possibility for "animated" marquees

[vrf]

Came across this type of sign while looking for printing techniques. It looks like the store is more for commercial stuff or digital fine art prints, but the EL lighting on these signs has me wondering... could you use a similiar technique to "animate" a marquee?

http://www.w-co.co.uk/el.php

[spacies]

Looks cool for the bling factor but wouldn't all the flashing drive you nuts?

[vrf]

yeah, you'd have to use it for some really subtle animations, nothing too distracting.

[spacies]

When you gonna build the PixelBox?

I want to build something similar because it would be good for my business.

[vrf]

Still on track to finish before Christmas. (I think you guys are really going to like my next couple of updates... )

[Tahnok]

Looks cool for the bling factor but wouldn't all the flashing drive you nuts?

Where have I heard this before? I seem to recall this argument arising every time something to do with lighting is mentioned (specifically, when the button lighting controllers were introduced). It might be distracting for a second, but it seems like the general consensus about it is that you don't even notice it when actually playing.

Then again, you don't see me installing lighting controllers into my CPs.

[original_maxlamer]

Wouldn't be distracting if the animation only started.....
 a set time after the machine stoped getting user input
 or on gameover

And stopped (faded to static splashscreen) on coinup

[jfh2112]

Looks cool for the bling factor but wouldn't all the flashing drive you nuts?

It'd be the same thing as a pinball machine, wouldn't it? Those aren't distracting when you're playing. Seems like it would work to me, not to mention being uber-cool.

[ChadTower]

I find the DMDs on pins hugely distracting... I tend to stick with the games just prior to the intro of DMDs.  Of course, they're more of an attempt to integrate the animated display into the game itself while you're working on the playfield.

I don't think this would be all that distracting to a person with any real ability to focus on the game.

[Stingray]

Looks cool for the bling factor but wouldn't all the flashing drive you nuts?

It'd be the same thing as a pinball machine, wouldn't it? Those aren't distracting when you're playing. Seems like it would work to me, not to mention being uber-cool.

I was going to make the same argument only with pachinko. Mine are covered with flashing, blinking lights, none of which are distracting during gameplay.

On topic, I think that shows some real promise for interesting marquees.

-S

[ChadTower]

Of course, the first person to use it will just use it for a girl to take her shirt off.   

[NickG]

neat idea!  I agree it would be good to install an option for the animation to be disabled when not in attract mode.  I like the Idea of an animated marquee.  A few weeks ago, I was experimenting with an lcd and a jar of water for use as a projected animated marquee.  The jar seemed to strech the image horizontally but it was to bright in my room to see if a regular cylinder shaped jar would be good enough- I couldn't see the entire image.  If it doesn't work out I might try your idea.  I want my marquee to to really bling.