how many of you guys actually PLAY games?

[coltchillin]

just wondering...

[DaveMMR]

I just watch attract screens.  Why should I waste my energy playing when the computer is doing a better job of it?

[Bender]

if you read these thread for a while you'll see so many warnings NOT to put the PC and CP parts together till the cab and artwork is done
Because you'll simply get sucked into playing and never finish the cab

I made that mistake and my practically un-started cab is no where near being done. I think I would have finished a year ago if I hadn't been playing
oh well it's supposed to be fun no matter how you do it

having said that, there is everyone from people who never finish their cabs because they get so into playing, to people who never play after they finish here cabs  and everywhere in-between. The people on this thread that hardly play after their BEAUTIFUL cabs are done obviously get a lot of enjoyment from designing and building that's why they have to make another and another, ect....

I like both

[coltchillin]

if you read these thread for a while you'll see so many warnings NOT to put the PC and CP parts together till the cab and artwork is done
Because you'll simply get sucked into playing and never finish the cab...

thanks, cause i can see just that happen overhere.
forever testing right?

[waveryder]

With all the joy of building and blagging on the project forums occasionally you can forget why you built the bloody thing. If you arent playing the games whats the bloody point!

[fjl]

True, but the point of building the cab was to have it completed and not have it left half way. I too will build the whole thing before wiring up the CP.

[gonzo90017]

I've actually haven't played much. I've just been doing nonstop testing. It seems as soon as I think i'm finally done some other idea pops in to my head and away I go. I really enjoy it so I can't complain. 

[Ginsu Victim]

I've taken time to play, but I'm always thinking of what can be done to improve my cabinet. Right now I'm working to improve the software setup, but it's running pretty good, so I shouldn't mess with it.

[Jack Burton]

I'm still using a crappy bezel made out of a dryer box for my cab. 

I wouldn't think too hard about it, just do what you think is the most fun and go for it.  Some people don't ever play their cabs, they just build or restore back to perfect, then sell it and move on to the next project.  It's almost like two separate hobbies.

[Jack Burton]

I just watch attract screens.  Why should I waste my energy playing when the computer is doing a better job of it?

I know you're joking, but I have actually sat and watched my cab from the couch go through it's attract sequences over and over.

It's like "Wow, I own an arcade machine."  It still gets to me a little bit.

[wbassett]

My wife and I play ours all the time.

[Ummon]

I just watch attract screens.  Why should I waste my energy playing when the computer is doing a better job of it?

I know you're joking, but I have actually sat and watched my cab from the couch go through it's attract sequences over and over.

It's like "Wow, I own an arcade machine."  IT still get me a little bit.

It's funny because back then it was generally when you were out of cash or tokens that you watched because it was better than nothing. Now it's like, 'hey, isn't that cool?'

[danny_galaga]

I know you're joking, but I have actually sat and watched my cab from the couch go through it's attract sequences over and over.

It's like "Wow, I own an arcade machine."  It still gets to me a little bit.

NERD!!!




(um, actually, i've done that too  )

[DaveMMR]

I just watch attract screens.  Why should I waste my energy playing when the computer is doing a better job of it?

I know you're joking, but I have actually sat and watched my cab from the couch go through it's attract sequences over and over.

It's like "Wow, I own an arcade machine."  It still gets to me a little bit.

Although I was being silly, I was also half-serious.  Had the cab on the other day and, same as you, just let the attract screens play while my friends and I were in the other room playing poker.   

I do play it, just not as often nowadays. 

[Lutus]

I have to many projects to have time to play.   

[shardian]

It's funny because back then it was generally when you were out of cash or tokens that you watched because it was better than nothing. Now it's like, 'hey, isn't that cool?'

Arcades were usually my "baby sitter", unfortunately my parents never left me with any money to "pay" the "baby sitter". 

To pass the time, I would memorize the attract screen demo and pretend I was actually playing.

[massive88]

I personally spend much more time setting up, adding, subtracting, and working out any kinks than I do playing.

Although, when friends come over, its a great joy to have all that work come together to play games for a few hours.

Either way though, I am entertained by it.  Playing or working.

