New house and dedicated Arcade/Bar/Theater on the way

[Maximus]

Thank you for that brilliant informed critic Dr Lexus

[HanoiBoi]

Thank you for that brilliant informed critic Dr Lexus

Am I misinterpreting you or are you being douchy?  From your changing requirements and varying renders, it seems that you arent really sure what you want to do with your space.  If it were me, I'd welcome others' input rather than possibly effing myself later.  And, that's all I'm offering.

I've gone through this process and came out with a pretty cool multipurpose basement that even my wife and kids love.  I don't have a full arcade - that's a major difference, so maybe we aren't speaking the same language, but there are some similarities in what you want to do and what I've done. 

We have a theater area with a 100+" screen, a bar that seats 10-12 with lotsa beverages (2 taps, a beer cooler and a mini fridge), 2 pub tables and some gaming; MAME, virtual pinball, shuffleboard, foosball, xbox, etc.  We've been able to have guys nights, ladies nights, poker nights, thown kids parties/sleepovers, and enjoyed NYE parties with thumping music, DJ lights and fog.  And for hanging out watching football, baseball, hockey, etc., we've got 3 viewable screens.  Point is, its multipurpose, which I think you wanted at one point.

If you don't appreciate the feedback, I'm okay if you choose to ignore it, but no need to be snitty about it.

[mcseforsale]

No,
He drinks..

A lot.

Sometimes he drinks...and posts on the interwebs.

 

AJ

Thank you for that brilliant informed critic Dr Lexus

Am I misinterpreting you or are you being douchy?  From your changing requirements and varying renders, it seems that you arent really sure what you want to do with your space.  If it were me, I'd welcome others' input rather than possibly effing myself later.  And, that's all I'm offering.

I've gone through this process and came out with a pretty cool multipurpose basement that even my wife and kids love.  I don't have a full arcade - that's a major difference, so maybe we aren't speaking the same language, but there are some similarities in what you want to do and what I've done. 

We have a theater area with a 100+" screen, a bar that seats 10-12 with lotsa beverages (2 taps, a beer cooler and a mini fridge), 2 pub tables and some gaming; MAME, virtual pinball, shuffleboard, foosball, xbox, etc.  We've been able to have guys nights, ladies nights, poker nights, thown kids parties/sleepovers, and enjoyed NYE parties with thumping music, DJ lights and fog.  And for hanging out watching football, baseball, hockey, etc., we've got 3 viewable screens.  Point is, its multipurpose, which I think you wanted at one point.

If you don't appreciate the feedback, I'm okay if you choose to ignore it, but no need to be snitty about it.

[Maximus]

OK sweetpants...

"The bar area looks kind of forced, like it doesn't belong there"

While your comment is nebulas and vague you also manage to offer an extremely poor alternative use to the space. The bar area has to house two fridges, create surface area where people can place their food, drinks AND face each other while socializing. It also houses the projector (I'll address that genius comment later) house a large sub woofer, HT amp and pre amp and the wiring between them all. It needs space for a wine rack which is represented by the small cupboard between the fridges. It also needs to provide a good balance in the walkways where it leaves enough room for people to sit at the bar sides and others to play the games around it while still being able to turn around and place their drinks on the bar within arms reach so they are not trying to rest them on the cabs anywhere. It also needs to present the beer pumps in such a way that they are at an ergonomically friendly height with a shelf edge for drip trays that can't get banged into when someone walks/runs/staggers by.


"Narrow stand alone bar shelf 6ft wide and 2ft deep"

Accommodates virtually none of the above criteria while providing comfortable seating for 2 or uncomfortable seating for 3 people all facing the same direction. Sounds fun to me.


"Move the beer to the back corner"

Which one? Perhaps on top of the Outrun machine? Maybe get rid of some arcade cabs for the beer? Or find one of those oh so common 10" deep beer fridges to put it by the back corner near the door?


"The taps are just floating in the middle of nowhere"

Not only is this comment vague and none constructive it is a physical impossibility so yeah i'll just move on to the next spark of genius.


"Also make sure you plan enough distance for the projector to the screen. I can't make out the measurements in the renders, but it appears a bit cramped."

Obviously with detailed observations, in depth knowledge and advice like this you clearly have a career in AV installation and perhaps consulting for optical physics related issues. For over a decade now it has been easy to acquire affordable quality projectors that can throw an 80" image from as far away as 24" with perfect keystoning and excellent color uniformity. I use two such projectors in my Alchemy pinball build. Lens shift, optical zoom lenses up to 2.0x and creatively mounted exhaust fans allow the home user to place modern projectors in an amazing array of positions and distances. My current Optoma H20 throws a 130" image from only 13ft away. The screen in this room is 100" across, I didn't write out measurements on it but I think a monkey could get a general feel for the size by relating it to other objects in the room. The couch allows the viewers an eye to screen ratio of 1.28 with a slightly below center eye height, the equivalent of sitting in the middle row of a typical movie theater.

