Sooo...it was 2002 and I drooled over this new version of TM at my friend's house. We established sunday afternoon+night as mandatory to attend long gaming sessions.
The mask...oh that mask..woulnd't it be cool to have one? I spent time on the net on the next years, trying to find one online. Only found a bad version from TM3 or something.
Fast forward 2010, and finally a worthy mask shows up at Ebay. Thing is the value is over $200, a little too much for someone that lives and works in central american country called Costa Rica (just in case...COSTA Rica, not Puerto Rico). By the way, my native language is spanish...this is why you will probably find ug...writing errors around this post.
But then when I wished that same artisan lived in my country..but..what!? We do have such artists here!. There is a place called Barva, where there is a long tradition of mask makers, specialized on big ones used at local parades that involve typical music and traditional festivities. That place is actually located on the same province I live, just 10-15 minutes from my home.
So I print several pictures of Needles mask (both from game pictures and from the good mask offered at Ebay), look for phones and names of maskmakers, call them, visit them, and finally select one based on their work related to the type of mask I wanted.
He showed me a test made on modelling mud, looked nice except for the eyes that looked inexpressive. I get my hands literally dirty and mold it myself. He agreed and told me he would call when done. The guy took like 2 months to finally deliver to me...probably cause I told him to please not rush the work, so he made the best effort here.
Mask did not have any straps, as he told me he would not do that, but only the mask. So I got myself like 6 kids belts, cut them accordingly...but had no nice way to attach them to mask. Luckily I remembered that close to my place there is a small store dedicated to leather and stuff...and they helped me to put some rivets to the straps. Then the pieces of hair at the sides: bought some stuff from a store that sells things to make collars and fantasy jewelry.
With all that ready, this is the result:
Cool I thought...now I need more!.
The pants: again, I am lucky enough that there is a lady with a costume-making store, mostly for children; I described to her about the pants, she agreed she could make one.
Shirt?: I am a skinny guy, unlike Needles buff body. The positive thing is that I have a hairy torso like him...nobody is perfect right? Did not want to go to october parties shirtless...so I got a yellow'ish shirt just like the one Needles is going to use in the new game before he went mad and actually sold ice cream. Sprinkled some red ink for blood. Yeah I know I know, also needs the "Sweet Tooth Ice Cream Treats" patch. Later I might get one.
Torso Leather Straps: same people that helped with the mask straps made those too.
Flaming hair + Plastic machete: use your preferred search engine, lots of those around to buy.
Black Gloves and Boots: already had pair lying around.
Here is the rest of the equipment, all in one picture
Alright. So how does it look on me? This is it, trying to match Needles appearance as best as I could.
Being october and stuff...yesterday went to a party at a nice club. I can say this costume made impact, because 99% of the people were not gamers so have never ever seen it. I was constantly stopped by people (foortunately most of them very good looking girls) for pictures with them.
Too bad they did not where choosing the best outfits, honestly I think I could have gotten at least 2nd place.
Hopefully next year a Dollface, a Preacher, a Grimm and a Calypso will join me. And hopefully we will arrive at the party on a heavily armored Ice Cream Truck...who knows.
I want to thank Mr. David Scott Jaffe, for those of you that do not know him, he is the actual creator of the character, as I never had a better idea for a costume that this. And of course many thanks for the countless entertainment hours right out of the games he has helped create.
A very honest mofo, the gaming community needs more of his kind.
If you like games, don't forget to get the new Twisted Metal that launches on feb 14 2012...It is gonna be a blast, for years to come.
The mask...oh that mask..woulnd't it be cool to have one? I spent time on the net on the next years, trying to find one online. Only found a bad version from TM3 or something.
Fast forward 2010, and finally a worthy mask shows up at Ebay. Thing is the value is over $200, a little too much for someone that lives and works in central american country called Costa Rica (just in case...COSTA Rica, not Puerto Rico). By the way, my native language is spanish...this is why you will probably find ug...writing errors around this post.
But then when I wished that same artisan lived in my country..but..what!? We do have such artists here!. There is a place called Barva, where there is a long tradition of mask makers, specialized on big ones used at local parades that involve typical music and traditional festivities. That place is actually located on the same province I live, just 10-15 minutes from my home.
So I print several pictures of Needles mask (both from game pictures and from the good mask offered at Ebay), look for phones and names of maskmakers, call them, visit them, and finally select one based on their work related to the type of mask I wanted.
He showed me a test made on modelling mud, looked nice except for the eyes that looked inexpressive. I get my hands literally dirty and mold it myself. He agreed and told me he would call when done. The guy took like 2 months to finally deliver to me...probably cause I told him to please not rush the work, so he made the best effort here.
Mask did not have any straps, as he told me he would not do that, but only the mask. So I got myself like 6 kids belts, cut them accordingly...but had no nice way to attach them to mask. Luckily I remembered that close to my place there is a small store dedicated to leather and stuff...and they helped me to put some rivets to the straps. Then the pieces of hair at the sides: bought some stuff from a store that sells things to make collars and fantasy jewelry.
With all that ready, this is the result:
Cool I thought...now I need more!.
The pants: again, I am lucky enough that there is a lady with a costume-making store, mostly for children; I described to her about the pants, she agreed she could make one.
Shirt?: I am a skinny guy, unlike Needles buff body. The positive thing is that I have a hairy torso like him...nobody is perfect right? Did not want to go to october parties shirtless...so I got a yellow'ish shirt just like the one Needles is going to use in the new game before he went mad and actually sold ice cream. Sprinkled some red ink for blood. Yeah I know I know, also needs the "Sweet Tooth Ice Cream Treats" patch. Later I might get one.
Torso Leather Straps: same people that helped with the mask straps made those too.
Flaming hair + Plastic machete: use your preferred search engine, lots of those around to buy.
Black Gloves and Boots: already had pair lying around.
Here is the rest of the equipment, all in one picture
Alright. So how does it look on me? This is it, trying to match Needles appearance as best as I could.
Being october and stuff...yesterday went to a party at a nice club. I can say this costume made impact, because 99% of the people were not gamers so have never ever seen it. I was constantly stopped by people (foortunately most of them very good looking girls) for pictures with them.
Too bad they did not where choosing the best outfits, honestly I think I could have gotten at least 2nd place.
Hopefully next year a Dollface, a Preacher, a Grimm and a Calypso will join me. And hopefully we will arrive at the party on a heavily armored Ice Cream Truck...who knows.
I want to thank Mr. David Scott Jaffe, for those of you that do not know him, he is the actual creator of the character, as I never had a better idea for a costume that this. And of course many thanks for the countless entertainment hours right out of the games he has helped create.
A very honest mofo, the gaming community needs more of his kind.
If you like games, don't forget to get the new Twisted Metal that launches on feb 14 2012...It is gonna be a blast, for years to come.
