Portal 2 Themed Virtual Reality Room

While I was waiting for my pre-ordered HTC Vive to show up. I decided I was going to need more room then where my gaming computer was at that time.

So I decided that our empty shed was being wasted and to make it into an area where I could move my gaming stuff into and wife can have a gym. Somewhere along the planning route I decided that it would be great to turn the area into one of my favourite games Portal. Also that Valve were partnered with HTC for the Vive it just made more sense.

Material:

42 x 7mm Plywood sheets 2.4m x 1.2m

10 x 10m x 1.2 rolls of silver shed insulation

2 x 100 screw packetsof 30mm self tapping steel screws

4 x 2.4 x 1.2 xps polystyrene sheets

2 x 2.4 x 1.2 12mm MDF

2 packets 12 in a pack plastic plates

2 x LED strip lighting 5m length

3 x LED cable lighting 10m length (2 warm, 1 cool)

2 x 15 Litres of Dulux Professional low sheen paint (colours night sky and half strength Lexicon)

1 x 10 litres of Dulux Professional low sheen (colour Dulux Domino)

2 x 1 litres of Dulux low sheen (colours licorice green, chalk blu)

3 x rolls of masking tape

1 x 10 litre of Berger paving paint (colour Iron Bark)

12 x 1 sqm packs of rubber click lock floor tiles

1 x sheet of black sticker vinyl

1 x 1.2 x .900mm Perspex

Tools:

Jigsaw (various blades used)

Circular saw

Power drill

Impact drill

Pencil

Measuring tape

Level

Paint brushes, roller frame and handle, roller sleeves, graco Spray gun

Belt sander

Finishing sander

String

Steps

Extension pole

dremel

Gimp 2 (for colour matching)

First step was to line my shed as it had not been lined and was just tin walls. First I installed 1.2 x 10m rolls of silver lined Shed insulation to the walls and ceiling then I used plywood sheets that were 2.4m x 1.2m x 7mm. Drilled them into the steel frame with 30mm self tapping steel screws and lined the ceiling and walls. The ceiling was heavy work and would recommend having someone to help holding the sheets as you screw them up. If like me you don't have anyone using poles to wedge the sheets up works a treat.

Then I spray painted all the ply ceilings and walls with a colour called Nightsky which is a colourbond colour but basically black.

Next I taped up the ceiling with painters masking tape into squares to make it look similar to the Portal ceilings and sprayed a colour called Domino it’s a Dulux paint colour. Which after opening a screen shot in gimp and using the eyedrop tool I then used the hex code on this site to find the closest colours in paint brands. Once sprayed and paint dry I removed the tape.

Next I cut plywood sheets into 1.2m x .600 cm sheets for the wall panels. I also cut some 100cm x 100cm and some varying other sizes.

Sprayed these a Dulux colour called Lexicon and at 1/2 strength once again using the eyedropper tool to find the closest colour to the portal room I had screen captured.

Once that was done I then proceeded to screw up the wall panels with a small gap between to give a similar effect as the panels in portal. I also made some black wall panels with a light black stripe to kind of get the effect of some of the panels in portal.

Next I made the escape door I brought some 2.4m x 1.2m MDF and found the centre and with a screw drilled into the centre some string and a pencil drew a circle which I then cut out with a jigsaw. I then cut in half and trimmed the bottom so it had a similar shape to the door I had screen captured. I then used the pencil and string to draw the circle shapes on the door.

Also draw the the other items on the door and masked it all up with masking tape. I then proceeded to paint the areas with colours as close as I could get

Door ring: Domino Door ring: cb night sky Door sign: licorice green Exit symbol: chalk blu I then cut some shapes into the door with a jigsaw to give it more depth. Once done I attached to the plywood wall at the position I wanted. Then I got some xps polystyrene and made the ring around the door to give the look of depth. Cut curved pieces out of the xps polystyrene and painted 4 coats in Night Sky (black) again.

Next I cut some holes in one ply wall with a dremel cutting tool for the blue lights. I then put some cable LED lights in behind the holes and got some blue plastic plates that were a similar colour and cut these to put over the holes. On 2 of the blue covers I put the aperture science logo as it does in game. I cut the holes at 20cm across just looked right at that size. Pretty much the size of the bottom of the plastic plates, in future I will get some plastic round coloured perspex for the holes.

Next I made the X sign when you have not unlocked the way out in game. Pretty much just some perspex cut into a square and a painted black X with a painted blue background on a piece of foam. Once that was done I painted the walls that were staying black a couple more times. Then I doubled taped to make panel lines on the black walls and painted the lines in-between the tape with the colour Domino.

Next came the floor it was already a light grey colour so I taped up squares with painters masking tape and painted the floor in a colour called ironbark in a paving paint in a gloss. Cut in the edges and rolled the floor with a short nap roller. Once floor was dry removed the tape for the tiled effect.

Once that was done I added some LED cable lighting to the exit door and LED strip lighting to underneath the wall panels for the lighting effect. Got from the local mega hardware probably better to get off ebay though.

Also I added cliplock rubber matts which come in 1 sqm packs I needed 12 packs for the area I will have for my VR play space. Brought from local hardware at $12.00 a pack.

Lastly I added My gaming computer, desk and HTC vive for the VR experience.

I brought some Aperture tin signs off ebay and placed them on the wall panels.These cost about $70 but worth it for extra detail.

I decided to get some black vinyl sticker material and cut the valve window figure. Stuck to outside of window and gives a good effect.

Also needed to make a storage box for the vive that I could access easily. Made from the left over MDF from when I cut out the door panels and some left over ply. Then painted with the Lexicon 1/2 and Night sky both Dulux colours.

Cut the Aperture logo out of the black vinyl using a template I printed out onto a piece of A4 paper. Just googled the logo and there are plenty to choose from.

I made sure the boxes the separate components the Vive came in fitted nicely in the storage box. The ply I made the box part from and ply for the lid. Got some cheap hinges to attach the lid and then drilled the box onto the 2 pieces of MDF (the left over cut pieces from the door) for the legs.

I still have to do the Button pedestal and the Lab testing sign have the material but have to find the time.