/vr/ - Retro Games

>4-10 quarters per game/continue

holy fuck, imagine playing ghosts 'n' goblins

you'd be bankrupt in a day

>>688608
It's inflation, bruh. Can't do nothin' 'bout the economy.

Sounds like more of a pain in the ass than tokens. Which you can't even exchange back to actual quarters.

Just play MAME. There's no shame in it.

If you require MORE accuracy, without building/buying a cab, see this

https://www.google.com/search?q=arcade+resolution+arcade+monitor

If you want atmosphere, maybe find a Blockbuster that's closing and ask for the cheap carpeting, install said carpeting, buy some soda and cheap pizza (e.g. little caesars), and invite some people.

My local arcade charges $10 entry to play until close, every machine is set to free play.

how would i go about having my own NAIOMI cabinet with marvel vs capcom 2 installed

>>688659
-Get tv
-Get ps2/dc/xbox + mvc2
-Put the tv on a chair inside a portapotty, cut a hole in it so you can see, hook up the game console
-Instant arcade machine

>>688653
Leave it to anon to not only figure out how to emulate arcade games, but how to emulate the entire arcade

We've reached a new level of emulation, gentlemen

>>688656
Hot damn, how do they not run out of business? That's fucking awesome. Kinda makes some of the games a bit easy though, doesn't it? Basically infinite continues, though I guess you can always just limit yourself.

>>688659
Dunno, but the NAOMI itself might be the most expensive thing.

Luckily, mvc2 is a cart and not a cdrom or gdrom disc so you don't have to wait ~20 mins (based how long I've seen Guilty Gear X2 take) for it to be loaded onto the nvram.

>>688675
Time is also a big factor

I just came back from an arcade, I probably won't return because parking was a bit too much (I ended up spending 10.50 for parking which was more than I spent at the arcade for about three or so hours).

I liked some of the games they had, I enjoyed the Alien's Versus Predator and Strikers 1999, but holy hell were there a ton of fighting games.

I will continue trying to find an arcade I might enjoy next week.

>>688608
It's time to move to Japan, man. They have Metal Slug at every candy store.

>>688653
Ahh, yeah, I guess. Maybe one of these days I'll just buy myself an MVS-2 or one of those Multicade machines.

>>688683
10 yen a game too

>>688675
It alos means you have to play worth 40 continues every time to make it worth it. Assuming a credit gives you about 10 minutes of play time, you'd have to play more than six hours to not make a loss in comparison to the quarter system. There are no casual, unplanned trips to the arcade.

>>688683
B-but won't they dislike white piggu like me?

>that feel when i have a ton of local "arcades"
>that feel when each arcade is actually just a cheap front for electronic gambling operations and there are no actual arcade games

o-okay

An arcade just opened up near where I live. It's mostly a retro arcade with a pretty good selection. They even serve fucking ice cream too.

>>688675
"FUCK, I gotta go home to do something real quick. Ehh...I'll probably be back later." That's about $20, just for one person, that the arcade might make.

>>688671
Nah, it's still pretty inaccurate. The biggest challenge would be figuring out how to also add the smells of feet and armpit that every arcade seems to have.

No way to make a teenage couple to appear and make out at a machine at the exact time you want to play it.

There's a bar/arcade ("barcade," get it? harhar) downtown but it's in a shitty area of downtown and there's usually bands playing on weekends. Kinda sucks and is usually filled with douches the times I've been.

>>688717
What is it called? I was thinking about going to one next week and I might just save myself the time and not go and try to look for another place to go to.

>>688647
this mentality is bullshit, these places would make more money if they kept prices low, the whole draw of arcade games originally was the low price, it would suck people in and they would just drop quarter after quarter into the machine until they realized they had absolutely no money left, it's like gambling, the higher the initial entry price the less people you are going to lure in.

I think the last arcade my town had closed down in '99, back when I was just a kid.

Such is life in the middle of the rocky mountains.

that's what dave and busters does in manhattan. guess it's more of a party place though

>Live in new hampshire
>live 15 minutes down the road from the world's largest arcade
>happy

>>688713
It's okay, we'll get there one of these days. Did you hear about the latest update to complete arcade emulation? There's a website that sells hand grease and sweat that you can slather onto the buttons and joysticks. They claim it feels just like the real thing, but I'm not sure.

>>688732
Yeah, but 20 years ago a quarter was worth a lot more than today. Back then a dollar would buy you the whole cabinet and the developer would come to your house to shine your boots. My grandpa had to haul two tonnes of coal with nothing but a wheelbarrow and his own muscle every day just to make a nickel. The 1980's were a simpler time and you should appreciate what you got, son. Now off to the arcade and play yourself some gunnamajig Mario kaplowie game! Here's 50 dollars, it might just last ya all afternoon!

>>688713
>>688702
Yeah, but if you compare it with OP's prices, he'd be paying close to 10 bucks for 10 continues

I get where you guys are coming from though

>>688751
Some shit is smellier than other shit.

>>688675
They probably also sell food

>>688732
This. You're more inclined to keep spending money if it's just a simple quarter. When it gets down to 1-3 dollars per continue, especially with a hard game, you're discouraged from spending anymore. Besides, nothing beats the satisfying plunk of a quarter versus the slide of some shitty card or having the machine devour your dollar.

>>688750
>think you are being serious at first
>keep reading
haha, thanks for the laugh

If arcades ever want to make a comeback, we better start seeing machines that blow current consoles and gaming PCs away in terms of power, and virtual reality arcade rooms like in Kid Chameleon.

>>688778
That would be too expensive.

>>688783
didn't stop em back in the day

but yeah, i dont think anybody wants to take that sort of risk in such a dying market

>>688761
when I was a kid, I used to like to image that the snack and soda machines that took dollar bills were actually living money eating monsters... I was a weird kid...

