Winter Update 1

Its been quite a while since the last update.  I’ve been working on the costume, but its been slow.  It is so freaking cold here and my workspace is not heated at the moment, so progress has been minor.

I have had to go back and redo or redesign several things:
the tank backpack is now going to have to be worked into the structure of the helmet. No way to wear the helmet and a pack frame at the same time.
the tanks will be used for battery storage.
I will be building the drill arm.
LEDs and lots of them.
My Little Sister is now shorter (still headless, but I’m carving on that).

One of the main things that I can do in the cold is work on the costume’s soundtrack.  I did find a better speaker solution that my original one and did a rework on the tank that will hold the speaker.  Pictures will be coming on that soon.  But back to the soundtrack.

I found several programs that would allow me to basically rip the audio from the BioShock PC game, which has been great.  I had all the various musical soundtracks, but having the actual Big Daddy groans and the Little Sister dialogs is perfect.  The quality of the audio is great too.  I originally created one 20 minute long track.  It was good, but not great.  I went back and decided to make several new tracks, breaking them up by theme.  I’ve created a track for:
Finding an angel
Fun and giggles
Creepy
Frightened – Being hunted
Sleepy
Take a picture

I can cue up all these in one playlist and just let the iPod play through, and I can also skip back and forth now depending on the interaction with people at the moment.  Personally, I think having the music and sound effects from the game are adding a whole new dimension to the costume, especially if I can continue to work it in very inconspicuously.

I’ve got on order right now a ton of LED lights for the costume as well.  I’ve worked out most of how I will be lighting the face mask, diving lights, and my Little Sister’s eyes.  Just going to be a lot of soldering.  I’ll be using the tanks to hold batteries for power.  I say batteries because, just to be safe, I will carry a primary and a spare.  I was trying to avoid having to do the LED work, but I’ve gone this far into it, I might as well go all the way.  I will be able to switch between the yellow (passive/calm) and red (angry/hurt) lighting now that I am doing it myself.

I have also started thinking about how we’re going to travel this monster to Atlanta and get it in the hotel easily.  I’m afraid I will end up having to make a custom crate for this monster.  If I do, it will be padded heavily and marked fragile.  I’m already looking forward to the looks we’ll get coming out of the elevator at night with me in nearly full costume.  I may have to warn the hotel staff.  Not sure.

I know this has been a boring/no pictures update, but better ones are coming.  It is supposed to be warm this weekend, so here’s hoping that I can get a lot done.