Custom ODST armor Build (AguilarWorkshop Files)

[SubXzeroXhero]

Finally, I have an opinion question. Based on the first post do you think the chest plate may be a little small? I've had plenty of friends agree and also disagree that the chest plate is a bit small. I continued with it because I just couldn't be bothered LOL, but I wanted to get some more opinions. At this size, it is pretty easy to move my arms, and I also feel like with the other stuff attached to my arms and everything else that it will look just fine in the end.

So I would first say it all depends on how you like to wear it. If it feels right then go with that.

IMO it looks like it could be a tad small and possibly could upscale like 10% or maybe less. Might also try bringing it up a little on your chest when rigging. Honestly once you add all the padding and strapping it will add a bit of bulk so it can be hard to say with just a few plates.

My sort of rule of thumb with the chest plate is if you notice in almost every iteration that the chest plate essentially covers the whole chest rig from left to right so if you line it up with those edges it can help get the sizing right.

 

[Snipermann02]

So I would first say it all depends on how you like to wear it. If it feels right then go with that.

IMO it looks like it could be a tad small and possibly could upscale like 10% or maybe less. Might also try bringing it up a little on your chest when rigging. Honestly once you add all the padding and strapping it will add a bit of bulk so it can be hard to say with just a few plates.

Yur, like I mentioned before the armor plate at that size allows my arms to extend fully forward and whatnot so I can have a better range of motion. And also you are right about how it won't be too noticeable until the whole upper body plating is done.

I do plan on doing those shoulder straps and an Under Armor carrier thing like in the pictures, so I'll keep in mind how to line it up so it looks better... But to be completely honest this isn't going to be a 1:1 by any means lol. I don't have the patience to spend that much time on each piece (between working, planning for a con in December, and just overall ADHD lol), it's not like I'm going for a "Deployment" or anything either. But I would like it to look as best as it can the first go around without having to revisit too much later on when it's fully completed.

Thank you for the tid bit about the armor plating lining up like that, it will help a ton with sizing the other pieces I need to make.

 

[N8TEBB]

I think it could be ever so slightly small, but it doesn't look any different unless you really squint. If you told me it was the right scale, I would believe you.

 

[Snipermann02]

wow, look, over a month and no update again... let me fix that.

I would like to preface that I, in fact, just forget too much and just have been so focused on doing stuff for the costume and not actually posting updates lol. But I have pictures, so it all works out.

Changes to techniques; I have switched from using that spackle stuff to using automotive filler primer mainly. I use the spackle stuff to fill in super large gaps, but the filler primer gets everything else pretty well. It's a pretty expensive change but ultimately a little easier and much better quality.

Update on the chest plate.... I broke it. I dropped it and found out that when it printed, the inside was very brittle and made it weak. So I printed a new one and have begun painting it. It's about 5% bigger so it looks better and solves the sizing issue I was experiencing earlier. The orange paint is currently drying as I'm typing this, and instead of painting the details black I decided to just tape it off to keep them the gunmetal color to keep the color scheme more consistent.

The most recent major addition is the forearm pieces, in which I was able to print both forearms with less than one spool which is way less than what I originally thought it would take lol. Makes my wallet happy. I have yet to do the priming work for painting but they fit nicely. I printed them 5% bigger after measuring my army thickness and the size of the piece in my 3d program. the locking tab to hold the 2 pieces together was a little finicky but I managed to tweak it to work well.

The first fully completed piece I have (that didn't somehow break or have to be re-done) is one shoulder piece (minus the weathering).

Finally, have a picture of all the "In Progress" pieces I still have to do for the upper body. I have not even started on the legs (and don't look forward to it)

 

[SubXzeroXhero]

The progress looks fantastic!

Don't worry, it can be hard to remember to post updates when you are deep into the build process!

Keep up the good work!

 

[Snipermann02]

The progress looks fantastic!

Don't worry, it can be hard to remember to post updates when you are deep into the build process!

Keep up the good work!

Thank you! It's definitely been a lot of work and has taken a lot of my attention but im hoping to get it done before December hits.

 

[Snipermann02]

Also, here's another update (within a separate post because I don't want to combine the reply and update)

I decided to piece what I had all together and wear it to see how it was coming along as a whole

It looks really good in my opinion, some spots that need touching up but nothing too wild.

However, I didn't like the harness setup that Aguilar has for it. It creates a double X harness like thing on the back and it kinda prevents you from adding those shoulder straps that you see on the ODST armor because of the sharp angle the straps take right after going over the shoulder. It also leaves the under part of the armor looking kinda bland and like nothing is actually holding it up. So I decided to try an odd approach.