>>688789
Well someone has to re-coup the costs, and it would be expensive to just play the games as well. Don't expect 25 cent games.

>>688791
>I was a weird kid...

Only if you still believed that stuff when you were 12. Having that kind of imagination is normal for a 4 to 6 year old. Also, all boys thought that girls peed out of their butts.

>>688778
Can't do that anymore now.

The appeal of arcade machines back then was that they were superior to home releases in most ways. NAMCO was one of few companies that would do it the other way around.

>>688791
Ha, well hey, I remember those ticket munching machines that would actually make munching noises, so I guess it's not entirely outlandish that you'd think that.

>>688683
>They have Metal Slug at every candy store.
But I already have it, right here.

>>688789
>didn't stop em back in the day
actually it did, why do you think full on 3D machines weren't a thing until the 90s (Atari and a couple other companies tried it in the 80s but no one would buy the machines because they were too expensive) or why VR never actually caught on?

Arcade by me

>walk in
>get wristband
>all machines set to free play
>play as much as you want
>cashier scans wristband as you leave
>pay for the time you spent in the arcade
>$8 an hour

games list- http://yestercades.com/games

>>688798
>Also, all boys thought that girls peed out of their butts.

My parents STRAIGHT UP told me this. Was it really too lewd for me to know what a vagina was?

>>688806
>$8 an hour
I spent less at the arcade today for about three hours. Sounds like a rip to me.

>>688803
gib me

>>688805
please stop ruining my dreams anon

>>688806
>$8 an hour

see

>>688702

You are either terrible at math or terrible at being a human. Even assuming that one credit only lasts you only 3 minutes of play time, $8 would STILL bet worth at least one and a half hours in quarters.

>>688798
>>688809
did you guys really think this when you were a kid?
I had a sister so I knew better...
also I wanted to be a girl... so... yeah
>inb4 le priv

>>688805
>why do you think full on 3D machines weren't a thing until the 90s
Because fast 3D rasterization hardware wasn't developed until then. The early Sega 3D games were developed in partnership with Martin Marietta - you know, the defense and aerospace company (now part of Lockheed-Martin).

>>688827
>also I wanted to be a girl... so... yeah

Me too, but I still thought that girls had nothing where boys had pee pees and I thought they peed out of their butts.

>>688798
it wasn't actually that I believed it, more just that I always had a very active imagination, I always knew the difference between fantasy and reality, I think I had figured out that santa didn't exist when I was like 4 or 5

>>688801
>Ha, well hey, I remember those ticket munching machines that would actually make munching noises
I do not remember those at all... was this in the US?

>>688827
>>688831
You guys have vagina envy. It's pretty common.

Apparently, James Cameron has it.

>>688841
I don't really have vagina envy at all...

>>688836
>I think I had figured out that santa didn't exist when I was like 4 or 5

Y-you mean he doesn't?!

>>688841
>You guys have vagina envy

How can you be envious of something you have no concept of?

Besides,

>Freudian psychonalysis

nah, man.

>>688818
no

>all games are multilingual and select the language based on your motherboard BIOS
truly the neo-geo is a marvel of modern engineering

>>688843
Yeah, they were in some arcades with games that gave tickets as a reward for doing well in the games. You could put the tickets into a machine and it would dispense a receipt so that you didn't have to lug a fuckton of tickets around.

>>688859
>How can you be envious of something you have no concept of?

How can I know anything about a game I don't play?

>>688859
I know I know, but it makes for some good conversation doesn't it?

ANYWAY

Arcades. Should they die?

>getting mad that arcades "cater to babies"

You cretinous motherfucker. How on earth can you bemoan in one breath that arcades are dying yet snidely complain that an arcade is being geared towards younger people.

You cannot comprehend the depth of my contempt for your ignorance.

>>688856
>truly the neo-geo is a marvel of modern engineering

it damn well better be with how fucking huge those carts are, man

>>688870
Freudians and feminist theory without any relation to the empirical world should die.

>>688872
I was just trying to point out that the target age group couldn't even reach the guns for most of the light-gun games, and as a whole the games there REALLY aren't catered for that demographic.

I have zero problem with arcades being catered towards little kids. It's just not my first choice to actually go to. Would you go to a Chuck-E-Cheese?

>>4-10 quarters per game/continue
jews gonna jew

>>688876
Gotta store those extra graphics somewhere.

>>688873
>How can I know anything about a game I don't play?

Ask /v/, they're experts on this topic

>>688885
>Would you go to a Chuck-E-Cheese?
yes

>>688885
>Would you go to a Chuck-E-Cheese?
Are you kidding me?

I don't know of any person: kid or adult, who would not go to Chuck-E-Cheese.

>>688894
This guy; I like you.

I was referring to the fact that you can certainly read or observe parts or whole of a game to have the 'concept' of it; without having had firsthand experience with it. Same with a vagina... kinda.

Op, the time has come that you make a great pilgrimage to Weirs Beach, NH.

>>688885
eh, ok, sorry to rage on you. It came across more as one of those "YOU CAN'T APPRECIATE MY TRUE CHILDHOOD" things.

Pointing out that the games aren't stuff the really little kids can easily get at, and that it's just nonideal for you is different

I'll bleed off my remaining rage by making everyone depressed with this photo I took at a movie theater the other day.

>>688885
With a group yes, not by myself. I'd rather not have the cops called on me for being the 24 year old guy there by himself.

>>688910
>Same with a vagina... kinda.

When you read about or observe a game, you still have a concept of it.

>>688920
Yes, that is my point.

>>688904
>I don't know of any person: kid or adult, who would not go to Chuck-E-Cheese.
You probably don't know anyone who has worked there, then.