[Malenko]

I play my real machines more, its weird. If I play MKII on the mame cab it doesnt feel the same as MKII on the MKII cab.
the more PCBs I get the less I play my MAME cab; but my nephews like it. Its a great reward for them to play when they do well in school or act well behaved.  Honestly though, I dont play any games that much anymore.

Now Im trying to find an NBA Jam/ Blitz / Open Ice cab so I can have a 4 player JAMMA cabinet so I can load up on 4 player JAMMA games.

[shardian]

To answer your question though, I play Wrestlefest at least once every day at work. I never get tired of that game.

[SirPeale]

Heh...good question.  I'm actually *not* big into games.  But I do love working on them.

[Ginsu Victim]

To answer your question though, I play Wrestlefest at least once every day at work. I never get tired of that game.

It's still a good game. I used to play it at a local music store all the time. Now I have my MAME cab and still play it.

[shardian]

To answer your question though, I play Wrestlefest at least once every day at work. I never get tired of that game.

It's still a good game. I used to play it at a local music store all the time. Now I have my MAME cab and still play it.

There was one in my High School gameroom. Non-stop 4-player Royal Rumble for the whole lunch period every day. We had about 8-10 guys who would cycle in and out. One day I hope to get a dedicated 4p cab and do that again.

[CrazyKongFan]

Although I was being silly, I was also half-serious.  Had the cab on the other day and, same as you, just let the attract screens play while my friends and I were in the other room playing poker.   

Sometimes when I'm doing other stuff and I leave my cab on, I'll put it on Robotron. The cab was originally a Robotron (don't worry, it had been converted to Final Fight and was gutted when I got it). Letting it run on Robotron makes it feel at home

[Ginsu Victim]

To answer your question though, I play Wrestlefest at least once every day at work. I never get tired of that game.

It's still a good game. I used to play it at a local music store all the time. Now I have my MAME cab and still play it.

There was one in my High School gameroom. Non-stop 4-player Royal Rumble for the whole lunch period every day. We had about 8-10 guys who would cycle in and out. One day I hope to get a dedicated 4p cab and do that again.

My senior year (1998) we had a new principal who was fairly young (like 34). He brought in a pool table, juke box, and arcade games. It was awesome. We had Ms Pac-Man (I always maintained the high score), Tiger Road, Rush 'n' Attack, and the crown jewel of the lunch room....X-Men (6 player)!

[Kajoq]

I play my cab a couple of hours a day.  It helps that I have 3 roomates and a lot of friends that are close (still in College) so I almost always have people to play with.  Its mostly fighters that get played, as well as bullet hell type Shmups (still trying to 1 credit Perfect Cherry Blossom, getting close), and the occasional puzzle game.

[massive88]

My senior year (1998) we had a new principal who was fairly young (like 34). He brought in a pool table, juke box, and arcade games. It was awesome. We had Ms Pac-Man (I always maintained the high score), Tiger Road, Rush 'n' Attack, and the crown jewel of the lunch room....X-Men (6 player)!

Im about the same age as you, and my high school didnt have windows except for in the library with the thought being it was a distraction to to the students learning environment.

Needless to say, we also had no arcade boxes anywhere near the school.

[johnperkins21]

I just got my panel wired up this weekend and have been playing quite a bit. I went the pre-built route using Mameroom and ArcadesRFun (both great experiences btw) as I was more interested in playing than building. The cab still isn't finished (missing t-molding and a few other touches), yet I'm too excited to play to worry about finishing the cab. Once it's completely finished I plan to play quite a bit.

[Ginsu Victim]

I just got my panel wired up this weekend and have been playing quite a bit. I went the pre-built route using Mameroom and ArcadesRFun (both great experiences btw) as I was more interested in playing than building. The cab still isn't finished (missing t-molding and a few other touches), yet I'm too excited to play to worry about finishing the cab. Once it's completely finished I plan to play quite a bit.

I found the work on the cab to be the best part. It's great having a working arcade machine, but I'm looking for another project because I enjoyed so much!

Trying to talk my wife into a cocktail or bartop, but maybe I should wait a year or so.

Really my main concern at this point, though, is getting a better PC in mine.

[shardian]

To all of you guys who build them and don't play them:
Please come over to my house and finish my cabs! You are more than welcome to use my tools. I'll even supply cold beverages of your choice.

