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First Person Shooters (Games) Entertainment Games Hardware

Water-Cooled Half-Life 2 Case Mod 252

Posted by timothy from the just-like-mom-used-to-make dept.
Takara writes "In an enormous from scratch project, piloux has recreated the HL feel in his LAN PC. This UV reactive watercooled case features 7 fans along side the meticulously texture painted contents. Take a look at the finished product images."
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Water-Cooled Half-Life 2 Case Mod More

Water-Cooled Half-Life 2 Case Mod

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  • Ouch (Score:5, Insightful)

    by taped2thedesk ( 614051 ) * on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @02:30AM (#9244945)
    Cool, but that keyboard looks like it'd mutilate your wrists...

    • Re:Ouch (Score:2, Interesting)

      by SpinyManiac ( 542071 )
      And why the cheap-ass [212.61.68.34] Microsoft Wheel Mouse? [microsoft.com]
      Not that I've got anything against Microsoft mice, but a ball mouse? Horrible.

      Maybe that's a show mouse and he's got a decent mouse for actually using the thing. After all, the paint is going to get really grimy with that rough finish.

      • Re:Ouch (Score:2, Interesting)

        by jay-be-em ( 664602 )
        A lot of gamers swear by ball mice... Due to the relatively low sampling rate/resolution of optical mice.

        • Re:Ouch (Score:3, Informative)

          by drinkypoo ( 153816 )
          I bought just the usual old 2x samping logitech mouse for $30 and it is superor to any ball-based mouse I have ever used. Ball mice have serious problems. Besides needing to be cleaned all the damn time, you either have a light mouse ball which only grips well on neoprene, or a heavy one that sometimes moves inconsistently inside the mouse and causes movement blips. If there's no slack in there, though, then when you push down hard on the mouse in a fit of "oh shit gotta dodge that" it'll grind against the
  • I like the look, I don't think I've ever seen a PC grunged-up like that. Looks pretty industrial to me.

    The keyboard looks like it has lots of sharp edges though, don't know how comfortable it would be for long-term use.

    N.
  • That keyboard looks just like mine, except mine wasn't case-modded. I just didn't clean it in ages ;-)

  • Nice (Score:2, Interesting)

    by sithkhan ( 536425 )
    This is a work of love - no doubt about it. The mouse looks as though it would sand off your fingerprints after about three rounds, though. But it is an impressive case mod, make no mistake of that. I feel sorry for his web page -lots of pictures ...

  • Not sure what's more impressive... (Score:5, Funny)

    by TheLoneDanger ( 611268 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @02:34AM (#9244960)
    I don't know what's more impressive, the case mod, or the way his server has thus far withstood the slashdotting with so many images on that page.
    • Actually, this page was slow yesterday (5.24.04), after the flood from a Gizmodo [gizmodo.com] listing.
    • The casemod adds a few....hundred...billion cycles/sec to the sever. (it's like V-TECH)

    • Re:Not sure what's more impressive... (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Anonymous Coward
      You think the fact that it hasn't been /.ed yet is impressive now? Wait until you check this out...

      >nslookup 212.61.68.76 = kw68076.iae.nl

      http://uptime.netcraft.com/up/graph/?host=kw68076. iae.nl [netcraft.com]

      kw68076.iae.nl was running Microsoft-IIS on Windows Server 2003 when last queried at 25-May-2004 09:01:02 GMT - refresh now
      Windows Server 2003
      Microsoft-IIS/6.0
      25-May-2004
      212.61.68.76
      VIA NET.WORKS Nederland

      Wow. Just, wow. I'm as surprised as anyone, but I have to give credit where credit is due.

      Also, if

      • Re:Not sure what's more impressive... (Score:5, Insightful)

        by GeckoX ( 259575 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @08:56AM (#9246458)
        That would be because the commonly known fact that windows and IIS suck, is actually not a fact at all...don't tell everyone else that though.

        This is nothing new, phenomenal, out of the ordinary or exciting, it's just something that certain people can not bring themselves to accept.

        Those of us that do run IIS do so quietly and happily.
        • Get all the IIS runners to FIX THEIR GODDAMN BUGGY PIECES OF CRAP THAT KEEP SENDING THEIR FILTY WORMS TO MY LINUX/APACHE SERVER.

          When the day comes that I do NOT see entries in my apache log files off IIS worms I will perhaps be willing to look again at IIS. Until that day it will be proven to me that even if MS every manages to put out a decent bit of software it will still be damaged because MS users can't even run a simple patch.

          Mean I know, hardly your fault that others do not patch.

          Oh and I did work

          • I'm with you with the patch thing, but how is your position any different than mine in this regard? Our boxes are both set up well (I'm assuming) and we're in the same boat here, regardless of what os/server we're running.

            And yes, you really need to get over the NT4/IIS scars, that's the same as comparing Win95 to WinXP on the desktop, not even worth bringing up.

