TFPortal Fanstuff Special - Part 5: Do It Yourself

Welcome to Part 5 of the Fanstuff Special. Today's topic is Mods. If you've missed one of the previous parts, just click at one of the links below. The next part will be released in two weeks (December 19th).

Part 1 - Websites

Part 2 - Webcomics

Part 3 - Fanart

Part 4 - Mods

Part 5 - Do It Yourself

Part 6 - Retrospective

Part 7 - A Comment on 3 Years Team Fortress 2

Do It Yourself

One can do so many things with computers: play video games, surf on the Internet, work on a text with Word, draw a picture with Photospop etc. However, all of these things are just virtual. Even if someone created a comic or a song without the help of computers, they need to be digitalized with one in order to turn them into virtual data and share them with others. While that's not bad by any means, it limits the creativity since all you can do is a game, a picture, a video or a music file.

t's all the more encouraging that fans create true non-computer stuff for their favorite game and only use a computer to make a vidoe of their creations. That's what we'll show you today, stuff you didn't make with your computer, but all by yourself with your hands.

Note: Since we'll end up with a lot of videos, we can't embed them all (we're talking about over 30 videos here). Even if it's just a link, click it anyway and give the content a chance.

 Cosplay

Cosplay (costume play in short) is a term used to describe people who wear customes of their favorite characters on conventions or other events. But that's not all; some fans not only make their own costumes, they even play scenes from the game, creating a real life-version of Team Fortress 2.

• Anime North 09 - Meet The Red Heavy
• AN 2010 Mini - "Meet The Engineer"
• A Lamers Day
• Cosplay.com Gallery - Sentry goin' UP!
• Danke, Mommy
• de-rez: Team Fortress 2
• FYI I am a Spy (Live Action)
• Gossipgamers.com - Awesome Medic & Soldier Team Fortress 2 Cosplay
• Hey Ash, Whatcha Playin: Team Fortress 2
• Metrocon 2010! Team Fortress 2 Intel and Caramelldansen Video!
• Real Life Parody
• Real Life Parody II
• Real Life Parody III - The Scout Update Special
• Real Life Parody IV - Meet the Sniper
• Spy Sappin' my Sentry, in real life!
• TF2 Medic
• Tiny Scout is tiny
• Theres a Spy Sappin My...

Self-Made Items

I bet you want to make your own class custome now, right? Look no further, for greenzaku has made some instructions on how to make your own Sniper leather pouch and Demoman vest.

All that is left are some proper weapons. Luckily, Fev has created some wood replicas of some weapons:

But Team Fortress 2 fans are not only talented in tailoring and carving, but in building other objects as well.

Let's take a look at these mirrors, for instance:

User Chichen added some fancy silhouettes on them. He even sent the Saxton Hale mirror to Valve.

Switching from mirrors to pottery, here's a Spy Crab plate served to you by MurasakiYugata:

Speaking of Spies, AnimeAmy has created a My Little Pony version of him:

Are you getting hungry? Here, have a cookie from Eshap:

For the case mod fans among you, here's a Sentry Gun PC:

And last but not least, a Lego Sentry Gun from Steve Barker:

Other Cool Stuff

These entries aren't exactly non-virtual, but they're still non in-game related and are too cool not to mention.

• Ever wanted to test you knowledge about TF2? Look no further, here's a quiz for you (and a solution for the spies among you.)
• Want to play a TF2 RPG? No, not just something to watch, and not a game-in-progress either? Then try out the Table Top version of it.