Need a hand making a costume

[Lunchmoney]

I'm not the most imaginative, nor creative, when it comes to costumes. And now I find I could really do with a specific thing that I just cant find/create. 

 

I have a 50, John Spartan, who shoots guns, kicks and punches bad guys, and is dressed like an LA SWAT cop. 

I finally created his foil, Simon Phoenix; I was pleasantly surprised to find the name was available. 

I'm having trouble putting together his look. 

I can do blue jeans (not overalls/dungarees), orange tank top, blonde hair, but the rest I cant find/create. 

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated 🙂

 

T'anks in advance 😀

Edited Monday at 04:33 PM by Lunchmoney

[Octogoat]

[Andreah]

2 hours ago, Lunchmoney said:

I'm not the most imaginative, nor creative, when it comes to costumes. And now I find I could really do with a specific thing that I just cant find/create. 

...

I asked an AI to look over the forums to try to understand HC's stance on copyrighted character allowed homages and disallowed replicas, and then asked it to look over your post, give a summary of the possible problems, and then make recommendations for you. 

 

Here's what it said:

[Andreah]

I don't think HC would ever delete your character, but the Name, Bio, and costume could get removed/generic'd. 

 

If you're serious about needing help, the AI has a few extra suggestions. I'll post them for you. 

 

==== Following is AI Generated ====

 

Let’s create a handful of creative variations for the player’s Demolition Man-inspired characters, John Spartan and Simon Phoenix, transforming them into proper homages that tie into City of Heroes (CoH) lore while avoiding copyright issues under City of Heroes: Homecoming (HC) guidelines. HC’s holistic standards, as inferred, allow homages if they include substantial creative elements, integrate into the game’s universe, and avoid direct replication of copyrighted characters. We’ll focus on new names, backstories, powers, and costumes that pay tribute to the spirit of Demolition Man’s main characters (John Spartan as a tough cop, Simon Phoenix as a chaotic villain) while ensuring originality.

Creative Variations for John Spartan (Tough Cop Archetype)

Variation 1: Steel Enforcer

• Name: Steel Enforcer – A nod to Spartan’s tough, law-enforcing nature, with “Steel” reflecting durability.
• Backstory: Marcus “Steel” Tanner was a Paragon Police Department (PPD) officer in the 1990s, known for his unorthodox methods in Kings Row. During a raid on a Rikti weapons cache, he was exposed to experimental tech that fused with his body, granting him enhanced durability and strength. Now a registered hero, he fights to clean up Paragon City’s streets, often clashing with the PPD over his “demolition” tactics, echoing his nickname “Steel Enforcer.”
• Powers:
  • Primary: Invulnerability (reflecting his toughness, akin to Spartan’s resilience).
  • Secondary: Street Justice (melee punches and kicks, fitting his cop fighting style).
  • Power Pools: Leaping (for rooftop pursuits), Fighting (trained combat skills).
• Costume: Dark gray tactical armor with glowing blue accents (from the Rikti tech), a PPD badge on the chest, combat boots, and a visor helmet. Avoids the direct LA SWAT look by incorporating CoH-specific elements like Rikti tech.
• Tie to CoH Lore: The Rikti exposure ties him to the game’s alien invasion events, and his PPD background roots him in Paragon City’s law enforcement struggles.
• Homage Element: Captures John Spartan’s tough cop archetype and action-hero vibe without directly copying his name or exact backstory.

Variation 2: Riot Warden

• Name: Riot Warden – Reflects a law-enforcement role with a focus on controlling chaos, inspired by Spartan’s mission.
• Backstory: Elena Voss joined the PPD during the aftermath of the first Rikti War, rising to lead a riot control unit in Atlas Park. After a near-fatal encounter with the Freakshow, she was saved by a Crey scientist who implanted her with cybernetic enhancements, boosting her strength and reflexes. Now a hero, she patrols high-crime areas, using her authority and combat skills to “demolish” gang activity, earning her the title “Riot Warden.”
• Powers:
  • Primary: Super Strength (for her enhanced cybernetic power).
  • Secondary: Energy Aura (protective cybernetic shielding).
  • Power Pools: Leadership (for her PPD command role), Speed (for rapid response).
• Costume: Black and silver cybernetic armor with glowing green lines, a PPD riot shield emblem on her shoulder, and a futuristic helmet with a tinted visor. Distinct from a SWAT uniform, emphasizing CoH’s tech aesthetic.
• Tie to CoH Lore: Ties to the Rikti War and Crey Corporation, both central to CoH’s narrative, grounding her in the game’s world.
• Homage Element: Reflects Spartan’s law-enforcement background and physical prowess, reimagined with CoH’s sci-fi elements.

