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Tag: turret

  • MADE: A Fully Functional Sentry Turret from Portal

    TARGET ACQUIRED. DISPENSING PRODUCT.

    Are you still there? Good, because I want to show you what’s going to be the envy of every gaming room and hip office across the world.

    Not much to see here – just a fully functioning replica turret from Portal, commissioned by Valve and produced by award-winning design and manufacturing studio WETA Workshop.

    “On September 13th, 2012, Valve received another mysterious crate from WETA Workshop. Inside was a full-scale, articulated Portal turret, complete with a motion sensor. Once again, WETA Workshop’s gone far, far beyond our expectations to deliver something truly amazing. Thank you, WETA Workshop!” says Valve.

    Screw the iPhone 5, this is the best unboxing video you’ll see all week:

    Sure, there have been Aperture Science turrets made before – even ones that featured sound. But nothing like this, with the motion tracking and all. It’s in a league of its own.

    According to VentureBeat, WETA leaves the door open for these little replicas to go on the market. Although, they would definitely be too pricey for the average Portal enthusiast to own.

    I’m assuming that the turret doesn’t actually fire live rounds. Now, if it could be modified to launch jelly beans or something…

  • “I’m Different” – Official Portal Turret Replicas Up For Sale

    It has been well over a year since Portal 2 was released, and in that time enthusiasm for the game doesn’t seem to have died down. Just this year Portal fans have been laser-etching stainless steel and creating fan videos about the series. Now that Valve has released the “Perpetual Testing Initiative” DLC, a burgeoning community will keep churning out new Portal 2 content until the release of Portal 3 forever.

    Gaming Heads, a company that sells replica models of well-known Valve game characters, such as the Heavy and the Headcrab Zombie, is beginning to build a Portal 2 statue line. The first model they have created is a version of the lovable taking turrets, and the company has just begun accepting pre-orders.

    The turret comes in two different limited editions. 750 of the standard turret replicas will be made. They will cost $300 and have a motion sensor that controls the turret’s eye. For $25 more, though, customers can buy one of 350 exclusive models that will include activation, search mode, disabled, and other sound clips from Portal 2. Both models have been generated using the in-game 3D files from Portal 2 and measure 16 inches tall. They are cast in poly-stone, hand painted, and come with a numbered validation card. Unfortunately, the exclusive turrets are sold out, though Gaming Heads does provide a waiting list in case someone cancels their order. The standard version is still available, though, so act quickly if you can spare $300 for one.

    The turret models will start shipping sometime near the end of 2012. Gaming Heads doesn’t state what is next for its Portal 2 statue line-up, but I think its safe to assume the defective turret might be seen at some point, along with the Frankenturret.

  • Guy Builds Functional Portal Turret in Robotics Class

    Guy Builds Functional Portal Turret in Robotics Class

    Youtube user kss5095 built a real working model of the turrets from Portal in his Advanced Mechatronics class at Penn State University.

    The turret actually tracks a person moving across a room and shoots foam bullets. Sorry, no real guns are mounted on the device.

    Although the device comes equipped with a laser, it actually uses a webcam to see its prey. The software controlling the device is written in MATLAB. He got the USB Turrets from Dream Cheeky.

    But the thing that makes it really special is that it plays the creepy sound effects from the game when booting up and searching for a victim.

    “Hello, friend.”

    “Would you come over here?”

    “Are you still there?”

    [h/t: ZDNet]