The Cover Project
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: nye678 on July 15, 2010, 01:31:16 AM
-
One of my biggest regrets has always been losing the boxes to not only my games but my consoles as well. I usually only have one or two consoles hooked up at any given time leaving the others sitting around on shelves gathering dust, and their cords tangled in a large bin of gaming stuff. Thus I have decided to design cases for them. I wasn't able to locate any effort in this direction on the forums but if I missed it please redirect my attention.
Here is my plan.
1. Find a suitable container.
I don't want to use cases that were made specifically for each console because my OCD tells me that their odd sizes and cloth exteriors would not be very appealing lined up on a shelf. I want something that will fit most consoles, and made out of plastic or thick cardboard so that a label can be attached. I also intend to have them line up rather than stack. The container also has to be fairly inexpensive, and readily available. My original vision was basically a container that functions like a huge UGC but I haven't found anything even close to that.
Here are some containers I am currently considering.
http://www.containerstore.com/shop/collections/scrapbookingStorage?productId=10004054 (http://www.containerstore.com/shop/collections/scrapbookingStorage?productId=10004054)
The Large Storage Case shown on this page appears to have dimensions suitable for your average video game console but the inside dimensions are not given. The case also has odd angles which may make it difficult to produce a good looking template for labels. But it would work well standing vertically. The price is reasonable but I believe this box maybe difficult or expensive to order outside of US or Canada.
http://www.reallyusefulproducts.co.uk/usa/html/onlineshop/rub/b19_0litreXL.php (http://www.reallyusefulproducts.co.uk/usa/html/onlineshop/rub/b19_0litreXL.php)
This one on the other hand is much more internationally available. This particular box may be too large and most consoles would have to be placed inside vertically rather than horizontally, but I like it's large side panels for labeling. My other considerations from this company would be their 17 litre which is more horizontal or the 11 litre XL which while also horizontal like the 17, I think the XL lid might sit better on it's side then the 17's giving the effect I am going for.
I haven't found any cardboard boxes that I like yet. It would need to have an actual lid not just flaps. What I had envisioned was a box with a lid that would cover the sides of the box because I think it would have the cleanest look. A cardboard box would be a lot easier to make labels for then any plastic containers because it's square sides but unless it was made out of really heavy duty board I wouldn't want to put a lot of effort into something that will end up dinged and nicked all over the place.
Let me know which you think would work out best, and if you happen across any kind of container that you think might workout better please let me know.
2. Design templates
Thankfully not a lot of info needed here. I want to have designs for a standard sized container and then some for a smaller size for that might hold a 32x or something.
3. Create labels using templates.
My goal is to make a box that looks cool and somewhat official. That is why the most important thing I am going to need help with is scans or even just high quality digital photos of console boxes. I will likely be building the labels from scratch so all I really need are the lettering used, written descriptions, textures on the boxes and the over all designs used.
The consoles I plan on making labels for my own use are as follows
32x
Dreamcast
Genesis - gen 1
Nintendo 64
Playstation
Playstation 2
Saturn
Sega CD - gen 1 (pop out disc tray design)
Xbox
Xbox 360
The only consoles I have boxes for are the 360 and maybe the Xbox and PS2 so if anyone could provide scans or pictures of the others it would be most helpful. I would actually take pictures of any console as I would also be interested in working on labels for any other consoles should anyone else be interested in casing their own.
Anyways, thank you for reading and I hope some of you have an interest in casing your hardware as well as your software like I do.
-
i like the idea alot - rather than labels, have you thought about a laminated cardboard sleeve which fits around the case - it wouldn't then matter if the cases had any odd angles.
might cost a little more to produce, but i would think the finished results would be streets ahead of a sticky label.
-
Personally, I think this idea is a tad obsessive, maybe even insane, but don't let me stop you.
I'm actually really curious how you guys will go about doing this and eagerly await what you do.
-
Insane but cool idea!
How would you print such a big cardboard box?
-
well - i wasn't actually planning to do it! My consoles are out on display - but depending on the size of the plastic case, printing a sleeve could probably be done on a couple of A3 sheets of stiff card, which could be laminated at office max/staples whatever, and then joined together by gluing overhanging flaps. Would actually imagine it to be pretty easy really.
No interest in doing myself, but would like to see the results if NYE does it for himself. No more obsesive than people recreating cardboard boxes for carts (or the N64 mini boxes)
-
Insane but cool idea!
How would you print such a big cardboard box?
Or how could we scan such a big box?!?! :D
-
Insane but cool idea!
How would you print such a big cardboard box?
My local advertising agency has printer that can print about 120-140CM wide (not sure) and length is only limited by the paper roll's length!
Or how could we scan such a big box?!?! :D
In pieces and then combine them.
-
In pieces and then combine them.
That is why I was asking for some nice digital photos as I didn't think it likely that people who had boxes would want to go destroying them.
@sheep2001 I think making a sleeve would be a great idea, but I think it might be prohibitively expensive. I still plan to look into it though because it provides the best option to getting something that looks closer to an original box. I think the absolute cheapest way to do it would be to print on whatever the largest sized paper you can without it being considered oversize or custom, and then patching them all together on a large piece of card stock or card board and then have it laminated. I'll be trying out different options my goal is for something that is affordable and reproducible.
