auction coming up - cabs available.. advice?

[dax]

After successfully converting a Neo Geo cab to Mame, I am looking to work on some more cabinets and experiment.  There's a bankruptcy auction coming up next week and the following cabinets are part of the auction:

Tekken, High Impact Football, Street Fighter II, Skull & Crossbones, Simpsons, Toki, Knockout, Arch Rivals, Red Baron (cockpit), X-Men, Lethal Enforcer II

I have reason to believe they all work, but I'll check them out condition wise.  My questions are:

a) Which one(s) do you think would be best for MAME conversion?
b) Are any of these more valuable if they were restored?  (i.e. Skull & Crossbones is probably a pretty rare machine, but not sure if anybody cares)
c) What would you pay, taking into account the most-ikely condition if they were running?

Almost all of them are Jamma+, and my research indicates they all run standard arcade monitors, horizontal, except for Lethal Enforcer II which seems to have a higher res monitor, which is appealing, but the control surface would have to be completely re-done.

Personally, I am thinking the Simpsons cab would be easiest to modify and add more buttons and things, since it has a lot of play area, but the Red Baron cockpit must be kinda rare - although I assume the x-y monitor there wouldn't be MAME-compatible, the notion of a cockpit MAME cab is kind of appealing.

Any thoughts?  I'm thinking that none of these cabs should go for more than $250 ea at this auction.

[Witchboard]

Red Baron cockpit?  The vector red baron?  That would be sweet.  Not to MAME obviously, but to own.

[AtomSmasher]

Where is this auction at?  I'd love to have working tekken, simpsons, or red baron cabinets.

[MYX]

Um dude, where is the auction. Drooool.

[eccs19]

I don' t think he will want to tell anyone.  It will drive up the price that me may be able to get the cabs for!   

[Tiger-Heli]

Red Baron cockpit?  The vector red baron?  That would be sweet.  Not to MAME obviously, but to own.

My thoughts as well - could cost more to restore than it's eventually worth though, if the vector monitor is non-working.

[dax]

I don't have a problem saying where the auction is (it's a live auction - not online), but I'm amused that nobody answered any of my questions...   this place is dog-eat-dog isn't it?  Hehehe

[Hoopz]

I don't have a problem saying where the auction is (it's a live auction - not online), but I'm amused that nobody answered any of my questions...   this place is dog-eat-dog isn't it?  Hehehe

No its not a dog eat dog forum.  Most people are very helpful.  Tiger-Heli, who posted in this thread,  tries to help every poster that has questions on encoders and maintains a thorough site with more information that anyone could remember.  Minwah supports his software on the site religiously even though you don't want to hear that.  The list is very long of people who are more than helpful and tolerant to newbies and old timers who ask questions. 

You, dax, have not added much to the forums and, in fact, have taken multiple shots at people unfairly.  I would strongly suggest that you not act that way and bring something to the table to help people out versus being an ass.

My answers to your questions.

1. None.  Build dont convert.
2. I don't know.
3. $0. 

Not helpful answers, but since you asked, I will answer.

Now will you answer the question?

[TheCaptain]

I don't have a problem saying where the auction is (it's a live auction - not online), but I'm amused that nobody answered any of my questions...   this place is dog-eat-dog isn't it?  Hehehe

No its not a dog eat dog forum.  Most people are very helpful.  Tiger-Heli, who posted in this thread,  tries to help every poster that has questions on encoders and maintains a thorough site with more information that anyone could remember.  Minwah supports his software on the site religiously even though you don't want to hear that.  The list is very long of people who are more than helpful and tolerant to newbies and old timers who ask questions. 

You, dax, have not added much to the forums and, in fact, have taken multiple shots at people unfairly.  I would strongly suggest that you not act that way and bring something to the table to help people out versus being an ass.

My answers to your questions.

1. None.  Build dont convert.
2. I don't know.
3. $0. 

Not helpful answers, but since you asked, I will answer.

Now will you answer the question?

Chill.

[Tiger-Heli]

I don't have a problem saying where the auction is (it's a live auction - not online), but I'm amused that nobody answered any of my questions...   this place is dog-eat-dog isn't it?  Hehehe

Not-at-all.

I haven't followed your previous posts, so I'll let HooPz voice his own opinions . . .

Regarding your questions:

a)  How the h-e-double toothpicks can any of us tell without seeing these games - how much are they asking - working monitor, etc.  Anything JAMMA would be easier to MAME with a J-PAC.  SF II was a very common game, so would be a good candidate for conversion, (especially if you like that style game) except it was also very popular, so might go for a higher price.  Arch Rivals used 49-way joysticks, so could be good for conversion with a GP-Wiz49, or might be better (worth more) to preserve as original b/c of that.  Except for it, and Red Baron, the others are all about the same, mame-wise, IMHO.
b)  The fact that both myself and Witchboard stated that Red Baron would be nice to have but not to MAME suggests that it might be worth more restored.  Also, Arch Rivals b/c of the 49-way sticks.
c)  I don't know pricing, so not the one to ask. . .

