The visual aesthetic
In this space, we will describe the levels of distress and visual aesthetic we expect at Outpost Elysium.
THE LOOK OF ELYSIUM
This is a post-apocalyptic world. People have been surviving, scavenging and repairing, not shopping in malls or online. Obviously, people make new clothes in the post-apocalypse too, but for the visuals and the feel of the larp, the dirt and grime will do the trick, not clean and spotless.
Your costume (and weapon, if applicable) must look used, repaired, patched, dirty and lived in. As mentioned on the front page, distressing your costume is not optional, it’s mandatory.
Why it matters
Immersion is collective. One undistressed costume doesn’t just break your own character, it can break the world for people around it. The atmosphere at Outpost Elysium is built by the sum of the costumes, props and gear that players chose to invest in. Distressing yours is your unique contribution to that world, as well as your responsibility to the people playing alongside you.
Below you will find example photos of distress levels we think are good enough.
What we mean by distressed
Think Mad Max: Fury Road meets The Road. Worn, faded, layered and improvised. Patched with whatever was available, repaired and repaired again. Layered, grimy, not always matching, because that’s what you scavenged. Every piece should tell a story of hard survival.
That doesn’t mean grey and boring. Colorful, outlandish and dramatic are all welcome here, as long as it looks earned. A magnificent coat is perfect. A magnificent coat that survived three winters and a knife fight is exactly right.
What doesn’t belong in Elysium
Clean, spotless or fresh from the store. Matching sets that look like they were bought together last week or something you just picked out of your regular closet and did nothing with. If it looks like you could wear it to a normal event without anyone blinking, it needs more work.
DO NOT
- use shemags / keffiyes / palestine scarf as part of your costume
- use alot of camoflage. It’s really hard to distress
- spray metallic paint over random stuff as your only distress method
Costume check
Organizers want to give you the thumbs up for your costumes at checkin before the larp starts. If something needs work, you’ll be invited directed to the distressing station. We’re not looking to exclude or shame anyone, we’re looking to help players achieve the atmosphere everyone is investing in. (If it helps, the organisers are not distress professionals…we get by with good enough ourselves.)
Distressing station
We provide a free station with some tools, paint, spray and aging tools. Use it as much as you want before or during the larp. Many costumes at previous Outpost Elysium larps were finished or improved just before or during play time.
FAQ – visual aesthetic
Do I really have to distress my costume?
Yes. It’s mandatory, not a recommendation. Clean costumes will not be approved at check-in. We will have a distressing station available at all times.
What if my costume gets damaged?
Good. Don’t bring anything you’re not willing to wreck, at least a little bit.
Help! I’m not experienced with costumes. Where do I start?
Start with what you have. Old work clothes, military surplus, thrift store finds. Sand the edges, make rips and repair them, tea-stain the fabric, spill something on it to stain, patch something that isn’t even torn. You can find a lot of great and relatively easy tips on YouTube, for example at Nuclear Snail Studios. The distressing station can help you with details.
Can I be colorful?
Absolutely. Color and drama are welcome. The question is whether it looks earned, like someone surviving the wasteland would actually wear it.
Do props and gear need distressing too?
Yes. Bags, weapons, tools, accessories etc. Same rules apply for all of it. Wrap things in cord, scratch metal, add wear wherever it would naturally occur
Can I use the distressing station even if my costume passes check?
Yes. Use it as much as you want.