Fusion Coil (Halo 2 Style Game Case)

This is designed as an alternative to modern £50 price range limited edition games (In particular the Halo Reach one). I felt that customers would be better encouraged to buy it if it were more heavily themed on the game itself, so my intention was to create a box to hold the game and keyring for Halo Reach designed around the fusion coil.

Update: As  per request, I've uploaded the files I made for this model. You may have to print out additional grey strips, since the paper graphics won't fully cover the outside of the model. DROPBOX LINK!

This step should have been included from the beginning, but oh well, better late than never! Some may be more appropriately placed on their respective steps, but I wanted to put all the 2D design screenshots here (And by the way, I would not have been using 1024 x 768 monitors if there had been any other way!). All nets are of my own design, and the pictures are as follows:

1. Coloured orthographic diagrams. The transparent pair on the right show the intended placement of the plastic tube, and the middle one shows the removable tube that would hold the game and keyring (Like the actual Reach case), but I scrapped the idea due to work load.

2. Two of the sides and the top. I have a modified version without the hinged lid for the bottom, which includes the other 2 sides. The handle was just to test the idea out, and I made a second version out of plastic (Which actually springs back flat when you let go!).

3. The net for the "Inner tube" (See next step). It also includes a square bevel to line the top edge of the inner tube, and a smaller lid shaped piece. This gives it a heavier feel and a better quality close.

4. Basic key ring holder, taking into account the width of the inner tube and the thickness of the game.

5. Texture filled version of the top net. I did not modify the net, hence the later on white gaps.

6/7. The top and sides with logos added. Again, the bottom was left without the hinged lid or any logos.

I missed a few photo opportunities, but here is the nearest to the beginning. I had basically started with an open topped cuboid  about 108mm x 108mm x 270mm (150mm diagonally, allowing a game case to fit in diagonally) and attached clear plastic windows that protrudes about 1.5cm

These windows were originally meant to be a complete cylinder, but i messed up on the diameter (Somehow ended up 140mm) of the hole later on, and had to adjust the windows accordingly.

I then glued a 9v battery connector to the bottom, adding holes for the connectors to pass through.

At this point I'll mention that i was lucky enough to have access to a laser cutter and A3 printer. It is possible to make this without, but extremely frustrating should you make a mistake. "Measure twice... cut once!"

The lid was a modified version of the underneath, with a 1mm rim cut out, and a bevelled internal rim to prevent it folding in on itself. I added a score line on the underneath of the lid to allow it to open properly.

The photo shows how the sides are taped to the underneath. Sorry i took no pictures beforehand, but the printed shapes in the next step give the idea of it!

The collection of all the pieces so far, including 8 red LEDs, a small plastic handle, electrical wire (17p per metre at Wilko's!), and tracing paper as backing for the window panels.

I soldered the 8 LEDs in parallel (Obviously!) in a daisy chain, like chrismas tree lights are. I then used a small glue gun to attach them about 5cm from the tops and bottoms of each side, allowing the chain to snake up and down while rotating around the tube.

I used a yellow felt yip pen to colour the tracing paper before gluing them to the printed pieces. Be careful not to use grease proof paper, because this repels most types of ink (EVEN SHARPIES!)

The results look rather promising, although maybe yellow/orange LEDs would have been better!

I made a basic keyring using low melting point alloy and a laser cut MDF mould. I then made a very basic display stand to hold this that would fit inside the case (Allowing enough room for the game case).

The combined keyring and stand took about 4 hours total to make.

These photos show the relatively easy task of adhering the inkjet printed graphics to the case. Unfortunately, as an expected problem, the vertices take up about 2mm of the paper, so the curved paper meetig the plastic window ends up about 4mm short. I plan to fix this by gluing strips of the metal texture to the white gaps to cover them up/

In the dark, the effect is really great!

Update: I fixed the white patches using different length rectangles and curves of the same tecture (Albeit slightly darker). The effect looks like it has been seam welded, which is actually pretty good, and at least much better than plain white. Enjoy, and don't forget to rate!

I designed completely from scratch, even taking the screenshots for the Spartan and Elite, a new front cover for Halo Reach.

It's not graphically perfect as a game cover, as it is too busy and does not represent the style of the game, but it is abstract and you could argue that the contrast between black and white represents the clash of good and evil, and the red signifying bloodshed, and the blurring between colours begs the question: Which side is actually wrong, for in the midst of war are we not all bretheren?

Just kidding, I still only made it as a pretty pattern!