Mechanical sidekick Claptrap, one of the few constants between the first Borderlands and the second, is the subject of this terrific custom model made by Kotaku reader Psychobob.

A man with access to a 3D printer, which he's put to good use previously, Psychobob's Claptrap model is ridiculously detailed, and even lights up, in case we weren't impressed enough.

Which was silly.

3D Print: CL4P-TP (Commissioned piece) - The actual build [Psychobob]

Tobey was a longtime 2K Games community officer (going back to 2006—basically when 2K Games was formed) and, full disclosure, her dog cameoed in a Kotaku 'Shop Contest earlier this year. In the spring, she moved on from 2K to Trion Worlds for a better gig, before the release of two big games she was working on for 2K—Borderlands 2 and XCOM: Enemy Unknown.

Tobey ran through the credits of Borderlands 2 and didn't see her name where it should be.

This disappointment doesn't come from the narcissism of "Hey, I was in that show!" that most people associate with screen credits. "We all know that folks leave games before they are complete sometimes, but that doesn't negate the months and often years of work they put into a title," Tobey wrote on a personal blog. "I worked on Borderlands 2 since it was conceived and left just over three months before it shipped.

"As such, I am officially not recognized as ever having worked on the title," she says.

"Stripping people out of credits is wrong" Tobey writes, and not because of a single person's vanity. "Our industry lives and dies by official records. Whether you are a designer, a programmer, or a marketing person, if you have worked on a game for the vast majority of its production, you should be titled in the game as the role you served during the vast majority of development."

Kotaku reached out to 2K Games representatives for a comment and was told that, as a standard practice, all employees are listed in the credits by their title at the time a game is certified. "Elizabeth Tobey had left 2K before Borderlands 2 reached certification, which is why she is listed in the ‘Special Thanks' section."

So Tobey is in the credits but she is not listed by the title under which she contributed to the game during its development lifespan, as she feels she should be.

"‘Special Thanks' includes many of the people who worked very hard to make the launch of Borderlands 2 a success without an official title at 2K at the time of certification. We appreciate all of the hard work Elizabeth put into every game she worked on while at 2K."

That's kind, but it doesn't address Tobey's main demand. "The point of this blog post is not just to lament the fact I was taken out of the credits of a game I worked on for years. It's to shed light on the fact that in the gaming industry, it's standard practice to do this, and that has real and permanent effects on employee resumes and possibly people's futures."

I'm not an idealist. Gamers don't watch the credits unless they get an achievement or a trophy for scrolling them all the way to the end. And Elizabeth Tobey's name wasn't going to be the first on the list even if she stuck around.

But she's right. If you're a staff contributor to a creative work, you deserve to be listed by the title under which you contributed that work. If she's left out of the credits of a massive group project like a video game or, more importantly, her name and title in its official credits doesn't square with what she claims on her own resume, then there is no long-term benefit to her career for working on a video game. And video games fire creative staff after they ship, all the damn time.

I have, theoretically, long-term benefits to my career even from the stories I wrote 20 years ago about drunken lance corporals who broke into furniture stores in Onslow County, N.C., or potatoes that looked like Bill Clinton. My name is printed above those stories. If nothing else, they certify my experience in daily news writing that many employers demand—or used to, anyway—before looking at your resume in this line of work.

Without those bylines, I don't have anything to show for what I did between 1995 and 2004. Tobey's work wasn't printed every day on paper. But her knowledge and skill is no less a marketable commodity and she is expected to be her own brand in an industry driven by contract labor, with exceptionally high turnover. Her career, therefore, depends greatly on a line of code at the end of a three year video game project. Without that proper credit, the least of what is due to her, there's no real verifiable record of her work. Unless she kept the stubs on her paychecks.

The Issue of Credits [Elizabeth Tobey]

What's the most badass weapon you've seen in Borderlands 2?

We'll start.

Above is my favorite and best weapon. Sure, I've got a Tediore rocket launcher that does over 10k damage. (Although the danger with having a Tediore-made rocket launcher is that I'll forget it shoots out an extra rocket when I reload it. And sometimes I reload while looking at my feet. Yeah...)

But this little guy burns enemies to death and therefore rarely needs more than one or two shots on enemies equal to my level. It's also pretty nice looking.

Then there are the more rare weapons and the, um, Mad Moxxi variety of weapons.

