The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Texasmame on August 30, 2006, 10:09:43 pm

Title: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Texasmame on August 30, 2006, 10:09:43 pm
I'm in the thirtysomething crowd, as I would guess most are here.

Be honest,   ;)
John in TX

p.s - I have another poll running in CONSOLES, too - what are your two favorite classic consoles!
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: ahofle on August 31, 2006, 12:28:31 am
35 here...another interesting poll.  :)
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: vorghagen on August 31, 2006, 01:43:55 am
24 here. It'll be interesting to see how this turns out after a few dozen more replies. We might be in for a surprise...
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: deadkenndys1105 on August 31, 2006, 03:53:59 am
I'm one of the young guys at the age of 16.  At one time I thought I was the youngest.  I may not be the youngest but I'm damn close.  I spend much of my time at my cabinet and even more time tweaking it.  No help from mommy ether other the ocasinal can you hold this for a second.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: grantspain on August 31, 2006, 03:56:22 am
so this poll will confirm what we expect-that this forum is full of sad has beens like me and young fools with nothing better to do :cheers:
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: NightGod on August 31, 2006, 04:26:43 am
32 physical years going on 17 mental years.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Wadeduck on August 31, 2006, 06:59:47 am
35 years old here.  I am just to stupid to figure out that I am getting old.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Havok on August 31, 2006, 07:14:45 am
Voted truthfully, however will not disclose age here...

 ;)
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: danny_galaga on August 31, 2006, 08:04:10 am


36. and this time i see you have a few more choices  ;D
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: MYX on August 31, 2006, 08:09:43 am
Everyone beware...Texas is with the CIA, NSA, FBI, and many other 3 leter organizations. He is collecting data to put in our perminant files. You can tell because of the very scary moose eating shark in the background of his avitar. He's putting the lock down on all of us. Run while you still can... Must Break freeeeeee.

Oh, I am at the very young and parinoid age of 35.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: zudmsc on August 31, 2006, 09:22:46 am
Hello all,

35 Here, wife is 43.  I have her hooked on Bust-a-Move and Hatris.  I am mad at her, because she beat me last night on our daily Bust-a-Move challenge.

Zud
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Outrun on August 31, 2006, 10:01:53 am
Erm..thir...oh...erm..........bugger ???
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: severdhed on August 31, 2006, 10:28:32 am
26 here, mentally about 16.:)
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: bleemus on August 31, 2006, 10:31:25 am
Will be 27 in a few days.  Young enough to not remember disco, old enough to know what "Flock of Seagulls" hair is.

My g/f is 21 (22 in dec).  She gets lost with all my references to stuff in the 80s and all the games on the MAME machine I refurbed.

I'm wondering what the "cutoff line" in age for people to really know what an arcade used to look like; a bunch of games with joysticks, spinners, and buttons.  Not all gun/dance pad/motion sensor/misc prop games.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Glaine on August 31, 2006, 10:49:19 am
young fools with nothing better to do

Ouch, you nailed it. I'm 22.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Minwah on August 31, 2006, 11:13:39 am
I be 27!
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: 97thruhiker on August 31, 2006, 12:41:33 pm
36
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: monkeybomb on August 31, 2006, 12:48:14 pm
I was 29 two days ago and that was cool.  30 seems strange so far.  :)
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Havok on August 31, 2006, 01:13:32 pm
I was 29 two days ago and that was cool.  30 seems strange so far.  :)

It's that Hippie Love Flower...

 ;D
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: More Cowbell on August 31, 2006, 01:50:42 pm
36 here. Amazing how many of us fall into the 36-39 category.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: escher on August 31, 2006, 02:39:45 pm
I'm wondering what the "cutoff line" in age for people to really know what an arcade used to look like; a bunch of games with joysticks, spinners, and buttons.  Not all gun/dance pad/motion sensor/misc prop games.

Arcades make me cry now.  I was at a few in OC, MD, and most are just complete crap.  However, one near the pier did have few classics..  Ms. Pac-man, Tron, DK Jr, Tetris, Galaga, and a broken Dragon's Lair.  However, there's nothing in between those and Time Crisis 4.  No MK, no Killer Instinct, no Final Fight...  I had to search just to find games with joysticks.