Protip: The Pizzas have extra grease added so that the cheese flows out evenly.

NEO CRUSH PUNY CART

>>688925
>The Pizzas have extra grease added so that the cheese flows out evenly.

first off, have you ever read any old school cooking books? that's an old trick as old as cooking, it's not used as much anymore because of health concerns, but still
second off, who the hell goes their for their pizzas anyhow?

>>688732

I have to disagree.

Keep in mind that only one or two people can be occupying an arcade machine at one time. If your machines are staying occupied at a higher price, lowering it to a quarter is going to do nothing but lose money.

As an arcade owner it's going to be hard to charge 80's/90's prices for a play when you aren't paying 80's/90's prices for property rent, business licenses (in a lot of states, "amusement machines" like arcade games are also individually taxed), paying your staff, paying a tech to come and maintain machines, and utilities. I mean fuck, imagine the electric bill.

The cost of doing business is significantly higher now.

>>688939
>second off, who the hell goes their for their pizzas anyhow?

I go for the experience: Pizza then games.

Quite frankly, they taste great.

>>688940
ah, that is true, I wasn't thinking of such things.
I know it wouldn't have any draw it all, but when you mentioned the price of electricity, I had a somewhat amusing thought "Maybe we should just go back to old school mechanical arcade machines"

>>688731
"Ground Kontrol"... I guess it's not that terrible, just go on a week night.

>>688940
I disagree with this. For a $1.00 game I am unwilling to put in for another round, whereas on a Simpsons or TMNT machine that is $0.25 a credit I am more willing to keep throwing in money, since I feel that the extra quarter can get me that much further.

>>688965
Not just that, but I am also fairly hesitant in putting in the initial quarter for a game that is one dollar. I'd rather stick with a lot of the twenty five cent machines, or stick with a couple games I already somewhat know.

>>688717
what's wrong with bands playing?
that sounds pretty awesome to be honest

>>688912
It's...it's beautiful.

>>688965
>whereas on a Simpsons or TMNT machine that is $0.25 a credit
I can attest to the fact that the cooler games like Simpsons and the like were ALWAYS 50 or 75 cents

There is a arcade that is still running at my hometown.

I found some sweet machines there.

>go to one section
>find Dinosaur King
>didnt know what it was, looked like a weeaboo babby game
>decide to try it out
>stick quarters in
>dahell? It isnt running
>check the slots
>find 5 dollars worth of quarters

There was a Megaman machine there too.

>>688912
I haven't been to funspot in ages, and I live in NH, not having a car sucks...
Are the smaller arcades that were along the weirs when I was a kid still in operation by the way... I'm guess no...

>>689000
guessing*

Modern Arcades = Jewcades

Just accept it people, arcades will never return to their former glory.

>>688914
That picture sort of almost reminds me of my local cheapo movie theater. I have a great story to tell:

>go to movie theater with bro, don't remember what movie we saw
>movie theater has a few arcade machines here and there, including a time crisis machine
>see movie with bro, come out to lobby, it's POURING rain outside
>thundering like fuck, everybody just standing in the lobby doting around
>meanwhile, some bro in the corner playing fucking time crisis with two pistols
>suddenly, huge boom of thunder, all the power across the street goes out
>power starts to flicker HEAVILY in the theater, going out for several seconds at a time at some points
>meanwhile, the time crisis machine is somehow still fucking working (all the other machines shut off)
>this guy gives zero fucks about the power-outs, super focused on game
>power just about totally out at this point
>some people gather around him to watch
>he ends up beating the fucking game
>power comes on shortly after

I know it sounds unbelievable, but it was the greatest bout of vidya I had ever witnessed in my life. Did the Time Crisis machine have an internal battery or some shit?

>>688989
You must have gone to shitty arcades then.

>>688974
Yeah, and I mean, if you're playing a game for the first time, a buck (or several) is a lot to spend seeing as you're inevitably going to fuck up. It ramps up quick.

>>688981
>what's wrong with bands playing?
-cover charge
-usually shitty amateur bullshit (Portland) -completely drowns out conversation
-drunk people crowding around not playing anything
-crowd of smokers outside attracts aggressive homeless/addict types begging for cigarettes/money

...and this is coming from a guy who has gone to several shows there to support friends and family.

>>689012
/v/ pls

OP here. I just had a thought! When I went there, they had a ton of old-ass arcade machines just jammed into a back corner, probably busted. Maybe I could buy one of 'em for cheap!

>>689015
>Did the Time Crisis machine have an internal battery or some shit?
no, you have witnessed a game of the legendary Time Crisis wizard! *cue rock music and a power glove for no reason*
this sounds like a scene out of some cheesy 80s movie... and pretty awesome

I really want to make an arcade cab one of these days, with one of those huge emulator programs with a ton built in with a nice interface. Does anyone have any good experience with doin this?

>>689028
>completely drowns out conversation
the sound of the games would do that anyhow

but yeah, you are right, everything else does sound pretty crappy

>>689032
do it, faggot

wouldn't count on em selling it to ya though, they probably bought them for cheap themselves and are going to fix them up and charge 15 dollars per continue with exclusive "joystick and buttons" DLC

>>689037
>*cue rock music and a power glove for no reason*
Try to refrain from doing that.
I remain neutral with this, but you will be ridiculed.

>>689041
I'm interested in this too. I mean, I'm a serious advocate of legit collecting...but sometimes, ya just gotta take the easy road.

>>689067
For something for my first time I want to have something with just lods of roms/emulators, mostly arcade ones but also consoles if they run decent enough which most should.

>>688965
>For a $1.00 game I am unwilling to put in for another round

But if other people are, then as a business owner, there's no reason for me to lower prices. Once again, if the machines are staying occupied at a higher price, there is no reason to make them cheaper.

