Q&A Interview with Lindsay Elyse

Lindsay Elyse is a popular cosplayer and member of the XX Girls. She has portrayed many iconic characters such as Master Chief from Halo, Lara Croft from Tomb Raider, Poison Ivy from Batman, and Ariel from The Little Mermaid just to name a few. Lindsay is not only a true beauty but she is also very down to earth. I recently sat down with her to talk about video games and cosplaying.

How did you first become interested in cosplaying?

My mom found an ad for a convention at a comic book store in like 2004 and I begged her to go. It said something about a costume contest, so I was like sure why not! She made my first few costumes and walked around the whole convention with me. I was so worried no one else would be dressed up and I packed normal clothes in the car just in case so I wouldn't look ridiculous. Hah!

Who are the "XX Girls"?

My five best friends! We started out as sort of a media/cosplay group, but everyone kind of went off to do their own thing. Now it's really just sort of a title we give to ourselves! We use the Facebook page to showcase all of our work.

And you are also a writer?

I am! I have an associates degree in Journalism. I've been published in a few magazines for game reviews and also appeared on the front page of my school paper a few times. I haven't done too much lately, but had an opportunity arise in the last few days, so keep watch!

Tell me about your Master Chief outfit. It looks amazing! What's it made of?

I'm not sure, actually. Plastic probably. I didn't make it, I beat up the guy who owns it and stole it... just kidding! But I did beg for the chance to run around it in because I'm a HUGE Halo fan. It was so funny, it's a little big since it normally fits a 6'7" guy, and I'm like 5'9", so I was waddling around like a penguin to get from place to place. Stairs were SO HARD.

You also recently did a Lara Croft cosplay. What did you think of the new Tomb Raider game?

I did! I fell in love with the game and just thought well, my hair looks like hers, and I can look scared all the time and fall off stuff too, so I should probably just make her costume. It was a blast. I rolled around in the dirt and climbed a mountain for my shoot! I loved the way the game played, puzzles and shooting both, and was just awestruck by the graphics. Her hair! So insane. Definitely recommend it!

Let's say that I am a guy who has a crush on you. Just uh, hypothetically speaking! What is the best way for someone to approach you at a con to get a picture?

Neon signs, backflips, breakdances... I really like jelly beans, you could present me with some... Approach me with Hugh Jackman... screech like a parrot... any of those would be fine. Or you could just say "HEY, PICTURE?" That usually works.

Approximately how many hover hands do you get per year? Ballpark figure.

Well, that definitely depends on how many conventions I attend! Haha they always make me laugh, it's almost more awkward for me to be aware that your arm is around me but you aren't touching me! A lot of people have started to ask permission to put their arms around me, which I think is wonderful. That's definitely the way to go. I totally don't mind, it's just cool that you respect me enough to make sure it's okay. I also like people who ask for horrendously awkward hover hand pictures, I'll play along hardcore.

Have you had any really embarrassing/awkward moments at a convention?

Nothing too terrible! I did wear a costume one year though that I didn't really test before I went to the convention. It had a bunch of cloth strips that held the chest part up and connected to a choker. Well, the choker broke and the pieces holding up my shirt fell down. I felt it happen and collected everything before it was disastrous, but it was still pretty embarrassing for me to be clutching my chest and asking people for safety pins. You'd be surprised how hard it was to find one. Awkward moments happen a lot, but that's how I am with people. I don't really know what to say after a five minute conversation and just kind of... uhhh... soooo.... weather... yeah.

What conventions are you planning on attending this year?

That's always up in the air! If I had my way though, Phoenix ComicCon, E3, SDCC, Anime Expo, NYCC, PAX, and possibly Edmonton Expo in Canada since I have some friends out there that won't stop harassing me.

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To see more of Lindsay's awesome cosplays, be sure to like her Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/gglindsayelyse/ and/or follow her on Twitter @ohhlindsayelyse.

Q&A Interview with Angelica Dawn

Angelica Dawn is a true nerd at heart and an amazingly talented cosplayer. She is a beautiful girl that loves a wide assortment of both video games and anime. What more could a guy ask for? I sat down with her to ask about cosplaying as a hobby and what some of her favorite games and anime are.

So how did you first get into cosplaying?

