Questions? Answers.....maybe


Feel free to ask any questions relating to the PCA & A4T Member Hosted Competition here. Also feel free to give any ideas here that you think might make the competition better for everyone.
Keep the Pimp hand STRONG! MOD ON!

You can find the official thread to submit your intent on entering the contest Here

Is it alright that we don't have guts to stick in the thing right now?

Quote: Originally Posted by Master Yunk Is it alright that we don't have guts to stick in the thing right now?

Im not sure Im understanding the question. If you wanna delay entering the competition, than I dont see a problem with that as long as you enter in a timely manner and have a worklog that we can all follow before the contest ends. If your worried about your mod not being up to par, dont worry about it. Whether its kickass or lame were still gonna laugh at you....jk.

Now that you mention it though we'd better stick a entry deadline on this thing, afterall the competition is about seeing some worklogs. Any ideas anyone? Should we set the entry deadline by the 1st?

I think what his is asking is this...

Can we get a rough definition of Case Mod?

Does this just entail the case itself, or does it also need a working PC in it?

Like if we have lighted fans, can we just put a PSU in the case with some Drives and use the power from the PSU for the purpose of showing off all the mods in the case?

Need it be a PC case?

I'm thinking (since it's basically the only case I have that I haven't modded) of starting with an old Umax SuperMac I've got sitting around as a basis. I bet I could actually fit a PC into it, because it's basically an ATX case.

Quote: Originally Posted by FeRaL I think what his is asking is this... Can we get a rough definition of Case Mod? Does this just entail the case itself, or does it also need a working PC in it? Like if we have lighted fans, can we just put a PSU in the case with some Drives and use the power from the PSU for the purpose of showing off all the mods in the case?

What were looking for:

Quote: Originally Posted by Sparky What were looking for in this case mod competition is creativity, workmanship, function, cleanliness, and pride in what youve created. Components will not be considered as a plus or minus in this competition. If you wanna rock your Voodoo card J-Dogg, go right ahead Also take into account that all 3 judges are extremely experienced modders and enthusiasts and that they can appreciate the little details. Also all "mods" will be taken into consideration for this competition. If modding your mouse, keyboard, ect is all that you have time for, than do it. Were not gonna dock you points for not taking the time to mod your case but be warned that its gonna have to be one kick a$$ mouse mod to beat out a case mod.

It will be a non issue if you have no components installed. However, I would be under the impression that your going to miss out on some extra points for case cleanliness, wire tidying, ect. It wont be held against you though.

Quote: Originally Posted by Hak Foo Need it be a PC case? I'm thinking (since it's basically the only case I have that I haven't modded) of starting with an old Umax SuperMac I've got sitting around as a basis. I bet I could actually fit a PC into it, because it's basically an ATX case.

Absolutely, make your own case, put your pc in a cereal box. Creativity is a huge plus in my own opinion but than again im not a judge. Its always cool to see something new and innovative, the crazier the better!

Yeah, there will be some Voodoo card action on my mod. I want to try to get my 5500 AGP working again but I may be able to temporarily score a Voodoo 5 6000 Prototype card (yes, a real 6000) not sure if it works but I think it's a rev 3700.

I received the E7200 Prize this evening. I'll take a few pictures in the morning, at my office :-) And I have some pictures of the watercooling equipment donated by Fred_G. I'll email them all to Sparky tomorrow so he can post them :-)

Sparky could you also open a discussion thread over at A4T. I guess I could do it, but I would rather you do it as your the Man in Charge here and I would like you to be the Man in Charge at A4T also. "One Ring to Control Them All" HeHeHe :-)

I can fulfill any request you have at A4T as far as this Contest Goes. If anyone gives you any Lip just tell me.

I appreciate you trying to stir up the modding community but I will personally not take part in any mod contest which explicity invites entrants to use ancient hardware . . .one of the lame things about modding is just that. People doing case mods with ghetto hardware. Then we have the opposite side (which many of you may not have a clue about) which is the uber over-clockers with their hardware on a ghetto test bench. I think both extremes are totally lame. If you do a case mod you should at least be able to play a CURRENT game even at VERY moderate settings. If you are doing amazing overclocking at least have a decent-looking setup (wire management, polished LN2 pots, etc).

