Howdy folks, I'm back again! A few people here may remember the Original Game Desk (henceforth v1.0!) and as we approach the 2 year anniversary of it's birth I decided it's time for an update...
For those who don't remember it, this is the result of my original build. A custom gaming desk build from a selection of my favourite titles. The aim was to create something of an optical illusion by hiding all of the structural parts of the build and I gotta say I've been pretty happy with it since then!
So anyway, 2 years is a pretty long time for a computer and a computer desk should be no different. Though it must be said my build hasn't changed drastically since I built the desk I did get hold of a new GPU (7950, first time I've bought a brand new card in years!) and since then I've been itching to get myself up and running on a true triple screen gaming rig. I specifically designed the original desk to work with one primary monitor (I think about 21") and two smaller secondary ones. Now that's fine for the interweb and such but eyefinity across such drastically different resolutions is pretty much a no-go. Besides even my main screen is pretty old school now, I've had that thing longer than I've had kids! As a last straw, a pixel died a while ago and it refused to leave a black or white line but instead a bright yellow one... I actually tolerated it for a long time as I just couldn't afford to replace it (plus I wanted 3 identical screens) but in the end enough was enough...
So I finally found myself a nice deal on monitors and it all kicked off from there! Anyone curious about the process behind the original desk can take a look at the link below. I used all the same methods again in the redesign so it's not a bad idea to check it out!
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/f...ame-Desk/page3
The general idea behind this rebuild was essential just an enlargement of several parts of the desktop. Also, I'd be adding significant weight with the new monitors so I needed to reinforce and stabilise the whole thing wherever possible too. It's still never been glued or fixed together in anyway either so that means 90% of it's rigidity comes from compression alone. That makes things harder than you'd think and actually resulted in a bit of a revision later on!
First things first though, you just saw what it looked like all built up with the old tops on, time to see it all build down with no tops on! The first stage was obviously dismantling of v1.0 so here is my very empty computer corner once everything else has been taken away... And yes, I have moved to a different corner!
With everything apart, one of the most important parts of this build came first as the main desktop needed an extra row of games adding to it. This isn't because I wanted a bigger desk, just because if I added 3 big monitors and then put them on the old top I would melt my eyes... I needed to be further from the screens in order to make best use of the peripheral monitors and as luck would have it, one extra row of cases was just the distance required! Looks like a little headboard doesn't it?!
In my original build thread, I recycled practically everything I used for this build (even the legs came form a charity shop!) This time I needed strength first and foremost though so I had to go shopping for the right materials. All in all it cost me £25 for wood and fittings and another £30 for the big slab of acrylic to cover the new bigger desktop. Not bad if it gives me another 2 years of enjoyment!
This pic does show one thing I did recycle though. The wood I bought for the extension of the main desktop wasn't quite thick enough so I thickened it up with the bottom of my boys' drawers! Don't worry it was busted anyway, they have a new one now! I chopped these things up, glued em on then stapled them on for good measure. They'll have reinforcing batons on soon too so plenty to keep it together...
The reason it looks like a headboard right now is one of the new 'features' added to aid in stability once the desk is together. As there is no permanent method currently in use to hold the desktop to it's legs it is technically possible for it to slide around. Not good, no matter how unlikely it is that that would happen... Those batons on each side of this extension are placed to prevent lateral movement of the desktop once it's fitted in place. Not a bad idea if I do say so myself!
Next very simple step was to attach this new piece to the old desktop. Done by means of those long batons of course, though that doesn't provide very much strength, especially as ALL of the weight of the 3 pedestals will be right above that join!
That problem was solved with some more shorter batons between the end ones. These had to be cut short due to the construction of the desk legs though so they still don't provide a particularly secure join. More like a hinge really as if it was used in this condition, the pedestals and monitors would put way too much weight on the new back strip and then it's only a matter of time before it simply drops off the back! The bonus of the bit of desk that's in the way though is that by cutting the batons to exactly the right length, the desktop can now no longer move in any direction once fitted as the batons keep it behind the bar on the desk...
The only real way I could imagine to effectively hold the weight of the monitors on the new rear strip was to just simply give it legs... A bit of 2" beam and a nice long 'foot' make a very simple 100% effective brace and carry all of the weight from the new extensiopn AND anything that's ever put on top of it. And of course, no one will ever see it anyway so it's all good!
Now the desktop is nice and strong and secure! But it IS missing 9 games which I really had trouble finding... Just like those used in my original build they need to be games I've completed and enjoyed but there can only be one from each franchise and they can't be in crappy 'white label' or 'soldout' boxes or the like. They have to BE good but more importantly they have to LOOK good!