I’ve been playing dress up since I was a little girl so when I went to a comic convention and found out it was acceptable for me to do full out costumes without looking like a crazy person who just escaped the asylum, I was totally on board!

Tell me about some the characters you have cosplayed.

I love Ezio’s story in Assassin’s Creed. I love the story and game so much I even have an Assassin's Creed tattoo! When I played Brotherhood, I kept thinking about how awesome it would be to be an assassin, what skills I would have, things like that. So pretty much I was inspired to create my own character.

I have to bring up this costume because it was the first cosplay I made. I definitely took baby steps in cosplay creation. I remember reading Bleach and loving cute little Nel. Then when she transformed into her true form and showed off her awesome skills, I totally wanted to cosplay her!

Before the movie came out, I already had the costume done. I was so stoked for this story to come out on the big screen! I loved it! It was a total girl power movie, but it was also a thinker movie. I would love to be any of the female characters in this movie, but I fit the character of Babydoll best. It was to the point where people thought I was the actual girl from the movie at Comic Con. I guess I did my job of portraying the character well. SUCCESS!

Those are just a few of the cosplays I’ve done. I do a range of characters and costumes from games, books, TV shows, anime, comic books, movies, and historical eras.

What are some of your favorite anime?

Samurai Champloo still holds my number one spot. It might not be the longest, but I love the art and the story. Cowboy Bebop is my second favorite anime, I love the characters and story, but the art is a bit old fashioned. As for my number three favorite, I’d have to say FLCL, for characters and humor.
I do watch your typical popular anime like Naruto and Bleach, though I get annoyed with their length and repetitive story arcs.

What about video games?

Obviously Assassin’s Creed holds a special place in my heart and on my gaming shelf. I promise I like other games, though! I like a game with great characters and above all a great story. The Metal Gear games, L.A. Noire, Batman: Arkham Asylum as well as Batman: Arkham City, Skyrim, Kingdom Hearts, and Silent Hill 2 all hold a special spot on my video game shelf. They’re like my “top shelf” games.

On average, how long does it take you to create a costume and can you describe the step-by-step process of creating one?

I get asked this question a lot, but I never have a really accurate answer. It’s usually a lot of broken up hours that add up to about a day or two. It usually starts with me drawing out the costume so I understand what I will need to create it before I get started. Then I go hunting for all the materials I’ll need. Then 20 Red Bulls and a stack of DVD’s later my costume is all done!
Usually what gets me to get my butt in gear and get it all done is procrastination and to work under pressure.

What is your secret to staying in such great shape?

I’m in shape?! *blushes* Thank you.

I actually just do what I feel are normal things. I eat till my tummy is content, I run or workout when I feel squishy or lazy, and not eating three hours before bedtime is a big help. I also found that seeing photos of yourself is helpful in telling when you’ve gained weight. Then lastly, being surrounded by my beautiful friends is very inspirational.

Do you have a favorite convention?

So far I’d have to say San Diego Comic Con. I actually haven’t been to a lot of different conventions, but SDCC is by far my favorite. It’s just one being nerd fest and it takes place is one of my favorite cities.

If you could liken yourself in real life to one of the characters you have cosplayed who would it be and why?

Without hesitation or doubt I have to say my Female Assassin. Though she’s not an official character, she’s my creation. I would love in the future to actually write out her story to share. I just have to find time.

Any plans for future cosplays?

I’m always planning future cosplays, I might actually just be addicted. I just recently premiered a pinup Harley Quinn at Amazing Arizona Comic Con with the XX girls. It was inspired by fan art I found online. We all did DC characters.

In AZ we also have our Renaissance Festival comic up, so for that I will have a few costumes. One being an original cosplay from Skyrim’s The Dark Brotherhood. Other than that I’m not sure what else the year will have in store, but I have a lot of ideas!

Where can fans find more of you?

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AngelicaLovesAssCreed

Q&A Interview with Raychul Moore

Raychul Moore is a games journalist, avid cosplayer, and true geek at heart. She has done work for sites like GamePro, EGM, GameZone, and Machinima and has cosplayed a ton of cool video game characters including a sexy female version of Kratos from God of War. I recently sat down with Raychul to talk about her work in the industry and what she thinks of the current state of games journalism.

How did you first get into the industry as a games journalist?

