Enter The Long Dark Summer Cosplay Contest

[cemwisegamgee]

On 9/11/2022 at 11:52 PM, Incoure said:

Category: WINTERMUTE/Non-Core Character

Character: The Old Bear

 

A bit of a strange favorite character, but the Old Bear has always spoken to me when I play! There's something tragic about it, a wild animal with nothing left to do but hunt. I had a lot of fun making this cosplay! Even if I can never make it through The Hunted challenge, haha.

I am so so so here for this, even if the Old Bear gave me severe anxiety!

[yoreore]

@luckymarki ITS AWESOME WILL IN REAL LIFE 😱

[unclebeer]

On 9/12/2022 at 7:35 AM, Bearimpaler101 said:

Are you actually the rand_althor1966 the streamer?

Yup, that him.

[Solovastru]

On 8/18/2022 at 10:26 PM, Admin said:

this thread

FIRE is like a friend with two faces.

[rastheberry]

Category: WINTERMUTE

Character: Astrid

 

I have been cosplaying for about five years and playing the long dark for about seven years; I was so excited when I saw this contest. While I was short on time this month and didn't have much time to prepare, I tried to be as accurate as possible. I handmade several pieces in this cosplay, such as the two outer-layers, hat, bandages, the soup and match props, the torch, and the mug. Additionally, I threw the mug on a pottery wheel as well as hand glazed and fired it. I did my best to match the art style of the game when making every component of this, down to the makeup. Overall I had a great time making this and was super excited for this oppourtunity to put my sewing skills to use! I also did almost set my yard on fire with a diy torch.

[reuploaded after a quick photo edit :)]

 

[conanjaguar]

10 hours ago, rastheberry said:

Category: WINTERMUTE

Character: Astrid

 

I have been cosplaying for about five years and playing the long dark for about seven years; I was so excited when I saw this contest. While I was short on time this month and didn't have much time to prepare, I tried to be as accurate as possible. I handmade several pieces in this cosplay, such as the two outer-layers, hat, bandages, the soup and match props, the torch, and the mug. Additionally, I threw the mug on a pottery wheel as well as hand glazed and fired it. I did my best to match the art style of the game when making every component of this, down to the makeup. Overall I had a great time making this and was super excited for this oppourtunity to put my sewing skills to use! I also did almost set my yard on fire with a diy torch.

[reuploaded after a quick photo edit :)]

 

A bit heavy on the makeup, but not that bad. I don’t recall Astrid having a head wrap like that, but I could be wrong.

[rastheberry]

14 minutes ago, conanjaguar said:

A bit heavy on the makeup, but not that bad. I don’t recall Astrid having a head wrap like that, but I could be wrong.

lmao, this was the reference used. definitely has a head wrap !

[conanjaguar]

17 minutes ago, rastheberry said:

lmao, this was the reference used. definitely has a head wrap !

Well, that just goes to show that brain fog from COVID is long-lasting...

[rastheberry]

1 minute ago, conanjaguar said:

Well, that just goes to show that brain fog from COVID is long-lasting...

looking into it more, Im pretty sure there’s two designs for her.

[Tommaso Ciappa]

Alone around the fire

Snow was not available but i did my best to capture the atmosphere of the game. In the picture i wear a Filson Mackinaw Jackert and a genuine hadknitted Cowichan swater from the 50s, a couple of items that i consider the most iconic of the game. I looked for them for years, even went to check on Grey Mama and asked if she had another spare Jacket, but got unluky. Jokes aside, they remember me the good times spent on Great Bear.

Fire was started with local birch bark and my trusted puukko. Shame i didn't have an HINTERLAND HANDFORGED HATCHET. Tinned tomatos to celebrate instead of the usual dog food. 

Thank you guys for this opportunity, i had a lot fun taking the pics. Take care.

Tommaso, Northern Italy

Edited September 16, 2022 by Tommaso Ciappa

[cemwisegamgee]

Categories: WINTERMUTE, Survival

-------

“Presume you are under stress because you have taken the wrong trail, overcorrected, and are now lost. What do you do? How do you handle it? This is where STOPA comes into play.