[dax]

My answers to your questions.

1. None.  Build dont convert.
2. I don't know.
3. $0. 

Not helpful answers, but since you asked, I will answer.

Now will you answer the question?

Thanks.

[mahuti]

For mame conversion, I generally buy interesting or unusual cabs that have been converted from something cool to something dumb and non working already and that are under $125, or dynamo cabs which are generic boxes anyway with no inherint historical value. I usually try to get at least 1 interesting thing, marquee, bezel, stick, or cab shape. If I can't find something interesting and already ruined I go for super cheap and generic.

As for reselling. Don't bother. You'll have more luck buying and selling stock.

I would personally never pay a premium for  a working game, unless I had it on my list. I generally leave those to the collectors, though.

[dax]

I don't have a problem saying where the auction is (it's a live auction - not online), but I'm amused that nobody answered any of my questions...   this place is dog-eat-dog isn't it?  Hehehe

Not-at-all.

I haven't followed your previous posts, so I'll let HooPz voice his own opinions . . .

Hoopz seems to want to manufacture drama.  I am not inclined to feed the fires of his apparently fragile sensibilities.

Regarding your questions:

a)  How the h-e-double toothpicks can any of us tell without seeing these games - how much are they asking - working monitor, etc.  Anything JAMMA would be easier to MAME with a J-PAC.  SF II was a very common game, so would be a good candidate for conversion, (especially if you like that style game) except it was also very popular, so might go for a higher price.  Arch Rivals used 49-way joysticks, so could be good for conversion with a GP-Wiz49, or might be better (worth more) to preserve as original b/c of that.  Except for it, and Red Baron, the others are all about the same, mame-wise, IMHO.
b)  The fact that both myself and Witchboard stated that Red Baron would be nice to have but not to MAME suggests that it might be worth more restored.  Also, Arch Rivals b/c of the 49-way sticks.
c)  I don't know pricing, so not the one to ask. . .

I am thinking I will go to the inspection in a few days and see what the condition of the cabs are.  At this point I don't know.  I assume they will fire up the games, and if they were non-working, it would be listed, but they're not so I assume the monitors work.  If they don't, IMO, I wouldn't bid on any of the cabs unless they appeared operational.

I have been to these auctions before.  This is how I got my NeoGeo cab (I paid $250 for it) but it was the cleanest cab in the whole auction.  I can't imagine these going for that much, but I don't know. 

So I was just wondering what you guys think.  Obviously condition is TBA, but you could speculate if x game were in y type of condition, anything under $z would be a good deal.

It's also possible that if someone wanted a particular game that I didn't, and set a price they'd pay, that I'd be willing to pick the cab up for them.  I am mainly interested in picking up one of these, maybe two, but I am getting a friend with a big truck so we could possibly load four or more in a single trip.

[Hoopz]

You didn't have to delete your posts Ahigh, I mean dax.

Your previous posts don't show you apologizing.  I think Brophog, DrewKaree and others would agree that you owe Minwah an apology which you have not done yet.  Everyone gets frustrated when things don't work properly the first time.  Adults don't attack others when they are asking for help.

Welcome to the club.  Ironically there's a developer in here too, but it's like pulling teeth to get straight answers.   I asked the same question as you and still didn't get a good answer.

I don't know what the deal is with MameWah.  I got every other FE and version of mame working.  And the damn creator lurks around here, but there must be some little clicke or private club where they only help each other out and get their jollies watching other people flounder around in frustration.  I think there may be some sort of scoreboard in a private forum where they take pleasure in frustrating newbies.

I don't know what the deal is with MameWah.  I got every other FE and version of mame working.  And the damn creator lurks around here, but there must be some little clicke or private club where they only help each other out and get their jollies watching other people flounder around in frustration.  I think there may be some sort of scoreboard in a private forum where they take pleasure in frustrating newbies.

Frankly I'm quite offended by that...if you bothered to search you would see up until recently I answer pretty much all questions about Mamewah.  I just haven't been around much over the last month or so, I haven't been 'lurking' anywhere.

To address one point you made before you deleted your posts, I could and should have provided more context to my answers.  Allow me to remedy that:

1. I dont believe you should convert a cabinet IMHO.
2. I don't know.  Sorry, I don't have more information on that question.
3. These items would not be where I would chose to put my disposable income at this time purely for personal reasons which are in no way indicative of the games themselves.

