Xbox 360 (Modding|Modded|Mod|Mods}: What Is It?
Posted by Sarah on Jun 20, 2009
Xbox 360 gaming consoles have been highly popular by gaming fans all around for the many playable games out there. Even when the competition started to get heavy with the other gaming consoles, the Xbox 360 managed to stay in the game and keep their fans. One reason behind that is the success achieved by gamers in modding the device to their liking to overcome limitations, add style, or add functionality and features.
Several consoles including some old ones can be modded, but the Xbox 360 has many PC like components that make it comfortable for modders to work with. In terms of looks, a lot of Xbox 360?s are modded to look like desktop towers to signify that fact.
Modding for the Looks
Artistic people mod their Xbox 360 cases using paint to give their gaming consoles a custom and personalized look. This is done mainly to make the system blend in more either in the room or with other electronic devices like the TV, laptop or desktop computer. Others end up doing it just for the enjoyment and to show off in blogs and gaming forums.
Regular modders usually give their Xbox 360 systems custom paint jobs by using spray paint and aerosol laquer while the more hardcore modders would go as far as tracing patterns on their cases and cutting out designs using a rotary tool. Some modders even go as far as replacing the whole case with a custom built one to make their system look wickedly unique or perform better. This technique can also be done to mod hard drives.
Even those that don’t have the passion of painting can still perform some simple and savvy modifications such as adding LED lights to the system. All this requires is some basic soldering skills and electrical tape making it one of the less risky methods of Xbox 360 modding.
Modding for the Functionality
Those who have more of a knowhow on circuitry and internal components end up opening their cases and fiddle with the components inside by means of adding new electronics or modifying existing ones. One common example of such mod is a mod that allows players to use their keyboard and mouse to play games.
Other Xbox 360 Mods
For even more expanded gameplay, modders go as far as modding their game controllers as well. Modded Xbox 360 controllers usually include button remapping and repositioning. Custom paint jobs can also be made on the controller cases to match the design of the modded casing.
If you aren’t prepared to buy yourself a new Xbox 360, don’t do these modding techniques yourself or have someone else do it. Modding is a skilled activity which is more geared towards style and personality rather than functionality. The functionality aspects are more focused on the game controller or on ways to prevent the system from overheating using specialized cases. It is not an activity that is supported by Microsoft, but plenty of hardcore gamers around managed to forge some awesome designs just by modding their Xbox 360.