“To stop, you should literally sit down and stop what you are doing. When under stress, you have any number of physiological processes going on that will limit your ability to think clearly – narrowing of your vision, auditory exclusion, high blood pressure, adrenaline dump and much more. If you take the time to sit down and stop, you can then allow your body to calm back down so that you can think clearly. There is evidence available that shows simply stopping and breathing will reboot the nervous system and calm the body…

“Next, think about what you have in your possession that can help you stay alive. What is in your pockets, in your pack, in your vehicle (if you have one) that can assist you in meeting your needs?

“After you have taken the time to think, you will probably note some things are missing. You will then need to observe your surroundings and start to take, or build, what you are missing from the area.

“Once you have stopped, thought and observed, you need to make a plan with that information. Most often, you are best served by letting others come find and assist you. In some situations, you will need to self-rescue…Stick with your plan, but also prepare contingencies for various situations.

“Finally, you need to act in order to stay alive. I do not mean that you must physically keep doing something. That will only serve to use up hydration and burn up needed calories. What I do mean is that you must mentally stay alive, keep your mind active and do not let it wander to self-pity or things that will make your situation worse. Stick with your plan.” – from Extreme Wilderness Survival by Craig Caudill, founder and chief instructor of Nature Reliance School

-------

I realize I tend to be very long-winded, and I have been thinking about this non-stop since I found out about the cosplay contest, so I apologize upfront for the fact that this will be very long!

 

I started playing The Long Dark about 2 years ago during the pandemic, and it was actually one of the main things that my now-boyfriend (and soon-to-be fiancé) bonded over when we first really talked to each other, which ironically enough was at a wilderness survival school down in Kentucky! Over the past year, in addition to bonding over the game, we have been able to connect over picking up various skills in fire-building, shelter-building, water purification and filtration, land navigation, setting traps and identifying wild edibles, first aid, HAM radio, and so so much more.

 

I started cosplaying a couple years ago for the 2021 Cincinnati Comic Expo, and I feel like I have definitely progressed since then. I actually decided to cosplay as Astrid for this year’s Comic Expo about a year ago, right in the midst of executing my cosplays for the 2021 Expo. I chose Astrid partly for my love for TLD, but also because it would be a fantastic opportunity to exercise my crochet skills. I started by crocheting the red hat (which admittedly was without much of a pattern, which is why it looks SUPER DUPER *rustic*), and then I began my plans for the gray shawl and green cowl. The two of them combined took dozens and dozens of man-hours, and I completed them over the course of several months. I realize that they don’t look the most like what is shown in the art of Astrid, but given the amount of time that I was putting in, I wanted to make items that were both great for the cosplay AND for normal winter wear. That’s why the shawl is so oversized and why it has the fun additions of the collar and tassels. Additionally, I was using a pattern for the green cowl that was meant to be adaptable to being styled 3 different ways, but it turned out that it was a bit smaller than I had originally anticipated, so I had to find a creative way of wearing it. Adapt, improvise, and overcome, as they say.

 

For the bottom layers, I snagged some older jeans, a classic gray cotton t-shirt from in-game, and a red plaid shirt based on the one from in-game. The red gloves I chose based on some of the character art of Astrid which appeared to have her in “hobo-style” gloves, though now that I go back and look at the clothing item of Astrid’s gloves in-game, I realize that those are a tad different. But oh well. Inspired by the Astrid character art, I also chose 2 mismatched boots of different styles. Though I snagged some vet-wrap for one of the bandages, the one on the knee I actually made out of “harvested” cloth from a spare sock (blood was made using Sharpie marker), which I thought was a fun detail that paid homage to the game. I wanted to make my own bow, which had to be stringless for the Comic Expo, so I took a hanger wire, bent it into the shape that I wanted, wrapped a bunch of this junk insulating material that I had around it, covered that in duct tape, and painted it. After recording the video, I added some more “harvested” cloth from spare socks to the bow for the detailing shown in the picture of the costume without most of the props. I had 2 different knives, a Mora Companion and a leather-sheathed neck-knife made by a guy out of Louisville using a blade from some old farm equipment and a deer antler. Makeup is not my strong suit, and I wasn’t able to get together with the friend who’s in charge of makeup for this year’s Expo, so I did the best I could! Alas, it didn’t stand up very well in the 80-something degree Ohio heat that we were running around in for filming. XD

