Arcade1up Clearance Sale

[opt2not]

Not trying to dis cabaret format cabs in general

Got it. i'm following...

but the aesthetics of those units are pretty weak.

You just generalized those cabinets as being weak. Are they though? The criteria for an arcade machine looks to be on point here. They have small-form, sleek retro design, height of the CP at a comfortable position, proper marquee displaying what game...

What's weak about them? Elaborate.

They obviously heralded from a time where the game was the primary draw, and it didn't matter if it was housed in a cardboard box.

Another generalization that is downright false.  The "primary draw" as you so put it, is saving space.  Cabarets were installed in lobbies and waiting areas, where space was limited. Some cabarets like my Williams example had full artwork and lighting installed, and appealed to the aesthetic design that is akin to their full sized counterparts.  In some cases, like Robotron, the size is actually benefitial to the gameplay. For a 13" screen, in Robotron you can pick up things in your perphrial vision a lot easier than on the full-sized version.

What you're projecting is that you think the boxier, no-frills cabaret designs weren't intentional, or fill no real purpose other than being a capsule.  That's a generalization, no?

[ark_ader]

I don't think it is worth going to jail for.  The UPC is trackable.

Um,  that's not how UPC works...

>facepalm<

EDIT: Nevermind,  already covered ... even though you AGAIN used the term UPC Traceable (no such thing).


BTW - I wouldn't suggest anyone do such a thing anyway,  as the negative karma isn't worth it... plus,  lets be 100% honest... who in their right mind (other than folks with kids) would want one of these ---smurfy--- little machines?   The mind boggles...

...and modding these toys is akin to modding a Pandoras Box.  Yay!   Sort of the same mindframe as the guy who takes a $1200 Honda Civic with a 1400cc engine and mods the ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- out of it to drop his drag time from 20.3 seconds to 19.5...

EDIT: Man,  re-reading this post and I sure come off strong.  It's hard not to though... garbage in garbage out.

I totally agree with you.  This was not my intention, I posted that to dissuade vulnerable people who, lurk on here, and might be so inclined to go out and buy a 1up arcade game from Game Stop, and then try to get a higher refund from Walmart.  This is clear fraud, and should not even be discussed on this site as we do not own it, and we should follow the rules of our ISP, etc.  As I am sure we all can agree that we should have a moral obligation not to prescribe actions that would be considered unethical or unlawful.  I have seen in the media, that people are easily led, and triggered to do things via online discussion.

Whether the UPC is traceable or not, I was hoping that my comments would act as a deterrent.  I would not be happy if someone did this and got caught and went to jail, just because someone registered on this site proposed something that was deemed illegal.  If this sounds stupid to you then you have my sincere respect to your right of opinion.  Again this is not my site, but if it was, I would not like someone discussing something that can be construed as illegal.  Probably why we have rule 5.  Then I have objection to those registered on this site, to propagate interest of the subject above to ridicule me.  My takeaway from this is I now have a better understanding of peoples values on morality.  I am thankful for the education, even if I do not subscribe or agree to their intentions, regardless if they think they are ethical.

It is not my place to police anyone, people should should first think before posting.   I am sure you all will punish me for my moral beliefs, in your comments.


I just wanted to clear that up.

Food for thought.

[ark_ader]

well not everyone has access to a garage to house a shite-ton of arcade cabs so these fit in well for those with limited space.

At $100 and a few bucks for some mods this is perfect for me and my space limited retreat.

...just a few examples of how y'all could "keep it real"...

 

I would love to build one of those (I have 2 1902A monitors) can we have some exact specifications we can sticky so we can at least get the style of one of these beauties in our office/home?

[pumpkinpie]

Why are you here then? Take your 100 bucks and go buy a turd machine.

this is a build your own controls forum is it not ?  I do plan on building my own controls for this turd not that its any of your business.

Good for you fella. Just don't bother posting about your BYOAC plans here on this public forum, because it's "none of our business".   

I'll reiterate the question again, "why are you here then?"

i am here to take part in this thread for a product that i have purchased - why are you and little Mikey here again ?

[FrizzleFried]

I don't think it is worth going to jail for.  The UPC is trackable.

Um,  that's not how UPC works...

>facepalm<

EDIT: Nevermind,  already covered ... even though you AGAIN used the term UPC Traceable (no such thing).


BTW - I wouldn't suggest anyone do such a thing anyway,  as the negative karma isn't worth it... plus,  lets be 100% honest... who in their right mind (other than folks with kids) would want one of these ---smurfy--- little machines?   The mind boggles...

