• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

Sims2: Expensive Computer (project ideas)

C

CrimsonSky

Gawd
Joined
Jun 14, 2003
Messages
711
Time to think about my next project for 2005!..Once i complete Doom3: Project Mars City, I'm throwing a few ideas around. One idea is to recreate the "expensive computer' from Sims2--here it is:

sims2_pc.jpg


pretty cool design--would like to get that motorized LCD as authentic as possible

My first thought is to install a Comwell (mini-itx format) mobo with a Pentium M proc--would love to hear your ideas/input--
 
Looks good, though I think it could use a better surface treatment than black plastic. I can't think of what right now. The black plastic just seems a touch dull.
 
Looks awesome. Would definatly make a nice space saver.

Also, if your looking for ideas, I have always wanted to see someone integrade a fishtank into a computer somehow. Like a side panel fish tank or something. I have seen your work, if anyone could find a way to do it, I put my bet on you.
 
Viper87227 said:
Looks awesome. Would definatly make a nice space saver.

Also, if your looking for ideas, I have always wanted to see someone integrade a fishtank into a computer somehow. Like a side panel fish tank or something. I have seen your work, if anyone could find a way to do it, I put my bet on you.
Click to expand...


Yikes...fishtank has been done many times..even with live fish... ;)
 
as opposed to making it small, with possibly quite bad performance, make it live up to its name.
an EXPENSIVE COMPUTER. :D
20" LCD
top of the line componetns, (maybe sli) with small form factor watercooling.
however, as it is a suave and cool machine, no flashing lights or neon and the like, all titanium charcoal like the nokia 8910, or piano black.
make this seem like it would not be out of place in the office of the CEO of JP Morgan.
also, due to this being the ultra suave computer, make it very quiet, so the watercooling, vantec stealth fans etc. etc.
Also, have some tasteful amounts of chrome. possible a pneumatic pump to raise up the lcd, with a shiny chrome pupe going up.
just some suggestions, but my heart fell a bit when i heard pentium m and micro/nano ITX board.
 
freddiepm61 said:
as opposed to making it small, with possibly quite bad performance, make it live up to its name.
an EXPENSIVE COMPUTER. :D
Click to expand...


did you even look at the picture and the size of it? jeeze man you described a completely different PC..maybe something based on a full tower LianLi :D
 
i can see the size of it, but i have never seen it in game. however, if you make it as small as pos, it could fit.
 
It doesn't have to be the fastest thing on wheels (so to speak) to still be a cool computer. I think a nice high-gloss black finish (a la automotive paint), or a deep-red stained cherry wood would be cool. Maybe even some brushed stainless. I wouldn't put any chrome on it.

As far as the CEO of JP Morgan's desk goes: in my experience, executives want their technology to be invisible. You don't want the thing to attract attention, but you don't want it to be ugly, either. Chrome trim and a pneumatic monitor rig would attract attention. Black paint or stained wood and stainless, while looking good, would not stand out. That is what an executive would want. And you can bet he/she wouldnt want to power sucking video cards and the maintenance of a water cooled computer to deal with.

Just my little bit of input.
 
Could this be a sign that case modification has reached such a broad audience, that game companies now put modded computers in thier games? Something to think about, especially on a game like the Sims2 with such varried customer base.
 
if you still want to go with the micro-itx board, it don't come cheap but does support the latest dothan cpus and banias.
these go up to 2.2ghz, with 2 mb cache.
however mobo (due to rarity) is @ $200
indeed, in tests on doom 3 it comes close (2fps) to beating the athlon 64fx55. no jokes.

a link to the buy mobo site = http://store.myaopen.com/i855gmemlfs.html

here is a link to the review page =
http://www.gamepc.com/labs/view_content.asp?id=dothangaming&page=1

hope this helps, but you could be getting the high end performance on a mini itx board
f
 
that case is bogus. Maybe it would look cool if you were able to bend up aluminum...or better yet, tipped aluminum. I think that the think looks cool in the game, but in real life it looks horrid.
 
I would go with a mATX board. From the picture, that what looks like is in the machine. To be true to scale, I think a 17" LCD would be best. Also, this will be less weight than a 19" or 20", which should make the motorized feature easier. I would stick with air cooling due to the limited space. For maximum airflow in the small area, I'd use crossflow fans. The PSU could be 1U or mATX. It definately needs some lighting behind the vents and under the case. Hiding the monitor cables in the support arm might be tricky, but not impossible. Overall, it looks like a fun project. Good luck!
 
undertheradar said:
that case is bogus. Maybe it would look cool if you were able to bend up aluminum...or better yet, tipped aluminum. I think that the think looks cool in the game, but in real life it looks horrid.
Click to expand...


yeah ok..tipped aluminum...whatever the hell that is..heeeee :D
 
CrimsonSky said:
did you even look at the picture and the size of it? jeeze man you described a completely different PC..maybe something based on a full tower LianLi :D
Click to expand...

If you went about the design the way a 2U server would be done, you might be able to. Of course, keeping it quiet might be an issue. :D

I'd probably do it with the Celeron D (Prescott core) or an Athlon XP-M to keep it cool, if you used an NLX mainboard or something similar you could get basic discrete graphics...of course, if you wait a little bit, you could do it with an Athlon 64 mobile and a Radeon Xpress 200 chipset mainboard and get okay graphics built right in.
 
tipped aluminum...also known as diamond tread plate. You know, that industrial stuff they make tool boxes and the like with.

http://www.metalsdepot.com/products/alum2.phtml?page=tread&LimAcc=$LimAcc
 
undertheradar said:
tipped aluminum...also known as diamond tread plate. You know, that industrial stuff they make tool boxes and the like with.

http://www.metalsdepot.com/products/alum2.phtml?page=tread&LimAcc=$LimAcc
Click to expand...


Yuck..that stuff belongs on truck beds, tool boxes and loading dock bay floors..not case mods imho :D
 
CrimsonSky said:
Yuck..that stuff belongs on truck beds, tool boxes and loading dock bay floors..not case mods imho :D
Click to expand...

Lol, i totally agree. This thing looks like its crying out to be moulded from carbon fibre. Would help keep the weight down abit on the screen unit, maybe allowing you a slightly less powerful / smaller servo.
 
Good luck with that one...will be a hell of a project. Or is that Doom3? :D

Seriously...looks like quite a challenge. Looking forward to seeing what you manage to do with it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top