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Author Topic: My Game Room  (Read 1413 times)

Offline MrBlackCat

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My Game Room
« on: February 27, 2011, 05:17:19 AM »
I thought about bumping my old introduction topic where I started this line of posting but decided it should have its own thread... and hopefully I can keep it more up to date.  :)

Here is the original layout design... (updated)


Here is the original images of the room as I began to convert it to my new game room.  The first thing was to block out the windows to control the lighting...




Here is the building of the separator wall around the back of the fireplace... with one sliding door and one swinging door...



More images from a couple of weeks ago...




And here are the latest images...
Prepping the walls for paint...




The plan after painting the walls is to install lighting, and start building shelves/counters around the walls to hold games, systems, computers and racks. :)

The wiring will be a pretty big task as well.

More images as the project progresses. :)

MrBlackCat
« Last Edit: February 27, 2011, 04:39:32 PM by MrBlackCat »
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I am a Collector/Gamer who plays mostly FPS's, pre-WinXP, on PC and Consoles, but also play other types of classic games on consoles, handhelds, and Plug-n-Play systems. From Pong to GTA series.  I enjoy them all. :)
Also I collect Shovelware/compilations/official add-ons for most PC FPS's. :)

Offline Tseki

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Re: My Game Room
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2011, 08:12:22 AM »
Would be nice to have own game room for the games :) Very nice work and keep it up!
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Offline MasternX

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Re: My Game Room
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2011, 11:07:02 AM »
Awesome! Can't wait to see the finished product  8)
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Offline Iggy

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Re: My Game Room
« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2011, 02:44:27 PM »
Heh, a dream room for a gamer for sure. Always interesting how American houses seem to use a lot of wood for construction, in the Netherlands or Germany we use bricks and concrete mostly. Your lay-out design doesn't seem to have the windows indicated.
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Offline macwiczech

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Re: My Game Room
« Reply #4 on: February 27, 2011, 02:53:10 PM »
I look forward to the outcome. So let the work is doing!  ;)
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Offline MrBlackCat

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Re: My Game Room
« Reply #5 on: February 27, 2011, 04:57:59 PM »
Quote from: Iggy on February 27, 2011, 02:44:27 PM
Heh, a dream room for a gamer for sure. Always interesting how American houses seem to use a lot of wood for construction, in the Netherlands or Germany we use bricks and concrete mostly. Your lay-out design doesn't seem to have the windows indicated.

The Windows... I never showed them on the original layout because they were to be covered for complete control over the lighting.  Keep in mind one of my favorite games was Quake... the darker the better for that game. :)

The wood... actually my whole house is wood with a concrete slab.  Brick and mortar is common here also, but it depends on where you are.  Wood is very inexpensive here compared to some place I am told.

I updated the layout image with window indicators so it is easier to realize the image angles if desired. :)

I have been collecting games for about 20 years now... I am in my 40's and really ready to get my games a place they deserve.  I have worked hard to get to this point and my passion for games and gaming has never really slowed down, so this is my tribute to my games. :)

Just like game development, I have more planned than I can ever put into this room if I ever want to get it finished, so I am going to set a time limit and do the best I can with that time.  Otherwise it will take so long I will never finish anything... I am learning from the mistakes of 3D Realms with DNF.

I don't think any of us like having to drag out boxes just to see our games... and we probably all have had to at some point unless we were really lucky.
My intention is to get ALL of my games out on shelves front out, at all times.  No more boxes, no more edge wear etc.  I also want to get all of my systems out rather than having them out one or two at a time with cables all over etc.  I will have out all my systems with all their controllers and peripherals or at least until I run out of space. :)  I don't have every system, but I do have Vic-20's, Commodore 64's, PS2, PS1, Nintendo 64, Super NES, NES, Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn, Atari Jaguar, Hyper-Scan, Retro-Duo and Family Boy (SNES/NES Modern Consoles), 30+ Handheld "Plug and Play" games, then most handhelds and several hybrid handhelds etc. 

I am really excited now!  :)

MrBlackCat 
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I am a Collector/Gamer who plays mostly FPS's, pre-WinXP, on PC and Consoles, but also play other types of classic games on consoles, handhelds, and Plug-n-Play systems. From Pong to GTA series.  I enjoy them all. :)
Also I collect Shovelware/compilations/official add-ons for most PC FPS's. :)

Offline Rog

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Re: My Game Room
« Reply #6 on: February 27, 2011, 06:58:18 PM »
Nice  8) looks like a lot of fun. :P
hear is a pict of my Mancave. Is wood frame construction on top of that. Now the work is all done..At that time i had a little extra Dirt ;)
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Offline MrBlackCat

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Re: My Game Room
« Reply #7 on: February 27, 2011, 10:58:55 PM »
Quote from: Rog on February 27, 2011, 06:58:18 PM
Nice  8) looks like a lot of fun. :P
hear is a pict of my Mancave. Is wood frame construction on top of that. Now the work is all done..At that time i had a little extra Dirt ;)


Hey Rog... is that forms/molds to be filled with concrete?  That looks pretty big... :)
Did you do all that work yourself?

