Neurotoxic666 asks: "Like many others, my friends and I are going to hold a costumed party for Halloween, however we do not want it to be the typical haunt. We have some talent in computers and electronics, but we're short of ideas. Are there any good gadgets and props that the average geek can build to spice up the party? Of course, there will be the usual ambient sounds and decoration, but we're looking for more interactive, dynamic and techie stuff. One idea I've had is to use the living room computer on the TV and have white noise, ghosts and other creepy effects appear throughout the night. Does anyone have some suggestions, ideas we could build, effects that worked well in your parties? Anything from heart-beating books to special lightning to mad science devices is welcome!"Ads_xl=0;Ads_yl=0;Ads_xp='';Ads_yp='';Ads_xp1='';Ads_yp1='';Ads_par='';Ads_cnturl='';Ads_prf='page=article';Ads_channels='RON_P6_IMU';Ads_wrd='hardhack,ent,askslashdot';Ads_kid=0;Ads_bid=0;Ads_sec=0; Geeky Gadgets for Halloween Parties? Log in/Create an Account | Top | 229 comments (Spill at 50!) | Index Only | Search Discussion Display Options Threshold: -1: 229 comments 0: 217 comments 1: 173 comments 2: 106 comments 3: 26 comments 4: 15 comments 5: 9 comments Flat Nested No Comments Threaded Oldest First Newest First Highest Scores First Oldest First (Ignore Threads) Newest First (Ignore Threads) The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. May be too scary for people with a heart condition (Score:5, Funny) by AppHack (622902) on Saturday October 22, @06:38PM (#13854320) But you could setup a computer running Windows and hook it up to the Internet. [ Reply to ThisRe:May be too scary for people with a heart condit by sefa (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @06:54PMRe:May be too scary for people with a heart condit by tomhudson (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:27PMRe:May be too scary for people with a heart condit by kryten_nl (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:51PMSpeaking of Ballmer by Anonymous Coward (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:27PMRe:Speaking of Ballmer by Krakhan (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @11:17PMRe:May be too scary for people with a heart condit by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @06:56PMRe:May be too scary for people with a heart condit by polysylabic psudonym (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @11:07PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.And for those who are really daring... by elkyle (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:00PMRe:And for those who are really daring... by schon (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @11:43PMUsing a simple EGA adapter and Monitor .... by Alien54 (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @08:54PMRe:Using a simple EGA adapter and Monitor .... by tonsofpcs (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @09:29PMRe:Using a simple EGA adapter and Monitor .... by Alien54 (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @10:12PMRe:Using a simple EGA adapter and Monitor .... by John Zebedee (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @09:48PMRe:Using a simple EGA adapter and Monitor .... by Alien54 (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @10:15PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Oh NO...! by uberdave (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @10:23PMBSOD inspiration by Tablizer (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @11:23PMRe:May be too scary for people with a heart condit by Tablizer (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @11:32PMRe:May be too scary for people with a heart condit by davenkara (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @11:54PMHave to say it .. by karvind (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @06:39PM Re:Have to say it .. (Score:5, Funny) by nile_list (812696) on Saturday October 22, @06:51PM (#13854386) (http://deadbox.ath.cx/) No kidding. When I first started running xscreensaver and hadn't yet configured it (so I hadn't seen what effects were available/selected), I just about toppled over when my debian machine got a BSOD.Needless to say, that effect has been disabled. [ Reply to This | ParentRe:Have to say it .. by Red Alastor (Score:3) Saturday October 22, @08:33PMRe:Have to say it .. by rolfwind (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @06:51PMRe:Have to say it .. by Jonnty (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @07:07PMRe:Have to say it .. by netean (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @07:45PMRe:Have to say it .. by MagusSlurpy (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @11:18PMRe:Have to say it .. by NanoGator (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @12:19AM1 reply beneath your current threshold.The free as in beer method by Jugalator (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @06:40PM2 replies beneath your current threshold.EL Wire! by ChrisKnight (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @06:40PM Re:EL Wire! (Score:5, Informative) by ChrisKnight (16039) <merlin@ghost[ ]el.com ['whe' in gap]> on Saturday October 22, @06:45PM (#13854351) (http://www.ghostwheel.com/) Almost forgot... Cool Neon [coolneon.com] sells an audio sensitive EL Wire [coolneon.com] driver that will let you create responsive designs. I'm using EL Wire [coolneon.com] to decorate our pumpkin this year and some audio sensitive drivers to make it respond to trick-or-treaters.