I wish I had time to work on games.

[Ginsu Victim]

Well, this weekend I finally played a console for the first time in months.
My Playstation 2 has sat untouched since December.
Now that my cabinet is "finished" (are they ever truly?), I had time to kick back and try Rock Band finally. And when I get home, I'll get to try Iron Man: The Movie Game. (EDIT: Just got home and tried Iron Man....YUCK! Horrible game with terrible controls!)

[Dartful Dodger]

I made a test control panel to make sure the keyboard encoder and that the panel’s layout works with my favorite games.  When I do have time to build my cabinet, I end up wasting that time "testing" the controls.

[SavannahLion]

I made a test control panel to make sure the keyboard encoder and that the panel’s layout works with my favorite games.  When I do have time to build my cabinet, I end up wasting that time "testing" the controls.

Same here. I've got piles of parts, but none of it in any coherent assembly.

As of late though, I tend to work on my stuff rather than playing any game. I have a seven month old and it's extremely difficult to get into the zone between bottle feedings. When I do find the time, I'm usually far too tired to do my all night gaming sessions anymore. I really miss doing the cow run with random people from Asia.

[(+_+)]

I do quite regularly now that I no longer enhance/code my front end. The front end was an ever evolving project. I had lost focus on why I had actually built the cabs in the first place. Now I simply play and enjoy. I just reminded myself yesterday why I refused to pop in quarter after quarter into Stargate and Defender. Man those games are tough.

[gonzo90017]

I do quite regularly now that I no longer enhance/code my front end.

Did I miss something? How bout releasing that sucker.   

[TelcoLou]

I play mine nearly every night after work. When I get my control panel installed, I predict a lot of sick days 

[styxx]

I finished (well almost ) my cab a year ago, and made the mistake of hooking the CP to it, and from that moment  on nothing else mattared, I just got sucked in to it and didn't bother to finish up the hole thing, at least as it was intended to be donne ( multiple CPOs, some ad-dons,details, bla,bla,bla...).

Now that I have some spare time, I've put on the thinking cap and actually plan on finishing it. Currently finishing my driving CPO, let's hope history doesn't repeat itself.

As said before, isn't it just great to leave the cabinet on while doing other things, it creates a great nostalgia and  ambient feeling, and you actually realise that you own a real arcade machine...

 

[IronBuddha]

if you read these thread for a while you'll see so many warnings NOT to put the PC and CP parts together till the cab and artwork is done
Because you'll simply get sucked into playing and never finish the cab

I made that mistake and my practically un-started cab is no where near being done. I think I would have finished a year ago if I hadn't been playing
oh well it's supposed to be fun no matter how you do it

LOL sounds like my problem, took me just over a month to do the monitor bezel and I still need to work on the coin door.

[GAJoe]

As mentioned elsewhere, I play games too much, so that the software side of things keeps distracting me from diligently finishing the actual cabinet.  Mat Mania, Galaga, and Mr. Do are the big culprits.  Once I finish, I figure I have to play several games a day to justify the hundreds of dollars I've sunk into the project.

I can beat the nerdiness of just watching the attract screens.  When I first got my cabinet home and put the marquee light in, I lay on the couch and fell asleep just looking at the illuminated marquee.  I, too, felt like, "Wow, I have a real arcade cabinet!"

[ex_directory]

Play games?? I wired up my CP before finishing my cab and work stopped on it for about 3 years to play games 

For version 2, I tried not to wire up it up but when my trackball and new spinner knob arrived it was like a drug 

Needless to say connected at the moment and playing lots of games I couldn't play before, Arkanoid, Champonship Sprint and Centipede the main culprits. However, going to disconnect soon and finish the cab this time!

Of course still play Bubble Bobble, although without a partner and the missus nagging in the background struggle to hit level 50 these days.

[dgame]

Got an ArcadeVGA installed and setup in my PC with MAME. Got the JPAC ready. Went to start MAMEing my Smash TV last night, ended up playing Smash TV all night instead.  Viscous circle.

