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Decline of the arcade
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ark_ader:

--- Quote from: mcseforsale on April 30, 2013, 01:44:25 pm ---+1.  If the big names really want to guard their ROMs, they should offer a pay service to distribute/support ROMs on a one on one basis.  All of the major copyright (is that what's used in software anymore?) could combine and create/pay a central, third party vendor to monitor and distribute/support these ROMs!  It could work just like the app stores on our phones.

I'd gladly pay a quarter for a "home only" copy of Donkey Kong or even 2 bux for a "commercial" version of ANY popular ROM.  It would be an entirely new revenue stream for these corporations and would allow us to come out of the shadows and truly participate in their business model. 

Just make it viable for the home hobbiest!  Afterall, *MOST OF US* were the source of their original revenue back in the 80s anyway.  We were customers then, they should treat us as customers now.  Just showing people our arcades in our game rooms creates interest/re-interest in 80s gaming.  I know I have several people who have asked me to build them an arcade (for personal use only).  Instead of building the case, loading the entire kit up, then telling them their on their own for ROMS, I would be happy to load an app that would allow downloads on a subscription/per piece basis.

AJ

AJ

--- End quote ---

Unfortunately the big names like Nintendoh would not give the roms away for $2.  That would set a precedent which would interrupt their revenue stream.  Besides that $2 rom is worth more every year.  We see home console spin offs, anniversary editions, and the XBLive reboots are just a drop in the ocean.  Sega is another entity that would suffer from a $2 rom sale.  Folks like Atari who have been sold off to every tom, dick and harry might lend a trademark or two for licensing but even their game roms are owned by Hasbro.  Something along the lines of "only over my cold twitching corpse before I sell my IP for $2 a pop" which seems to be a very smart move. 

Wait until we migrate to the new Orwellian system where M$ and Apple start cataloging our HDD contents and reporting IP violations to the owners.  It will make patent trolling a game of the past and turn it into IP trolling.  It will happen, so I would be keeping your cabinet off line from now on if I was you.

The decline of the arcades?

I do not think so.  Arcades are not dead.  Just because you do not see a cabinet in every liquor store, laundromat or Pizza Hutt.

You just need to whip out your Galaxy Note and fire up a few games.  You just have to buy the $2 apps from Namco....     :lol
mgb:
Man, my cabint is off the grid!!
yotsuya:

--- Quote from: sandheaver on April 30, 2013, 01:31:34 pm ---
--- Quote from: mcseforsale on April 30, 2013, 11:24:55 am ---console games are so boring anymore.  Walking around blowing up the same crap for hours.  I get the quest, but the puzzles remain the same. 

--- End quote ---

Look at what it costs to play a console game.  A 1-time purchase of the console that you keep, then games that you keep.  A $60 game that you play for 80 hours is FAR cheaper than 80 hours of arcade play, assuming $0.25 gets you an average of 10 minutes of game play with an arcade machine, which is a stretch.  Also, you don't have to drive anywhere, get in line, fight the change machine or deal with operating hours.

Arcade machine vendors really, really need to work on their pricing, and open up licensing avenues for those who cannot afford or do not want to buy a full machine or a legitimate JAMMA board.  Why the hell doesn't Namco license games for emulation at home for $10 or commercially for $100?  This would be a HUGE boon to them, and it would allow operators to legitimately expand their inventory for peanuts and get new people playing. 

Arcade gaming could quickly move into popularity again if demand rose, and game makers would see that and develop new games.  The key to increased adoption is increased accessibility, and the key to increased accessibility is low prices and new product. 

Valve has hard proof that decreased pricing increases sales to a level beyond what normal pricing provides (your gross & net income is higher when you put things on sale, long term or short term or both) but it is a hard sell to folks with degrees in business who were taught the whole time that the opposite is true.

Why can't Namco offer an anniversary Pacman machine for less than $2500?  They are stuck in 1983 with those prices; they're insane.

Give the hobbyists like us some avenue to legally enjoy and expand our hobby, without attempting to tear us a new hole with the pricing or requiring that we source a very rare piece of hardware that may or may not work.  Please.  Demand is low because the bone-headed pricing makes supply rare.

end rant

--- End quote ---

 :applaud:
bradx:

--- Quote from: sandheaver on April 30, 2013, 11:39:48 am ---
--- Quote from: bradx on April 30, 2013, 03:29:51 am ---
--- Quote from: sandheaver on April 29, 2013, 04:27:33 pm ---There's an arcade just like this in Chicagoland.  $15 gets you in for a day, and all machines are set to free play.  384 games currently available for play.

http://gallopingghostarcade.com/

--- End quote ---

yeah its cool but the vast majority of the games are missing art, no custom controls, or are available to play in mame with no real difference in gameplay.  i went there with some friends and spent all night there, in and out to grab some food or drinks, then back to play some more games until i believe it was close to 2 in the morning, after midnight for sure. 

shooting games still seem to be out on route locally, multicades, and trackball games.  driving games too, pretty much nothing with a joystick tho.  some pins are still out there, theres a couple at a laundromat near here. 

you know those old electro mechanical rifle shooting gallery type games from the 60s and 70s?  i bet if someone designed something like that using new technology it would bring in some real money.  a pizza place near here has a brand new skee ball so i think its possible and would be profitable, but i suppose people figure "why bother?" when they can just put a quarter pusher instead and make ten times the cash for 1/10th the investment?

--- End quote ---

If you're near Illinois, there is a great arcade in McLean, IL that runs nothing but older stuff, with maybe 3 exceptions.  These are complete cabinets which have been restored to near perfect condition.  As with any arcade there are always a couple that are out of order at any given time but in general it is great.  It's small, but they're expanding into the neighboring storefront soon.  I want to say something like 60 machines.  By far the newest machine is a DDR machine at the front.  Everything else is early 1990 & older.  May be some new-ish pinballs but most are golden-era.

I recommend a visit if you've the time.

--- End quote ---

yeah!  i went there with some friends right when they opened.  less games but a way more authentic and satisfying experience.

i made this video when we were there:
part 1

part 2
jennifer:
     Back then you could smoke...Indoors...and were expected to, a bottle of moms gin in your purse on Friday night, boys all in fights at the bowling alley, all trying to get the attentions and favors of us girls, Thats what has changed, A kid doing that today would be locked up, and put in a chemical strait jacket... That coupled with the devaluation of the dollar, causing the games to be 1.00  a play, and the advent of the interactive consoles with" unsucky" graphics and social media, The perfect storm was created.
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