The Care and Feeding of Nerds

PAX East 2014 Roundup

Posted by Kel

It’s been the better part of a week now and the PAX-induced grins are just beginning to fade. You hear that burgeoning seasonal allergies and mid-April snow? Even you can’t crush the con-happy. <sneezes> Also, yes, you can totally have both allergy-inducing conditions and snow existing simultaneously in New England. It was actually over 70 degrees (21.1 degrees C) less than 24 hours ago.

Despite the absence of a few AAA developers, there were still plenty of interesting gaming experiences to be had at the BCEC. The prevailing MO amongst the developers seemed to be ‘make a huge statement in a press release before the convention, then attempt to capitalize on the resulting furor.’ The technique met with mixed results for reasons we’ll go into in a moment, but also created a paucity of new headlines stemming directly from PAX.

In keeping with the other convention roundups, these highlights will be listed by publisher and all gaming news will be followed by general observations on the overall experience.

Blizzard Entertainment – Last year’s oddball offering, Hearthstone, was once again at the forefront of the Blizzard booth. Not only will the free-to-play digital CCG soon be available on your iPad, but a single-player campaign was confirmed to be in the works. Blizzard also called attention to its forthcoming MOBA, Heroes of the Storm, but this title is in the very, very early stages of development. If you're keen to get in on the eventual beta for Heroes, you can sign up here.

Denneton Games – If you blinked you were liable to miss Dennaton Games, though at least this year they were located in the Indie Megabooth and weren’t squirreled away beneath a staircase (no joke, that’s pretty much where they were in 2013). Only the crowds gave any indication that a playable demo for Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number was available if you were willing to elbow your way through and into the booth itself. Wrong Number looks and feels pretty much like a full-on reprisal of its predecessor, which everyone seemed thrilled with. So if you liked the first Hotline, odds are that you'll enjoy the sequel. You’ll be able to wade anew into the carnage during the third quarter of this year.

Firaxis Games (2K)– Firaxis was one of the few studios to actually make an announcement at PAX itself and their revelation is still making waves at this very moment. So what’s the hubbub about? There will be a new incarnation of the Civilization franchise and no, it’s not just going to be Civ VI. Meet Civilization: Beyond Earth.

As the trailer video suggests, Beyond Earth harkens back to one of the most beloved members of Sid Meier’s roster: Alpha Centauri. Given the fanbase Alpha Centauri boasts and the fact that it has been a full 15 years since the original debuted, the enthusiasm driving the reception that the announcement received is not all that surprising. The actual mechanics are, unsurprisingly, similar to those of Civ V, though the overarching victory objectives are rooted in survival and species perpetuation. As such, long-term planning takes on a new level of significance. Firaxis did not provide a specific release date, but indicated that the game would be available for PC, Mac, and Linux this fall. I’m already WAY too excited about this game.

Gearbox Software – In the days immediately preceding PAX, Gearbox introduced what will be the latest installment to their biggest franchise, Borderlands:the Pre-Sequel (yes, that’s actually the title). As the dual-faceted name suggests, the Pre-Sequel is set after the events of the first Borderlands, but before Borderlands 2 with the action taking place on the moon of Pandora. Players can select from one of four characters: Athena the Gladiator, Wilhelm the Enforcer, Claptrap or Nisha the Lawbringer, all of which have not only unique combat abilities, but skills that will (hopefully) keep your party alive on the deoxygenated lunar surface. A younger, less megalomaniacal Handsome Jack also plays a large role as the game guide. Though fans were legitimately excited for the Pre-Sequel (the lines at the Gearbox booth were arguably the longest at the con), many were disappointed to find that the demo was more of a guided presentation rather than something they could get their hands on a controller for. People seem to be more forgiving of a non-playable demo when news of the game is mere minutes old.

Where knocking someone into the depths of space is a legit combat tactic.

The Pre-Sequel is slated for release this fall and will only be available for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 (no love for the Xbox One). Gearbox also indirectly offered a few updates on their forthcoming collaboration with Telltale Games, Tales from the Borderlands, which is also forecasted for release sometime later this year.