I was really lucky and got into it almost by accident. I have always been a gamer since I was old enough to hold a controller without drooling on it too much. But working in the game industry was never something I thought I could do. Back then, there really wasn’t “games press," you were either a developer or an animator. That’s it.

I was in college when EGM ran a little feature on me in their magazine being a chick gamer and all. Purely out of luck, GamePro saw the article and I started writing a few things here and there for them. After a bit, I was brought on to a new site GamePro was starting called GameGirl and after only a few months of writing for the site, GamePro made me Editor-in-Cheif of GameGirl and I started contributing to GamePro Magazine and website. I haven’t stopped writing about and talking about games as my career since.

Describe what a "normal" day of work is like for you.

I usually wake up around noon (I get my best work done after midnight, so I stay up way late!) and then I check all my social sites. After that, I usually get a video uploading to YouTube, pop in whatever game I am playing at the time and then after a few hours of that I usually take a break and edit another video.

Do you think being a girl made it easier or harder for you to become successful in the industry?

Easier at first, but definitely harder in the long run. It was easy to get noticed, but very hard (and still is) to be taken seriously. People are so quick to assume that I am either a promotional model or a paid on-camera host. What they don’t know is, I have never been paid to promote a game, I play all the games I talk about and I write all my own material.

Recently you've mentioned that the games industry is sort of like a little family. Can you comment on Rab Florence's article on Eurogamer where he criticizes the cozy relationship between journalists and PR? Do you think things are too comfortable?

I agree and I disagree. It helps being sort of like a family. We all know each other and each other’s work. We get together for events and we all work well together, for the most part. There isn’t a lot of drama or rivalry. But it’s the people who don’t know how to separate business and pleasure who take things for granted and start expecting people to treat them differently.

I hate when I see press people pressure their PR friends into special treatment, or PR people who pressure press into a favorable review. That kinda behavior is damaging to the industry. But if you can separate the two and know when is fun time and when is professional time, then I think having the industry working as one big, harmonious family is what makes this industry so awesome!

You recently did a 24 hour livestream for Extra-Life. What was it like playing video games for an entire day? At what point did it become no longer fun?

It never became no longer fun... the 24 hour live stream was 24 hours of insane fun! Even those few parts where I thought I was going to die of exhaustion, I still had a great time and plan on doing it again next year! I have stayed up 24 hours for a game before, we all have, but staying up with a live chat room makes it even more exciting.

Do you ever get a chance to just play games for fun rather than for work?

Oh yes, definitely! But the great thing is, all of the games I get to cover are games I am excited about naturally! A few slip through the cracks, like right now I am working on a game that had been in my backlog for quite a while which is Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Such a great game, only wish it hadn’t taken me so long to get to it!

What is your current favorite game that you're playing right now?

Right not I am working on Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Assassin’s Creed 3, both are great games, but neither can top Dishonored which I just finished. Dishonored is simply amazing and is right up there with Borderlands 2 for my Game of the Year.

So you're also into cosplaying. What are some characters that you would like to cosplay in the future?

I got into cosplaying to kinda shut my friend up. :) HA! It was my first San Diego Comic-Con and one of my friends really wanted to do a cosplay group. Back then, cosplaying wasn’t cool. But she really wanted me in her group so I rolled my eyes and said fine. Who would've known, but I looooved it! I always loved dressing up in costumes before and would make up excuses for costume parties and costume photoshoots... so yeah, my love for cosplay was natural. Getting to dress up as some of my favorite characters from some of my favorite games, comics or movies is just so much fun! I love the creation, I love the concept, and I love the first time I see one of my costumes completed!

Some characters I am working on is Tiny Tina from Borderlands 2 and I would also really like to upgrade my Kratos costume.

What did you dress up as for Halloween? 

I was Princess Buttercup from The Princess Bride, but with a twist. The twist being boobs. :) The dress from the movie is very very modest and I thought she needed a little extra something. ;)

Let's say you didn't work in the video game industry, what job do you think you would have?

I would probably be doing what I went to school for which was forensics and psychology. I wanted to be a profiler... but quit school to work in the game industry. I’ve never even come close to regretting that decision. :)

Where can fans follow you?

My Youtube: www.youtube.com/raychulmoore
Twitter: twitter.com/theraychul