Where did it go?

[AKA_RA]

Where the love? Modding used to be about people taking their ideas out of their head and putting them into a computer case. Now, every day, i sit down and look at these forums and see things along the lines of, "im bored, tell me what to mod so i dont have to think," or "nice mod, but add more lights and other crap you can get at on online retailer."

what happened to this community?

and since when did i need to see your mod from space?:rolleyes:

[Omega]

Oh man, I have tons of ideas. All the time. But I've also got, for the most part, A lack of cash and a mod in Progress. Maybe one of these days I should get a job...

If I had the money, I'd have quite a few cases, themed like so:

Iron Maiden Case. Oh yeah. Faint red glow, maybe the Iron Maiden logo somewhere, but just really kind of subtle evil-ness... and fan grilles made from the "M" in Iron Maiden.

A case I call "Project: Cataclysm", Basically, cut out a window like a silhoutte of a cityscape. Then, with the plexiglass, Etch and frost some flames around the buildings, maybe make some of the buildings sort of crumbling. Then, illuminate (to a nice level of brightness, nothing too intense or too weak) with red, yellow, and orange LED's, maybe wire up something to dim the LEDs in a certain sequence as if the flame was changing. Some other ideas for this case as well, but i'm not about to divulge them.

And quite a few others that I don't wanna tell you all, mainly because I might actually make them ;)

Seriously, though, The whole "tell me what to do" and "add more lights" kind of crap isn't even the worst. At a few LANs i've attended, People have honestly told me I need to get things like pearlescent paint, sound activated CCFLs, other crap like that. =/

Another something that I just thought about: There's windows in practically everything. I think, after ArgDawn (and after I design it), I'll make a mod where the case either has no or a very small window(s), only to accentuate certain things on the inside.

[b4i7]

. At a few LANs i've attended, People have honestly told me I need to get things like pearlescent paint, sound activated CCFLs, other crap like that. =/.

then all you will need to buy is some 17 inch rims and an exaust for it and youll have a tuner!

[AKA_RA]

believe me, i know. i was trying to slowly bring those who dont "get it" into the light without hurting their eyes, so to speak. then i realized who i was dealing with.

people who use sound reactive cathodes in their thermaltake iboughtitonxoxide case are likely the same people who would buy an old classic car and "pimp it out" by making it look like it should be 150feet over downtown las vegas

[Omega]

believe me, i know. i was trying to slowly bring those who dont "get it" into the light without hurting their eyes, so to speak. then i realized who i was dealing with.

people who use sound reactive cathodes in their thermaltake iboughtitonxoxide case are likely the same people who would buy an old classic car and "pimp it out" by making it look like it should be 150feet over downtown las vegas

Well you gotta keep in mind "What looks good" is an opinion... while I may find lighting (in moderation) and stuff of that sort okay on computers, I don't like it on cars (for the most part. Maybe an extremely dull glow for a car is okay, but none of this 36in neon tube crap), while I may like subtle body styling and lighter than stock parts (Unpainted but glossy Carbon Fibre hoods, perhaps very low profile spoilers)


But yeah, the general thing about true computer modding is, at the core, about taking ideas and putting them on a computer case that isn't centered on the candlepower of it's cathodes or the reflectiveness of the case.

[Slug Toy]

Another something that I just thought about: There's windows in practically everything.

i feel the same way. im not going to have any windows in my eventual mod. im more interested in making something that works good and looks good as a bonus. if anything, there may be some acrylic features for external effects only... like making a liquid hot metal effect or something.


At a few LANs i've attended, People have honestly told me I need to get things like pearlescent paint, sound activated CCFLs, other crap like that.

you know what? done right, that stuff can really make a great case. on some plain, square hunk of metal... not so much. pearlescents should really be put on organic shapes, like swooping and very fluid curves. sound activated lighting would be an awesome internal "plasma" effect... or you could make a light organ where different frequencies light up different parts of the case. it all looks good when you put some thought into it first.

so how about this then... i propose a "grass roots" movement. if you dont like all this flash on computer cases these days... make the next wave of mods very unassuming at first glance... make them sort of sleeper mods that catch your eye after you look around for a while. we could very well start a local revolution, and possibly even attract some of those elite people out there.

[Omega]

i feel the same way. im not going to have any windows in my eventual mod. im more interested in making something that works good and looks good as a bonus. if anything, there may be some acrylic features for external effects only... like making a liquid hot metal effect or something.

If anything, I think I'd probably focus on the fact that windows are overused. If done right, Acrylic cases can look nice, but honestly, I think the whole "exposed" kind of look just clashes with anything that doesn't match, mainly optical and hard drives (and most PSU's).

I think a liquid metal sorta mod would be pretty cool, or a mod with liquid metal sort of accents.


you know what? done right, that stuff can really make a great case. on some plain, square hunk of metal... not so much. pearlescents should really be put on organic shapes, like swooping and very fluid curves. sound activated lighting would be an awesome internal "plasma" effect... or you could make a light organ where different frequencies light up different parts of the case. it all looks good when you put some thought into it first.