Klei Entertainment – These guys cleverly reclaimed their old bit of prime territory in the BCEC between the main demo hall and the Indie Megabooth. Though the locale of their booth likely garnered a fair amount of traffic, the buzz concerning the two playable demos Klei had on hand proved to be the real draw. One demo was for Reign of Giants, the DLC for last year’s hit Don’t Starve. I played the demo as the carnivorous actress Wigfrid, one of two new characters available via the DLC. The other character is Webber, a human boy living inside the exoskeleton of a spider that unsuccessfully tried to eat him. Because that’s not creepy at all. The demo loaded you down with meat (Wigfrid will eat no plant matter) and other tools, so it was tough to gauge just how difficult the DLC will make the game...or so I thought. With about 1 minute remaining in the demo, I met one of the eponymous giants. Let me tell you, if you thought the Treeguard was reason to flee/build the best possible armor, then a beefed-up, freeze-laser shooting Deerclops will assuredly force you to up your game. Reign of Giants is currently available for early access download on Steam; its price will go up by about 20% after April 29.

The other playable demo at the Klei booth was the latest alpha update for their turn-based espionage game, Invisible, Inc. The demo was fairly robust, allowing you to play through two whole levels, and the lines for it were consistent throughout the con. Playing the alpha alternated between enjoyable and frustrating. Though the Klei staff were always on hand to guide the experience, playing without their help quickly devolved into a grind. I’m no stranger to turn-based tactics, but that learning curve is more than a bit steep. Of course, you kind of expect this sort of thing with an alpha and it was clear that Klei was actively cataloging our feedback as we played. You can get direct access to the alpha via Klei’s microsite. The purchase comes with a second copy of the final game once it is released and the option to buy the full soundtrack.

Respawn Entertainment (EA) – Titanfall is only about a month old now, but Respawn seemed keen to work with its own momentum and announced that they will be releasing a modest DLC pack, titled Expedition, in May. While Expedition, and the three map packs it contains, will cost you, Respawn confirmed that all non-map related game enhancements will be free. The developer also reaffirmed its commitment to not having microtransactions in Titanfall.

Supergiant Games – Less than 12 hours before the doors to the dealer hall opened Supergiant announced that their much-anticipated follow-up to Bastion, Transistor, would be available on both PC and PS4 on May 20^th. The demo available at their booth was very similar to that of the alpha offered at last year’s PAX, but it was quite apparent that Supergiant had done an enormous amount in terms of cleaning up the mechanics and enhancing overall playability. Admittedly, I’m not at all an unbiased commentator on the game given how I spent all of Saturday. On a related aside, all of the Supergiant guys were incredibly nice and enjoyed my costume.

Turtle Rock Studios (Valve Software) – Turtle Rock’s presence in the dealer hall was anything but subtle. The towering statue of a Goliath from their upcoming title Evolve glowered menacingly, fangs (or tusks?) bared at passersby seeking to traverse the BCEC. The guys at Turtle Rock have been obsessed with Evolve since before their earlier creation, Left 4 Dead, hit the proverbial shelves and they’re seeking to accomplish nothing less than redefining the co-op FPS experience. If the glimpse provided at PAX is to be believed, Turtle Rock may be more than on their way to delivering on that. Evolve is due out in the third quarter of this year and will be playable on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

As for the convention itself, it was clear that the organizers understood how well the layout of the convention hall worked in 2013 and didn’t change all that much at this year’s event. Tabletop games once again occupied about a third of the main space in the BCEC and literally every table was packed with gamers from about Friday afternoon onward. The only logistical complaint I caught wind of was the fact that the halls themselves closed at midnight rather than 2am as with previous PAXes (PAXii?). Board game vendors appeared to be the most adversely impacted by this change, as activity in the board game portion of the hall began to wind down around 10pm rather than midnight. The time change was especially disappointing, as night owls could have benefitted from the brand new late-running T service. It’ll be interesting to see if there’s a reversion to the 2am close at next year’s PAX.

Other assorted PAX tidbits:

Much to the surprise of no one, League of Legends continues to be insanely popular. Their booth was so jam packed that it probably took up about 20% of the main dealer hall when you included the mass of humanity that seemed to be forever teeming around it. Also, their cosplay contest continues to improve by leaps and bounds. Some of the most impressive costumes of the con were associated with the contest.
PAX organizers seemed at least somewhat willing to try and diffuse any tensions leftover from the kerfuffle of PAX Prime 2013. There was a ‘diversity lounge’ intended to address matters of inclusion and personal safety, but it was tucked away in a less trafficked area and didn’t appear to garner much attention, particularly when contrasted with the Kickstarter Arcade located just down the hall. The more meaningful gesture (in my option, anyhow), was the visible presence of considerably more female Enforcers and Enforcers of color. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but it was reassuring to see more diversity amongst those individuals tasked with keeping the pax of PAX.
There will be a fifth PAX. Starting in 2015, PAX South will join the Penny Arcade family and will lead off the convention lineup with a start date in late January. Whether or not this will defray some of the tension stemming from the absurd demand for badges is anyone's guess.

