Full Size Freeze Thrower Mock-up

MrBlackCat · 04-24-2011, 01:24 PM

I was 28 when Duke Nukem 3D hit the fan, so to speak. It was awesome in so many ways back then. It is still fun today in my opinion. It is a pretty inspiring game for me and I build all sorts of things at home and in my jobs with such inspirations.

If you don't like to read about silly crap like reasons, ideas, personal struggles, saga-like drama, etc, skip to the bottom of this wall of text, to the next "===" near the baseboard for "pictures of fun stuff".

----------------------------
SO... Armed with these inspirations, I was going to make all the Duke Nukem 3D unique weapons... I had the bit maps and images in game etc... yeah, I took pictures of my monitor screen with my digital camera etc.

In my shop are notebooks and papers with notes scratched out as the thoughts passed through my head on how I might make this or that part of each weapon. I was going to make the Freeze Thrower first though.

Well... for years I imagined myself posting this thread. That was years ago. Probably the first time this project was considered was some time in 2000.

Life get in the way of course... a lot of us have been forced to grow up some since Duke Nukem 3D came out anyway. I have resisted well and my immaturity has had minimal erosion.

Last year some time I was planning my game room and thinking back how I never had the chance for so many things planned. I thought of all sorts of projects for things I could put in my game room... so many games with so many ideas. Weapons, dioramas, just all sorts of things come to mind. Duke Nukem forever is coming out soon too... so I am stoked relative to Duke Nukem at least.

I got out my notes on Duke Nukem and decided to see what I could come up with. I decided to make a weapon... so I chose the Freeze Thrower again. I sketched it out and planned. I got the HRP and saw what those guys did with the weapon in high res. I have the original Cater-Killer, laser chain-saw sketch scan by Chuck Jones. I also used the Freeze Thrower from the Resaurus action figure as reference material. I calculated it out from my own drawings and it was going to cost probably $500 in materials and take a few weeks to actually make it realistic as per my own designs.

Not happening happened... for a few weeks anyway.

When I plan a model small or life size (or larger) I often do mock-ups of parts or sometimes even the whole thing first. This is a minor expense to verify certain things like actual sizes and verify some construction methods as well as logical engineering like assembly/disassembly

In this case I actually went with another practice I often do... build the mock up with off the shelf materials (junk)... just a step further than cardboard. This can really evolve an idea sometimes.

This type of plan is scheduled (so it won't take... "forever"). In this case I decided on "Three days" and started converting the cardboard mock up to wood and metal etc... and of course sharpening up the details. I did miss by one day though... ended up with four day to complete. (hey, it still wasn't 14 years)

Well it didn't go so good. So it sat in the shop in pieces for a few weeks while I have been working on my game room and other stuff. Then this week I decided to finish it and just see what I had. Maybe the bare model was growing on me. Each time I entered the shop which looks like a junkyard for unfinished projects, there is was, and it was at least recognizable and nearly complete.

So I took my own advice and decided to dodge the bullet of perfectionism and just "get it out the door"... and I did.

What you see here is the completed mock up but with details added and fully painted. I may never get around to making a real one, but I am satisfied with this mock up for now... I think it will still be fun to have sitting in the game room.

I wish I was posting this back a few years ago when Duke Nukem Forever was going to be released any minute and dozens of members were reading and posting... but just like Duke Nukem Forever, it just didn't work out that way.

======================
I wish I was sharing this with all the guys I knew and love from back then, and even some I want to strangle from back then, so maybe a few of them will come through and enjoy it...

Thanks to all the forum members who are a part of the inspiration of things like this, and thanks to 3D Realms for games that have lead to all the years that inspire at least such great intentions.

MrBlackCat

marioman360 · 04-25-2011, 10:21 AM

That is a thing of absolute beauty.

Iggy · 04-25-2011, 10:28 AM

Yeah it's a really nice sight, even more so if it were a more detailed version. But the Duke boxes around it is a good touch.

Montclair · 05-05-2011, 04:15 PM

Truly awesome creation, dude, and a great post. I, too, was your age back in the day and am excited as all hell to see DNF finally come to fruition.

Again, awesome job!

MrBlackCat · 05-05-2011, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Montclair

Truly awesome creation, dude, and a great post. I, too, was your age back in the day and am excited as all hell to see DNF finally come to fruition.

Again, awesome job!

Thank you.
I am very happy to see Duke Nukem alive and well again. Just a few more weeks and a whole new world of Duke will be upon us.

No matter the success of Duke Nukem Forever, I will always play Duke Nukem 3D and other Duke games. Even though this is not an accurate model of a freeze thrower, still will be interesting in the game room.

I still want to do something more relative to Duke Nukem, but have not decided what yet... maybe another weapon. Either way, if this site is still here, I will be back to share it with other Duke Nukem fans.