Creative Variations for Simon Phoenix (Chaotic Villain Archetype)

Variation 3: Neon Ravager

• Name: Neon Ravager – “Neon” nods to Phoenix’s flashy style, while “Ravager” captures his destructive nature.
• Backstory: Zane “Neon” Carver was a small-time crook in the Rogue Isles, working for Arachnos as a low-level enforcer. During a heist at a Crey lab, he stole a prototype sonic disruptor that bonded with his body, amplifying his aggression and giving him chaotic energy powers. Now calling himself Neon Ravager, he leads a splinter faction of the Freakshow, spreading anarchy in Paragon City with his unpredictable, destructive antics.
• Powers:
  • Primary: Energy Blast (chaotic energy bursts, reflecting his destructive nature).
  • Secondary: Energy Manipulation (melee energy strikes, akin to Phoenix’s combat skills).
  • Power Pools: Leaping (for his erratic mobility), Presence (intimidating aura).
• Costume: Neon orange spiky hair, a ripped black tank top with glowing purple accents, tattered blue cargo pants, and combat boots with metal spikes. Retains a punk aesthetic but adds CoH’s Freakshow flair with glowing tech elements.
• Tie to CoH Lore: His connection to Arachnos, Crey, and the Freakshow integrates him into the game’s villain factions, making him a natural antagonist in the Rogue Isles.
• Homage Element: Captures Simon Phoenix’s chaotic, punk-rock villainy, but reimagines him as a CoH-specific villain with a tech-enhanced origin.

Variation 4: Anarchy Blaze

• Name: Anarchy Blaze – “Anarchy” reflects Phoenix’s lawless nature, and “Blaze” hints at his fiery, destructive personality.
• Backstory: Riley “Blaze” Maddox was a disgraced chemist in St. Martial, expelled from a Circle of Thorns cult for his reckless experiments. He developed a volatile chemical compound that, when ingested, gave him pyrotechnic powers and a manic personality. Now known as Anarchy Blaze, he terrorizes Paragon City, leaving trails of fire and destruction, often clashing with heroes while mocking the city’s “sanitized” order—a subtle nod to Demolition Man’s dystopian themes.
• Powers:
  • Primary: Fire Blast (for fiery, destructive attacks).
  • Secondary: Fire Manipulation (melee fire strikes, reflecting his aggressive style).
  • Power Pools: Speed (for his chaotic, hit-and-run tactics), Stealth (for ambushes).
• Costume: Flame-patterned orange and red jacket, black jeans with burn marks, spiky blonde hair with red tips, and a cracked, fiery domino mask. Incorporates Phoenix’s punk style but adds CoH’s fiery villain aesthetic.
• Tie to CoH Lore: The Circle of Thorns and St. Martial setting tie him to CoH’s magical and criminal underworld, fitting his villainous role.
• Homage Element: Reflects Simon Phoenix’s anarchic, destructive personality, but with a fire-based twist that aligns with CoH’s villain archetypes.

Mixed Pair Variation (John Spartan and Simon Phoenix Together)

Variation 5: Cryo Sentinel and Chaos Thaw

• Names: Cryo Sentinel (John Spartan-inspired) and Chaos Thaw (Simon Phoenix-inspired) – Referencing Demolition Man’s cryogenic freezing plot while avoiding direct name copies.
• Backstory:
  • Cryo Sentinel: Lt. Kara “Sentinel” Hayes was a PPD officer in the 1980s, frozen in a Crey cryonics experiment gone wrong during a raid on a Hellions hideout. Revived in 2025, she gained enhanced durability from the cryonic process and now fights crime in Atlas Park, adapting her old-school tactics to Paragon City’s chaos.
  • Chaos Thaw: Victor “Thaw” Drake, a Hellions gang member, was frozen in the same Crey experiment. The process mutated him, giving him ice-melting energy powers and a deranged personality. Now free, he seeks to “thaw” Paragon City’s order with chaos, becoming Cryo Sentinel’s arch-nemesis.
• Powers:
  • Cryo Sentinel:
    • Primary: Invulnerability (cryonic-enhanced durability).
    • Secondary: Ice Melee (cold-infused punches, a nod to her frozen origin).
    • Power Pools: Leaping, Leadership.
  • Chaos Thaw:
    • Primary: Energy Blast (melting energy bursts).
    • Secondary: Fiery Melee (chaotic, fiery strikes).
    • Power Pools: Speed, Presence.
• Costumes:
  • Cryo Sentinel: Icy blue tactical armor with frost patterns, a PPD badge, and a silver visor. Reflects her frozen origin while maintaining a cop aesthetic.
  • Chaos Thaw: Orange and black shredded jacket, blue pants with burn marks, spiky blonde hair, and a fiery red eyepatch. Nods to Phoenix’s punk look with a fiery twist.
• Tie to CoH Lore: The Crey experiment and Hellions tie both characters to CoH’s factions, while the Atlas Park setting grounds them in the game’s world.
• Homage Element: The cryogenic freezing and cop-villain dynamic homage Demolition Man, but the CoH-specific origins and powers make them distinct.

