Doom III: Project Mars City (Comments Thread)

C

CrimsonSky

Gawd
Joined
Jun 14, 2003
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711
There will no doubt be a flurry of Doom3 themes this year and next, so I thought I'd add my project to the mix. Project Mars City will be fun to build with lots of kitbashing for that military/industrial Doom3 look. Expect lots of armor, mesh, lighted machinery, pressure doors, plumbing, and maybe a few sculpted animatronic beasties. You can also see this worklog (with commentary) on my own website The Best Case Scenario.com

Since Mashie and I are both working on Doom3 inspired cases, we set up a Live ModCam so anyone interested can see the projects as they progress. Live ModCam

I have an AlphaCool Cape Red watercooling kit that might be included in the project---I 'll open the box and take a look. DangerDen may also be used instead--will have to decide shortly. I have an Antec Super Lanboy that i might use as a base, since it's very lightweight, and the kitbashing will add enough to it.

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/bg_antec05.jpg

I'm making a base unit for that Antec case, with Mars terrain--i.e rocks and craters--it will also house the optical drive. I need to free up the 5.25 drive bays for the video monitor that will be integrated--probably a Xenarc or equivalent.
 
After speaking with a friend today who was kind enough to spend some time and give great ideas, i took some screenshots for inspiration. Mr. Nervous lead me in the direction of a 3/8" hose watercooling setup, so I will go with DangerDen blocks and pump for the system. There will be lots of elements from the game as far as look and feel, plus some imagination thrown in. There are so many directions a mod like this can take, but after speaking with D he thought the case itself would be cool if represented as one of the building installations on Mars, with a few water cooling parts outside the case and then slithering their way inside.

The Antec case at this point is just a shell, having popped most of the rivets and drive cages offm and will hardly be recognized once completed.

Any ideas are welcomed, this should be lots of fun to join in on! :D


http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/shot00002.jpg

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/shot00017.jpg

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/shot00031.jpg

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/shot00028.jpg
 
The Antec Super Lanboy is pretty flimsy---think soda can. What I did here is took the panel from the motherboard side and swaped it. I then cut a third off from the panel and mounted an aluminum bar on each side--it gave it lots of rigidity. Then I installed two utility hinges. The smaller section will be permanently mounted while the other side opens for accesability. Now I can mount parts to the smaller section (like the res for instance) permanently. This was Dick's idea--and a good one.

The hinges will be hidden eventually with kitbashed and scratch-built model parts.

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/doom_struct_2.jpg

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/doom_struct_1.jpg
 
Here is a shot of the half cone shaped section i completed last recently.

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/dm_assemble_2-(2).jpg

This section with aluminum rails will have a slide out tray with a MediKit box for cookies and snacks ?

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/dm_assemble_2-(3).jpg

Martian landscape material. I'll use this sheet as a mold for making resin sections on the base.

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/dm_assemble_2-(6).jpg
 
I got a few various sized rubber rock molds for Martian terrain. These are used to create boulders and rocks for model train landscapes, but in this case will be for Martian terrain :D

I mixed up some bondo and spread it on the mold with a stick like you would frosting. about 90 seconds later I pulled them from the mold:

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/dm_assemble_3-(6).jpg
 
Well after working about 10 hours I just about finished the base. This will be covered in Martian terrain, with a little of it on the case itself to blend in.


http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/dm_assemble_4-(11).jpg

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/dm_assemble_4-(13).jpg

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/dm_assemble_4-(3).jpg

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/dm_assemble_4.jpg
 
Started teraforming operations today. Once the entire base is covered I will add soil-like material and smallish rocks. The magic will be in the airbrushing and hand-painting.

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/dm_assemble_5-(2).jpg
 
Before I can cover the rest of the base with Mars terrain, I have to get the bottom part of the case finished, so I can blend it in. The case itself will become a structure modeled after the buildings in the game.

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/shot00069.jpg

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/shot00070.jpg

Here I started to create the scribed panels that will cover the case. On top of this will be various parts from model kits. Lots of pipes and small details as well. I penciled out some lines on the plastic panels, and using a scribing tool I cut the grooves you see here:

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/dm_assemble_6-(3).jpg

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/dm_assemble_6.jpg
 
the many hours of kitbashing has started--I scrounged some parts from various model kits, but it looks like I'll have to go buy some more at the hobby shop.

