With Nvidia releasing a new RTX supported version for Portal, a wind of nostalgia started to blow again in the game world. Reborn with enhanced lighting and visual effects, Portal aroused the desire to hold a real portal gun in real life in many people. Right at this point, a content creator decided to turn this dream into reality and built a working portal gun from scratch, entirely using 3D printing and electronic components.
Moreover, this project is not just a visual model; it is a fully functional design equipped with light effects, color change features, and iconic sounds from the game. Furthermore, it contains various improvements in addition to the original design.
Solution when ready product is out of stock: Do it yourself
At first, the plan was quite simple: to prepare an Aperture Lab themed costume for Halloween and buy the official portal gun replica. However, the products being out of stock and sold at astronomical prices in the second-hand market completely changed the project.
Although having a full-time job, the creator, who did not find an expenditure at this level logical, found the solution in building his own portal gun. The target was clear:
- It will have light effects
- It will be able to change color
- It will be able to play iconic sounds in the game
At this point, guides on the internet came into play. Especially Everett’s design and assembly guide and lunchbox 79.85’s electronic guide formed the foundation of the project.
150 hour print process and difficult finish phase
In the first stage, the idea of producing two portal guns was put forward. However, at the end of a filament cost exceeding 80 dollars and a print process that took approximately 150 hours, only a single model was completed.
The hard part of the job started after the print. Since the front and back body parts were printed as two separate parts:
- Parts were glued
- Wood filler was applied
- Sand process was done
- Spray paint was applied
- Process was repeated many times
During the sand process, equipment broke, and minor accidents occurred. In the final stage, a smooth and solid color surface was obtained with white spray paint and gloss varnish.
No extra process was done for the black parts. However, it was later learned that sand marks on the plastic could be removed with a heat gun.
Electronic system: Arduino Nano and sound board
At the heart of the portal gun is an Arduino Nano. This board controls:
- 3 LEDs on the front
- LED ring inside the nozzle
- Color change LEDs in the middle tube
- Back control buttons
and sends data to the second board. The second board is responsible for sound effects. However, since it could not provide enough power directly to the speaker, an additional amplifier was used.
An important warning also comes regarding cable management: If you do not adjust the size of the cables correctly before solder, the system can turn into a complete cable mess.
6 important improvements made to original design
In the project, guides were not only followed, but some critical developments were also made.
1. Magnetic and modular back cover
In the original design, screws had to be removed to access the back cover. This meant the upper shell had to not be fixed.
As a solution:
- Velcro band was used
- Old Xbox 360 AV cables were preferred
- Connections were made modular with rare earth magnet
As a result, the back section became completely removable and gained a practical structure.
2. Front nozzle light diffusion improvement
In the original design, the full logo was placed exactly in front of the LED ring. This largely blocked the light.
Instead, a more homogeneous distribution of light was ensured by printing a transparent PETG layer.
3. More affordable Arduino selection
Although Arduino Nano is recommended in the list, a knockoff Arduino Micro was preferred to reduce the cost. However, here the pin layouts must be checked carefully and the code must be edited accordingly.
Power issue and always on power bank solution
The biggest crisis in the project was experienced only three days before the event. The portal gun had not worked for a year and had to be completely dismantled and checked.
The source of the problem was the incompatibility of the system working over two separate USB ports with the power bank. When enough power was not drawn, the power bank was closing the relevant port. This situation caused strange reactions in electronic components.
As a solution, a special “always on” power bank was purchased. Although it was more expensive:
- It provided uninterrupted power
- No charge problem was experienced all weekend
- On-off stability of the device was ensured
Event performance and final status
During the event, the portal gun attracted great attention. Light effects and sounds worked smoothly. The biggest problem was that one of the front arms started to break; however, this part can be easily replaced by printing it again.
Especially thanks to the absence of music in the elevators, the sound system of the device managed to fill the environment.
Conclusion: It is possible to build a real portal gun
This project, started with inspiration from the visual power of Portal RTX, turned into reality thanks to 3D printing, Arduino, and correct guides. Even though the process is laborious, costly, and technically challenging, the result that emerged is quite satisfying both visually and functionally.
This project shows that when you cannot find a ready product or get stuck on a budget barrier, you can produce your own solution with a little research and plenty of patience. If you are also interested in electronic and maker projects, the construction of this kind of a portal gun can be an inspiring start.