Cosplay Sensei - Ruby Hearts

12:00 pm HelenLJohnson 1 Comments

Photographer: Ken Koh
 Cosplay Sensei is back again and this time we are with Ruby, a cosplayer from Singapore. So from waterproof eyeliner to representing Crystal Dynamics as an official Lara, grab a drink and enjoy what Ruby has to say about cosplay.
  
What is the cosplay scene like in Singapore?
Cosplay has been gaining increased popularity and mainstream acceptance in Singapore in recent years. We have various cosplay-friendly events throughout the year, on average once a month. The small size of our country means that travelling to events is relatively easy and accessible even for younger cosplayers. Everyone tends to turn up at the same events and would have at least a mutual friend or two. The overall vibe is friendly, as long as you are respectful to others. Cosplay from both eastern and western titles is popular.
 

A nice plus is that there are many local cosplay photographers who are happy to collaborate for photoshoots. The proximity makes it even easier to arrange photoshoots on short notice. One of the biggest downsides is that Singapore has humid weather and it often rains. On convention days, imagine a hall packed full of cosplayers either trying to escape the heat or protecting their precious costumes from the rain.

How did you start cosplaying and how many costumes have you created to date?
I always found cosplay interesting but was afraid to start. This changed after attending a convention in 2010. They had a panel about cosplay and brought in guest cosplayers. I also chatted with some local cosplayers at the event. I decided to just take the plunge and debut my first cosplay in early 2012 with a few friends.

To date, I have cosplayed 31 different characters or their variants. However, not all costumes were made by me. Some were commissioned or bought second-hand. Only about half of those costumes were created by me.

What is the one tool you can’t live without while creating costumes?
My sewing machine! I can’t do anything fancy with it but it has saved me hours of time simply by sewing straight lines.

Favourite material to work with and why? 

Cloth. It’s one of the more forgiving materials for inaccurate measurements. If you have excess, you can just trim it. If you are short, you can sew on another piece. If you want to start over, just snip the stitches and measure a new piece. You can afford to experiment at a relatively low material cost.


Photographer: Ken Koh

What are your top tips to keeping your make up on in Singaporean heat/humidity?
Personally, I swear by waterproof eyeliner. Makeup setting spray also helps. Where possible, my friends and I put on our makeup and costumes only at the convention or photoshoot location to prevent perspiring (and face-melting) along the way. We have the kind of weather where you can be perspiring just 5 minutes after stepping out of the shower! Portable battery-operated fans are also a great option to keep your face cool.

What was it like being one of the official Lara cosplayers for ‘Rise of the Tomb Raider’? 

It was a huge honour to represent one of the most iconic women in gaming! The opportunity came unexpectedly and I accepted immediately when approached. The launch event was short but very exciting. It was awesome to be a part of making the experience more enjoyable for the fans. It’s something I won’t forget for a long time to come. This was a defining moment for me and fired up my determination. I’m definitely planning more cosplays of Lara! And I hope to keep on improving.

Where is your cosplay work station?
I use the dining table (especially for sewing) and living room floor for props. I head outdoors for spray painting.
 

Where do you see cosplay heading in the future? 
Cosplay is becoming more accessible and widely accepted. I think we will see more products and services specifically aimed at crafters and cosplayers, such as cheaper 3D printers, easier access to materials from all over the world, more how-to workshops, and the rise of cosplay one-stop shops or portals. Cosplayers will also find easier means to outsource their skills and talents.

Photographer: Clement Tung
Any secret tips for other cosplayers? 
Satin or shiny cloth can be an alternative to leather. I have used black double satin for an entire dress that required a leather look, and shiny blue cloth to make Lightning’s gloves. Satin is also lighter, more breathable, and has a larger variety of colours.

Who is your cosplay sensei?
I feel that there is always something we can learn from anyone we meet! One person at the top of my list would be A.K. Wirru. He regularly shares tutorials and tips on his page and is happy to discuss with followers that require clarification on his methods. His transforming Pokémon costumes are particularly creative and inspiring!

Find Ruby online here: 

 
Facebook

Twitter

Instagram
 

DeviantArt 

WorldCosplay

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E3 2016 Awards

12:02 am HelenLJohnson 0 Comments

Was it as good an E3 as 2015? Probably not, but nevertheless E3 2016 delivered and for once I actually managed to stay up for the Sony conference.

Go me!

If you are looking for a more serious review, I recommend the piece by my convention buddy over on Shattered Star or GamesRadar's collection of articles. However if you are here for a bit of light entertainment then scroll on down!

'Best Dressed' Award 
Katsuhiro Harada - Tekken 7
It was so good that I still had this screenshot saved seven days after this fabulous outfit was donned.

'Well This Was a Wild Ride' Award
Ubisoft - Pretty much all of it but especially the start
 Never change Ubisoft. However can someone please pass the memo on to Aisha to not wear teeshirts that drastically change messaging when covered or folded. 

'The X Files Have Nothing on This' Award
Norman Reedus with his Norman Fetus aka Death Stranding
 Death Stranding made zero sense, but was it amazing to watch. Now enjoy spending the next eight months trying to decode it and being grossly incorrect. However, someone should ship Max Caulfield to that beach, she knows what all these stranded whales mean.

'Hype Train Has now Left the Station' Award
Horizon: Zero Dawn
 I'm so unbelievably excited for this game that it fills a little hole in my PlayStation heart that Tomb Raider kicked. 

'You Had to be There' Award
Chocobo with the questionable face (#fatchocobo)
via Brandon Reyes 
It either has constipation or something seriously wrong is happening near those steps.


'Same, Same...but Different' Award
God of War 4
 I'm not sure who let The Last of Us into God of War...but I kinda like it! Oh a RIP Debra's great, great (etc) grandmother. Thank you for once again, moving the plot along. 

