Fun & Games

The latest DIY ideas, techniques and tools for bikes, rockets, R/C vehicles, toys and other diversions.

LEGO barcode reader

LEGO barcode reader

Barcode Reader SmallComplete HOW TO and source code for making a barcode scanner out of LEGOs. The Barcode Scanner uses standard LEGO parts with two exceptions. The first is the laserbrick, a selfbuilt LEGO brick with a modified laser pointer connected to an output of the RCX. The second part is the barcode label from a LEGO box.Thanks Douglas! Link.

Target to sell retro arcade cabinets w/games

Target to sell retro arcade cabinets w/games

RetroIn November Target Stores will offer BigGames Home Video Arcades – real arcade machines for the home that will retail for less than $500. Each unit plays 12 of the original arcade versions of the most popular Midway games including: Defender, Defender II, Robotron, Joust, Bubbles, Splat, Sinistar, Rampage, Rootbeer Tapper, Wizard of Wor, Timber, and Satan’s Hollow. Also – Dicks Sporting Goods will be carrying the tabletop version of the cabinet. I am totally going to get one of these, take it apart and see if I can add more games. Thanks Brian! [via] Link.

Lego pinball machine…

Lego pinball machine…

Img 8911A Maker writes “OK, this has to be the CRAZIEST Lego project ever built. For real. From what the father of the idea said today in the Lugnet Robotics List, it involves +20.000 bricks and 13 RCX units that communicate in 2 communication chambers each with a seperate program. Build time was +300 hours. It runs on NQC software and it’s ALL Lego, except for the ball. Built by Gerrit Bronsveld and Martijn Boogaarts.” [via] Link.

Gamer buys virtual space station

Gamer buys virtual space station

 40945808 Ent Beast203A virtual space resort being built in the online role-playing game, Project Entropia, has been snapped up for $100,000 (£56,200). Jon Jacobs, aka Neverdie, won the auction for the as yet unnamed resort in the game, which lets thousands of players interact with each other. Entropia also allows gamers to buy and sell virtual items using real cash. The space station is billed as a “pleasure paradise”. Last year, a gamer bought an island for $26,500 (£13,700). [via] Link.

PSP Firmware 2.0 Eboot Loader v0.7

PSP Firmware 2.0 Eboot Loader v0.7

Psp2-1-2-1-1-1Firmware wars continued…Fanjita has updated his firmware 2.0 Eboot loader for the PSP to version 0.7. This program allows for the launch of some homebrew programs (not all since it is being run in user-mode and not kernel mode.) This program builds on the work done by Saotome to load homebrew EBOOT.PBPs into PSPs with v2.0 firmware, using the TIFF exploit. It will not work on any other firmware version – including v2.01 and 2.50. [via] Link. Follow the complete saga here.