What’s Next–2011 Edition

 

Dragon*Con is now long over.  Doesn’t look like we’ll be able to make GMX in Nashville this year. So what is next for us in the world of geek?

We have already gotten tickets for Dragon*Con 2012.  Yes, we got them about a week after we got back, and for the low price of $60 apiece.  Just wait and see what prices at the door get to this year.

We’re talking about staying at a host hotel this year as an option, but that is still in the talking phase.  Biggest push for that is just making it so much easier to change costumes.  So we either need to stay in  a host hotel, or find someone that is staying in a host hotel that will let us park our costumes there and change.

Speaking of costumes, we have decided on our costumes for next year….mostly.

Melinda will be going as Chell from Portal and Portal 2.

For this I will be building a Portal gun and the Long Fall Boots.  Fortunately, a lot of other people have done these, so I will have a lot of references for help.

Melinda will also be revisiting the Big Sister from Bioshock.  This time with a more durable syringe and a full helmet.

Don’t be surprised either if Alice from Resident Evil happens to make the trip too.

As for me, in sticking with our characters from the same game or at least series, I will be going as Dr. Douglas Rattmann aka RatMan from Portal, Lab Rat (the Portal comic book) and Portal 2.  He is a character that never appears in either game, but has a pretty big impact on the story.

For this one I will be building the Weighted Companion Cube, and designing a way for it to “float” behind me.

I will also be making a version 2 of my Subject Delta. I learned a lot from the first build and I know I can improve it.  Major areas of improvement will be:
Cooling – larger fans that move more air needed.
Scale – actually sticking to the size it needs to be.
Communications – I will be adding some kind of intercom system so that I can hear and speak to the outside world.
Weight – the drill nearly broke my arm.  There has to be a lighter way.

Other than that, my Logan’s Run Sandman will get an updated belt and a repeat wear.

Now, I know me, and I know that these will not just be the projects that I am working on.  As a matter of fact, I already have two lined up just waiting on some time to work them.  To help keep me on track, I did come up with a little planning grid (I’ve been hanging out with too many project managers).  This grid has the major phases of each build including a test fit phase.  Hopefully this will help keep me on track and focused.