maridah, Ginny McQueen, HezaChan, and Riki LeCotey, who plays Riddle in Heroes of Cosplay. Fans who sign up for the official LoA newsletter will see these exclusive shots as well as get further game news and updates. [Source: R2Games press release]