...and modding these toys is akin to modding a Pandoras Box.  Yay!   Sort of the same mindframe as the guy who takes a $1200 Honda Civic with a 1400cc engine and mods the ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- out of it to drop his drag time from 20.3 seconds to 19.5...

EDIT: Man,  re-reading this post and I sure come off strong.  It's hard not to though... garbage in garbage out.

I totally agree with you.  This was not my intention, I posted that to dissuade vulnerable people who, lurk on here, and might be so inclined to go out and buy a 1up arcade game from Game Stop, and then try to get a higher refund from Walmart.  This is clear fraud, and should not even be discussed on this site as we do not own it, and we should follow the rules of our ISP, etc.  As I am sure we all can agree that we should have a moral obligation not to prescribe actions that would be considered unethical or unlawful.  I have seen in the media, that people are easily led, and triggered to do things via online discussion.

Whether the UPC is traceable or not, I was hoping that my comments would act as a deterrent.  I would not be happy if someone did this and got caught and went to jail, just because someone registered on this site proposed something that was deemed illegal.  If this sounds stupid to you then you have my sincere respect to your right of opinion.  Again this is not my site, but if it was, I would not like someone discussing something that can be construed as illegal.  Probably why we have rule 5.  Then I have objection to those registered on this site, to propagate interest of the subject above to ridicule me.  My takeaway from this is I now have a better understanding of peoples values on morality.  I am thankful for the education, even if I do not subscribe or agree to their intentions, regardless if they think they are ethical.

It is not my place to police anyone, people should should first think before posting.   I am sure you all will punish me for my moral beliefs, in your comments.


I just wanted to clear that up.

Food for thought.

What IS traceable is the serial number (most likely) associated with the units.  I know when I took back a TV to Wally World they removed the box and typed in the serial number from the back of the unit.  I'm guessing they have something similar for these units (and just about anything over a specific dollar amount).  I assume all this because the unscrupulous individual could wait until Wally World itself had them on sale then attempt to return them when the sale was over (or by just claiming he bought it BEFORE the sale as put on).

We do agree 100% that it takes an unethical THIEF to do such a thing.  If you're (no you... I'm talking to "everyone") the king of person who feels it's OK to steal... then you shouldn't have difficulty morally accepting whatever BS you come up with the justify the theft.  If you're like MOST of us here ... and you were taught that there's not much worse than a Thief or Liar... then you're going to avoid even attempting the mental gymnastics necessary to "justify" this form of thievery.

[FrizzleFried]

I would love to build one of those (I have 2 1902A monitors) can we have some exact specifications we can sticky so we can at least get the style of one of these beauties in our office/home?

I'll poke around.  I know there are at least SOME specs for minis floating around...

[opt2not]

Why are you here then? Take your 100 bucks and go buy a turd machine.

this is a build your own controls forum is it not ?  I do plan on building my own controls for this turd not that its any of your business.

Good for you fella. Just don't bother posting about your BYOAC plans here on this public forum, because it's "none of our business".   

I'll reiterate the question again, "why are you here then?"

i am here to take part in this thread for a product that i have purchased - why are you and little Mikey here again ?

This thread isn't the official product thread of your said purchase. Anyone is allowed to express their opinions of this product, whether good or bad. Contrary to some people here, that only want to hear the *good things (*there aren't many) about these cabinets. You are free to take part, but surely you see the conundrum you're in?  You want to participate, but you say it's none of our business. That seems like a conflict.

Mike A, and myself have helped many many members of this forum. We are here to continue to help and support the BYOAC community. Part of that support is calling out quality issues for products that the community might spend their hard-earned money on. Whether they're "lemons" or not.

Continue to join the conversation.

[DrakeTungsten]

Why are you here then? Take your 100 bucks and go buy a turd machine.

this is a build your own controls forum is it not ?  I do plan on building my own controls for this turd not that its any of your business.

Good for you fella. Just don't bother posting about your BYOAC plans here on this public forum, because it's "none of our business".   

Ha! He said it's none of Mike's business, which is the proper response to someone who is engaging you in bad faith. He didn't say it's nobody's business. I'm sure that pretending he was talking to everybody helps to ease the pain, but you do yourself no favors by shying away from reality.

[RandyT]

You just generalized those cabinets as being weak. Are they though? The criteria for an arcade machine looks to be on point here. They have small-form, sleek retro design, height of the CP at a comfortable position, proper marquee displaying what game...

What's weak about them? Elaborate.

They are so "utilitarian" in appearance that they lack any style or real character.  Without the tacked-on logo plates, they'd look like a check-in terminal at an early 80's vintage hotel.