            I've got my own horror stories from those days, pretty much constant attention. Now however, our web-cluster has been up, running, happy and requ
        • IIS works, mostly. ASP is a good idea, it would be nice to develop webpages in a mixture of ECMAscript and Perl, for example, which can be done if you load Perl ISAPI.

          But, IIS is not as fast as Apache, requires that you use their lame management tools, and has been back doored over and over again. I've worked with some IIS-based websites and IIS regularly would flail for no apparent reason and not work until you rebooted the system in grand Microsoft fashion.

          IIS might not even be the problem - Perhaps t

          • That's great rhetoric, but a wee bit lacking in details.

            Is it possible that you just don't know what you're doing with an IIS box?

            Does it not strike you as odd that, as you say, "I always hear from one person who has not had problems keeping his Windows servers up and running"?

            Does that not mean anything? Especially on a website where MS users are a minority, and ones whom are willing to burn their Karma to back it up are a minority within that minority?

            We've got 27 windows servers here. One administrat
      • With statically generated pages, the CPU/OS has almost nothing to do with how much traffic a box can handle. Bandwidth is almost always the bottleneck. All this shows is that he's got a fairly decent pipe.
    • Scroll down to the very bottom of the IP address page [212.61.68.34] and find the light blue chart link - It leads to here [nedstatbasic.net] which is a dutch? page statistic application.. As of 6:30 EST it had 46250 pageviews...
      The article was posted at 2:30 AM, I'm kinda curious about the morning traffic to see if it takes another slashdotting... -B

  • Looks more like a Fallout 2 mod, VERY COOL, (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Assmasher ( 456699 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @02:36AM (#9244973) Journal
    ...especially the keyboard and the glowing liquid containers in the case.

  • Interesting (Score:5, Funny)

    by Altima(BoB) ( 602987 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @02:40AM (#9244989)
    Cool mod, not sure how he would explain computer plastic rusting, but whatever. I'd be interested to see what a Counterstrike case mod would look like. Oh wait, it would just be an eight year old machine that everybody uses anyway even though there are better machines readily available.

    Ohhh, feel the burning cynicism!!

    • Re:Interesting (Score:5, Insightful)

      by grumpygrodyguy ( 603716 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @03:47AM (#9245218)
      Oh wait, it would just be an eight year old machine that everybody uses anyway even though there are better machines readily available.

      Don't knock counter-strike just because it's old. There's a reason that it's still popular, and I wish EA and some of the other "big" fps makers would pay more attention as to why it's been so succesful. Particularly it's smooth gameplay, quick movement/turning/weapon swapping, realistic theme, good open-map modders community, etc.
  • It doubles as a Fallout modded case...

  • This case will be finished when (Score:5, Funny)

    by imr ( 106517 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @02:42AM (#9245001)
    it gets stolen.

  • Additional Pics (Score:5, Informative)

    by Cam Wheeler ( 145226 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @02:44AM (#9245010) Homepage
    http://pcdb.overclockers.com.au/view.php?name=Pilo ux71&page=pics

    Has some additional pics of this case that showoff the keyboard and some of the lighting a bit better.

  • cough, cough (Score:5, Funny)

    by malia8888 ( 646496 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @02:44AM (#9245011)
    He did a beautiful job. The case looks like something that should have been in the Matrix. However, looking at all the colors he used--antiquing, base coats, primer, spray paint---I hope the poor sod can still breathe. I got light-headed looking at the pictures :P

  • Good to see originality (Score:5, Insightful)

    by bigmouth_strikes ( 224629 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @02:45AM (#9245013) Journal
    I'm not usually impressed by wacko case mods but I have to admit that this is one mean looking machine. Too often you see a case mod where the maker just bought a bunch of mod kits and threw them on a new box without regard for the overall result or theme. This, which shows originality, creative talent and attention to details is really refreshing. Good job!

  • I used to think case modding was stupid, but this guy did such a great job that it inspired even me to think about undertaking such a project.

    Then again, I probably don't want to case mod the family pc, so my only other options are modding my 400 MHz Linux box . . . or my PC Jr. ;)

  • whew! (Score:5, Funny)

    by circusboy ( 580130 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @02:51AM (#9245032)
    talk about voiding a warranty...
  • I like that a lot. Nice and rusty. It'd be nice to see a rusty old enigma [churchwell.co.uk] casemod ;)
    • Mod parent up: +1, And One lyrics

      Most casemods I've seen make me wanna puke, with all the tacky cliché 31337 g4m3r stuff. I love this HL2 case, too bad he had to go and make the case useless by putting the usual frigging HOLE (a.k.a. "window") in the side - they do make cases for RF emitting/sensitive devices like Faraday's cages for a reason.

