On Second Thought...

First off, I'm not sure if I'm on that list of uninspired final projects. Just in case, let me attempt to clarify why I want to do what I do.

First off, I spend almost all of my time for school projects creating something digitally. I very rarely get to interact with physically building something, and I want to take this opportunity to do that. For once, my final project of the semester isn't necessarily going to be boiled down to a bunch of 1's and 0's that can be dropped off on a server somewheres.

Secondly, why video games? I love video games. They have been a source of inspiration on many levels. They have the potential to be a wonderful medium to tell a story. Video game music inspires me to seek alternate avenues of music. And on and on...but one thing about a video game is that (aside from the cartridge or disc), there's really nothing physically to it. I figure if I can be inspired by something that I can't really touch, how will my thoughts on that change if I actually CAN touch a part of it (or at least a representation of that object)?

Someone could argue that there's all sorts of video game-related merch out there, and they'd be right. But that's generally limited to specific character-based objects. You see scores of Pokemon plushies, Mario figures, and Sonic-emblazoned shirts. But what about the little objects you may take for granted in a video game? Have you ever seen a physical representation of a Sonic the Hedgehog item monitor?

Have you seen this? Huh? Have you?

That brings me to another point of concern. The actual object I am going to whip up. Originally I was completely sold on mussing about an actual computer monitor to create the above object. I'd hollow it out, and possibly replace the inside with a spinning platform showing off an item representing the goodie inside. HOWEVER, I've been doing some research. Apparently CRTs are vacuum-sealed (or possibly pressurized with gas in some cases) and a slight error in dismantling one could cause it to explode and leak all sorts wonderfully poisonous vapors into the air. As an added bonus, capacitors within a monitor can hold a charge for months and months after being unplugged. Contact with one of these bits can result in a discharge that can severely hurt you or possibly cause instant death. So, I'm thinking the monitor (at least the originally conceived route) is out. I still want to go ahead with this project using a different video game object, but I'm willing to scrap the idea if I can't think of another good item to create.

SO...anybody have anything they'd love to see?