Jump to content

my newly constructed battlemech cockpit!


245 replies to this topic

#1 Turbo Corvair

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 211 posts
  • LocationLake Ariel, PA

Posted 01 April 2012 - 07:08 PM

I've mentioned this project quite a bit the past couple weeks as I've been working on it and a few people asked that I show it off when it was ready so here it is!


The outside dimensions of the whole thing are only 6 feet wide by 4 feet 3 inches deep. Any ceiling height would be fine. I am only 5'8" which helps, the 4'3" depth would have to be increased a little to allow for a taller player. When I eventually move I'll rebuild it as a free standing unit. This build every inch counted to get it into a corner that wasn't quite big enough so I used two of the house walls. Still, I only put about 12 screw holes in the wall, nothing attached to the floor, and nothing attached to the ceiling.

The video is a little rough, but set it to the HD resolution on youtube anyway so you can see as much detail as possible.



For those who don't want to watch a video, best pic I could manage:
Posted Image
My newly constructed SimPit (simulator cockpit) primarily intended for the upcoming release of MechWarrior Online.

Some things I failed to mention in the video:

The flat area between the keyboard and monitor is there primarily to provide a good place to mount my Logitech MOMO racing wheel for racing games (also swap in the pedals). It also provides a good place to place drinks and snacks.

The mouse and G13 gamepad can easily be moved to behind the joystick and throttle for normal use. The video shows things where they will be when playing MWO.

My triple 28" monitors are set up with AMD Eyefinity, where I can span games across all three monitors when I want, giving me a wider field of view. This is particularly enjoyable when playing racing games.

There is an adjustable crossover mounted on the wall near my left foot that allows me to adjust the butt-kicker on the chair.

I mention the SteelSeries WoW Legendary mouse but not the reason I'm using it. It's an 11 button mouse where I find nearly all the buttons convenient and easy to use. The WoW mouse series are the ONLY ones I've seen with the buttons that are between the primary right and left click and the scroll wheel. I find these to be one of the best locations there is for extra mouse buttons and only these mice have them. Those two buttons are about 90% of the reason I bought this mouse. For those who have had one of the other WoW mice, the "legendary" seems to be of much better quality. It is considerably smaller than the others and at first I felt it was too small, but I quickly adapted.

The speaker setup mentioned (and the control shown) is a Logitech X540. The HOTAS and rudder pedal setup is a G940 flight control system. The Keyboard is a G19, and the gamepad (nostromo type thing) is a G13.
Lastly, I mentioned that I just replaced a Razer keyboard and Nostromo. The biggest problem with these was that the coating quickly wore off the keys which looked really horrible since they are backlit. I really liked them when new, but the fact that Razer considers this "normal wear and tear" bothers me. I've never before had a keyboard do that, and it is not acceptable to me.

Edited by Turbo Corvair, 24 April 2012 - 06:01 PM.


#2 Shiinore

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Legendary Founder
  • Legendary Founder
  • 483 posts

Posted 01 April 2012 - 07:11 PM

Words cannot describe the sheer amazingness.

#3 I Kill Pigeons

    Member

  • PipPipPip
  • 54 posts
  • LocationDenver

Posted 01 April 2012 - 07:17 PM

Wow!

Just...Wow!

Hats off to you.

#4 Derick Cruisaire

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Philanthropist
  • Philanthropist
  • 247 posts
  • LocationIndiana

Posted 01 April 2012 - 07:20 PM

:ph34r: WOW!

#5 Turbo Corvair

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 211 posts
  • LocationLake Ariel, PA

Posted 01 April 2012 - 07:27 PM

Thanks for the kind words guys, it's a little scary to show the world something like this =)

Incidentally, in case anyone get's the idea I have a lot of money I don't LOL. I bought the monitors one at a time over a period of 4 years. I used as much stuff that myself and my father had in constructing this etc. The biggest investment was in the new HOTAS setup and replacing my keyboard and gamepad. I got the best price possible but that was still a total of a little over $400 which I put on credit. Basically all the construction material was 1/4 sub floor stuff ($10 for a 4 foot by 8 foot sheet) and 2x4's which are just over $2 per 8 foot long piece. The paint is "floor and patio" scuff resistant paint in a battleship grey color.

Just to give you an idea of the kind of budget I'm working with the yellow and black striped tape was made from a 2" wide roll of black vinyl tape and a 1" wide roll of vinyl tape. Total cost was about $5 an probably near an hour getting perfect alignment on the stripes LOL. I used some of the leftover black tape to skin the mouse and make it match the rest of the stuff... that took well over an hour!

Edited by Turbo Corvair, 01 April 2012 - 07:31 PM.