MrBlackCat

04-24-2011, 01:24 PM	#1
MrBlackCat	Full Size Freeze Thrower Mock-up I was 28 when Duke Nukem 3D hit the fan, so to speak. It was awesome in so many ways back then. It is still fun today in my opinion. It is a pretty inspiring game for me and I build all sorts of things at home and in my jobs with such inspirations. If you don't like to read about silly crap like reasons, ideas, personal struggles, saga-like drama, etc, skip to the bottom of this wall of text, to the next "===" near the baseboard for "pictures of fun stuff". ---------------------------- SO... Armed with these inspirations, I was going to make all the Duke Nukem 3D unique weapons... I had the bit maps and images in game etc... yeah, I took pictures of my monitor screen with my digital camera etc. In my shop are notebooks and papers with notes scratched out as the thoughts passed through my head on how I might make this or that part of each weapon. I was going to make the Freeze Thrower first though. Well... for years I imagined myself posting this thread. That was years ago. Probably the first time this project was considered was some time in 2000. Life get in the way of course... a lot of us have been forced to grow up some since Duke Nukem 3D came out anyway. I have resisted well and my immaturity has had minimal erosion. Last year some time I was planning my game room and thinking back how I never had the chance for so many things planned. I thought of all sorts of projects for things I could put in my game room... so many games with so many ideas. Weapons, dioramas, just all sorts of things come to mind. Duke Nukem forever is coming out soon too... so I am stoked relative to Duke Nukem at least. I got out my notes on Duke Nukem and decided to see what I could come up with. I decided to make a weapon... so I chose the Freeze Thrower again. I sketched it out and planned. I got the HRP and saw what those guys did with the weapon in high res. I have the original Cater-Killer, laser chain-saw sketch scan by Chuck Jones. I also used the Freeze Thrower from the Resaurus action figure as reference material. I calculated it out from my own drawings and it was going to cost probably $500 in materials and take a few weeks to actually make it realistic as per my own designs. Not happening happened... for a few weeks anyway. When I plan a model small or life size (or larger) I often do mock-ups of parts or sometimes even the whole thing first. This is a minor expense to verify certain things like actual sizes and verify some construction methods as well as logical engineering like assembly/disassembly In this case I actually went with another practice I often do... build the mock up with off the shelf materials (junk)... just a step further than cardboard. This can really evolve an idea sometimes. This type of plan is scheduled (so it won't take... "forever"). In this case I decided on "Three days" and started converting the cardboard mock up to wood and metal etc... and of course sharpening up the details. I did miss by one day though... ended up with four day to complete. (hey, it still wasn't 14 years) Well it didn't go so good. So it sat in the shop in pieces for a few weeks while I have been working on my game room and other stuff. Then this week I decided to finish it and just see what I had. Maybe the bare model was growing on me. Each time I entered the shop which looks like a junkyard for unfinished projects, there is was, and it was at least recognizable and nearly complete. So I took my own advice and decided to dodge the bullet of perfectionism and just "get it out the door"... and I did. What you see here is the completed mock up but with details added and fully painted. I may never get around to making a real one, but I am satisfied with this mock up for now... I think it will still be fun to have sitting in the game room. I wish I was posting this back a few years ago when Duke Nukem Forever was going to be released any minute and dozens of members were reading and posting... but just like Duke Nukem Forever, it just didn't work out that way. ====================== I wish I was sharing this with all the guys I knew and love from back then, and even some I want to strangle from back then, so maybe a few of them will come through and enjoy it... Thanks to all the forum members who are a part of the inspiration of things like this, and thanks to 3D Realms for games that have lead to all the years that inspire at least such great intentions. MrBlackCat __________________ YES! I do wear my Duke Xtreme t-shirt every day!* :) (Not really, sometimes I wear my Time to Kill* t-shirt... like while I am washing my other Duke shirts for instance.) :)

04-25-2011, 10:21 AM	#2
marioman360	Re: Full Size Freeze Thrower Mock-up That is a thing of absolute beauty. __________________ Please forgive the stupid username.

04-25-2011, 10:28 AM	#3
Iggy	Re: Full Size Freeze Thrower Mock-up Yeah it's a really nice sight, even more so if it were a more detailed version. But the Duke boxes around it is a good touch. __________________ Duke4Ever \|\| The Game Collector's Market - Forum for game collectors. "That Nordbergian wench could be a handful! Several." - Gnarl (Overlord 2)

05-05-2011, 04:15 PM	#4
Montclair	Re: Full Size Freeze Thrower Mock-up Truly awesome creation, dude, and a great post. I, too, was your age back in the day and am excited as all hell to see DNF finally come to fruition. Again, awesome job!