As for the rest of the side-step, hopefully this will help:

Code: [Select]

Definition of draw
transitive verb

3a : to bring by inducement or allure : ATTRACT
honey draws flies

I don't know if you were alive in those days, but the games were so popular that they were everywhere there was a place to cram one into.  The games were the draw in those locations, and a flashy cabinet wasn't necessary to attract players.  Most were just happy to be able to play the games in the corner of a grocery store while Mom or the wife was off shopping.

What you're projecting is that you think the boxier, no-frills cabaret designs weren't intentional, or fill no real purpose other than being a capsule.  That's a generalization, no?

The first part I never stated, and the second is a statement of fact.   There were some locations where a "capsule" was all that would fit within space, decor and cost constraints.  IMHO, those generic looking boxes were the "shovelware" of the games' presentation.  I almost felt dirty putting quarters into them (but I did it anyway .)  The A1UP boxes are considerably more attractive as, unlike those "capsules", they retain the spirit of the actual machine in a diminutive format.

[Mr. Peabody]

Yes, some of those cabarets look like square versions of those 'grammophone' tubes on steam ships, sticking out of the deck. Cabarets were also cheaper to design and make, and since they apparently went mainly in places where people's vision and perception was impaired, if not heavily, a more cabinet-like design was un-necessary.

[opt2not]

You just generalized those cabinets as being weak. Are they though? The criteria for an arcade machine looks to be on point here. They have small-form, sleek retro design, height of the CP at a comfortable position, proper marquee displaying what game...

What's weak about them? Elaborate.

They are so "utilitarian" in appearance that they lack any style or real character.  Without the tacked-on logo plates, they'd look like a check-in terminal at an early 80's vintage hotel.

As for the rest of the side-step, hopefully this will help:

Code: [Select]

Definition of draw
transitive verb

3a : to bring by inducement or allure : ATTRACT
honey draws flies

I don't know if you were alive in those days, but the games were so popular that they were everywhere there was a place to cram one into.  The games were the draw in those locations, and a flashy cabinet wasn't necessary to attract players.  Most were just happy to be able to play the games in the corner of a grocery store while Mom or the wife was off shopping.

What you're projecting is that you think the boxier, no-frills cabaret designs weren't intentional, or fill no real purpose other than being a capsule.  That's a generalization, no?

The first part I never stated, and the second is a statement of fact.   There were some locations where a "capsule" was all that would fit within space, decor and cost constraints.  IMHO, those generic looking boxes were the "shovelware" of the games' presentation.  I almost felt dirty putting quarters into them (but I did it anyway .)  The A1UP boxes are considerably more attractive as, unlike those "capsules", they retain the spirit of the actual machine in a diminutive format.

Cheers Randy, as always I respect you and your opinion. 
We can settle at disagreeing, and that's totally fine.  I just don't think that the cabaret aesthetics are weak, IMO they are engineered for good utility as well as an alluring design. Perhaps we're just arguing over subjectivity, because to me the A1up cabs look kitchy and tacky, with their poorly sized and positioned side-art, kick plate being slathered with logo art (let alone not having a consistency in logo sizes, company trademark logos between cabinets), poor decision of placing the speaker into the CP, and in some cases a minimalist monitor bezel art. Let alone the profile shape of the cabinet altogether...

I look at cabarets as a good mix between form and function, and I do understand your point about the games being the driving factor, since the most successful arcade titles have been made into cabaret versions. Yes, I was alive when these were in popular locations, hotes and restaurants...I remember some restaurants having them lined up in the back near the washrooms and payphones... from what I remember not only was the allure to get a small form money-maker into a small space, they were also designed to be discrete and give a private gameplay experience. That's what I really like about them. They are not about flashiness, but they're not necessarily bare-bone boxes.

[pumpkinpie]

Why are you here then? Take your 100 bucks and go buy a turd machine.

this is a build your own controls forum is it not ?  I do plan on building my own controls for this turd not that its any of your business.

Good for you fella. Just don't bother posting about your BYOAC plans here on this public forum, because it's "none of our business".   

I'll reiterate the question again, "why are you here then?"

i am here to take part in this thread for a product that i have purchased - why are you and little Mikey here again ?

This thread isn't the official product thread of your said purchase. Anyone is allowed to express their opinions of this product, whether good or bad. Contrary to some people here, that only want to hear the *good things (*there aren't many) about these cabinets. You are free to take part, but surely you see the conundrum you're in?  You want to participate, but you say it's none of our business. That seems like a conflict.

