Temptation

[paigeoliver]

Lately I have really been fighting the temptation simply to start maming my dedicated games that don't work right.

I look at that Time Pilot cocktail, and think to myself "That could be up and running again tommorrow for $50 in PC parts, and my 4 Konami boards, power supply, harness, and that pulsing monitor would probably bring in $125".

I look at both my Sprints and think, "Am I EVER going to find working boards? I could get one of these up this weekend if I just gave in".

I gaze in the direction of my Crystal Castles and think, "You know what, a Pentium 233 would actually boot every time, and wouldn't reset halfway through your game".

I have pretty much already decided that I am not going to bother paying for real Defender boards for my Defender.

The only thing keeping from doing it is the fact that they take longer to turn on, and a vague idea that it is somehow "wrong".

I don't know, maybe it is just because my Mame powered games NEVER have any problems at all, and if they were to have any problems, they could be fixed faster and cheaper than any of my dedicated games.

[BLACK KNIGHT]

But on the other side of taking longer to turn on is the fact that you can leave it on 24/7.  I leave my  MAME on all the time...why turn it off?  It's not gonna get screen burn like a real arcade because of a screen saver and the monitor powers off after 20 minutes.  Then it takes just the normal amount of time to bring up a game.  

[menace]

I think its ok to go ahead so long as it could be restored to its original condition with a little work--i.e. don't paint over defender side art with akuma or something like that.  Go forth and mame!  At least this way the cabs could see some use and if you happen across a cheap defender board in the future, it'll be no problem to restore it.  Just my .02.

[Sephroth57]

yeah id say stick a cheap PC in there, i mean its cool to have the authentic boards and everything but like the above poster said, you could always restore it if you happen to find a good deal later

[Spaced Invader]

So its wrong that I painted Mario on the front of my Computer Space...and modded the CP with a standard Street Fighter layout? I Think its 1337!!!  

Paige Mame 'em up...no one who's been on these boards for long worries about you turning original cabs into FrankenCabs. If you keep everything but the guts original you will be resurrecting a dead machine (as far as I'm concerned). And by selling the innards on Ebay you may be responsible for the resurrection of yet another "dead" machine.

Opinions vary!  

[Stingray]

I have a set of Defender boards, though their condition is unknown. More info in this thread:

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=14029

If you're interested in them, let me know. If you have anything you might want to swap for them, I'm open to offers.

stingrayg4@prodigy.net

-S

[Sephroth57]

well another thing is too... do you REALLY need like 5 machines? i mean obviously the MAME can play them all and i guess its pretty cool having a full working original but thats where you draw the line between purist/perfectionist, and someone who just loves arcade games. personally 1 MAME cab with every game is enough for me, and maybe another for BEMANI games but thats a totally different thing and necessary to play the right way

[etumor]

well another thing is too... do you REALLY need like 5 machines? i mean obviously the MAME can play them all and i guess its pretty cool having a full working original but thats where you draw the line between purist/perfectionist, and someone who just loves arcade games. personally 1 MAME cab with every game is enough for me, and maybe another for BEMANI games but thats a totally different thing and necessary to play the right way

I'd say that's very much a personal decision.  I have an all-in-one MAME cabinet, but I have recently been toying with the idea of building reproductions of my favorite original cabinets...a Dragon's Lair, a Pac Man, a Tempest, etc.  I'd have a whole fleet of machines, and they'd each offer a more nostalgic feel that the do-it-all MAME cabinet (the Pac-Man could be used for maze games, for example).

Of course, this would mean dedicating a large portion of my house to store these machines, and I don't really have the space.  But if I did, I'd probably do it.  More power to those who do have the space!  And if it isn't your cup of tea, and you're satisfied with a single MAME cab, then more power to you too.  Just as long as you are enjoying yourself either way.

-Jeff "etumor" Allen

[mtd]

Are you having fun?  If not, then find a way to make it fun..A hobby shouldn't stressful.

[Xiaou2]

 While its hopefull that computers wont change to the point of mame not working anymore... it might one day come to that sadly : (  

 Micro$oft is trying to force hardware level features that could cripple a persons system on command I think... It might go so far as to scan your system for roms - and if found, delete them or destroy the pc.  Its hard to say if or when this could occur... and if there will be any way arround this.

 This is one of the reasons Ive bought a few top classics.  That and pure 100% control to game accuracy.  

  Some people buy games they can afford initailly - even if its not the Top favorite of thiers..  This may seem logical at the time... but if something goes wrong with it... are you going to be willing to sink a good chunk of change into it?

