Let’s mod something… The beginnings of Project: Rogue
posted by craigbru in Modding, Project: Rogue |Every day people trudge through their daily lives, seemingly satisfied with the technological status-quo. They never venture too far into the unknown. They buy their Apple and Dell computers, and truly believe they are on the cutting edge. What they don’t realize, is that a small, but growing percentage of individuals are rejecting the norm, rejecting the mundane. For these brave few, they are only limited by their imagination. They know that a computer can be more than just silicon and plastic, it can be an artistic expression as well. A melding of man and machine, of ideas and ingenuity. Such is the art of modding…
So, here I am. A guy with a few ideas, a few tools, and a little time on my hands. I’m driven to be creative. It’s my high, and one of the things I enjoy most in life. All of this leads me in to my new project. For the lack of a better name, I’m calling it ‘Project: Rogue’. Unlike my last solo project, this time around I got a little help from NZXT, and lead designer Johnny Hou. They’ve introduced a new small form factor computer case, called the ‘Rogue’. As of a few weeks ago, they supplied me with one of only two Rogues in the US, in hopes that I could create something pretty kick-ass. Well, who am I to turn down a challenge? I’ve got a thing for small form factor cases, and you can guarantee I’ll use up every bit of room in this case when given the chance. Although I’ve got free reign with this project, there were specific goals that I set out to achieve. Let’s see… for starters…
Watercooling – Oh, without a doubt. This thing must be watercooled. How does dual loops and dual 240.2 radiators sound? A loop for the CPU, and a loop for the GPU’s.
LCD – I don’t think I could build a case without one. How does a 10.2” widescreen sound?
ATX motherboard – Been there, done that? Well, there have no doubt been mods before this that incorporated an ATX motherboard in a mATX case. However, due to the size of the Rogue, it’s possible to fit one in the case a little easier than in others. The biggest difference here, is that all connections will be routed to the rear of the case. That’s one thing most other ATX to mATX mods haven’t been able to achieve.
Everything else – Well, this is a big category. Lots of little things that add up quickly. How about a hard drive rack that’s removable without opening that case, integrated fan and lighting controls, custom plexi side panels, automotive digital gauges, and the list goes on. Other hardware specs are still up in the air, but the design goal will remain, regardless of the components used. That being said, would quad Crossfire be overkill? Nah, didn’t think so… I’ve got big plans here, so I’ll do my best not to let all of you down!
Now that I’ve got the preliminaries out of the way, how about a few pics? Here is the case as it arrived to me.
Like a kid on Christmas morning, let’s rip this thing open!
Let’s get started! I’ve started to disassemble the case. You can see shots with the face removed, followed by the hard drive and CD/DVD trays.
More coming shortly!
