Stand up vs. sit down cabinet

[rackoon]

I am asking this question for a guy I am building a cab for:  How many people build sit down cabs compared to stand up cabs?

I have built 6 cabs and only the first was stand up size, the rest were about 20 inches lower so they could be played sitting. I took into consideration the height of the average chair, eye level, elbow tilt, and built all may cabs like that from then on. I always figured I could build a cool looking pedestal to raise it up later if needed.

For my first cab I bought some cool stools that ended up hurting my back with some serious time on them. Also, the sit down cab was driven by the need to use fold up chairs to keep down clutter when not in play.

Am I the only one and I did not notice until my friend said this hurts my back as he slump over the half built cab we were working on. I replied with, "do you really want to stand and play, Do you stand when you play on your playstation?"

[Ginsu Victim]

When I built my first cabinet, part of my reasoning was that it seemed odd to sit in my comfy chair playing arcade games.

I stand.

[yotsuya]

If I wanted to sit and play games, I’d hook up my xBox.

[Spawn2k]

4 uprights and 1 cocktail. I have a bad disc in my back so I can only stand at the machine for so long. I still prefer to stand. I even have bar stools but if I'm trying for high score I need to be standing. The older I get the more I'm leaning twoard cocktail cabs.

[keilmillerjr]

I don't think I ever seen a sit down cab in USA besides that jurrasic park shooter or Star Wars. Standing is fine. They are not meant to be played for long periods of time. It's what makes arcade more social.

[Titchgamer]

Only ever stand up or cocktail for me.

Ive never owned or built a cabaret style.

[aldub516]

I would think logically it would make sense to build a standard size cabinet made for standing, and just get stools that feel comfortable. Otherwise you're forcing anyone to sit in a chair to play. I don't know many arcade games that I would want to play sitting in a lazy boy

[eds1275]

Stand. Buy a stool just in case but don't forget to wipe the dust off before you actually end up using it.

[smass]

I think your sitting vs. standing preference has more to do with your personal experience playing games.  Those of us who grew up in the 80s and hung out at arcades are used to playing arcade-style games standing up.  Sure, we also played console games such as Atari and Nintendo, but arcade games were a different experience.  Many younger gamers never had the real arcade experience and their gaming was mostly on the couch, or beanbag, or just sitting on the family room floor and playing.  So preference sitting vs. standing probably has more to do with your personal experience.

As others have pointed out, arcade games, at least the classics, were generally shorter in length and more appropriate to stand and play.

[Jakobud]

Only ever stand up or cocktail for me.

Ive never owned or built a cabaret style.

Cabaret does not mean what you think it means.

[Titchgamer]

Only ever stand up or cocktail for me.

Ive never owned or built a cabaret style.

Cabaret does not mean what you think it means.

Care to elaborate on that?

I think cabaret means small/mini upright??

[paigeoliver]

I used to like to stand, now I tend to pull up a stool or chair if I am playing anything that I can last more than a few minutes on.

[csnow]

I tried the sitting cabinet and hated it.  I thought I would give the Japanese candy cab a try because they have beautiful 29" monitors that are easily setup in either vertical or horizontal position.  As much as I loved the notion, it just felt awkward.  I don't mind playing on a cocktail or an upright (cabaret or normal), but sitting on a small stool in front of a machine that looks like it should have a Kenmore badge on it, felt foreign to me (pun intended).  Being a product of the golden age of arcades, I have to much nostalgia and familiarity to change.  Even though the machines are "better" on paper, I couldn't get into them.  Long live the 80s'.

[rackoon]

Im 47 and grew up in arcades and spending time anywhere I could find an arcade game. Yes, I always stood, but I was a carpenter for 18 years before I became a teacher and man my knees hurt

I play fighting games at work with my coworkers for 2 hours at a time and I could'nt stand in one place that long

I wont defend the fact that I prefer a sitting cab because once most of you tried it you would probably prefer it and have to lie to everyone to keep your purest persona just kidding kind of.

to be honest I thought more would be on my side.

I must say that cocktail hurt my neck after a long time playing

[yotsuya]

[Mike A]

You play video games for two hours at a time at work? Where do I sign up for that?

[05SRT4]

I was thinking maybe we can come up with a pulley system so we hang the arcade from the ceiling, then you can play while lying down.