On a final, more personal note, I was very happy with how the costume turned out and may very well spend next winter making improvements on it in order to wear it again next year. Until 2015 PAX!

A Very Bloggy Birthday

Posted by Kel

Image by Zazzle.com

It's funny, today is a lot like another not-so-distant mid-April day. Two years ago I was grinning in the afterglow of PAX East, wracking my brain for a way to preserve the deep, gut-level happiness that conventions have a way of fostering. One subway ride later, the Care and Feeding of Nerds busted out of my subconscious and onto the internets. The blog has grown quite a bit these two years past. How much has it grown? The graphs can tell part of that story:

Woo! Graphs!

There's also been a considerable uptick in participation on our social pages. Our Twitter account now has 100 followers and there are over 600 people following our Pinterest boards. It's a little crazy and I'm continually amazed and humbled by the feedback that comes in.

Speaking of crazy, the past year could definitely merit that adjective. We've dealt with tragedy, theft, and far too much snow, but we've also helped to get two Kickstarter campaigns funded, raised money on behalf of sick children, and added a distinctly feline brand of affection. The past twelve months have also been privy to the making of two new costumes, the review of nine games, the viewing of four movies, the eating of three kinds of nomnoms, and my first foray into GMing.

Most importantly, the past year has produced some amazing new friendships. I'm immensely grateful for everyone who has journeyed over to this little digital corner of the nets. You guys are incredible. It's been an amazing ride thus far and I look forward to making this experience bigger and better for you.

Happy birthday Care and Feeding of Nerds!

This Week in Geekdom

Posted by Kel

Whew! The past few days have been a whirlwind of awesome. There will be a full recounting of all the fun demos, conversations with developers, and dealer hall hijinks next week. In the meantime, you can check out pictures from PAX East 2014 on either our G+ or our Facebook page. Otherwise, I'm just hoping that this post is even remotely coherent as I'm presently both endorphin-riddled and exhausted. It was a pretty interesting week in Geekdom, even excluding PAX, so let's get down to it.

Comics

**SPOILER ALERT** Archie Comics is about to undergo some major changes following the death of a major character.

Extinction Parade is a graphic novel from Max Brooks, the author of World War Z. The guys at Adventures in Poor Taste conducted this interview to get the background on this vampires-versus-zombies saga and how Max feels about the future of the undead-dominated genre.

Though the rebooted version of Teen Titans is set to conclude on April 30, the series won't be dark for long. Beginning July 1, DC will be re (or re-re) launching Teen Titans with writer Will Pfeifer and artist Kenneth Rocafort at the helm.

Cosplay: The Final Countdown

Posted by Kel

It’s the final countdown!

Sorry, I couldn’t use that line and not follow it up with Europe. The time until doors open at PAX East 2014 is now being measured in hours and, though there was an enormous flurry of activity that preceded this moment, we’re now in the period of acceptance. Whatever happens in the next few days will happen and very little will change that. Getting to this point is frequently the most stressful part of cosplaying as the last week or two before a convention is usually chock-full of critical construction, adjustments, and trials. It’s the make-or-break point for most costumes but, keeping a few things in mind, it doesn’t have to be a cavalcade of stress. The following are bits of advice I’ve cobbled together from several years of observational and anecdotal goodness.

Do: Try to have all your active construction done 72 hours before doors open.

Unless you’re one of those people who thrives on last-minute pressure, it’s a good idea to give yourself at least three days of buffer. Obviously, there are plenty of occasions where this just can’t happen, but it’s a good goal to strive for. Not only will doing this give you some wiggle room in case a portion of your costume ends up taking considerably longer than you thought, but you can still feasibly have components and materials delivered to you if you need them. Also, not having to pull all-nighters will almost assuredly make you a happier, more functional cosplayer.

Don’t: Test new cosmetics or prosthetics less than 48 hours before doors open.

