Super Newb looking for advice!

[anon275]

Hello everyone!

I've got a chance to pick up a SWEET Defender Arcade Cocktail Table. I'm thinking of using it as a kitchen table for a small place

http://anchorage.craigslist.org/vgm/4092609007.html

So as cool as I think Defender is, I would love to mod this thing to play a multitude of other games. I actually love the classic tube tv so if I could keep that in there it'd be favorable... Also all the flashing lights and all that fun stuff that already is working great.

I wanted to post this as a new project announcement but I'm not really sure yet exactly what I want to do when and if I do actually buy this thing.

Does anyone have any advice for me? This is definitely my first foray into this world and any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[Nephasth]

It's missing the glass.

[paigeoliver]

It's missing the glass.

Doesn't seem to be missing it to me.

Honestly you couldn't pick much of a worse machine to start with than a fully working Defender cocktail. In addition to basically destroying a working classic table you would also just be throwing money out the window as well by picking such an expensive donor machine when one could be had for so much less.

If hell bent on using that machine I would suggest the jrok multiwilliams PCB, it has Defender, Stargate, Robotron, Joust, Bubbles, Splat, Sinistar and Blaster all on one reproduction circuit board. I am running one in an upright Robotron cabinet myself.

[anon275]

I've been searching around, and since I'm living in Alaska, its definitely the best deal I've found up here  I started reading a little bit about JROK boards. Would this be worth it if I just kept it the way it is without modding it at all? Would the JROK board be a fairly easy swap of whats already inside? Trust me if I coulf find cheaper I'd get it!

[paigeoliver]

jrok board would still mean a complete rewiring and new control panels. But so would anything else you did to it.  Pricing on the game seems OK with me giving it a $100 location premium. Defender is a deep game, once you learn to play it you can keep getting better at it for a long time. The initial learning curve is steep though.

You can find machines just about anywhere, even Alaska. You may have to run a wanted to buy ad though.

[anon275]

hmmm..... I will think on this, thank you sir! I might just get the table and keep it as is... and I think I'll also run a wanted ad, a very good idea I have my mind really set on getting a cocktail table!

[paigeoliver]

hmmm..... I will think on this, thank you sir! I might just get the table and keep it as is... and I think I'll also run a wanted ad, a very good idea I have my mind really set on getting a cocktail table!

You could always get the Defender table and then later convert another game into a multigame. Broken video poker machines and 8liners are also possible donor machines to look out for.