Well yeah, everything tends to look nice if you think about it.

I can completely agree that pearlescents can earn their place in the computer world, and yeah, the work nice on curvy things. But these people are telling me to put it on a Cooler Master Cavalier -- a pretty generic premod case.

I actually did have some sound activated CCFL's at one point. They were alright, once you figured out where to put the sensitivity. It gave me a headache after about an hour, though.


so how about this then... i propose a "grass roots" movement. if you dont like all this flash on computer cases these days... make the next wave of mods very unassuming at first glance... make them sort of sleeper mods that catch your eye after you look around for a while. we could very well start a local revolution, and possibly even attract some of those elite people out there.

I would totally love to do that -- never thought of it before though. Maybe spiff up some 486 compys or something to look new but hide little touches here and there -- like some modern-day ass-kicking gaming rig inside.

[AKA_RA]

why do you need a window to see whats inside?

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2301&postcount=5

^_^

EDIT: I found the case from the old 486 i ripped a part last year, and what i think it part of the mainboard.

[DaveW]

I'm not planning on using any plastic at all in my next mod, apart from the basic stuff like buttons and fittings-the whole damn thing's gonna be mesh and metal. It's going to be a huge fabrication that i'll be starting in the summer.

-Dave

[AKA_RA]

No plastic at all, except buttons...and fans...and connectors...and the headers on the motherboard for the fans connectors...and everything else thats plastic.

surely not lacking in the plastic department, but at the same time, that list results in remarkably lower quantity than buying an alien ware pc, lol

horray for using real materials!

[ESX]

Oh man, I have tons of ideas. All the time. But I've also got, for the most part, A lack of cash and a mod in Progress. Maybe one of these days I should get a job...

If I had the money, I'd have quite a few cases, themed like so:

Iron Maiden Case. Oh yeah. Faint red glow, maybe the Iron Maiden logo somewhere, but just really kind of subtle evil-ness... and fan grilles made from the "M" in Iron Maiden.

A case I call "Project: Cataclysm", Basically, cut out a window like a silhoutte of a cityscape. Then, with the plexiglass, Etch and frost some flames around the buildings, maybe make some of the buildings sort of crumbling. Then, illuminate (to a nice level of brightness, nothing too intense or too weak) with red, yellow, and orange LED's, maybe wire up something to dim the LEDs in a certain sequence as if the flame was changing. Some other ideas for this case as well, but i'm not about to divulge them.

And quite a few others that I don't wanna tell you all, mainly because I might actually make them ;)

Seriously, though, The whole "tell me what to do" and "add more lights" kind of crap isn't even the worst. At a few LANs i've attended, People have honestly told me I need to get things like pearlescent paint, sound activated CCFLs, other crap like that. =/

Another something that I just thought about: There's windows in practically everything. I think, after ArgDawn (and after I design it), I'll make a mod where the case either has no or a very small window(s), only to accentuate certain things on the inside.
Same goes with me. A cash problem.
And also beeing in school, that takes a lot of my time :D

[Aero]

now now people. Plastics are "real" materials too.

Don't believe me? Look at Doom 3 and the Styrene work Paul did, or look at Defyant's mods. Its not always the materials you use, hell, I'm using a Coke can in one of my mods, its how your design makes use of the materials.

And yes windows are a bit over done, but you can still be creative with them! Again its all in the design of the case. How you make use of the different aspects of the case! Windows don't have to be plain clear plexi glass. You can paint them and light up the back (think Crimson Sky's FarCry), or add objects around the window to blend it into the case (look at my own Project:Outpost).

As for CCFL's, yeah just placed in your case they may look a little blah. But place them behind some frosted plexi glass that hides you HDD's, give the entire thing an omnious glow that thumps to music and it can be very cool, assumeing its not the only part of the case that looks like that.

Or LED's even...heck, if you want ideas for LED's, just go read the Doom 3 worklog, thats all I can say.

Honestly, there is no limit to the number designs. Money can be tight sometimes, but hey, even an old milk jug can be incorporated into a case. You just have to figure out how to do it.

[ESX]

now now people. Plastics are "real" materials too.

Don't believe me? Look at Doom 3 and the Styrene work Paul did, or look at Defyant's mods. Its not always the materials you use, hell, I'm using a Coke can in one of my mods, its how your design makes use of the materials.

And yes windows are a bit over done, but you can still be creative with them! Again its all in the design of the case. How you make use of the different aspects of the case! Windows don't have to be plain clear plexi glass. You can paint them and light up the back (think Crimson Sky's FarCry), or add objects around the window to blend it into the case (look at my own Project:Outpost).

As for CCFL's, yeah just placed in your case they may look a little blah. But place them behind some frosted plexi glass that hides you HDD's, give the entire thing an omnious glow that thumps to music and it can be very cool, assumeing its not the only part of the case that looks like that.