How These Variations Avoid Copyright Issues

• Original Names: Names like Steel Enforcer, Neon Ravager, and Cryo Sentinel avoid direct references to Demolition Man characters, adhering to HC’s policy against using copyrighted names [Web ID: 18].
• Creative Backstories: Each variation integrates CoH lore (e.g., Rikti, Crey, Hellions, PPD), providing substantial originality while paying tribute to the source material’s themes (law enforcement, chaos, cryonics).
• Unique Powers and Costumes: Powers like Ice Melee, Fire Blast, or Vibrational Force Fields, and costumes with CoH-specific elements (e.g., Rikti tech, frost patterns), differentiate the characters from their Demolition Man counterparts.
• Homage, Not Replication: The variations capture the spirit of John Spartan (tough cop) and Simon Phoenix (chaotic villain) without directly copying their names, exact appearances, or backstories, fitting HC’s apparent standard of allowing homages with creative elements.

These variations should pass HC’s holistic review, offering enough originality to avoid copyright jeopardy while honoring the Demolition Man inspiration. The player can further ensure compliance by contacting a Game Master for pre-approval, as HC guidelines suggest [Web ID: 18].

 

[Andreah]

The AI has no idea if the names is proposes are available on your server. But they might give you ideas.

[Lunchmoney]

The first has been there for 6 years, no one has said or done anything. 

Incredible generic names, like John and Simon cant be copyrighted. Steel Enforcer, however, could be. So I'll stick with the names. 

There are no bios in the characters. I dont need them. 

The costume for John is just SWAT cop, cant copyright that. 

 

The costume for Simon doesnt exist yet. 

 

I am just looking for costume help, thanks. 

Edited Monday at 07:44 PM by Lunchmoney

[Andreah]

2 minutes ago, Lunchmoney said:

The first has been there for 6 years, no one has said or done anything. 

 

There's no statute of limitations here, he's still at risk. If I were you, I'd change the name at least, and if your bio describes too closely to the movie character, I'd change that too. 

[Healix]

you can make overalls..

 

[Lunchmoney]

Thanks, that is what I was looking for. 

 

5 minutes ago, Healix said:

you can make overalls..

 

 

Edited Monday at 07:50 PM by Lunchmoney

[Lunchmoney]

3 minutes ago, Andreah said:

, and if your bio describes too closely to the movie character, I'd change that too. 

There are no bios. And, again, generic names cant be copyrighted. Ask your AI friend. 

 

 

I was just asking for costume help, thanks. 

Edited Monday at 07:48 PM by Lunchmoney

[Healix]

Bob's yer uncle! I am SO glad I could help, Lunchmoney. (I am exclusivley on Excelsior.)

[Psyonico]

2 minutes ago, Lunchmoney said:

There are no bios. And, again, generic names cant be copyrighted. 

 

I was just asking for costume help, thanks. 

You’re right that “John” can’t be copyrighted, however, if you take a character from a movie and recreate them without any changes, you do risk being genericed.

[GM Crumpet]

Just.... don't. It makes work for the GM's and we err on the side of intent when we look at characters. If I see someone with a name from another IP I get twitchy. If the first result on my google search shows a character from a movie like these do it's pretty much a slam dunk for a generic. Then you have to appeal and explain exactly why we were wrong. 

[PeregrineFalcon]

"John Spartan you are fined five credits for repeated violations of the IP copyright statute."

 

[Jacke]

5 minutes ago, PeregrineFalcon said:

"John Spartan you are fined five credits for repeated violations of the IP copyright statute."

 

 

You do not want to know what the penalty is for not knowing how the 3 Sea Shells work.

 

 

[Maelwys]

Just now, Jacke said:

 

You do not want to know what the penalty is for not knowing how the 3 Sea Shells work.

 

IIRC it involved swearing a few more times in order to generate a sufficient ply count of paperwork...? Hopefully in this case the OP takes the hint rather than subjecting their own warnings to the same treatment!

[Healix]

[GM_GooglyMoogly]

32 minutes ago, GM Crumpet said:

Just.... don't. It makes work for the GM's and we err on the side of intent when we look at characters. If I see someone with a name from another IP I get twitchy. If the first result on my google search shows a character from a movie like these do it's pretty much a slam dunk for a generic. Then you have to appeal and explain exactly why we were wrong. 

 

Crumpet sees you!  Hide!

 

 

[biostem]

4 hours ago, Lunchmoney said:

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

I am going to make 2 suggestions:

 

1. Change the character's appearance enough so that they aren't an obvious copy of the characters from Demolition Man.

 

2. Post your request here as I think you'll get more traction that way.

 

Cheers!

[tidge]

1 hour ago, Healix said:

you can make overalls..

 

 

Tell me more... is it all body types? If so, which options?