If you have a reaction, the odds of it being resolved in time for the convention are slim. The ideal time to try out any makeup or prosthetics is two or more weeks before the con. At that point, your skin can recover from any irritation and, if there are any problems or something doesn’t work or appear as expected, you have plenty of time to find a replacement for the offending product.

Do: A few last-minute stress tests, but keep them small.

Just a few checks to ensure that everything is deploying/lighting up/coming together as it should can help you keep on-task so you can focus your energy on logistics and final preparations. Speaking of which…

Don’t: Forget about day-of logistics.

This seems a bit ridiculous, but it’s incredibly easy to let this less-than-fun facet of the convention experience go unconsidered. How are you getting to the convention? Can all the pieces of your costume can travel with you or do you need to ship them separately? Will you be dressing before you arrive or at the convention center itself? Are you bringing an emergency repair kit and, if so, will that be stored somewhere onsite or toted about? Does the convention's cosplay policies allow for all parts of your costume? There are few more effective ways to kill a cosplaying experience than the realization that your costume can’t actually make the trip with you. Taking a few minutes to mentally walk through the whens and hows of getting dressed and arriving at the convention center can save you numerous headaches in the not-so-distant future.

Do: Believe your Cosplay Lieutenant when they tell you that everything is fine.

We’ve extolled the virtues of having a Cosplay Lieutenant a few times now, and this is just one more reason why having a trusted individual take on this role can be so helpful. There comes a point during costume construction wherein various dour sentiments may try to sneak their way into your subconscious. These are the “This will never get done in time” or the “Ugh, this piece is coming out terribly” type thoughts, and they tend to crop up en masse in the last few weeks as the convention deadline looms large. Having an informed party appraise the situation can help you parse the legit criticisms from personal misgivings. The key to having this work out well is to trust your Lieutenant and actually believe them when they give you their opinion. On a similar, related note:

Don’t: Shy away from making tough calls about your cosplay lineup.

No cosplayer is keen to admit that the project they’ve poured significant resources into isn’t turning out as planned or can’t be completed by the day of the convention, but these things happen. Again, having a trusted second or third (or fourth or fifth) opinion at your disposal can assist with this. It helps to have people on hand who aren’t afraid to ask if you really think you can finish the costume on time. Setting firm, specific checkpoints for yourself when you’re drafting your cosplay lineup can facilitate the decision-making process.

Do: Lay out your costume, badge, and other necessities the night before the convention.

Obviously this isn’t mandatory, but it can be immensely helpful when you’re bustling about just before doors open. This takes a measure of guesswork off the table as well so you’re not trying to parse out whether you’ve forgotten anything in a pre-caffeinated haze. Also, taking this step gives you another chance to go over the costume and the plan for the next day one more time.

Don’t: Get bogged down in the minutia if you have less than a week to go.

This is something I struggle with quite a bit and am only now, years after delving into this hobby, getting comfortable with the notion of “Will anyone really notice this?” When the inclusion of, and attention to, details plays such an enormous role in determining the overall quality of a costume, it can be incredibly easy to let those selfsame details gobble up a disproportionate amount of your time and energy. Once you get within a week of doors opening, taking a discerning look at what construction you have left to complete can go a long way to save your sanity. The distinction between something that would be nice to include (but would likely not be missed) and something that truly needs to be included is often not entirely clear. This is where the opinion of your Cosplay Lieutenant comes in handy if you find yourself at a loss. Otherwise, spend some time away from the costume, review your reference images, then return and ask yourself what parts of construction really remain outstanding.

Above all, keep your ultimate goal for your cosplaying experience in mind. The last few days before a convention can be very hectic and it’s easy to lose sight of why you set out on this sartorial odyssey to begin with. A quick little reminder that, “hey, I wanted to get better at sewing and now I have,” or, “learning to chainmail was so much fun,” or, “the convention tomorrow is going to be awesome” goes a long way in powering through those remaining hours.

I’ll see you guys on the other side of PAX East 2014! Please hit up any of the social pages if you're headed there too!

This Week in Geekdom

Posted by Kel

Happy Sunday everyone. I write to you with paint and glue-covered hands on this last weekend day before PAX. If all goes according to plan, the sword will be 100% complete by the end of the day, ideally leaving me with an hour or so to do hair trials. This week's post will be a little on the short side as a result of this final push towards the finish line. Also, if anyone out there is headed to PAX next week and would like to say hi or hit up the board game hall, give a shout on one of the social media pages!