MrBlackCat
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I am a Collector/Gamer who plays mostly FPS's, pre-WinXP, on PC and Consoles, but also play other types of classic games on consoles, handhelds, and Plug-n-Play systems. From Pong to GTA series.  I enjoy them all. :)
Also I collect Shovelware/compilations/official add-ons for most PC FPS's. :)

Offline Rog

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Re: My Game Room
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2011, 12:43:11 AM »
No i did not do all the work myself.
 Yes that is a 10 inch sold pour keyed and doweled.

 I know the building inspector pretty good and he let me engineer it and i was the architect.  Usually home owners and contractors have to pay engineer to draw up plans for safety reasons ESPECIALLY if it will be a two story structure. He knows i know what am doing and i drew up proper plans. He also knew that i was on a tight budget and I did not want to pay 1500 bux for that.
 That was very nice of him. :) I have done work for him (side jobs).

 "Keyed" means after the dig a footer is poured that the walls will sit on. Basically just a two foot wide footer a foot deep or so. (i forget at the moment i would have to re read my own plans lol) Anyway before that dries you take a 2x4 and in bed that in the wet footer. When the footer dries (you take out the 2x4) and it has a open space where the 2x4 was in the top middle. This way when the walls are poured they "lock" into the footer.
 "Doweled" means that simply 6 foot re bar were stuck in the footer every 4 feet vertically while the footer was wet. Once again to help "lock" in the solid pour walls.  He had a crew of about 10 guys.

 It was a lot of big time equipment  to do the excavation and foundation. No i paid for that . For example 3 different back hoes, He left a little bob cat there for a few months so i could have my way with the back yard and back patio. Big trucks to take away the dirt and a stone slinger came in. Concrete trucks etc. The excavators "dad" owns a concrete company.

 10 inch solid pour is good for a two story structure, 8 inch for one story. I just built one story over the basement but opted for the 10 inch just in case.
 Still i basically have two story's. A basement and first floor. 26'x26'
 
  I have a electrician and paid him for the electric and had two friends help me frame the roof and roof it in one weekend and paid them 1000$. I did everything else. Construction time was about 1 year.
 I bought the house as a piece of shiat. Had been through 30 years of renters.  Hell i switched out the roof cause i could not stand the color.
Roofing siding windows is a long list of what i did. Hear is a pict of it after was done.



 Ill bet your room is gong to be awesome. :)
« Last Edit: February 28, 2011, 01:11:51 AM by Rog »
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Offline MrBlackCat

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Re: My Game Room
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2011, 03:16:59 AM »
Hey Rog!
Thank you for the explanation and images. :)

That is BIG and sounds really great. :)  As for the layered concrete construction method, I too am familiar with that.  Here it is often referred to as Tongue and Groove just as with ceiling board and siding is often done as wood.

Glad to see you have a Man-Cave. :)

My project has been in progress for many months now... I am not fast as I am planning and evolving as I go.  My original computer room was 8ft (2.44meters) x13ft (3.96meters).  I built a scale cardboard model and started laying it out... I realized it would not work because of too many games and systems. :(  I started to compromise some things to make it fit... then more and then more.  Then I realized I was defeating my whole purposed building a game room.  I was not going to have the room for my all my boxed games, AND I would not have enough counter top space for my systems. :(

So I talked to my girlfriend about it and we started looking at other rooms... the largest room in the house was the only other option.  I compromised the two-sided fireplace instead... as you can see had to be walled up.  I can live with that.  The fireplace has never been used anyway as we have a wood burning heater that heats the house.  As long as there are games available, I don't see me ever having time to sit down in front of my fireplace anyway.

Also, I will note that all of the addition you see is screwed together.  It could be taken down in a day and restored to its original floor plan.  I mean everything, even the trim... and nothing was glued.

I will be a while before I have more images I think.  The wiring will be nothing to see and will take a good bit of time.  Electrical code here is very complex.  I do a very overkill job on electrical safety.  It just isn't worth saving a few dollars on wire size.  I keep large margins. :)  If 14 gauge wire is all that is needed, I always go 12.

Feeling inspired again... going to get some sleep so I can start early on the room.

MrBlackCat
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I am a Collector/Gamer who plays mostly FPS's, pre-WinXP, on PC and Consoles, but also play other types of classic games on consoles, handhelds, and Plug-n-Play systems. From Pong to GTA series.  I enjoy them all. :)
Also I collect Shovelware/compilations/official add-ons for most PC FPS's. :)

Offline MrBlackCat

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Re: My Game Room
« Reply #10 on: March 03, 2011, 04:47:45 AM »
Room is now painted... 





