Toys and GamesArchive: Toys and Games

May 16, 2008

Phun physics program

Phun is a 2D "physics sandbox," a program created by a Swedish CompSci major as his Master of Science thesis. It's way cool; a great way for kids (of all ages) to learn physics concepts. It's available for Mac, Windows, and Linux.

Phun

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | May 16, 2008 02:00 PM
Computers, Kids, Science, Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (2)

The Ping Pong Door

pingpong_door.jpg Every office should have a Ping Pong door. Although productivity would go down by at least 80% once this door is installed. No word on price yet, but this should be a fairly easy project to remake for your home or office.

Read more about the Ping Pong Door

Posted by Marc de Vinck | May 16, 2008 02:00 AM
Remake, Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 15, 2008

Building slot car scenery

slotCarScene1.jpg
slotCarScene2.jpg

How-to on building scenery for a slot car racing track.

HOW-TO: Creating Professional Slot Car Scenery
[via]

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | May 15, 2008 02:00 PM
Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 7, 2008

Slot car cam

When I was a tween, I lived for slot-cars. Our small town outside of Richmond, VA had two slot car shops/tracks for a few years.

This video from Spain shows a race from fixed and car-mounted cameras. Really nice track too. And vroom-vroom sound effects.

Scalextric EXIN made in Spain [via]

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | May 7, 2008 02:00 PM
Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 1, 2008

Make Projects: DIY Blimp

IMG_2409.JPG Everyone likes toys that fly. Unfortunately, most R/C planes are hard to control for people without any experience. Why not make an easy to fly blimp? It's really quick to make, and many people have at least one of the R/C helicopters used in the build. Even if you had to buy (2) helicopters your cost would be less than $60. Best of all, it is completely non-destructive and can be reversed in a few seconds. So if you have kids, are a kid, or just act like a kid, give this a try. You will love it.

What you need:
IMG_2363.JPG
(2) R/C Helicopters (similar to Airhogs)
(2) 24" long balsa dowels
A little tape
Binder clips or coins for ballast

Read full story

Posted by Marc de Vinck | May 1, 2008 02:00 AM
Kids, Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 30, 2008

Computerized Etch A Sketch @ Maker Faire

Computerized Etchasketch

Never been able to realize your artistic vision on the old grey screen? Neil's project may be of help -

Anyone who has tried to use an Etch A Sketch knows that a good deal of co-ordination is needed in order to draw anything but horizontal and vertical lines. It quickly becomes obvious that a computer would be far better at controlling the horizontal and vertical knobs than a human.

Accordingly, I pulled the knobs off of an Etch A Sketch and attached it to two stepper motors which in turn are attached to the parallel port of a computer. This gives one the ability to control the plotter's movements with a standard mouse or analog joystick (more intuitive interfaces than the knobs). Having a computer in the loop also allows one to record what movements are done, so one can edit them and play them back.

Come see the automated art at Bay Area Maker Faire - Computerized Etch A Sketch


 Images Makerfaire Logos Makerfaire
Makerfaire Poems

Maker Faire is a two-day, family-friendly event that celebrates the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) mindset May 3rd and 4th at the San Mateo Fairgrounds, CA (Upcoming.org). It’s for creative, resourceful people of all ages and backgrounds who like to tinker and love to make things. Buy tickets now and save, discount ticket sales end on April 25th, 2008.

If you're in the Bay Area, or plan to attend Maker Faire add "makerfaire" to your Twitter, we'll be giving away tickets and will have updates before and during Maker Faire!

Posted by Collin Cunningham | Apr 30, 2008 04:00 AM
Computers, Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (3)

April 25, 2008

Coin-op arcade mechanisms explained

Coinop Counter
Coinop Payout

Dug writes -

The Sands Mechanical Museum has a section of their site called "Mechanisms Explained" in which they have documented, photographed, animated, and described how a variety of arcade machine mechanisms work. A great references source.
Neat little animations reveal the seldom seen inner-works, interesting stuff - Sands Mechanical Museum [via Dug's blog]

Posted by Collin Cunningham | Apr 25, 2008 02:00 PM
Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (1)

April 24, 2008

DIY: RC Boat from scavenged parts


I made something like this when I was about 10 years old. My version wasn't as complicated, and it sank in a matter of minutes. I really like the use of a nail and coil to make a simple solenoid for switching the moors on and off. Overall it's a pretty good use of recycled materials.

DIY: RC Boat from scavenged parts

Posted by Marc de Vinck | Apr 24, 2008 01:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (5)

April 21, 2008

Goofy Giggles gets an upgrade

DSC01573.jpg

This project replaces the internal electronics of a "Goofy Giggles" toy with an external board in order to give the toy more processing power to enable it to respond to external stimuli. More info and a how-to at the link below.

A Brain Transplant for Goofy Giggles

Posted by Jonah Brucker-Cohen | Apr 21, 2008 09:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 16, 2008

Ponoko 10 day challenge - puzzles

Nat @ CRAFT writes:

Ponoko has a new 10 Day Design Challenge -- this time on Puzzles! Create an intriguing and entertaining puzzle on a laser cutter within the next 10 days. Up to $5,000 in prizes are up for grabs! Photo above is by jared who created an edition of 100 puzzle kits. Find out more on the rules and how to enter at the Ponoko Blog.