I am working with other mod contests to elevate our standards . . .and the prizes to draw out the modders (CPU Mag contest at Nvision . . .5k . . .).

I realize the 'who cares what is inside' is how it has been done in the past. Times change. Modding should as well. If a mod PURPOSELY uses old stuff as part of its design then that is cool . . .but at least steath the current stuff so it can still run. You are modding a 'computer' after all . . .

Quote: Originally Posted by DarthBeavis I appreciate you trying to stir up the modding community but I will personally not take part in any mod contest which explicity invites entrants to use ancient hardware . . .one of the lame things about modding is just that. People doing case mods with ghetto hardware. Then we have the opposite side (which many of you may not have a clue about) which is the uber over-clockers with their hardware on a ghetto test bench. I think both extremes are totally lame. If you do a case mod you should at least be able to play a CURRENT game even at VERY moderate settings. If you are doing amazing overclocking at least have a decent-looking setup (wire management, polished LN2 pots, etc). I am working with other mod contests to elevate our standards . . .and the prizes to draw out the modders (CPU Mag contest at Nvision . . .5k . . .). I realize the 'who cares what is inside' is how it has been done in the past. Times change. Modding should as well. If a mod PURPOSELY uses old stuff as part of its design then that is cool . . .but at least steath the current stuff so it can still run. You are modding a 'computer' after all . . .

A Case Mod by defintion is just that. A Modified Case. When you buy a Case at NewEgg all your getting is a case. When you start adding Hardware to the Case it becomes a System. Not everyone can afford the nicest hardware and spare parts, but everyone can have a Unique System by Modding their Case. I'll go out on a Limb here and say that's the reason Modding is so Popular.

While I am glad that your trying to elevate standards, it seems to me that your standards are aimed at eliminating the Average Guy.

You should consider entering. While some of your competition maybe from the Poorer Folks, your Judges won't be. In fact one of the Judges in this Contest is also One of the Finest, Most Well Known Professional Modders on the Planet.

Quote: Originally Posted by Slaymate A Case Mod by defintion is just that. A Modified Case. When you buy a Case at NewEgg all your getting is a case. When you start adding Hardware to the Case it becomes a System. Not everyone can afford the nicest hardware and spare parts, but everyone can have a Unique System by Modding their Case. I'll go out on a Limb here and say that's the reason Modding is so Popular. While I am glad that your trying to elevate standards, it seems to me that your standards are aimed at eliminating the Average Guy. You should consider entering. While some of your competition maybe from the Poorer Folks, your Judges won't be. In fact one of the Judges in this Contest is also One of the Finest, Most Well Known Professional Modders on the Planet.

What in the heck are you talking about? How much is a Q6600 or E6600 How much is a low-end 7 or 8 series Geforce card or low end ATI card? Eliminate the average guy?

Check this out:
Intel 8400: $175
ATI 4850: $189

Now those really will drive the 'average' guy out of the competition . . .

Also, I won't enter because I am heavily sponsored . . .I will compete against the 'professional' people (and get my arse handed to my by people like Bill) because we have access to similar resources . . .

I know all about the price of Hardware, I always buy the best and I do so frequently. But the Younger Guys, aka Students, don't always have that much spare money. Or the Family Man who needs to feed his family and pay for $4 a gallon gasoline. You have $350 worth of Hardware listed and a lot of people just don't have that much cash just to try and Win a Prize.

Who knows, maybe they'll upgrade there hardware after the case itself is complete and they get some spare cash.

But I won't discourage someone just because there Tech isn't as new as mine or yours.

Quote: Originally Posted by Slaymate I know all about the price of Hardware, I always buy the best and I do so frequently. But the Younger Guys, aka Students, don't always have that much spare money. Or the Family Man who needs to feed his family and pay for $4 a gallon gasoline. You have $350 worth of Hardware listed and a lot of people just don't have that much cash just to try and Win a Prize. Who knows, maybe they'll upgrade there hardware after the case itself is complete and they get some spare cash. But I won't discourage someone just because there Tech isn't as new as mine or yours.

