Hey I'm New!

[NewArcadeGirl]

Just thought I would introduce myself....

I just learned about Mame a few months ago and I'm excited to start building my own machine. I think it's going to be a cocktail table. I've never really done anything with electronics or computers but I think it will be fun to learn.

A few questions:

Are there any other girls on this board?
How much can I realistically expect to spend on a cocktail table machine?

-Tami

[severdhed]

welcome to the board!, I have only been here for a brief time, but i have found it very helpful.  As for how much you can expect to spend, that is difficult to answer.  It really depends on what you want.  You first have to decide if you are going to build your cabinet from scratch, convert an existing cabinet, or buy a new cabinet/kit.  Plus you need to decide what kind and how many controls you want, and what type of monitor you are going to use.(arcade monitor, TV, pc monitor).

I'm sure you will find this site very helpful.

[pointdablame]

Yes there are other girls here, although there are (as you might guess) many more guys comparatively.

Cost is a funny thing in this hobby.  It IS possible to do this on the cheap, but it doesn't usually wind up that way.

If you find a good deal on a gutted cocktail with maybe a monitor for a $100-200, you could possibly do it for under $500.  If you are building everything new and have to have things "just right"  projects can jump into the thousands without you even realizing it.  If you want to buy a cocktail ready to go, there are a lot of high end companies trying to sell them for $3000 or more.  So there's a very large range in prices.

It's not a cheap hobby, that's for sure.

Welcome to the board!

[NewArcadeGirl]

I think I might go the route of buying an old cocktail table from 80's and refinish it. There is an auction in Southern California(where I live) in November. It's just dumb that I have to wait that long!

[pointdablame]

I think I might go the route of buying an old cocktail table from 80's and refinish it. There is an auction in Southern California(where I live) in November. It's just dumb that I have to wait that long!

It shouldn't be very hard to find a game in CA.  Search ebay by distance and see if you can find one local that you can pick up.

[gamecreature]

I found mine a Craigslist. I found a gutted cabinet in relatively decent shape and using a monitor I bought off of Craigslist, some parts I bought from the great vendors here and some computer components I had lying around I was able to put mine together for about $400. (Give or take)

Cocktail tables present their own challenges, especially with mounting the hardware. Good luck.

Yes, there have been sightings of other so-called "girls" on this forum, but they are quickly consumed by the other denizens of this dark and dangerous realm and are never heard from again. Bwahahahaha!!! 

[loadman]

I fitted out a gutted cocktail table and I have no woodworking skills.

I love it.

The only downsides I see  is:

1) My controll panel is limited a bit (although I mainly play old vertical games that don't use any more than 3 buttons)

2)  Size inside is a bit limited so I had to install extra fans so I did not fry everything. The biggest fan only cuts in when required.

Are there any other girls on this board?

Not many, If the boys get out of line let me know and I'll fart in their general direction  :-)

How much can I realistically expect to spend on a cocktail table machine?

$500 Up.--> $3000.

The fun bit is you can get it running quickly and just keep adding/changing it as your budget/time allows

[Texasmame]

First thing you must do is fill out the thread with you age.   

Welcome aboard!

My advice - unless you want to play only a few simple games, stay away from cocktails due to the size of the control panels. 

John in TX

[Grauwulf]

Welcome aboard! i will also second the motion against a cocktail as a MAME machine, unless of course all you want to do is play old vertical games. And if you're thinking about a cocktail because it takes up less space, it actually doesn't. It will consume more space than an upright.

[hypernova]

Anyone ever realize the names "upright" and "cocktail" have gender qualities to 'em?

Cocktails for women, because don't women always order cocktails?

Uprights for men, well...cause an "upright."  You know.  Eh?  You know.......
Like a football goal post.  (You people get your mind out of the gutters!)

[CheffoJeffo]

First, welcome!

I am going to conditionally disagree with those who would dissuade you from the cocktail path. My first (and currently only) MAME machine was a three-sided design that accomodates classic verticals on the vertical and a standard SF layout on the horizontal. I was able to do this easily because the base cabinet was a cheesy after-market cocktail cab that was designed for both vertical or horizontal confiurations. This wouldn't work with a typical original cocktail cabinet.

It ain't pretty (or even finished in this picture), but it's fun to play and was really cheap to make ($100 for working cabinet, $80 for ArcadeVGA, $40 for iPac, $75 for controls, then some black vinyl, paint and computer).



Cheers.

[97thruhiker]

Welcome and enjoy it as theirs nothing like your first time, your first cabinet project that is  .  Seriously though, I've found just about everyone on here to be very helpful and many will go way out of their way to help you out.  Take your time and have fun.

As far as costs go the earlier responses are right on.  The only thing I have not seen mentioned yet is your access to tools.  Buying saws, routers, drills, etc. can add up really quick if you do not have any.

