Portal 2, Personality core

[Slythenperior]

I started this project a little while ago, and have decided to post my work on the site. To share what I have been working on, and get feedback. The project is a half scale personality core from the game Portal 2. In the past I have designed and printed things for friends to finish, Mostly costume stuff like Loki's sceptre and shoulder armor. Though they never finished it to the same degree I knew I could achieve myself, so this is my first major project that I am doing from start to finish.

My goals for the project are;
1, Design a poseable figure as accurate to the game design as possible.
Now there is no way the game model would work in real life. There are many parts that move without being connected to anything, or move while passing through another piece. I think I have found a way to get it as close to the game model as possible, while doing what I want in real life. In my first few prototypes the outer shell rotated slightly on the wrong access and didn't move in sync with each other. This would have caused stress on the handle, and could have caused it to break. This is the 6th redesign I have done and hopefully the last. It is going to have switchable iris for each core and changeable eyelids for expressions.


2, 3D print the model.
I have a replicator 2 that I am going to be using to bring my core to the real world, I was very happy with the print quality when I first got it. But three years later the quality isn't as good as it once was. It is still usable though and I can clean it up with some filler and sandpaper. I recently got a dremel rotary tool, and my god does it help speed up clean time. I have printed most of the internal pieces, though I still need to do the shell parts.

3, Add electronics.
I was unsure how I was going to add electronics to do what I want, but thanks to Zapwizard I have a way. I am going to add LEDs behind the pupil to light it up. A speaker in the brain of the core that will play random quotes of a designated personality core. A rechargeable battery so you don't need to spend money on batteries. The one thing I have to still work out is how to get the eyes to brighten and dim as it talks.

4, Additional components.
If I can get around to it I will create an aperture science arm to hold the core from the ceiling.


I started this project because my partner really loves portal 2, and I wanted to make her this as a present. At first I just made a model based off images I could find online. I eventually got the model from the game, realised that my model was completely inaccurate and decided to do the whole thing. There was a surprising amount of detail that I missed in just the images that I could now add in. The final model consists of 96 pieces, the majority are printable, though several I am going to have to purchase.

 

[Slythenperior]

Re: Half size personality core

Since their are going to be a different Pupil for each core, I decided to start with the easiest one, the space core. By making this one first, I plan to test my resins, techniques and dyes to see ways I can possibly make the other eyes. The fact core is very similar to space, but a little more complex, so I can make it the same way I made space. Rick and Wheatley are going to be a little bit harder to make.


This piece was made using my 3d printer. After using my dremel to tidy up the edges I used a small modeling file to clean inside the holes. I tried not to file down the ridges left over from the printing too much, as it would help the translucent resin to bond with the cast.
The mold was made by placing the cleaned printed piece, on a rolled flat piece of plasticine, shuttle boards were used to make mold walls.
Using the newly created mold and Aldax craftcast, a solid piece of resin was made. The reason for this was, it is far quicker to sand the solid cast to the right thickness, rather than fill all the blemishes left from the print process.


Once the piece was the correct thickness, another mold of the was made from Pinkysil, in the same fashion as the one before. With my mastermold piece now it hand, I could quickly replicate the piece as many times as needed.


A black resin dye was added to the resin for the next three casts. Different amounts were added to each in order to see how much was the best ratio. Turns out more was better because it lightens a little when sanded. I also tested the best ways to mix the dye with the resin. Mixing the dye into resin part A, before mixing with the resin part 2, ended with mixed results. Sometimes I would be unable to tell if the two parts had been mixed together enough. Adding the dye to part A but not mixing it before adding part B gave better results as the dye would act as an indicator for how much the resins had mixed together.


Using a clear casting resin, I tested the three orange resin dyes I had, in an attempt to replicate the color in the game. Sadly the tests didn't go well, the first dye made it too opaque and didn't allow much light through. The second dye acted weirdly with resin, going white and not hardening completely. The third was the best result but still didn't quite match the game texture. I tried adding more in the next test but that stopped the resin from curing at all. Note that the last three images are look worse in real life, the camera just makes it look better.