I guess a person could mod an empty case then? LOL. If you are a starving student or family guy who is worried about feeding your family then you should not be spending your time modding. I already walked a mile in those shoes so that argument means nothing to me. I got my FIRST (well second . . .absolute first was a hand-me-down Franklin Apple Clone) computer in 1997 at the age of 30 . . .my wife was in her last year of vet school and I had just gone back to college. We lived in a double-wide mobile come with a roof layered with some sprayfoam crap so it would not leak . . .Our total income (from me working in the community college computer lab) was maybe ten bucks and hour and only at 25 hours a week (granted we took out loads of student loans to pay for my wife's vet school costs). Did I put in ANY extra money into my computer? heck no. I was lucky to have a computer to do schoolwork on. . .

Let's go on . . .my wife and I have been married 19 years last June. . .She was almost 18 when we married, I was 21. We did not have our son until we had been married 12 years, and she was in her career and I was in mine (both of us out of school). . . .priorities . . .so I will not be sad for someone who can't upgrade their rig because they have a family . . .sorry.


If you want to compete and WIN a contest and you only have ancient hardware don't be suprised when you loose. Maybe you will win this site's contest but you will not win a higher-level contest . . .again qualifying a person using old stuff as part of their motif would be an exception.

Anyways . . .I made it from amateur to professional with this ideology . . .like I said I am trying to elevate modding in general . . .

Quote: Originally Posted by DarthBeavis Anyways . . .I made it from amateur to professional with this ideology . . .like I said I am trying to elevate modding in general . . .

Beavis, I can appreciate both your history and your standing in this issue. However, part of the point of this contest is to drum up more interest in the modding community and make "modding" available to the common man / woman. And no, the commoner won't go out and spend $350 on internals when the vote that decided this contest's theme specified "modify the case" (read: http://www.forumapex.com/anything_go...mpetition.html )

Therefore, this contest is for case mods. I believe there needs to be working parts within the case, but there are no stipulations on the specifics for those internals.

If you don't like the competition, then don't enter. If you're sponsored, then I appreciate you not entering as my mod will be done with a hack saw and a dremel, and perhaps some sandpaper. I consider myself the average man, I have a mortgage, a wife, a kid, and those are my priorities ... and o by the way, my hobby is also a priority (everyone needs their down time) I simply don't have the cash to put into it.

So chill out on the diatribe and let us enjoy ourselves. If you're not going to enter, please do not disparage the folks who are -- we're here to do some good, enjoy ourselves, live the spirit of the mod, and maybe win something cool. Please respect that.

-godling

Quote: Originally Posted by godling Beavis, I can appreciate both your history and your standing in this issue. However, part of the point of this contest is to drum up more interest in the modding community and make "modding" available to the common man / woman. And no, the commoner won't go out and spend $350 on internals when the vote that decided this contest's theme specified "modify the case" (read: http://www.forumapex.com/anything_go...mpetition.html ) Therefore, this contest is for case mods. I believe there needs to be working parts within the case, but there are no stipulations on the specifics for those internals. If you don't like the competition, then don't enter. If you're sponsored, then I appreciate you not entering as my mod will be done with a hack saw and a dremel, and perhaps some sandpaper. I consider myself the average man, I have a mortgage, a wife, a kid, and those are my priorities ... and o by the way, my hobby is also a priority (everyone needs their down time) I simply don't have the cash to put into it. So chill out on the diatribe and let us enjoy ourselves. If you're not going to enter, please do not disparage the folks who are -- we're here to do some good, enjoy ourselves, live the spirit of the mod, and maybe win something cool. Please respect that. -godling

This goes beyond this paticular contest . . .the issue is a pet peeve with me. Look at the Intel You Tube modding contest this last year . . .a guy had a P4 CPU and 5 series Geforce card (my bet is THIS contest would have eliminated that mod as it was clearly YEARS old already). . . .Intel held the contest . . .and let a rig with ancient hardware win . . .

Hell . . . I have a set of 7800 GTX 512s with Danger Den waterblocks on them if it will help them in this contest (you pay shipping) . . .if someone has an older PCI-E card and could use these speak up (FREE . . .FREE...FREE). . .but it MUST be for this contest. I will throw in a Danger Den TDX waterblock as well (FREE FREEE). . .