Mike A, and myself have helped many many members of this forum. We are here to continue to help and support the BYOAC community. Part of that support is calling out quality issues for products that the community might spend their hard-earned money on. Whether they're "lemons" or not.

Continue to join the conversation.

i may have been a little harsh with my 'none of your business' comment which i will apologize for but it wasnt like Mike was being super nice to begin with.

anyway - it is what it is so lets move on

[jennifer]

Jennifer got curious and went to see (big purse in tow)....The display model was missing most of the art and seemed rather flimsy and short, many in my opinion be a would have be considered less and less impressive with each machine  and little mundane and superficial as a collection. After powering it up at the store it was a bit complicated with the feel of Mame as opposed to the real deal....That said I did buy a few to pass out as door prizes , because at the end of the day I would have consider them to be an excellent entry level  learning platform, at an affordable price point, especially for kids where it is most likely just going to be smeared with peanut butter anyway, or someone thinking about cab construction ideas and or mods.   

[ark_ader]

Why are you here then? Take your 100 bucks and go buy a turd machine.

this is a build your own controls forum is it not ?  I do plan on building my own controls for this turd not that its any of your business.

Good for you fella. Just don't bother posting about your BYOAC plans here on this public forum, because it's "none of our business".   

I'll reiterate the question again, "why are you here then?"

i am here to take part in this thread for a product that i have purchased - why are you and little Mikey here again ?

This thread isn't the official product thread of your said purchase. Anyone is allowed to express their opinions of this product, whether good or bad. Contrary to some people here, that only want to hear the *good things (*there aren't many) about these cabinets. You are free to take part, but surely you see the conundrum you're in?  You want to participate, but you say it's none of our business. That seems like a conflict.

Mike A, and myself have helped many many members of this forum. We are here to continue to help and support the BYOAC community. Part of that support is calling out quality issues for products that the community might spend their hard-earned money on. Whether they're "lemons" or not.

Continue to join the conversation.

That is why I look forward to your posts.  They tend to stay on target and focused.  It is to your credit. 

[leapinlew]

Why are you here then? Take your 100 bucks and go buy a turd machine.

this is a build your own controls forum is it not ?  I do plan on building my own controls for this turd not that its any of your business.

Good for you fella. Just don't bother posting about your BYOAC plans here on this public forum, because it's "none of our business".   

I'll reiterate the question again, "why are you here then?"

i am here to take part in this thread for a product that i have purchased - why are you and little Mikey here again ?

This thread isn't the official product thread of your said purchase. Anyone is allowed to express their opinions of this product, whether good or bad. Contrary to some people here, that only want to hear the *good things (*there aren't many) about these cabinets. You are free to take part, but surely you see the conundrum you're in?  You want to participate, but you say it's none of our business. That seems like a conflict.

Mike A, and myself have helped many many members of this forum. We are here to continue to help and support the BYOAC community. Part of that support is calling out quality issues for products that the community might spend their hard-earned money on. Whether they're "lemons" or not.

Continue to join the conversation.

i may have been a little harsh with my 'none of your business' comment which i will apologize for but it wasnt like Mike was being super nice to begin with.

anyway - it is what it is so lets move on

Welcome Pumpkin. We got some spicy old crusty farts who have some very rigid ideas. I may just build up a A1Up just to get them to shutup, but they'll just claim it's a waste of money. Can't really win.

If you like your machine, good for you. I like mine and plan on doing some work to it. The build quality on them needs some re-enforcing for heavy user, but they are good. They are scratching the itch for a lot of folks and coming to BYOAC is a good move if you plan on doing some mods to yours. .

[yotsuya]

You do realize pumpkinpie has been a user since 4/17/17 and has a full-size cab he posted about before. It’s not like these toys are ushering in influx of new blood. I mean, c’mon.

[leapinlew]

Why are you here then? Take your 100 bucks and go buy a turd machine.

this is a build your own controls forum is it not ?  I do plan on building my own controls for this turd not that its any of your business.

Good for you fella. Just don't bother posting about your BYOAC plans here on this public forum, because it's "none of our business".   

I'll reiterate the question again, "why are you here then?"

i am here to take part in this thread for a product that i have purchased - why are you and little Mikey here again ?

This thread isn't the official product thread of your said purchase. Anyone is allowed to express their opinions of this product, whether good or bad. Contrary to some people here, that only want to hear the *good things (*there aren't many) about these cabinets. You are free to take part, but surely you see the conundrum you're in?  You want to participate, but you say it's none of our business. That seems like a conflict.

Mike A, and myself have helped many many members of this forum. We are here to continue to help and support the BYOAC community. Part of that support is calling out quality issues for products that the community might spend their hard-earned money on. Whether they're "lemons" or not.