Anyway, enough of the off-topic rant.  I'm here at 25.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: RandyT on August 31, 2006, 03:44:48 pm
Weird numbers. 

Does everyone die when they hit 40?  Or only their interest in retro gaming?

Hope I'm not next!   :P


RandyT

*edit*  More likely is the probability that the older folks are less likely to accurately report their age, or they don't take part in the poll. ;)

Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: RobotronNut on August 31, 2006, 04:18:06 pm
Arcades make me cry now.  I was at a few in OC, MD, and most are just complete crap.  However, one near the pier did have few classics.

let's just say that my fondest memories of the ocean city boardwalk are of acres of pinball machines, punctuated by the occasional "computer space" or "pong". it was a paradise! (fishing from the end of the pier under the floodlights after midnight was another truly unique experience...)

i guess that puts me in randyT's class  :)
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: ahofle on August 31, 2006, 04:24:23 pm
Weird numbers. 

Does everyone die when they hit 40?  Or only their interest in retro gaming?

Hope I'm not next!   :P


RandyT

*edit*  More likely is the probability that the older folks are less likely to accurately report their age, or they don't take part in the poll. ;)



I bet if this poll is taken in 5-10 years, everyone will be in their 40s.  I think it was just the timing of the video game revolution personally.  People in their 40s now were probably old enough in the 80s to do more interesting things like drink and chase women.  ;D
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: RobotronNut on August 31, 2006, 04:29:00 pm
oops... meant to edit previous post... must be getting old...
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: arcadefever on August 31, 2006, 04:32:49 pm
33
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: crzywolf on August 31, 2006, 04:36:30 pm
33
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: javeryh on August 31, 2006, 05:03:00 pm
31 here... but only for a few more days.  Ack!  I'm old!
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: gamecreature on August 31, 2006, 05:48:23 pm
Young whippersnappers!  :laugh2:
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: loadman on August 31, 2006, 07:10:20 pm
36 .......But I don't feel a day over 35
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Q*Bert_OP on August 31, 2006, 07:15:11 pm
I'm not saying anything, I just voted...
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Otraotaku on August 31, 2006, 07:20:25 pm
i just turned 18 this year, but i started looking around these forum kinda where the poll begins... heheh, id be surprized there would even be a local US arcade in a decade.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: fatfingers on August 31, 2006, 07:49:36 pm
Weird numbers. 

Does everyone die when they hit 40?  Or only their interest in retro gaming?

Hope I'm not next!   :P


RandyT

*edit*  More likely is the probability that the older folks are less likely to accurately report their age, or they don't take part in the poll. ;)



Or they're sleeping!!!   :laugh2:
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: kkingsto on August 31, 2006, 08:17:02 pm
43 here....

Even remember the days when Pong was in the game rooms....

Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: RandyT on August 31, 2006, 08:19:12 pm
Or they're sleeping!!!   :laugh2:

z z zz z z.....unkkk..wha?  Somebody say something? .<cough>......zzz z zzz z zzzz..........


 :)
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: RetroACTIVE on August 31, 2006, 08:23:24 pm
36
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: WaRpEd on August 31, 2006, 10:38:14 pm
42
I just type slower now.
I remember when we used to have to walk to the arcade uphill both ways in 2 feet of snow. ;D
Did I mention I live in Florida.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Kevin Mullins on August 31, 2006, 11:06:22 pm
33.875-ish give or take a month or so.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: MYX on August 31, 2006, 11:44:11 pm
Texas, can you change the poll so we can we pick our 3 favorite ages?
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: missioncontrol on September 01, 2006, 12:02:09 am
34 
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: SlyDog on September 01, 2006, 12:11:45 am
Just turned 30 and my forehead seems to be getting bigger
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Gambit on September 01, 2006, 11:27:54 am
I may be getting old (38) but I do have a big willy. Where is the poll for that?
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: RandyT on September 01, 2006, 11:34:05 am
I may be getting old (38) but I do have a big willy. Where is the poll for that?

Nobody would answer that one accurately, so there would need to be visual verification and NOBODY wants to see that (I hope....)


