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Hackaday's custom Portal gun levitates a Companion Cube
Sure, everyone and their mother has made a custom Portal gun at this point, but the fine folks at Hackaday have raised the bar into the stratosphere. The floating Companion Cube effect was accomplished by ripping out the magnets in a floating globe, and the cube itself was created to proper size and weight specifications.The gun itself is not custom, however – it's store bought. The process of creating the Companion Cube and applying the magnetic housing to the Portal gun itself is pretty interesting, all of which you can check out in the video above and through the source link below.
Your Portal gun isn't as cool as Hack-a-Day's Portal gun (which actually levitates a companion cube)
There you were, thinking your NECA-produced Portal gun replica was super neat all on its own. Well, okay -- it is -- but wouldn't it be even cooler if you could use it to make a baby companion cube levitate in mid-air with it? That question is exactly what lead to Hack a Day's creation of just such a device, as seen in the video below the break. By reappropriating a magnetic floating globe's parts and attaching said parts to both the gun and a homemade companion cube, Hack a Day were able to recreate at least part of the magic Chell experiences in her Aperture Science adventures. Of course, if you move the gun too much, the companion cube will fall out. Just think what that does to its psyche! You monster. [Image credit: Caleb Kraft, Hack a Day]
ThinkGeek and Aperture Science do what they must, intro more Portal-themed goods because they can
Been yearning for more Portal 2-inspired goods from ThinkGeek? Fret not, dear test subject, the company's got some products ways that should satiate your desire for Cave Johnson-approved chachkas. Newly up for grabs are a $15 Aperture Science shower curtain, a $35 motion-sensing plush turret and a $40 Cave Johnson talking portrait -- think Billy Bass, but with a Portal twist. ThinkGeek's also announced a $30 Companion Cube cookie jar (the perfect companion for its Portal cookie cutters) and a $30 PotatOS Science Kit, complete with an insult-spewing "talking GLaDOS module." Sadly, the latter duo don't have an official release date just yet, and are merely listed as "coming soon." Of course, like the cake, they could just be lie. For the sake of science, portal past the break to find a press release with more details.
DIYer builds his own CNC mill, fabricates a Weighted Companion Cube to show off
So you've built your own homebrew CNC mill and want to test out some recent modifications? That's a question few ever have to ask themselves, but DIYer Jamie Nasiatka recently did, and came up with the bright idea of making his very own Weighted Companion Cube. As you can see above, things turned up pretty well, and you can check out the complete build process at the source link below -- yes, it lights up, and changes colors. Let's just hope no one tries to throw this cube through a Portal t-shirt.
Valve explains why Portal's Companion Cube had to die
When we cursed the heavens and asked tearfully why our beloved labradoodle, Cagney, had to die in a horrific snow plow accident, leaving behind her best friend (our maltipoo Lacey), the only answer we received was the stony ambivalence of a silent autumnal sky. When we cursed Valve and asked tearfully why our beloved Companion Cube had to die by our own hands, Portal's writers calmly explained to Gamasutra that it was to develop a stronger bond with the Cube and teach the mechanics of the incinerator. See how it's done, God? Was that so difficult?
Scattered Shots: Suggestion Box
Scattered Shots is here for you. As long as you're a hunter, you get to tell us what to write about, and we get to ignore you do whatever you say. I love these months just before the next expansion is released. There's such a sense of anticipation, where the whole game, including your own class, is in fluid motion, constantly changing. This is the time when the developers actually want you to give them your feedback, to tell them what they're doing wrong; and -- strange as it may seem -- there is actually a chance they will listen to you, take your advice, and actually implement whatever change you suggest!That's why the last few days I've had my eye on the beta hunter forums, looking for the latest ideas about my favorite class. Lots of the player suggestions they have there are really neat, but unfortunately there's also some of what we call "QQ" (which stands for whining because it looks like two little eyes with tears coming down). It's hard to get good suggestions on the forums without also getting bad QQ. Sometimes when forum-goers clash, they get into an annoying argument and the whole thing devolves into boring name-calling.So let's weed out all the muck and jumble, shall we? Let's just cut to the prime-rib-beef of what really good ideas are out there and skip all the blah blah blah about who's stupid, who's an idiot, and who's just dumb.
