Traditional Vs Imagination

[Untried Hunter]

A thread devoted to the debate between the traditional mandos(fett style),and the custom creations.

Try to keep it civil.



P.S.If the mods dont want this going on,please feel free to delete.

 

[ShatirLavan]

Personally, I enjoy seeing both. I don't like seeing 8 different Mando's with a dent in the exact same place, but I have no problem whatsoever with different paint schemes on Boba/Jango templates. I also enjoy seeing original templates that are still reminiscent of Fetts, but change up the shapes. I like seeing modified T-visors. Of course, I'm very fond of unique gauntlet designs. I like seeing vibroblades and different greeblies on them, rather than the same rocket and flamethrowers.

 

[arctroopomega5]

Personally the only thing I hate in customs is the dent, IMO leave it out or atleast get a jango helm and make a different dent ELSEWHERE on the helmet. Other than that I could care less about the armor style. Jango/Boba or different there's no difference to me. Verd ori'shya beskar'gam.

 

[Rata tat tat]

Personally, I think that the standard Mando set up is a little played out. By that, I mean standard chest, leg, gauntlets, kneepads, etc. Introducing a unique design into it, be it the chest, back, gauntlets, legs, helm, whatever, is cool. Didn't Mandalorians really just modify their gear for whatever their mission was?
Well think up a backstory, and modify it. And not just the colour scheme!
Like, if your speciality is sniping, you might want lighter armour because you'll have to be in a concealed spot for a while. If yours is heavy weapons and demo, then you'd probably want heavier, more reinforced, kind of industrial armour. It's all relative, but I do agree that the same repaints of Jango and Boba do get kind of boring.

 

[OrtharRrith]

I hope this thread and the topic it covers doesn't lead to further trouble. There is room enough for all types of Mando costume, be they based upon Jango, Boba, KOTOR, Deathwatch, Games, figures or just straight out of your head in this world and the Star Wars universe. My only stipulation is that it should look like it could've been in the movies.

 

[TheBigGunns]

Anyone who knows me - knows I'm all about the customs baby! It is very challenging to make a custom suit that looks like it what designed and created to look like it belongs in a movie. But I have no choice most of the time. All the cool characters I like are usually male so I do female versions.

~Mel

 

[BobaFettDaddy]

Yeah. It's all good. My only problem is when people repaint a Boba helmet and don't take out the dent. Is it possible that every Mandalorian is initiated into the fold by having their Clanlord dink them in the helmet with a hammer in the same spot? Then there are the gauntlets. Do ALL Mandalorians have the very same gauntlet weapons, or are there other gauntlet weapons available to the Mandos. Does every Mando have to have a range finder? It seems to reason that in earlier times, we should see the rangefinder evolve. A buddy of mine suggested as I was creating the helmet for my Mando a sort of crosshair that pops down in front of the visor where the right eye would be. That would be cool, but I'm not crafty enough to come up with it or I would. The machine gun gauntlet was going to be a gatlin gun that spun around using a small electric motor. I couldn't get it together after scratching my head about how to gear it down and not make it so bulky. It's still a good idea.

The whole reason I got into the custom stuff was because I'd wear my Boba to a convention and there would be a hundred other Bobas who looked much better than mine (mine doesn't have all the blinking lights and whatnot). To top it all off, the 501st would come over and tell me I'm all wrong, even though I tried my best, and I had some bad experiences with a few 501st guys. I mean, I didn't kit my stuff. I made it with my own two hands out of a numerous gaggle of materials. Those guys can be way too serious. So, if I'm custom, I get to do my own thing and not worry about some guy pointing out that my toe darts are 1 centimeter too far apart. (and what I just said may get flamed, but I don't care. I'm not the only one who has been miffed by the 501st, even though I don't think those guys who did that to me represent the organization. It's a good organization and I have friends in a Garrison who care about my views.)

However... I understand that not everyone has the technical knowhow to create their own gaunt designs and stuff. It's hard. I made my Boba gauntlets from sintra and other odds and ends. It was a nightmare, but I think they look pretty accurate. A friend of mine machined the tip of the rocket dart out of aluminum and I made the rest out of pvc pipe. Sometimes it's easier to buy your armor (Jango/Boba) and repaint it. That's ok. It still looks cool. I've seen some pretty wicked paint schemes. However you go, it's really cool. I just don't have the money to go online and buy premade armor kits or spring for fancy paint jobs. I do what I can with my sintra and my dremel tool. I've seen hundreds of costumes on this site that TOTALLY put mine to shame, and I'm totally ok with that.

Above all, it is my hope that all of us on this site can give each other constructive criticism on costuming, because if we are not honest in our criticism, we are cheating the person being criticized. After all, it's just opinion anyway. You can take it or leave it. I don't care.

