TheOutcast

Project: Blood Eagle


"They call us butchers, murderers, and worse, as if pretty rules govern war. Heh. There’s only one rule: win! Whatever the cost! If the other tribes are too soft, we’ll carve the blood eagle on their sorry carcasses and carry the remains as banners into battle. It’s simple: Win and live. Lose and die."

– Brakus D’Vehne, Blood Eagle Talon Prime.

Inspiration

Tribes was the first 3D (not-sprite) PC game I ever played, also one of the most fun games I've ever played (its challenging - steep learning curve - but the reward for the challenge makes it all worthwhile), and it was well ahead of its time. How many other games from '98 had 32+ person servers, indoor / outdoor levels, jetpacks (read: actually working in a three dimensional space), vehicles, command interfaces (which just now, in BF2 / BF2142, have hit the mainstream FPS games) ... the list goes on. I love the game to death.

In Tribes, there are 4 main tribes, and the Imperials (always mentioned, never seen until Tribes: Vengeance)

Blood Eagles, Diamond Sword, Children of the Phoenix, and the Starwolf.

Of these... two made the long haul from T1 to T3 (T:V) - Blood Eagles, and Children of the Phoenix

Why not the Children? Yellow's not my style... (and the logo would be hard to cut, shh.)

A little real-life backstory on what a blood eagle is: (WARNING: Not for weak stomach folks w/ overactive imaginations) Wiki

The Beginning

Originally started brainstorming up a new case awhile ago, not horribly far after my comp started choking playing any decently sized game of Titan on BF2142...

Was going to upgrade parts, but my lil bro could use a computer (he's a WoW addict, kinda like I used to be) and I'd be replacing everything anyway...

But my computer still runs, so why not pimp out a case beforehand?

Anywho, what ended up happening was Bill (MNPCTech) hooking up a really sweet deal on a case for me (display model from the website), which had most of the functionality mods already done for me (still a couple left to do - top and side blowholes)



Will also be adding some case handles (again from MNPCTech) that I picked up while I was down there, doing -something- with the front of the case (cause I'll be damned if any of the BE architechture was curvy in any of the games), and possibly a mobo-side window... still not sure how it's going to pan out, kinda tight space to light it up.. I'm sure I'll figure something out.

Until next time, I leave you with a video (if you didn't watch it from the brainstorming thread):

Tribes 1 - Legacy - Tribalwar.com

And some funny instructional guide pics =P

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TheOutcast

Did the marking for the top panel handles and 92mm blowhole (the odd line is for how long the PSU I'm getting is, +/- 3mm - ruler is awful) ... gonna cut it tomorrow while people aren't trying to sleep



Backside of the front panel... thinkin I'm just gonna chop a square out of it and flatten part of the curve with some mesh.. maybe use filler and make the rest of it boxy (with a ledge thing kinda like the CM Mystique cases)



Any thoughts on the bezel welcomed, cause I'm still working on the function stuff before the pretties =P

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TheOutcast

So pretty much just have to do the fan hole, then wait for the drill to charge (been sittin on the shelf too long)
Thinkin I can have all the cutting done by the end of the night.

Obligatory workspace pics (Bill's fault)



Top



Handle mockups (and/or me putting one into the hole to make sure it fits, then mark the drill spots)



Closeup of front hole - would clean it up, but it's hidden anyway...



Prolly more again later tonight...

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TheOutcast

Handles~


The Legend of Burks:

Burks went to Camp Woodward the year I went for my second time ... he ended up paralyzing himself from the neck down (memory serving) on June 18, 2002. As a sort of a fundraiser for the bills and such, they were selling Save Burks shirts, which were pink. Imagine just getting out of the car and walking into a camp full of hardcore skaters, bikers, and rollerbladers all wearing a pink shirt.

Needless to say, I bought one to help out - but what better shirt to trash by modding funs (paint, metal flakes, w/e)?