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/dm_assemble_7-(3).jpg
 
Created a window on the building that will give a peek (albeit dusty) view into the interior of the case. The window will be slightly angled off the face of the building, like a bay window. I also added rivets to the scribed panels for even greater detail.

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/dm_assemble_8-(1).jpg

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/dm_assemble_8-(4).jpg
 
The sound board arrived today--yay! It has a LOT of features Some of them are:

*9-15v power input

*8ohm speaker ready with amplifier. Can also be plugged into PC sound card via mini plug.

*RS-232 Interface for controling 9 channels of sounds via simple ASCII commands from your PC

* 6 channels of audio that can be recorded (4 minutes total) individually, and played simultaneously or one at a time. You can use momentary switches, IR triggers, just about any switch. Sound is recorded on-the-fly from any output source using a 1/8" min plug. There is no soldering at all required with this board.

Will have lots of Doom3 sounds recorded into it for various features on the case, like doors opening. Also plenty of beastly monster sounds and voices.

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/snd_board.jpg
 
Mashie had a great idea for my airlock door, and kicked it up a notch with a challenge to make it servo operated. When the system powers up, the airlock opens just like in the game (complete with sound effects) to reveal the radiator and allow air inside the case :D

In this pic you see the housing I completed for the door. Next step is to make both doors and rig the mechanics, and of course model the details.

The housing will actually be partway inside the case, just propped up there for the picture.

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/dm_assemble_9-(5).jpg

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/dm_assemble_9-(7).jpg
 
welp. Looks like all the other doom3 mods are about to get pwnt.

Did you tear out all the HD bays to mount the WC gear? Otherwise with that new door it'd be a pain ;)
 
ness1469 said:
welp. Looks like all the other doom3 mods are about to get pwnt.

Did you tear out all the HD bays to mount the WC gear? Otherwise with that new door it'd be a pain ;)
Click to expand...


yeah that crappy case is pretty much gutted--removed all the cages. The material is thin, but with all the styrene plastic and resin I'm adding, I'm better off without a heavy alum case to start with.
 
that's lookin' reall good :) i'm gonna keep on eye out for this one!

good luck :)
 
What did you make all the building panels out of? Just plastic? Did you have to hand carve in all the features? Looking good BTW, can't wait to see more!
 
I haven't seen very many D3 mods yet (four or so but HL2 seems to be a dime a dozen :D ).
Looks freaking sweet! :eek:
 
that looks so cool. :D You just need an action figure or two from the game in there, although I don't know if those exist...
 
colin said:
that looks so cool. :D You just need an action figure or two from the game in there, although I don't know if those exist...
Click to expand...


I may just sculpt one and put several animation control servos inside it...perhaps have it break out of the building--complete with sound effects :D
 
oh man this case if gonna look really good when its done. good job so far.
 
I'm always impressed with your work Crimson.

I understand how all the little details are coming from model kits, but where did you get the main side panels from? The ones you scribed and then added rivets to.

PLEASE go into great detail about the airlock door mechanism. I have struggled with motors in a couple mods and just haven't figured out how to make them work.
 
looking good dude. i really like the airlock door idea, and if it's eletrically controlled and shit, that would be cool as f#ck.
 
you should sell this to the discovery channel. Instead of monster garage, it could be called monster case mods :)
 
The detail on the airlock is completed--after a couple hours straining the eyes. A rough coat of primer helps me see the detail as I progress. All these details were cut with an X-acto knife from styrene plastic sheet (same material as all the panels on the mod ) and glued on with super glue. The control panel touch screen on the airlock will be a decal that I make in photoshop. The fun part of this project will be painting--I have over 20 different colors of paint that will be airbrushed and handpainted on the mod. :D

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/dm_airlock-(2).jpg

http://thebestcasescenario.com/projects/doom3/dm_airlock-(1).jpg
 
truely amazing! i have absolutely no suggestions. lol.
 
do first off you suck.... (in a good way)

that is freaking awsome.......

second you suck (in another good way)

the detail is truley amazing how are you doing it again?
 
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Damn, looking awesome so far, I look forward to seeing the final product
 
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