If machines aren't being occupied then I'd lower the price, but not until then. It's a business, not a nonprofit vintage game museum.

>Putting coins the machine after you're dead.

Explain to me how this makes you different from people who want to pay money to make the game play itself?

>>689065
>I remain neutral with this, but you will be ridiculed.
>implying that I care
you really can get ridiculed for anything here
trolls are gonna troll
it doesn't matter

>>689085
You raise a good point.

>>688914
Naaaah, man. I realize we were all kids once, I used to love when my mom took me to the arcade when I was babby.

>>689079
OP here. Just to briefly interject, I well say that the place was pretty damn empty...but then again, the mall sees pretty poor business anyway. I think it's more of just the owner's strategy to generate just a tad bit of extra revenue, and by marketing to a younger audience he probably avoids the issue of people thinking his games are overpriced (the parents probably just buy their kid a card and let him go wild without realizing what he's spending).

>>689083
wha... what?

>>689085
Thankfully, /vr/ is a pretty civil. Generally only sees shitposting when a leak springs in the damn that separates us from the sea of piss, /v/.

>>689098
>Thankfully, /vr/ is a pretty civil.
you... haven't been here recently... have you...
this thread is mostly civil... sure... but take a good look at a lot of the others

>>689093
The card is a good strategy if the clientele is in fact younger players whose parents pay for their card. The only thing the parents know is how much money is going on the card. When junior comes back with an empty card they'll just assume that he played a fuckton of games.


My favourite part about the arcades around here is that the older games (which I like) are cheaper. Hell, I've got an nickel arcade a few blocks from my house which has a $2 entry fee, and most of the older games are set on free play.

>>689093
I will say*

Can't type today, man. I would also like to mention that, for a Saturday, it was pretty depressing to see it as empty as it was, even if the prices were high. I wish death upon no arcade with Hydro Thunder (unless it's a really damn bad arcade).

>>689030

pls what?

Not the anon you're replying to, but I'm guessing you aren't old enough to remember arcades in their heyday. The biggest thing that made them cool was the fact that unless you owned a NeoGeo, the games you got to play were so far ahead of what you owned at home in terms of graphics and sound that it wasn't funny. This is no longer the case. The other big thing was always having people to play with/against which you couldn't always have at home, but with modern online gaming, this is also no longer case.

>>689105
Some dude is calling me some 90s baby over not knowing Nintendo censorship policies.

I don't even understand what kind of insult that is supposed to be.

>>689105
At the very least, it's a far cry from most other boards on 4chan. I've found discussion here to be far more constructive and interesting than a lot of the shit flinging and trolling that's typical on a lot of other boards.

>>688683
Yeah, but once you go into the bigger arcades its 100 yen per play, and there's cigarette smoke everywhere.

>>689041
Yes, I did it (or 80% of it). Here's a few words of advice from me to you:

1. Don't buy X-Arcade or any other kind of pre-built control panel. Either they're shit, they're overpriced, or they're both. Build your own controller, the equipment is easy enough to figure out and anyone you know with good woodworking skill can make a fine cabinet easily.

2. Do not try and get every damn MAME rom because 95% of them are absolute crap and you really won't want to be the guy who has to play through every one of them. Just keep a good base on there and when you find out about new games to add make sure you have an easy way to do work on it.

3. On that note, make sure that when it's game time, it's game time. No other stuff coming up (PC warning messages, etc.). On the same note, make sure that it's damn easy to work on the PC when needed for adding roms or new functionality.

4. Don't go overboard with controller parts. Unless you're a huge huge Tempest fan you probably won't need a tornado spinner. Likewise for games like Missile Command and Centipede that use the trackball. These are expensive parts that aren't used much, so make sure you really love the games they're used for if you're gonna cough up the dough.

5. Similarly, don't go overboard on buttons and joysticks. Know what you want and know what you need for it. Personally I recommend P1 and P2 having enough buttons for a full Street Fighter setup. The rest is up to you (integrate Neo Geo for P1 and P2? Add P3 and P4? Color options?)

>>689116
It's a "I'm probably older and know more than you about something, so I must be superior" type of insult. That's one thing I'm always worried about on /vr/; the risk of rampant elitism taking over.

>charge what the games are MEANT to be charged

...in 1985. Those quarters you're carrying? Worth a hell of a lot less now than 28 years ago.

>>688732
>these places would make more money if they kept prices low

Arcade cabinets aren't magic game boxes. They require electricity and maintenance, neither of which can be afforded at "classic" prices.

>the whole draw of arcade games originally was the low price

You're completely ignorant of inflation. It wasn't that low.

25 cents used to buy you a both a snack bag of chips and a can of coke at a convenience store.

The same combination costs two dollars now. That's eight fucking quarters, in case you're having trouble with the math.

Having been around emulation communities for a long time last decade, and seeing a shit load of changelogs, I'd advise against getting entire MAME sets. Thousands of mahjong roms must've been added to it between '02 and '03 alone.

There was even a joke that MAME stands for Multiple Arcade Mahjong Emulator.

tl;dr: don't collect entire MAME sets unless you like mahjong and bad dumps

>>689112
Yeah, exactly. Mom loads up a card with $20 and babby plays a few games here and there. Mom has no idea what the prices are and, even if she does, she's probably not aware that the games should be 25-50 cents. It's honestly not a bad strategy, but sadly doesn't work too well for folk like me.

>>689093

I have a badass local arcade that only charges 25/50 cents for games, but the only reason the owner can do so is that he's located in a shitty failing mall and actually negotiated with his lease agreement to have the mall cover his electric bill since his arcade is one of the few things in that shitty mall that actually pulls in customers.

