Functional Pip-boy 3000 Mk IV from Fallout 4

[zapwizard]

Well I am not using a Pi 3 (stock), there is simply no room inside for that. I will be using a Compute Module 3. Which is a Pi board in the form factor of a SODIMM. This is for both space, and DSI display driver reasons. The regular Pi doesn't expose enough DSI pins.

The Pi 4 Seems to just be a further evolution towards the Pi being a low cost computer. People use it for embedded apps that any Arduino or MSP430 could do, only because it is so darn cheap, or they are already comfortable with the programming.

Since I have already been working on the MSP430 so much for the Dosimeter, I may stick with it for all the control aspects of the Pip-Boy, and use the Pi just for the display and audio. That way if I end up horrible failing at learning how to write a DSI driver, I can fall back on other methods.

 

[Voltaire Surge]

Damn dude. The 4 year anniversary of the creation of this thread is coming up. Thats wild. I love that you've been keeping up with this when you could. Its so close to being real now. Well almost. I come back and look at your mechanical model on youtube every so often and it fills me with determination XD

 

[zapwizard]

I feel bad that I haven't gotten back on this. This is my biggest project ever, and the one I have put the most hours into by far. I keep thinking about it, and telling myself I will hunker down an get working. The Dosimeter electronics sit here, just waiting for a few more bits to be added then it will be 100% complete. But some other thing pops up. Either something at the house needing fixing, steeling both time and funds. Or I am simply burned out from the day job and don't want to spend any more brain power for the day.

But I have always worked in bursts, so sometime I will find the time and get going again.

 

[JPH]

hobby speed.

not work speed, it's at hobby speed. I do the same.

No worries. Your work is inspiring.

 

[Voltaire Surge]

No worries man. You get to it when you can. You've come this far. Just admirong the mechanical mockup is inspiring

 

[Voltaire Surge]

Hey man! I know you have other life duties an all that. I jist wanted to see if theres been any progress or if this was put on hold indefinitely?

 

[zapwizard]

On hold indefinitely (until it isn't). Part of it is the lack of joy around Fallout 76. It sort of killed my motivation. Instead of expanding the Fallout story, they just followed gaming trends. They made hording and microtransactions the goal instead of exploration and discovery. I gave it a good shot, I played many hours, but other games eventually took my interest.

I am still working on a few Fallout related things, such as the StimPak. I even have some of that down on video. The Dosimeter is also still on my desk. It is mostly done, but with a few key hurtles that I haven't had a chance to apply some brain power to.

I am working on designs for the Radiation King Radio also, but just small bursts of effort as I get time. (Which is shorter and shorter these days)

I recently made TroopTrent's Floating Jedi Training remote kit. I learned a lot of techniques from his kit. It has me digging up my notes on what paint colors I was going to use on the Pip-Boy. So I may at least get around to getting the Pip-Boy painted.

 

[Inquisitor Peregrinus]

On hold indefinitely (until it isn't). Part of it is the lack of joy around Fallout 76. It sort of killed my motivation. Instead of expanding the Fallout story, they just followed gaming trends. They made hording and microtransactions the goal instead of exploration and discovery. I gave it a good shot, I played many hours, but other games eventually took my interest.

I'm still sad you had about the opposite experience with 76 as I've had. I've enjoyed finding the right spot for my C.A.M.P. and making it a fun and interesting place for myself, friends, and random passers-by. I've liked all the areas I've run across, and have just about every corner of the map explored, with a few favorite places and a few that still terrify me every time. As new content has been added, I've continued giving Bethesda feedback on my experience as a filthy casual as to what works and what doesn't. Some things have improved, some things haven't, dome did and then got worse again. *heh*

I still have frustrations. I don't do "builds" -- I do a fairly organic character evolution to handle a variety of demands, so I readily acknowledge I'm not as powerful a combatant as I could be. I don't farm legendaries or nuke zones. I have yet to launch a nuke or take on the scorchbeast queen. My group wasn't able to get past the second level of Vault 94. I don't like PvP or battle royale games, so I didn't go on the survival servers, nor have I done anything in Nuclear Winter. But I still love the game. As it goes on, I've been hopping around to players' vending machines to see what they've got. I've gotten some nice legendary gear and Nuclear Winter plans from there, so it feels less like I'm missing out. I'm only now level 100 and expect the refining and tweaking process will continue for a while yet. And non-robot NPCs are coming back into the area next month, so I'm looking forward to that.

This and Elder Scrolls Online are getting all of my meager game time currently, though I expect that'll shift once the new Lego Star Wars game comes out. And my cosplay plans continue unabated... even if progress is glacial.

