Kickstarter campaign - possibly something of interest!

[RetroReflections]

Hello!

Apologies in advance for using the 'long time lurker, first time poster' line in order to promote something, but I thought this might appeal to a few people here; I'm getting ahead of myself though, so let me introduce myself properly first.

I'm a videogames industry veteran with 30 years of experience in graphics, design, project management and journalism, going all the way back to my first game on the VIC-20, via all manner of 8 and 16-bit computers, consoles and handhelds, numerous UK magazines, and a number of games on mobile up to the iPhone. However, my first love has always been arcade coin-ops, and as such I've been working on a visual guide book for a number of years.

Due to my health falling apart because of severe bilateral emphysema, the book's taken considerably longer than I'd have liked, but it's now finally complete and ready to launch; in order to achieve this, I've created a Kickstarter campaign to bring it to fruition. INSERT COIN - A VISUAL GUIDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE OF ARCADE VIDEOGAMES is an A4 hardback 211 page coffee-table artbook, featuring images rendered in high-resolution CG, through research scoured for years across the internet (including this fine forum). It's also the first in a planned ongoing series, each featuring fifty classic cabinets, their control panels, side art and marquees, along with other information such as components, dimensions, designers, development staff, and more.

The thinking behind this creation was that the games themselves have been preserved across multiple formats in perpetuity, but the actual machines themselves are, aside from the efforts of collectors, restorers and the like, dwindling rapidly in number, and their physical compositions deserved proper documentation in a real-world format, one that would likely appeal to the arcade community as well as tickling the nostalgia bone of everyday folk who fondly remember the occasional coin drop back in the dim and distant.

The campaign starts on Tuesday August 1st, and if you're interested, it can be found here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/retroreflections/insert-coin-a-visual-guide

I hope some of you might find such a book interesting, enjoyable, and useful enough to take a look, and FYI, the first 100 backers will receive a special edition print featuring unique cover effects and their name enshrined in print.

Anyway, I hope I haven't bored you all completely by now - thanks very much for taking the time to read all this, and of course, mods, if this is in violation of forum rules or just simply in the wrong place, please feel free to take the appropriate action.

All the very best,

Robert David Swan
Author/Illustrator, Retro Reflections

[RetroReflections]

*** THE KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN IS NOW LIVE! ***

Hello!

Just a quick update to let you all know that the Kickstarter for the book is now up and running, with several levels of rewards available:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/retroreflections/insert-coin-a-visual-guide

Let me know what you think, and if you can help spread the word as far and wide as possible, that'd be truly appreciated.

All the very best,

Robert.

[Mike A]

What kind of detail do you get into with each game?

Your Kickstarter page makes it look like there is very little real information.

[pbj]

Oh look, it's someone we've never heard of coming here to shill something none of us want or need.  Doubtless he's secured permission to use that artwork from all those mercurial owners.   

[RetroReflections]

Mike A: It's a visual guide that is intended to detail the cabinets themselves, seeing as the games have been saved in perpetuity; its meant to either provide at least basic information on each machine's physical makeup, rather than go into the nuts and bolts of the game itself (which has been covered by countless other authors elsewhere).

pbj: It's used under fair dealing and fair use laws as a transformative work, for archival and historical purposes. If you don't like it, fair enough, but no need to be unneccessarily snarky about it.

[pbj]

Cool, good luck.

 

[RetroReflections]

Hello again!

Another quick update to let you know that the campaign is going fantastically well, and is already at over 20% of the way towards its target after only 2 days - not only that, but Kickstarter have selected it to be featured under their 'Projects We Love' banner, and promoted across their site:

"Congratulations! We’ve selected INSERT COIN: A VISUAL GUIDE as a “Project We Love,” which is our way of highlighting brilliant examples of creativity. You’ll see a badge under your main image or project video, and we’ll feature your campaign across Kickstarter."

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/retroreflections/insert-coin-a-visual-guide

All the very best,

Robert.

[Mike A]

Are there any pics of the inside of the cabs?

Details of the hardware and different versions of each game?

Like cocktail vs upright vs cockpit or cabaret?

I don't want to be overly negative, but the kickstarter video makes it look like a really lazy effort.

I could put those Defender pages together in a few minutes.

Can you share more details?

Change my mind.

[RetroReflections]

Mike A: Each cabinet has been painstakingly reconstructed by myself in high-poly CG and completely reconstructed 300dpi textures, using dimensional info scoured from numerous sources across the net.  This volume only features upright cabinets, but a later edition will show variant formats such as cockpits, cabarets and cocktails. Pages also feature designers of both games and (where possible) cabinets, as well as dev staff and audio composers, and list said other formats.