It's badass though; he has monthly tournaments on old fighting games where the grand prize is free play for a month

>>689129
Well, I responded to it, pointing out the fallacies of his post.

Hasn't responded; probably won't. I guess they go away when you introduce rationale.

>>689098
>>689105
>>689116
>>689120
I'm afraid /vr/ will turn to shit very soon.
I just love how mods are doing barely anything about it..

>>689134
>>charge what the games are MEANT to be charged

There was a modern arcade machine there (Terminator Salvation) that displayed needing only 2 quarters, but the card mechanism necessitated that you paid $2.50.

>>689116

I'm guessing he meant that you're obviously young for not remembering the shitstorm caused when the original mortal kombat was released on SNES, where some people went as far as to mail their consoles to NoA with letters telling them that they're never buying another Nintendo product again. Not that you should be insulted for it though.

>>689123


6. Choose joysticks wisely. 4-way games (Donkey Kong, Pac-Man) suck with 8-ways, and 8-way games (Street Fighter, TMNT beat'em ups) suck with 4-ways. Some games like Q-Bert (diagonal 4-way) and Sinistar (Midway 49-way) have special joysticks. If you need to have those games, you should probably do research to see what you need. My personal recommendation is to have at least one of the Ultimarc Ultrastiks. as those are analog joysticks which can be programmed to have all of the above layouts and then some on a per-game basis and it'll all work correctly.


And finally, most important of all, if you read nothing else, read this:

Do not make the games playable before you are 100% satisfied with the arcade cabinet, with the interface, with the artwork, with every little detail. Games come last no matter what.

The reason is that once you get games working and you're standing up and playing them and everything, you will not want to do any more work on it. Thus you will likely not have all the artwork you want done, or the coin mech and marquee, or even a good working Frontend. There's a good chance that no one else will be able to understand even how it works and then you will have to be there to work the machine. This is not what you want. I did this, and all I had to show for it was an ugly black box with a garish controller and a ton of great games. Did I love playing it with friends and all? Yes. I now regret it though, because it looks like shit and even works like shit due to it being so unfinished (hell, the CP isn't even mounted, rough play could pull the entire controls off of the machine). I finally took the thing apart (mostly) because I was just never going to perfect it, I got too complacent and time moved on for me.

Just don't fuck around with doing a proper finishing of the machine. Do it, do all of it, and do it damned well. Then put that controller on, finish it all up for playing games, and then you can be truly satisfied with your work.

>>689123
>Yes, I did it (or 80% of it).

Oh, you gotta post some pics now, son.

>>689161

Modern cabs serve a different purpose and their pricing isn't comparable. An arcade simply cannot survive on that pricing schedule today. The math just doesn't work out.

TS and other "modern" cabs or pins like it are attractions to get people into your bar, so it's not unusual to see loss pricing on them. The profit margin on the patron's beer will more than make up for it after the attraction has drawn them into your establishment.

>bitching about quarters

Nigger its 1 pound here in the uk per credit.

Thats like a $1.50.

>>688713
Don't forget the fat guy who comes up behind you and places his quarters on your machine..... and then stands reeeaaallly close to you.

>>688608

I have zero interest in going to an arcade. It was great when it lasted and played an awesome part in my youth, but now I rather just be at home playing the games I like on a screen I prefer.

>>689196
and breaths

>>689206
He just wants to see how you're doing at the video game, anon.

>>689195
Sounds heavy.

>>689256

I don't even know what the Brits did before the advent of debit and credit cards when their dollars weigh a pound each. Who thought that was a good idea?

>>689195
Sounds like a great exercise, one of the many great ways to shed many pounds.

We still have the same arcade that we have always had in my town since the 80's.

I have not really been in there for several years, but I did take a peak in there when I was at the mall for other reasons and it seems they really keep it in good shape.

I may go in there tomorrow and see if I can challenge any cocky kids to some Marvel vs Capcom.

>>689261
They carried it above their heads. With the rising price of everything, they would have to carry more and more pounds, and then their skeletons began to get more compressed and dense.

And that's where hobbits came from.

Hey /vr/ I was going to make a thread but I might as well post it here. someone local is selling a Pole position and After burner arcade machine (both are the stand-up low-grade ones) for 450 each should I buy one of them? Always been a fan of burnout

>>689116
You must bleed gray, then.

>>689275

Sounds legit.

>>689168
As I mentioned it's taken apart now, but here's my favorite part, the controller. This was how I discovered that I don't much like any tornado spinner games, and that I like Asteroids more than I expected.

Were I to do it again, I'd give P3 and P4 full color Red/Blue/Yellow/Green button (4 total) and give P1 and P2 8 buttons (Neo Geo layout doubled), and then build another cab for my 'Solo Classic' layout.

>>688964
Too bad you don't live in glorious NYC http://barcadebrooklyn.com/ games are 25cents

>>689328
>tells guy not to go overboard
>posts this

>>689338

>Barcade

What promised land is this? Saving for next time I got to NYC, which won't be for awhile.

>>689339
Exactly why I tell them not to go overboard. I know from experience that you don't end up using things nearly enough as you think you do unless you're already a huge fan of said game. I simply didn't want to take any chances, what actually happens is you end up making much more than you need.

Since most people I talk to remember most the golden age stuff and the multiplayer beat'em ups and fighters, I recommend making something for one of those specifically. Don't try and make a frankenpanel like mine.

>>688732
Personally I think they'd make more money if they got better, newer games. And something different for a change. Why not import machines you just don't see outside of Japan (if possible)? Give people something exotic to experience. Every arcade I ever went to always just had the same stuff... they never bothered updating, seeking out the new thrills.

You also need someone to run it that's actually got experience with arcades in Japan, so he can attempt to authenticate the experience/culture overseas and pull even more people in.