I will continue to work on other pieces of the core, and come back to the pupil at a later time.

 

[zapwizard]

Re: Half size personality core

It looks like you have a good start on your CAD design.

Since you said you are new to electronics, I recommend using off the shelf boards. This board from Adafruit is easy to use and can drive speakers directly.

Rather than a physical button to playback quotes, why not make it wireless? This four button remote would work, You would also need the Remote receiver board.
Adafruit even has a full guide using these two products together.

 

[Slythenperior]

Re: Half size personality core

1 month, I have been looking for a way to do this for a month without little success. Then you come along and not only provide me a way to do the sound, but the site also solves my power problem with ways to safely add rechargeable lithium batteries. If I am ever in your area I have to buy you a drink or something.

 

[Slythenperior]

Re: Half size personality core

Well this is my work bench as I continue working on my personality core. Where you might be able to glean some of the tools and tricks I have been using. Hoping to have a few more parts finished by monday.


The pictures below are of what I am calling the "brain" of the core, which consists of 6 parts. I printed most of the parts separately, in order to make the parts easier to create molds of, and to save me having to clean up the support from over hang. Two screws will connect the back part to the front, and lock the pieces together. When joined, the only moving part of this piece will be the band round the middle. This band is what will allow the eye and brain piece to rotate on the Z axis.


The eye piece connects to the front of this part by 6 little actuators, these will connect to the six holes on the front. Two support structures will come off the band and connect to the rail, allowing the eye and brain to rotate on the Y and X axis. The electronic components of the core will housed in the hollow section of this part. The hole on the front will be where they speaker is placed, with a thin piece of dark grey fabric over it.

 

[Slythenperior]

Re: Half size personality core

Have got a lot done today. Here is the eyepiece of the personality core. One of the most complex parts to design, and arguably the most important, since this is where all the personality comes from.

This piece is the retina. A board with LEDs attached to it would be glued to the inside of this piece, in order to provide light to pupil being held in place. The six disks on the back of this piece, is where the six actuators that will attach it to the brain go.


This is the iris. This part had to be designed to be taken apart easily, in order to change the pupil of the core as well as the eyelids. In order to do this I plan to embed magnets in the cylindrical holes. These would magnetize with a metal disk attached to the retina and the eye socket. It will also make sure that the retina and eye socket are lined up properly.


The last section of the eye is the eye socket, and eyelid. The eyelids will come in varying lengths and attach to the back of the eye socket. This means you can change easily change the expression. You might notice the three white dots on the front of the socket. This was where three small cylinders were. I wasn't happy with the quality of the end result so I sanded them off. I will glue three small cylinders in place before I create molds of the piece.


Here we have all the parts together, I don't have the metal disks or magnets yet, but I have ordered some and they are on their way.

 

[KennyZ]

Re: Half size personality core

Looking really good. You're making me want to ditch my old styrofoam Space Core and 3d print one instead.

 

[Gixxerfool]

Re: Half size personality core

So you're making several colors just to change the color? Not changing the lighting?

 

[ThePropBox]

Re: Half size personality core

So you're making several colors just to change the color? Not changing the lighting?

Every core has its own unique eye pattern so there's no way around that unfortunately.
Slythenperior: I cannot wait how it's going to turn out! Great progress so far!!

 

[Slythenperior]

Re: Half size personality core

Looking really good. You're making me want to ditch my old styrofoam Space Core and 3d print one instead.

There is still quite a bit of clean up involved, I am going to be creating molds of all my pieces so I can avoid the work time if I want to make more. But if you do I hope my page helps give you ideas of how it can be put together.

So you're making several colors just to change the color? Not changing the lighting?

The PropBox is right, each core does have its own unique pupil.

Space Wheatley

Adventure (Rick) Fact


So unless i was able to have a projector in the core, which would be too big and be more expensive than the core itself. I wouldn't be able to electronically change the way the pupil looks.

There is also the elusive light core that no one seems to talk about. Though it is the only other core in the game to have animation .

