Arcade machine in your house?

[tommy]

Everyone i bring over the house seems so surprised i have an arcade machine in the house, is this normal house item, it seems not , its like we have something that dosent belong.

Its a good conversation piece and they seemed so amazed, anybody find this to be true?

[ChadTower]

Most people drool when you ring a bell, why wouldn't they be amazed that you have something out of context.

[Stingray]

I have three, MAME, NEO-GEO, Space Invaders cocktail. Everyone seems amazed the first time they see them. Most are delighted and want to do nothing else but play games for the rest of the night. Suits me.

-S

[ChadTower]

Most people look at mine and are like, uhm, okay... since most of mine dont' work.     I'm a terrible repair guy, apparently.

[daywane]

Most people look at mine and are like, uhm, okay... since most of mine dont' work.

[Raven..]

My collection of slot machines surprised people more than my arcade games.

[tommy]

I think im going to have to make another cab for a buddy who seen one of my games, damn it. 

[greven grevs]

I get the same reaction from people that come by our house for the first time. I also get the "are you rich?" and "man those most of cost thousands of dollars!" comments.

[Flinkly]

greven, you tell them they do cost thousands, right?  cause i don't know about you guys, but mine has cost well over a thousand for a while now...

[Veinman]

yep same here.
once a 8 yr old looked right up at me and asked, ARE YOU RICH . 
I almost hit the floor.

I had a guy ask me that once. I told him yeah.

[greven grevs]

I usually tell them they cost a good bit of money. made the mistake of telling one guy that my first cab cost me about 300$ to make. He hounded me for weeks to make him one after that. I tried telling him that mine cost so little because I salvaged alot of parts and bought cheap on ebay/online. He wanted one done in a week and only wanted to spend 200$

Now I tell everyone that they cost thousands but I will sell one to them for 950$ 

[markb]

I have mine in the Garage, we've had more parties in there since it was built!

[elvis]

once a 8 yr old looked right up at me and asked, ARE YOU RICH . 
I almost hit the floor.

My nephew-in-laws (one 7 and one 12) come over once in a while and from the moment they open the door are busting to play the machine.

Funnily enough their step-dad is quite well to do, yet they are both convinced I am some sort of multi-millionaire because I have a single machine (nothing is further from the truth).  Comments like "if we where rich, we'd get one too" pop out from time to time.  Very amusing.

Parties are always a laugh.  By the end of the night, most people are crowded around the machine trying to top each other's high scores.  It makes the missus a bit angry as no-one is interested in fluff conversation by the end of the night, and would rather a game or two.

[markrvp]

I've had some people who seem almost scared of it.  I have to coax them into playing, say Pacman.  As soon as they get eaten the first time, they'll back away from the machine.  It's like their brain just can't process that there is an arcade machine in the house.

[Katana Man]

Yeah, I've seen this many times too.

[reebboy]

When I tell people that I designed and built it from scratch they think I'm some kind of electronic genious. Pretty cool ego booster.

[tommy]

If only some of these people buying those $3.000 MS pacs/Galaga would realize , they could make there own cab and probably better and much cheaper.

[menace]

When I tell people that I designed and built it from scratch they think I'm some kind of electronic genious.

yep thats the angle I pull cause they all know i routinely squeeze coal into diamonds, being as tight fisted as i am 

And in all fairness this hobby isn't for the feable minded (although with all the pnp hardware available its alot easier than it used to be) so i feel no shame in being proud of building one of these basement behemoths..

[RayB]

Most people are idiots. If it's not the "normal" things they grew up with in their boring parents' home, then it's not appropriate. ("What will the neighbors think? Oh my!) My attitude is if you like it, have it in your home. You can make anything fit in if you want to; Other people be damned!

[ChadTower]

Hrm... with video, I find people way overestimate cost/value.  "That P.O.W. must have cost you $1500!"  With pinball machines, it is the opposite... "That thing is kind of old, what's that worth, a couple hundred?"

[missioncontrol]

people go nuts when they see my pinball machine in the living room.....

I've got to finish my upright and cocktail.........

then restore my Crystal Castles..........

[SirPoonga]

Comments like "if we where rich, we'd get one too" pop out from time to time.

[allroy1975]

Hrm... with video, I find people way overestimate cost/value.  "That P.O.W. must have cost you $1500!"  With pinball machines, it is the opposite... "That thing is kind of old, what's that worth, a couple hundred?"

I get that too.  People are totally thrown by the half pin/half video Baby Pac Man.    I love that game.

Allroy

[tommy]

Its funny people also think my electric bill is going to be really high with these machines running ,as opposed to a tv. 

Ive made many people want an arcade machine in there house, im glad, it keeps cabs from being tossed if they come accross one ,and they bring me stuff to check out. 

[SNAAKE]

First my parents didnt like it but now its family !

[ahofle]

I've had some people who seem almost scared of it.

[Frosty]

Aside from the satisfaction of having built/restored the cabinet, it's great to watch people come over and play like they were kids again.

[Flinkly]

I like the "are you rich?" comment from the eight year-old. I think my reply would have been "I used to be..."

so true it's sad...dang this hobby.

[tommy]

Thats too funny flinkly, i have a jamma cab thats all done, i also have a mame cab that im waiting on an ipac and cant use the controles on that yet. 

[danny_galaga]

Most people are idiots. If it's not the "normal" things they grew up with in their boring parents' home, then it's not appropriate. ("What will the neighbors think? Oh my!) My attitude is if you like it, have it in your home. You can make anything fit in if you want to; Other people be damned!

yeah, just think frank lloyd wright. one of the houses he designed a century ago had a creek running through it (",)

people (and i used to be like that) hang too much on precedent. what i say now (mostly to myself cos no one else will listen  ) is dont worry about precedents at all. If its been done before, so what? doesnt mean you cant do it too. if it HASNT been done before, same answer but youll be the first!!
and so it goes with furnishings...

[tommy]

I dont think anyone is concerned about what people think about a cab in the house, like we have to be accepted or conform, its just funny to see there reactions.