>>689328
God damn, that IS a monstrosity.

>button names and joystick directions drawn with silver marker

I lel'd. But seriously, you should get around to finishing it and making it look nice one of these days. It would be the ultimate rape machine.

>>689398
I might someday. Lord knows it would take a lot of fixing up. Complete rewiring to fix my shitty job, full paint, some side art and good marquee, full CP artwork, and a revamp of the computer used to play (so as to support newer games that need more power and such) and a new monitor.

If I could find some people with the skills to help out on the woodworking and monitor mounting and stuff then I could probably do the rest, but honestly I'm just not sure if I could go back and finish it right and proper.

>>689427
Or better yet, fix the wiring, gussy up the CP, and use it for an HTPC. It'd be easy enough to mount a handle on it and carry it around after all.

>>689328

I made a frankenpanel but don't regret it. I do regret selling the cab, though.

I had 4 sticks, 8 buttons on P1&2 and 4 on P3&4. The buttons were in a blast city arrangement.

A spinner for me (I fucking love Tempest), and a trackball for my flatmate (son of a bitch loves Golden Tee).

No 4-way or analog sticks though. I had a spring-loaded rotatable restrictor plate on the P1 stick for 4-way games. I forget what make it was but all you had to do was open the panel, pull the restrictor away from the stick, rotate it and let the spring pull it back onto the stick. Basically the gate was either square or diamond depending on orientation.

And then we were offered 2k for it.

>>688608
>plop down the dosh

What does taking a shit have to do with arcades?

>>689489
oi m8 u'd best sht ur gabber unles u wont a floggin

There used to be a semi-decent arcade at my local movie theater, it's worth mentioning I live in Kentucky, like really really deep south Kentucky. One day, I drive to the theater to see a movie and I see all the old arcade games out in the back and I see 2 employees smashing them to shit with a sledgehammer ;_;

>tfw arcade is now a bathroom

>>688608
Yeah I dont get this at all, I remember when everything was a quarter or *GASP* two!!

Now you go into places and babbies first game is literally 2 dollars. Shit is insane.

For a while I knew an arcade named wunderland that held out fantastic prices. Charged a 10 dollar entree fee and all games were 1-4 nickels, back row of retro stuff was free...

>>689328
>player 3 1 2 4

THE FUCK?!

>>689563

1 and 2 get the best views, the ones off to the edge are 3 and 4.

This is not uncommon with arcade setups.

>>689551

I used to work in a movie theatre with a small arcade.

One day they started charging $1 for a Galaga play. I was disgusted.

>>689563
Have you not played at an arcade before? Its to give players one and 2 the best view

>>689563
>THE FUCK?!
let's overreact really crazily to something we don't understand because obviously the misunderstanding can't be on our part!

okay anon picture this. You are by yourself. You want to play a quick game of King of Fighters on your awesome-ass 4 player MAME cab. Where do you want to stand when playing by yourself?

1. in front of the cab slightly to the left
2. at a 45 degree angle way off to the side

>>689592
>>689608
>>689617
I've actually played in shitloads, I'm an older fucker too. I've never seen them numbered like that. Is this something they only do outside of america? Outside of the west coast?

They have always been sequenced 1-4, every single one I've ever touched.

I'm not disagreeing, that's a great idea and makes sense. Just shocked everyone is saying its "common". I've never seen it even once and I've touched several thousand machines.

>>689328
>doing all that shit
>not just grabbing spare parts and throwing them in the cheapest prefab table you can buy
GHETTO-STICK POWAH

>>689592
>>689608
>>689627

It's common on MAME cabinets.

It's not common on real 4-player arcade cabinets.

The numbering doesn't really matter, everyone configures Leonardo to be on the far left anyway because otherwise it looks stupid

>>689338
http://barcadephiladelphia.com/games/

The Philly one has a better selection of games IMO. Shame it is in Philly. One needs to open up in Pittsburgh. Also, the West Coast bros need one.

>>689660
it's not common on real 4 player cabs because they only play one fucking game

it's a setup that's necessitated by wanting to play 4 player beatemups AND 2 player fighters or anything else in convenient fashion

>>689469
Not a bad offer. I have sticks with the gate switch, I just found it a pain in the ass to switch the gate around.

2k is about what you put into one in my experience. Granted if I was more compatent with woodworking it would be much cheaper I'm sure.

The arcade nearest me charges for entrance and all the machines are on free play or have a credit switch. Also has consoles set up to play all the used games he has for sale. The place is nice.

>>689674
competent. tired as hell. sorry.

>>689673

and the player numbers still don't matter since MAME supports per-game control configurations

>>689641
I'd probably do that next time honestly. Just get an old door and drill holes to install buttons.

I have no idea what the most ideal visibility solution is for 4 player cabinets. My guess would be to build one specifically for it and make them squished like real 4P cabinets (Gauntlet comes to mind).

>>689641
>happ
What a waste of time and effort.

>>689674

I've got my own tools and do some cabinetry, yeah. An arcade cabinet isn't especially difficult even if you aren't very experienced. Materials and gear came out to less than $1000 so the return on the labor wasn't bad.

>>689671
Oh shit, Yes.
Tron
>mfw I live in philly.

>>689671
I read an article on another shitty website about people trying to open a real arcade, not a shitty arcade-themed bar, in Pittsburgh. It failed miserably before they could even get the doors open. I don't think it's even possible in this area.

Come to Chicago. Emporium Arcade is a blast. "Even if machines say they are more than one token, trust us, it's only a token"

I'm ok with this

>>688743
I live about 25 minutes from funspot. I go about 3 times a month. 3rd floor is fucking perfection. 250+ games all set to one token. Anyone here gonna be at the ACAM tourney at the end of the month? Ill certainly be there.