[Tiger-Heli]

Welcome to the club.  Ironically there's a developer in here too, but it's like pulling teeth to get straight answers.   I asked the same question as you and still didn't get a good answer.

I don't know what the deal is with MameWah.  I got every other FE and version of mame working.  And the damn creator lurks around here, but there must be some little clicke or private club where they only help each other out and get their jollies watching other people flounder around in frustration.  I think there may be some sort of scoreboard in a private forum where they take pleasure in frustrating newbies.

I don't know what the deal is with MameWah.  I got every other FE and version of mame working.  And the damn creator lurks around here, but there must be some little clicke or private club where they only help each other out and get their jollies watching other people flounder around in frustration.  I think there may be some sort of scoreboard in a private forum where they take pleasure in frustrating newbies.

Frankly I'm quite offended by that...if you bothered to search you would see up until recently I answer pretty much all questions about Mamewah.  I just haven't been around much over the last month or so, I haven't been 'lurking' anywhere.

I missed this exchange, but I somewhat sympathize with both parties.

MAMEwah is a great frontend, one of the easiest to setup graphically, and MinWah does a great job of supporting it in the forums.

It is also undoubtedly the most difficult FE to setup that I have ever tried.  I never got any games to show up until I stumbled across a tutorial at screenshotarchive that got it working.  Then with the new version, that method didn't work, and I ended up having to copy my config file over from the previous version to get it to list games. . .

[dax]

Hoopz:

Regarding the MinWah issue....

First off, I actually think I PM'd him awhile back.. and we talked.  I was unaware that he was still bothered by my comments, or that he had enlisted you to defend his honor and feelings.  If that's the case, and you need an apology as well, ok.

I have no problems with MinWah.  I really like MameWah - it looks like a beautiful FE.  Unfortunately, I can't get the damn thing to run right on my cab and nobody seems to know why.  All the games run in the same resolution when run from MameWah.  MinWah and nobody else has been able to fix this or explain what could be happening.  I finally gave up.  I hope to later at some point, try to get it working again.

[MYX]

Pricing is relitive. What is it worth to you. I bought a Defender for 375 plus buyers premium and tax was about 450. But this was like my favorite game and was well worth it. I cleaned it up and eventually sold it for 455. I had to get new video decoders for it, so it was a 10-15 dollar video game rental for 4 months of having a great game in my house. Can't beat that.

DO NOT CONVERT. Unless it has already been badly bastardized. I converted a qix that was even converted already and it felt horrible. If you have any respect for what it is that you are buying. If you want a shell to MAME then check out e-bay and a lot of times there are cabs just prime for conversion. Beter yet... Build your own.

[Hoopz]

I missed this exchange, but I somewhat sympathize with both parties.

MAMEwah is a great frontend, one of the easiest to setup graphically, and MinWah does a great job of supporting it in the forums.

It is also undoubtedly the most difficult FE to setup that I have ever tried.  I never got any games to show up until I stumbled across a tutorial at screenshotarchive that got it working.  Then with the new version, that method didn't work, and I ended up having to copy my config file over from the previous version to get it to list games. . .

I don't disagree at all, but to attack Minwah (and others in various posts) is not the best way to try and find more information.

Dax, I don't need an apology.  You stated, albeit in the deleted post, that you apologized numerous times about it and you didnt realize you had to keep doing etc.  If you did it via PM, great.  But those who were reading the threads were not aware of it.

[dax]

MAMEwah is a great frontend, one of the easiest to setup graphically, and MinWah does a great job of supporting it in the forums.

It is also undoubtedly the most difficult FE to setup that I have ever tried.  I never got any games to show up until I stumbled across a tutorial at screenshotarchive that got it working.  Then with the new version, that method didn't work, and I ended up having to copy my config file over from the previous version to get it to list games. . .

I feel your pain.  I think one major reason why the software is so un-user-friendly is due to the way it handles config files.  You can't put your own comments in, because the program apparently reads, strips and re-writes the config file when its run.  This design flaw means that people cannot easily distribute documented config setups that help others get the software running efficiently. 

With that in mind, I still recognize that the software is a gift, and it might seem a bit selfish to criticize a product that is donated to the community in one form or another, but I only say this to suggest that a great product, with a few improvements, can be made even better.  It sure looks better than any other FE I've seen.  I just can't get it to run right, and having a developer around, and still not knowing WTF is wrong, compounds my frustration.  I plan to check into the software again soon though.

[dax]

I missed this exchange, but I somewhat sympathize with both parties.

MAMEwah is a great frontend, one of the easiest to setup graphically, and MinWah does a great job of supporting it in the forums.

It is also undoubtedly the most difficult FE to setup that I have ever tried.  I never got any games to show up until I stumbled across a tutorial at screenshotarchive that got it working.  Then with the new version, that method didn't work, and I ended up having to copy my config file over from the previous version to get it to list games. . .