 

Since I chose the video format, I wanted to be able to highlight a number of different activities from the game, including:

• ·        Searching a backpack, cooler, and abandoned porch for some items (wool socks, Summit Soda, Crunchy Stuff granola bar, hatchet, newsprint, an empty can, cloth)
• ·        Harvesting charcoal
• ·        Setting traps (though I went with a figure-4 deadfall instead of the in-game snare, since I had a *very rough* one that I made in Nature Reliance School’s Survival 2 class in February)
• ·        Breaking down branches into firewood
• ·        Making newsprint into tinder bundles
• ·        Using a firestriker to start a fire
• ·        Boiling water to make some herbal tea
• ·        Burning myself on a hot can (though this wasn’t intentional XD)
• ·        Drinking the leftover juice from some Pinnacle Peaches
• ·        Doing research with the Wilderness Kitchen book
• ·        And lots and lots of walking!

Several other in-game items that I got to highlight included:

• ·        Blue bedroll
• ·        Mainland Spring water bottle
• ·        Zap Energy Bar
• ·        Water purification tablets

   

I also employed a couple of packs by Hill People Gear, some rope, a lighter and firestarter (I might have cheated with lighting the fire because I was in super thick layers in 80-something degree weather lol), and the Tiny Survival Guide, which I imagine would be a good find on Great Bear Island. Also peep the coyote dummies behind my parents’ house that the HOA put out to scare the geese away from the pond. XD

 

On top of making the cosplay and recording video with my boyfriend, it was also super fun to edit the video with a bunch of filters and some stock footage of a little rabbit and the lights in the sky! Since my boyfriend regularly records videos of his gaming, he went ahead and recorded some of the sounds from the game that I incorporated into the final product (which admittedly took way too much time, but was fun nonetheless). Most of y’all will probably recognize the background music as the theme from Crossroads Elegy as well! In addition to the video, I included a photo that features the costume and gear pieces that I used throughout recording, as well as a photo of me in the full cosplay without the pack or additional props. This was super super fun to put together, so thank you Hinterland Studios for putting it on!!!

Edited September 16, 2022 by cemwisegamgee

[Matthew Ewald]

I have to say, I am absolutely in AWE of the supreme talent and creativity that exists here!

You are all just absolutely breathtaking creators -- regardless of incarnation or medium -- each and every one of these submissions has been incredible. And I am profoundly inspired by each and every single one of you.

Brilliant work. Simply brilliant. 

[Bucho]

Character: Will Mackenzie
Category: WINTERMUTE

I really like the game and I was looking forward to the contest.
I'm pretty busy with my work now, but still managed to put something together 🙂

Edited September 16, 2022 by Bucho

[ipsupport]

Category: Wintermute  - Dr. Atwood

The Long Dark was the first game I ever purchased, a year after its initial release, after watching every gameplay video I could get my hands on at that age. I'm not particularly familiar with cosplay, however when I opened the game recently and saw the announcement about the contest, I thought this time was as good as any to throw my hat into the ring.

So here it is, my first ever cosplay attempt - of none other than the newly introduced Doctor Atwood!

[Frozengreens]

My Submission: Methuselah's last summer

Category: WINTERMUTE character

"I'm here to witness a passing of an age."  ~ Methuselah, episode one. 

Sadly due to overheating with the warm weather I could not add the jacket, but thankfully I had fun walking around and posing for a couple of photos. Nonetheless I always found Methuselah the most striking out of all the characters. Having been a sign of sanctuary when you're freezing, his fire beckoning you through blizzards. I've never did this before but I had to pick him out of the cast. 

