Arcade Ambience 199X - input requested

[ahofle]

I'm going to be starting one last volume of arcade ambience, this time something circa early nineties for all the youngins who weren't lucky enough to experience the early eighties arcades.  I was leaning towards 1990 or so, but I'm afraid of death threats from Street Fighter2/Mortal Kombat people, so I may just do 1992.  I know large arcades were pretty rare at this point, but they did exist.  The "Fun Factory" and "Einstein's Arcade" in Austin, TX were frequent hangouts of mine around that time between classes and although they weren't quite the same as the early 80s arcades, they were fairly crowded and had a good amount of games. 

So, that said, does anyone have any input into which games I should use from around 1987-1991 or so?  So far I have these games in mind (I remember all of these from the arcade at that time):

Xybots
Smash TV
Klax
Tetris
Arkanoid
Toobin
Cyberball
Raiden
Vindicators
Road Blasters
Altered Beast
Assault
Crime Fighters
Golden Axe
TMNT
Moonwalker 
Rampart

And thanks to the miracle of pinball emulation, I'm going to put in a few pinballs this time (probably Funhouse, Whirlwind, and Elvira and the Party Monsters).

[pointdablame]

Xmen and Simpsons should be on there if you ask me.  Xmen is 1992 I think though.  I think Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat would be good additions as well.

Thanks for putting the time in to do this, I really love your other mp3s.

[tetsu96]

Oh yeah, Street Fighter is a must (SF2 and the MKs would probably fit in a later ambiance, though I'm not triying to make work for you here ).  Undercover Cops, Final Fight, Contra, Ajax...  also Strider.

[btp2k2]

Afterburner was a big one in my local arcade....

[somunny]

Well, since you mentioned that you's be throwing in pinball sound effects this time, how about adding Black Knight 2000.  It fits the time period and it has some of the best original music and dialogue of any pin IMO.

[JeepMonkey]

Moonwalker   

link

If you are willing to buy this, or organize a BYOAC group buy, I will pick up this machine, store it at my place, and take first hand sound clips.  I will not charge anything for this service.  I won't even ask for any of the profits from this project.  I ask only that you send Avril to my place for a weekend.

[horseboy]

You gotta throw some Playchoice stuff in there. Simpsons, Lethal Enforcers (if you are including 1992), Wrestlefest, Double Dragon, Ninja Gaiden.

Also, I know that they certainly aren't game from the era, but if you want to make it authentic... back in the day I never went into any arcade that didn't have a Galaga and/or a Ms. Pac Man.

[ahofle]

Moonwalker   

http://cgi.ebay.com/Michael-Jacksons-Moonwalker-super-rare-arcade-game_W0QQitemZ280096804447QQcategoryZ13716QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

If you are willing to buy this, or organize a BYOAC group buy, I will pick up this machine, store it at my place, and take first hand sound clips.  I will not charge anything for this service.  I won't even ask for any of the profits from this project.  I ask only that you send Avril to my place for a weekend.

    
Thanks for the good laugh.  You may find it amusing that the video of hers that I linked to on my site was removed from youtube by RCA for 'copyright infringements'. HAHAHAHA

back in the day I never went into any arcade that didn't have a Galaga and/or a Ms. Pac Man.

Absolutely.  Those are the only two games that appear in all 3 existing volumes.


These are all great suggestions, thanks alot.

[Zeppo]

Steel Gunner
Final Lap 2
Ridge Racer
Mad Dog McCree
Dragon's Lair 2
Golly Ghost
Super Sonic Blastman
Captain Commando
Simpson's
Killer Instinct
Primal Rage

[fixedpigs]

narc
shinobi
bad dudes
a.p.b.
wwf wrestlemania
p.o.w.
robocop

[horseboy]

Oooooo, APB... 

[RayB]

87-92... That would be alot of digitized grunts, gun shots and groans.

Rolling Thunder
Side-Arms
Mercs
Tetris
Pac Mania
Robocop
Bad Dudes
Vigilante
Combatribes
Return of the Jedi
Street Fighter 1
Splatterhouse
Final Fight
Altered Beast
STUN Runner
Hard Driving
Power Drift
Hang On (?)
Out Run
Toobin'


MAYBE:
Mad Dog Mcree?
Dragon's Lair II

(check the dates, some of those might be a year before 87 or a year after 92)

[Jeff AMN]

Time Traveler!

I used to think that the Hologram Time Traveler game was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. I remember just watching others play it for hours after I was out of quarters.