After I chose the games to use, I secured them in the same way as before. I cut one strip of card for each game, slightly longer on both ends...
Then sandwiched it between the case and it's back cover... (That 3rd game gets changed later. Personally I enjoyed it but it was by no means great...)
And then the bottom end was slid inside the back cover of the case directly below it, while the top overhang was folded over and stapled to the back of the desk. Voila!
Last job for the main desktop (which felt WAY too big right now!) was to fit the acrylic sheet which I only got a few days ago. Anyone who remembers the original build may possibly recall my partner snapping one of the front corners off my desk almost the same week as I'd finished it. This was a bad thing for me... I decided this time I'd try to remove some of the weakness in those corners by keeping the corners round instead of sharply angled. I really do believe it wouldn't have snapped off it not for the tiniest of cracks from cutting... To achieve this I drilled 10mm holes where I wanted my corners and then cut the lines with a hacksaw. Filed the edges down after that and they came out pretty good.
And here's the main desktop finished! Nice to have a picture without my feet in for a change. But you can still see the bottom of the chair I was stood on to take this picture! (And yes GTA 3 is my favourite to date, though I'm hoping my opinion may change when 5 is out on pc it still won't be as revolutionary as 3 so there...)
For some reason I don't seem to have taken any pictures of making up the pedestals to finish off this build but to be honest I didn't have to change a great deal and what I did do you've basically already seen above so it makes no difference!
The only major change with the pedestals was that I raised the centre one up while lowering the two side ones. That just meant changing the tall pipes on the ends for short ones (I was going to use them on the original build and now they finally get their day 2 years later!) and turning the central ones through 180o. I had to widen the slots in the central pipes to accomodate the slightly thicker side desktops but it was easy with some masking tape and a hacksaw!
The side pedestals themselves DID need replacing as they were originally two 2x2 pieces. In order to accomodate the new screens they had to double in size to 4x2 and they also turned through 90o so they now conform with the rest of the games on the desk which I like. I don't like that it left me short another 8 games but I managed to find a few that I like. There are currently five titles on the right hand desktop that I want/need to replace (I have a tycoon game up there for example but RCT3 is already on the main desktop gasp!)
Anyway, I bought the wood I needed for these new tops and extra card too so I simply moved the 8 games from the old 2 tops to create one of them and then made the second one up from scratch. Was easy and used exactly the same methods as before. I've got to say this is a great way to build and show off a collection at the same time. I'm almost surprised noone else has ever done it to be honest but I am pretty unique like that! And let it be remembered that when the craze takes off I was first haha
But enough of that, onto the final reveal and the tech specs.
I managed to get myself a new mouse and keyboard during the revamp so my current setup is almost perfect for now. I got an Aula mouse, ghost shark I think, has 7 buttons and looks perfect fir me so happy with that! The Roccat Isku keyboard was my favourite option but way too expensive until I managed to ebay one with a broken foot for £40 which I can live with ok. Certainly beats the mini one I've been using since I spilled beer all over my last wireless one...
The monitors are pretty good, certainly a decent deal pricewise. I got 3 24" HP LA2405wg screens for just under £300 delivered and they're in good enough condition. One has some nasty issues with the silver edging but it's only cosmetic so I can live with it. Sadly another of them is distinctly bluey in comparison to the other two and I've already checked the settings so it seems to be a hardware issue. Again though, I'm using these two poorer monitors as peripherals so it's only really noticeable to spectators which frankly I couldn't care less about! I checked them out specwise before I bought them and all the reviews seemed good enough for what I'm after. I've run through a number of games on Eyefinity already and it feels just great to finally have the setup I dreamed of for so long! Skyrim it just stunning. I turned off the clipping and stood up on top of Dragonsreach and just wow...
Anyways, that's more than enough of that (I doubt anyone has read most of it anyway!) here is the Game Desk v2.0!
Please ignore the fact that my tower is on a stool... I need a longer cable to hook up the main monitor to it's respective Disply Port so I had to lift it up for now! The next stage of development for this mod may well be to dismantle my tower and put the mobo and GPU on show under the centre pedestal as they're kinda too cool to be stuck on the floor in a box... Toying with the idea of making a small acrylic box for it to replace that extra centre support, would serve a dual purpose then, plus I could finally use my DVDD in it's originally intended stealth location! Until then though, this build is finished. v2.2 will involve relocating the computer hardware but that can probably wait until after the holidays!
Hope you guys like what I've done with the old girl and if I can make at least one person want what I've got then it's all been worth it! Cheers for looking guys, don't forget to come back for v3.0 in 2015!
Munty .