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TheOutcast

An update...

cause I was lazy...

too lazy to take stuff out, just cover! >.>

guide holes


drafty in here?


installed with a (loud, in desperate need of fan controller action) 92mm panaflo fan


got the mobo side semi-window-thing cut today at my dad's shop with his air nibbler... lots faster, but not straight =S

but the big question was... what sort of lighting could I fit back there... the answer is, laser LED banks are good to go! tight fit, but it'll have to do. only had 2 to test with, 2nd is buried behind the front bezel (which I was popping holes into with a drill for kicks.. not sure I like my dad's idea about keeping the curve on the bezel - as opposed to flattening out part of it w/ mesh)

bla bla, pics


back to the pondering board... gotta figure out how best to cut up the window's blank to make a logo...

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FunkyStickman

This looks like it's going to turn into a nice, clean. mod. I'm always a sucker for pimped-out black cases. I've also noticed how few replies modding threads are getting here... I'm just sayin'! coughTMNcough

I've seen a few cases with the flightcase handles, but for some reason I never get tired of 'em. Especially in black!

Mod on.

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TheOutcast

I think I need to embed a coffee maker, microwave, and the kitchen sink to get responses around here....

....ho-well.

Wont be black when its all said and done.. at least, not entirely black. Just gotta get all the cutting done before I start spraying. >.>

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FunkyStickman

What kinda colors we talking about here? SOme weathered reds like in the screenshots? That would be killer.

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TheOutcast

Yeah, weathered reds, using some tape to mask off the black so it looks like armor plates (not entirely sure on what scale, thinkin might just do the borders of the main panels, but break it up smaller on the front - use the black lines to break up the curves of the front bezel a bit)

have to run to a hobby store for some silver model paint, but that'd be cake..

still need to cut the logos out, got caught up in 2142 today <.<;

EDIT: a couple -really- quick paint scheme mockup idear-type things. :X

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mmaturen

Project Looking Good so far (love those handles)... and I Really like the pain scheme!!! Hope to see more pics and Progress soon.....


Miguel

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TheOutcast

I would too - can't really be painting when its -20F out in the garage, though. :|

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Coelacanth

Quote: Originally Posted by FunkyStickman I've seen a few cases with the flightcase handles, but for some reason I never get tired of 'em.

I'm the opposite. I'm really getting tired of those handles. If it's a military or industrial-themed mod, they work, but if you're trying for something with clean or slick lines, they're the worst choice, with all those bulky rivets/bolts, and taking up almost half the space on the top panel. Like those military thumb-switches too, I think they're getting old. I guess I'm different from most people; when I see someone do something cool and unique, I congratulate the guy and give the kudos he deserves. But when I see someone do something different, I try to avoid doing the exact same thing.

That said, I think your idea going with some red paint could look great, and there's no doubt you're putting a lot of work into this, and that always gets my respect.

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Jobistober

The mod is looking sweet Outcast!

Do you still play Tribes1 at all? I was big on Tribes a while ago... and I played it up until 6 months ago when I upgraded to XP x64 and Tribes wasn't supported I played the UltraVX5 mod a lot, and even hosted a dedicated server for a while. Still a very fun game to play, but unfortunately, only a handful of people around the world still play it.

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TheOutcast

Back from the dead...

Middle of painting... been waiting 3 days for the first coat of paint to dry (krylon fusion paint... but its been raining between then and now, and its out in the garage)...

Should be wrapping this one up within a month, at most ... since Names went down from some power surge fun. This paint is driving me nuts, 'cause the new parts have been in my room for a week, and I've been stuck with this laptop...

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mnpctech

I've used halogen work lights to help paint cure.

Glad to see this project back in action

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Mr. Fiddles

Thos paint job ideas look really cool man. I likes.

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TheOutcast

Got it back from the sign shop - got tired of waiting for paint to dry, got the parts into it .. posting from it.

To-Do's:
Finish the mobo side window (notice, no pics of that side! ... )
Change the LED's in the fan controller to red
Put mesh over the shiny black stuff on the front
Open up the buckshot area on the front, cover with mesh.
Get a fan for the door, and a slower/quieter fan for the top.
Kick back, and enjoy gaming with the pretties on again.

System Specs:
Intel E6550
Asus P5K-E Wifi
2GB Patriot DDR2 800
Geforce 8800 GTS 320MB
74 GB Raptor, 200 GB IDE, 500 GB SATA
Corsair HX620 PSU

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