Arachnid-like, cyborg demons that first appeared in id Software's 1994 PC video game Doom II: Hell On Earth. UAC demon biologists believe Arachnotrons to be the hellish offspring of the much larger Spider Mastermind.
ABILITIES:
The bulbous, brain-like demon controls its mechanical spider walker by thought alone. The machine's central processing unit is wired directly into the monster's nervous system, allowing flesh and steel to act as one. The walker is internally powered by two banks of nuclear cells that can last as long as four years, under normal operating conditions, before requiring replacement. This quadruped contraption possesses immense strength and can travel easily across all but the steepest of terrains. A blow from one of its legs can demolish a two-foot thick concrete wall. Unlike the Spider Mastermind's conveyance, which sports an artillery-grade chain gun, the Arachnotron's smaller walker is equipped with a plasma cannon similar to the standard-issue model employed by Earth's space marines. This cannon fires deadly streams of highly-energized matter that can burn through even the heaviest armor in seconds. The previously mentioned nuclear cells eliminate the need for reloading and insure an almost endless supply of energy for this devastating weapon. Unlike some of Hell's other denizens, Arachnotrons are quite intelligent. They can read and speak most human languages in addition to Hell's own numerous dialects.
WEAKNESSES:
An Arachnotron has an unimpressive top speed of 8 mph (due in no small part to the heaviness of its metal walker)--an adult human of average physical condition can outrun one if necessary (escaping the generous quantities of plasma the creature will be sending after its fleeing target is another matter entirely). While the spider walker is quite sturdy, the knee and torso joints are vulnerable points. If an enemy can succeed in rendering even one of the mechanical legs inoperable, the creature will become hopelessly crippled. Perhaps the Arachnotron's greatest flaw is that the cybernetic body provides almost no protection to the living demon which controls it. Marine analysts have never been able to determine why Hell's engineers did not incorporate a blast shield, force field, or protective bubble into its design. The robotic spider apparatus is quite noisy when in motion, this ruckus usually gives away the Arachnotron's position long before it can be seen, giving its enemies ample opportunity to prepare for its arrival.
Materials:
Cardboard, Styrofoam, paper toweling, tissue paper, newsprint, white glue, hot glue, electrical wire, a pencil, acrylic paint, and latex paint.
Dimensions:
29.9 cm/11.8 in. x 10.2 cm/4.0 in. (widest point x highest point)
Time:
Four days. Construction began on 6/19/06 and ended on 6/22/06.
Mid-construction photos of my Arachnotron figure
(A) This is a scan of the ink blueprint I drew up and used to construct the basic geometry of the spider walker legs. Dimensions are in centimeters. (B) These are the four complete, but unpainted legs. (C) This is a close-up of the complete demon with its first coat of paint. (D) This is the result of my initial attempt at the body/head of the demon. I didn't like the way it was turning out, so I abandoned it and started over again with a different approach which turned out considerably better. The squiggle piece on the left is an unfinished 'brain' surface element.
For comparison/informational purposes, below are some images of an Arachnotron from the DOOM II: Hell On Earth video game:
REFERENCES:
- DOOM Sega Saturn video game and instruction manual (contains ports of both Ultimate DOOM & DOOM II: Hell On Earth).
- Final DOOM PC video game and instruction manual.
- Wikipedia DOOM II: Hell On Earth entry.
- Various GameFAQs DOOM II: Hell On Earth game guides.
« Return To My id Software Video Game Fan Art Gallery
This is a nonprofit web site.
Any and all copyrighted imagery, terminology, etc., depicted here belongs to its respective holders/owners.
The background graphic is the final boss of DOOM 2: Hell On Earth, The Icon of Sin (Baphomet).
|