 If you love the game.. youd be more inclined to fix it up without the heavy hearted 'gah... do I really want to toss money at this?'

  Since it seems you are in this position... then i suggest selling the classics rather than changing them.  Sell them to a person who's willing to sink a boatload of money into them.

  Take the money you get and build a cab thats more custom to your needs and desires... and or buy more tools to do so : )

  Building a cab is actually pretty easy... and not that expensive.  Its the controls/interfaces/pc's - that cost the most.

 Finally... if you do choose to restore them... they will sell for Huge money on ebay (depending on how good of a restore of course).  Classics are going up in value every day... even in bad condition.

[paigeoliver]

I have LOTS of games. I don't do "all in one" mame cabinets though. I prefer for the controls AND monitor orientation to be correct, and I don't mix control types.

My Crystal Castles has seen better days. It has a broken chunk on one corner of the cabinet,and the sideart on the other side has had a star scratched into it. The marquee is of course cracking as well. It is by far in the worst condition out of all my stuff.

There are many reasons to have more than one Mame cabinet. The biggest reason is that it allows more people to play at the same time, without resorting to making a massive 4-player monster and then forcing everyone to play TMNT.

The second reason to make multiple cabinets is so you can run more games with the correct controls and monitor orientations.

The third reason to make multiple cabinets is that different cabinets and different joysticks have different feels to them.

The 4th reason to make multiple cabs is that having multiple cabs is cool!

Also, when I mame I don't repaint, change, or do much of anything to the cabinet. I did pull the original control panel off my Amazing Maze, and made a new one from scratch, but that is about as different as it gets.

Also, controls and such are dirt cheap if you are really into arcade games, I have tons of that stuff laying around (and no it isn't for sale).

[paigeoliver]

While its hopefull that computers wont change to the point of mame not working anymore... it might one day come to that sadly : (  

 Micro$oft is trying to force hardware level features that could cripple a persons system on command I think... It might go so far as to scan your system for roms - and if found, delete them or destroy the pc.  Its hard to say if or when this could occur... and if there will be any way arround this.

I already plan to prepare for this eventuality by stockpiling about 2 dozen or more systems (with the CMOS batteries removed, so they can be stored without fear of acid damage). I have long thought that Mame will eventually be "shut down", and that the old versions eventually won't run on the new computers. So I am going to make sure that I have a large supply of old computers.

[DARRYLICSHON]

I am changing my dedicated games , only when they stop working , but i keep them original ,i have a centipede , thats going to be centipede , millipede,Crystal Castles , golden tee , etc. I agree that you should have the same type feel , i'm trying to get a defender or stargate cab , and i really need a missile command cab also. robotron has the controls of alot of games also , don't forget if you like to play racing games you have to have a cab with a steering wheel , then there are the flight sticks.Sit down cab i want also that makes 6 - 7 cabs i think i need. now just need the room

[Wade]

Paige, you're nuts!  Stockpiling old PC's for "Mame D-Day"!!

Mame is not going to "disappear" out of the blue, enough of us have CD's with the software that even if it totally disappeared from the net and all development stopped TODAY, the software and roms would still be available 10 years from now, or more.

There is no need to stockpile mame-compatible PCs.  I have a closet full of everything from 286's to Pentiums.  I have to grab a few less-worthy ones and throw them out every once in awhile to keep the wife happy.  People constantly give me PCs because they just don't know what else to do with them other than pitch them in the trash.  There will never be a shortage of old junker PCs as most people buy a new one every few years and toss their old one (Windows has that effect on people...)

The one thing that I could see happening is if Mame wasn't developed for 10 years or was somehow frozen, it would eventually be hard to find *reliable* PCs that could run it.  Even new PCs can run DOS Mame and probably will be able to for awhile, but the soundcards are becoming a problem with only Windows drivers or PCI interfaces, etc.  A lot of my old junker PC's are getting tossed because they aren't reliable (bad hard drive... leaking battery... etc.) and parts are getting too hard to find for them.

Wade

[paigeoliver]

Paige, you're nuts!  Stockpiling old PC's for "Mame D-Day"!!

Mame is not going to "disappear" out of the blue, enough of us have CD's with the software that even if it totally disappeared from the net and all development stopped TODAY, the software and roms would still be available 10 years from now, or more.