So yes I do appreciate input, but by your same measure of accepting responsibility and feedback to what you post, I will certainly point out when I feel some half assed comments are vague, ill conceived and overall completely useless.

I was joking around, maybe giving you a sarcastic prod with my Dr Lexus comment. But as you decided you felt like getting a sandy vagina because we didn't all roll over in awe at your terrible post I figured I'd illustrate the difference between joking and 'snitty' for you.

Love Joel

[Rick]

[TopJimmyCooks]

Not a snarky comment - I would seriously skip the raised dais/steps in front of the screen.  just looks like a major trip hazard in what appears to be a fairly snug space. 

[Maximus]

Not a snarky comment - I would seriously skip the raised dais/steps in front of the screen.  just looks like a major trip hazard in what appears to be a fairly snug space.

People falling down is funny especially when they land on their balls

[mcseforsale]

Personally, I like the island type bar.  Wondering if there'll be plumbing going to the island and how it's going to get there, what with needing a drain and all.  Maybe a sump with a grinding pump?

I would definately lose the raised platform in front of the screen only for the reason that when I'm hanging out over there and I'm getting wasted and playing Paperboy while you're watching a movie, I'll probably trip and fall trying to make my way out to piss in the driveway...  Just sayin'...it is california and people there like to sue.

AJ

Some more tweaking, I like how this layout is shaping up, added a few bits and pieces.

[mcseforsale]

And as for cozy, it's supposed to be.  Men are pack animals and there's nothing better for a pack animal then a den...or cave.

 

AJ

[mcseforsale]

One of the best commentary-on-modern-society movies ever.  The other one is Wall-E.

AJ

Not a snarky comment - I would seriously skip the raised dais/steps in front of the screen.  just looks like a major trip hazard in what appears to be a fairly snug space.

People falling down is funny especially when they land on their balls

[Maximus]

MCSE. Yep the plumbing to the island would be too costly so no sink. Ill use disposable cups etc. If I do want to crack out the favorite stein then there is a laundry room off the garage where I could go and wash a few glasses if needed.

Yeah I hear you all in the stage, sad that I have to factor in stupidity and backstabbing money hungry opportunists into the design of my personal space but I guess that's what this society is coming to more and more.

[mcseforsale]

Wow.  I can't believe you like money, too.

Classic.

AJ

[yotsuya]

Why won't you people just let the man have his karaoke stage?

[mcseforsale]

If it's gonna be there, IMHO, I'd hightlight it with a different flooring and edges on the steps.

Why won't you people just let the man have his karaoke stage?

[Nephasth]

Am I misinterpreting you or are you being douchy?

Nope, you pretty much nailed it.

[Maximus]

Ahh i see Golum has come sniffing around. It loves the drama it does, so precious.

[TopJimmyCooks]

Crap, y'all two got beef now?  jeez. 

if Neph should have a problem with anybody it's me because I take every opportunity I get to make a Nip/neph ring joke that I come across. 


 

[CoryBee]

I get to make a Nip/neph ring joke that I come across. 

 

[TopJimmyCooks]

u c what I did there?

[yotsuya]

How many bedrooms is it? Would you be better served turning one of those into a theatre room and keeping the garage strictly games/bar?

[Maximus]

It's only three bed, we're actually adding another on the house because we need one more.

[Nephasth]

Thought you had me on ignore.

Now go buy my nip rings.

[macattack]

Looking great. I still need to finish mine. I divided up part of our basement into a 14x14 theater with a 70" dlp screen and 7:1 surround. On the others side of the wall I have an arcade that is 18x 10.

My only concern with your combined space is the lights and noise/attract noise from the arcade/pins while you are knee deep in watching broke back mountain or Bridget jones


WWW.Xtremepinball.com

[Maximus]

My only concern with your combined space is the lights and noise/attract noise from the arcade/pins while you are knee deep in watching broke back mountain or Bridget jones

If only someone could design some kind of switching system that would allow me to independently power off the arcade machines while leaving on the power for the projector and sound system???

Scott, could you try and sketch up a diagram for that?

[Rick]

If only someone could design some kind of switching system that would allow me to independently power off the arcade machines while leaving on the power for the projector and sound system???