I'm sorry that you feel that it's a 'lazy effort' that 'could be put together in a few minutes', as years of research and hard work has gone into this project, but as the saying goes, you can't please everyone.

[BadMouth]

www.mameworld.info/3darcade/ https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/user/0098879480321870168359978/Gozer?hl=en&sortBy=title%20ASC + https://flyers.arcade-museum.com/ + https://www.progettosnaps.net/support/

 

EDIT:

as years of research and hard work has gone into this project

I don't see anything other than the artwork and data packs I downloaded for my front-end when I first discovered MAME 14 years ago and thought I needed all the bells and whistles.
All these things are freely available in pre-packaged downloadable form from a multitude of sources.  I do not think there is any way years of research has been put into this.

[RetroReflections]

BadMouth: No disrespect to the artist(s) that created those meshes, but those assets are all low-poly, low-res models which could never be used in print, whereas my book features scratch-built high-poly models and 4K textures on a 600dpi page. And you're perfectly entitled to believe what you like, regardless.

[BadMouth]

BadMouth: No disrespect to the artist(s) that created those meshes, but those assets are all low-poly, low-res models which could never be used in print, whereas my book features scratch-built high-poly models and 4K textures on a 600dpi page. And you're perfectly entitled to believe what you like, regardless.

How many polygons does that Crystal Castles cabinet on your kickstarter page have? 

I'm guessing 3,673.  https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model/12ae65b8-5588-46da-8e76-a36b0a12bb5d/Crystal-Castles-arcade-game
Or at least it started there.

I supported the ARTcade book of marquees, but your kickstarter seems to be more:  I found some files online and think I can make money from them.

[RetroReflections]

BadMouth: It's obviously pointless trying to explain that I've been a professional games artist for many years, and the book artwork is all original from the outset. I could even show model wireframes and PSDs, but you're seemingly hell-bent on portraying my work in as negative a light as possible, for reasons that completely escape me. I'm trying to be as polite as I can whilst you're obviously intent on being a troll that's determined to live up to your username.

So I think my best bet is to simply ignore you from now on. 

[Mike A]

I have to agree with everyone else.

It would take about 10 minutes per game to put that book together.

You mention that the book could help with restoration.

I don't see any reference to the internal structure of the cabs, or where to source repro artwork.

Or how to fix dings and scratches or water damage.

Or links to restoration sites, or really anything useful.

Gorf : "8 way joystick with trigger"

What kind of joystick? Where can I get parts to fix one?

How about an exploded diagram of the stick?

The Track and Field entry has some screenshots and bland text from a flyer.

How about some personal anecdotes about the games?

Or maybe some anecdotes from someone who was involved in creating the games.

Nothing you did warrants a book.




This is how it should be done.

This is mainly a price guide, but it goes into detail for the first like 60 pages on how games are constructed, restored, and identified. Real work went into this book.

https://www.vintagearcadegal.com/the-unofficial-price-guide

It is obvious that this person loves arcade games.

[RetroReflections]

I'm actually really surprised at the sheer venom you both feel is necessary to attack this project with - it's meant to be a visual guide that might offer a potential restorer some idea how the cabinet should look, or give someone a happy nostalgic memory of having played the game in the past. It's not meant to replace or be 'superior' to other books on the market, but to sit alongside them. If you both think it should be a certain way, and provide specific details and directions, then I strongly suggest you go right ahead and create such a thing yourselves if you think it's that easy and straightforward.

But I get the impression that you just find it easier to put the boot in because it isn't exactly what you think it should be. Whatever.

[Mike A]

Criticism is not venom.

Everything I said is valid.

[RetroReflections]

It's not criticism, it's a demand for a completely different style of book. But again, I'm banging my head against a brick wall trying to explain what this is, when you're determined not to listen or see anything other than your own perspective.

I really didn't realise that trying to promote something positive and celebratory would result in such a toxic reaction here. Thought this place was better, I was obviously wrong.

[Mike A]

Valid criticism is not toxicity.

You are promoting a product for sale, not

something positive and celebratory

.

If it was free I would not take issue with it.

If you notice, the book I linked to is far more expansive, and the digital copy is free.

Thought this place was better, I was obviously wrong.

This is a cheap shot.

You contribute nothing here. We have been contributing for years.

If you are going to sell products, you need to develop a thicker skin.

[BadMouth]

Thought this place was better, I was obviously wrong.

You posted your link multiple times for the search engine algorithms and they are still there.

Best of luck to you.

 

[RetroReflections]

Best of luck to you.

 

Thanks very much, appreciated.

[Mike A]

You should try to post over here:

https://www.arcade-museum.com/

It is another arcade website.

[RetroReflections]

You should try to post over here:

https://www.arcade-museum.com/

It is another arcade website.

