Projects
This page documents many of the physical and digital projects I am currently or have previously undertaken.
Most physical projects done here involve some kind of hardware modification to Nintendo devices.
Current
Active
Blood-Stained Sanctuary
Blood-Stained Sanctuary is a story continuation of Cave Story, telling the events of what leads to the Imprisoning War that took place shortly before the events of Cave Story. It is hosted on its own website in the form of a rudimentary webcomic.
Crypted Stream
Crypted Stream is a global-scale puzzle that initiates via a simple question on its homepage. The viewer's purpose is to systemically decode hints to unlock the occluded second half of the website, which is the titular crypted data stream. The tests will resemble various "Capture the Flag" types of practices while simultaneously requiring a degree of creativity and intelligence to complete the challenge.
I am currently evaluating the primary aptitudes Crypted Stream will require.
Half-Lapdock Project
September 2024
These are a series of small projects meant to eventually come together for a final project. In essence, I am planning to design a half-lapdock meant for portable PCs, gaming consoles, and Android phones with desktop environments. The final product will resemble a 15.6" laptop, complete with all relevant IO, integrating the IO with an internal dock.
Why? For me, none of the lapdocks available have 120hz and OLED, but I incidentally own a laptop that in fact supports these both. Lapdocks (or really, any keyboard with IO) is a much sleeker solution for modular microcomputing compared to lugging around a separate dock, keyboard, and display. Here, two (and up to three) of these items can be combined while still maintaining modularity and portability. It's also a fun electrical engineering project that can help build reputation, but will also ultimately finalise my Legion Go and Samsung DeX workflow, as well as making it much easier to manage. I genuinely cannot wait until this project completes.
I will use this page to document how the project is going. My first concern regards to I/O, as that is the crux of the entire project. In essence, all that really needs to be done is to converting the available I/O into data the host device can read.
This effectively means to convert the keyboard output from the ribbon cable into usable USB serial data.
Then converting incoming DisplayPort or HDMI data from the host device into eDP serial data for the laptop's internal display to display back. This should be doable by fitting an eDP controller board in the half lapdock. Video source is transmitted from the host device via DisplayPort over USB-C, fed to the eDP controller board, and output on the laptop display via that board. I may need a middleman to convert the DisplayPort data into data the controller board can read, potentially via a generic laptop dock.
Then simply wiring the IO of the internal dock to the physical ports of the half lapdock. This results in the shell of a laptop that works to massively extend the functionality of the connected device, like a phone, handheld PC, or gaming console like the Switch.
Domains
I collect various domain names for different purposes. This is an ongoing practice that leads to other projects.
WHITE SPACE
WHITE SPACE is the webcomic you'll run into if you continue clicking the prompts on Halcove's home page. I do want to finish it in order to be more interactive and less cliched, so I really wish I had more time to focus on this project specifically...
Inactive
Unnamed Smash Mod
Unnamed Smash Mod is a unofficial modification to Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS whose main goal is to increase gameplay speed, restore and introduce iconic Super Smash Bros. gameplay mechanics and tech, while also building upon the basegame of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS with custom artwork and new music. Its website can be found here. The latest updates were published in 2019.
Past
Graphical
I design logos for various projects, which can be found on the graphical design page.
Nintendo Switch hardware mods
My first hardware modification for the Nintendo Switch involved soldering a Tile tracking device into a Nintendo Switch to enable global tracking in case of theft.
These can be placed alongside a Trinket M0-style modchip which automatically injects a payload from the microSD when RCM is detected.
| Device | Modification |
|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch | RCMX86 Payload Injector |
| Nintendo Switch | Tile |
| Nintendo Switch Lite | HWFLY Lite |
| Nintendo Switch OLED | SX Lite |
Nintendo 3DS hardware mods
| Device | Modification |
|---|---|
| New Nintendo 3DS XL | Capture Card |
| New Nintendo 3DS XL | NAND mod |
| New Nintendo 3DS | Capture Card |
Mods for the Nintendo 3DS, across all models. The capture and NAND mods were not installed by myself, however, every other modification was.
Nintendo DS hardware mods
Many Game Boy Macro devices were made. One of them uses a Boxy Pixel shell of anodised aluminium and secondarily includes a custom bottom screen lens with Game Boy Macro "branding."