      An Enigma case is something I'd expect to see here [mini-itx.com]. All these small form factors really seem to get people's creative juices flowing. Telefunken radios, cigar h
      • I love this HL2 case, too bad he had to go and make the case useless by putting the usual frigging HOLE (a.k.a. "window") in the side - they do make cases for RF emitting/sensitive devices like Faraday's cages for a reason.
        http://members.home.nl/gis/blackmesa206.jpg shows that he worked that out too. Way to jump the gun ;)

  • Vapour (Score:5, Funny)

    by Seehund ( 86897 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @02:57AM (#9245056) Homepage Journal
    Here [triplehelixspores.com] is another idea for a good looking case mod, which I think captures and contains the HL2 feel just as well. ;)

  • Art vs. Hip (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Ibanez ( 37490 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @03:01AM (#9245069)
    I know there are a lot of people on here who think that most of these case mods are overdone, and don't think highly of any modifying.

    But you know what, I don't care what you think, this thing took a lot of effort and I think surpasses the point where its more art than just being cool or hip. If you think otherwise....I don't know what to say.

    Blake

  • site counter! (Score:2, Interesting)

    by narkotix ( 576944 )
    id say more interesting is this [nedstatbasic.net] link here...

  • So cool (Score:2, Interesting)

    by lyberth ( 319170 )
    so cool, so cool, so cool
    its like with the Enlightenment window manager, i decided to change to linux years ago because i could get the Alien skin for Enlightenment. This is the same level of cool, though i will propably not go so far in modding

  • Incredible (Score:3, Funny)

    by mwvdlee ( 775178 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @03:07AM (#9245089) Homepage
    Most casemods just look like somebody got wild with coloured leds, some pliers and a bottle of glue but this one is absolutely amazing; wouldn't mind having me one of those. Can't wait for Discovery Channel to start with a series of "Orange County Casemods" ;)
  • here [achurch.org].

    Though if his server stays up the way it has been and mine blows up I am going to feel sooo stupid . . .

  • Be careful: It might leak [google.com].

  • a true work of art (Score:5, Funny)

    by InternationalCow ( 681980 ) <mauricevansteensel.mac@com> on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @03:08AM (#9245103) Journal
    This guy is really talented - the box looks fantastic. I'd hire him to do my car if I were up to it. It'd be interesting to have my family car modded like this, it might end up looking like a high-tech urban assault vehicle :)
    • Just buy a car painted in California in the 1980s, and don't cover or garage it. It'll look like that soon enough, if it doesn't already.

      (My 1986 IROC-Z28 was painted in Van Nuys, CA which you can identify from the VIN. They used a water-based paint and they didn't really have the process figured out yet, as a result every flat top surface on the car rusted, and ALL the paint ANYWHERE on the car, top surface or no, oxidized.)

  • what about the paint (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Triggnus ( 738288 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @03:15AM (#9245125) Homepage
    What happens when the paint inside the computer starts to peel and flake off? I don't think fasion warants an explosion. It's still cool though
    • What happens when the paint inside the computer starts to peel and flake off?

      I don't know what sorta paint the gent is using. I've had good experences with paint to metal. And long as your surface is free of dirt/grime it shouldn't be an issue at all. It's that pesky paint to plastic that I find slightly more prone to flackage. Often times a flex adhesive is added to paint to make it stick to bendy plastic. You can see examples of this in the current automobile trend to paint plastic bumpers. Older
    • Painting a clean surface of metal with a coat of primer and then a coat of paint is not like painting a wooden fence. The paint won't start cracking next spring. Just go look at a painted I-beams used in building bridges, they are out there in the weather and the paint does not peel and flake off.
      • Painted I-beams used in building bridges are probably painted with a self-etching primer which will bite into surface rust and convert it to zinc phosphate as it cures on. Then they may be painted with another layer for color coating. This is how cars are painted, except if you start with a nice fresh bare metal surface, you don't need to use an etching primer. And, that's what they do.

        If he didn't rough up surfaces for adhesion, he might very well experience paint failure. But, if he used a primer intend

  • but (Score:2, Flamebait)

    by FakePlasticDubya ( 472427 )
    ... too bad HL2 will never come out to actually run on the machine.
  • Nice case mod. Gives me sort of a grungy feel. However, even though it looks like it came right out of Half Life, I'm not sure it's the best thing to use while actually playing it. For example, it would have been neat if he used a different style, like say a high-tech silvery clean console. However, that would not have taken as much work and looked as impressive as this one. :)

  • Chick Magnet (Score:4, Funny)

    by pipingguy ( 566974 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @03:18AM (#9245134)

    Whoah, baby! Stand by for the marriage (or just plain anonymous-sex-with-ubergeek) proposals!

    [Nice work, though]
  • Just look at that guy's statistics page [nedstatbasic.net]
    What hit him so hard on 12th?