Edited September 16, 2022 by Frozengreens
Needed to add one more.

[Lemondots]

Category: SURVIVAL COSPLAY

Our goal was never safety.

Our success is not measured in forever.

Our years are seasoning, but the meal is meaning.

Our task is to become our truest selves and to smile

at the knowledge that we will not succeed.

-Jarod K. Anderson, “Field Guide to the Haunted Forest”

Hello! I bought this game several years ago, but finally had the time to really dive in about two years back. It's been my quiet happy place for a few hundred hours now. I haven't delved too much into the community, but I'm excited to be here!

There are many stories to tell, many choices to make, and many lifestyles to live in our time surviving the quiet apocalypse. There are also many frozen corpses and their mini bases to loot- previous survivors whose end becomes a boon to our success. For this cosplay I rustled up some winter gear and stepped into the shoes of a doomed straggler. We the players have time, tenacity, and the drive of a survivor to push us forward. What of the other visitors and residents of Great Bear that were caught unaware?

In game inspiration:

CLOTHING

Long wool scarf, cotton toque, wool socks, thermal underwear, jeans [ragged], trail boots, wool mittens, t-shirt, plaid shirt, ski jacket. 

Warmth Bonus: 7.5°C

ITEMS

Hunting rifle, storm lantern, cured rabbit pelt, rose hip tea, recycled can, jar of peanut butter, antiseptic, bandages, water bottle (2), stack of papers.

[Search Frozen Corpse]

[searching…]

[Rifle Cartridge]

[Rifle Cartridge]

[Mouldy Peanut Butter]

[A Note Left Behind]

[A Note Left Behind]

[A Note Left Behind]

[Note #3]

Day 15

The lights are on again. I can’t stand it, this inconsistency. Hope upon hope thrown up in my face, gone before I can make good use of it. I’ve tried every landline I can get my hands on when these auroras make(?) the power flare, but there’s still no connection. There’s no one coming. There’s no one else left.

It’s cold. It’s getting so cold. Those wolves are still snuffling about. I’m too uneasy to venture out right now without the rifle, can’t believe I didn’t realize how thin that ice was yesterday. At least everything I’ve salvaged is with me here, this spot is a pretty nice resting place to warm up.

[Note #2]

Day 3

Something’s wrong. I've hopped around from house to house for the last day or so, nobody's home. Made it to nana and papa’s place, they’re gone too. No note or anything. Nothing’s working, and I KNOW they didn’t get their power shut off. Tried the generator, that was a bust too. There’s other cars strewn about, I’m starting to think mine wasn’t the only one that had problems. Things just feel...wrong. Tense. It's not just the things that are missing, there's this feeling like something wretched has been added to the world too.

Borrowed some groceries, a first aid kit and a wee bit of self defense from the house. Papa always said I was welcome to go popping rabbits with him. Might need to pop a bit more than that. Usually you can’t spot a wolf 300m back for a picture, but one straight up charged at me this morning. Here’s to hoping it wasn’t rabid. 

[Note #1]

Day 1

It’s so beautiful, God above it’s so beautiful out here. I still can’t believe my car just straight up quit on me like that, but the trek so far has been pleasant. COLD, but pleasant. Phone still won’t start, but even without the flashlight it’s not too hard to follow the highway with these lights. Wish I’d packed some extra clothes, haha.

[Tommaso Ciappa]

12 hours ago, Lemondots said:

Category: SURVIVAL COSPLAY

Our goal was never safety.

Our success is not measured in forever.

Our years are seasoning, but the meal is meaning.

Our task is to become our truest selves and to smile

at the knowledge that we will not succeed.

-Jarod K. Anderson, “Field Guide to the Haunted Forest”

Hello! I bought this game several years ago, but finally had the time to really dive in about two years back. It's been my quiet happy place for a few hundred hours now. I haven't delved too much into the community, but I'm excited to be here!