-Chris [ Reply to This | ParentRe:EL Wire! by ChrisKnight (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @07:03PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Re:EL Wire! (Score:5, Interesting) by MoonBuggy (611105) on Saturday October 22, @06:56PM (#13854410) (http://www.spinningatom.com/) UV lights are also good. Anything drinkable that glows is very cool, and extra geek points are achieved if you can drink said glowing liquid from a conical flask or a test tube. Even without the UV, Aftershock (preferably green [thedrinkshop.com]) in a conical flask looks very mad scientisty. The markings on the flask let you see how many shots go in there too.Dry ice rocks, you can do all kinds of mad scientist effects with that stuff. A cool one is to put some pH indicator in water and then add the dry ice - lots of bubbles, thick white smoke rolling down the sides and the liquid changes colour as it becomes acidic. Lots of flash from a very simple reaction. You might need to do some creative googling to find sources of dry ice, but last time I was looking it was fairly cheap; in the region of £15 for 10kg of pellets. [ Reply to This | Parent Re:EL Wire! (Score:4, Funny) by ChrisKnight (16039) <merlin@ghost[ ]el.com ['whe' in gap]> on Saturday October 22, @06:59PM (#13854425) (http://www.ghostwheel.com/) Red Bull glows in UV (black lights). :)-Chris [ Reply to This | ParentRe:EL Wire! by Neurotoxic666 (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @10:58PMRe:EL Wire! by harp2812 (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @07:55PMRe:EL Wire! by adamjaskie (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @08:30PMRe:EL Wire! by polysylabic psudonym (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @11:54PMBlacklight liquid? by SonicSpike (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @11:01PMRe:EL Wire! by Xaroth (Score:3) Saturday October 22, @11:52PM2 replies beneath your current threshold.Offtopic? by ChrisKnight (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @08:19PMBogus Modding by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @09:47PM multichannel audio (Score:5, Interesting) by BlueJay465 (216717) on Saturday October 22, @06:40PM (#13854331) if you have a multichannel setup (4+ speakers) you can always try and produce some creepy 3D audio, making it seem like it's from a moving source. [ Reply to ThisRe:multichannel audio by po8 (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @12:29AM1. Theramin 2. Girls 3. Genuine geek by fuzzy12345 (Score:3) Saturday October 22, @06:40PMRe:1. Theramin 2. Girls 3. Genuine geek by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:15PMRe:1. Theramin 2. Girls 3. Genuine geek by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:22PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Singing Buck by JohnPerkins (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @06:43PMRe:Singing Buck by Seumas (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:07PM Linux CDs (Score:5, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 22, @06:43PM (#13854346) Thankfully, I was able to get 200 Ubuntu 5.10 "Breezy Badger" LiveCD+Installer CDs well before Halloween, so in addition to the delicious cheezy treats that I'll be handing out, I'll also be giving out the gift of open source. Is anyone else doing this?-- @T4C [ Reply to ThisRe:Linux CDs by Kraeloc (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @06:44PMBad Idea by keithmo (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:12PMRe:Bad Idea by JamieB226 (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @12:47AMRe:Linux CDs by Mad_Rain (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:52PMRe:Linux CDs by Red Alastor (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @08:39PM9 replies beneath your current threshold. I would suggest (Score:4, Funny) by Omnieiunium (872399) <canadiancanuck@@@gmail...com> on Saturday October 22, @06:49PM (#13854375) (http://luke.canrg.com/blog/ | Last Journal: Wednesday October 05, @12:07AM) getting some girls there, but since you posted this on slashdot... [ Reply to ThisNow that you mention it... by edunbar93 (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @12:20AM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Parallax by Dr. Mu (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @06:49PM All kinds of neat things :-) (Score:5, Informative) by Vario (120611) on Saturday October 22, @06:53PM (#13854390) We had several low- and high tech things at our Halloween parties. Just to give you some ideas I list some fun stuff: infrared motion detector in the bathroom, no other lights working and when a person enters a small light in the shower goes on and an mp3-player starts playing music from Psycho a stuffed animal sitting in the washing machine with a led light and a pen. The animal wrote "help me!" on the inside of the glass door something like this here http://cgi.ebay.de/STERNENHIMMEL-LED-Sauna-LAMPE-D esign-Leuchte-UVP-499_W0QQitemZ4408536089QQcategor yZ107585QQcmdZViewItem [cgi.ebay.de] and then using the individual lights to create ghosts, bats, etc. a dancing skeleton as a screensaver on the tv the obligatory spider coming down from the ceiling on a stringJust google a bit to get plenty of other ideas. Liquid latex is also a very nice thing to make fake body parts, that you can stick between a door or something. [ Reply to ThisBad Idea by EZLeeAmused (Score:3) Saturday October 22, @08:57PMRe:All kinds of neat things :-) by Cerdic (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @09:02PMRe:All kinds of neat things :-) by forkazoo (Score:3) Saturday October 22, @09:16PMRe:All kinds of neat things :-) by merlin_jim (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @12:48AMMore with lights and speakers by thetorpedodog (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @09:40PMThe ultimate Halloween drink dispenser! by ikewillis (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @10:40PMRe:All kinds of neat things :-) by Neurotoxic666 (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @10:43PMled light? by chocolatetrumpet (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @12:08AM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Get this... (Score:5, Funny) by Frogbert (589961) on Saturday October 22, @06:54PM (#13854396) A lifesize Jack Thompson complete with fangs! [ Reply to ThisRe:Get this... by slavemowgli (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:15PM