Continue to join the conversation.

Dude has just a couple dozen posts. Guess you'll only be happy when you drive out another member?

Look, he already bought it. I already bought mine. Why do our purchases bother you so much? You aren't going to save me any hard earned money. You really should learn how to say things without looking like an ass. It causes your words to be wasted. FWIW, I actually think it's worthwhile to let folks know that the build quality on these isn't arcade quality, but I think the method you guys are using is causing people to be afraid to post.

I've built a lot of arcade games. I happen to like these A1UPs stock, but I'm pretty sure I can convert one of these into something that even you old farts would be happy with. I think it's a good base to work from and I could see many folks looking to go to the next level using many of the same techniques/tools we have all learned here. I'm saying this as someone who owns several Arcade1ups. How many do you have?

...

Zero, right? You guys are out of line, again.

[leapinlew]

You do realize pumpkinpie has been a user since 4/17/17 and has a full-size cab he posted about before. It’s not like these toys are ushering in influx of new blood. I mean, c’mon.

That's right! You dirty toy lovers get out! We only play games.

[yotsuya]

You do realize pumpkinpie has been a user since 4/17/17 and has a full-size cab he posted about before. It’s not like these toys are ushering in influx of new blood. I mean, c’mon.

That's right! You dirty toy lovers get out! We only play games.

It’s almost as bad as defending UPCs...

[saint]

Without commenting on anyone's particular morality, my experience has been that if there's been a sale on an item recently, even if it's no longer on sale, if you return it without a receipt you get the sale value back, not the regular price value back. This was a painful lesson to learn about gift receipts for Christmas gifts years ago. If I were running a retail store with a lenient return policy, this is the model I'd follow.

I assume all this because the unscrupulous individual could wait until Wally World itself had them on sale then attempt to return them when the sale was over (or by just claiming he bought it BEFORE the sale as put on).

[RandyT]

Without commenting on anyone's particular morality, my experience has been that if there's been a sale on an item recently, even if it's no longer on sale, if you return it without a receipt you get the sale value back, not the regular price value back. This was a painful lesson to learn about gift receipts for Christmas gifts years ago. If I were running a retail store with a lenient return policy, this is the model I'd follow.

Good point.  Also, WalMart is wise to these kinds of shenanigans.  I bought a radar detector, which was dead right out of the box.  As I am in a remote location about 50 miles from a Walmart, I didn't make it back to one until after the 30 day return/exchange was up.  Even without a receipt, they knew the exact day the item was purchased, and I didn't notice them doing anything special when I purchased it (but they might have.)  So there is definitely something they track when it comes to electronic items.  I left with my broken item, knowing it was my fault for not getting it back there in the proper time frame. 

Turns out it was just a broken plug, which I fixed myself anyway, so happy ending

[yotsuya]

Am I the only one who didn’t think Jim was being serious?

[opt2not]

Dude has just a couple dozen posts. Guess you'll only be happy when you drive out another member?

Look, he already bought it. I already bought mine. Why do our purchases bother you so much? You aren't going to save me any hard earned money. You really should learn how to say things without looking like an ass. It causes your words to be wasted. FWIW, I actually think it's worthwhile to let folks know that the build quality on these isn't arcade quality, but I think the method you guys are using is causing people to be afraid to post.

I've built a lot of arcade games. I happen to like these A1UPs stock, but I'm pretty sure I can convert one of these into something that even you old farts would be happy with. I think it's a good base to work from and I could see many folks looking to go to the next level using many of the same techniques/tools we have all learned here. I'm saying this as someone who owns several Arcade1ups. How many do you have?

...

Zero, right? You guys are out of line, again.

Who have I ever driven out?  Sure I've driven members to lose their composure and induce temporary insanity, made some 'usual suspects' be obsessed with me to follow me around the forum and only post when I do...but driven out? Naw, I don't single-handedly do that. That takes a group effort. 

For the record, dude has been here for over a year, and has a full-sized cabinet posted. So your welcoming and defending him as a new member makes you look like an ass.  We can be asses together, Lew. <holds hands>

No, I don't own one. But I know the quality from trying their floor demos, and having spent a few hours on them at a misguided friend's homes. 
You don't need to own one to know how crappy they are. I know a Ford Pinto is still a POS car without having owned one.   

You are too defensive in your old age. I know you're not the only one in this thread that wants justification for your purchase decision. And that's fine.   But I'm not going to stop informing people my opinion on their quality. Nor am I going to stop chuckling every time I see another member sinks even more money into these things.


ps.  We didn't have trash products like this when we started out in the hobby. Sometimes the old ways of learning are the best ways.