I don't disagree at all, but to attack Minwah (and others in various posts) is not the best way to try and find more information.

Dax, I don't need an apology.  You stated, albeit in the deleted post, that you apologized numerous times about it and you didnt realize you had to keep doing etc.  If you did it via PM, great.  But those who were reading the threads were not aware of it.

I understand.  I want to get along with everybody here and I want to contribute, and I don't mind you all telling me I might be a little insensitive or caustic sometimes, I can handle that.  It's better than copping an attitude and suggesting I'm not worthy of consideration... that'll just get my gander up.   Anyway, I'm over all this and I hope everyone else is too.  I was definitely burned out trying to get my cab working, especially when I'm a software guy and I figured out the hardware and the software stopped me cold.. that just really pissed me off.  I still am upset at myself when I think about it.  I hate it when I can't get a program that should work to work.

[dax]

Pricing is relitive. What is it worth to you. I bought a Defender for 375 plus buyers premium and tax was about 450. But this was like my favorite game and was well worth it. I cleaned it up and eventually sold it for 455. I had to get new video decoders for it, so it was a 10-15 dollar video game rental for 4 months of having a great game in my house. Can't beat that.

DO NOT CONVERT. Unless it has already been badly bastardized. I converted a qix that was even converted already and it felt horrible. If you have any respect for what it is that you are buying. If you want a shell to MAME then check out e-bay and a lot of times there are cabs just prime for conversion. Beter yet... Build your own.

It does seem that the consensus is to not convert, but instead restore?

Is there much of a market for restored vintage games?  I have been checking eBay and there seems to be a little activity, but not much.

Anyone care to comment on which of the games they think is most valuable if restored?  The cockpit Red Baron?

[dax]

You didn't have to delete your posts Ahigh, I mean dax.

It looks like you're accusing me of being another personality on the board?  That's provacative.  I don't know why you guys think that there can only be one person who disagrees with you.  I find that amusing.

Can we move beyond this?

[Tiger-Heli]

DO NOT CONVERT.

I'm a little more liberal in this respect than many of the "purists" on here.

Unless it has already been badly bastardized.

Agreed - probably the best choice if you want a fully custom machine, or

2.  Unless it can be restored back with no trouble - i.e. if you find a Centipede with perfect marquee and sideart  and you remove the metal CP and PCB's, install a wood 2-player CP and player shum'ups on it, no problem.  If you paint it blue with custom side art and chop it down to hang an X-arcade off it, problem . . . , or.

3.  The machine isn't worth restoring - This is a gray area, but let's say you find a Galaga with the original joystick replaced, the marquee cracked, and no side-art on one side and damaged on the other.  Galaga is a true classic, IMHO, but also a fairly common game, so I do think they sell for much . . .  To fix it up would not return as much as you would put into it, so it's PROBABLY okay to MAME, but I would likely look for a more bastardized cab myself.

[dax]

Yea, a friend of mine bought a Galaga '88 machine at the last auction where I got my NeoGeo.  He paid $45 for the unit, tweaked it just a tad, and sold it for $350, and it was in raggy condition.

I can appreciate the satisfaction of building a custom cabinet.  I'm just not looking forward to doing things like T-moulding and stuff like that because I don't have a router.  I'd rather jump right into modifying the control surface, painting the cabinet and integrating the computer.  Along those lines, the Simpsons cab seems like it has a lot of potential.  However, that's because I'm under the impression the Simpsons as a stand-alone game isn't that valuable an item.  When I converted my Neo cabinet, I set it up so that I could switch it back to the original setup if I wanted.  This next project would be the next step for me, which would be completely changing a cabinet, but not doing it from the gound up.  I figure a third project would probaby be a cocktail or tabletop.

Here are some pictures of some of the cabs:

[AtomSmasher]

Back to the question at hand, where is this auction?    I doubt it's near me, but it never hurts asking.

I would of tried answering your questions if I had an intelligent answer to give, unfortunately I'm fairly new to the mame scene and have no idea.  I do think you should build instead of convert, but if you can't build, then spend $100 and get an empty cab that no one will miss.

[Tiger-Heli]

Is there much of a market for restored vintage games?  I have been checking eBay and there seems to be a little activity, but not much.

For most of us, it's a question of nostalgia rather then market value.  Case in point - my nick is Tiger-Heli.  I played the game daily in college and it was the only game I ever got through all the levels on without using cheats or unlimited quarters in MAME.  I have seen maybe two of them in RL since college and always played them at least once when I saw it.  AFAIK, the game was never sold as a dedicated cab, and a full-up conversion with accurate marquee, CP, and side-art goes for around $200-$300 on E-bay.

