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Mod Shop Gamers' Challenge Winners Announced!

Nathan Edwards — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:25:08 -0500

The Mod Shop might be heading for the workshop in the sky, but that doesn't mean we're leaving our Gamers' Challenge contestants in the cold.

The contest prompt: Create your best mod featuring a brand, character (or characters), or theme from a game of your choice. Winner gets an all-expenses-paid trip to PAX.

We had a really hard time picking the winners for this one - they were all so good, we wish we could have chosen them all. But that's not how this works, so in the end our intrepid panel of judges had to pick just three: one Grand Prize winner, one Second Place, and a Juror's Prize for best first-time mod.

So without further ado:

Grand Prize: jadragon's Mostly Harmless

All-expense-paid trip to the Penny Arcade Expo!

Based on the 1984 Infocom adventure game Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, jadragon's entry is created in the Vogon style, and includes an integrated LCD "Hitchhiker's Guide". Jadragon's attention to detail really stood out to us - check out his worklog for the skinny!

Second Prize: milotic858's C&C GDI War Factory

8GB Zune, $100 NewEgg Gift Certificate

For milotic585's first full-fab mod, she opted to create a PC inside a replica of a GDI War Factory from Command & Conquer 3. Note the crane above the Factory. We love this mod, and hope to see more from Milotic here.

Juror's Prize: the1loneninja's HALO

$100 NewEgg gift certificate

Color us impressed by the1loneninja's very first case mod - window etching, cutouts, and even an integrated monitor!

Thanks to everyone who entered; there wasn't a bad rig in the bunch, and we we wish we could have picked all of you. See all the contestants here.

We Love the Weighted Companion Cube Case, Not Sure If It Loves Us Back

Tom Edwards — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:21:57 -0500

Scott Dacus is such a big fan of Portal his ringtone is the game’s theme song, “Still Alive.” However, an even bigger fan of the game commissioned Scott to build this case as a gift for his wife. We think this man is a genius or headed for divorce court—either way, he’s our new hero!

The Weighted Companion Cube took about 60 hours to complete, and Scott says he didn’t face any major problems during the build. For his next rig, he plans to work on a grander scale—re-creating an IBM mainframe, with operational tape-to-tape reels!

The Weighted Companion Cube sports all the ports a media center PC needs—the only thing it can’t do is offer you delicious cake!

Although we’d never recommend this, the Blu-ray drive is held in place with four refrigerator magnets—with no apparent adverse effects to the rig.

For submitting this month’s winning entry, Scott has won a $250 gift certificate!

For another take on a Weighted Companion Cube mod, check out Magnus Persson's Weighted Companion PC over at Mod Shop.

Sheldon Bright's Project13

Tom Edwards — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:40:09 -0500

Sheldon Bright loves going to LAN parties, but dragging around a full-size rig can be a hassle. So he decided to design and build a compact but powerful machine that he could easily transport—and that would garner a lot of attention.

One necessity was that the rig had to fit a full-size ATX board, and after fiddling with the design, Sheldon discovered that a 13-inch cube provided a perfect combination of space for components and portability. He then carried throughout the design of the case the idea that 13 is an unlucky number.

The details on the sides of the rig include a row of flames, the number 13, a pentagram, and a devilish lass.

Project13’s coolest feature is its pullout mobo tray. To create it, Sheldon purchased kitchen-drawer side rails from the hardware store and affixed them to the sides of the case.

Red transparent Plexiglas, red anodized paint and red LEDs: When this rig is powered up it glows like a Cylon helmet!

While built to hit the road, Project13 also looks great when set up in a home environment.

For submitting this month’s winning entry, Sheldon has won a $250 gift certificate.

To enter the Rig of the Month contest, your submission packet must contain your name, street address, and daytime phone number; no fewer than three high-res JPEGs (minimum size 1024x768) of your modified PC; and a 300-word description of what your PC represents and how it was modified. Emailed submissions should be sent to rig@maximumpc.com. Snail mail submissions should be sent to Rig of the Month, c/o Maximum PC, 4000 Shoreline Court, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080.

Daily News Brief: Iron Man's Suit Debunked

One4yu2c — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:56:10 -0500

Iron Man's a Fraud!?

Turns out that Iron Man's suit defies physics and slaps in the face of realism. From the super hero's jet propulsion boots to his repulsor rays, the dispiriting truth is that such technological wonders simply aren't feasible just yet. Buzz kill! Back to our mind control exercises and other Jedi training...

CompUSA Resurrected

Sort of. After restructuring firm Gordon Brothers Group LLC bought the chain for an undisclosed sum last December, CompUSA appeared destined to push up brick-and-morar colored daisies, but it now appears the chain may be on life support. Systemax, who gobbled up several CompUSA locations along with the chain's trademarks and website, announced that it's re-opening 15 stores and building a new one.

Nintendo's Wii Continues to Sell Out

Gamers are still finding it difficult to find a Wii in stock a year and half after the console launched, even though Nintendo allocates 40 percents of the 1.8 million Wiis manufactured every month to the North American market. According to Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America's president, Wii consoles on average sit on store shelves for just an hour before they are purchased, a stat that makes him "passionately upset."