[FrizzleFried]

Personally,  my biggest issue with these toys are the fact that some of them use illegal MAME/FBA builds.  They aren't any better than the Chinese Pandora's boxes ... aside from the fact that the Chinese Pandora's boxes are at least not raping you for a couple hundy for their illegal product.

[Ond]

I foresee a dedicated board being added to BYOAC for all things to do with Arcade1up.....    Love em or hate em, it feels like the main discussion going on around here these days.

[RandyT]

The more time I spend reading these threads, the greater the urge I feel to beef up my Asteroids unit so it's the cabaret I've always wanted.  I've already put a good spinner and leaf buttons into it, what's some pine and plexi at this point?

I foresee a dedicated board being added to BYOAC for all things to do with Arcade1up.....    Love em or hate em, it feels like the main discussion going on around here these days.

 

I hate to say it, but it feels like there are some folks here who feel a bit threatened by just anyone being able to have something like this.  Yeah, it's going to suck when you start talking about your personal arcade at parties and somebody pipes up and starts talking about their Arcade1UP collection.  It's not the same, you'll never convince them otherwise, and you'll come off looking like a "kitten-stomper" in the end.  It's already happening in these threads.  Is that really the person you want to be, or the reason you participate in this hobby?

[Osirus23]

I foresee a dedicated board being added to BYOAC for all things to do with Arcade1up.....    Love em or hate em, it feels like the main discussion going on around here these days.

Why? So it can be a dead forum a year from now when the fad wears off and the (very low percentage) of A1Up cabinets that didn't fall apart after a period of light use are all being disposed of with fidget spinners on CL?

[MikeyJ122]

My 2 cents. I posted this in the other Arcade 1 up thread as well. I've been watching these machines quite a bit.

Not to jump on the "arcade 1ups suck" bandwagon, because "suck" is too strong of a word, but IMO they are overpriced and under quality. A $150 price point would be solid, 200 tops. I say this because I AM interested in them. I have been checking Walmarts for them on clearance, and what I have found is display machines BEAT to heck. Real arcades didnt get beat up, and kids were rough on them. If they did, the controls lasted (decently anyways). These display arcade 1ups, the controls were just DESTROYED. That's very telling IMO.

I am in the Arcade 1 Up Facebook group (as well as the MAME builders group), and the hardcore fans of these machines I dont understand, tbh. People are putting SO much time, money, and effort into these things. I'm just like "why didnt you just do a MAME machine then?" That's what I dont get. Some of these things I've seen are pretty chinsey as well, like putting colored tape like for T molding... Sure it looks better, but that's a weak hack imo.

The casuals, I get. They buy one or two machines, they are quick, easy, simple. I get that. I also understand the guys that WANT a MAME machine, buy one of these, new controls, raspberry pi. I get that as well. I'm not knocking these machine for those people. But it's the people with ALL the machines, doing custom marquees, lights, etc. I'm just like "you know, you spent MORE money than doing a MAME, for less games, and your controls suck." That's what I dont understand. At that point, you are really just paying for the artwork on the machines, which you can get graphics done on a MAME...

[Malenko]

Its hard to explain your stance about these if you aren't part of either the "I love it" group or the "I hate it group". I'm more indifferent than anything. I don't want one but I see the appeal. At $99 I could justify buying the Galaga cab, mostly because I have all (well, most) of the parts on hand to make it a better cab and I miss my Galagas

Malenko opinions awayyyyyyyyy
They are super neat toys. I wish I had something like this when I was a kid. 8 year old me is super jelly kids today have this option.
Comparing them to a real machine or a well build MAME cab is not a fair comparison. They are toys, and that is the purpose they serve.
Ironically, they are better than some MAME machines I've seen.
I understand why the game choice on each is so limited, but at the same time I still dislike it.
Quality is an issue. From the "cost effective" controls, to the magic erase control panel art, even the quality of emulation all leave a lot to be desired.
They tried to dance the fine line between quality and profit and came up short.

I dont think we'd need an arcade1up subforum (they likely have their own sandbox to play in) but I'd welcome it.

[Ond]

I didn't say it was a good thing or a bad thing, just an observation about a trend in the forum.  It's got folks talking about something at least, hell even saint is posting and that's a good thing.  I'm ambivalent about their future.  I am unconcerned with such things. 

[jennifer]

My 2 cents. I posted this in the other Arcade 1 up thread as well. I've been watching these machines quite a bit.