I keep seeing threads like this in /vr/. Is arcade gaming in the USA really dead? I can't imagine any country without arcades in their malls.

I loved arcades as a youth, they were amazing because I loved video games and the games were so much better than the games you could play at home

>>690518
Nah, there's nothing more than family fun centers now. Arcades, with arcade games, are dead. There are collections of ticket redemption games where they used to be.

>>690538
Fuck Gauntlet. Seriously, fuck it. It's the best example of why arcade games have the bad reputation of being "unfair" and "designed to eat quarters"

Inflation argument is kinda bullshit for arcades being dead. Problem for strictly arcade businesses is location. Best location is right in the urban centres, too bad the leasing for those areas are skyhigh so you can't even make money to stay running on using quarters at least for USA play. We used to have some arcades that ran on 20c coins too in Aus here as well. Good luck trying to make back the money spent on a $20,000-$40,000 games on Taito hardware cabinets or that brand new Initial D/Wangan machine on quarters or 20c play. There's also the unfortunate experience some people had in the past with crappy owners that used to not even bother maintaining some of the machines.

Mind you whenever I visit in Singapore i always hit the arcades to play games because the pricing they do was exceptionally well in allowing you to purchase tokens/credits on their cards. I think i paid like $10 SGD and got like 40 credits a few months back in Bugis which 1 SGD is more or less equivalent to 0.80 AUD so probably about the same for USD. However said arcade also happens to be a giant LAN centre too.

On another note I think the only arcade i've ever gone to that had an F-zero A/X machine was some of the arcades i went to in Burma when visiting my family. Wasn't the 'Monster' version but it was the next one down 'Deluxe' cab so still had hydraulic movement when turning. Let me tell you that cab has seat belts for a reason, don't take a sharp corner on Port Town without it.

>>688870
Should is a very strong word. I would like to have one near me but most machines these days cost far too much. For the price of machines here I could have my own multi game cabinet within the year.

I guess I'm lucky because I live in NH and Funspot is an hour drive, and I'm 15 minutes away from Pinball Wizard in Pelham. Not as big as Funspot but it had a good selection and true to its name a TON of pinball machines.

>>688914
Son of a bitch, I went into my local cinema and the corner where the arcade games were is literally gone entirely.

So far Wreck it Ralph sadly has not brought about the resurgence of arcades that I had hoped for. Ratatouille made rats sell like hot cakes, so why can't Ralph revive the arcades?

>>690518
>malls
Shopping malls are disappearing in America, too.

>>690643

America is disappearing too in America.

>>690645
It's global warming. The cheese caps of hamburgistan are melting.

I imagine the setup needed if I am only interested in Asteroids, Space Invaders, Galaxian, Pac Man and all that is fairly simple when making a cabinet?

>>688653
>maybe find a Blockbuster that's closing and ask for the cheap carpeting

Tacky carpeting and wallpaper are my two favorite things in the world. The bus transit system in my town has these textured covers over the seats and head rests that have fish all over them.

Which is a bit of a groaner considering the bus system is called "The Wave"

>>690642
because it's not Pixar

>>689015
>a battery powering an entire arcade cabinet
That's one hell of a 9v.

>don't have washer/dryer in apartment
>usually go to grandma's or sister's house for that
>decide to try local laundromat
>one single arcade machine
>check it out
>one of those multicade machines with a shit ton of retro games of the 80s like xevious, donkey kong, and such.
>only a quarter for a full play

It was fucking GLORIOUS

there are some arcade only games today that are good just look at the wangan midnight maximum tune series

What I want to know is, how is arcades in japan (called game centers) are still so popular. It's like the arcade crash never happened there.

Is it just so cheap as fuck to open an arcade and keep it running over there? Everytime I watch game center CX, nearly every arcade he goes to is dead as fuck.

>>690758
> It's like the arcade crash never happened there.
It didn't. Arcades there didn't have to deal with things like western gamers, high import costs, and game distributors convincing them that ticket redemption was the way to go.

>>688656
This

I'd fucking get my brother and a few others to go on a god damn arcade trip if there was something like this around.

>>690758

All the arcade parts are manufactured in Japan so getting replacement parts is not cumbersome. Also the perception of games is different especially when people are making Puyo Puyo jokes on gameshows.

>>690771
Honestly, getting replacement parts isn't that bad even in the states. It's quick and easy to get your pick of pretty much any manufacturer's parts.

The hard part is getting the cabinets.

>>688656
this is how i'd run that shit. youd make money because everyone would be in there playing. sell some food and shit and bam! your packed with kids every day.

>>690779

It's more the factor of time than availability. You could get your parts within hours instead of days/weeks and fix that cab the same day.

>>690783
It's just unfortunate that, for the most part, operating costs aren't the real killer. There's a huge up-front investment if you want to have a GOOD arcade, massive zoning, legal, and community interference, and rent spikes kill off most arcades that survive the other things.

>>688656
mine does this on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

>>688608
The arcade near me uses cards, but they're properly priced. 1 to 4 credits (quarters/tokens) per play.

>>690791
how much investment?

if I decided to risk my IRA, I could throw in around 50K

then again, you gotta find the "right" building. Then you need proper advertising.

I haven't seen an arcade in fucking years, are they still in plazas or do some people have dedicated small buildings for them now?

>>690801
Well when you consider the fact that newer cabs cost 10k+ each...

It's easier with older games, you could just drop some money on a line of candy cabs or something and just shove PCBs in them, but if you're after new games, you'll probably be able to afford about 3-4 of them with the entire 50k.

My local library commissioned me to build two arcade cabs for a retro-gaming expo they're setting up. What "historical" games should I put in them?

>>690807
>newer games

fuck no, the newest game I would want would be the ever elusive and rare F-Zero AX.