Or LED's even...heck, if you want ideas for LED's, just go read the Doom 3 worklog, thats all I can say.

Honestly, there is no limit to the number designs. Money can be tight sometimes, but hey, even an old milk jug can be incorporated into a case. You just have to figure out how to do it.
That makes quite a lot of sense :)
Im out of excuses :P

[Aero]

That makes quite a lot of sense :)
Im out of excuses :P



Haha, then I have done my job:p :twisted: :banana:

[ESX]

Haha, then I have done my job:p :twisted: :banana:
You sure have, dear Sir.
Well, Im working on ElementSIX, my main rig atm, slow but steady process :)

[AKA_RA]

oh, sry. i was thinking of plastic in the derogatory sense. ^_^

styrene plastic has also been a part of my modding experience, but to a much less fulfilling degree. only bought like, 2 sheets of thin styrene and wasted most of it. nothing like what Paul did.

As for your statement about lighting, YES! Thats what I'm on about. Lighting used to the effect to not blind the person viewing your case, but to complement your freshly overhauled case.

[Omega]

Haha, then I have done my job:p :twisted: :banana:

There's a difference, however, between not having money to get modding supplies and not having money to get basics like food and the such, my family is slowly slipping into the latter, sadly. I have a feeling the electricity will be shut off sometime soon -- meaning long, boring, cold nights and no modding with power tools, unless, of course, I can mooch electricity from friends (you know, go to a mod-friendly friend's house and mod the night away...)

[AKA_RA]

I've traveled down the no electricity road. i had dsl, phone line, and no electricity, for at least 2 or 3 weeks. it was hell.

[Aero]

There's a difference, however, between not having money to get modding supplies and not having money to get basics like food and the such, my family is slowly slipping into the latter, sadly. I have a feeling the electricity will be shut off sometime soon -- meaning long, boring, cold nights and no modding with power tools, unless, of course, I can mooch electricity from friends (you know, go to a mod-friendly friend's house and mod the night away...)


:think: Yeah that can be a problem. Obviously your life and family should always come first. Modding, while very fun and creative, is still just a hobby that we do on our spare time. Good luck with your family. I hope you all can pull through in a timely fashion.

[luciusad2004]

Now that you mention it Lighting and Windows do seem to be abused. However, It is those Xoxide plug and play "mods" you mention that got me interested in the scene.

I Like windows and lights as long as the person doesnt try to purchase EVERY available color and squeeze them in to every nook and crany of the case. But, ive always liked lights, even in areas unrelated to computers. Car lighting, club lighting, christmas lighting, any thing that gives off a cool blue glow.

I also enjoy windows, but seeing lots of boring old square windows is getting kind of old. I DO really enjoy seeing some well done engraving work on a window. I think there is still a lot of potential for windows if you find some alternative methods of creating images in them.

I would like however, to see a sort of minimalist movement. Nice clean lines, nothing to extraordinary, put a limit on windows and lights. Simple but still elegant and beautiful. It would be nice. Just to change things up once in a while. After a while, all these "mods" start to look the same. Hopefully some day if i get some tools, time, and money; ill get around to some of the ideas i have written down.

In short: Yes, while i do enjoy lights and windows, they are getting rather overdone.

[nil8]

There are a few reasons lights and windows are so overdone. They're by far the easiest beginner mods someone can do. Cutting a hole in the side of your case and illuminating your sweet hardware is the basis for much of the older ideal of computer modding. It's more about displaying hardware and less about the artistic expression.

Now that manufacturers have caught onto this trend and are pumping out case after case with simplistic light schemes and the square window, the pc modding artists are left to push the envelope to new heights and extremes.

This is what happens here for almost all of the ideas. I've seen more real case modding on this forum than any other place on the net four our hobby. There are more unique ideas floating around TBCS than any other site. A great current example is the V for Vandetta project. That guy is a fantastic fabricator.

Still, the bling or pre-made modders shouldn't be put down. They should be encouraged to make something unique that no one else has made or bought.
I'm at this stage of my modding career.

I've done some basic work, and I'm looking into getting more skilled without any prior knowledge of my tools and techniques. It's this specific stage that turns noob modders into good modders. It's about making mistakes and realizing just how difficult it is to make something look as good as some of the people here.

I never realized how hard bondo was to work with until I started playing with it after I found defyants worklogs. I've been playing around with engraving since I found someone who did a fantastic job engraving the side of his case. It's all about the learning experience and trying to become better than you currently are.

5 years ago I never thought I would be on a forum with like-minded people who enjoyed making computer cases different. I was just a computer geek with a big ass fan, a full tower and an idea.

[DaveW]

No plastic at all, except buttons...and fans...and connectors...and the headers on the motherboard for the fans connectors...and everything else thats plastic.

Oh, a wise guy, eh? Put em' up!

-Dave

[AKA_RA]

*holds up plastic bits*