[SithMaster]

beware of EE.

everyone mentioned everything already.

but wait she is a girl so she can borrow tools from people on a whim.  and how does a cocktail take up more or equal room of an upright?  unless you refer to the wasted space above the cocktail it is less based on its footprint of the more compact ones.  o wait then i guess it would depend on the upright design too then.  hmmmm.

but she wants a cocktail.  my advice is to find a restoration page or find someone who made one from scratch and see what parts go into one.  then find prices for those parts locally or online and there you go.

[pointdablame]

The footprint of a cocktail is similar to the footprint of an upright.  You then have to factor in space on at least 2 sides, and commonly 3 or 4 sides for some of the MAME cocktails out there.  Add space for chairs and people and you are using MUCH more floorspace than you will with an upright.  That is how it takes up more space.

I still like cocktails though, and you shouldn't be put off on one because of the space.  It is a good point to make though since a lot of new folks will think since cocktails are so much smaller they will be better for a cramped area... the fact is that is not true at all.

[NightGod]

/sigh 13 replies and I'm the first one

Pic please...of the cab, too 

On a more serious note, as many have said, cost is a really relative thing. Do you have a computer you are going to use or do you have to buy one? Are you going to use an arcade monitor, or do you have an old computer monitor or TV lying around you can use? How many players are you going to build for? What kind of tool access do you have?

Personally, I jumped right in and tend to throw money at my problems challenges, but I'm a divorced guy with a nearly paid for house and alot of disposable income. If you are going on the cheap, you'll definately need to spend more time planning than I did. As for finding an old cab without waiting for an auction-either check Ebay, craigslist.com or look up Amusement in the yellow pages and make some phone calls.

[Lutus]

I second getting on the phone and calling people.  Try the following:

-Laundry Mats

-Carwashes (found a working Dr. Mario at a car wash but he won't sell  )

-Antique shops

-Churchs (found my Space Invaders at a church)

-Restaurants ( mainly Ma & Pa places that don't rent their machines)

-Skating Rinks (found a Wacko machine here in Panama City if anybody wants it  )

-Pawn Shops

-Arcades (call to find out if they sell broken or empty cabs, if not find out the name of the distributor that delivers to them the cabs and call the distributor)

-Gas Stations (don't call, just notice if they have any or not, there is a gas station in my town with a working Killer Instinct 2 or something like that.  It needs a cap kit BAD!)

Thats all I can think of.  I am sure more people will suggest places.

Always ask for the manager first, then ask if they have broken, or non-profit making machines for sell.  Most of the time they assume you are wanting a working machine and fail to mention the non working ones.

Welcome aboard!!!

[Stingray]

The footprint of a cocktail is similar to the footprint of an upright.  You then have to factor in space on at least 2 sides, and commonly 3 or 4 sides for some of the MAME cocktails out there.  Add space for chairs and people and you are using MUCH more floorspace than you will with an upright.  That is how it takes up more space.

I've seen this argument more times than I can count, but I don't buy into it. I have a cocktail and two uprights. When it's not being used, the cocktail is shoved up against a wall and takes up a lot less space than the uprights, and it also serves as a regular table when it's not being played.

-S

[Tiger-Heli]

Anyone ever realize the names "upright" and "cocktail" have gender qualities to 'em?

Cocktails for women, because don't women always order cocktails?

Uprights for men, well...cause an "upright."  You know.  Eh?  You know.......
Like a football goal post.  (You people get your mind out of the gutters!)

And then you guys wonder why the guy/girl ratio on the board is so lopsided . . . 

Basically, all the main points were hit already.  Cocktail is probably more difficult to build and cool, gaming posture is less comfortable, but they do handle vertical or horizontal games nicely and double as furniture when not in use.

[Scumgriever]

/sigh 13 replies and I'm the first one

Pic please...of the cab, too 

how many posts was it before someone asked you for a picure?

I know its all in good fun, and I know you didn't mean anything by it.
It just irks me.

I can't be certain I'll admit but its a pretty safe bet she didn't come here so that a bunch of arcade enthusiasts can judge her sexually.

Sorry, I don't mean to have a go at you NightGod, I just see it all the time and it gets to me.

[pointdablame]

The footprint of a cocktail is similar to the footprint of an upright.  You then have to factor in space on at least 2 sides, and commonly 3 or 4 sides for some of the MAME cocktails out there.  Add space for chairs and people and you are using MUCH more floorspace than you will with an upright.  That is how it takes up more space.

I've seen this argument more times than I can count, but I don't buy into it. I have a cocktail and two uprights. When it's not being used, the cocktail is shoved up against a wall and takes up a lot less space than the uprights, and it also serves as a regular table when it's not being played.

-S

I think that's the best way to use a cocktail... in place of a table.  If you place it where a table would go, you're golden.

however, there are a lot of folks here that start out new and figure they should build a cocktail since it would take up so much less space.  It pops up here pretty often, so its worth mentioning.

[Stingray]

...its worth mentioning.

No it's not, cuz I hate you pointdablame.

-S

[pointdablame]

...its worth mentioning.

No it's not, cuz I hate you pointdablame.

