Greetings! Having been sent here to the link of the Half-Life 2 mod, as done expertly by Piloux, I have been very keen to start modding my own computers. Question is, where do you start!!! I have a rudimentary knowledge of putting my own PC's together, but not much more than how to plug things together. Some of the work people are doing requires knowledge of board components, soldering and circuit making, and a whole host of other things. Anyone know of any books or reference material for beginners to get acclimatised, or should I just check each of the referenced links out in these forums and slowly paste together a general knowledge of how things are best done? Apologies if this is in the wrong section... I thought this the best place to post my answer. Feel free to yell at me if I got it wrong Fenriswulf
there is 2 kind of mod. There is the performence kind of mod and there is the astetik (how ever you spell it hehe). The performence revolves arround physically modifying the hardware in your computer to make it perform faster then what it was originally ment for. And the other one is the make your case unique by adding lights, windows, switchs, paint etc. Of course there is the more complicated mod that are done by the really devoted modders. But you always start by adding windows and lights. Mostlikely if you want to get into modding you need to equip yourself with some tools like a rotary tool (more commenly knows as a dremel). Which is used to cut stuff like holes for fan or windows. In order for you to start modding you need to find an idea. Find something that would make your case unique or something you would like your case to have. Then research the net and ask question on these forums to know if its possible or how it can be done. You unfortunnaly wont go far into modding if you dont intend to get your hands dirty. There isnt much challenge anymore as to just put a window and some lights. As you can see now to impresse people you need to create mod like the HL2 mod. Although modding is like tattoing where you mod your computer to show a bit of yourself into which makes it unique. The best way to earn knowledge about how to cut or do stuff is to read modding guides or modding forum that you can find everywhere if you check google! So have an idea research the steps get the tools aquire the skills and mod it! have fun
Well...you are probably looking at one of the best reference materials available. Bit-Tech, Metku, Dans Data, Overclockers etc are probably the best resources you can find on this topic. All of them have tutorials and article about wiring, modding, building cases, painting, and pretty much anything else you might want to do to your case. Just spend a weekend/week/month reading all the articles you can find and then you will be prepared. Or you could start by buying a dremel and cutting holes in things But I'd recommend you check out those websites first
Thank you both for your help and information! I definately want to get my hands dirty, its what appealed to me in the first place. As a kid, there was nothing more I liked more than modifying and coming up with new ideas for lego space models. Now that I am older, I am very much into miniature modelling and design, and know my way around an airbrush quite well, which should help in modding my PC to not only run fast, but look good as well. I've picked up a copy of the latest PC extreme magazine, and I am also looking into taking a beginnners electronics course just so I can get up to speed on making circuits and getting soldering right. Thanks for your help, and I hope to show off some of my trials and tribulations in these forums! Fenriswulf
heres where to start http://bit-tech.net/article/112/ http://bit-tech.net/article/117/ http://bit-tech.net/article/122/
Imo what's also important (after getting the 'basic' knowledge), you'd a couple of times and than grab every 'useless' thing in your house, see what you can put in your case to look cool . Or and than go into every shop you encounter in the city and think of the material you see and how you can put it in your case. My situation: Kk.......I was so when I bought my Kinzo-Tool. The first thing I thought was getting my side-panel done. But I didn't want a window, it was already so......standard. So instead, I planned to dremel a figure in it, looked around at modding sites a bit but didn't find one. Than I found one in a magazine, photoshopped it a bit and started dremeling the figure..........after six hours it was done. How the f*ck was I supposed to know that this was a wicked stunt of a madman ;D? 'Cus after having it done, I searched for more threads telling how to clean it up and stuff. In threads I figured out that ppz actually start simple, like a normal window......or a blowhole.....but not this: So......being a little helps a lot . Be sure to know what you're doing though...otherwise your pc might go *crash* or even you...
Here's what I say. Spend a LOT of time thinking about how you want your case to look. All the little details. When you can picture it in your head, either draw it out on paper, or draw it on the case (as I did) with pencil. Then find ways to do what you want to your case. Simple, no?
Thank you all for your advice! Joyrider, I have to totally agree with your methodology. I prefer to jump in with my boots on, and learn from my mistakes If I take it slowly, I find I get bored quickly. Kind of like the time when I got a new toy robot for my birthday, only to have cut all its connecting cables when I took it apart to find out how it worked and then tried put it back together. Of course, my wiring wasn't good and it had to be taken to get fixed, but my interest was peaked, even though I did get hell for doing it from my folks I have a huge mega grand idea of a scheme for a case, but for now I think I will do modding the hell out of some leftover cases I have, and if I wreck them, well not great loss. The huge idea will be undertaken when I can find out who I can get to press and shape me a specific case... muwhahaha! Ahem... Thanks again for the welcome! Expect to see me back here somewhat electricuted and cut, but with a project to show you Fenriswulf
start with the basic window... for most this is where the modding obsession begins... for instance my first mod was a window for my case.. i had no tools and was borrowing off everyone, next weekend suddenly my case had 2x120mm deltas with biohazard grills pumping out heat, the weekend after that, lighting, after that handles, then a 40x4 lcd & wiring.... presently in making a case out of fibreglass, a htpc the window is only the beginning
Welcome to the bit-tech and yah just jump in and try something you have no idea what you can do till you try it do some planning at least measuring When i first started there was more then once i cut something only to realize that oops i needed that. then had to make something to fit but actually it worked out anyways because i learned something new while trying to fix what i broke. Guess just don't be afraid to make a mistake sometimes they can work out to be some of your best work.
Well my first question, has anyone come up with a design that required a metal pressing to form the shape of the case they needed? Just wondering, as with the uber mod I have in mind, I would like to start planning now, as I learn through with other mods I will be doing. Basically, the case will be different from the normal rectangular shape used. For this, I will need to come up with the shape needed, and then somehow get it machine pressed into the form required. This might be difficult, but I suspect not impossible. Has anyone got any links to cases that use a different shape other than rectangular, or perhaps ones where the person doing it converted it in a special way? Will have to look into this. Thank goodness my family is involved in the engineering and manufacturing sector, so I should be able to get some answers... Or at least hints. Fenriswulf