Not to jump on the "arcade 1ups suck" bandwagon, because "suck" is too strong of a word, but IMO they are overpriced and under quality. A $150 price point would be solid, 200 tops. I say this because I AM interested in them. I have been checking Walmarts for them on clearance, and what I have found is display machines BEAT to heck. Real arcades didnt get beat up, and kids were rough on them. If they did, the controls lasted (decently anyways). These display arcade 1ups, the controls were just DESTROYED. That's very telling IMO.

I am in the Arcade 1 Up Facebook group (as well as the MAME builders group), and the hardcore fans of these machines I dont understand, tbh. People are putting SO much time, money, and effort into these things. I'm just like "why didnt you just do a MAME machine then?" That's what I dont get. Some of these things I've seen are pretty chinsey as well, like putting colored tape like for T molding... Sure it looks better, but that's a weak hack imo.

The casuals, I get. They buy one or two machines, they are quick, easy, simple. I get that. I also understand the guys that WANT a MAME machine, buy one of these, new controls, raspberry pi. I get that as well. I'm not knocking these machine for those people. But it's the people with ALL the machines, doing custom marquees, lights, etc. I'm just like "you know, you spent MORE money than doing a MAME, for less games, and your controls suck." That's what I dont understand. At that point, you are really just paying for the artwork on the machines, which you can get graphics done on a MAME...

The fact they were falling apart as a display is quite telling as to the quality, Yet there is still a market for them...But what your possibly missing in the rest of this is, Giving a kid access to some of the tools and resources necessary to build a Mame cab  (never mind the cost at this point) could actually be considered a bad concept in parenting. 

[DrakeTungsten]

I hate to say it, but it feels like there are some folks here who feel a bit threatened by just anyone being able to have something like this. 

That's hitting a nail on the head, but that's not the biggest nail. The idea of these things is fine (contrary to the folks you're talking about), but it's still fair to call out a shoddy product. Reading through this thread, I still don't have a clue what the appeal is to people who can and have done better themselves. I've apparently done better, and my skills are not great. I'm just not going to be offended by my inability to understand why skilled folks see value in these things.

You asked for some people to think about why they're in this hobby. The problem is that there's often a difference between why they are in this hobby and why they post on these boards.

[jennifer]

I hate to say it, but it feels like there are some folks here who feel a bit threatened by just anyone being able to have something like this. 

That's hitting a nail on the head, but that's not the biggest nail. The idea of these things is fine (contrary to the folks you're talking about), but it's still fair to call out a shoddy product. Reading through this thread, I still don't have a clue what the appeal is to people who can and have done better themselves. I've apparently done better, and my skills are not great. I'm just not going to be offended by my inability to understand why skilled folks see value in these things.

You asked for some people to think about why they're in this hobby. The problem is that there's often a difference between why they are in this hobby and why they post on these boards.

That's easy... They are cheap, simple for virtually any kid to assemble, and come in a box.

[MikeyJ122]

My 2 cents. I posted this in the other Arcade 1 up thread as well. I've been watching these machines quite a bit.

Not to jump on the "arcade 1ups suck" bandwagon, because "suck" is too strong of a word, but IMO they are overpriced and under quality. A $150 price point would be solid, 200 tops. I say this because I AM interested in them. I have been checking Walmarts for them on clearance, and what I have found is display machines BEAT to heck. Real arcades didnt get beat up, and kids were rough on them. If they did, the controls lasted (decently anyways). These display arcade 1ups, the controls were just DESTROYED. That's very telling IMO.

I am in the Arcade 1 Up Facebook group (as well as the MAME builders group), and the hardcore fans of these machines I dont understand, tbh. People are putting SO much time, money, and effort into these things. I'm just like "why didnt you just do a MAME machine then?" That's what I dont get. Some of these things I've seen are pretty chinsey as well, like putting colored tape like for T molding... Sure it looks better, but that's a weak hack imo.

The casuals, I get. They buy one or two machines, they are quick, easy, simple. I get that. I also understand the guys that WANT a MAME machine, buy one of these, new controls, raspberry pi. I get that as well. I'm not knocking these machine for those people. But it's the people with ALL the machines, doing custom marquees, lights, etc. I'm just like "you know, you spent MORE money than doing a MAME, for less games, and your controls suck." That's what I dont understand. At that point, you are really just paying for the artwork on the machines, which you can get graphics done on a MAME...

The fact they were falling apart as a display is quite telling as to the quality, Yet there is still a market for them...But what your possibly missing in the rest of this is, Giving a kid access to some of the tools and resources necessary to build a Mame cab  (never mind the cost at this point) could actually be considered a bad concept in parenting.

