Mame Cabinet in the Public?

[michelevit]

Just curious if anyone has ever seen a functioning MAME machine in the general public playing emulated video games for profit.

Was it a dedicated purpose build cabinet or conversion?

I’ve never come across one, but was curious if anyone has ever seen it.

[paigeoliver]

There was a guy in St. James, MO who was building an entire arcade full of mame cabinets. I bought a bunch of monitors off him. But he ran out of money and last I heard he left town and his wife.

I have seen a half dozen or so of the 60 in 1 (and older versions) machines on location and those are mame.

Ultimately there would be no reason to do so. An Ultracade or Arcade Legends machine can't earn its keep on location anymore so it wouldn't make any sense to try to run a mame cabinet either.

[Rick]

An Ultracade or Arcade Legends machine can't earn its keep on location anymore...

That's like ... your opinion, man. I'd waste serious money in an arcade, if a new one opened up.

[Thenasty]

Only a few like Rick and I would support if there are any arcade spots left. Even thou, if there is, I don't think a few supporters would give the machine enough money to cover all expenses.

Example in my area, the guy owned the building and still packed and call it quits.

[Malenko]

I think they only way for the to survive realistically is some sort of add on, like at the movie theater , part of chuck e cheese or dave & busters, or around here as part of a bar (1984). They just cant rake in the money needed to sustain rent, electricity, maintenance and staff. I miss em, and if I had more money than I knew what to do with, I'd open some sort of arcade anyway

[monkeychunkuk]

An arcade near me has a 5 in 1 style machine with pacman etc, i would love to open a arcade filled with my machines and let people know they are for sale and fill the place with retro merchandise to buy,I'd make all the machine token play and have a machine to dispense them.....well I can dream

[paigeoliver]

An Ultracade or Arcade Legends machine can't earn its keep on location anymore...

That's like ... your opinion, man. I'd waste serious money in an arcade, if a new one opened up.

When I say "On location" I generally mean when an operator has some games in a place, not a free standing arcade. It is nearly impossible to make money with games on location anymore. Games more than a couple years old are lucky to get $40 a month in coin/dollar drop. The new ones earn more but it is nearly impossible to earn back that $9000 new game price tag before the new game becomes an old game. Classics make essentially nothing on location. When you go into the pizza joint and see a claw machine, and two vids, you can be sure that the claw machine is making way more than both vids combined.

The logistics of a free standing arcade are completely different, however even there I have seen that there is never exactly a line to play the Ultracade.

[Rick]

When I say "On location" I generally mean when an operator has some games in a place, not a free standing arcade. It is nearly impossible to make money with games on location anymore.

Well, colour my face red. That totally makes sense. Thanks for the clarification! (You wanna invest in my new arcade?)

On a serious note, it's sad when I do the research on Indiegogo and Kickstarter and see that more than a few people have actually tried to raise money to open an arcade, only to receive NOTHING by way of investors. Maybe it's their approach, maybe it's that the perks aren't interesting enough, or maybe there really is no interest. (In a parallel, it's similar to my thread asking for input on whether or not an 'arcade show' would bring people out. I hear the crickets in that thread, and wonder if maybe it's "just us" out here, and that there really is a fringe for people who like/love these games.)

[yotsuya]

When I say "On location" I generally mean when an operator has some games in a place, not a free standing arcade. It is nearly impossible to make money with games on location anymore.

Well, colour my face red. That totally makes sense. Thanks for the clarification! (You wanna invest in my new arcade?)

On a serious note, it's sad when I do the research on Indiegogo and Kickstarter and see that more than a few people have actually tried to raise money to open an arcade, only to receive NOTHING by way of investors. Maybe it's their approach, maybe it's that the perks aren't interesting enough, or maybe there really is no interest. (In a parallel, it's similar to my thread asking for input on whether or not an 'arcade show' would bring people out. I hear the crickets in that thread, and wonder if maybe it's "just us" out here, and that there really is a fringe for people who like/love these games.)

I think people would be more inclined to go to a one-off show than a regular arcade location. Or if it's a dedicated arcade, you either better have a bar, restaurant, store or theme park attached to it.

[Rick]

I think people would be more inclined to go to a one-off show than a regular arcade location. Or if it's a dedicated arcade, you either better have a bar, restaurant, store or theme park attached to it.

I think you're right about the 'attachment'. I was thinking that having a fun little dive-y pizza joint (yeah, a "joint" that serves amazing pizza) where all the tables were free-to-play cocktails would be awesome. Sure, they may not be the money-makers, but I'm sure they'd draw in some customers.