I was able to find some decent photos of a SegaCD box online but only the front and back, I have no clue what the sides look like, may just wing it. And I plan on picking a box up today so I can start prototyping various labels and sleeves. I will be starting with the SegaCD and will likely have some pictures up in a day or two.
Guess it is a little obsessive, considering I told my friends, "hey guess what my new obsession is!"... But I don't have room to display them and pulling it out and hooking it up is part of the fun for me.
-
In pieces and then combine them.
That is why I was asking for some nice digital photos as I didn't think it likely that people who had boxes would want to go destroying them.
I did not mean destroying the box, I mean scan as big part of the box as possible, then reposition the box so another part is against the scanner, and so on.
-
I think it's a great idea! However, I like to have all of my systems hooked up, who knows when that urge will hit! ;D
-
Alright so I have spent half the day making up labels for my SegaCD prototype case and here is what I have made.
This is the box I ended up getting,
http://www.reallyusefulproducts.co.uk/images/onlineshop/rub/fullsize/b17_0litreUS.jpg (http://www.reallyusefulproducts.co.uk/images/onlineshop/rub/fullsize/b17_0litreUS.jpg)
It is a little big but I plan putting some foam inside to protect the hardware. So if you can imagine the following pasted on the sides and lid...
http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20side%20label.png (http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20side%20label.png)
This is for the longer side panels, I ended up having to remake the Sega CD logo by hand but I think it came out pretty well. For the background texture I was just messing around with various filters and I thought it looked neat.
http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20top%20label.png (http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20top%20label.png)
I made this one for the "top" or smaller sides. I wasn't sure what to do with it after I got the SEGA logo on there so I just put some random stuff.
http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20front%20label.png (http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20front%20label.png)
And this is going to be the lid. The design is based off the front of the original box, except the picture of the image is different. The image I found online, I tried to take pictures of my own system but my photography skills are somewhat lacking.
Well let me know what you think of them, and if there are any cool additions I could make. I am going to try and get some prints goings and get some action shots later today.
Also here are some 300 dpi pics for kicks,
http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20side%20label%20300.png (http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20side%20label%20300.png)
http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20top%20label%20300.png (http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20top%20label%20300.png)
http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20front%20label%20300.png (http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20front%20label%20300.png)
-
I like this idea, another thing you could do is make holes in the case so you can play out of the case here is a pic of my snes in a rubber maid case it looks kinda like the case in your first post but i also made holes so i could play without taking the system out (there are also to holes on the back for the power and video. I should of made the front hole the shape of the controller and not just a circle but it was along time ago.(just keep the lid open when playing for heat)
http://www.ektophase.com/TG16/snesincase.jpg
also another thing you could try if you wanted to go crazy is make a custom box out of plexi glass that way your labels would really show through- kinda like an acrylic computer case although yah it would cost a bit more for the supplies. prolly a bit overboard but would look cool
-
Alright so I have spent half the day making up labels for my SegaCD prototype case and here is what I have made.
This is the box I ended up getting,
http://www.reallyusefulproducts.co.uk/images/onlineshop/rub/fullsize/b17_0litreUS.jpg (http://www.reallyusefulproducts.co.uk/images/onlineshop/rub/fullsize/b17_0litreUS.jpg)
It is a little big but I plan putting some foam inside to protect the hardware. So if you can imagine the following pasted on the sides and lid...
http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20side%20label.png (http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20side%20label.png)
This is for the longer side panels, I ended up having to remake the Sega CD logo by hand but I think it came out pretty well. For the background texture I was just messing around with various filters and I thought it looked neat.
http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20top%20label.png (http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20top%20label.png)
I made this one for the "top" or smaller sides. I wasn't sure what to do with it after I got the SEGA logo on there so I just put some random stuff.
http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20front%20label.png (http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20front%20label.png)
And this is going to be the lid. The design is based off the front of the original box, except the picture of the image is different. The image I found online, I tried to take pictures of my own system but my photography skills are somewhat lacking.
Well let me know what you think of them, and if there are any cool additions I could make. I am going to try and get some prints goings and get some action shots later today.
Also here are some 300 dpi pics for kicks,
http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20side%20label%20300.png (http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20side%20label%20300.png)
http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20top%20label%20300.png (http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20top%20label%20300.png)
http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20front%20label%20300.png (http://home.comcast.net/~nye678/sega%20cd%20front%20label%20300.png)
eager to see this all put together myself
-
I actually bought some boxes for my old boxless consoles last week. I found some really nice ones that weren't so high:
(http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/298/imag0078i.th.jpg) (http://img34.imageshack.us/i/imag0078i.jpg/)
As you can see, the NES barely fits and I can't put my controllers anywhere. But for my Genesis (MegaDrive) and SNES they're perfect. I bought another box to put all the controllers in together.
-
that's really interesting, I'm eager to see what you come up with.
Console boxes is also one of the things I regret not having anymore and I don't know of any place that sells them separate.
-
I like some of those ideas. Honestly it'd be more for when I move eventually then anything, because when I pack my systems into large totes, individual boxes will hold up much better inside. I'll probably use this one.
(http://images.containerstore.com/images/catalog/4970/4970.jpg)
It's under $2.00 each and is a decent size. What did you guys pay for the ones you got?
-
Maybe one day Ill put all my consoles in these containers if I ever need to store them but right now I have them all hooked up between my living room and game room.