You can buy a tankstick and a raspberry pi, for $50 bucks cheaper (at least). Put some time and effort into it (good parenting imo), and have WAY more games. That's essentially my set up at the moment (although mine is PC instead of pi) and my kids LOVE it, even my 3 year old son. I wouldn't trade my set up for an arcade 1 up, no way. Even one with a pi in it.

Which I plan on building a full cab eventually (money). But for now, I've spent $125 for my tankstick (bought it on sale from X Arcade), and ive had the TV and PC for years (so they weren't part of the expense). Tanksticks might not have the BEST controls, but they are better than arcade 1 ups. Plus I have 1,000 games from MULTIPLE platforms. So how is Arcade 1 up better again (other than the artwork on the cab)? Which brings me back to my point that THAT is whT people are really buying... the artwork.

[jennifer]

With older kids yes I would tend to agree, However, we are talking about cheap prefab kits after all. It comes in a box, no sourcing no fanfare, just assemble.... and when it does implode upon itself like it probably will after the abuse hand her a tube of epoxy,some scrap wood, and a few clamps and let them learn some construction basics....Jennifer will stand by the fact it is a excellent learning platform, with the added benefit it also plays games.

[DrakeTungsten]

I hate to say it, but it feels like there are some folks here who feel a bit threatened by just anyone being able to have something like this. 

That's hitting a nail on the head, but that's not the biggest nail. The idea of these things is fine (contrary to the folks you're talking about), but it's still fair to call out a shoddy product. Reading through this thread, I still don't have a clue what the appeal is to people who can and have done better themselves. I've apparently done better, and my skills are not great. I'm just not going to be offended by my inability to understand why skilled folks see value in these things.

You asked for some people to think about why they're in this hobby. The problem is that there's often a difference between why they are in this hobby and why they post on these boards.

That's easy... They are cheap, simple for virtually any kid to assemble, and come in a box.

To be clear, I was asking why an experienced builder would buy one for themselves. You seem to be answering the question of what the general appeal is. Unless you're saying that even experienced builders sometimes want a no-brainer, throw-away project?

[ark_ader]

It is all right and good saying or comparing 1Up cabs to the real thing.  But one of the difficult parts of arcade cabinet crafting is getting the wood, tools and space (and noise) together.  If you are in a constricted environment it can boggle the mind.

Also comparing usage as a demo with foot traffic of hundreds without the new covers is unfair.  I agree we should have a 1Up sub forum and opt2not should be the moderator.  This forum has enough going for it.  Taskmakers view these forums for new ideas and feedback.  Rest assured your comments do not go unnoticed.

[yotsuya]

I hate to say it, but it feels like there are some folks here who feel a bit threatened by just anyone being able to have something like this. 

That's hitting a nail on the head, but that's not the biggest nail. The idea of these things is fine (contrary to the folks you're talking about), but it's still fair to call out a shoddy product. Reading through this thread, I still don't have a clue what the appeal is to people who can and have done better themselves. I've apparently done better, and my skills are not great. I'm just not going to be offended by my inability to understand why skilled folks see value in these things.

You asked for some people to think about why they're in this hobby. The problem is that there's often a difference between why they are in this hobby and why they post on these boards.

That's easy... They are cheap, simple for virtually any kid to assemble, and come in a box.

To be clear, I was asking why an experienced builder would buy one for themselves. You seem to be answering the question of what the general appeal is. Unless you're saying that even experienced builders sometimes want a no-brainer, throw-away project?

From what I gather, experienced builders don’t enjoy the build process any more and just want cheap, easy, and fast.

[leapinlew]

You are too defensive in your old age. I know you're not the only one in this thread that wants justification for your purchase decision. And that's fine.   But I'm not going to stop informing people my opinion on their quality. Nor am I going to stop chuckling every time I see another member sinks even more money into these things.

Getting older is a ---smurfette---... no lie there.  I'm not looking for justification, and if I was, I don't need it from here. I don't mind opinions, what I do mind is mob mentality and the insults that come with that sometimes accompany that opinion. I thought it was harsh.

[ark_ader]

You are too defensive in your old age. I know you're not the only one in this thread that wants justification for your purchase decision. And that's fine.   But I'm not going to stop informing people my opinion on their quality. Nor am I going to stop chuckling every time I see another member sinks even more money into these things.

Getting older is a ---smurfette---... no lie there.  I'm not looking for justification, and if I was, I don't need it from here. I don't mind opinions, what I do mind is mob mentality and the insults that come with that sometimes accompany that opinion. I thought it was harsh.

That is rich coming from you.