Readers, show us the most badass weapon you've come across in your playthroughs of Borderlands 2.

Submit your pics below.

Maya is the sexiest—and also the first character I chose to roll as in the recently released sequel to Gearbox's hit FPS/RPG hybrid—so she's obviously my first choice in terms of wallpaper.

But the rest of these designs made by CodyAWilliams are just as suitable. Though, I personally prefer the more colorful designs.

Take a look at each in their full sizes below:

Borderlands 2 Wallpaper [deviantART via Reddit]

Lorin Wood works at Gearbox. Last week, Gearbox released Borderlands 2. This is Kotaku's concept art showcase feature. You can see where this is going.

Aside from his Borderlands stuff, Wood has also worked on Colonial Marines, while outside of Gearbox, he's worked for companies like Disney, Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox.

You can see more of Lorin's stuff on his personal site (thanks, CAW!).

To see the larger pics in all their glory (or so you can save them as wallpaper), right-click on them below and select "open in new tab".

We all know that Borderlands 2 contains a ton of secrets, references and easter eggs. But I've found something that's not on any "best secrets" list… it's something truly mysterious and perplexing that may change the way you feel about the world and your place in it.

I've become enamored of Borderlands 2's reflections—in standing water or through my gun's scope, the world of Pandora is often bent and refracted as if through a lens. As I was wandering the hub-town of Sanctuary, I discovered the above phenomenon, in which the water reflects a mountain but no buildings, and then reflects buildings that AREN'T THERE.

I took out my capture software and went all Ghost Hunters on it, capturing footage of the bizarre, paranormal phenomenon.

Is this perhaps a GHOST CITY, lingering beneath the depths?

Or maybe a PORTAL INTO ANOTHER DIMENSION, a bizarro world where people talk out their differences and no one's ever heard of a "grenade mod"?

Or perhaps it's just a graphical bug? WE MAY NEVER KNOW.

There is a rather nasty reset bug out there that seems to be hitting certain players of Borderlands 2.

In Borderlands 2, players earn badass tokens for completing certain challenges. Tokens can be spent on skins and upgrades. As reproduced above by YouTube user RyogaWanderer, players affected by the bug are finding their badass totals reset, while the challenges they have completed remain marked completed—meaning that the players whose totals have dropped can't re-earn those lost tokens. Items and upgrades purchased with badass tokens are also vanishing, without returning the tokens to the players' totals.

Players on the game's forums are reporting that this has happened on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC versions of the game.

Gearbox community manager Chris Faylor wrote on the forums that Gearbox is looking into a fix. In the meantime, players have suggested a variety of tips for avoiding the bug, which seems to relate to profile save corruption, on 360 and on PS3.

We've asked Gearbox for comment and will update if we hear back.

Badass rank reset to 0, skins lost, but challenge progress remains. [Borderlands 2 official forum]

YouTuber and insane person BlackLightAttack has a knack for completely and intentionally misinterpreting games to silly results. His latest mutilation: Borderlands 2.

For my favorite line, skip ahead a little bit.

60 Second Let's Play: Borderlands 2 [BlackLightAttack]

Matt Siegfried wanted to be first.

So, the championship gamer—who's already notched #1 rankings in various titles—got Borderlands 2 as soon as he could at a midnight launch and started playing right away.

Less than two days later, Siegfried (who plays under the name "Blitz") set a time record for hitting the level cap of Gearbox's hit sequel in 43 hours, 15 minutes. You can head over to Siegfried's TwitchTV page to watch his epic run in real time.

Watch live video from mattblitz on TwitchTV

Fastest Time To Reach Level 50 In "Borderlands 2"
[Recordsetter, via PatrickScottPatterson]

Borderlands 2 is a game that will keep you happily busy for some time. But if you want to experience all the game has to offer, you'll have to hunt after all the easter eggs and hidden secrets. And there are a lot. Here are just a few we've found. Let us know if you've discovered others because, knowing Gearbox, there certainly are more. Don't forget to click to expand images.

If you don't want anything spoiled for you, feel free to stop reading right about now.

Fight the Creepers of Minecraft, Get a Skin

Fight creepers and win a Minecraft-inspired head skin for your character in the Caustic Caverns. Learn how to do so here.

