This gaming PC setup is a bit completely different from the same old boxy case. Not solely is it a desk PC, however it’s based mostly on the inside of a spaceship from the Aliens movie franchise. This sci-fi gaming PC is named Alien Breach, and it was constructed by PC modder Mick Black, who needed to recreate a darkish and gritty spaceship inside, with rust, stains and oil spills.
Because of our quickly rising PC constructing Fb web page, we’ve seen many {custom} gaming PCs, from mods based mostly on present case designs to scratch PC builds. You may even submit yours for consideration proper right here Right here, Mick takes us by the method of constructing this desk-based construct impressed by the Alien universe.
“From a younger age I’ve all the time been drawn to the Aliens universe. I bear in mind my mum leaving me to dog-sit one night and I couldn’t discover something to observe. I picked up the VHS of Aliens and threw it in our toploader considering it might be enjoyable. Being solely 13, I used to be completely terrified, however I made it to the top. It left me intrigued and in whole awe of such a brutal creature.
“My outdated PC had finished me proud over time however it was beginning to wrestle with right this moment’s triple-A titles, so it was that nice time to construct one other. I’ve seen many, many builds over time, however all of them have (largely) one factor in frequent – a sq. field with colourful followers in it. I needed to push my capabilities.
“Firstly, I’ll state that I’m no carpenter, artist or wizard. I took my time, and constructed it little by little. A number of check items and prototypes have been thrown at partitions within the course of! It was trial and error. I needed to make a machine that was darkish, soiled and gritty, to maneuver away from the clear, shiny builds with excellent edges. I needed catwalks that have been twisted, pipework that was bent and rusted, oil spills and stains. I needed to nearly hear the hum of powerplants and steam leaking from decaying boilers and naturally, the distant screams of terror echoing down the halls.
“A couple of years in the past, I used to be annoyed that I couldn’t discover a appropriate desk for my PC room, so I went out and acquired the biggest piece of wooden I may slot in my van. I made my desk one afternoon, and it reached from the door alongside the entire wall to the window. This was later to be my canvas. I began out by measuring the biggest sq. I may reduce into the desk with out affecting its structural integrity.
“I then made this form out of thick white cardboard. After researching the elements I needed, I then made primary cut-outs of them from the identical cardboard, started arranging them and brainstorming concepts. Initially all of the elements have been going to be housed inside the identical piece, however it might have seemed very cluttered, which might have distracted from the overarching impact. Consequently, I mounted the PSU externally.
“The subsequent job was figuring out the place to deal with the graphics card. It was taking on beneficial actual property within the space I had, so I checked out risers, and located that you can get 1m riser cables. I purchased a high-end Akasa XL 1m riser cable, which opened up an entire new design ingredient to think about.”
Sizzling as hell in right here
“After a number of days of considering I made a decision so as to add one other layer to my construct. The bottom construction of the construct is 0.5in plywood made right into a field. I then constructed a separate layer for the graphics card. My design all the time had two elementary guidelines to which I returned if I grew to become indecisive.
“The primary was to guarantee that PC efficiency got here first. Every part was purchased as a result of it was the perfect at what it did and what I wanted it for – not as a result of it had cool RGB lights, flashy-looking followers or LCDs. The CPU AIO liquid cooler, for instance, is an ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 420mm. No gimmicks, no RGB, simply respectable cooling. It was additionally useful that it’s darkish and matches the construct.
“The second rule involved cooling. I used to be very conscious that items of modeling work have been going to be fitted round elements, and will turn into highly regarded. I used to be already eradicating the PSU and graphics card out of the principle housing, however I additionally I rigged 4 140mm ARCTIC P14 followers (once more, no RGB) on the entrance pulling contemporary air into the machine, with the followers on the 420mm radiator on the again pushing out the hotter air. The motherboard can also be raised 0.5in from the ground to permit airflow beneath it.
“The PSU is side-mounted on the case, with all its cables working by a conduit across the again, as a result of cable administration tight! In the meantime, I needed the graphics card mounted beneath the principle show space, however to be seen. After a lot toing and froing (and perhaps a whiskey), I reduce an enormous gap within the ground of the principle housing.
“The graphics card resides in its personal cavity beneath (what might be later) the star attraction. It has its personal Lian Li AL120 followers in entrance and behind to push/pull over the cardboard (and sure, these ones have RGB!). I used to be fortunate sufficient to snag a GeForce RTX 3080 Founders Version at MSRP. I used to be holding out for one, as I imagine they provide the perfect bang for buck you may get in these instances.
“Nonetheless, this card doesn’t sport a lot in the way in which of lighting results, and it was very darkish down within the graphics card cavity. After a number of hours of watching critiques on YouTube, I favored not solely how properly the AL120s carried out, but additionally the quantity of flexibility with lighting choices they provided.
“I needed a haunting inexperienced glow that light out and in of the realm, and I additionally modified the orientation of my sound card. I favored the spherical prime opening exhibiting the circuitry inside, so I purchased a riser cable for it. I sprayed it black after which went to work portray and detailing it. That is the part you may see above the PCI-E slots. It additionally hides the 1m GPU riser cable that disappears by a gap beneath it.”