There are many stories to tell, many choices to make, and many lifestyles to live in our time surviving the quiet apocalypse. There are also many frozen corpses and their mini bases to loot- previous survivors whose end becomes a boon to our success. For this cosplay I rustled up some winter gear and stepped into the shoes of a doomed straggler. We the players have time, tenacity, and the drive of a survivor to push us forward. What of the other visitors and residents of Great Bear that were caught unaware?

In game inspiration:

CLOTHING

Long wool scarf, cotton toque, wool socks, thermal underwear, jeans [ragged], trail boots, wool mittens, t-shirt, plaid shirt, ski jacket. 

Warmth Bonus: 7.5°C

ITEMS

Hunting rifle, storm lantern, cured rabbit pelt, rose hip tea, recycled can, jar of peanut butter, antiseptic, bandages, water bottle (2), stack of papers.

[Search Frozen Corpse]

[searching…]

[Rifle Cartridge]

[Rifle Cartridge]

[Mouldy Peanut Butter]

[A Note Left Behind]

[A Note Left Behind]

[A Note Left Behind]

[Note #3]

Day 15

The lights are on again. I can’t stand it, this inconsistency. Hope upon hope thrown up in my face, gone before I can make good use of it. I’ve tried every landline I can get my hands on when these auroras make(?) the power flare, but there’s still no connection. There’s no one coming. There’s no one else left.

It’s cold. It’s getting so cold. Those wolves are still snuffling about. I’m too uneasy to venture out right now without the rifle, can’t believe I didn’t realize how thin that ice was yesterday. At least everything I’ve salvaged is with me here, this spot is a pretty nice resting place to warm up.

[Note #2]

Day 3

Something’s wrong. I've hopped around from house to house for the last day or so, nobody's home. Made it to nana and papa’s place, they’re gone too. No note or anything. Nothing’s working, and I KNOW they didn’t get their power shut off. Tried the generator, that was a bust too. There’s other cars strewn about, I’m starting to think mine wasn’t the only one that had problems. Things just feel...wrong. Tense. It's not just the things that are missing, there's this feeling like something wretched has been added to the world too.

Borrowed some groceries, a first aid kit and a wee bit of self defense from the house. Papa always said I was welcome to go popping rabbits with him. Might need to pop a bit more than that. Usually you can’t spot a wolf 300m back for a picture, but one straight up charged at me this morning. Here’s to hoping it wasn’t rabid. 

[Note #1]

Day 1

It’s so beautiful, God above it’s so beautiful out here. I still can’t believe my car just straight up quit on me like that, but the trek so far has been pleasant. COLD, but pleasant. Phone still won’t start, but even without the flashlight it’s not too hard to follow the highway with these lights. Wish I’d packed some extra clothes, haha.

Amazing work. The best one in my opinion. The pics truly capture the atmosphere of the game. I wish you to win the first prize

[ChillPlayer]

12 hours ago, Lemondots said:

Hello! I bought this game several years ago, but finally had the time to really dive in about two years back. It's been my quiet happy place for a few hundred hours now. I haven't delved too much into the community, but I'm excited to be here!

Wow! Those pictures look like stills from the The Long Dark movie, you should apply as a set designer

[conanjaguar]

Today is the last day... who will win?

I’m biting my fingernails in anticipation and suspense.

[Jaunt]

Submission: Dr. Astrid Greenwood

Category: Wintermute

Premature happy early access birthday to The Long Dark. The most fun part was scouting for locations and building up the sets as needed, I had a few more locations in mind but had to cut them for time, I might make another thread in the future with those scenes.

The following two are the workbench at the Quonset Garage in Coastal Highway, one of my favourite locations despite the occasional wolf or bear. The distress pistol/flare gun is a prop: modeled, 3D printed, smoothed, painted, and weathered for effect. There's even a removable prop shell inside. 

 

The next two are at the wood burning stove on the second floor at the Camp Office in Mystery Lake, it's still one of the most beautiful and cozy set pieces in the game for me.

