MakeShift
A small family farm in Mexico will go under due to drought conditions and you decide to help.
Fun & Games
The latest DIY ideas, techniques and tools for bikes, rockets, R/C vehicles, toys and other diversions.
LEGO barcode reader
Complete HOW TO and source code for making a barcode scanner out of LEGOs. The Barcode Scanner uses standard LEGO parts with two exceptions. The first is the laserbrick, a selfbuilt LEGO brick with a modified laser pointer connected to an output of the RCX. The second part is the barcode label from a LEGO box.Thanks Douglas! Link.
HOW TO – Build a Flight Simulator Motion Cockpit
Rick writes “Always wanted to experience the thrill of real flying but can’t afford it? Always wanted that ultimate accessory for you MS Flight Simulator 2000? This may just be the thing. Build your own motion system with 4 axis motion and a simple non direct connection to the simulator software. Fly that dream :)” There are 4 chapters for free and the PDF is $15, not too bad. Link.
Target to sell retro arcade cabinets w/games
In November Target Stores will offer BigGames Home Video Arcades – real arcade machines for the home that will retail for less than $500. Each unit plays 12 of the original arcade versions of the most popular Midway games including: Defender, Defender II, Robotron, Joust, Bubbles, Splat, Sinistar, Rampage, Rootbeer Tapper, Wizard of Wor, Timber, and Satan’s Hollow. Also – Dicks Sporting Goods will be carrying the tabletop version of the cabinet. I am totally going to get one of these, take it apart and see if I can add more games. Thanks Brian! [via] Link.
Lego pinball machine…
A Maker writes “OK, this has to be the CRAZIEST Lego project ever built. For real. From what the father of the idea said today in the Lugnet Robotics List, it involves +20.000 bricks and 13 RCX units that communicate in 2 communication chambers each with a seperate program. Build time was +300 hours. It runs on NQC software and it’s ALL Lego, except for the ball. Built by Gerrit Bronsveld and Martijn Boogaarts.” [via] Link.
Gamer buys virtual space station
A virtual space resort being built in the online role-playing game, Project Entropia, has been snapped up for $100,000 (£56,200). Jon Jacobs, aka Neverdie, won the auction for the as yet unnamed resort in the game, which lets thousands of players interact with each other. Entropia also allows gamers to buy and sell virtual items using real cash. The space station is billed as a “pleasure paradise”. Last year, a gamer bought an island for $26,500 (£13,700). [via] Link.
HOW TO – reprogrammable genesis cartridges
Raphael writes “One day, I bought a genesis game console with a few games. I got tired of playing Sonic and MicroMachines so I decided to build a reprogrammable cartridge. It can be used for many things, such as running demos, homebrew games and music on the real console.” Link.