Well, there is also a secondary reason for that. I already have 4 Mame systems, I may have as many as 8 or 9 by the time I am done with all my empty/non-working/flaky cabinets. A large supply of p2/p3 era computers in reserve gives me a huge supply of spare parts for my existing machines.

[Wade]

I can't argue with keeping spares lying around if you've got the space... though my wife might...  I can keep her happy by throwing a couple out every once in a while.  "Look honey, I'm cleaning!"

Re-read your quote and tell me it doesn't sound crazy... "stockpiling 2 dozen or more PCs..."

TTYL,
Wade

[Spaced Invader]

And there's always that friend that doesn't have a PC but wants to surf the net...I've built and given away 3 AMD K6's this year to the surfing impaired...and I still have a room full of PCs. Spares are a good thing...and I don't believe Microsoft will succeed in its attempt at "safegaurding" our PCs...remember Intels P3 serial number (that one went over well).  

[grafixmonkey]

Well Paige, all I've got to say is that the official Mame Mission Statement is to resurrect and preserve old games whose boards are dying.  You could be like a poster child, proving that their motives are worthwhile and genuine!  Get some pics, "Here's the dead board, rest in peace.  Here's the cab, with the game playing in it, good as new, preserved in its original form for the children of tomorrow!"

Then a picture, "And here are the children of tomorrow, ignoring Crystal Castles and playing Pok

[RetroJames]

First off, it was paigeoliver who really got me into the idea of MAMEing classic cabs, not to convert and destroy, but to work with the art, monitor orientation, and controls that are there and add PC guts.  I am a true believer.  It is great that folks collect and maintain the classics, but to be frank, I just don't have the spare cash for that kind of an enterprise.  I would like to see my "game room" outfitted with a couple of "classic" upright cabinets,  a fighter upright, a sit down driving cab, and a cocktail.  Out of those I think I could cover my bases on the games I want to play. and have a cool room as well with the old arcadey feel.  

Of course I'll be divorced, but at least I'll have something to do.  

I had to pass on a $100.00 Hard Driving Cab complete sans the monitor today in deference to "she who must be obeyed"  ...  sigh

-BTW Paige, love the Battlezone.  MAME it, Play it, Love it!

[paigeoliver]

-BTW Paige, love the Battlezone.  MAME it, Play it, Love it!

The only reason the Battlezone isn't up yet is that I haven't gotten around to mounting the monitor (a 75 lb monitor is a pain in the butt to mount facing straight up).

I think, I think, I think I am going to try buying a flyback for my Time Pilot monitor, if that doesn't take care of it, well, then I will be looking for a PC that I can actually squeeze inside that thing.

I think, I think, I think I am going to replace all the caps on my Crystal Castles boardset and AR II board, if that doesn't take care of it, then I will probably be hacking a VGA cable for the advancemame hookup. Luckily I already have a proper size PS2 trackball that I can just put in place of the original, (but still use the original ball).

I still might have a line on Sprint boards, so I am gonna hold off on that for a while.

[Sephroth57]

First off, it was paigeoliver who really got me into the idea of MAMEing classic cabs, not to convert and destroy, but to work with the art, monitor orientation, and controls that are there and add PC guts.  I am a true believer.  It is great that folks collect and maintain the classics, but to be frank, I just don't have the spare cash for that kind of an enterprise.  I would like to see my "game room" outfitted with a couple of "classic" upright cabinets,  a fighter upright, a sit down driving cab, and a cocktail.  Out of those I think I could cover my bases on the games I want to play. and have a cool room as well with the old arcadey feel.  

Of course I'll be divorced, but at least I'll have something to do.  

I had to pass on a $100.00 Hard Driving Cab complete sans the monitor today in deference to "she who must be obeyed"  ...  sigh

-BTW Paige, love the Battlezone.  MAME it, Play it, Love it!

man that sucks your woman made you pass up that deal!! i wouldve convinced her you cant let them win like that!

[RetroJames]

man that sucks your woman made you pass up that deal!! i wouldve convinced her you cant let them win like that!

Who said I let her win?  A diversion does not a roadblock make, pressure will always overcome force Danielsan.  ;>

Actually, she is the smart one.  Don't get me wrong I am still trying, but we are in the middle of remodeling the house, baby on the way in April, I'm in school, working full time, side projects out the A**,  she works mostly full time, running a business on the side, etc, etc.  By rights I am nuts to want that cab, but I reeeeaaaaly think that that would be the last one....

[Sephroth57]

ohhh you already have a couple? well thats ok i guess... when i get a house im going to make sure i can designate a room for my "game room"