Natural Selection: The Case Mod
porcha
Join Date: 2003-08-26 Member: 20244Members
Join Date: 2003-08-26 Member: 20244Members
Alrighty, first I'd like to introduce myself. I am Will Knier, aka Porcha, #cri.sco, what have you. I am a 20yr old loser attending NCSU and would love to make a Natural Selection case mod. I've been modding cases since before it was ever mainstream and feel I can tackle a project such as this. A new generation of case modding is taking place. Themed cases. Here are some examples of what I am about to attempt.
Doom 3 Case Mod <a href='http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=802808' target='_blank'>http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=802808</a>
Half Life 2 Case Mod <a href='http://www.gizmodo.com/archives/blackmesa-halflife-2-case-mod-009723.php' target='_blank'>http://www.gizmodo.com/archives/blackmesa-...-mod-009723.php</a>
Yea...those are nice. And yea, I believe I am capable of making a case of that magnitude. With the help of the NS community, I'd like some suggestions on what to add to my case. I've recently just won a case mod contest at ExtremeTech.com with prizes of about $2200 in computer parts. Link found here. <a href='http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1612801,00.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1612801,00.asp</a>
I also brought the case to the CPL where I met Flayra. Didn't see many of you guys there. I was in a case mod contest there but to much avail I didn't win anything.
So lets get down to business. Here is the gameplan:
I have recently purchased a Plain Full Tower computer Case. This one TBH.
<img src='http://www4.ncsu.edu/~wlknier/pics/fog/case1.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<img src='http://www4.ncsu.edu/~wlknier/pics/fog/case2.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
My first plans for this case will be a working resource node that will be located on the top of the case. This is my secret weapon against the other 2 awesome mods. Smoke will actually poor from my case when I turn it on. I have aquired this fog machine from Party City for a meager $20
<img src='http://www4.ncsu.edu/~wlknier/pics/fog/fog.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Now this fog machine will actually fit inside my case and still allow room for the working computer to be inside, but for good reason, I am making a custom acrylic enclosure for the fog machine and will be taking it out of it's original black shell. I'll have to keep this new enclosure for the fog machine air tight so I can filter in it's own fans to keep it cool. Fog machines get very hot. I'd also hate to have any moisture created by the fog machine affect my computer. I'm throwing around all sorts of ideas for the outside of the case. So far my mind is set on making half the case marine themed and the other, alien. The left side of the case (when looking at it from straight on) will be the side where I install a custom acrylic window. I plan on working with bondo and the foam that instant hardens so I'd like to make an actual hive and actually put the hive inside of the case. I was thinking something on the lines of building a hive from foam and bondo, cutting it in half and making half of it reside on the outside of the window and the other half on the inside. I might have to draw sketches if you guys can't visualize it. Also, with the foam, I'd like to have an infestion effect on the outside of the case on that half only, leading up to the res node on top. The res node will be the meeting ground for the marine and alien sides. That is what they're fighting for anyways? So the foam will add some bumpy textures and an awesome appearance to the case. As far as the marine side goes. I'm not sure what to do. The fog machine has a switch to turn it on and off. Maybe I'll make a real working control panel for something like an arms lab? The buttons on it will control the fog and any lights and fans inside the case.
I just picked up the fog machine today and will begin modding shortly. I am open to suggestions on what to do with the case. Especially when it comes to lighting and the marine side of the case. Let me know what you think and hopefully no admin will delete the thread. I will stay active on the case, I am good for the job. Hopefully the community will help me make something worthwhile, similar to the community powering the doom 3 case. He had people send him ideas and cutouts for the case. My roommates and I are all engineering majors, there's nothing we can't do when it comes to electronics. Possible sound effects might be added similar to the doom3 case. I'd hate to copy anything completely though, I'd like to stay original. I hope this case will have the same effect the other cases had on others. Hopefully this case will get people interested in NS and we can expand our community. I mean, by the looks of those other 2 cases, who isn't excited about those games. Hope you guys enjoy, I'll keep everyone updated. We may even have to separate threads if this project gets out of hand. One worklog thread, and one worklog comments thread. Anyways, stay tuned for more info.
-porcha
Doom 3 Case Mod <a href='http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=802808' target='_blank'>http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=802808</a>
Half Life 2 Case Mod <a href='http://www.gizmodo.com/archives/blackmesa-halflife-2-case-mod-009723.php' target='_blank'>http://www.gizmodo.com/archives/blackmesa-...-mod-009723.php</a>
Yea...those are nice. And yea, I believe I am capable of making a case of that magnitude. With the help of the NS community, I'd like some suggestions on what to add to my case. I've recently just won a case mod contest at ExtremeTech.com with prizes of about $2200 in computer parts. Link found here. <a href='http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1612801,00.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1612801,00.asp</a>
I also brought the case to the CPL where I met Flayra. Didn't see many of you guys there. I was in a case mod contest there but to much avail I didn't win anything.