[ultrageek]

As ashamed as I am to admit it, I rarely play games on my cab. It's constantly in a state of flux, adding this accessory, rebuilding that part.  It's actually kinda frustrating too that the software changes so fast and existing rom sets become obsolete. I put a lot of time and work into building it and I spent way too much time in the arcades as a kid, I would think I'd quit my job just to play the cab. I  Don't know whats wrong with me.

[Namco]

Here's the process, well for me anyway.

• Get a cab.
• If it's playable, play it for a week before you tear it down. (Skip to step 4 if you're building one from scratch).
• Tear it apart and get it down to an empty wooden shell
• Woodworking (fit and reinforce monitor framework and build your blank control panel at this point, but don't install any controls!)
• Painting
• Install Monitor
• Wiring (coindoor, power, speakers, and lighting)
• Control Panel artwork, plexi, then wiring and control installation.(use an iPac, there is no real substitute)
• Install Marquee, sideart, bezel
• Then the final last step, stick the computer in there.

You should be nearly done before you even put the computer in, let alone install an OS and emulators. But if you do the control panel first, then plug a working mame computer into the monitor to "test" it, then you're done for. Efficiency drops 75% when you don't have that anticipatory "first bootup on finished cab" motivating you through the project. However, I've seen haste taint many a project too, so maybe it's a wash 

As for playing, I spend about 50% of my time playing on it and the other 50% configuring Mala/Mame. Since I upgraded to a new motherboard and upgraded Mame from .83 to .120, I've noticed an extra .05 second lag in Street Fighter series of games that is bugging the hell out of me. I'm sure it's D3D causing it too. Thinking of going back to ddraw and mame .83. At least mame .83 let me set -refresh 70 which is the only way I can run those low 384x224 resolutions and stay within my monitor's range.

But I digress, I don't play nearly as much as I thought I would with a cab, but if I just wanted to play, I would've been happy on the computer and keyboard. Just looking at the cab on attract mode and messing around with the insides is where I get my jollies off most of the time.

[Ginsu Victim]

It's actually kinda frustrating too that the software changes so fast and existing rom sets become obsolete.

Then don't upgrade. Find a version of MAME you like and stick with it.

[CheffoJeffo]

Went to start MAMEing my Smash TV last night, ended up playing Smash TV all night instead.  Viscous circle.

That's the arcade gods trying to tell you something ... heed their warnings ...

 

[dgame]

Went to start MAMEing my Smash TV last night, ended up playing Smash TV all night instead.  Viscous circle.

That's the arcade gods trying to tell you something ... heed their warnings ...

 

LOL! I went to try to MAME it again and it is still Smash TV. To date I have never even seen what MAME looks like on my cab with the AVGA/JPAC setup I have. I may wait until I get all the parts for my conversion before hooking it up. There is just something  'right' about playing on the dedicated cab.

[Ginsu Victim]

Don't MAME a perfect good working game.   

[lanman31337]

You should give me the smash tv cab, and i'll give you some wood to build another one.

[emdkay]

speaking of attract mode, is it possible to enable this on mame128 running on the xbox media center?   i need an excuse to leave the bartop on all the time 

[dgame]

Don't MAME a perfect good working game.   

I know, I know. If it is any consolation I am going to make an entire new control panel and put the original panel on display near the machine. None of the wiring or hardware will be removed from the cabinet. I ordered some red t-molding and will match my new control panel to the original size, shape, and color scheme. I will not paint the machine or anything like that.

Why? To play more games!

All that would be needed to play the dedicated again is to reconnect the Smash TV PCB, power supply, and control panel. This can be done by hand as the PCB, power supply, and control panel have plug in connectors. The control panel is held on to the machine using quick-release clamps.

[Ginsu Victim]

As long as you're leaving it in a reversable state, that's great. It's a good cabinet to MAME.

[Dervacumen]

My daughter is at the age where she asks "Can I play the arcade machine?" and then I load up Sailor Moon and she gets to some SERIOUS button mashing.  So when you ask if I play, all I can say is "OH YEAH BABY, WE'RE GETTIN' IT ON!!!"

And when she's gone, I get to play the classics. :-)

[Jdurg]

I just finished the wiring job on my CP and hooked it up to my laptop which I hooked up to my 42" HDTV.  I played aracde games for about 8 or 9 hours today.  It was a blast, and my cab project is probaby now on hold for quite a while.