Microsoft Earnings Up, Piracy Too

Microsoft on Thursday reported quarterly earnings of 47 cents per share on revenue of $14.45 billion, slightly above analysts' estimates of 44 cents per share on revenue of $14.5 billion. The company also increased its staff 13 percent over the past year, while at the same time boosting salaries for existing users. But one number that has Microsoft concerned is the increased rate of piracy, which had previously been declining.

One for the Mod Shop

What happens when you take a table saw to an LCD monitor? Disaster for most, but for Steampunk Workshop's Jake von Slatt, the end result is a Victorian All-in- One PC, a stunningly gorgeous mod. View the worklog (with video) here, then be sure to stop by Maximum PC's Mod Shop and vote on other mods, or submit your own for a chance to win a share of the $2000 monthly prize pool!

Bill Seeks to Ban Genetic Discrimination

Being turned down for employment or denied health insurance because of genetic impositions may not be at the forefront of political debates, but could such scenarios be far off? The US Senate yesterday voted unanimously to pass the Genetic Information Nondiscriminitaion Act of 2007 (GINA). The bill leaves the door open for states to set more exacting standards than those laid out in GINA, but overrides any local legislation that's less strict. Next on the agenda is translating the bill into law. More here.

Mod Blog: A Tribute to Tributes!

Chris "MantaBase" Adcock — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:54:56 -0600

It’s natural that after modding a few cases of your own you come to realize that you really don’t need anymore mods in your own space. Ignoring that silly feeling - you mod a few more cases until you realize you really don’t have room for anymore mods. Alas, a single home has limits on the number of mods it can take. Yet, you still need to scratch that modding itch. What’s a modder to do?

Stop looking at the cat that way.

Fear not modder friends! There is a solution.

The Tribute Mod.

Tribute mods solve a few problems. They let us mod without our end product ending up in storage for lack of room. They provide a person or group with a super unique case (if not entire system). They get a modder exposure – they inspire – and frankly, it’s just a flat out cool thing to do. If you can’t mod for yourself, mod for others!

You can find examples of tribute PC’s all over the interwebs from modders who are on their first or second piece, to folks like Paul Capello, Stu King, or Bill Owen - who together have done dozens of top end mods. Of course, if searching the interwebs seems too daunting a task, you can look no further than our own Maximum PC forums where we have examples of a few tribute PCs. In fact, member and accomplished modder XcaliburFX recently completed his tribute mod “Venimus, Vidimus, Vicimus” for a special member of his 5 year old game clan (5 years!). The system shows a pretty unique blend of etching both metal and plastic. I’m sure we’ll see it at the Mod Shop soon!

Keep on moddin’ folks – and consider doing it for a cause!

Today’s bling is actually another thread in our forums - this one has plenty of chrome :)

XcaliburFX images from Maximum PC Forums.

Mod Shop: The Final Countdown!

Nathan Edwards — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:04:09 -0600

Why yes. These are high-quality, handmade, delicious, divinely-inspired distillations of pure modding excellence. And they're the last two finalists left in our monthly mod tournament over at sister site Mod Shop. They've defeated 126 other competitors to get to this place, and now your votes will determine who walks away with the lion's share of the over $5000 worth of prizes this month.

So head over to Mod Shop, but hurry! Today's the last day of this month's tournament! It's also a leap day, but you knew that.

My Rig can Knife-Fight your Rig: Mod Shop Update!

Nathan Edwards — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:06:13 -0600

Fierce competition is the name of the game over at sister site Mod Shop! If you haven't checked it out recently, now's the time - we're right on the cusp of the quarterfinal round, and the 16 - soon to be eight - rigs need your support!

Here's what I'm talking about - a steampunk Computational Engine vs. a Harley Davidson-inspired case mod. How can one possibly choose? One just has to. Flip a coin, or something.

In Mod Shop tournaments, like Thunderdome, two enter and one leaves. Which of these rigs better exemplifies the type of attention to detail, engineering prowess, imagination, and creative ability required to win the top prize (A copy of Windows Vista Ultimate and $1200, natch)?

Don't forget to vote in the seven other battles, either - you can vote on each battle once per day.

Your votes will make the difference.

Mod Shop: Quarterfinals ending!

Nathan Edwards — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:12:44 -0600

We're approaching the end of Round 5, the quarterfinals in Mod Shop's monthly modding tournament. Eight rigs by five modders are in the running for the grand prize - $1200 cash and a copy of Windows Vista Ultimate!

The battles are:

WPA-WOLVERINE's Pentagram Htpc vs. cc3d's Phase III

WPA-WOLVERINE's FireCube vs. Snakez' Mercury

Joungne's HYPERCUBE² vs. WPA-WOLVERINE's Celtic Deathmetal

WPA-WOLVERINE's Biomech 550 vs. thechoozen's "J"

The winners of this round's battles move on to the semi-finals, while the rest take Honorable Mention - a copy of Windows Vista Ultimate!