Clearly if you found one with a good PCB, but generic CP, no marquee, and bad side-art, it would cost you more to restore it than it would be worth in the end . . .  But if you painted it black and turned it into a MAME machine, that's one less Tiger-Heli machine in the world for people like me to find and play.  (Then again, if you didn't turn it into a MAME machine and the owner threw it in a field b/c nobody would buy it, it's still one less Tiger-Heli machine for me to play, but now you don't get the enjoyment from it either . . .)

But it's that kind of thing for most of us . . .

Anyone care to comment on which of the games they think is most valuable if restored?  The cockpit Red Baron?

Hmmmmmn, two of the three people (Myself and Witchboard, but not Hoopz) that responded to your original question mentioned the cockpit Red Baron, how much plainer do you need it???

[Tiger-Heli]

However, that's because I'm under the impression the Simpsons as a stand-alone game isn't that valuable an item.

It is to someone.  Point is for every game you pick that you think "This was a crappy game anyway and no-one will miss it if I make a MAME machine out of it.", there's someone that will go "OMFG, that was my ALL-TIME FAVORITE game!!! You actually had a dedicated working one and converted it!!!"

That's why we're recommending something bastardized like, oh say a Williams Blaster cockpit that's been coverted to some crappy racecar game . . .  How much could that be worth to anyone? ($5,800 AUD).

[Witchboard]

Here are some pictures of some of the cabs:

Where's the rest?  I honestly wouldn't convert any of those you showed as they all seem to be in good condition with nothing missing.  Did they plug them in for you?

[dax]

Back to the question at hand, where is this auction?    I doubt it's near me, but it never hurts asking.

Louisiana.

[Hoopz]

I understand.  I want to get along with everybody here and I want to contribute, and I don't mind you all telling me I might be a little insensitive or caustic sometimes, I can handle that.  It's better than copping an attitude and suggesting I'm not worthy of consideration... that'll just get my gander up.   Anyway, I'm over all this and I hope everyone else is too.  I was definitely burned out trying to get my cab working, especially when I'm a software guy and I figured out the hardware and the software stopped me cold.. that just really pissed me off.  I still am upset at myself when I think about it.  I hate it when I can't get a program that should work to work.

Yep, lets move on. Water under the bridge.   

[dax]

However, that's because I'm under the impression the Simpsons as a stand-alone game isn't that valuable an item.

It is to someone.  Point is for every game you pick that you think "This was a crappy game anyway and no-one will miss it if I make a MAME machine out of it.", there's someone that will go "OMFG, that was my ALL-TIME FAVORITE game!!! You actually had a dedicated working one and converted it!!!"

That's why we're recommending something bastardized like, oh say a Williams Blaster cockpit that's been coverted to some crappy racecar game . . .  How much could that be worth to anyone? ($5,800 AUD).

I see your point.

One man's trash is another man's treasure.   And I can relate, when I was in high school, the local convenience store had a Vangard machine that we played endlessly.  What a lame game, but for some, it can be nostalgic.  For me, that game is Tempest or Joust, maybe Q*Bert but those aren't that rare.  I did have an affinity for Jump Bug, which is probably pretty scarce.  I wonder how rare a red baron cockpit is or what it would be worth restored?  I couldn't find any comparables on eBay.

[dax]

Here are some pictures of some of the cabs:

Where's the rest?  I honestly wouldn't convert any of those you showed as they all seem to be in good condition with nothing missing.  Did they plug them in for you?

I haven't inspected them.  Inspection will be tomorrow, with the auction the day after.  I will go check them out.

Maybe these units were ruined in the hurricane.  I am not sure, but they don't look from the pictures to be water damaged and I don't have pics of all the machines.  I will report back after inspection.

My question still stands... if the machines are in working condition, based on the pictures seem to be pretty stock, anyone care to speculate what they would be worth?

[Witchboard]

My question still stands... if the machines are in working condition, based on the pictures seem to be pretty stock, anyone care to speculate what they would be worth?

Something is only worth what somebody is willing to pay.  That said, I'm a pretty cheap bastard, so I can tell you what I would try and get away with if they all are in WORKING condition.

Street Fighter II = $200
Simpsons = $250
Red Baron = $400

Getting them cheaper is always better, so those would be my max bids.  That's probably why I walk away from most auction without buying anything.    The way I price cabs is pretty much figure what all the parts cost.  It's easy to find repro CPO's and marquees on ebay, plus game boards and monitors.  Just add up everything and see where the price comes in.  Maybe add $50 or so since it's all put together and there ya go.

[dax]

Yea, this makes sense... there are a ton of SF2 machines that won't sell on ebay for over $300.

