Category Archives: Video Games

Ben Heck Show, Video Games

Xbox 360 – 1977 Edition

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It came from the Seventies! (like me)

Hey – I’ve got a cool project that I’ve been working on which will be featured on the next Ben Heck Show and I thought I’d give my blog readers the exclusive sneak peak. Atari is releasing a few classic games as XBOX downloadable content and to help promote them we’re going old school and building an Atari inspired XBOX 360 laptop straight out of 1977. A few cool things that you can do while you’re waiting for the full episode on element14.com/tbhs,  Revision3, or Youtube…

1) Goto Atari.com to stay up to date on how you can enter for a chance to win the Atari XBOX featured in this episode.

2) Goto element14.com/tbhs and enter for a chance to win my Autographed Original Portable Work Bench (ends 4/30/2011): http://www.element-14.com/community/view-event.jspa?event=2827

3) Or the portable Sega CDX from episode 12 (ends 3/31/2011): http://www.element-14.com/community/view-event.jspa?event=2806

4) If you want to build your own portable work bench v2.0, you can get the plans for my new portable work bench: http://www.element-14.com/community/thread/11921?tstart=0

Also, don’t forget to come visit The Ben Heck Experience at the Midwest Gaming Classic next weekend in Milwaukee, WI. Stay til Sunday and see my pinball-related panel with arch nemesis Jeri Ellsworth! Play Bill Paxton Pinball and check out the prototype for my next one. We’ll see you there!

Ben Heck Show, Video Games

Ben Heck Show Episode 13 – Portable Work Bench

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Yes, the new bench is there, under all that stuff. Great for a home “work station”, as opposed to a play station.

A popular “character” from past episodes gets its own build in today’s episode of The Ben Heck Show. http://www.element-14.com/tbhs

Yes, it’s the new and improved Portable Work Bench! Follow along as we build a new one, complete with awesome wood stain, and find the designs to try your own on element14.com.

Also, don’t forget to register for the Midwest Gaming Classic! CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE REGISTRATION PAGE. Be one of the first people to play my new “Lost” pinball prototype and of course, try to beat the high score on Paxton which has yet to be surpassed from last year!

Ben Heck Show, Video Games

Begun, the Pinball Wars have

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Ho, ho, ho, now I have a CNC machine.

Yes, after years of using other people’s CNC machines I finally bought one of my own. A big one. A 4’x8′ ShopBot to be exact. Now I can build more of everything and hopefully even sell kits / cases in the future.

In other news, after a shaky truce The Pinball Wars have begun anew. Pinball upstart “The Longhorn Engineer” is attempting to have his machine done by the Midwest Gaming Classic in March. It is called “Reset Vector” and is based off all of the tropes in crappy hacker movies.

Also everyone’s favorite ex-Roller Derby girl / engineer Jeri Ellworth hasn’t given up on her custom pinball either. It’s called “As Seen on TV” and celebrates the world of cheesy infomercials.

For myself, I am planning at least 2 new machines. “Tesla VS Edison” and “Lost“. “Lost” is an unlicensed one-off that I’m doing for a friend, similar to Paxton, but “Tesla” is something I’m hoping to build 2-3 of and sell to interested buyers. If you’re interested please let me know.

Be sure to check out the latest episode of The Ben Heck Show for an exclusive tour of my shop and home, as well as other hi-jinks.

Video Games

Gran Turismo 5 History

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Upon seeing the first prototype for a car in 1890, Polyphony Digital began production on Gran Turismo 5. First slated as a release title for the Analytical Engine, it was going to be “the finest racing sim ever – also the first!”

But problems arose immediately. Ada Lovelace’s code had to be “completely rewritten, almost from scratch” according to one insider. “Henry Ford really threw a monkey wrench into things too. It took us literally decades to get the paper tape geometry of his Model T working correctly.”

Production ground on for many years and was delayed by the Second World War. “That really took a byte out of us” lead designer Kazunori Yamauchi was quoted as saying, whilst also coining the term byte, “but the discover of Konrad Zuse’s Z3 was a shot in the arm. The team was also thrilled at the invention of the transistor, but it caused us to switch game engines once again.”

With the invention of the hard drive in the 1960’s, Polyphony Digital starting adding even more cars. Yet, “We’re confident the PDP-1 version will ship in time for Holiday ’68” an unnamed senior producer boosted at the World’s Fair.

Upon release of the PS3, Yamauchi finally saw a machine that could “realize his vision” from 120 years ago. “It’s not that we had to catch up with technology” he recently said at GDC “It’s that technology had to catch up with us.”

Gran Turismo 5 is now available for the PS3. Pre-orders from 1892 are still valid but you must pay the inflation difference. No chicken barters accepted.

Ben Heck Show, Video Games

Xbox 360 Slim Portable with New Colors!

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Have you noticed the new branding of the Xbox 360? I have, so I made my latest Slim Laptop match! It’s an all-white shell, with metallic insides, but has the new “green swoosh” colors that you see on all the new games and packaging.

Other than that, it’s the same as the last 360 Slim portable I built, with the exception of the Power and Eject buttons which I made back into regular buttons.

For more pics and a video, see the rest of this article.

Continue reading Xbox 360 Slim Portable with New Colors! →

Ben Heck Show, Video Games

Xbox 360 Slim Portable

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You knew this was coming – the Xbox 360 Slim Portable. Big differences compared to my older models:

  • About 1.5″ inches narrower left and right, 1″ narrower front to back.
  • Internal power supply.
  • Uses stock Xbox 360 Slim fan so it’s much quieter than my older 3 fan models.
  • Touch sensitive power and eject buttons of the Slim have been preserved.

Not so big differences:

  • Pushbutton control audio amplification.
  • Gateway 1775W 17″ widescreen LCD display @ 1280×720.
  • Fan grate design copied from PS3 Laptop design.
  • PVC plastic routed case.

The construction of this unit is being covered over the first 6 episodes of The Ben Heck Show so be sure and check it out to learn how I put this thing together. This is the actual unit that is up for grabs as part of their contest, so one lucky winner will take this puppy home!

I’m actually building 3 of these so besides the giveaway unit the 2 others are available to buy – if interested please email me.

For more photos, check the rest of this entry. Enjoy, and we’ll see you on the show!

Continue reading Xbox 360 Slim Portable →