[shponglefan]

Not a snarky comment - I would seriously skip the raised dais/steps in front of the screen.  just looks like a major trip hazard in what appears to be a fairly snug space.

Ditto... and I realized it's just a render, but the whole theater screen area seems oddly over-designed considering the "theater" is just a couch and a bunch of arcade machines along the wall...

[Maximus]

By 'oddly over-designed' do you mean 'it's got some curtains' ?

[PL1]

If only someone could design some kind of switching system that would allow me to independently power off the arcade machines while leaving on the power for the projector and sound system???

Scott, could you try and sketch up a diagram for that?

Put a breaker box somewhere in the room. (Hire a licensed electrician to ensure that it conforms to the National Electrical Code)

The cabs will draw enough amps that you'll need several breakers to power the whole setup. (12 gauge wiring/15 amp circuits or 10 gauge wiring/20 amp circuits IIRC)

Keep the home theater on a separate breaker from the cabs.

Separate the breakers that will be always on from the ones that you want to switch on/off.

Put a diagram on the inside of the breaker box door that shows which outlets go with which breakers.

Bonus points for color coding the diagram, breakers, and outlet faceplates.


Scott

[Maximus]

I was thinking about something more localized to the machine itself, something you could flick to control the flow of power to the device and thus stop all the electronical parts from functioning due to the lack of available electricity

[Maximus]

Seriously though I'm meeting with an electrician tonight to discuss 200A and 300A upgrades for the whole house with a 100A sub panel for the garage only.

[PL1]

Sounds like you're looking for more of a home automation setup like X10 (found these on Amazon) or a similar product.





Some of these systems can even be controlled by your iPhone or iPad if you're so inclined, but I haven't researched anything like that.


Scott

[poodude]

Love the plans! Can't wait to see what the finished product looks like.

[macattack]

Agree the the thought of being able to cut the power to the arcades/pin, however is that really a good thing for them?

I thought it was safer to really leave them running than be switching them on/off multiple times. After all how often does a light bulb blow when it's on versus being turned on

Just a thought.


WWW.Xtremepinball.com

[shponglefan]

By 'oddly over-designed' do you mean 'it's got some curtains' ?

More the valance I think 

Don't get me wrong, all that stuff would look nice in a dedicated theater.  It just seems to clash with a bunch of arcade machines right next to it.

[mcseforsale]

Yeah, electronical stuff only breaks when you turn it back on.     Seriously, though, I worked at AT&T when they did a project to save $$ and one of the things they did was evaluate turning off the desktops in certain buildings to see cost effectiveness in their power bill.  What they found was that support costs for busted PCs and such were 4-5 times more for power related illness then the effective savings in power.

Anywhoo.. wish I was closer, cuz I'd volunteer this to your bar project.  431 stainless beer spillover tray.





It's 28" x 5" x 3/4" deep.  Probably holds a gallon of spilt tap beer.

Fully welded with no drain holes.  Found it in the moving trash at work when we switched buildings.  Still not sure what this was doing in a development office, but.

Pay shipping and it's yours.

AJ

[zanna5910]

Pretty cool project, looks like a fun room to be in.

I like how the tv is open for casual watching and whatnot while playing.  have you thought about maybe installing some sort of slideable (track?) panels that could effectively close off the theater section for more private watching to try to eliminate the background noise when you want?  This may or may not be a concern, but if a kid is playing pinball while I was trying to watch a movie it might drive me crazy.  Might be pretty cool.

[yotsuya]

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I'm pretty sure Griff is envisioning this as an either/or room. Either we're watching Beaches or we're playing Ikari Warriors, but not both at the same time. Or if the TV and vids are on, so is a soccer match so sound really doesn't matter.

[Maximus]

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I'm pretty sure Griff is envisioning this as an either/or room. Either we're watching Beaches or we're playing Ikari Warriors, but not both at the same time. Or if the TV and vids are on, so is a soccer match so sound really doesn't matter.

I'm glad someone gets it 

[yotsuya]

I'm glad someone gets it 

I was in the same boat when I had my games in the family room. My solution was to move all the TV stuff out of the family room. 

[Maximus]

have you thought about maybe installing some sort of slideable (track?) panels that could effectively close off the theater section for more private watching to try to eliminate the background noise when you want?  This may or may not be a concern, but if a kid is playing pinball while I was trying to watch a movie it might drive me crazy.  Might be pretty cool.

I don't know that I could do panels as such, but i did play with the idea of heavy floor-to-ceiling black curtains that I could pull out that would cover up all the cabinets, just leaving the walkways, bar and movie area. It would be more of an aesthetic thing making it nice and 'grown up' looking for movie and drinks evenings.