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Design ideas needed - new build theme Star Wars

post #1 of 14
9/28/11 at 1:54pm
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Greetings all

As I'm wrapping up my Fire & Ice build in the next week or so, my thoughts have moved onto one of my next projects already. This one will be a Star Wars theme, and it will also be a gift for my 13 year old nephew. He doesn't know anything about this yet. The idea is that I'll get all the pieces and parts and a design drawn up, and then build the rig with him - showing him some of the ins and outs of PC building and modding. I'm really looking forward to it TBH.

It will be quite a bit simpler than my current project, but I still want the WOW factor. Star Wars builds can suffer from the "cheese" factor if you aren't careful, but otherwise there is a lot that can be done. I have a few ideas in mind, but I wanted to put out a request to the boards for any ideas that might strike you.

So please lend a hand and give me some ideas. Something crazy like an R2D2 spinning head on the top of the case, or just a couple CCFL tubes having a saber battle. (The spinning head I'm already working on . . .)

Any and all ideas will be appreciated.
/Bear
Edited by Bear907 - 9/28/11 at 2:02pm
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post #2 of 14
9/28/11 at 1:58pm
Really simple idea, but can you use some of internal computer speakers (really cheap ones) to make a beeping noise when the computer boots? Kind of like what R2 does when he speaks.

Not the most revolutionary idea, but simple with details is the best.

EDIT: And then you could have the head move when Windows goes to the Welcome screen and some of the external buttons flash. Put in some smoky, tinted acrylic for different colors and even light dispersion.
Edited by rdfloyd - 9/28/11 at 2:01pm
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post #3 of 14
9/28/11 at 2:04pm
Cover it with fur, give it a bandolier, and when it starts up it can growl like chewy.

Seriously though, If i was making a SW build, I'd have to have a window with a green and red neons criss-crossed in it. Maybe an etch or shillouette of Luke and Vader glaring at each other on either side of the neons.
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post #4 of 14
9/28/11 at 2:06pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by rdfloyd View Post
Really simple idea, but can you use some of internal computer speakers (really cheap ones) to make a beeping noise when the computer boots? Kind of like what R2 does when he speaks.

Not the most revolutionary idea, but simple with details is the best.

EDIT: And then you could have the head move when Windows goes to the Welcome screen and some of the external buttons flash. Put in some smoky, tinted acrylic for different colors and even light dispersion.
I'm right there with you - sometimes simple and well executed is better then something complicated.

For the spinning head, I'm toying around with a few ideas. My end goal is to have the R2 head turn a little in each direction (much like his movements in the films) with a few lights and beeps/boops on boot. I'm thinking this won't be too difficult as I'll just wire it into the PSU and trigger the motor. The trick will be to get it to not run constantly. I'll have to have a kill switch for sure.
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post #5 of 14
9/28/11 at 2:17pm
I'm sure someone on here can help you wire a control board for the motor. I don't think that you will be able to control the motor through windows.

Have you thought about the actual mechanical gears to move the head back and forth?

Then the beeps can be set using the startup sounds in Windows itself.
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post #6 of 14
9/28/11 at 2:28pm
You could use a small trash can or something to make the whole case look like R2.
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post #7 of 14
9/28/11 at 2:57pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joephis19 View Post
Cover it with fur, give it a bandolier, and when it starts up it can growl like chewy.

Seriously though, If i was making a SW build, I'd have to have a window with a green and red neons criss-crossed in it. Maybe an etch or shillouette of Luke and Vader glaring at each other on either side of the neons.
I like the look of etched windows. Light sabers will definetly by involved some how.

Quote:
Originally Posted by rdfloyd View Post
I'm sure someone on here can help you wire a control board for the motor. I don't think that you will be able to control the motor through windows.

Have you thought about the actual mechanical gears to move the head back and forth?

Then the beeps can be set using the startup sounds in Windows itself.
I may have to go the control board route, and it is certainly out of my knowledge base to do on my own. The motor I have in mind could easily be powered by the PC, but you are correct, it can't be controlled via windows on it's own. One of the issues I'm working on.

I'm keeping the specifics to myself until I do a build log, but there is a motor, gears, and a track involved. I'm also researching if how I could possbily code a crude app to control the movements in Windows. I may have to settle for on/off, but I'm trying to figure out how to add some controls or even a random generator that will activate the head movement randomly while the PC is on. Just starting on the ideas - there are many things that need to be refined on this idea.

Quote:
Originally Posted by NoGuru View Post
You could use a small trash can or something to make the whole case look like R2.
Sigh . . . now you've gone and done it. I hadn't considered making a full replica of R2, but now I must! His red "eye" could be the power button, one of the slots on his "chest" could be the ODD, and another slot for the front I/O. It may be more modding then I wanted to do, but damn it all if it hasn't got me thinking now!
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post #8 of 14
9/28/11 at 3:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bear907 View Post
I'm keeping the specifics to myself until I do a build log, but there is a motor, gears, and a track involved.
Completely understood. I'm studying to be a mechanical engineer, so that type of stuff interests me.


Another idea, sort of off topic, is to involve your nephew in your build. Get the ideas together, and give him the blueprints. Then, offer your resources to build it if he wants. That type of thing (being asked to help build stuff) is what got me into engineering and physics.
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post #9 of 14
9/28/11 at 3:38pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by rdfloyd View Post
Another idea, sort of off topic, is to involve your nephew in your build. Get the ideas together, and give him the blueprints. Then, offer your resources to build it if he wants. That type of thing (being asked to help build stuff) is what got me into engineering and physics.
Agreed.

For now, I plan on getting the initial design and features figured out, then get most of the gear ordered so he has something to unwrap for his birthday/christmas in a couple months. I'll have a few options for him to choose certainly. He has expressed an interest in building PC's, but I don't know how much yet. I'm afraid too large or too complicated of a project will turn him off of it. So finding a happy medium is imparative and yet also hard to define yet.
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post #10 of 14
9/28/11 at 4:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bear907 View Post
Sigh . . . now you've gone and done it. I hadn't considered making a full replica of R2, but now I must! His red "eye" could be the power button, one of the slots on his "chest" could be the ODD, and another slot for the front I/O. It may be more modding then I wanted to do, but damn it all if it hasn't got me thinking now!
I think that if you go that route you might want to spit it in half so you can work in the can easier.
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