choose your fighter - but be sure to read the rules first!

This event will be held at Te Whaea: National Dance & Drama Centre. If you plan on competing, we ask that you ensure you've read the rules thoroughly to avoid any issues down the line!

We encourage entrants to spread the word about the event and tell their friends and family to attend and enjoy the 'showcase' of entries and the quiz.

awards and prizes

best equipped

Awarded to the judges’ pick for best overall.

Worbla NZ Prize Pack
Sponsored by Worbla NZ. Valued at $125.

Leather & Chainmaille Workshop voucher
Sponsored by Weta Workshop.
(valued at $79)

More coming soon

best forged

Awarded to the judges’ pick for best in the Made division.

Worbla NZ Prize Pack
Sponsored by Worbla NZ. Valued at $75.

More coming soon

best looted

Awarded to the judges’ pick for best in the Bought division.

Weta Workshop Combo Tour voucher
Sponsored by Weta Workshop.
(valued at $49)

More coming soon

best enchanted 

Awarded to best in the Professional category.

Worbla NZ Prize Pack
Sponsored by Worbla NZ. Valued at $75.

More coming soon

which division should i enter?

There will be two divisions and you’ll need to decide which one best describes your costume.

Made: Entries will be considered ‘Made’ if 50% or more of the cosplay has been made by the entrant.

Bought: Entries will be considered ‘Bought’ if less than 50% of the cosplay has been made by the entrant.

Professional: Entrants will be considered “Professional” if their primary incomes comes from working in a creative environment that is directly transferrable to cosplay (eg., costume or fashion design). This does not include students or clothing alterations workers. Professionals are only eligible for the Best Enchanted prize.

Note: ‘Best Equipped’ can be awarded to either a ‘Made’ or a ‘Bought’ entry.

rules

  1. You must enter a cosplay based on a character from a console, desktop, mobile/tablet or tabletop game.
  2. You may enter a cosplay that has previously been entered in another competition.
  3. One entry per person and the competition is capped at 30 entries.
  4. No groups, skits or music please.
  5. You must register for the competition by Wednesday 22 April 2020 at 11:59pm, using the entry form provided when purchasing your Character Select ticket: Click here.
  6. In order to qualify, you must supply the following information on the entry form: character name, title of game and a description (no more than 250 words) of the cosplay, including the aspects that have been made and bought. You must also provide a link to a reference image of the character.
    1. Furthermore, you must attend the Character Select event held at Te Whaea: National Dance & Drama Centre on Sunday 26 April 2020 at the start time (10 am). Please see below for details of the event on the day.
    2. If you are entering the Bought or Made categories, you must wear your entry yourself. Entrants in the Professional category may have a model wear the costume for them, in recognition of the fact that professional costumes are often made for someone other than the creator. You and your model must each have a ticket for the event.
  7. Fan art is accepted only if it is a fan interpretation (alternative costume) that you have decided to cosplay and you can provide a fan art reference image as well as an official art reference image.
  8. Additional images, showing the construction of the cosplay (for entries in the ‘Made’ category) are not essential but are encouraged.
  9. The following safety guidelines apply:
    1. No real weapons (including paintball and airsoft firearms).
    2. Cosplays, including weapons and other props, are to be made out of materials that will not cause any harm e.g. fabric, plastic, cardboard,  paper mâché, balsa or EVA foam.
    3. No smoking devices of any kind.
    4. Props must be no more than 2 metres long.
    5. Consider your ability to move around and go through doorways with oversized cosplays / weapons / other props. Please include details on the entry form if the cosplay has oversized elements or if you need assistance in any way.
    6. Choose body make-up / paint carefully, keeping in mind Health and Safety as well as the clothing of others attending the contents.
    7. If in doubt, email info@nzgamesfest.co.nz with questions.

10. If there is anything in particular that you would like to be read out as part of your announcement to the stage area, please include it as part of the entry process.

costume & prop restrictions

To avoid false alarms with the general public & waste of police resources, Character Select has the following policies:

Imitation firearm props: MUST have an orange cap, be non-firing (including Nerf bullets) and MUST be transported to and from the venue in a bag/box/some form of covering, INCLUDING when leaving for lunch. Any props that do not meet this rule will be confiscated at the door and surrendered to the local police station for collection at a later date. We make no guarantees for the safety of confiscated props.

This rule refers to any prop gun that your hard-of-sight grandma might mistake as maybe being a ‘real’ gun – a Nuka Cola pistol is fine, a Last of Us shotgun is not.

Military/uniform costumes: MUST be changed into at the venue, and changed out of before leaving the venue, INCLUDING for lunch. Bathrooms are available for changing at the venue. You will not be permitted in or out of the venue in a costume that falls under this description.

This rule refers to anything that your un-savvy kid cousin might mistake as maybe being a ‘real’ soldier – Master Chief is fine, a Call of Duty ground soldier is not.

If you’re uncertain and would like to ask about a particular costume, please email info@nzgamesfest.co.nz.

judging criteria

Entries in the ‘Made’ and ‘Professional’ categories will be scored in each of the following areas:

  1. Likeness to reference image(s) supplied as part of the entry process (note: this is for the cosplay elements wig, footwear, props, clothing etc. and not the contestant’s physical likeness to the character).
  2. Complexity of the cosplay’s construction.
  3. Application of construction for the cosplay.
  4. Overall appearance of the cosplay.

Entries in the ‘Bought’ category will be scored in each of the following areas:

  1. Likeness to reference image(s) supplied as part of the entry process (note: this is for the cosplay elements wig, footwear, props, clothing etc. and not the contestant’s physical likeness to the character).
  2. Overall appearance of the cosplay.

on the day

Entrants must sign in with one of the judges on arrival to Te Whaea: National Dance & Drama Centre at the start time (10 am). The venue will be set up with a stage area for entrants to pose and ‘showcase’ their cosplays on-stage in front of the event attendees. A minute per contestant has been allocated for the ‘showcase’. When on stage, contestants can (and are encouraged) to be in character when moving and posing; however, this is not part of the judging criteria.

The stage area will include markings to show the contestants where to stand and pose.

After the ‘showcase’, contestants will meet the judges. This is where the judges can ask you questions and see your cosplay close up. Judges will spend no more than two minutes with each entrant. Judges will use the images supplied as part of the entry process to aid in the judging process.

We will be hosting a live cosplay demonstrations and tutorials for event attendees following the ‘showcase’, with further details to be confirmed closer to the event date.

Photographers will be on-site during the event and will be taking photos throughout.