Main > Main Forum
Games supplied with multi-game cabinets
(1/3) > >>
surface tension:
I am wondering how companies bundle games in with their ready-made systems. Are they all game packs?

Game packs are awkward, because even though you can configure most keys, you can't configure them all, such as start and coin. You then have to use the keyboard, which isn't ideal. It seems only to be a way of saying "Comes with 100+ games!!!" when the out-of-the-box experience isn't quite as expected as not all keys are configurable, plus you're swapping disks to play other titles.

A few suppliers...
http://www.arcadesrfun.com/index.php - Have a bunch of games packs

http://www.bespoke-arcades.co.uk/  - also sell with a bunch of games that appear to be game packs also. I have had a play around with this system in Hamleys though, and it was running a small ROMset under MAME under GameEX, displaying the MAME logo.

http://www.arcadeinabox.com - Lists the game packs, so you know where you stand right there.

http://www.retro-tech.co.uk/dom-specs.htm - Have a whole bunch of games included, but didn't reply to my mail regarding game licenses.

http://www.barmans.co.uk/products/product.asp?ID=4161 - The voyager cabinet is also geared to take money in bars.

The costs also have to come into the equation. Retail of most packs is £20 - £30, so you could estimate half the price for buying to retail. So, you're looking at £60-70 worth of games that people probably won't play as they will want to put MAME onto the system.

The last time I looked, the only company that did have the license to sell ROMS for use with MAME was StarROMS. It was a small Atari selection too! The owner told me it was driving him insane for the small amount of money he made.

So, any thoughts on how to bundle games and what is available would be appreciated. Plus I'd love to hear thoughts from anyone who's purchased a ready-made cabinet with games bundled in.
Turnarcades:
I am currently looking at this myself. Right now we currently bundle game packs and set them up if requested, but our machines are intended for MAME use, which is why I acquired Mamewah on licence from Minwah. Everyone knows what these machines are built for and although bundling roms is dodgy, you have to acknowledge their purpose is going to be emulation.

Whilst you can't condone or endorse it, you must still largely appeal to the emulation community as they know the versatility of MAME-ing and are the key buyers.

I doubt it would bother anyone in this community if it included games or not, as it's inevitable it will all be changed anyway. Appealing to the non-BYOAC crowd though could be tougher, and even acquiring licences for individual games from companies, you need permission from the MAME devs or whatever to run them.
surface tension:
I have been in touch with one of the MAME devs, friendly though he was, he couldn't help. It was at the time that StarROMS was still in business, so it was clear-cut who I could use, and who I couldn't. Then they ceased trading. The strange thing is that they still have a licensee listed... but with no ROMS available to re-sell (free ROMS are a no-no) I don't know how they are an official licensee. The MAMEDev was adamant on this.

I also went down the route of contacting as many original manufacturers as possible, either being ignored or abused about mentioning emulation... after asking to buy licenses.

Turnarcades:
Snap. I was met with a brick wall too when I sent e-mails.
ark_ader:
The answer in short is don't.

If you build cabs with pc hardware inside then that is enough.

It is up to the person buying the cab to get his own games.

One could go as far as to bundle the X gaming discs with them, but again you would be in the cabinet business and not the rom distribution ring.

You can definately use the cab for non classic arcade gaming, and I have seen on ebay 3rd party games going for less than $10 that can be used in a cab.
Navigation
Message Index
Next page

Go to full version