Update: You can also pick up a Hyperion-manufactured weapon that shoots Minecraft arrows, as seen in XxTONYDATIG3RxX's video to your left.

Deliver Pizza to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Mmm pizza. Pretend to deliver pizza to four mutants named Lee, Dan, Mick and Ralph. Kind of familiar, wouldn't you say? Game Front shows you where to find these color-coordinated mutants in the video to your left.

Update: A couple of you pointed out that there's a hidden boss that you can release with four switches in a room near the mutant turtles. Here's a video that includes said boss—Flinter—a reference to Master Splinter.

There's also a box of pizza with Mad Moxxi's picture on it, right next to a QR code. If you scan the code you get a quote from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film:

"Wise man say forgiveness is divine but never pay full price for late pizza.- Captain Picard"

You can see it in the image up above, thanks to The Childhood Improver.

Find the Fallout 3 Gun Dedicated To The Game's Radio Host

There's a shotgun in Borderlands 2 that's both a reference and homage to Fallout 3's Three Dog. The gun is called Thre Dog. Check it out in YouTube user DeltaVT's capture to your left. If you're curious where to find it, MorninAfterKill has the guide.

Open Se7en's Box, and Find Kenny Loggins From Top Gun

Game Front comes to your aid yet again to find a special weapon called Neutralizing Gwen. Oh, and a female skull next to it. It's a reference to the famous last scene in Se7en, and Handsome Jack will even yell, "What's in the box? What's in the box?" as you open it.

In the video is also a character named Loggins, a reference to Kenny Loggins whose "Danger Zone" was on the Top Gun soundtrack. He even mentions a "danger zone". Check out the video for both movie references.

Look Like a Beefier Version of Breaking Bad's Walter White

You can give Salvador Walter White's head with the "Breaking Bald" head skin. A Reddit user found it in the image you see to the left.

Dress Up Maya In a Fried Gold Reference To Spaced/Shaun of the Dead

"Fried gold" is a term used to call something awesome. It was used in both the British show Spaced as well as the Shaun of the Dead film. You can dress Maya up in the skin called Slice of Fried Gold that you see in the non-existent image below. (If you have one, lemme know!) Update: Thanks for the image callmeJackz!

Find The Sign With Internet Speak

YouTube user TheLoyalJoe found a sign on a bandit outhouse that says "Dook Hut. No Fapping!" Fapping is Internet for masturbation.

Admire The Double Rainbow All The Way, Man

Game Front tells you how to find the double rainbow in the Highlands, referencing a man's admiration that turned meme. You even get an achievement for finding it, and listening to Handsome Jack reenact the excitement over a double rainbow.

Find The Knight of the Sun From Dark Souls As He's Sunbathing

Reddit user recc113 found Solitaire, a reference to the Knight of the Sun Solaire in Dark Souls, hidden in Caustic Caverns.

Game Front also has a video walkthrough of how to find this particular easter egg.

Don't Laugh At Skyrim's "Arrow to the Knee" Joke

If you talk to the citizens of Sanctuary, you'll hear a reference to the "arrow to the knee" meme born from Skyrim. Take a look at the video to the left courtesy of YouTube user TehEmerton.

Kill Donkey Kong and King Kong, Kind Of

This one gets you an achievement if you can find and kill Donkey Mong, a rare bullymong enemy. Game Front to the rescue.

Update: In addition to Donkey Mong, there's also King Mong, a play on King Kong. Though he won't grant you an achievement for killing him, but you can watch DirtyonXBL kill him in the video to the left.

Meet Michael Mamaril Immortalized As A Character

A big fan of Borderlands who sadly passed away at a very young age was immortalized in Borderlands 2. Game Front shows you where you can find his in-game character, where he will bestow a weapon to you, which you can grab for an achievement.

Dance To Claptrap's Dubstep Beat

Claptrap sings dubstep. For more wub wub. Found by Computer and Video Games, in the video to the left.

Handle Mad Moxxi's Scandalous Weapons With Care

Mad Moxxi will give you two weapons—Miss Moxxi's Good Touch and Miss Moxxi's Bad Touch—for tipping her $15k+ in Sanctuary. Gameranx tells you about the special vibrating features of the guns, and you can see them in the video to the left from YouTube user CookielMonsterr.