 

[Inquisitor Peregrinus]

I do hope you find enthusiasm for Fallout again at some point. I finally gleaned what I could from the game files for the holotape game cases and ordered a pile of 'em from your Shapeways shop. I was delighted that Wastelad (from 74) has a purple case under the mostly black label. I've tried to cobble together labels using yours as a model, but I kinda suck at it. I'm probably going to start printing the actual Pip-Boy pieces and seeing what I can do about internals, while still hoping someday for the stuff you've been engineering.

 

[zapwizard]

I was wondering who order a bunch of holotape parts. BTW, did you know you only ordered one set of white parts? Were you going to just swap the other parts around with the white part? If this was a mistake, you can order extra from Shapeways, and not be charged shipping, just select the "Ship with my previous order" option. I think that is good up until they pack your order.

Me too on the motivation. I keep tinkering with the Dosimeter when I get a chance. I will post an update on its thread soon. Been doing a bunch on it without updating the thread.

 

[Inquisitor Peregrinus]

I wanted to work with the extant white parts before ordering more or you finalizing the "interactive" version. I'll probably order a few more "blank tape" orange casings, too. I mainly wanted to at least get started with the five holotape game cases I can finish, while I keep kludging around with the labels for Automatron, Captain Cosmos in "Jangles' Big Day", Nuka Tapper, and Wastelad. I want to get the Wastelad label done because it goes on the purple case and I love that for some stupid, irrational reason. Nuka Tapper I'm having to try to get the cover of that issue of RobCo Fun without glare, as there doesn't seem to be a game asset for the holotape itself. I appreciate more and more what you went through to make the five labels you already have.

I went ahead and ordered that control knob for the one below the screen. Yeah, it was $150, but it's worth it to me to get the most accurate and authentic functionality out of the unit that I can. Once I get to poking around with fitment, I'll let you know and post pictures, so you have that information to work with. I have a glass-blower friend who -- apart from being interested in making some authentically-scaled Nuka-Cola bottles (all the replicas around are too big) -- is going to be grinding the edges down on the slide viewer lens I found to fit the screen bezel. There are also ways to print optic-quality clear pieces with FDM 3D printers with some setting tweaking. If you wanted to throw a screen lens model made to fit the bezel exactly at me, I'd be glad to do the trial-and-error part.

My mind floated the notion of doing this, ultimately, as a spaced-out subscription project, like the De Agostini Falcon, to make the final cost more manageable for folks. Determine a sequence of construction and do one subassembly a month or whatever. That sort of thing. I still have the greatest enthusiasm for this. I have the Wand Company's 2000 mk VI kit pluss add-ons and it's nowhere near as fulfilling as this already has been, as incomplete as it is.

 

[Ajmoss115]

hello i was wondering will you release the digital model shown in the render images and if you have where could i find it.

 

[zapwizard]

The 3D model, and unfinished project file are located here:

Pip-Boy Unfinished Version - Google Drive

drive.google.com

The readme file there has details on the models and status.

 

[Praetor]

Amazing to see this thread still alive! Inspiring work and I hope you can bring yourself to complete it one day.

 

[nerominder]

Hi Zapwizard,
This has been an amazing project. What device you used inside the communications cable connection to advance it when you twist it? I love the look of that but for the life of me i cant find anything like it. Was it something you designed?

 

[zapwizard]

Do you mean the retractable cable reel?
The basic mechanism is explained in this post: Functional Pip-boy 3000 Mk IV from Fallout 4
I took apart a retractable ceiling mount power cord to figure out how they worked.

This YouTube video shows it better:

 

[nerominder]

Do you mean the retractable cable reel?
The basic mechanism is explained in this post: Functional Pip-boy 3000 Mk IV from Fallout 4
I took apart a retractable ceiling mount power cord to figure out how they worked.

This YouTube video shows it better:

I was referring to this, how when you twist this it pushes the cable out. sorry for the confusing i should have added the picture the first time

 

[zapwizard]

That would be on page 23 (Of this very long thread)

Functional Pip-boy 3000 Mk IV from Fallout 4

Ahh ok. So momentary push buttons would be the best choice for the light up buttons? How do u have the mk iv power button set up?

www.therpf.com

So a lipstick container gave me the idea. I then looked up a few patents and figure out they just use a simple pin in a helix.
I flipped that around, so that the body (and pin) was the element that rotates, and the helix portion moves the USB connector in/out.

 

[rooker2k]

wow this is amazing ..

 

[Wellen]

Hey Zap, how's the project been going? I recently found your work and I must say I'm impressed and glad that someone's been trying to make it the real deal, tho here's a question as these have come out in recent months; there are now a few working 3D metal printers on the market, do you plan to ditch the SLS nylon for mayhaps an aluminum body?