[divemaster127]

I would think the Red Baron if its in good shape would be worth a bit more than that
thanks
divemaster

[CheffoJeffo]

I would think the Red Baron if its in good shape would be worth a bit more than that
thanks
divemaster

Possibly, but there was a working one on RGVAC recently that the guy couldn't sell at $450 (although I would pay that locally in a heartbeat if I had the room) to the point where the seller was going to trade it for a Vectrex, until he regained his senses (also reported on RetroBlast).

Cheers.

[dax]

I made up my mind I'm going for the Red Baron if it's in good shape... maybe one or two others if I can move them.  I am thinking the Lethal Enforcer might have the best hardware of the bunch - I'll check it all out and let you all know.  I don't know if anybody is nearby, but if someone's looking for something specific and I can pick it up cheap, let me know.  I don't have room to keep a bunch of these units indefinitely.

[Witchboard]

I would think the Red Baron if its in good shape would be worth a bit more than that
thanks
divemaster

I'm a pretty cheap bastard

Well, I only usually give myself around $300 to spend at an auction anyway.  I never spend past my means, and if I can't get what I'm wanting, then I wait for the next time.  I do have a family to feed and bills to pay. 

[tristan]

That Street Fighter II looks like a Dynamo cabinet with the pull out control panel. If it is, it's a pretty nice cabinet and a good candidate for conversion.

[dax]

Tell me more about this dynamo cabinet.. that sounds interesting...

Generally speaking are there some cabinet types that are more appealing?  I guess so.

The Neo-Geo cab I have has this really cool curved metal playfield that opens outward.. made of steel instead of wood.  I really liked that.. UNTIL I had to cut a 2.5" hole in the steel for a trackball (what a nightmare that was).

[tristan]

I guess appeal would be up to the individual.

The cab I was talking about; the control panel unlatches, and the entire inside pulls out via the front of the cab. Makes it real easy to change games or work on the cab without moving it.

[Wetworks]

To Tiger-Heli..
A little off the subject
Wow man you can complete Tiger-Heli on one credit! I used to play this at college too!! Probally to much! It is still one of my all time favourite games.. Couldn't and still can't get through it!
Congrats!

[CheffoJeffo]

Tell me more about this dynamo cabinet.. that sounds interesting...

Generally speaking are there some cabinet types that are more appealing?  I guess so.

The Neo-Geo cab I have has this really cool curved metal playfield that opens outward.. made of steel instead of wood.  I really liked that.. UNTIL I had to cut a 2.5" hole in the steel for a trackball (what a nightmare that was).

Do me a favour ... stay away from the RB cockpit ...

Cheers.

[XtraSmiley]

I stopped reading after some of the responses were a little bit snippy, so sorry if this is a repeat.

Depending on what you pay and if they are working or not, the Simpsons and RB will bring money in with collectors.

The S&C is one of my favs, but if it's not a nice dedicated you prob won't get much.  It's also not a heavily wanted one, but find the right guy and you could get $600.

SFII is junk, but if non-collectors are there the price will be driven up due to nostalgia. 

Hope this helps.

If you get the S&C and can get it to MD, let me know.

[dax]

What's wrong with the RB cockpit?  Is this related to the classic x-y monitor problems?  Is there some way to tell how bad the monitor may be?

I had a feeling the SC machine would be scarce.  I have no idea what the prices these machines will go for.  If I can get it for $50 or under, I'll hold on to it if anyone here wants it and wants to figure out a way to get it, but you never know, someone could bid it up, or (more likely) it's a POS that had the roof fall on it in the hurricane.

I never thought the Simpsons game was that great... I know that collectors can have weird tastes, but um... what do I know...?

[APFelon]

Tekken, High Impact Football, Street Fighter II, Skull & Crossbones, Simpsons, Toki, Knockout, Arch Rivals, Red Baron (cockpit), X-Men, Lethal Enforcer II

I will try to rate these from least to most valuable, and I'll try to explain why I believe as I do. Unfortunately, arcade game markets vary WILDLY from one region to the next, from what I have seen.

Toki- I'm willing to bet that this is a conversion from some other game-- JAMMAtized and bastardized. The PCB is probably worth less than the small squirt of shampoo you use in the shower.  The game reeks. Unless this is a conversion of a Quantum cabinet with all of the cab art  hidden in pristine condition under some gently laid formica, if you pay 20$ you paid too much.

Street Fighter II- A common early fighter.  No dedicated SF2s exist... the one pictured is in a generic Dynamo cabinet which was common to see a SF2 in. When I say this game is COMMON, I mean COMMON. Only get it if you are a die hard SF2 buff, or you want to MAME it. I'd pay 50$ for one.

Knock Out- An Amadar clone / ripoff? Not sure of the value of this, but I'm willing to bet it's more than a SF2 or a Toki. Depending on its condition, I might pay 75$ (but I am unfamiliar with the game and the cab... dedicated cabinet I might go higher if it's unique anough).