  • Comment removed (Score:4, Funny)

    by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @03:22AM (#9245145)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • Geez with all these liquid cooled versions, I hear rumors that Porsche will be coming out with a rear engine, air cooled model.

    These are art forms but geez. Enough already.

  • Don't try this at home... (Score:4, Funny)

    by lewko ( 195646 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @03:33AM (#9245179) Homepage
    I am reminded of this [www.qdb.us].

  • Slashdotted already ... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by broadcast_255 ( 755820 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @03:48AM (#9245222) Homepage
    Sorry about this lame question, but why i dont see any freecache.org [freecache.org] usage in slashdot?
    That project was made to avoid such problems.
    Anyway here [freecache.org] is main image.
  • I must admit that I'm a little saddened every time I look at a fantastic case mod... because the machine lurking within the piece of art will be obsolete before the piece can be fully appreciated. That's why the average computer user looks at me like a lost puppy dog when I mention case modding - because the art doesn't even have time to make it into the public eye before becoming scrap.

    Imagine this, if you will:
    Gallery owner: "Uh, I'm sorry sir, your marble is severely outdated. We have no use for it
    • So you're saying that the technology inside the "art" has some bearing on how people view the "art"?

      1.) You do know that you can upgrade computer components right?
      2.) The majority of people who will ever really appreciate case-mods are the people who frequent case-modding sites, /. etc.

      Please tell me WTF you're talking about, because I have no clue. Honestly.

      If you're saying that the art must have some function, then I think you're wrong...

      1.) People can appreciate the case long after the interna

  • DNF case mod (Score:4, Funny)

    by Zog The Undeniable ( 632031 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @04:45AM (#9245362)
    No, I can't post any pictures, but it will be ready in the fall, honest.
  • Now all he needs is the game to play it on ;)
  • I wonder if one could make a rusty case with real rust in a controlled fashion. Got me thinking:

    First you get an aluminum case.
    Then you iron plate it electrolytically (can this be done with iron?)
    Next you give the case a nice salt water bath and let it dry in a damp environment.
    Repeat.

    Would it work? Toughts?

  • You can find pictures here [dukenukemf...asemod.com]

  • http://212.61.68.34/rebels/hl2/blackmesa240.jpg [212.61.68.34]

    My keyboard looks like this already.

  • This isin't a case mod; this is art (Score:5, Insightful)

    by strider_starslayer ( 730294 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @05:16AM (#9245437)
    Seriously, most 'impressive case mods' are just a bunch of kit, random applications, and of course cathode ray tubes to light it up in neon.

    This guy made something impressive, and beautiful, and he paid such attention to detail (like painting the whole CD rom drive, and continuing the 'rusted' theme internally as well as getting the water to glow green without getting the whole case to be bathed in green light, as such- I think it needs to be viewed as art, and no 'just another case mod'
  • A lot of you seem to like this case mod while you think others are somehow lesser so. A lot of you link a kid buying premodded stuff and 'tricking' our his case as modding. Trust me when I say that case modding is all about being custom and original. I read the project logs forum at Bit-Tech somewhat regularly and there are always good things going on there.

    Just my two cents for those of you who think this is the only good case mod out there.

  • This guy better have some serious gaming skills. Nothing would be worse than showing up at a LAN party with this rig ang getting your ass handed to you. Kinda like the kids who come out sporting the hardcore gear -- cuz their parents can afford it -- and can't play for shit.

  • Rust Comparison (Score:5, Funny)

    by Robmonster ( 158873 ) <slashdot.journal2.store@neverbox.com> on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @07:17AM (#9245827) Journal
    I've just bought a brand new case.

    I'm willing to bet that by the time HL2 is actually released my case will look just as rusty as his :)
  • A good water cooling mod can move most of the heat out of the case and remove the need for all the fans (which gets rid of most of the noise!).

    I went to a water based setup to get everything quiet... sounds like he missed that boat with his seven fans!..

    Still, very nice mod!

  • [pic not available]
    Well, we were *almost done* with it, and someone broke into our workshop. Now we have to examine our equipment to make sure no l33t h4xx0r loaded up spyware or hacked into it or anything.
    [6 months later]
    [crickets chirping]
    No really, now, we're *almost* done with it! You guys will see it REALLY soon!*

    * Oh yeah, and that TF2 case mod we're working on is also *this* close to being done. We've been working on it for YEARS and it's really looking sweet! No, you can't see pictures. It's

  • Anybody from VAVE reading (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Danathar ( 267989 ) on Tuesday May 25, 2004 @08:45AM (#9246362) Journal
    Dear Valve,

    You should Hire this guy for your promo department. He could make case mods and VALVE could hold contests to win the systems!

  • This can't be a Half-Life 2 Case....

    it was actually released in our lifetimes!
  • ...(as others have said) is the utter attention to detail, case in point, the biohazard fan guard on the PSU as seen here [212.61.68.34].

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