Posted by Becky Stern | Apr 16, 2008 07:00 PM
Arts, Computers, Crafts, Kits, Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 11, 2008

Make your own arcade-style game gun

fpsGun.jpg

This Instructables shows how one gamer built his own FPS gun for playing Halo 2 and Deus Ex on his big screen home entertainment system.

FPS arcade style gun

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | Apr 11, 2008 05:00 PM
Gaming, Instructables, Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (0)

Steam Wars figure mods

spSW.jpg
spSW2.jpg
spSW3.jpg
spSW4.jpg

Action figure modder Silloff, who's work we've blogged about before, has an amazing collection of Star Wars figures re-envisioned within a steampunk universe.

Steam Punk Star Wars [via]

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | Apr 11, 2008 01:00 PM
Crafts, Retro, Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (1)

April 10, 2008

Hello Kitty... power sander?

Hello_Kitty_Power_Sander.jpg

And with that, we've finally reached some sort of pod people (pod kitty?) singularity/assimilation situation in which every product in the known universe has been Hello Kitty branded.

The outrageous Hello Kitty Power Sander [via]

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | Apr 10, 2008 08:00 PM
Toolbox, Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (2)

April 8, 2008

Micro sized electronic speed controller

bitcootie.jpg The BitESC is the smallest speed/motor controller I have come across. It is designed to work with the motors from those tiny R/C cars we all bought at least one of, but now never use. Well, here is you chance to make a really tiny R/C plane
The BitESC is a small electronic speed controller for those little RC cars like the MicroSizer / BitChar-G. It can be used in a small RC plane to have some control over the speed of the motor. The speed of the motor ramps up or down, depending on which of the buttons on the transmitter you press.

How to make a Micro sized electronic speed controller

Posted by Marc de Vinck | Apr 8, 2008 06:00 AM
DIY Projects, Flying, Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (1)

DIY Micro steam car

md-steamcar.jpg This is a really cool project to make with your kids. There are instructions for making a car and even a modified paddleboat. I couldn't agree more about this statement from the website.
We live in a world dominated by machines. If something is not a machine, like a motor car, a refrigerator or a sewing machine, then it is something that is made and processed by a mechanical device, like the clothes we wear and the food we eat. Mechanical Science and Technology is thus important. Exposure to it, at school and at home, is vital for all young people as part of their education and the appreciation of the world around them.

Make your own - Micro steam car

Related:
Steam-Ped-1
How to make a steam powered moped

Posted by Marc de Vinck | Apr 8, 2008 03:00 AM
DIY Projects, Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 7, 2008

Nintendo DS controlling a printer carriage

Raul Aguaviva made this connection between his DS and printer to control its stepper motor. He updates the script over the DSs wireless connection. All it needs now is to be able to read PostScript, and you've got a wireless printer!

Posted by Becky Stern | Apr 7, 2008 09:00 PM
Computers, DIY Projects, Gaming, Toys and Games, Wireless | Permalink | Comments (1)

April 5, 2008

Moov : Make your own ride


Why didn't they have this when I was a kid? Moov has to be one of the best, and imaginative, toys out there. I wonder how long it will be until some little kid comes up a few hacks for the Moov? Make sure to check out the Moov website, because the video isn't a very good representation of the product.

Via - Gizmondo - Moov : Make your own ride

Posted by Marc de Vinck | Apr 5, 2008 03:00 AM
DIY Projects, Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (3)

April 4, 2008

Massive miniature painting guide

coolMiniGuide1.jpg
coolMiniGuide.jpg

The gaming minifig painting site Cool Mini or Not has created what looks like an awesome 400-page e-book guide to sculpting, painting, converting, basing, and photographing miniatures. There's even a scenery section. I didn't buy and download the actual book, but the free sample section and TOC are impressive. The PDF is $9.95.

The Ultimate Miniature Painting Guide

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | Apr 4, 2008 02:00 PM
Crafts, Gaming, Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 1, 2008

Bronze Boba Fett Pez dispenser

bobaPez1.jpg
bobaPez2.jpg

From Flickr:

I made this using the lost wax casting process with an organic burnout. The material is silicon bronze.

The original sleeve for the Pez broke, so I cannibalized parts from another dispenser: Simba from the Lion King.

The hole in the body resulted from an incomplete casting of the thin part; probably could have had better sprue placement. I like the results, though. The replacement sleeve was modified for the "battle scar" effect, revealing the Pez.

Finishing was minimal, with a pretty standard bronze patina.

Boba Fett Pez dispenser [via]

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | Apr 1, 2008 03:00 PM
Crafts, Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (1)

The Phantom Keystroker

phantom_keystroker.jpg The phantom Keystroker would be fairly easy to spot plugged into your computer, but the results would be fun to watch. Maybe a remake is in order, especially if you can make it smaller, and easier to conceal.
The Phantom Keystroker may look like a harmless circuit board, but it's actually a devious contraption of unlimited office-based torture. Simply discreetly attach the Phantom Keystroker to any extra USB port on your victim's computer, no drivers needed. The Keystroker emulates a keyboard and mouse and periodically makes random mouse movements and types out odd garbage text and phrases.

More about the Phantom Keystroker

Posted by Marc de Vinck | Apr 1, 2008 02:00 AM
Computers, Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (1)

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