I took a plate carrier I had laying around and some velcro and basically stuck it on there LOL. I at first thought that it wouldn't hold because, well, it's velcro. But surprisingly it is quite solid. I did 100 jumping jacks in it and nothing shifted so that seems to be a huge success. This would allow me to add ODST shoulder straps and other stuff to help fill in some empty space. I think it also gives more "dimension" (if that's the right word) to the armor so it doesn't look like it's just sitting there lol. Altho the back still looks weird and not ODST at all, altho at least it's not baren with a bunch of X straps like before lol.

What do you guys think? I'm sure at some point in the future I will change the way it is mounted on me, but in the meantime this works well I feel.

 

[Snipermann02]

Big Helmet update and a small armor update;

So recently AguilarWorskshop uploaded a Firefall helmet file set on his Etsy (Link) and it happened to come with files for the ODST goggles that I have been searching for ages to find. I contacted him and was able to get the files for just the goggles.

I had to do some sizing and stretching to fit it over the Halo 3 ODST helmet since it was designed for the Firefall helmet from Infinite. However, I was able to do that with relative ease.

I then proceeded to print and paint the goggles, and the goggles fit perfectly onto the helmet. I also printed a comms link I found on Thingiverse to go with the helmet. (ignore the gacha games I have in the background there LOL)

And after some final priming and painting, I was able to get it to look like this. I am extremely happy with how this turned out, as it looks a lot closer to the original hlmet I made way back in 2015 (I think, I can never remember the exact year)

2015(?), 2022, 2023

and a small update for the rest of the armor. (The picture was taken before the helmet was completed). Not much in terms of progress pictures for this one, sorry guys.
- Working on forearm pieces. Still need paint and staps+buckles.
- Added bullet bandolier to right shoulder. The bullets are fully 3d printed and are the 7.62x51 rounds the DMR shoots.
- added shoulder straps to the plate carrier. Simply wrapped foam in fabric and glued it on to the shoulder straps on the actual plate carrier.
- made tactical belt. Was pretty straight forwars and simple, nothing too crazy with that one.

 

[Snipermann02]

Thigh armor has been constructed.

Not much to really add here, just a couple progress photos of the thigh armor.

Now a full suit up with the armor on so far. (i hope the video turns out alright)

With me being a perfectionist I see so much wrong with the armor. But I'm waiting till the very end before I start making wild adjustments lol. So far tho I am quite liking it.

Sorry for such a short update, just wanted to make another post with a nearly full suit up.

 

[HydrationPatrol]

I like how you made an actual frame for your chest piece. My suit is mostly Aguilar and I just did the straps. I also like how you attached the shoulders they seem a lot more comfortable to wear them mine.

 

[Snipermann02]

I like how you made an actual frame for your chest piece. My suit is mostly Aguilar and I just did the straps. I also like how you attached the shoulders they seem a lot more comfortable to wear them mine.

Thank you so much! Personally I was also gonna just do the straps, but I wouldn't have been satisfied with not having the shoulder pads/straps you see on the ODSTs and didn't know how to incorporate those with the straps. In the future I want to re-do the rig and make it closer to the actual ODST one since mine is just on an old plate carrier I had laying around.

I've seen your armor on Instagram and I think I follow you on there. I think it looks awesome and that you did a great job on yours.

 

[bajk02]

Gotta say the suit looks really awesome so far. Can't wait to see it when it's finally completed. Also, great to see another fellow orange ODST. #OrangeTeam for the WIN.

 

[Snipermann02]

Gotta say the suit looks really awesome so far. Can't wait to see it when it's finally completed. Also, great to see another fellow orange ODST. #OrangeTeam for the WIN.

Hell yeah dude! Thank you so much.

Absolutely love your colors theme and armor as well. Keep up the great work!

 

[Snipermann02]

Hello bois, back with another Update. Getting really close to finishing now.

So I have been working on the lower legs this whole time, which has been quite difficult with how many shapes they have (and the fact my printer is a piece of junk and kept giving me issues lol). The whole beginning of this is just gonna be a photo dump and then at the bottom I'll have more of a description and then a question.

Here are some pictures of the raw print pieces for one of the calves/shins.

Here are the raw printed components strapped to my leg to make sure the piece was sized correctly.

Just another random picture of assorted pieces, some painted.

Some pictures of the pieces fully completed on my legs.

