9 replies to this topic

[FrostRaven]

I'm keen to get my nerd on and upgrade my gaming area from an uncomfortable desk and chair to as close as I can get to a Mech cockpit (would love a Tesla pod!).



And the interior! Oh the immersion!



I think these will be my controls of choice, love the look of them, pedals to follow.

http://www.saitek.co...rod/x52pro.html

As for the 'cockpit' itself, I was hoping for something similar to this, for home usage.

http://www.mwelab.co...r-1510/overview

Although it looks nice it is out of my price range, so a custom job is the way to go. The chair is my main concern, looking for something along the lines of a bucket/racing seat that I can spend hours in.

I have seen some guys setups using something as cheap and easy as polyethylene pipe to suspend their monitors and support their joysticks and keyboards, this will be the most viable option. Also I do not really like the idea of something home made suspending my monitors above my head

Any suggestions, locations of a for sale tesla pod or slaps to the face for overlooking the obvious?

[SweetJackal]

Honestly, I've done a lot of looking into it myself. The trick to keeping the pricing down is to use a computer and gear you already own, anything pre-fabbed is far too expensive for what it offers. The best and cheapest way is to create a temporary structure inside of the room you want to use and use false walls an an anchor for proper support of the monitors. It would run you about 40 to 400 dollars for the wood, depending on where and when you get it and about 50 dollars for each monitor to be anchored.

The rest is all just stylizing.

[Victor Morson]

I'd love one of these:


That said, I have considered building one myself. From a previous custom chair I had and loved, one thing I can suggest is instead of getting an office chair or traditional gaming chair is to instead hit up a local junk yard and look for the bucket seats from an emergency vehicle.

I totally tore one of these out, hooked up some arms and it was glorious. A little more work and some 3rd party controller peripherals and you'd be in business.

[DerangedShadow]

The picture you have there OP is for Battletech Firestorm.

[S3dition]

There is a thread specifically for this right here.

[Gun Bear]

Get an old ejection seat from a figher jet. They are comfy and have the look and feel one would expect for a military vehicle. They are usually between $200 - $500 if you look in the right places. Of course the ejection system is supposed to be neutralized.

[Larry Headrick]

Gun Bear, on 28 April 2012 - 06:18 PM, said:

Get an old ejection seat from a figher jet. They are comfy and have the look and feel one would expect for a military vehicle. They are usually between $200 - $500 if you look in the right places. Of course the ejection system is supposed to be neutralized.

Just a note.
Do not test ejection seat inside!

[guardian wolf]

Gun Bear, on 28 April 2012 - 06:18 PM, said:

Get an old ejection seat from a figher jet. They are comfy and have the look and feel one would expect for a military vehicle. They are usually between $200 - $500 if you look in the right places. Of course the ejection system is supposed to be neutralized.

Larry Headrick, on 02 May 2012 - 09:05 AM, said:

Just a note.
Do not test ejection seat inside!

Nor while sitting in it... my buttocks still hurts from the last time we did that.

[Gravitas]

FrostRaven, on 28 April 2012 - 03:14 PM, said:

Any suggestions, locations of a for sale tesla pod or slaps to the face for overlooking the obvious?

Well, for all things official relating to Tesla Pods and Virtual World Entertainment, see www.mechjock.com .
There are forums and a specific area for inquiring about Pods for sale, though if I recall correctly, all are currently in ownership. PropWash (who is on the forums here as well) is the one to talk to if you are serious about buying some. Though seeing as you are in Australia, the shipping of such things may be a killer. Though maybe you could help track down the Tesla pods that were lost there down under? I don't think we're too sure what ever became of those.

But, you'll find the locations of all the current sites, and people to chat up about the pods. Plus we have a few of the sites mobilizing their pods to conventions in the US, so if you happen to travel over for something, see if there's a site or convention deployment near you. If you're ever in Dallas, TX, drop in and say 'hi' at my home site.

DerangedShadow, on 28 April 2012 - 03:41 PM, said:

The picture you have there OP is for Battletech Firestorm.

Sort of yes, and no. Most Tesla Pod sites currently run Battletech: Firestorm, and some have Red Planet. But pictured in that interior shot, is the older Battletech 4.10 release. You want to talk about 'simulation', that was a glorious and nasty one! Managing generators, coolant loops, weapon power levels, and ammo bay fires... sometimes you were lucky to actually fight! But it was a lot of fun.



I gotta say though, I hope the guys at Piranha Games go visit the pod site in Kirkland, WA. Uglyman runs a nice setup at The Airlock.

[Ursus_Spiritus]

I am eager to use my JS/Thrttle http://www.logitech....ks/devices/5855



I recently moved and been busy with RL issues etc, so I haven't had a chance to finish my office to set up my PC and desk.

I am kinda hopeing that MWO would be compatible with the Track IR...
http://www.naturalpoint.com/trackir/