(TIE) Arch Rivals / High Impact Football. Not popular enough to be considered "classics" but decent games in their own right.  I'd expect to pay around 125-150 for one in good shape.

Tekken- I remember this cabinet to be quite ugly and unapproachable. The first Tekken was the worst Tekken, especially compared to a VF2 sitting right next to it. I'd go 150-175 on it.

Skull and Crossbones- Cool dedicated cabinet, if I remember correctly. Boring game, though.  Interesting to some collectors because of its unique cabinet style. I'd give 150-175 for one in reasonable shape.

X-Men- I am going to assume that this is the 25" 4 player cabinet. Some people loved this game. I am not among them.  However, it is a licensed title, and the comic book geeks would likely have an interest in it... thus raising its price.  200-400 dollars, depending on the cabinet style and condition.  I would NOT MAME this cabinet, as the value lies in its art.

The Simpsons- Many operators still have this beastie on location.  Another game people love, but I find it kind of boring. However, for the same reasons above, the subject and licensing, not to mentionlthe 25" monitor,  boosts its pricea bit. I'd say anywhere from 200-450 depending on who is at the auction. Another cabinet I wouldn't MAME.

Lethal Enforcers 2- This is a tough call. I almost want to rank it below X-Men and The Simpsons, but gun games, even as old as LE2, earn on location. If you have an operator at your auction, expect this one to go fairly high if it works and is in decent shape. 150-600

Red Baron Cockpit- Operators will NOT be interested inthis one, as XY monitors are generally a headache, the cabinet is too big and it looks like a fossil. Collectors, on the other hand, may take an interest. I wouldn't be shocked to see this one go as high as 600-1000. Stranger things have happened.

Hope that helps.

APf

[dax]

Wow, thanks APF for the great comments!

I never thought much about whether or not "operators" would be at this auction.   I have no idea what kind of formulas they use to determine profitability, but it does make sense.

If the cabinets are non-working, are there any components in any of the cabinets that are worth cannibalizing?  I don't get the impression there's really anything unique hardware-wise in the lot.

[XtraSmiley]

Wow, thanks APF for the great comments!

I never thought much about whether or not "operators" would be at this auction.   I have no idea what kind of formulas they use to determine profitability, but it does make sense.

If the cabinets are non-working, are there any components in any of the cabinets that are worth cannibalizing?  I don't get the impression there's really anything unique hardware-wise in the lot.

Well, the S&C pcb and maruquee.  RB, any parts that work!

[APFelon]

I never thought much about whether or not "operators" would be at this auction.   I have no idea what kind of formulas they use to determine profitability, but it does make sense.

If the cabinets are non-working, are there any components in any of the cabinets that are worth cannibalizing?  I don't get the impression there's really anything unique hardware-wise in the lot.

Well, there is no set formula to determine whether a game makes a profit or not other than "does this game make me money". Games that provide a gaming experience that can't be had at home typically do better than old videos (no matter the video). The only exception I can think of is Ms. Pac Man, but that game doesn't compare earningwise to gun games etc.

As for cannibalizing... it depends. If you go to a Superauction where there are 200+ games and 400 people there, prices will generally go low and you could consider parting a machine out after buying one for 50$ or so. However, there are a couple of variables at the auction you plan to attend that are yet undefined such as:

How many people will be there looking to buy those handful of games? How publicized is the auction? If you have 200 people show up to bid on 10 games or so, expect them to go HIGH (Even Toki) which would make parting them out not cost effective. I had one guy on this forum get all bent out of shape for announcing the local MOMA auction here on BYOAC. Smaller attendence means lower prices.

Is the auction in a urban or rural setting? Is it far from home for most people? This will affect attendence and price. Urbanites will typically spend more for such luxuries than ruralites. For example, a going rate for a S.T.U.N. Runner in Minneapolis is around 300$. I picked one up in St. Cloud for 150$ due to a smaller market and less demand (Adam Smith at work, LOL).

Who will be there? Operators have pretty deep pockets. The last Minneapolis auction had an op who was willing to spend an obscene amouts of money for JAMMA junk, halfassed conversions and 15 year old garbage, thus edging out collectors, hobbiests, MAMErs and those of us on a smaller game budget. 450$ for a Road Riot conversion that looked as though it had been dropped off of a truck, etc.

Good luck at the auction. Let us know what that stuff sells for and their condition... I for one would be interested to know.

APf

[MYX]

Check this out. It is a guy who went to many auctions and actually took the time to write down all the results. The auctions that he lists are several years old but seem to be somewhat close to today's prices.

Another variable is weather. If it is really cold and rainy, some folks will not want to go out to an auction. This is great for you as it means less competition.

