UT3 SlaughterBox (Modshop.net Games Challenge)

[commandercup]

This mod is an entry for the Modshop.net, PAX Games Challenge with the grand prize being to attend the Penny Arcade Expo! Runner-up gets $100 for NewEgg and a 8 gig Zune.

I was originally going to keep the Modshop.net listing updated, but it is just too primitive at the early stage of the site... the worklog tidbits they provide only allow for a small space and have a limited number of characters. So I'll bring it to here!

FULL SIZE PICTURES... (bjkdesign.com)

The Image:

The case will represent why, UT3 is a fun game… and why the Unreal Tournament series has been one of the premier gaming experiences! Although its sad that Epic and Midway have decided to focus the game on the consoles… the games will still be released on the PC. The series will still remain one of the best (of the few) deathmatch games. You’ll see the idea sketches soon! I don’t really think I have a chance of winning the games challenge, but I’m still making this case, just for myself… I had a great experience at the UVA iDTech camp a few weeks back which I spent making maps for UT3 with a bunch of kids that became my friends. Those memories will last me forever in the creation of this UT3 themed case!

The actual case will be built from a Lian-Li PC-A05B. It will feature a water cooling loop for the CPU and will utilize vertical airflow instead of the tradition horizontal configuration. Air will be pulled up from the ground since the case will be placed on a custom fabricated aluminum base and pushed through to the top to a 240mm Swiftech radiator! This will hopefully improve performance because heat naturally rises up, and thus, the airflow will match the direction of heat naturally. there will also be two additional intakes in the form of low voltage/RPM fans. One for the harddrive cage in the front of the case and one in the back next to the CPU.

The Specifications:

MOBO: EVGA 680i SLI-T1
CPU – Intel E2200
VGA: PNY 9600 GT
RAM: 2×1GB Patriot Memory (4-4-4-12) [1000 MHZ]
HDD: 640 GB Western Digital SE16
PSU: SeaSonic M12II SS-500GM 500 Watt Modular

The Cooling:

4× 120mm Scythe SFF21E S-FLEX Fans (49 CFM) [20.1 dba]
Apogee Drive Waterblock
Swiftech MCR-220 ‘Quiet-Power’ Radiator
Swiftech MCRES-Micro Hi-Flo Reservoir

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here are some sketches that I made... they are quite basic, and I never really put my ideas on paper becaues I like to change things as I go, because I never measure anything twice... (that causes me a lot of problems down the line... so don't follow my carelessness...) but they were required to be an entry to the games challenge.







I finished cutting out a part of the top panel for the radiator exhaust! I used a dremel and a jigsaw for the ovular cutout. The design was slightly altered from the pictures… with alternating edges rounded, so that one corner is rounded, then one is pointed, etc. This is only because I made a mistake while cutting… one of the rounded edges was accidentally trimmed. The cut was lined with u-channel from mnpctech.com. The holes I drilled to mount the radiator were slightly off, so I’m currently grinding them to extend them.











As you might be able to see from those pictures... the top panel got heavily scratched from sliding around on a box... I guess I should have taped both sides... oh well, I'll leave the panel as it is, because the area with the cuts will look characteristic once the blood lines are painted... I might even end up scratching up the entire case... and mod in some bullet holes.

I also started work on the undercarriage by cutting out some sheets of aluminum in the size of the case's underside. However... I'll need a bending brake to actually bend the pieces into place to be attached together... That'll be a while before I can get that because I have no money at the moment to spend.











I then began work on the bottom radiator/fan cutout... it would be quite different from the top, because you wouldn't see the bottom grill unless you actually looked at it (by flipping the case upside down)... thus I might not even cover it with mesh, just because that hinders airflow quite heavily. The original curved design drawn out was altered because I decided the curves took to much work in an area that wouldn't be seen...





In that last picture, you can see the holes I've drilled to screw in the fans... one corner was cut too far in and thus can't fit the hole correctly, but its alright, the fan will still be fine.

Work will continue tommorow! I'm going to start creating the stencil for the case's blood lines tommorow... the lines will hopefully be like the ones on UT3's game box... as pictured below.



These lines will spread onto the top of the case as well, and will fade near the radiator cutout.

[Exavier]

I love the idea, can't wait to see more cup

[mlee49]

Ohhh I sooo want to see this!!! Custom builds + UT3 = Pure Awesomeness

[commandercup]

it will be horrifying spray painting over the beautiful black ano on the case...

but I definately will spend all the time I need, making sure its the best paint job I can get with aerosol paints!

not to mention... I still need to decide how I wan't to artistically scratch up the case... steel wool? Maybe even a ghetto cat o' nine tails with some metal beads on the end.

or I could just get a scapel and cut lines into the case... wolverine style!

it'll be quite interesting...