[Jake]

Bionic Commando
Black Tiger
Contra
Guerilla War
Ninja Warriors
Operation Wolf
R-Type
Rastan
Shinobi
Super Dodge Ball
Time Soldiers
Cabal
Chase HQ
Forgotten Worlds
Ghouls n Ghosts
Narc
Cadash!
Strider
Alien Storm
Two Crude Dudes
Captain Commando
Terminator 2
Total Carnage

[bfauska]

I gotta add a vote for the already mentioned Time Traveler (1991 according to KLOV) and Mad Dog Mcree (1990.) Those two games were the ones I definately remember from the peak of my arcade years.  I remember being shocked by the $1 price to play MDM and then being even more shocked when my parents and grandparents wouldn't give me any more money to put into it.  I really need a lightgun so I can finally beat that game.  Even with the price of the lightgun and game I'll still get out cheaper than it would have cost back then.

I am glad you are starting a new set, it's the only way I would have learned about the old one, great project I look forward to enjoying the ambiant sounds someday coming from my cab while in the FE.

Later,
Brian

[fixedpigs]

time soldiers
ikari warriors
gladiator
rastan
karnov

[Glaine]

Just saying thanks for making these sound files, I use them all the time.

[horseboy]

I forgot about Time Killers. Apparently it came out the same year as Mortal Kombat, but I remember being in awe of the gore from Time Killers before I ever even heard of Mortal Kombat.

Also don't forget Arch Rivals.

[ahofle]

Uh oh, this is quickly becoming the largest arcade in history.     

[Glaine]

Don't forgot the mob of impatient parents and screaming/crying children (who refuse to leave & can't decide how to spend their 5 tickets)!

[NiteWalker]

Awesome. The 90's were the golden era for arcade games IMHO. The mid 90's were when I spent the most time in the arcades. I miss it a lot.

[SirPeale]

Andy -

The Torrents you have on your site don't work.  The PID is only for you.  You should be giving people the link to [romsite name redacted].

Check your PM.

[armax]

Awesome. The 90's were the golden era for arcade games IMHO. The mid 90's were when I spent the most time in the arcades. I miss it a lot.

Heck, the golden era of games were in the mid 80's.  The arcade was usually the only place to hang out (either that or the skating rink which also was heavily stocked with video games).  What other period in time would songs about video games be played on the radio (ie Pacman Fever)?  The eighties were the age of indulgence and excess. 

[NiteWalker]

As I said, IMHO. Not much in the 80's caught my interest outside of a select few. That's why I said the 90's-the 16 bit era. To me that was the golden age. To each his own.

[armax]

My only gripe about the 90's were that instead of the industry creating something unique, everyone had a tendency to jump on the bandwagon (ie fighters and shooting games).  A game distinguished itself by it's unique concept and game play (ie dig dug, pacman, wizard of wor).  But then again, I'm an old fart back when arcade games served the masses rather than the niche crowd.  Though I confess that a good majority of my college years were spent at the college arcade playing fighters.

[NiteWalker]

Indeed, I think fighters were my favorites. In fact, it was that era I became hooked on street fighter and tekken.

[Donkey_Kong]

but I'm afraid of death threats from Street Fighter2/Mortal Kombat people, so I may just do 1992. 

And thanks to the miracle of pinball emulation, I'm going to put in a few pinballs this time (probably Funhouse, Whirlwind, and Elvira and the Party Monsters).

Andy...Please put in something from Williams Pin 'Cyclone' and you will be my best buddy EVER!

P-L-E-A-S-E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

[Crowquill]

Are some of these really going to work well when you just hear audio?

Some games that I think could sound cool in this:

Space Harrier
Tetris
Bad Dudes
Klax
Operation Wolf/Thunderbolt

My only gripe about the 90's were that instead of the industry creating something unique, everyone had a tendency to jump on the bandwagon (ie fighters and shooting games).  A game distinguished itself by it's unique concept and game play (ie dig dug, pacman, wizard of wor).  But then again, I'm an old fart back when arcade games served the masses rather than the niche crowd.  Though I confess that a good majority of my college years were spent at the college arcade playing fighters.

The 80's had it's share of copycats if not more. Galaga is an evolved version of Space Invaders, Mr Do is a Dig Dug clone. And how many many maze games can you play? Don't get me wrong...the 90's were horrendous about this. But the 80's had it's share too. It just made up for it in the volume of games getting released.

[ahofle]

Andy -

The Torrents you have on your site don't work.  The PID is only for you.  You should be giving people the link to [romsite name redacted].

Check your PM.

Thx, I'll update them.  Pertrified did give me those links that are there now, but the torrents at [romsite name redacted] seem to change alot and I just haven't kept up.

Are some of these really going to work well when you just hear audio?

