General Category > General Discussion
Got loose consoles gathering dust? Lets case em!
nye678:
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
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
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.
sheep2001:
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.
AppleQueso:
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.
tiktektak:
Insane but cool idea!
How would you print such a big cardboard box?
sheep2001:
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)