'I Shouldn't Like it, but I Kinda Do' Award
Steep
 Can extreme winter sports look any more epic? Well yes, Ubisoft says. This is so not my usual game I go for but knock me down with a feather, I'm interested! 

'Well That's Relevant' Award
Youngoos - Pokèmon Sun and Moon
Make Pokèmon great again.

'Indie Darling' Award
Bound
 As someone who spent their childhood and teens mastering the art of the satin slippers, Bound calls to my younger self who would have adored a game like this. It could be the new Journey, and I so hope it is and doesn't live in it's shadow.

'Does This Drink Smell Funny to You?' Award
We Happy Few
 Literal drugs...can't say more than that.

'More Banter Than You Can Shake Your Nandos Hot Chicken Thigh At' Award
Sea of Thieves 
If someone doesn't edit this E3 banter into the recent footage of the Brexit Flotilla Fight, I'll be very disappointed. 

And finally, 'You Sir are Starting to Win Me Around to VR' Award
I had a bit of a father/daughter bonding moment when I shown my Dad this. It is all his dreams come true. Whether I'll still feel sick after ten minutes like normal VR games, remains to be seen.

And that is it for E3 2016! I'm honestly just sat here waiting for Horizon to be honest...roll on February!

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Tomb Raider: 20 Years of E3

1:35 pm HelenLJohnson 0 Comments


I'm over on my second blogging home, Survivor Reborn, this week! So head on over there to read about the history of Tomb Raider at E3.

You can find the article here! And make sure to check out some of the other great articles by Jenn.

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E3 Wishlist 2016

1:28 pm HelenLJohnson 0 Comments



Choo, choo! It is that time again when the E3 hype train leaves the station. Last year really raised the game for future offerings - Shenmu 3, The Last Guardian, Mass Effect Andromeda, Horizon: Zero Dawn and EA taking a chance with Unravel and winning all our hearts with developer Martin Sahlin shaking on stage with his hand tattoos and Yarny doll. It is going to take a lot to beat that moment for me!

So, as we wait another week for the show to kick off, I’m going to run down what I hope to see at E3 2016.


Horizon: Zero Dawn (Guerilla Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Alongside Unravel, Horizon was my favourite game to come out of E3 2015. It captured my imagination with it’s beautiful design, interesting character development and was great to see developer, Guerrilla, pushing themselves beyond their comfort level. I saw a dev playthrough at Gamescom last year and it had been tailored since the E3 debut; so this year I am hoping for another taster and a release date!



Vampyr (Dontnod Entertainment/Focus Home Interactive)
Life is Strange cemented my respect for Dontnod as a company, it honestly appears as if they want to make a certain game. You better believe they will go out there and make it! You would think after the success of LiS that Dontnod would stick to the episodic style of game creation; however they presented Vampyr instead - a RPG based on the inner turmoil of a doctor who is turned into a vampire during the Spanish Flu epidemic in London, 1918. So worlds away from the style and game design of previous games! This bravado and chance alone makes me want to try the game - so hoping for a new trailer. 


Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
As someone who is quite fond of cyberpunk storytelling, I was very excited to see Quantic release the teaser trailer for Detroit. I personally enjoyed Beyond: Two Souls, however I hope they include some new gameplay ideas rather than a carbon copy of Beyond’s. I also wish, as a medium, it builds on the success of Ex Machina and its ideologies without becoming ‘just a game version of the film’. Hoping to see a new trailer and maybe a release date.  


Cyberpunk: 2077 (CD Projekt RED/CD Projekt)
Okay, I know it has already been mentioned that nothing will be shown at E3 2016, but a girl can hope right?


Rise of the Tomb Raider for PS4 (Crystal Dynamics/Microsoft/Square Enix)
I know even if we have details being released during E3 week, we won’t have anything flashy and probably won’t be a part of any conference. But to be honest, I’ll just be happy with a date please so I can book off work...


Remaster of the original Mass Effect Trilogy (Bioware/EA)
Although all eyes will be on Mass Effect Andromeda, I’m still holding out hope for a remaster of the original trilogy for current gen systems. Especially as the PS4 and Xbox One are now the norm for console gamers. However I am now getting slightly worried that the majority of my E3 wishlist are timesink RPG titles! 


Xbox One.5/PS4 Neo
It has been mused for the past few months that we will soon see a new ‘half-style console’. So while it is not a depart from the current generation, the new consoles are more than the typical updates we’ve seen in the past - size, storage etc. I personally don’t feel we have had the PS4 and Xbox One long enough to warrant another system arriving on the market - especially as the PS3 and Xbox 360 held, and in some respects are still holding on, tightly to a segment of the gaming population. I do wonder if the general populous will invest in another system so soon and I worry for the likes of PlayStationVR, which is obviously why a higher spec console needed to be released to help provide longevity for the VR system. Nevertheless, I am interested to see how they fare and what will be announced.  


The Last of Us 2 (Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
As with Cyberpunk 2077, it is highly unlikely that we will see Naughty Dog present a potential second installment to The Last of Us while Uncharted 4 is still riding high. Nevertheless, wouldn’t it be great to just get a teeny, little tidbit of a mention? Not a teaser trailer or even a gif...just a little mention in someone’s interview.

Other than the ones mentioned above, I’m looking forward to seeing more about ‘The Turing Test’, ‘Black to Fall’ and hopefully some more new IPs and maybe a few surprises along the way! Until then, start stocking up on snacks and book that hype train ticket.

Oh and please, no Pele this year...

For more information on upcoming games at E3 2016, Chloe Dykstra discusses 30 games in 5 minutes over on Inside Gaming! 






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