 

These last two are in one of the many Fishing Huts throughout Great Bear Island, I enjoy making little caches of supplies for future me to rediscover or rely on during a sudden snow storm in a survival mode playthrough. The potbelly stove is a prop: a keen eye will see it is simple 5 gallon/18 liter bucket, I didn't want to catch this modified closet on fire by trying the real thing. The fishing hole was achieved by putting a hole in a false floor, using some paper towel as "snow/packed ice", and a circular cut of black trash bag as the "water".

The last one is my favourite of this set of photos.

 

I've been scrolling through this thread over and over appreciating the lovely touches everyone is bringing, I hope these shine through just as well.

[babybear]

When I first discovered this competition there was only a week left until it ended, so I had to rush the whole thing. First I made my sister make the spear head out of foam, then I got started on the map. The lantern we already had so I through that in as well. Once we finished all of that we immediately took the picture due to time crunch. We didn't really have time to throw together a costume, so we ended up just wearing our winter coats. 

[ElwasBestFren]

Title: We Who Brave The Dark

Category: Best Survival Cosplay (freestyle)

“Only in darkness can you see the stars.”

- Martin Luther King Jr. 

[MonadoBlade2016]

Category: WINTERMUTE Cosplay

Character: Mathis

"A locked case. Well, that is interesting. A locked metal case is a thing of the old world, stranger. A world of closed doors and things being off limits. I was part of that world. But that world's over." - Mathis (End of Episode 2)

This is a younger version of Mathis before The Quiet Apocalypse happens.

His son, Donner has been born several years ago. Mathis has escaped from a litter cleanup crew on the Mainland after a riot broke out. Not sure of what to do in the ensuring chaos he escapes authorities and returns to his family home. His family is thankfully on summer holiday but Mathis doesn't want to raise any suspicion from the neighbors, even in the dark of the night. He finds a electric lantern and searches his past home reminiscing on himself and the mistakes he's made. He will eventually be found by the police and more time will be added to his term. This in which would add to the turmoil Donner is experiencing in not having his father around to guide him growing up and gets into very bad habits, some far worse than his father. This will eventually bring him to Blackrock Federal Penitentiary.

Mathis dislikes the choices he's made but blames it on the world around him. He knows the changes he needs to make so he knows when to act to get what he wants and how to manipulate people into giving him favors. This is explained by his future interactions with Franklin who gives him parole after 7 years of a 10 year sentence for a horrendous crime. That of course, doesn't stop him from being convicted to Blackrock Federal Penitentiary for another crime but this time he willingly got convicted to be sent to where his son is to break him out.

Edited September 19, 2022 by MonadoBlade2016
Bolding mistake on quote ending.

[MoorehunterGZ]

Title: Wolves

Category: Freestyle Survival

The Long Dark is hands down my number 1 video game of all time. So much about it has changed my life for the better, and I wouldn’t be the same without it. The first time I played it, the art style, the gameplay, everything I learned and saw that first hour of my character (and his last), were the first time I ever felt that feeling with a game. I started in 2015, when it came out on Xbox Preview and I was still extremely young to play a game like this. But I didn’t let it stop me from getting the rich and calming yet scary feelings I would get from it, and still do. I feel that this entry I’ve created encapsulates the feeling I get when I have timberwolves behind me, and I know one mistake could end my run.

 

 

[Leeanda]

54 minutes ago, MoorehunterGZ said:

Title: Wolves

Category: Freestyle Survival

The Long Dark is hands down my number 1 video game of all time. So much about it has changed my life for the better, and I wouldn’t be the same without it. The first time I played it, the art style, the gameplay, everything I learned and saw that first hour of my character (and his last), were the first time I ever felt that feeling with a game. I started in 2015, when it came out on Xbox Preview and I was still extremely young to play a game like this. But I didn’t let it stop me from getting the rich and calming yet scary feelings I would get from it, and still do. I feel that this entry I’ve created encapsulates the feeling I get when I have timberwolves behind me, and I know one mistake could end my run.

IMG_3514.MOV 149.93 MB · 2 downloads  

 

I'm not getting a picture!!!   Hope it's just me I wouldn't want you to miss out..