Quote: Originally Posted by DarthBeavis This goes beyond this paticular contest . . .the issue is a pet peeve with me. Look at the Intel You Tube modding contest this last year . . .a guy had a P4 CPU and 5 series Geforce card (my bet is THIS contest would have eliminated that mod as it was clearly YEARS old already). . . .Intel held the contest . . .and let a rig with ancient hardware win . . . Hell . . . I have a set of 7800 GTX 512s with Danger Den waterblocks on them if it will help them in this contest (you pay shipping) . . .if someone has an older PCI-E card and could use these speak up (FREE . . .FREE...FREE). . .but it MUST be for this contest. I will throw in a Danger Den TDX waterblock as well (FREE FREEE). . .

Really as long as a rig is not meant for gaming then it doesnt need the greatest of hardware. The only reason that you would need much more than a P4 and a 5 or 6 series Geforce card would be for gaming, or multimedia encoding / decoding and playback. Face it, most people just don't need the newest hardware to do their daily computer based tasks. Also really if it is a case mod contest then who cares what hardware is put in it. It is about the look and function of case, not the hardware that is put into it.

Quote: Originally Posted by Snake2Snipe Really as long as a rig is not meant for gaming then it doesnt need the greatest of hardware. The only reason that you would need much more than a P4 and a 5 or 6 series Geforce card would be for gaming, or multimedia encoding / decoding and playback. Face it, most people just don't need the newest hardware to do their daily computer based tasks. Also really if it is a case mod contest then who cares what hardware is put in it. It is about the look and function of case, not the hardware that is put into it.

I guess I am of a different mentality in that I go to LAN parties on a regular basis. I totally disagree with you on a P4 being adequate but then I also wrote software for about 5 years so I have a different perspective on what goes on under the hood so-to-speak. . .

I am commenting in the interest of elevating again as I have said . . .getting people to the next level. You go ahead and put ancient hardware in and see where it gets you with advancing in modding (like getting sponsorships). . . .sponsors want modders who SHOWCASE their products . . .

and if you say sponsorships are not a goal then you really don't have a place at the table in this discussion because sponsorships are a rung in the ladder to being a pro . . .again . . .elevating . . .I don't care what you use if you are a modder but if you COMPETE then you are raising the stakes . . .

Quote: Originally Posted by DarthBeavis I guess I am of a different mentality in that I go to LAN parties on a regular basis. I totally disagree with you on a P4 being adequate but then I also wrote software for about 5 years so I have a different perspective on what goes on under the hood so-to-speak. . . I am commenting in the interest of elevating again as I have said . . .getting people to the next level. You go ahead and put ancient hardware in and see where it gets you with advancing in modding (like getting sponsorships). . . .sponsors want modders who SHOWCASE their products . . . and if you say sponsorships are not a goal then you really don't have a place at the table in this discussion because sponsorships are a rung in the ladder to being a pro . . .again . . .elevating . . .I don't care what you use if you are a modder but if you COMPETE then you are raising the stakes . . .

What about just modding for fun? I know personally I could give a crap less about sponsorship. I don't think the purpose of the contest was to get sponsorship, but rather a way to get people to participate for fun and talk a little trash.

Quote: Originally Posted by Sn0wMan but rather a way to get people to participate for fun and talk a little trash.

Which we're all now doing.

Peace, folks. DarthBeavis has his idea of what modding is about, many of us here have a different idea. Let's not turn this into the Middle East. As long as Darth can respect that this is not about money or going pro, and we can respect his perspective from the perspective of wanting to go / stay professional, there's no reason to slam each other.

We *can* respect each others' opinions in this matter, now, can't we?

Don't make me get the belt.



-godling

Quote: Originally Posted by DarthBeavis This goes beyond this paticular contest . . .the issue is a pet peeve with me. Look at the Intel You Tube modding contest this last year . . .a guy had a P4 CPU and 5 series Geforce card (my bet is THIS contest would have eliminated that mod as it was clearly YEARS old already). . . .Intel held the contest . . .and let a rig with ancient hardware win . . . Hell . . . I have a set of 7800 GTX 512s with Danger Den waterblocks on them if it will help them in this contest (you pay shipping) . . .if someone has an older PCI-E card and could use these speak up (FREE . . .FREE...FREE). . .but it MUST be for this contest. I will throw in a Danger Den TDX waterblock as well (FREE FREEE). . .

Speaking up! I can use them in my mod, that by the way will be an Art Deco inspired PC, made with wood paneling, Frosted glass, and polished aluminum....