Behold, the unweighted Companion Quilt!
It's been a while since we lavished some love on our favorite inanimate game character. We are, of course, talking about the Weighted Companion Cube from the best game evar, Portal. So, check out this completely awesome Weighted Companion Cube quilt. Don't go looking to snap up one for yourself just yet though, as it appears to be one of a kind. It was purchased by blogger That Girl, who bought it from a very gifted crafter known as Punzie. It's worth noting that Punzie does have quite a few other products featuring video game themes and characters (we're particularly fond of the Triforce pillow). Who knows, maybe if you ask nicely enough, you might get a Companion Quilt of your very own.[Thanks, Simca]
Weighted Companion Cube mid-Portal in Toronto
A leftover from last week, but too great not to share. Posterchild is a "street artist" creating public installations in the city of Toronto. His latest and greatest: two Weighted Companion Cubes (as seen in little-known video game Portal) entering and exiting a portal. Or is that exiting and entering? And, yeah ... it's really just one WCC then, right? Note: you can figure out where the "companion" Companion Cube is through visual hints in the portals. Video embedded after the break. [Thanks, everyone!]Look – Weighted Companion Cube blue sideLook – Weighted Companion Cube orange side
Happy Holidays from Aperture Science
To spread holiday cheer and to prove that the cake was not a lie, team Valve and everyone at Aperture Science sent along this video holiday greeting. And please, try not to be creeped out by the embedded video holiday card. It's just security camera footage of the Companion Cube (with a Santa hat) and a piece of cake sitting in front of a fireplace with a remixed holiday version of "Still Alive" playing in the background. Right? Actually, that is quite creepy ... but we love our Companion Cube so much so we'll overlook that and watch the video knowing that Aperture Science love us. Happy (holiday name here)!
Companion Cube plushies and fuzzies now available
Ever since we heard Valve was creating a Weighted Companion Cube plushie for their online store we've been dreaming nightly (literally, nightly) about cuddling with our boxy friend. We've carried with us a sick, twisted fantasy about wanting to hug one. And now we can, because the time has with the release of the Companion Cube to the Valve Store in 100% huggable form. Both a Companion Cube plushie and a pair of fuzzies can be purchased for $29.95 plus shipping. But don't let the price deter you, think of all the enjoyment you'll get with your very own Companion Cube to love, care for, think about, obsess over and lose all rational thought to. We're getting three.[Thanks, Steve]Read - Weighted Companion Cube PlushieRead - Weighted Companion Cube Fuzzies
Portal's plush companion cube puts a price on friendship
In case you missed it, Valve's online store now stocks a test subject's best and happily unsuspecting friend, the Weighted Companion Cube. Made of soft and sufficiently flammable polyester fiber, the demonically dimensioned (6" x 6" x 6") pal can be introduced to yourself or a "real" friend for $29.95. Unlike those irksome human mates you may or probably don't have, the companion cube will never complain when you hog all the cake or inevitably murder him.[Thanks, PeteyH]
DIY: Weighted Companion Cube paperweight
We know you're probably getting sick of all the arts and crafts based off this one geometric protagonist. We've seen it all, costumes, plushies, even cake -- but we think Alice Fox has the right frame of mind when it comes to cuboid craftwork -- "our friendly cube is weighted, not a stuffed and cuddly plush toy or a flimsy papercraft."With that in mind, we present Fox's step by step instructions on how to create a companion cube paperweight. We won't lie, it looks like more work than it's worth, but we'd love to see one sitting on our desk, unassumingly holding down our important documents. It would definitely be a sweet, cost-efficient holiday gift for a gaming relative, or for your favorite Joystiq blogger.