[yotsuya]

I think people would be more inclined to go to a one-off show than a regular arcade location. Or if it's a dedicated arcade, you either better have a bar, restaurant, store or theme park attached to it.

I think you're right about the 'attachment'. I was thinking that having a fun little dive-y pizza joint (yeah, a "joint" that serves amazing pizza) where all the tables were free-to-play cocktails would be awesome. Sure, they may not be the money-makers, but I'm sure they'd draw in some customers.

If you made some sort of custom table that allowed for comfortable seating, you might be on to something.

[DaOld Man]

You guys do know that is against mame's license to make money off it, plus it violates the copy rights of most games played in mame.

*Door opens for heated debate*

[Rick]

You guys do know that is against mame's license to make money off it, plus it violates the copy rights of most games played in mame.*Door opens for heated debate*

I would only ever install the machines on free play. They're there to look at and play while you're waiting for your pizza. I'm certainly not planning on monetizing them.

*Door closes.*

[BadMouth]

You guys do know that is against mame's license to make money off it, plus it violates the copy rights of most games played in mame.*Door opens for heated debate*

I would only ever install the machines on free play. They're there to look at and play while you're waiting for your pizza. I'm certainly not planning on monetizing them.

*Door closes.*

Q. Can I put an arcade cabinet running MAME in a public location?
 A. No. This this a commercial use of MAME and is prohibited by the license. Even if you don't charge money, putting a machine in a public location is "operating" an arcade machine and falls under commercial rules in most locations.

http://mamedev.org/legal.html

[Rick]

Can o' worms

I actually said "machines". I never said anything about "mame". (And no, replying to DaOldMan's comment did not imply otherwise.)

[ark_ader]

I have spoken to arcade operators of video games, who see reduced revenue from the general public. We could blame Mame but in reality it is the consoles.

Stick an Asteroids and Pacman together in a pizza place and you will see traffic.  Nostalgia wins every time.

Go ahead and stick some games on free play.  Heck I would look at 60-1 cabinets too.  Nobody cares.

I know 5 distributors who sell them.  Big deal.

We are all hypocrites in this hobby in one way or another.  I can name quite a few too.

[Rick]

I have spoken to arcade operators of video games, who see reduced revenue from the general public. We could blame Mame but in reality it is the consoles. Stick an Asteroids and Pacman together in a pizza place and you will see traffic.  Nostalgia wins every time.

That's what I'm thinking. I can put together a nice little "comfortable" cocktail cabinet in place, put in some nice seating, and some simple classics. I think, other than the usual "you guys gotta go, if you're not buying something" for anyone causing a disturbance, that it could only be a boon.

Open a small place up near a high school, cook some good food, keep the place clean and be friendly to the regulars, and that's that.

[michelevit]

What would really happen???

Lets say hipster opens up a pizza by the slice ,two dollar PBR joint. He buys some MAME cabs and a cocktail cabinet. He loads them up with classics (pac-man, frogger, centipede) He set up the coin mech for nickle plays.

Is anyone really going to bust him?

Who is going to bust him.
Is Midway, Namco, Atari going to stop by and flex some muscle?

Just curious. I've never seen another MAME cab in public, but am curious what would really happen.

My local 7-11 converted their storage room into a dim arcade during the 'golden era' It probably had 10-15 cabinets in it. If I had a time machine, that would be one of the places I'd go.

[ark_ader]

I have spoken to arcade operators of video games, who see reduced revenue from the general public. We could blame Mame but in reality it is the consoles. Stick an Asteroids and Pacman together in a pizza place and you will see traffic.  Nostalgia wins every time.

That's what I'm thinking. I can put together a nice little "comfortable" cocktail cabinet in place, put in some nice seating, and some simple classics. I think, other than the usual "you guys gotta go, if you're not buying something" for anyone causing a disturbance, that it could only be a boon.

Open a small place up near a high school, cook some good food, keep the place clean and be friendly to the regulars, and that's that.

No that would be the worst place.  You would be better opening up a greasy spoon or by the slice pizza place in a industrial park, then stick the games in the front just in view.  Token for a pizza slice or whatever.  That is your demographic.  Not hgh school kids that will trash your place, but a 80's hangout with fake ivy/plants and soda pitchers.

We used to have two places that was like that back in the early 80's in LA.  Shakey's Pizza and Farrells.  Both had a handful of arcade games and they serviced the businesses and mall employee stomachs respectively.

[yotsuya]

I have spoken to arcade operators of video games, who see reduced revenue from the general public. We could blame Mame but in reality it is the consoles. Stick an Asteroids and Pacman together in a pizza place and you will see traffic.  Nostalgia wins every time.