Science/Technology

2014 is shaping up to be a banner year for astrophysics. Scientists at the Fermi National Accelerator Lab have used existing measurements of the gamma radiation at the center of our galaxy to extract new clues as to the existence and perhaps even the origin of dark matter.

Image by NASA and the Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa

Space madness is one of those time-tested tropes of science fiction but, as we inch closer to a manned expedition to Mars, NASA attempts to gather information as to how an extraterrestrial existence may affect the psyche. Check out their latest Mars simulation experiment here.

There was quite a bit of misinformation being tossed about this week, largely due to the fact that it was April Fool's Day on Tuesday, but one of the most persistent rumors told of a day that would feature a period of less gravity (during which we could all float around, freefall style). While that certainly isn't true, the Earth does actually contain areas that have 'missing' gravity. The Hudson Bay area of Canada is one such seismic anomaly.

General Awesomeness

Yesterday marked the -49th anniversary of First Contact!

Treasure hunters rejoice! The New York Public Library has released this collection of 20,000 maps as hi-res viewable files for all to see.

Tardis-style police call boxes are making a comeback in the UK.

Robert Downey Jr. continues to win at life.

And, in honor of tonight's premiere of Season 4 of Game of Thrones, here are all 5,000+ character deaths that the show has featured thus far.

Best wishes for an excellent week ahead!

Cosplay: Forging the Sword

Posted by Kel

At this point, PAX is so close that the proximity is inducing all sorts of anticipatory grinning. Man, it has just been far too long since my last convention…

Creating the Red costume has been fun all-around, but creating the Transistor sword was especially enjoyable. Thermoplastics + careful alterations = awesome futuristic sword, and you can’t really go wrong with that. My inner 12-year-old squees every time I see it. Hell, were it not for the low-ish ceilings in our house, I’d probably play with the sword at every given moment.

As the namesake of the game itself, it makes sense to put a little extra time and attention into the sword. While it’s not especially difficult to assemble, there are some potentially tricky components of the Transistor depending on the materials you decide to use. If you’re trying to closely replicate the source material, the blade of the Transistor needs to be at least translucent, though the trailer video depicts it as being mostly transparent.

Image courtesy of Supergiant Games

To achieve that transparency, I chose to make the blade itself from a length of plexiglass. Plexiglass won out over its acrylic siblings largely because it was more cost effective and could be shaped with tools I already owned. Another inherent appeal is the fact that you can order sheets of plexiglass in just about any shape or color you need. TAP Plastics and ePlastics both offer a wide variety of customizable options. Bonus: if you happen to be near a TAP Plastics brick-and-mortar location, they will shape your acrylic for a small fee.

Speaking of shaping your plexiglass, let’s dive right in and talk about how you go about doing that. Rule #1 of working with thermoplastics is always be mindful of the temperatures being applied. Every single incarnation of thermoplastic is flammable and has a high likelihood of warping/cracking/otherwise losing structural integrity when the heat turns up. In the case of plexiglass, that magical temperature threshold is 170 degrees Fahrenheit (76.67 degrees C).

Pssh, that’s a pretty high threshold Kel. Why would you need to worry about that?

Because friction. You know, that thing you’ll encounter while shaping or drilling your plexiglass.

Oh, right.

170 degrees creeps up pretty quickly once you start applying a fine edge. If at all possible, stagger your work with the plexiglass to accommodate pauses. I took advantage of this ~~unending~~ winter and set my tools out in our unheated sunroom to cool every 30-60 minutes or so. A quick touch or smell test will give you an idea of when to take a break. If the surface you’re working with is warm or you’re starting to get acrid whiffs of petrochemicals, you may want to focus your efforts elsewhere for a little while.

Wait wait wait. Let’s back up here. You’re talking about tools, but what should I be using to shape the plexiglass?

That will honestly depend on the thickness of your thermoplastic. For sheets that are 1/8” (0.32 cm) or thinner, you can shape with an Exacto or other very sharp utility knife. Simply draw your desired cuts on your surface, then score with your knife. Once you get about a third of the way through the plastic, a little pressure will cause it to snap exactly along your desired line. The video below provides more helpful hints. After this, polish the edges as needed with steel wool or very fine grit sandpaper (700 or finer). For plastic thicker than 1/8”, you will need to use saw blades that are explicitly designed for use with acrylics. Same goes for any drill bits you may want to employ, regardless of the thickness of your plastic. Most hardware stores sell both the blades and drill bits; just look for ‘for use with plastics/acrylics’ on the packaging.