Thank you.

[chopperthedog]

Much more of welcoming community over there vs. this cesspool. Lots of folks restoring stuff there could benefit from your work.



good day.

[Mike A]

Hehe.

[RetroReflections]

Much more of welcoming community over there vs. this cesspool. Lots of folks restoring stuff there could benefit from your work.

good day.

Thanks very much - I don't take many negative things to heart, but sometimes the shields get breached, that's just human nature. But appreciated all the same.

But for those here that are remotely interested, the Kickstarter campaign has now leapt up to 58% in 12 days, and the composition of the first 'special edition' 100-copy run of the book is now sorted - 211 170gsm silk-coated colour pages, all wrapped up in a supermatt laminate A4 hardback cover, featuring embossed foil blocking on the cover, back and spine.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/retroreflections/insert-coin-a-visual-guide

All the best,

Robert.

[RetroReflections]

Hello,

I thought you might like to know that the campaign is now just shy of 66% of the way towards the project goal in only two weeks - many thanks to any and all from here who've contributed, and to those who've not had chance to have a look as yet, there's now a public update that lists the fifty games that'll be featured in Volume II, and backers will now receive all three 4K digital wallpapers along with everything else in their tier.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/retroreflections/insert-coin-a-visual-guide

Thanks again, and all the best,

Robert.

[Malenko]

I believe that the crux is you finally took the time to sign up , and the only thread you've posted in is this one. From an optics perspective it looks like you don't want to actually be a part of this community.

I can't really fault you though I haven't wanted to be either for a long time.

[RetroReflections]

Malenko: I can appreciate that, and whilst I've always loved arcade games, I've no room to actually own one (well, maybe a cocktail table, but I don't fancy getting robbed blind for one given UK prices). So this is the first time I've actively felt that I had something to contribute, even if everyone doesn't exactly feel the same way.

[Malenko]

You don't have to own or build anything to go into project threads and tell people they are doing a good job or that they suck, which ever applies.  Even X2 graces us with word salads and he hasn't and never will build anything.

I digress, you do you.
I don't kick-start anything just like I don't pre-order anything.

[RetroReflections]

Malenko: That's fair enough, I'll endeavour to make more of an effort from now on.

But for anyone who might be interested, just to let you know that the campaign is now up to 72% as it heads into its final fortnight, backers of the top two reward tiers can now choose from one of five premium cotton T-shirt designs, in sizes from S to 3XL, and pledges to the top tier will be rewarded with one of two A2 200gsm silk coated posters, featuring artwork from the book's endpapers.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/retroreflections/insert-coin-a-visual-guide

All the best,

Robert.

[nitrogen_widget]

[RetroReflections]

nitrogen_widget: So it's not for you, fair enough - however, the campaign has made it past its goal, so there's that. 

[nitrogen_widget]

nitrogen_widget: So it's not for you, fair enough - however, the campaign has made it past its goal, so there's that. 

except i didn't go to your Kickstarter and say that.
you brought it here.

i'd say from the responses, it isn't for anyone on this forum.
why would you keep pushing it when that is obvious?

[pbj]

I’ve spent time in the UK.  They live in tiny houses and ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- on tiny round toilets.  Their economic output per citizen would put them in 51st place if they were a state.  I had a great time there but wow do we have it good over here relative to them.

[BadMouth]

why would you keep pushing it when that is obvious?

It's for the search engine algorithms.  Posting the same link over and over again in the same thread = spam IMO.

I doubt the people supporting it realize that this is just info and pics from the MAME support files with some (original?)  renders added.

Mala front-end could be set up to look identical to the sample page with the flyer, marquee, control panels pics & other info.  Just do screen grabs as you scroll through the gamelist and ....book!

Same pics & same info because same source.

[BadMouth]

There are people already doing this.  (Also in the UK I believe).  The thing is how much value can you add via quality of printing and supplemental info/artwork.

https://www.bitmapbooks.com/

[Crazy Cooter]

...It's for the search engine algorithms.  Posting the same link over and over again in the same thread = spam IMO...

Couldn't agree more.
Even motivated me enough to log in to specifically say that.

[RetroReflections]

Considering that this is the one and only forum that harbours this degree of negativity towards this project, you won't have to worry with any further updates.

[harri]

Considering that this is the one and only forum that harbours this degree of negativity towards this project,

Perhaps you didn't try to sell it as something it isn't elsewhere. I'm sure that if you would have told that your coffee table book is a coffee table book there would have been people who would have wanted it to their coffee table. I know I could have considered it if it wasn't so expensive.

[Mike A]

Considering that this is the one and only forum that harbours this degree of negativity towards this project, you won't have to worry with any further updates.

That is not true.