The "Locking keys" that the shins use at the top to assist in keeping the front and back from separating kinda suck Im not gonna lie. While walking they easily shake out of the shins. However, I feel like with an elastic band wrapped around the top of the shin it would achieve the same effect. I have seen many ODST armor that have extra straps on the shins so it would probably blend right in.

Now here is my issue, and it's not really even with the lower legs but instead with the thighs. Trying to assemble the pieces onto myself was a great deal difficult because of the thighs. Movement is also significantly inhibited with them on, stairs are a REAL struggle as well as bending over. Now idk if this is because I sized the thighs oddly, because they fit nice and snug on my legs with no issues and I can only imagine they are maybe a tad too tall. I have been contemplating not using the thigh armor, I have seen other people do the same and omit certain pieces and it looks fine when they do it. This would probably just be until I get around to wanting to re-make the thighs (if that ever happens).

Below is a full suit up without the thigh armor. What do you all think? Does it NEED the thigh armor or is it good-looking enough? I can move and do stuff with the thigh armor on, it's just much more difficult than without.

I still have just a few other small details I want to make and do before I will consider this costume completed (enough at least) for Galaxy Con in Ohio on December 1-3. It will be only my second big convention I have ever gone to and I hope to meet some cool people there as well. Going with one of my friends and hope it's a blast

 

[N8TEBB]

I still have just a few other small details I want to make and do before I will consider this costume completed (enough at least) for Galaxy Con in Ohio on December 1-3. It will be only my second big convention I have ever gone to and I hope to meet some cool people there as well. Going with one of my friends and hope it's a blast

I'll be at Galaxy too! See you there :-D

 

[Snipermann02]

I'll be at Galaxy too! See you there :-D

Hoping I run into ya and get a picture with ya. I'm wanting to get as many pictures with other Halo cosplayers as I can

 

[Snipermann02]

I did a quick suit-up just now with the thighs added to the costume. I wanted to have a side-by-side to be able to switch between to really get a good look as to which version would look better. Honestly, seeing both pics side by side, I really don't think the thighs add enough detail to warrant needing them. So I will go thighless, it will be much easier to walk and move around without them. The thighs definitely look cool with the costume but like I said before it's not a necessity for the costume to look good.

(Also excuse the mess in my room lol).

 

[FalseShepherd]

Honestly, I think the thighs are too tall. That's one of the tricks with odst is things need to be scaled a little smaller than you think for comfort and mobility. The rest of the armor looks pretty spot on tho! I would guess maybe the forearms are a little constricting too (just a guess from my experience with my odst)? They look good tho.
Ultimately, it is your armor. There is nothing that says you need the thighs unless you apply for deployment. I think it looks awesome with or without the thighs. You did a great job on this build!

I'm also glad to see Aguilar workshops files in action. His stuff looks really awesome but I don't know many people who have used his files so it's nice to see how they look.

 

[Snipermann02]

Honestly, I think the thighs are too tall. That's one of the tricks with odst is things need to be scaled a little smaller than you think for comfort and mobility. The rest of the armor looks pretty spot on tho! I would guess maybe the forearms are a little constricting too (just a guess from my experience with my odst)? They look good tho.
Ultimately, it is your armor. There is nothing that says you need the thighs unless you apply for deployment. I think it looks awesome with or without the thighs. You did a great job on this build!

I'm also glad to see Aguilar workshops files in action. His stuff looks really awesome but I don't know many people who have used his files so it's nice to see how they look.

Yeah, the forearms are a a tad restricting around the wrists but nothing too crazy that it's unmanageable. And yeah, deployment was never really an idea I had for this costume because I knew it wouldn't meet the criteria and it's only my second attempt at a Halo cosplay.

I will honestly probably go back and remake the thighs to be shorter at some point when I feel like it, but at this point I've been working on this for so long I feel almost a little burnt out on the project lol. I always did assume even when first starting the costume that it would need Revision at some point later on down the line anyways.

And thank you for the compliments, it really means a lot

 

[barebones]

Just seeing this thread now, and wow ! Amazing work ! Awesome to see a fellow ODST ! For the thighs, in my experience, they are really constricting, but I think its just a thing with armors in general, that's probably going to be the most constricting place for most. Looks great with or without though, but I do agree with falseshepherd with them being a bit too tall. Something I have seen done-especially if you're not going for deployment- is using the rashaka (or however you spell it ) thighs, they seem to be a ton less constricting than the regular odsts and they match pretty well !