First off I’d like to say the categorization of this is horribly confusing. By description this section is random community stuff, but seems like all the useful stuff from the old forums just got dumped here instead. Anyway! Probably a long and ongoing post but here goes, time for my project to see the light of the internet (and day).
Here’s a teaser of the IMO the least impressive piece, the armguards. They were pretty well the only piece that went smoothly in the first shot requiring no supports and no revisions for fitment.
Before getting into this, I have been playing AoC since 2012. Starting out on the Deathwish server and eventually making my way over to Crom after the mergers. I’ve seen almost every major content update since T4 and was absolutely blown away by the Dark Templar set for T5. A lot of people didn’t like the golden yellow coloration, I thought it was a perfect homage to the old game, and the reworked t1 helmet that gave it almost batman-esque qualities was just sinister enough to warrant the name Chaos Agent. It was my new favourite. I was never much for raiding I found them dull, long fights of hyper-focus where one wrong move and everyone dies and even longer reset times weren’t for me. But I pressed on and managed to get 5 of 8 pieces on my DT before work took precedence I’ve tried to get back into raiding but really can’t get the hang of it like I used to.
So armed with 3d modelling skills, and a 3d printer I set out to recreate the set IRL, make it wearable, and finish it in time for next Hallowe’en to really blow people away.
Challenges: Video game armor is hard, it’s not meant to be worn, it’s meant to be rigged to a character and basically move like clothes without any regard for how it’ll actually be put on, for example the chestpice in-game moves like a t-shirt. Not like armor. Also there aren’t any rips of the models floating around due to Funcom’s locked down RDB so it all has to be modelled by hand, and then consideration afterwards goes into how it’ll be worn before printing.
Biggest challenges so far have been the helmet and chestguard. The helmet because in order to fit a human head it has to be made very large and ends up being quite top-heavy. But disproportionately large. Bobblehead large. The thing is huge.
Note: this isn’t the final finish I just wanted to see how the textured paint would react with layer lines, turns out - not well. Just flattens out like regular paint. Lots of finishing work left to do.
The wrist guards game out quite nice, though they do look quite chunky when worn. I guess that’s a good thing for armor lol.
Can’t wait to see these when they’re done. On the inside they have modelled-in loops for straps to fit to actual boots that I was able to find on Amazon for relatively cheap. Amazon coming in clutch for this project.
The belt is made entirely of TPU, with exception of the buckles and buttons. and what will eventually be the crest in the center. If anyone wants to attempt this or something like this TPU is your best friend, it welds super easy with a soldering iron, extremely tough and has one more benefit that I’ll get to next.
This was a huge hurdle. I printed the chestguard 3 times wasting a lot of time and filament. I’m happy with the result so far, it’s wearable and I can put it on myself. The middle seam is welded together with a soldering iron and will be finished with a dremel later. I didn’t chemical weld, or epoxy this because it proved to not be strong enough.
This is how the shoulders mount in, an I-shaped piece of TPU allowing the pauldron to move with my arms and as well as act as a hinge so the chestplate can be put on. That other piece to the right? also TPU which takes me to my other main benefit to TPU is that it welds VERY well to PETG almost too well. But it allows me to make a flexible seam in the back (where it’s the weakest) and then I could reinforce it with that strip on the inside.
So that’s it so far. I’m happy with the results.
3D printer: Bambu Labs P1S with AMS
Materials: Overture TPU, Jayo HS PETG (Super cheap, prints amazingly well)
Why PETG over PLA? PLA has a lower melting point making it unsuitable for long stints in hot weather, doesn’t have the impact resistance of PETG, and when sanding will actually start to melt and gum up the friction material.
So what’s left? I still have to find a suitable sweater and pants combo that will allow for the tall collar, and be the right colour. Find a pottery apron for the legguards, print some scales, find some gloves, print the handguards, print more scales for the pauldrons, straps/buckles for the legguards, centre cloth for the legguards, crest for the belt, then lots of sanding and painting.
I don’t often remember to take progress pictures or videos but if I do they’ll be here.
As well as any links to timelapse videos of the printer running.
The Chaos Agent set was always the one I could never get in game. So I’m making it IRL. - Thanks for viewing!
-Cam