I also remember seeing some tutorials on how to create bullet holes... that'll definately come into play (I think it was for the Bioshock mod...?) since it perfectly fits in with the theme

I'm kind of confused about how I want the interior of the case to be lit... I was thinking more reserved and subtle, so that the lighting is to a minimum... I'll have a clear window, possible with some EL wire around the window trim so the edges light up... then I'll have clear tygon tubing with UV red coolant (as red as possible, since it's home made)... I really want to have a majority black and red color scheme inside the case... so I need to make sure that the interior is kept relatively dark so that the little bits with different colors will remain darkened. The window will probably only show the cpu waterblock and surrounding motherboard real estate. Or it will stretch and be an ovular shape around the entire motherboard.

Once I sheath the bottom cut in U-channel and install the mesh for both radiator cut-outs, I will fit all the electronics into the case! Currently I still need to get some new barbs before I can actually start up the loop though...z

I will definately begin work on the stencil (just masking tape) for the blood lines and will have a boat load of pictures today.

[sneekypeet]

BTW I was just thinking of going red in my loop as well, due to the color of my Blood Iron and the HD3870. I have dyed my loop in 1/2" tygon. Found two things. Careful of the dye, as my tygon is now clouded after about 6 months use. Also I wasnt too keen on the color in the actual tube. My blue dye was almost clear in the tube(double dyed to be sure). In the res it was blue as could be, just not in the loop itself. Unless the dye turns the water milky/opaque!

So my next venture is to try something like this instead.
http://www.jab-tech.com/Primochill-T...4-pr-3524.html

I think the color would be better, less investment up front as well. Just throwing out ideas!

[commandercup]

yeah I was actually considering that as well... not to mention, the tubing is easy for me to get since I can just drop by my local microcenter...

however, I really wan't the tubing to glow... do you think the tubing glows on it own? or does it need coolant anyways... (I've used the UV Blue version before, and I still have some left, so I might test it with some cathodes

[sneekypeet]

That PrimoChill or the Tygon will not glow themselves, it needs a UV dye. AFAIK you can get UV reactive tubing in any color.


Corretion: the Primochill is UV reactive...googling changed my mind for me, as stated in post #9

[commandercup]

well but the Primochill is UV reactive? well atleast the one I used

do you think I should still go for the red coolant? I will be using a clear micro reservoir..., although it might look cool if I used a clear/blue UV reactive coolant... although red might make it more menacing

[sneekypeet]

IDK it looks like the red dyes glow almost pink to me... http://www.xoxide.com/reduvdye.html

Googling Primochill to see what the site says. The link specs dont seem to claim that it is!



"PrimoFlex Pro LRT wouldn’t be the choice of pro modders and high performance water coolers if it also didn’t have killer looks and excellent sub zero performance. Available in an ever increasing range of UV colors as well as Clear, PrimoFlex Pro LRT stays flexible even when subjected to the lowest temperatures."

Found here... http://www.primochill.com/index.php?...oduct_id=30427

The title of the tubing in Primochills site says UV, so I have to assume it is! Click the image tab. it actually looks red, not pink!

[commandercup]

yeah I have seen the primochill tubing in store, it does look really dark, blood red. However... I really wan't a nice glow, so that it stands out from the rest of the darkened case. We'll see how it works out, I will definately pick up a couple feet of it though.

also... thanks for all the help so far! and yeah, the dye does look pretty bad... I might also order a huge array of dyes and test them all

[sneekypeet]

Originally Posted by commandercup

yeah I have seen the primochill tubing in store, it does look really dark, blood red. However... I really wan't a nice glow, so that it stands out from the rest of the darkened case. We'll see how it works out, I will definately pick up a couple feet of it though.

also... thanks for all the help so far! and yeah, the dye does look pretty bad... I might also order a huge array of dyes and test them all

Please do!!!! Pics would be great too, good luck.

[steelkane]

Not too many modders got in on the contest, So I think you have a good shot at winning one of the prizes.

[commandercup]

jadragon actually has quite a portfolio of previous work... so he's probably the only real competition... he's the one who made the bioshock deco mod... but eh

[commandercup]

I finally got down to some more work...





The drive bay covers got painted a bit weird... they aren't all correct, but that'll probably be ok since all the bays will be occupied.



I've begun fitting the fans to the bottom of the case... things are going pretty smoothly.



Yesterday, PPCS sent out my clear window and barbs for my radiator! So once those parts arrive, the watercooling loop should be coming together inside the case!

I've also got a great idea for a window... it'll be a view of the game itself.

The window itself will be cut out and have a crosshair etched into the center of it. The bottom right will be occupied with a metal cutout of a weapon from UT3 (probably shock rifle?) that piece will also be etched to make it look more intricate. I'll also line the left side of the window (centered with the far left edge of the actual panel) with some small, basic weapon cutouts of all the guns in the game (except the redeemer). The window will show case the entirety of the motherboard and nothing else, so there will be quite some extra space to do some stuff with which will hopefully be covered with the gun cut-outs.

edit:

remember that these are still the early stages

the paint is not complete yet... in fact, it might even be redone (especially on the front).

I'll be adding random blood spatter, bullet hole across the front and sides... etc.

maybe some neon goo?

[Shinobi]

nice work man keep it up

[commandercup]

the log will be discontinued on TPU, moving over to overclock.net