After you have your plexiglass in your desired shape, it’s a matter of creating the hilt and decorating the blade itself. I made the base and hilt from sheets/dowels of birch board, which I cut to emulate the triangular shape in the reference images, then added bits of foamstock for the circular details and actual grip. Birch is great in that it’s strong, lightweight, inexpensive, easily shaped, and readily takes paint. Any standard acrylic will serve for the purposes of this prop. I mixed a gray we had left over from a bout of mini-painting with a basic black, then added a deep gray fabric paint that had a lustrous finish to it to give the impression of metal. It took about 3-4 coats of the mixture to get even coverage on the birch pieces and 2 coats for the foamstock.

Special note about using birch wood: for this project I purchased pieces of birch from a craft store, not a hardware store. Why? The wood that's usually up for sale in a craft store has been pre-treated for crafting (specifically for taking paint), whereas wood from a hardware store is usually in a fairly raw state. If you end up buying raw birch, you may have to spend extra time sanding and treating the wood before it's ok to apply paint. Michael's, AC Moore and most big-box crafting stores do sell birch board (usually in very manageable sizes), so I'd recommend buying from one of those if you're planning on using wood for the hilt/handle.

Drafting the design on the blade ended up taking the better part of about 6 hours, though if you’re less inclined to agonize over every curve and angle you could easily do so in about 2. Using the reference images, my T-square, and a random assortment of household objects that happened to have circular bottoms, I approximated the trademark forms in pencil. Another bonus to ordering plexiglass online is the fact that your plexi will arrive wrapped in protective papery covering. This will not only keep your acrylic pristine while you’re working with it, but can act as a custom stencil. Once I was satisfied with the look of the pattern, I carefully scored over the pencil with a very sharp utility knife, then peeled back the wrapping to reveal only the sections of the plexi that would be painted. You could just as easily use the stencil to etch into the plastic rather than paint, it’d just be a matter of personal preference. Acrylic paint tends to work well for this; just be sure to read the label to check that it will adhere to plastic. As plexi is inherently very smooth, you’ll likely need to apply 3-4 coats of paint to get even color coverage.

Once the designs had been painted, it was a matter of attaching the components of the hilt. As mentioned earlier, you can use a drill for this so long as the drill bit and screws are appropriate for use with thermoplastics (both TAP Plastics and ePlastics sell these if you’d like to spare yourself a trip to the hardware store). If you are using a drill, I highly recommend creating pilot holes for your join points. The last thing you want after carefully drafting, scoring, and painting/etching is to have the plexi crack or be otherwise compromised. If the notion of potentially cracking your thermoplastic is terrifying to you, there are a wide variety of industrial-strength adhesives that will work on acrylics and wood alike. Both crafting and hardware stores will carry these, just pay close attention to the “will work on the following surfaces” listing on the packaging. The one downside to using adhesives is that almost all of them are absurdly toxic. Be very, very careful when using them; always work in a well-ventilated area and follow all the manufacturer’s instructions to the letter.

A distinctly feline brand of 'help'

All that remains after this point are the “fins” that jut off to either side of the blade and any lighting elements that you may want to include. I used foamboard for the fins. It’s lightweight, cheap, takes paint well, and holds its shape with little-to-no added support. Foamstock ended up being the base for the vertically-aligned yellow ‘plug in’ stripes at the bottom and I used the absurdly toxic adhesive on both the foamboard and the foamstock (obviously, using hot glue on thermoplastic isn’t a good idea). I used very thin gauge floral wire to get the "fins" to appear as though one was floating parallel to the other the way it does in the game.

The Transistor itself pulsates with light when it converses with Red during the course of the game. If you're adhering to this portion of canon, then LEDs are your best bet. LEDs are perfect for this in that they are cheap, come in just about any size or shape you may want, can be battery powered, and, best of all, emit no tangible ambient heat. I bought a box of these, removed 6 blue ones from their respective plastic cases, then mounted the circuits into the hilt. If you're making a blade that's meant to be presented from only one side you can mount these directly onto the plastic. Operating the LEDs is as simple as flicking their switch.

I'm putting the last few touches on the sword and the rest of the costume with the intent that everything will be <this> close to done by Sunday. Ok, final stretch here we go!