-S

well you certainly make a compelling argument.

[ChadTower]

I've seen this argument more times than I can count, but I don't buy into it. I have a cocktail and two uprights. When it's not being used, the cocktail is shoved up against a wall and takes up a lot less space than the uprights, and it also serves as a regular table when it's not being played.

Most people don't move them, though, so figure on that.  Also figure that many of them are designed for play on more than one side of the cabinet so you need clearance on two sides (vs one side for an upright).  The CP is next to the monitor, rather than below it and slightly set forward, so that also takes up more space.  Basically, with most cocktails, if you calculate the actual floor footage needed it is greater than the average upright.  That's why most arcades wouldn't go near them.

[Tahnok]

You know what takes up less space than both of them? A bartop.

...What?


BTW, what part of Southern California?

[Stingray]

...its worth mentioning.

No it's not, cuz I hate you pointdablame.

-S

well you certainly make a compelling argument.

 

-S

[RayB]

Though cocktails technically take more space, you place one in the living room against a wall, and hang a nice painting or print above it, and it fits into the decor much more nicely than an upright.

[NightGod]

/sigh 13 replies and I'm the first one

Pic please...of the cab, too 

how many posts was it before someone asked you for a picure?

I know its all in good fun, and I know you didn't mean anything by it.
It just irks me.

I can't be certain I'll admit but its a pretty safe bet she didn't come here so that a bunch of arcade enthusiasts can judge her sexually.

Sorry, I don't mean to have a go at you NightGod, I just see it all the time and it gets to me.

Ten.

What can I say, I'm a sexy ---smurfette---, that always manages to come across in my posts, somehow.

[saint]

Hi Tami and welcome to the forum!  Please ignore any fools who can't get past the fact that you're female -- there really aren't that many of them (the fools) here and they probably won't be here that long.... hint hint guys.

Oh, and by the way, I think everyone should have an upright and a cocktail as well, and a bartop is in my near future

--- saint

[Stingray]

Hi Tami and welcome to the forum!  Please ignore any fools who can't get past the fact that you're female -- there really aren't that many of them (the fools) here and they probably won't be here that long.... hint hint guys.

PM Sez for instructions on the proper way for a female to deal with the buttgoblins on this site. I'd sooner cross a rattlesnake than Sez.

Just kidding Sezzer, please don't hurt me again!

-S

[gamecreature]

Oh, and by the way, I think everyone should have an upright and a cocktail as well...

Damn, I thought I was done!

 

[jimmy_bored]

hint hint guys.

As my Supreme Chancellor I would rather see you focus on spammers, and commercial vendors selling solutions that use open source software where commercial use and redistribution are prohibited. (hint hint  -Kewl?) Then if time is available maybe work on a cleaner design for the forums or even add some more emotions icons. 

[Stingray]

hint hint guys.

As my Supreme Chancellor I would rather see you focus on spammers, and commercial vendors selling solutions that use open source software where commercial use and redistribution are prohibited. (hint hint  -Kewl?) Then if time is available maybe work on a cleaner design for the forums or even add some more emotions icons. 

It was nice knowing you Jimmy.

-S

[pointdablame]

who's Jimmy?

[Havok]

Dream Arcades sells some nice kits, if you don't want to wait for the auction:

http://www.dreamarcades.com/kits.shtml

Also, check out the thread of known and trusted vendors here (you'll get to know them quite well in this hobby):

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=54812.0

Welcome!

 

[Drugstore_Cowboy]

Hey I'm New too!

wish I'd used a girls name now for all the response I've had 

[Santoro]

*cricket*

So anyway, NewArcadeGirl it's great to have you here!!!

 

[NewArcadeGirl]

WOW!

Thanks for the welcome guys!  I go away for a little bit and I get a ton of responses, thanks!

About me:

I'm 26.
I live in San Diego but I travel a lot with my job.
I work for the San Diego Chargers football team in promotions.

Is there a post anywhere on this board where people list their age, jobs and locations? It might be a cool way to get to know peeps in your area.

[AMDman13]

Shouldn't be hard for you to meet people here since...
#1 You dig classic arcades
#2 You dig football 

[saint]

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=9346.0

WOW!

Thanks for the welcome guys!  I go away for a little bit and I get a ton of responses, thanks!

About me:

I'm 26.
I live in San Diego but I travel a lot with my job.
I work for the San Diego Chargers football team in promotions.

Is there a post anywhere on this board where people list their age, jobs and locations? It might be a cool way to get to know peeps in your area.

[NightGod]

I'm 26.
I live in San Diego but I travel a lot with my job.
I work for the San Diego Chargers football team in promotions.

Is there a post anywhere on this board where people list their age, jobs and locations? It might be a cool way to get to know peeps in your area.

Pretty cool-I met a guy this summer who works for the Bears (in IT) and talked with him about it for a bit-sounds like the NFL is interesting place to work, as long as you don't mind basically disappearing from the world from September till Januaryish.