The rest would be....

Time Crisis
80s arcade machines
Metaru Suragu
couple fighting games
simpsons arcade game
TMNT arcade game (older TMNT)
There was a beat-em up where you were in something close to mechs, but I can't remember what it was called. metal warriors or something, I forget.
Cruisin USA

Thats just off the top of my head.

>>690817
Donkey Kong
Pac-Man

bam, done, thats as retro as you can get without getting into ultra old shit

>>690817
If you don't get Robotron 2084 in there, I will be disappointed.

>>690825
Actually, they're Mamecabs. I was thinking of multiple video games, possibly one per year or something.

>>690825
This person is probably a hipster shit. But they are right.

>>690853
Hipster would be saying something like >>690837
with robotron 2084

>>690823

>There was a beat-em up where you were in something close to mechs, but I can't remember what it was called. metal warriors or something, I forget.

Armored Warriors i think. It's a Capcom beat em up so it's good. You know, back when 90's Capcom turned everything into gold.

>>690860
>retro gaming thread
>robotron 2084 is hipster

Are there any decent arcades in Florida?

>>690643
>a lack of monuments to consumerism
>in AMERICA

>>690758
It's because everything else in Japan is so expensive. Same reason Manga is popular, too. Cheap, accessible entertainment.

>>688678
>mvc2 is a cart
wrong

>>691078

They've been in decline, though.

Malls in the 80s were fucking god-tier. Carousel rides, a wide variety of stores from software to hobby stores to all sorts of things. Great place to hang out with your buddies and pass the day.

Malls these days = nothing but clothing stores. Security harangues you if you "loiter" for more than 10 minutes, with a "buy something or fuck off" attitude.

>>691718
Well, looks like the credit card bubble is finally bursting.

>>691640
No, it is a cart

>>688608
>$1-$2.50 per continue
holy fucking shit what

>>688683
>arcades extinct here
>riding through rural northern Georgia
>nothing but empty hills and farm land for hours
>one of the most vacant routes you can drive without going to the desert or mid-western farmlands
>pop in to a town of less 300 people (no joke) with no other town within 30 minutes
>go in to tiny little pizza place
>Metal Slug machine

>>691727
Hasn't stopped anyone from being fabulous "nigga rich" retards though.
>ride the bus
>everyone has an iPhone

>>689015

Sounds like it was on its own circuit. Was anything else in the arcade still on?

>>688647
gumball machines are still a quarter

>>691987
there is pizza joint in CT with the same thing. A neo-geo one iirc

>>688940
figures. it's the gubmint's fault as usual

>>693052
But gumballs have also been inflated.

>>693052
Gumballs have been ridiculously overpriced back then and they still are.

Anybody visited the Pinball Hall of Fame in Las Vegas? Went there sometime last year and it was glorious. So many cool old machines. Right next door was A Gamer's Paradise gaming shop. Found a great deal on an NES there during my business trip and carried it home in the carry-on. So much win.

>>693431
Pic of my favorite game there (Prop Cycle).

I didn't know that Google Maps had mapped out the inside of the place. They have a virtual tour:
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=pinball+hall+of+fame&layer=c&z=17&sll=36.101354,-115.130560&cid=1617561838023066819&panoid=xSIGlbJ8XH2ChYY2vK7-sQ&cbp=13,0.85018488039751783,,0,0&hl=en&ved=0CBEQ2wU&sa=X&ei=SLrcUL74IMOAxgGy_oDQCg

>>689000
Like Penny Arcade and the Half Moon or whatever it is? They're still running man, and I go there occasionally.

>>690860
>hating on Robotron

Eat a bag of dicks.

>>688608
You Americans don't know you're born some of the time.

In Britain, we have to pay £1 per play, standard. That's like you paying $1.50 or $1.60, depending on the exchange. Imagine that for a moment. We pay five times as much for the pleasure of arcade gaming than you do and we have done this for many years.

Going to a British Arcade is suffering

>>691718
>one mini mall containing 5 stores
>all 5 are clothing stores in direct competition with each other

How many fucking shirts do you even need?

All that shit says is that profit margins in the textile industry are way too fucking high.

That and car dealers the way they end up buying 90% of all TV and radio air time.

>>688806
>http://yestercades.com/games
This is a Godly idea

>>695640

>All that shit says is that profit margins in the textile industry are way too fucking high.

Of course it is. Read the labels, it's probably going to be Made in China/Taiwan/India where they can make it bulk on cheap labour. An iPhone and an iPad are the same shit. Funny thing though, apparently an iPad made in say America it would end up costing about $15,000 approx per unit to manufacture.

>>695637

I live in Aus and i honestly know your pain. We end up paying anywhere between $1-$3 a game on average ranges.

I live in Japan.
>Game centers and arcades everywhere.
>Arcade in Shibuya has two floors of classics
>only 50 yen a play, fuk yeah
>even has samurai shodown 2!
>arcades are ded?

>>695682
This is the truth. When the workers in these third world countries start demanding decent wages/conditions, we know that we're fucked.

Fuck unions, everything should be manufactured by robots.

>>695685
Shit sucks hard, bro. I wish Arcade Bars were more of a thing... go with some friends, get some drinks, endless arcade goodness...

>>695692
Yeah, man. When I was in Japan the arcades were pretty bomb. I loved heading in there and trying to keep my cool at the expanse of old-school and new-school arcade goodness. But even in Japan, the arcade seen is not as massive as it once was...

I love the electronic darts machines, though!

We have a 1984 arcade that has mostly old stuff, but its $5 at the door and you can play all night. That place is busy as hell. Well worth the money I spent going there.

>>691987
When I go on road trips I always get excited when I stop in a small town for food and they have a Ms. Pac-Man machine near the bathrooms.