Project: Rapture

[Brydagr8]

Quite possibly the best game of all time, Bioshock is the theme of my new case mod. Project: Rapture is going to be based on the underwater city where the game takes place. Its rich in art deco styles from the 40's and 50's. In one of the opening scenes of the game, your character dives to the bottom of the Atlantic ocean where Rapture lays in ruin as a battlefield. Well, I don't want to ruin the game for you if you haven't played it yet. Any way, that scene is what inspired me to create a case mod of that.

I wish this rig could be equipped with top of the line hardware that could run Bioshock on MAX settings, but I cant. This, at the moment, will be running with spare parts I can find around my room. This means we will have an Intel Celeron 2.2ghz, 512mb of ram, and integrated graphics. Not exactly what I would call "Cream of the Crop". The foundation for this mod is a cheapo case I won at a LAN party raffle, its been sitting under my bed for almost 2 years! I also can cough up a 19 inch widescreen lcd display for the mod.

Ok, Ive spent probably more than 15 hours in Sketchup making these models, so:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1110/1242980334_c4bc54b4cd.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1169/1242119805_0cce946562.jpg?v=0

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1414/1242119583_a74d50f65c.jpg?v=0 http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1179/1242119985_0e9edf8c35.jpg?v=0

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1351/1242980184_643a7bf069.jpg?v=0 http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1305/1242980012_fa99525fbc_m.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1306/1242118957_46d5f456a8_m.jpg
Tell me what you think of these, I really want to know!

[jdbnsn]

Wow, ambitious design. I think it would look great depending on how much effort you put into detail.

[Brydagr8]

Sorry if you tried to post, I must have accidentally locked the thread. :lick:
Thanks jdbnsn for your input. I'm stuck at the moment, what material should I use for the buildings? I was thinking either foam board or styrene, but would I be better off with something like wood or metal?

[solja]

Sorry if you tried to post, I must have accidentally locked the thread. :lick:
Thanks jdbnsn for your input. I'm stuck at the moment, what material should I use for the buildings? I was thinking either foam board or styrene, but would I be better off with something like wood or metal?


that would all depend on how good you are at working with metal... if you are good with metal than metal is the best choice... if not then I wouldnt really reccomend wood.. but thats a personal taste.

the sketchup is AWESOME and like jon said, depending on how much attention to detail you put into it it should be great.

I have just a tiny few suggestions if you dont mind? I hope not :) .

Suggestion #1: Watercooling is almost DEFINITELY a must with a bioshock case... so the building with the class roof should maybe be a resevoir so you can see the water ;)

Suggestion #2: Make the paint look wet, give the buildings some texture as if water was on them.

Suggestion #3: (last one I swear) Remember this city is underwater... make the paint look as if its been underwater aswell ;)

Ok those are my suggestions :D great idea man.

[Brydagr8]

Thanks for the suggestions, they were great! Water cooling would be tough, I donut really want to invest in that stuff for a celeron. Not to mention, I'm slightly strapped for cash (I just bought a gaming/school laptop) But your right, its a must have for a Bioshock mod. We will see, good thing I don't have to decide right now.
Here are some quick sketchups of the monitor:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1047/1247103779_abfbd18a36.jpg?v=0 http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1249/1247103649_3518c4ac02.jpg?v=0

[SabreNoose]

An incredible game, i was thinking last nite that someone shuld do this as a mod!

[Vertigo]

Very ambitious, anxious to see how this turns out. I beat the game a few nights ago, and I'm with ya. SICK GAME. Best of luck to you.

[Brydagr8]

Ok, I decided to build it out of foam board because I don't have the knowledge or tools to use metal (also, the board was on sale 40% off at Michaels) I hope it will be solid enough.
Here is a pic of the base case I will be working with, and the board I bought:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1439/1252078667_5f49760047.jpg?v=0 http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1322/1252938704_fd453ce5b3.jpg?v=0

[Brydagr8]

I started construction tonight. I used a different case than what was in the pic above, sorry :(. Ive used the door from the other side of the case because the windowed side is worthless for this mod. Also, the back part of the side panel that you see will be hidden when complete. The holes are just for ventilation. Finally, if you must know, everything here was put together with a hot glue gun.
So here are two more pics:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1428/1254815075_0ff3c03ffe.jpg?v=0 http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1219/1254814971_47f145c917.jpg?v=0

[doesi87]

great idea brydagr. if you go into detail this will be very nice. Like the Art Deco look of the game/case.Subscribed.