So lets get down to business. Here is the gameplan:
I have recently purchased a Plain Full Tower computer Case. This one TBH.
<img src='http://www4.ncsu.edu/~wlknier/pics/fog/case1.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<img src='http://www4.ncsu.edu/~wlknier/pics/fog/case2.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
My first plans for this case will be a working resource node that will be located on the top of the case. This is my secret weapon against the other 2 awesome mods. Smoke will actually poor from my case when I turn it on. I have aquired this fog machine from Party City for a meager $20
<img src='http://www4.ncsu.edu/~wlknier/pics/fog/fog.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Now this fog machine will actually fit inside my case and still allow room for the working computer to be inside, but for good reason, I am making a custom acrylic enclosure for the fog machine and will be taking it out of it's original black shell. I'll have to keep this new enclosure for the fog machine air tight so I can filter in it's own fans to keep it cool. Fog machines get very hot. I'd also hate to have any moisture created by the fog machine affect my computer. I'm throwing around all sorts of ideas for the outside of the case. So far my mind is set on making half the case marine themed and the other, alien. The left side of the case (when looking at it from straight on) will be the side where I install a custom acrylic window. I plan on working with bondo and the foam that instant hardens so I'd like to make an actual hive and actually put the hive inside of the case. I was thinking something on the lines of building a hive from foam and bondo, cutting it in half and making half of it reside on the outside of the window and the other half on the inside. I might have to draw sketches if you guys can't visualize it. Also, with the foam, I'd like to have an infestion effect on the outside of the case on that half only, leading up to the res node on top. The res node will be the meeting ground for the marine and alien sides. That is what they're fighting for anyways? So the foam will add some bumpy textures and an awesome appearance to the case. As far as the marine side goes. I'm not sure what to do. The fog machine has a switch to turn it on and off. Maybe I'll make a real working control panel for something like an arms lab? The buttons on it will control the fog and any lights and fans inside the case.
I just picked up the fog machine today and will begin modding shortly. I am open to suggestions on what to do with the case. Especially when it comes to lighting and the marine side of the case. Let me know what you think and hopefully no admin will delete the thread. I will stay active on the case, I am good for the job. Hopefully the community will help me make something worthwhile, similar to the community powering the doom 3 case. He had people send him ideas and cutouts for the case. My roommates and I are all engineering majors, there's nothing we can't do when it comes to electronics. Possible sound effects might be added similar to the doom3 case. I'd hate to copy anything completely though, I'd like to stay original. I hope this case will have the same effect the other cases had on others. Hopefully this case will get people interested in NS and we can expand our community. I mean, by the looks of those other 2 cases, who isn't excited about those games. Hope you guys enjoy, I'll keep everyone updated. We may even have to separate threads if this project gets out of hand. One worklog thread, and one worklog comments thread. Anyways, stay tuned for more info.
-porcha
Comments
Donate it to Flayra when you've finished <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Damn it sounds interesting, but as you said I can't really visualise this hive - whats "bondo"? Some kind of glue? lol
Good luck!
PS: Good luck and stuff.
Anyhow this thread should be stickied so people can see the progress.
seconded
Porcha, let your imagination run free and make something that is completely cool
Sticky this so it wont get lost <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
GL with the competitions!
For the marine side of the case how about replacing the default LED's with colors such as blue and red and using them to provide lighting for a scene such as suited up ha's/jp's in a marine base?
I don't know much about case modding competitions, but a cool atmospheric affect like that might get you somewhere.
here is a visual to give you all an idea or what I'm leaning towards on the alien side. I would like to get everything planned out before I actually cut anything. I'm going to go ahead and start work on the acrylic cage for the fog machine. I'll keep ya updated.
thirded
In that case pehaps I would be prudent to use so open phase change device instead of a fog machine. In other works let the fog be part of the cooling system, and the RT nozzle is the vent for the steam.
Or use fireworks. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
He did say that he plans on <b>using</b> this case, didn't he? I think so. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
after throwing about some ideas with my roommates, we've came up with some interesting options
for the window. Make it look like a skulk bite (same as it appears on your screen)
take a high quality print out of a hive, cut a hole in the case that is the same area as the big yellow part on a hive, put an LED on a capacitor so that it pulses. Take that print out of the hive, center it over the hole in the case, the hive pulses in color.
I was thinking if I pulled this off well, to do the same thing to an offense chamber and sensory chamber, I'll try to get an animated GIF to demonstrate what I'm thinking.
I like the resource node. Very original <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->