Every core has its own unique eye pattern so there's no way around that unfortunately.
@Slythenperior: I cannot wait how it's going to turn out! Great progress so far!!

Thanks man, how is your own project going? Been waiting 2 weeks to see what you have been up to.

 

[Slythenperior]

Re: Half size personality core

Today I tried my hand at making a mold. I want to make several of the cores to hang from my ceiling, and printing then finishing them to a high standard is too time consuming. This is my first attempt at a two part mold so it might not have been the best way to do it. Took me six goes until I got one I was happy with. The first 2 I tried to pour a little bit of resin into the mold then press the back onto it, the front came out well, but there were large air bubbles on the back. I tried to rotocast the 3rd one and that one turned out even worse than the first 2. After this I put several holes in the back to pour the resin into and let the rest of the air out. Four and Five came out well but the three nubs on the front weren't long enough. So I poured a little bit into the mold and removed the air bubbles, then put the back on and poured in the rest.


I am very happy with the results as you can see with the comparison, between the 3d print and the the cast.


To save on weight and resin cost, I want to be able to rotocast a thin shell then use an expanding ridged foam to fill it out and keep it strong. I got the allumilite 610 to see how strong it would be. It expanded nicely, and weighed the same amount as I mixed together, 8gms. It was also very sturdy was throwing it against the concrete floor and it was bouncing around like golf ball with no damage.


Making the mold for the eye socket used up all my silicon so I was unable to cast the eyelid as well, otherwise I would have made several at varying lengths to see what sort of emotions I could get. I will try rotocasting again but I think I need a different resin type than the one I am using, One that would cure slower and create a harder shell.

 

[Slythenperior]

Re: Half size personality core

Just a small update today. Without and molding agent I can't duplicate the other pieces I have finished.

So instead I have been using my paints on the failed eye casts. Trying to get a good look. This is my first attempt with my airbrush, and also my first attempt at weathering. So I would love any feedback or tips, is it too much, could it use more, do you have any tricks you use for weathering?

While first playing around with the colors I accidently found a way to get a rather nice gloss white effect. I would look great for a turret or if I wanted to make the core look like they were new and would require the least amount of work. But that is not what I am trying to do, though I might make at least one with a paint coat like this.


I gave this piece a gloss coat then took 1500 grit sandpaper to the surface. This gave it a very nice look as if the paint had been slowly stripped away by time. I printed out a stencil on a sheet of plastic, and used my exactoknife to cut it out. Little bit of masking tape. and a few passes of the airbrush gave me a good looking Aperture Science logo. Though it is a little too big, and backwards. I used the 1500 grit again to lightly sand it and give it a weathered edge and light scratches.


This was my attempt at weathering the piece, using drybrushing. The first layer was done using a silver paint, before I did the same with a black. I then got a damp piece of fabric and rubbed the surface to fade the paint a little. The image below is a little darker than the real thing but it shows the detail better. I might try and give it a dirt wash to achieve a better looking color.


So here are the three eye sockets next to each other for comparison, The cleaned up 3D print. The unpainted cast. The painted and weathered cast.

 

[Gixxerfool]

I bought water slide decal sheets for my project. They work well if you have the patience.

 

[Slythenperior]

I bought water slide decal sheets for my project. They work well if you have the patience.

I had a friend that suggested the same thing. He uses his for gunpla building. Though from what I understand they are just very thin stickers right? Do they weather well, or will it just peal off if I try?

 

[Gixxerfool]

I had a friend that suggested the same thing. He uses his for gunpla building. Though from what I understand they are just very thin stickers right? Do they weather well, or will it just peal off if I try?

In the sense they have pictures and an adhesive, yes they're stickers. The big advantage is since you print them you can digitally weather them or as you weather your project it will effect the ink you printed as well. I got the idea from Volpin ASHPD build on his blog. You just need to be judicious in how heavy handed you are. Be sure to buy the right paper for your printer. I would also make sure the decal is definitely dry. No less than 24 hours before attempting it.

 

[albertsonha]

I know this thread is almost 1 1/2 years old but, Slythenperior, did you ever finish/make any more progress on your mini-cores?