Electrical work has begun...
First to see what I have to work with and plan it out.



Now a place to put the main entry and distribution point...


And some mounting has begun...
Because of the power requirements of this one room, I am adding a 100amp metered panel. 
The layout is for three high capacity rack mounted UPS's.  Each will be on its own 20 amp circuit, hence the three disconnects on the left of the panel.  There will also be normal power only filtered and surge protected for non computer applications in the room.

There is gong to be a lot of wiring to do.  As currently planned there will be around 300 feet of 12 gauge wire required. (ouch?)  I am leaving the existing wiring in the room to have alternate power while working on or modifying the new wiring.


After the wiring, I will be building shelves, tables and duct work (cooling for racks).
More images as progress occurs.  :)

MrBlackCat
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I am a Collector/Gamer who plays mostly FPS's, pre-WinXP, on PC and Consoles, but also play other types of classic games on consoles, handhelds, and Plug-n-Play systems. From Pong to GTA series.  I enjoy them all. :)
Also I collect Shovelware/compilations/official add-ons for most PC FPS's. :)

Offline MasternX

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Re: My Game Room
« Reply #11 on: March 03, 2011, 05:16:29 AM »
Wow! Awesome! Coming along very nicely  8)
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Offline MrBlackCat

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Re: My Game Room
« Reply #12 on: March 24, 2011, 12:43:41 AM »
Tiny electrical update...
Almost done with the primary electrical.  Indicators, amp meters, and volt meters for all three circuits to the batteries has taken some time.  But today, all the batteries are plugged in and charging.
The AMP meters are not operational yet as I am waiting for power regulators for them.  (they are sensitive)
Here is a couple of images though...
For the electrically interested, here is a labeled power disconnect box (1 of 3).


And here is the completed panel LESS the 12 volt subsystem. (for operation of the Amperage meters and other things)


Next step is to get the 12 volt system in place... then I will start building game shelves and desktops! :)

MrBlackCat
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I am a Collector/Gamer who plays mostly FPS's, pre-WinXP, on PC and Consoles, but also play other types of classic games on consoles, handhelds, and Plug-n-Play systems. From Pong to GTA series.  I enjoy them all. :)
Also I collect Shovelware/compilations/official add-ons for most PC FPS's. :)

Offline Rog

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Re: My Game Room
« Reply #13 on: March 24, 2011, 01:47:34 AM »
I see you have got a lot done. Nice Picts!
That looks like a lot for work for electric  :)
 Most houses am in have simple 20 amp breakers but i guess your room is going to be  modified heh 8)
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Offline MrBlackCat

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Re: My Game Room
« Reply #14 on: March 24, 2011, 04:31:14 AM »
Quote from: Rog on March 24, 2011, 01:47:34 AM
I see you have got a lot done. Nice Picts!
That looks like a lot for work for electric  :)
 Most houses am in have simple 20 amp breakers but i guess your room is going to be  modified heh 8)
Most houses here have 15 and 20 amp breakers also.

It was a lot of work just for the electrical... but the original house fuse panels will not support the load I am going to put on this one room.  The main purpose of this new power set is to provide three new heavy duty 20 amp circuits.  I wanted to have most everything on Uninterruptuble Power Supplies, mostly for power conditioning and spike protection... but most of all, brown out protection.  That is what kills things here.  Low voltages lasting for seconds at a time.  That kills electronics and especially light bulbs.

As far as power requirements, just the three UPS's can draw 18 amps each.  That is 54 amps potential just for the batteries.  That would be worst case of course, and I will balance the loads.  Because of this loading potential being so close to 20 amps, I went to overkill with disconnects, which have 30amp rated contacts.  Just safer and really didn't cost that much more.  I will have amp meters running soon so I can verify the actual load of each circuit from the panel also.

The UPS's are computer controlled smart UPS's so I will program them to drop off the monitors first if the power fails for instance... then hold on as long as they can, then drop another bank of sockets if the power gets below another percentage etc.  Then after battery gets really low, it can log out my machines and shut them down so they don't suffer a unexpected shut down.  This is important to me with NAS systems, Novell Server(s) and Optical Drive Farms... bringing back up pools of drive letters is a pain out of sequence for instance.  The UPS's will handle and prevent this for me. :)

MrBlackCat
« Last Edit: March 24, 2011, 04:33:43 AM by MrBlackCat »
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I am a Collector/Gamer who plays mostly FPS's, pre-WinXP, on PC and Consoles, but also play other types of classic games on consoles, handhelds, and Plug-n-Play systems. From Pong to GTA series.  I enjoy them all. :)
Also I collect Shovelware/compilations/official add-ons for most PC FPS's. :)
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