[Cynicaster]

I sit at a desk all day so I relish the opportunity to stand in front of a cabinet and play games.  I'll do it for hours at a time and love every minute of it.  For me it has nothing to do with being a "purist," it's just better.  And, by standing, I'm not turning myself into a hunchback. 

[jennifer]

     It is hard to do a cute Pac man dance while sitting down....Gotta go with uprights please.

[rackoon]

W. Churchill said why stand when you can sit, why sit when you can lay down

I am a teacher so my students are done by 2:00 but they stay for an hour and play street fighter in my classroom. The  other teachers come and play too. I should be grading papers, so I end up doing it at home later. So its not like I am skipping work to just play vids. I still have to grade the papers at some point

But, on days right before a holiday break we have an all day video game competition.

[MTPPC]

Sit down for racing games and stand up for the rest. Your left leg gets tired if you are working the gas with the right.

[rackoon]

Hmmmm, Well what yall don't realize is that standing is just a form of sitting on your feet

[yotsuya]

So I guess the initial answer to your question is .... zero.

[rackoon]

I feel a deep sadness in my heart for the relaxing comfort of the sit-down cab that you will never know

I am truly  sorry for your loss

This reminds me of a captain Kirk quote: In an insane world, the sane man appears insane

[yotsuya]

I feel a deep sadness in my heart for the relaxing comfort of the sit-down cab that you will never know

I am truly  sorry for your loss

This reminds me of a captain Kirk quote: In an insane world, the sane man appears insane

[Ian]

I stand for 3 things... My Flag, Greeting a Women, and Arcade Games. Not in that order.

[pbj]

I was thinking maybe we can come up with a pulley system so we hang the arcade from the ceiling, then you can play while lying down.

This sounds like a set up for a nerd version of Catherine the Great....

[yotsuya]

I stand for 3 things... My Flag, Greeting a Women, and Arcade Games. Not in that order.

[Ian]

I stand for 3 things... My Flag, Greeting a Women, and Arcade Games. Not in that order.

 

lol

[rackoon]

rec room masters sells 2 super sexy sit-down cabs that I am sure are among their top sellers

[Ian]

rec room masters sells 2 super sexy sit-down cabs that I am sure are among their top sellers

Hey man it's all good. To each his own. I just don't remember sitting down in an arcade. Thus I prefer to stand and play these games. Neither way is wrong.

[rackoon]

I had a local bowling alley that had about 20 games scattered around the place and people would drag a stool from the bar sometimes and leave it in front of a game, we would all fight over it. 

Kind of funny note, the two games near the bar were joust, jungle king, gauntlet and mappy and the games sandwiched a cigarette machine where minors could buy a pack. These four games all had buns all over them due to this.   Ahhhhh, the early 80's

Man I thought those games were magic back then. I miss the smell of burning control panel stickers as a shrinking cigarette tetered on the edge of the game

[Ian]

I had a local bowling alley that had about 20 games scattered around the place and people would drag a stool from the bar sometimes and leave it in front of a game, we would all fight over it. 

Kind of funny note, the two games near the bar were joust, jungle king, gauntlet and mappy and the games sandwiched a cigarette machine where minors could buy a pack. These four games all had buns all over them due to this.   Ahhhhh, the early 80's

Man I thought those games were magic back then. I miss the smell of burning control panel stickers as a shrinking cigarette tetered on the edge of the game

Yes... most of the games I have restored had cigarette burns on them. I keep them there... I like the battle scars.

[yotsuya]

rec room masters sells 2 super sexy sit-down cabs that I am sure are among their top sellers

You’re not helping your cause any.

Here’s a seat for your sit down cabs...

[rackoon]

Not bad, I think I could work with that

Although, for two players, I don't think playing with my pants around my ankles during a competitive game of street fighter, would fly with some of the folks I hang out with

[yotsuya]

Not bad, I think I could work with that

Although, for two players, I don't think playing with my pants around my ankles during a competitive game of street fighter, would fly with some of the folks I hang out with

I like you, Rackoon. You just happened to be wrong about this. Very wrong.

[Le Chuck]

I didn't read this thread.

Stand up cabinets for the win.

Sitdowns are the lame...except when they're cool, but they're mostly the lame. Very the lame. laaaaame. lame. 

[wp34]

Sitdowns are the lame...except when they're cool.

Here's a cool one.

[Le Chuck]

Stun runner was nice but man did it eat up the space

[Vigo]

Bar stools.

This doesn't seem too complicated.