Present me every part
“Subsequent we come to the modeling. I needed this piece to look as if it got here from the universe that terrified me as a child, with sci-fi bulkheads, ground lighting, catwalks and rusty pipes. I grabbed one other whiskey and watched hours of modeling YouTube movies studying suggestions and methods. I used fish tank filter grids for the ground. They have been excellent – low-cost, straightforward to chop and already black. I discovered a package from a tabletop gaming firm that bought industrial mannequin items, so I stocked up on pipework.
“I then checked on native promoting pages for outdated toys I may reduce aside and use. I discovered a big damaged toy crane, a few of which varieties the rusted pipe shroud above the AIO coolers radiator. I additionally repainted and weathered a children’ build-your-own straw package to kind but extra pipework. I used foam boarding and a Dremel noticed to craft shapes for the bulkheads to present the realm that sci-fi really feel. I sealed this with Mod Podge prepared for portray.
“In the case of the ground lighting impact, I used Phanteks ARGB strip lights. There are two strips related by way of a controller hidden beneath the ground grille. Once more, I needed nothing flashy for this, only a yellow hue to forged throughout the ground to suggest a warning mild. I initially deliberate for this mild to be pink, however that ended up wanting too darkish and an excessive amount of of the construct was already misplaced in darkness, so I went with yellow as an alternative.
“I then went again to YouTube for portray and detailing college. I used Citadel paints for the modeling work, and I actually loved layering paints and testing completely different results. I constructed up rust over many layers, utilizing washes and Video games Workshop’s technical paints to get gritty and worn results.
“One of many predominant results concerned mixing inexperienced paint with Mod Podge, and leaving it in a pool in a single day to see if I may create a inexperienced acid puddle. It was successful, and I reduce away the filter grid above my graphics card cavity and melted the sides with a fuel lighter.
“I then layered up the sides of the filter grid with a sandy textured gritty paint, left it to dry after which started including the inexperienced – I completed it off with gloss varnish to create that moist look. An identical impact was used for the dripping pipes – Mod Podge blended with inexperienced paint, which I allowed to expire of the pipes after which stole my spouse’s hairdryer to set it. I completed off the drips with some Citadel Technical paint to create that acid deep impact.
“Subsequent was the dreaded Alien hive mucus, for which I went again to YouTube. This was one of many hardest elements to get proper, and I nonetheless might revisit it. I couldn’t discover an Alien diorama that anybody had acquired fairly proper. Folks had tried utilizing increasing foam, and outdated items of cables, however not one of the examples I noticed seemed adequate.
“I purchased some airdrying clay, and after every week of cursing, journeys to the store to purchase extra, scrubbing stains out of the carpet and, sure, many whiskeys, I put collectively one thing that glad me. I painted all of it black with extra gloss varnish to create that good moist look. I used some PVA glue poured into skinny strips allowed to dry the peeled off my work floor to make use of as element for the hive mucus.”
They’re popping out of the goddamn partitions!
“It was then time for the centerpiece, for which I wanted the correct Alien mannequin. To be sincere, this was one of many first issues I purchased. After flicking by Google Pictures searches of Alien motion figures I discovered that almost all fell into the ‘children toy’ bracket. I needed one thing that seemed detailed and monstrous. I got here throughout one made my Sq. Enix and I knew the construct high quality could be top-notch, as I’ve a Boba Fett statue made by the identical agency and adore it.
“The one downside is that it’s fairly uncommon. I needed to ship it direct from China and it took weeks to reach. I used to be more than happy with the determine when it arrived, however I nonetheless needed to put my very own twist on it. I repainted elements to accent the acid working inside and thru its veins. I additionally added a moist blood impact to its jaw, claws and blade-like tail.
“I completed the piece with a wash of varnish to present that it that moist and slimy impact. I then fashioned his limbs into the correct positions and positioned him into his last location, climbing out of the melted acid ground above the graphics card cavity. Sealed beneath 12mm of custom-cut toughened glass, he waits silently for his subsequent sacrifice…
“I loved making this construct from begin to end. I loved the challenges that I encountered and spending hours, generally days, determining find out how to remedy them. Typically I went to mattress annoyed that one thing else didn’t match, or look proper.
“Different nights I went to mattress excited that I had simply accomplished an element that seemed superior and I needed to do some extra. I hope this construct conjures up others to make that soar, to step exterior their consolation zone and check out one thing completely different. Simply take one small step at a time, slowly construct up your elements and don’t rush something. The one restrict is your creativeness.”
Alien Breach {custom} gaming PC specs
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Founders Version
- Storage: 500GB Samsung 970 Evo Plus (OS), 1TB Samsung 970 Evo Plus (recreation drive), Samsung 870 Evo (storage drive)
- Reminiscence: Corsair Dominator Platinum 32GB 3600MHz
- Motherboard: Asus ROG Strix F570-F
- PSU: Corsair RM850x Gold
- Cooling: ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 420mm AIO liquid cooler, 4 x 140mm ARCTIC P14 followers, 2 x Lian Li AL120 followers
That’s some good modeling work, Mick! We love the glowing flooring, {custom} management panels and the goo – it feels such as you’re actually exploring the Nostromo. Thanks for taking us by the way you constructed it.
We love your dedication to creating the construct of your goals, Mr. Mass – we’re in awe of the truth that you even made your personal CNC machine so you can fabricate the elements, and the {custom} distro plates look wonderful. The result’s a extremely clear construct in a good kind issue, with lovely symmetry.
This publish initially appeared on Customized PC, which has been overlaying wonderful setups for over 20 years and is now a part of . Be a part of our 500k member Fb group to debate this construct.