 

[Kantis Nolef]

Then there are the gauntlets. Do ALL Mandalorians have the very same gauntlet weapons, or are there other gauntlet weapons available to the Mandos.

As I understand, even Boba's gauntlets were customizable. He could add different types of rockets and whatnot. For my current project (a desert sniper) I'm working on gauntlets that are kind of like Leela's from Futurama, a smooth shell with a viewscreen.

Does every Mando have to have a range finder? A buddy of mine suggested as I was creating the helmet for my Mando a sort of crosshair that pops down in front of the visor where the right eye would be.

My first Mando helmet doesn't have the standard RF, I have a texting eyepiece in place. My second one will have something like what you're talking about with the crosshairs, I just need to figure out how to mount it while keeping it removeable.

 

[BobaFettDaddy]

Kantis, your first Mando helmet puts my Boba to shame. Sweet sight. I love that. Is that a working LED on the left side (yours)?

 

[Hydra]

I don't like Boba and Jango repaints at all, personally. But this roots it's self in the fact that I like to think that every custom has his or her own place in the fictional galaxy (unless they're gimmick characters). That means to me that every single one of them grows up differently, preferring different styles and techniques... I can understand a few similarities with Jango and Boba, perhaps if that character comes from the same clan as the Fetts… But other wise I don't particularly see an excuse in having just a repainted Fett when it's been emphasized that Mandalorians are very strong indivisuals.

 

[Jun Garros Fett]

Mandalorians are strong individuals but also strong in their ways and traditions.
It is a culture. A way of life adopted by many people throughout the galaxy in the EU. Without a base orginization or true homeworld to speak of. So how a mandalorian is represented i believe is up to the individual. But the Mandalorian traditions remain.
How we interpret those traditions is as varied as the people who make the costumes. We all are different ages and come from different backgrounds just like in the EU so our interpretation of what an Mandaloiran should look like will always be just as varied.

I think we all started out thinking Boba or Jango were the ultimate in coolness at one time or another and wanted to make a costume like them, but being that we wanted to be different we decided to make a custom mando.
Again age and background come into play. Some of us want to stay close to the original Fett style while others want to do something completely different.
More power to ya whichever way you decide to go.

I myself prefer the more classic style and went with what parts were available at the time when making my costume. Time, money and availability of parts and materials were also factors.
The other customs i have seen i happen to think most of them Rock. Some dont.. But i think just like Boba and Jango costumers they are all pretty much works in progress. Are they really ever finished?

From wild tribal paint work and custom accesories to a simple color swap on standard parts and armor.
One thing we all have to agree on. It's Mandalorian. :cheers

 

[Kantis Nolef]

All the stuff that Jun said

AYE!!:cheers

 

[Duran Lomax]

From what Ive seen, most Mandalorians have the same armor as Jango and Boba (as seen here), but with different paint jobs/color schemes. What this means to me is that the Fetts' armor is the basic Mandalorian design;essentially, the armor comes off of an assembly line, and the Fetts never reall cusztomized theirs due to the fact that they felt no need to display individuality. Boba Fett altered his armor for practicality (knee dart-launchers, wrist rockets, etc), only adding the Wookiee braids as an attestment to how tough he was ("I've killed Wookiees. I can handle you."), intimidating opponents who tried to take him on hand-to-hand.
Now, if you look at canon customs, you can see that, despite subtle changes to the armor, it retains that Boba/Jango look. So to me, a "repainted Boba/Jango" does not exist (unless you keep the dent); you're just using "assembly line" designs.

 

[Kantis Nolef]

That's why I say "cookie cutter" instead of repaint, even if you use the same cutter the cookies turn out different when they're done.

 

[Resilient]

From what Ive seen, most Mandalorians have the same armor as Jango and Boba (as seen here), but with different paint jobs/color schemes. What this means to me is that the Fetts' armor is the basic Mandalorian design;essentially, the armor comes off of an assembly line, and the Fetts never reall cusztomized theirs due to the fact that they felt no need to display individuality. Boba Fett altered his armor for practicality (knee dart-launchers, wrist rockets, etc), only adding the Wookiee braids as an attestment to how tough he was ("I've killed Wookiees. I can handle you."), intimidating opponents who tried to take him on hand-to-hand.

Now, if you look at canon customs, you can see that, despite subtle changes to the armor, it retains that Boba/Jango look. So to me, a "repainted Boba/Jango" does not exist (unless you keep the dent); you're just using "assembly line" designs.

Exactly.

To get completely different armor would require extra money to commission and/or metal-smithing skills as well. Most Mandalorians probably wouldn't have either at their disposal since their typical lines of work bring in money that would likely be used on things like weapons, the essentials, ships, etc before anything else.

And most probably wouldn't be well off to the point where they'd pay for something like completely different armor when an "assembly line" version that's just as good is available. That would probably be especially so during periods like the civil war where the mentality would likely be "use what you can get and then get back out onto the field."