[Tiger-Heli]

What's wrong with the RB cockpit?  Is this related to the classic x-y monitor problems?  Is there some way to tell how bad the monitor may be?

I think Cheffo Jeffo's post is in relation to this comment at the start of the thread:

but the Red Baron cockpit must be kinda rare - although I assume the x-y monitor there wouldn't be MAME-compatible, the notion of a cockpit MAME cab is kind of appealing.

As AP felon states, of all the games mentioned, the RB cockpit is the one game listed that I see as a true collectible with some intrinsic worth.

If you want to buy it and preserve it as a RB in your gameroom, and/or if you want to buy it for $250 and try to get $400 for it on E-bay, I don't have any qualms with it, but I myself, I think Cheffo, and probably a majority of the board would be upset if you bought it, and painted the sideart over to blue with a galaxy scene, threw a raster monitor in it, and added swappable SF and car racing CP's .  .  .

[Tiger-Heli]

To Tiger-Heli..
A little off the subject
Wow man you can complete Tiger-Heli on one credit! I used to play this at college too!! Probally to much! It is still one of my all time favourite games.. Couldn't and still can't get through it!
Congrats!

Well - if it makes you feel any better, I only did it one time (ever).  The game is largely pattern repetition and memory (everything always appears in the same place), and there was a guy there at the time that was much better than me, and I would watch him play before I had a turn, so I had some prewarning of what was coming up.

OTOH, my avg. scores back then were in the 250,000 range with 3 ships.  Avg scores on MAME are around 150,000 with 5 ships, and the fast response dipswitch setting.

BTW, I am not blaming the arcade controls or MAME's accuracy for this.  It is three things:

1) Less practice:  I would play at least 30 minutes of T-H a day, three to five days a week back in the day.  Now I have RL, jobs, etc, so it gets played for maybe 45 minutes to an hour, every other month or so . . .

2) No real incentive:  Okay, it was only a quarter a game back then, but four games were still the cost of a McDonald's hamburger, so you didn't just mess up and figure you would make up for it with the next game.

3) More distractions:  The student center had Tiger-Heli, Top Gunner, Ikari, and a handful of other games I didn't care about.  T-H was my fav, but the other ones would get played if I didn't feel like waiting.  Now I have all three, plus Asteroids, Defender, Centipede, Galaga, Gyruss, Time Pilot, Pac-Man, BattleZone, and 2500 other fun games I never even heard of, plus PC games to choose from when I am bored and get free time, neither of which happens often.

[dax]

Ok, I will take pictures and report back on this.  Thanks very much for the info.  I agree that restoring the RB would probably be better - I will look at the condition.  Personally, I was never a big fan of that game.  I'd rather have battle zone.. but I'm sure BZ was more common - is it possible that this is a BZ cab with RB artwork over it? 

The last time I went to one of these auctions there were about a dozen people there.  I have no idea what to expect now, especially in the wake of the hurricane and the whole area economy in shambles.

[Witchboard]

...is it possible that this is a BZ cab with RB artwork over it?

No.

[CheffoJeffo]

As AP felon states, of all the games mentioned, the RB cockpit is the one game listed that I see as a true collectible with some intrinsic worth.

If you want to buy it and preserve it as a RB in your gameroom, and/or if you want to buy it for $250 and try to get $400 for it on E-bay, I don't have any qualms with it, but I myself, I think Cheffo, and probably a majority of the board would be upset if you bought it, and painted the sideart over to blue with a galaxy scene, threw a raster monitor in it, and added swappable SF and car racing CP's .  .  .

Yep ... and the whole "metal playfield that was steel instead of wood" and "nightmare" hole-cutting revelation wasn't generating a lot of confidence that dax has the patience (one can always acquire expertise, but the patience must be there first) to deal with a classic X-Y cockpit (they're big, there is the whole vector issue and it is an old game) without doing something blasphemous.

It would be a crime to MAME that unless it was already loaded on a truck on the way to the fire or landfill.

No offense intended to dax -- if you want to restore or resell, that is GREAT, but it would be a crime to do anything else (and owning an old  vector can be frustrating to the point where you will want to MAME it ... I have had 3 issues with my Asteroids in the past 3 months).

Cheers & good luck at the auction.

Apologies for being so obtuse ... I was channeling Cabernet and trouble shooting a Joust sound board at the time ...

[Tiger-Heli]

It would be a crime to MAME that unless it was already loaded on a truck on the way to the fire or landfill.

Still be a crime even then, judging by the pictures Dax posted.

[Witchboard]

Yeah, even KLOV only has a pic of what looks like a to be a scan out of a magazine or flyer for the cockpit version.

Actaully it is.  Flyer=KLOV