Costume Reference Library
for
Armor Guidelines
Within the ranks of armor wearing custom costumes allowed in The Dark Empire we have Bounty Hunters, Sith & Fallen Jedi, Smugglers, and likely other various Imperial operatives, agents, and various others. We do not accept Mandalorian Bounty hunters as direct TDE members with their Beskar, and we avoid the use of components of Mandalorian armor.
Armor Construction
A: Acceptable construction materials include Metal, ABS plastic, PVC/sintra foam board, resin cast, heavy leather, and EVA foam. Any material outside of this is not an automatic no, but will need to be reviewed on a case by case basis by the costume judges.
1: Materials should have depth and volume to show dimension and a recommended thickness a minimum of 3mm. All armor components must be formed to body shape and not overly sized or disproportioned to the body of the wearer or the rest of the armor elements.
1: Materials should have depth and volume to show dimension and a recommended thickness a minimum of 3mm. All armor components must be formed to body shape and not overly sized or disproportioned to the body of the wearer or the rest of the armor elements.
B: Any mundane logos must be covered or removed, and any off faction logos must look removed, or look as if their removal was impossible but are covered. This will be covered better in the "Surplus Armor" section of this guide.
1: Sports armor alone will not pass.
a: To pass sports armor it may be required to paint, accessorize, and modify it to have it looking "Swarzy", and not like you just got off the BMX track and grabbed a blaster/lightsaber. For this type of build we absolutely recommend you make a WIP thread on the forums and consult with one of the Inquisitors.
1: Sports armor alone will not pass.
a: To pass sports armor it may be required to paint, accessorize, and modify it to have it looking "Swarzy", and not like you just got off the BMX track and grabbed a blaster/lightsaber. For this type of build we absolutely recommend you make a WIP thread on the forums and consult with one of the Inquisitors.
C: Straps and attachments must match or coordinate with the color of the armor or cloth under it, and not have straps hanging.
D: Masks and helmets must have an in-universe looks and feel. Mandalorian, Storm/Clone trooper, Sith Trooper, and other well known masks and helmets will be denied in most cases save for in the case of Sith Trooper on a Sith Trooper "Game Canon" costume.
1: Halloween style masks are not generally passable due to lack of quality in appearance and construction.
2: Sport masks such as paintball or airsoft masks should be modified, sometimes extensively if used. It should not be recognizable as a sports mask. Certain airsoft masks made to purpose will be allowed unmodified.
a: Sport masks, or any such mask as to leave unapealing straps on the back of the head will likely require a hood to be worn with them.
1: Halloween style masks are not generally passable due to lack of quality in appearance and construction.
2: Sport masks such as paintball or airsoft masks should be modified, sometimes extensively if used. It should not be recognizable as a sports mask. Certain airsoft masks made to purpose will be allowed unmodified.
a: Sport masks, or any such mask as to leave unapealing straps on the back of the head will likely require a hood to be worn with them.
E: "Military Surplus" armor will be allowed in some cases when it is part of a well executed costume. (Dengar is a canon example of this)
1: Clone Trooper, Storm Trooper (and variants), Rebel and Republic trooper, and other non SITH Empire armor are to be viewed as and used as surplus armor or scavenged hardware that the lone bounty hunter, smuggler, or similar character may have to use. This will not be an option for Custom Sith as they have the wealth and power to get premium gear without issue in most cases. This is to allow for that rough and dirty feel that some places in the Star Wars universe are famous for. For this type of build we absolutely recommend you make a WIP thread on the forums and consult with one of the Inquisitors.
a: All such "Surplus armor" is to be held to the above requirements for construction and appearance.
b: Any such SW Logos are to be removed, or to look to have a removal attempted on them.
c: Most such gear ought to be weathered, showing that it's wearer has used this gear as it is all they could manage to come up with. Some elements in paint may not match, but to pass the overall look of the costume needs to IMPROVE with that flaw, not look worse because of it.
1: Clone Trooper, Storm Trooper (and variants), Rebel and Republic trooper, and other non SITH Empire armor are to be viewed as and used as surplus armor or scavenged hardware that the lone bounty hunter, smuggler, or similar character may have to use. This will not be an option for Custom Sith as they have the wealth and power to get premium gear without issue in most cases. This is to allow for that rough and dirty feel that some places in the Star Wars universe are famous for. For this type of build we absolutely recommend you make a WIP thread on the forums and consult with one of the Inquisitors.
a: All such "Surplus armor" is to be held to the above requirements for construction and appearance.
b: Any such SW Logos are to be removed, or to look to have a removal attempted on them.
c: Most such gear ought to be weathered, showing that it's wearer has used this gear as it is all they could manage to come up with. Some elements in paint may not match, but to pass the overall look of the costume needs to IMPROVE with that flaw, not look worse because of it.
Bounty Hunters: will usually have most of their bodies covered in armor, and a fair number will have helmets. And again NO MANDALORIAN ARMOR is permitted.
Smugglers and similar: will possibly have a few scattered elements of armor, usually preferring to maintain speed and flexibility.
Sith and fallen Jedi: range greatly in their choices of armor from the gorget and bracers of some Clone Wars Jedi to the full armor of others in the SWTOR game universe, to the ancient armor in the time of Naga Sadow.
Canon characters or canon groups: (SITH Trooper) armor construction will have the same general build and appearance requirements save for where in their own CRL they make exception.