To draw a parallel between Mandalorians and custom builders, Mandalorians would probably also have their share of "traditionalists" just like custom builders have their share of traditionalists that prefer the "Fett style" armor.

For the typical soliders and traditionalists, tried and true would be the way to go. While it would also make sense for the periodic specialitst (ie heavier armor for demos, etc.) to show up.

In the end, have fun with what you make your custom to be. That's the point of the hobby. If you want to make a completely different variant go for it, but what's the point in attempting to belittle those that went traditional? You don't see them going "eww another mando mutant" when a variant pops up afterall; while in contrast there's always someone saying "ack another repaint" when a traditional style shows up. No, you see them giving a thumbs up if they like it.

 

[Grizzly]

my personal opinion on mandos is look at the kotor comic books i cant remeber which numbers but theres so many styles, not all have the t visor, some have a bar slit or seperate eye peices, a twi'lek mando had eyes painted above his brow, they all had so many variations of armor, gauntlets, weapons, jet packs some had no packs, alot wore neo crusaders i mean the possibilities are limited by your imagination. i do enjoy the super commando armor style, my first suit im workin on is a sort of variation of the jango armor with different plates here n there and im building a custom pack, gauntlets, and knees, possibly bicept too. ill agree seeing the same dent in the same place is very tireing and over done, but mandos are individualistic in their gear, be it color or total differentiation in their suits i do plan how ever to expand ive already begun custom parts of armor. so as long as you(your charecter) are mando it shouldnt matter what your gear looks like be it T visor, bucket design, anything. a mando is more then just their armor( i think skirata said that ) but im hopefully not stepping on any toes here.

 

[The Asylum]

The way I see it, the Mandalorians were a tight-knit paramilitary-style organization. While standardization was not a requirement, it occured quite frequently so parts were easily replaceable and repairable without having to have special equipment or carry unique replacement parts for hundreds of different styles of armor, which takes up space and weight either in your ship or on your back.

And like in a paramilitary organization, there are those who are unique and like to demonstrate their uniqueness in different ways.

Then there are the 'trophies' taken off fallen opponents which were better than what they were using, so they adapted it into their gear.

And there are always the tinkerers who 'tweak' an existing design to better suit their uses.

And a dozen other reasons why an armor might or might not be 'cookie cutter'.

Personally, I like the unique designs which really reflect the person behind the "T". I'm hoping my armor design will turn heads because it won't be 'the ordinary'.

 

[hellopike]

Put me down as one would doesn't mind the assembly line look. I was always under he impression that Jango Fett's armor was typical Mandalorian Super Commando armor, and Boba Fett's was too (with some slight variation). And this armor was a standard uniform for the period in the Mandalorian history just before the first movie Arc (epi. 1-3). If you look up "Supercommando" You find that they were loyal to Jaster Mareel's Supercommando Codex, which was guidelines on how "True Mandalorians" should be-

The Supercommando Codex was a guideline to proper Mandalorian behavior drafted by Jaster Mereel upon becoming Mandalore in 60 BBY. The goal of the Codex was to purge the dishonorable, mercenary ways that had become prevalent among them. However, a group of Mandalorians under Vizsla opposed the reforms, leading to the Mandalorian Civil War.

From Wookipedia. So it doesn't specifically talk about armor, but it doesn't seem too far out that if there was mandates on "True Mandalorian" Behavior, then there would also be a Standarizing of what a Mandalorian should look like also. Never mind the financial sense in standardization that others have talked about.

Phil

 

[TheBigGunns]

BobaFettDaddy-
That really stinks that that happened to you with the 501st. I have heard some good and bad things about them. No one should dis anyone for trying. I think you get kudos for making everything by hand rather than just buying everything.

And I agree with everyone about the dent in the helmet. A little bondo would fix that problem in a snap.
~Mel

 

[BobaFettDaddy]

Again, I will be flamed for this...

If I bought an OCC Chopper, custom made by the boys at OCC and then repainted it when I recieved it, could I say I "customized" it? Of course not. I repainted it. If I bought a Luke Skywalker costume and then died it purple, did I customize it? Same goes for buying Jango and Boba recasts and then repainting them and wearing a different color jumpsuit. It's not really customizing. The idea that Mandos would have all the same gauntlets is illogical. They are a nomadic culture who borrowed from everyone, who kept war trophies, who were masters of warfare and improvisation. Codex or not, they are as old as the Jedi. There are bound to be aberrations, and as I have seen in the KOTOR comic, there are thousands of variations on the Mandalorian. As long as it has a Mandalorian style to it, who cares? I've seen some really cool custom Mandos on this site, but I've also seen some really cool repaints. But let's call them what they are. It's a question of semantics, really. Don't you think?