That's what I'm thinking. I can put together a nice little "comfortable" cocktail cabinet in place, put in some nice seating, and some simple classics. I think, other than the usual "you guys gotta go, if you're not buying something" for anyone causing a disturbance, that it could only be a boon.

Open a small place up near a high school, cook some good food, keep the place clean and be friendly to the regulars, and that's that.

No that
would be the worst place.  You would be better opening up a greasy spoon or by the slice pizza place in a industrial park, then stick the games in the front just in view.  Token for a pizza slice or whatever.  That is your demographic.  Not hgh school kids that will trash your place, but a 80's hangout with fake ivy/plants and soda pitchers.

We used to have two places that was like that back in the early 80's in LA.  Shakey's Pizza and Farrells.  Both had a handful of arcade games and they serviced the businesses and mall employee stomachs respectively.

Ark's right. High schoolers won't care after the initial "What's that?" Their phones have higher resolution screens and play more engaging games.

The target is 40somethings.

[ron310]

There was one in a dive bar that my friends and I would go to that has since closed down. It was a home built one that was usually out of order though. It was painted green and looked like the buttons were drilled by a drunk. When it was working, people would pay to play it.

[BadMouth]

Who is going to bust him.

The local amusement or vending tax authority. (in the U.S. anyway)

[Rick]

You would be better opening up a greasy spoon or by the slice pizza place in a industrial park, then stick the games in the front just in view. Token for a pizza slice or whatever. That is your demographic. Not high school kids that will trash your place, but a 80's hangout with fake ivy/plants and soda pitchers.

I am so loving the entire idea you have right now. I think I need to build me a business plan.

Ark's right. High schoolers won't care after the initial "What's that?" Their phones have higher resolution screens and play more engaging games. The target is 40somethings.

Agreed. When you're right, you're right.

The local amusement or vending tax authority. (in the U.S. anyway)

Woohoo! Canada, baby! (...and I'm not telling you where, just in case you're part of it!)

[paigeoliver]

As far as the pizza joint with games thing, there is really no reason to even involve mame. Just buy some games. No reason to put nickel mechs on them, just set them on free play. Tax stickers and "No more than 3 coin op arcade machines in one location without a $2000 annual arcade permit" laws would eat up all your coin drop on nickels or quarters anyway.

[Rick]

Tax stickers and "No more than 3 coin op arcade machines in one location without a $2000 annual arcade permit" laws would eat up all your coin drop on nickels or quarters anyway.

Do you happen to know if that is U.S. or Canadian law?

[paigeoliver]

Tax stickers and "No more than 3 coin op arcade machines in one location without a $2000 annual arcade permit" laws would eat up all your coin drop on nickels or quarters anyway.

Do you happen to know if that is U.S. or Canadian law?

Those kinds of laws vary wildly from town to city to county to state to province, but they are apparently common in both the US and Canada. I was just giving an example of the kind of laws one can rub up against just trying to set up a Pac-Man machine to take quarters.

[SavannahLion]

There is a place called Musée Mécanique in San Francisco on the Pier.

I'll withhold my feelings about the place. It's really something one should visit before drawing an opinion on it.

[Rick]

Those kinds of laws vary wildly from town to city to county to state to province, but they are apparently common in both the US and Canada. I was just giving an example of the kind of laws one can rub up against just trying to set up a Pac-Man machine to take quarters.

Cool beans. I think I may just ask the CRA (the Canadian version of the IRS) next time I'm on the phone with them. Probably be good info to have for someone!

[BadMouth]

Those kinds of laws vary wildly from town to city to county to state to province, but they are apparently common in both the US and Canada. I was just giving an example of the kind of laws one can rub up against just trying to set up a Pac-Man machine to take quarters.

Cool beans. I think I may just ask the CRA (the Canadian version of the IRS) next time I'm on the phone with them. Probably be good info to have for someone!

It's usually more of a local city/county thing.  I doubt they'd know anything about it.

Fake versions attached, but I assume they're based on a real one.

[ark_ader]

If you are thinking of a 80s food outlet, ensure that the food is quality, and factor in the prospect that you will make a loss in your first year.  Price the meals at 80s prices, pump 80s tracks on the stereo, and hold competitions for high scores.  If you are lucky the second year will make up your previous loss, then you can expand or sell franchises.

It is important to stay true to the theme.  Deviation is what kills these ideas.  Think up a catchy name.

[Jack Burton]

I've heard of a few college campuses with MAME cabs set up in student rec centers.  There's also a few in those paid-membership workshops for geeks.