Head in a Jar (Score:4, Funny) by Richard W.M. Jones (591125) <rich AT annexia DOT org> on Saturday October 22, @06:55PM (#13854399) (http://www.annexia.org/) Head in a Jar [madhauscreative.com]anyone? [ Reply to ThisFire Breathing Carved Pumpkin by aarku (Score:3) Saturday October 22, @06:55PMRe:Fire Breathing Carved Pumpkin by flemflam (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @08:32PMYikes by Bozdune (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @09:43PM Dot matrix printer motion controller (Score:4, Insightful) by G4from128k (686170) on Saturday October 22, @06:55PM (#13854403) If you have an old (pre-USB) computer and an old dot matrix printer, then you can use it to create two axes of motion control for moving dismembered hands, dangling spiders, etc. Sending the right bytes out through the serial or parallel port will cause the print head and feed rollers to move on command. For extra credit, one can wire switches into a keyboard so that the system detects when a door opens, etc. With a bit of programming, the system can be quite interactive.The modern stuff is not as easy to hack in this way because its hard to talk directly to the hardware -- too many drivers, libraries, and embedded smarts between the CPU and the printer's motors. [ Reply to ThisRe:Dot matrix printer motion controller by LiquidCoooled (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @11:04PM If you have a good suit... (Score:4, Funny) by Slashdiddly (917720) on Saturday October 22, @06:59PM (#13854423) you could dress as a RIAA lawyer. [ Reply to This1 reply beneath your current threshold.how about...? by cryptoz (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @07:00PMSmoke machine sensor by itscoldhere (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:02PMJacobs Ladder by notb4dinner (Score:3) Saturday October 22, @07:03PMPumpkin projector by proverbialcow (Score:3) Saturday October 22, @07:03PM Time Machine (Score:5, Interesting) by mathgenius (526070) on Saturday October 22, @07:05PM (#13854450) (http://arrowtheory.com/) Get a strobe onto some dripping milk. When the strobe is flicking at the same frequency as the driping it looks like the drops are suspended in time. Adjust the strobe frequency and you can watch the splashes form back into droplets and move back up into the spout they came from. I built something like this at a party once, in a darkened room, it was a big hit. Called it a "time machine". Simon. [ Reply to ThisRe:Time Machine by xerid (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @10:35PMRe:Time Machine by Tablizer (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @11:26PMRe:Time Machine by xerid (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @11:54PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.mad scientist props by delirium of disorder (Score:3) Saturday October 22, @07:10PMRe:mad scientist props by entrigant (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @12:26AMSteve Ballmer with throwing chairs! by antdude (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:14PMMy trick by dangitman (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:14PMWhat about... by PornMaster (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:14PMScary? by heller (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:18PMRe:Scary? by Hosiah (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @08:36PMRe:Scary? by heller (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @09:53PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.All-time spookiest music from Kraftwerk by ccmay (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:21PMGadgets by JeffGB (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @07:23PMRe:Gadgets (Lasers!) by Buffo (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @07:55PMRe:Gadgets by NIK282000 (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:42PMHow about this....... by Garion911 (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:23PMRe:How about this....... by MoonBuggy (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:28PMGreat Costume site! by Tsu Dho Nimh (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:26PMStandard Mad Scientist costume prop by shawb (Score:3) Saturday October 22, @07:29PMShameless plug by mustafap (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @07:29PMa better link by mustafap (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @07:38PMFind a good book on animatronics. by oneiros27 (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:29PMIdeas we've done or considered by Anonymous Daredevil (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:30PMRe:Ideas we've done or considered by Gilmoure (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @10:11PMRe:Ideas we've done or considered by dave1212 (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @12:50AMEerie "projector" tv by RPI Geek (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:36PMRe:Eerie "projector" tv by mboverload (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @07:57PMWebcam with effects by drange_net (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @07:38PMRe:Webcam with effects by drange_net (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @07:44PMCheck out the latest MAKE mag...... by Mr._Galt (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @07:38PMA Few Ideas by miyako (Score:3) Saturday October 22, @07:43PMRe:A Few Ideas by frisket (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @08:18PMRe:A Few Ideas by lowid (24) _________ (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:18PMRe:A Few Ideas by Geoffreyerffoeg (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @08:19PMRe:A Few Ideas by ephraimX (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:20PMRe:A Few Ideas by miyako (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @09:46PMRe:A Few Ideas by Geoffreyerffoeg (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @08:25PMRe:A Few Ideas by forkazoo (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @09:26PMRe:A Few Ideas by Geoffreyerffoeg (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @10:26PMRe:A Few Ideas by sammy baby (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @11:16PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.The best pumpkin ever by hhg (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @07:47PMTrue geeks don't go to parties. by Internet_Communist (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:54PMRe:True geeks don't go to parties. by Seumas (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:15PMRe:True geeks don't go to parties. by Internet_Communist (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @08:22PMRe:True geeks don't go to parties. by edunbar93 (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @12:50AMChicks dig monkeys by mackman (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @08:02PMfriends by T-Bone_142 (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:08PMTV in/out by linforcer (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:15PMdammit by rupert0 (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:23PMRe:dammit by ninja_assault_kitten (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:34PMBooks chock full of creepy ideas: by Hosiah (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @08:23PMObligatory by andrewagill (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:23PMHalloween == /dev/null Nethack Tournament! by SpamSlapper (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @08:23PMParty? by locokamil (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:28PMHalloweenforum.com by Torgen (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:34PMAt the risk of being Slashdotted by Nogahide (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:37PMThe average geek should... by dom1234 (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:38PMEffecTV by majkqball (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:39PMBoo Tube by alernon (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @08:51PMEndless Tunnel by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:55PMFear. by Bezben (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @08:55PMHigh Voltage!!! by mengel (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @08:58PMShock Photos by flashnode (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @09:00PMliquid nitrogen white russian ice cream by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @09:03PMfembots by binarybum (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @09:12PMOne way to spice up the party... by howajo (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @09:25PMHolograms by jitterysquid (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @09:26PMGAHH!!! by aaron_ds (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @09:59PMAnimated Hands by eonlabs (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @10:15PMHehe... by ecko3437 (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @10:32PMBoar's skull by edgecrusher64 (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @10:36PMHang a raft from the ceiling by Subrafta (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @10:47PMI really like this question.. by tobe (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @10:48PMObligatory by Neurotoxic666 (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @11:03PMAssembly, etc. by tuna_boat_tony (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @11:04PMTron Guy by Tablizer (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @11:17PMMovie: Freddy Cruger Vs. Goatse by Tablizer (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @11:29PMPickles by Migraineman (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @11:31PMhalloween gadgets by Takei Shihan (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @12:20AMAdult Pinata by StefanJ (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @12:49AMRe:Who needs gadgets... by Hogwash McFly (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @06:54PM Re:Halloween? (Score:4, Interesting) by tomhudson (43916) <thudson@@@gmail...com> on Saturday October 22, @07:33PM (#13854545) (Last Journal: Saturday October 22, @07:20PM) Dude, what are you - ten years old?! Hallowe'en is now the second-largest holiday cash generator for businesses, right behind Christmas.People spend hundreds of bucks each on parties for ADULTS. Or go to any bar on Hallowe'en and try to say there isn't some serious coin being raked in.It's #2 in terms of revenue, but its #1 in terms of profitability, because you don't see the wild discounting like you do weeks before Christmas.You can always find something to buy on Christmas Eve - just TRY to find a costume the day before Hallowe'en - you'll be stuck wearing a "costume" you made from a roll of aluminium foil you scrounged from the pantry and some duct tape. [ Reply to This | ParentRe:Halloween? by forkazoo (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @09:31PMRe:Halloween? by tomhudson (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @10:25PMRe:Halloween? by _randy_64 (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @09:59PMRe:Halloween? by tomhudson (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @10:36PMRe:Halloween? by raoul666 (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @10:01PMRe:Halloween? by JoeCommodore (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @10:46PMRe:Halloween? by tomhudson (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @11:02PMRe:Halloween? by tomhudson (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @08:29PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Dude, you need to get out more. by jonfromspace (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:40PMRe:Who needs gadgets... by MrShaggy (Score:1) Saturday October 22, @07:43PMRe:I Hate halloween. by Anonymous Coward (Score:2) Saturday October 22, @07:45PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.23 replies beneath your current threshold.