[Brydagr8]

Thanks All! You all have been really supportive, and in doing that makes me want to go all out on this mod. Ive begun construction on the buildings, but, before I can glue anything I have to plan out how wires will run through everything. Basically I need to take care of all the different lighting that will be on the rig. So at the moment I need to start designing the illuminated windows and EL wire neon signs. Here is how it should look:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1405/1261152023_11903732f3.jpg?v=0

[pimp]

hi,

i found this forum last night, and your projekt is really pretty.
iam from Germany and make an Bioshock Casemodding too. I had the basic design ready, and now i made the electric and colors.

I had an question to you, which colour what you to use? I think i want to make an own structure with shapable plastics. but i dont found an internet shop where i can buy this.

Know you a shop?

[Mach]

Very cool!

The neon graphics remind of project Deco on mini-itx. The neon tubes were especially well done, IMHO.

http://www.mini-itx.com/projects/decobox/default.asp?page=3

[doesi87]

hi,

i found this forum last night, and your projekt is really pretty.
iam from Germany and make an Bioshock Casemodding too. I had the basic design ready, and now i made the electric and colors.

I had an question to you, which colour what you to use? I think i want to make an own structure with shapable plastics. but i dont found an internet shop where i can buy this.

Know you a shop?

Hey Pimp, here are some links that might help you. I don't know exactly what you need, but this are the main shops for such this. Not a complete list, but all I know. Maybe they help you.

http://www1.conrad.de/scripts/wgate/zcop_b2c/~flN0YXRlPTM3Mzk1ODU4NDI=?direkt_aufriss_area=SHOP _B2C_Modelling&~template=PCAT_AREA_S_browse&p_page_to_display=&catalogs_sub_id=sub14&aktiv=14&navi=oben_1 (http://www1.conrad.de/scripts/wgate/zcop_b2c/%7EflN0YXRlPTM3Mzk1ODU4NDI=?direkt_aufriss_area=SH OP_B2C_Modelling&%7Etemplate=PCAT_AREA_S_browse&p_page_to_display=&catalogs_sub_id=sub14&aktiv=14&navi=oben_1)

http://www.acryl-onlineshop.de/index.php?company=abwicklung&shop=zuschnitte

http://www.acrylglas-shop.com/index.php

http://www.modellversium.de/kit/kit.php?id=1

[frogrod]

how big is the case going to be? it would make an awesome server case.

[Brydagr8]

In response to pimp's question, I have my own. Do you mean what color light I am using, or what color the mod itself will be?
As for Match's link to those awesome EL neon tubes, dang, now I'm going to have to step up and do that. (I was just going to string EL wire)
And finally to frogrod, its being built around a normal sized mid tower case. This thing will be big, but I cant say on how big. Sorry.
hI'm ordering LEDs and what not pretty soon, so it migt be a little while before there is another update. Not to mention school just started, so perhaps an update this weekend.

[Mach]

On second thought, what you need is el sheet or el tape since it looks as though you need a sticker that glows.

I've had a tough time sourcing the stuff recently as beingseen doesn't answer their phone and I had trouble getting tweakmonster to ship. I ordered some from a limo company of all places. Someone on TBCS works in a sign shop (tybrenis?) that may be able to help.

This is how the glow images shown in your picture could be created. Layer 1 black or metal mask, Layer 2 color gel, Layer 3 el sheet or ribbon.
http://www.beingseen.com/images/flat3.gif

http://www.beingseen.com/flatlite.html

[pimp]

Special Thanks for the links.

One Question, how woant you to make the structure of the citY?
I want to use liquid plastic, and then i make with for example an stamp the
structure.