#6 Ronin13m

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • The Raider
  • The Raider
  • 136 posts
  • LocationNC

Posted 01 April 2012 - 07:39 PM

This looks like it will be a great place to play from. I have a closet off the den that you might have just inspired me to mess with. Not sure my wife wont kill me though if I do.

#7 Orzorn

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,327 posts
  • LocationComanche, Texas

Posted 01 April 2012 - 07:42 PM

Wow man, I was totally blown away. That's really awesome. I loved the startup sequence where you had to press all the switches. You put a lot of thought into the layout of that thing, what with the lights and the way you set up your chair on the rails.

I would love to create something like this, but I'm strapped for cash and have no place to put it.

#8 The Destinator

    Member

  • PipPip
  • Bridesmaid
  • Bridesmaid
  • 30 posts

Posted 01 April 2012 - 07:45 PM

Ah cahn't eht may jaw oth the floor.

But DAMN! That is quite possibly the greatest combination of dedication, functionality, and damn good looks I've ever seen!
... So how much time/money did it take eh?

#9 pursang

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,877 posts
  • LocationSurrey BC, Canada

Posted 01 April 2012 - 07:48 PM

Posted Image

#10 CWSureshot

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • FP Veteran - Beta 1
  • 124 posts
  • LocationStrana Mechty

Posted 01 April 2012 - 08:01 PM

This is so awesome!!! THis is well thought out. Im so jealous, when mwo does come out i wish i had my own closet cockpit!

#11 daishisand

    Member

  • PipPip
  • 35 posts

Posted 01 April 2012 - 08:01 PM

Oh my. Thats is so nice. You have gave me great idel on how mine going to look like. Do you have to have a 2 vid cards setup for that??

#12 Vexgrave Lars

    Former Dictionary

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Knight Errant
  • 1,119 posts
  • LocationParticle and Wave

Posted 01 April 2012 - 08:05 PM

Posted Image

New Category to be added - Built Mech Cockpit in House
You win!

By the way, what material did you use for the walls? I don't recall you saying.

Edited by Vexgrave Lars, 01 April 2012 - 08:07 PM.


#13 Insidious Johnson

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Bad Company
  • Bad Company
  • 2,417 posts
  • Location"This is Johnson, I'm cored"

Posted 01 April 2012 - 08:06 PM

Well done sir! I do believe you have the concepts of work and play inextricably entangled in a budgetarian solution! Are you sure you are in the right faction with that level of fanatacism? WoB maybe? DC is only semi fanatic.

#14 geck0 icaza

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 506 posts
  • LocationCA

Posted 01 April 2012 - 08:08 PM



instantly went to my thoughts

Edited by geck0 icaza, 01 April 2012 - 08:09 PM.


#15 Aegis Kleais

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Legendary Founder
  • Legendary Founder
  • 6,003 posts

Posted 01 April 2012 - 08:11 PM

Very shack. Nicely done!

#16 FinnMcKool

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Legendary Founder
  • Legendary Founder
  • 1,600 posts
  • Locationunknown

Posted 01 April 2012 - 08:14 PM

that is frikken awesome !

#17 Turbo Corvair

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 211 posts
  • LocationLake Ariel, PA

Posted 01 April 2012 - 08:24 PM

Materials mostly of 1/4 ply/underlayment/luan which is $10 for a 4x8 sheet and 2x4's which are $2.18 or so each 8 feet long. This info is in my 2nd post on this thread =)

Only one vid card required if you have an AMD card, Nvidia requires 2 for this which is the ONLY reason I'm currently running on AMD. I have a HD 6950 and a core i5 2400.

Total cost not including the computer peripherals was probably $250-$300 but I did cheat by using as much stuff we already had as possible. This did INCLUDE studding out and enclosing a closet where there wasn't one.

Edited by Turbo Corvair, 01 April 2012 - 10:11 PM.


#18 Bladebuddy

    Rookie

  • 4 posts
  • LocationRedmond, WA

Posted 01 April 2012 - 08:34 PM

Turbo, this is one of the most amazing things i have ever seen. I only hope that someday i might have something half this awesome.

#19 Black Dragon EnDrakus

    Member

  • PipPipPip
  • Giant Helper
  • Giant Helper
  • 58 posts

Posted 01 April 2012 - 08:50 PM

this is truely epic. I've thought of building something like this for a long while, but alas, an apartment is not a place where such construction is really feasible.

#20 SweetJackal

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Urban Commando
  • Urban Commando
  • 968 posts

Posted 01 April 2012 - 09:07 PM

Me Gusta.

But seriously, that is Awesome. Or inside of one atleast. But I'm looking at that and thinking "Hmmm, I can do that."

And worse, I've got the itch. So I'm going to be adding SimPit consulting and construction to the list of services offered by my own business.





1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users