Go To Nathan Fillion's Gun Store

Game Front spotted a reference to Nathan Fillion—star of the awesome Firefly—in Liar's Berg where there's a sign posted that says "Fillion's Ammunition and Arms."

Fight For World of Warcraft's Horde

Another spot by Game Front is a badass challenge called "For the Hoard!" which is a familiar line often spoken by Blizzard's Horde creatures.

Fight Batman, Kind Of

YouTube user RifleGaming shows you a reference to Batman. You can encounter an enemy called Rakkman in The Fridge who lives in a batcave and throws smoke bombs and boomerangs for his attacks.

Dress Like The Joker

You can pick up a a "Why so serious?" skin for Zer0 that references the Joker with his trademark color scheme. YouTube user EdwrdTriggaHnds shows it off to the left.

Fight The Lion King's Timon and Pumbaa

The lovable meerkat and warthog duo featured in The Lion King are referenced in Borderlands 2 with these two enemies: a skag and a stalker. It's also a reference to the trailer Gearbox launched that featured the memorable music from the film that Timon and Pumbaa sang together. Found to your left by MrRhymestyle.

Avoid The Lava To Find These Hidden Skins

If you tread the path carefully like XGeNReaL did here, you can stumble on four different hidden skins. It seems like the Medic Mantis and Metal Fear skins could be Metal Gear references. Zer0's Alienation skin could very well be an Aliens film reference, as it certainly looks that way. And my guess for Marshall Mustache is that it's either a How I Met Your Mother doppelganger or some Western-set game reference. John Marston? Eh, he had a full bear going on. Close enough?

Stalk Roland's Facebook Page

Apparently Roland and overly attached Lilith are in a relationship. I can hear hearts breaking everywhere. Thanks SlayrProductions.

Scan the QR Code for Nick Wilson's Message

There are a few QR codes to find, but this one found by AngryL3perchaun is a cute message from one of the developers.

Nick Wilson makes his appearance in a few others, too. This one found by FillerKillers.

Walk Around Fyrestone from Borderlands 1

If you wander the Arid Badlands, you'll recognize some of the location as the starter zone from the first game. And you might be as excited as Warf3reHD and his friends were.

Go On A DuckTales Adventure With Hubert, Dubert, and Lubert

You can hang with Huey, Dewey, and Louie from DuckTales. Well, almost. Hashtagaming found these three midgets that seem like a nudge to the ducks.

Talk To Steve Heyoo!

YouTube user deathmule found Steve, the bandit that's been making his promotional rounds since Borderlands 1.

Find And Kill Jimmy Jenkins

Jimmy Jenkins is a mech enemy—the result of an accidental abomination—that you can kill to complete a challenge. Watch xXEVILMONKEYX kill the loader in the video to your left.

Let us know what we missed!

Update: You guys have been throwing secrets out there, so I've gone ahead and added them to the list. Kudos to you all.

Kill Snow White and Her Seven Dwarfs

TehCodehzor stumbled on Laney White and her seven dwarf (known as midgets in the Borderlands universe) minions. You can see Sleazy, Dirty, Tipsy, Crabby, Bloody, Greedy and Creepy in the video to your left.

Prepare for Winter

Several of you have pointed out that a citizen in Sanctuary will say, "Winter is coming" when you speak with them. That's a reference to Game of Thrones.

Don't Break Mad Moxxi's Heart For This Shotgun

A certain quest you turn in to Mad Moxxi will give you a shotgun with a description that says, "I don't want to set the world on fire." This is a reference to a song that belongs to Fallout 3's soundtrack. Mạnh Quân Nguyễn found the image of the gun that you can see to the left.

Mourn the Loss of The Dr. Who Actors

Here's a reference to several eras of Dr. Who actors. Thanks for the image, Hadrian Mosley!

Dress Zer0 Up In a Daft Punk Helmet

xXEVILMONKEYX gives you a tutorial on how to get a Daft Punk helmet skin.

Dress Zer0 Up Like The Battletoads

Yet another skin for Zer0 is this reference to Battletoads. OMFG Network has a bunch of Zer0's appearance options for you to sort through.

Make the Gunzerker Blue Himself

Thanks to reader Joshua, we have this clip to your left of the "I Blue Myself' skin, which is a reference to Arrested Development.

I'll keep adding in more secrets and easter eggs as we/you find them.