No you're right, some you won't be able to hear at all.  I had this problem with the other tracks too.  For example, I don't think Raiden will make it in because its sounds are so bland and unremarkable.

[Fozzy The Bear]

Don't forget Neo-Geo MVS sounds..... I know people mentioned Karnov, but there are a lot of other classics in there as well...

Metal Slug series is essential..... as well as a lot of other MVS classics. You need to include the Neo-Geo attract / startup sound as well. It's one of those instantly recognisable little jingles.

Also the SEGA games like Virtua Striker and Virtua Cop, House Of The Dead 1 etc etc ... mid 90's

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[Tailgunner]

Don't forgot the mob of impatient parents and screaming/crying children (who refuse to leave & can't decide how to spend their 5 tickets)!

+1, that's my only real gripe with the Arcade Ambience tracks. I've two distinct memories of what arcades sounded like, as in addition to hanging out in crowded arcades in the golden age I worked one several mall renovations in the late 80's early 90's. During the golden age the arcades in the area were usually packed to capacity and the crowd noise was as much a part of the overall sound as what was coming from the games. While doing mall renovations we usually worked after the mall had closed, and Andy's tracks remind me more of what an arcade sounded like after hours. 

[horseboy]

I don't know if you include this on the other ones, but I don't think the experience would be complete without the constant clanging of the dollar bill changer machines.

[ahofle]

OK I seem to have run into a problem that I will need help from the community to resolve.  I completely suck at Street Fighter 2 and Mortal Kombat.  There are some distinctive sounds in those games (fatality, flawless victory, yelling during special moves, etc) that I'd like to have in the final cut, but they require some experience with those games.  So I am asking for some good MAME inp recordings for MK/SF2 that I can playback to record the audio for inclusion into the final mix.  This is your chance to immortalize your play in the anals of arcade history!   

Here are some guidelines to those who would be willing to help:

- Please use a current/recent vanilla version of MAME (preferably v0.114), with sound of course. You may need to delete nvram and sta files before recording.
- Try to avoid non-authentic sounds, such as rapidly pressing the credit button 15 times
- Several INPs of varying characters would be nice
- 3-5 minutes or so of gameplay is fine (ie. there is no need to play for an hour and beat the game)
- email the INPs (ZIPPED!!!) to andy at hofle.com and let me know what version of MAME you used.

Thx!

[Sizzler]

The "Fun Factory" and "Einstein's Arcade" in Austin, TX were frequent hangouts of mine around that time  

I used to play Black Tiger at Le Fun on the drag.   I'm pretty sure it's pre-1990, but that's about the time I used to play it there.

[ahofle]

The "Fun Factory" and "Einstein's Arcade" in Austin, TX were frequent hangouts of mine around that time 

I used to play Black Tiger at Le Fun on the drag.   I'm pretty sure it's pre-1990, but that's about the time I used to play it there.

Oh man, that was the name.  I was confusing it with another arcade.  It was definitely "Le Fun"!

[rovingmind]

there is one you might have to imitate if you wanted it in.

The tow or three original whack-a-mole style games

very heavy mechanical thunks

[ahofle]

Bump... anybody?  Pretty please?

[bfauska]

I am no good at those games either, but with a little determination and the controls.dat info I may be able to help.  I suppose that the worst case scenario is that the fatalities and finishing moves are performed ON me.  I will give it a shot later and get back to you, hopefully somebody else will also, as I am sure the same people not helping now will want a copy of the audio files later. 

I'll see what I can do for you.

[bfauska]

OK.  I tried but I am seriously NO GOOD at these games either.  I did some practice with coins in for 2 players and only one person playing, that way I could whoop the opponent, only problem is that there is not the sounds of 2 fighters only 1 fighter and 1 "punching bag."  I was playing some and it dawned on me that I didn't think it would sound that different no matter who was doing the finishing moves, the computer or me, it also seems like playing 2 players with one not really fighting back would sound the same as one being a lot better than the other.  I would try some more if you think it is necessary, but I bet you could get the sounds either of those ways without the potential problems of using my files from mameplus .111  I also noticed that with mameplus you can output a recorded .wav file so you wouldn't have to drop it from recorded game play to audio later.  I don't know if other versions do this but it could save a step later.  Oh, well.  If you are really hard up for these sounds let me know but right now I think I am not your answer, while I don't do the really quick input of coin button sounds it almost sounds that way as quickly as I loose and have to continue.

[rovingmind]

I was the same way in the arcade.  died quick put lots of credits in.  (i wasn't able to spend countless hours there getting good and i wanted to play all the games instead of perfecting one.)