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Insert Coin 09-U.K arcade video expo
S0L:
My tuppence worth :)
Good
1. Lots of cabs and lots of games!
2. Friendly atmosphere - was really nice, no-one hogging machines.
3. Actually enjoyed the DJ - good to hear some classic game music. Yeah maybe a bit loud, but gave it a nice party atmosphere.
4. Dog walking! Which my daughter very much appreciated.
5. Cosplay - the girl dressed as the Silent Hill nurse was especially well done.
6. There was a bar. Even if I couldn't have a beer, this is essential :P
Bad
1. Very Japan centric game choices, didn't really see anything from Atari, Midway etc etc (no Star Wars, Gauntlet, Marble Madness!). I think I expected more classics.
2. I was hoping to pick up some control bits and pieces, not much in the way of joysticks, trackballs, buttons and Mame hardware (I think this was me mostly wanting to see an Ultimarc stand!)
3. Finding the place was a real headache. I went to every car park but the one at the front (and this was after following the directions!) I must have done about 5 laps of the place before I figured it out. This is with using SatNav and checking it out on Google Maps before hand. A simple 'Park by the front next to the Bingo place' would have saved me some petrol and swearing :P
4. T-shirts are all well and good, but had hoped for some memorabilia. I went down with money to burn, and ended up coming back with it. No tokens, no crazy PacMan toys. Missed opportunity! :(
5. Two players games in single player cabs (what only 1 player Bubble Symphony! Noooo....!!!!)
6. Losing at OutRun2 - which is especially shameful given I've worked on every single one of the home ports for Xbox, PS2 etc. That's just me though :P
On the whole though, I'd go again :) Though I think I'd stay locally - it's fair old run from Sheffield on the bike, especially in the rain.
I second the idea of it being more round Brum way - lot easier for us notherners to get at.
But come on - for a first stab - this was very impressive. Please take the above as constructive criticism - I think on the whole this got a lot of things right.
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S0L
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venkman:
nice to read the feedback. i couldnt make it but it looked fun - if nothing else.
a shame to hear there weren't many people selling parts / monitors / games / cabs.
i found a load of video on youtube from it.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSOXO3dRQLM[/youtube]
if i HAD made it i would have really been looking for mostly vendors, and expect them to have a few good condition classic games at each stall to play. All those white plastic cabinets look wrong to me..
this is just coming from the videos and feedback i've read here.. but i'm kinda glad i didnt go down in the end .. i hope next time there are more classics and vendors i'll be there if that's the case.
great to see a video arcade expo in the UK tho! props.. 8)
david656:
Some of my pictures http://s671.photobucket.com/albums/vv74/davey565/ ;D
They're in reverse order for some reason so the first pictures is the last one on page 3 etc.
Damn! I'm in that video :-[
venkman:
nice one for the pics link
surface tension:
--- Quote from: david656 on July 20, 2009, 10:58:25 am ---Some of my pictures http://s671.photobucket.com/albums/vv74/davey565/ ;D
They're in reverse order for some reason so the first pictures is the last one on page 3 etc.
Damn! I'm in that video :-[
--- End quote ---
Hey, where's the love for your BYOAC brother? :(
I've upped some photos to flickr. The brand new surface tension table is in there. I took that one and the existing back gloss angled table which were both really well received and got plenty of playing.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/surface-tension/sets/72157621737878628/
The show was excellent, although not the ideal place for me to be, but it was good to be in amongst the hardcore enthusiasts and get their take on things.
Great work from Alan and Grant, doing what no-one else dared do. An excellent job for the first attempt and I sincerely hope they aren't put off pushing it again next year. They can see what worked and what didn't to make it better.
From people's comments on here...
I totally agree with the personal hygiene issues, they were unbearable at times! As far as vendors were concerned, all of them had been approached and they had either slowly dropped out, or were simply not interested. It was a real shame as this was a unique event and could have done with a little more support.
My personal highlights were the dog-walking game. Two games in a row worked up a bit of a sweat! (Yes, but I HAD deodorant on!). Outrun2 3-player link. Hollywood heroes cosplayers.
What annoyed me the most was the idiot that won the raffle for the mini Capcom cabinet on Sunday. Having bought a ticket for it, obviously knowing what the prize was, sold it on the spot, selling it for way less than Alan paid for it. He should have been shot.