RandyT
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Tiger-Heli on September 01, 2006, 12:08:21 pm
41.   Cool thing is come January I'll be the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: The Man on September 01, 2006, 12:58:08 pm
38 here and thanks for all the fish!
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: loadman on September 01, 2006, 05:44:02 pm
I think your profile display for everyone should show your age in terms of your year of birth before PONG or after PONG

EG  6BP


I dunno    :dizzy:
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: SithMaster on September 01, 2006, 09:14:06 pm
kinda like before candy bc?

im an old timer clockin in at 18.  but dont let that fool you im wise beyond my years yet immature in a dashing sort of way.  make sense so far?  good.

i like polls since thats where the hot girls are.

wait how is 42 the answer to everything?  i know from the movie but i dont get it? ;)and is it really everything?  like how old will you be in next year or what number comes after 41?  or the age i will die at or how about the amount of times people will call me crazy in this topic? ;)
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: escher on September 01, 2006, 09:20:54 pm
wait how is 42 the answer to everything?  i know from the movie but i dont get it? ;)

I cried a little when I read that.   :'(
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: danny_galaga on September 01, 2006, 09:25:45 pm
Texas, can you change the poll so we can we pick our 3 favorite ages?

 ;D
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: SithMaster on September 01, 2006, 09:29:33 pm
Quote
Quote from: SithMaster on Today at 09:14:06 PM
wait how is 42 the answer to everything?  i know from the movie but i dont get it?

I cried a little when I read that.   

this is what happens when im left to my own devices for too long.  chaos and sorrow insue.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: GGKoul on September 01, 2006, 09:31:33 pm
I'm 15
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: delta88 on September 01, 2006, 10:05:20 pm
24 on the 7th ;)


 :angry: :applaud: :badmood: :banghead: :cry: :blah: :notworthy: :censored: :dizzy: :cheers: :troll: :hissy: :lame: :laugh2: :soapbox: :spam: :tool: :timebomb:

SinceI missed out on the post about the smiley guys   ;)
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Santoro on September 01, 2006, 11:02:29 pm
41. 
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: alomar721 on September 01, 2006, 11:05:40 pm
32 here
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: rohan on September 02, 2006, 10:12:39 am
25
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Searcher7 on September 02, 2006, 10:26:54 am
41

Some of us have consoles older than half the posters in this thread.  :)

And I achieved my first videogame world record a quater century ago.

Darren
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: danny_galaga on September 02, 2006, 11:03:10 am
41

Some of us have consoles older than half the posters in this thread.  :)

And I achieved my first videogame world record a quater century ago.

Darren

you've got my curiosity now, which record and when/where?

edit: i did the slightly creepy thing of googling you:

http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&p=13369

nice work  :)
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: pmc on September 02, 2006, 01:37:19 pm
39 here.

Interesting that 50% of pollers are 32-39. I didn't expect such a tight grouping. And I also expected a lot more Pong and Space Invaders geezers in here.

-pmc
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Texasmame on September 02, 2006, 03:15:21 pm
41

Some of us have consoles older than half the posters in this thread.  :)

And I achieved my first videogame world record a quater century ago.

Darren

you've got my curiosity now, which record and when/where?

edit: i did the slightly creepy thing of googling you:

http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&p=13369

nice work  :)

Ooooh.  Star Trek.  Great game, sucky monitor.  :P
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: sphetr2 on September 02, 2006, 04:26:58 pm
just turned 15.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: NoOne=NBA= on September 02, 2006, 06:56:09 pm
41

Some of us have consoles older than half the posters in this thread.  :)

40, and I've got BYOAC projects older than about 40% of the posters here.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Patent Doc on September 02, 2006, 07:06:56 pm
35 here, but I don't feel a day under 50, so I got that going for me
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: edge on September 02, 2006, 08:38:22 pm
I am 34... with nothing witty to add.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Mamezilla on September 02, 2006, 10:27:29 pm
41
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: dudebozo on September 02, 2006, 11:56:42 pm
woohoo...26 here.  old enough to remember when they use to put the hard as a rock piece of "chewing gum" in the baseball card packs. 

ahhh yes, i remember those days.  sneaking a dollar from the 'rents dresser, running down to the liquor store, buying a pack of cards at $.40 and then playing some galaga
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: vizzinni on September 03, 2006, 07:43:00 am
42.   I started college the year Tron and Joust came out.   Spent more time on Gyruss than in the study lounge.  Finished with a lousy GPA, but I could make it to Earth routinely, so I got that goin' for me, which is nice. 
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Sizzler on September 03, 2006, 11:16:21 am
i remember those days.  sneaking a dollar from the 'rents dresser, running down to the liquor store, buying a pack of cards at $.40 and then playing some galaga

Galaga used to be a card game?   Wow, you really are old!

Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: SithMaster on September 03, 2006, 11:34:30 am
wait i thought the first card game was magic?  wait when the dune one come out?

how would that be played someone moves their cards at you or throws them at you and you have to try and ..................
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: swindus on September 03, 2006, 01:20:47 pm
37
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: pmc on September 03, 2006, 06:35:53 pm
Spent more time on Gyruss than in the study lounge.  Finished with a lousy GPA, but I could make it to Earth routinely, so I got that goin' for me, which is nice. 

Tempest had a huge impact on my Physics grades.  ;)

I knew another guy who pretty nearly got kicked out of school because of the impact of a student union arcade.

-pmc
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: fatfingers on September 03, 2006, 07:42:08 pm

34
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: HaRuMaN on September 04, 2006, 05:31:04 am
28
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Steve on September 04, 2006, 06:04:12 am
35 here  :)

I remember going into a Arcade and playing Karate Champ and then going back some time later to play again only to see this 'Cartoon' game next to it Dragon's Lair.

I was like WOW  :o  And it has remained in my mind ever since. Space Ace is what I love (and own) But I love the old '85 Atari games  :applaud:

Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Luigi on September 04, 2006, 09:09:49 am
38 since August 6th

My first arcade memory is Space Invaders  8)

Oh, I forgot: I have to add 3 years for being married and 4 more years for the two kids  ;D


Just kidding: 38 !!!  ::)

Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: miles2912 on September 04, 2006, 07:55:18 pm
38
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: RandyT on September 04, 2006, 10:54:22 pm
I remember going into a Arcade and playing Karate Champ..

Oh yeah?  I remember when you played "Karate Champ" by trying to kick the other guy in the oysters to make him miss the ball with his paddle.   :laugh2:

(I also thought DL and SA was amazing...I knew a guy who had a DL in his house. Used to play it for hours while drinking flavored brandy on ice.....wasn't really my drink, but it was his and he had the DL machine :) )

RandyT
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Xam on September 04, 2006, 11:07:26 pm
I'm old enough to remember playing the circus game (obviously the mind is going cuz I can't remember the name of the game...it was like circus atari) and thinking Dragster was one of the coolest games ever.

Mentally I'm around 13...which is why I get along with the kids so well...and speaking of kids...it made me happy to hear my childrens friend begging me to hook up the Atari 2600....ahhh those were the days.

Oh yeah...I'm 38.

Xam
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: sirwoogie on September 04, 2006, 11:24:48 pm
31

First game was the fake wood finish control panel pong game in my Uncle's basement. He had a honking huge wood ladden B&W TV and I played there for HOURS.

Still have Tron and Galaga as my all-time favorite uprights though.

Oooo Oooo and A-Team/Knight Rider. Was a huge fan. So geeked they're putting them back on cable. Although, I did watch some KR a few days ago, and man was it cheeeeezy. How did the Hof survive that I'll never know.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Lutus on September 05, 2006, 08:40:35 am
23, and all three of the arcade machines I own are older than I am.  Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, and Dig-Dug.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: (+_+) on September 05, 2006, 11:11:02 am
39, but still 12 inside.

Long live the kid inside all of us.  :cheers:
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: HaRuMaN on September 05, 2006, 06:04:54 pm
a very interesting age distribution going on here...  (sorry, just took a 400 level stats course last semester)
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: chipsdad on September 05, 2006, 07:53:22 pm
41
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Santoro on September 05, 2006, 08:42:29 pm
Wow there seems to have been an infusion of 40-somethings.  For a long while I was one of only a few it seemed.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Sizzler on September 05, 2006, 10:50:43 pm
I knew a guy who had a DL in his house. Used to play it for hours while drinking flavored brandy on ice.....wasn't really my drink, but it was his and he had the DL machine :) )

Did you call him Michael or Mr. Jackson?
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Kremmit on September 06, 2006, 02:45:38 am
They print my age on the back of every Rolling Rock bottle.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: sez on September 06, 2006, 02:49:59 am
38
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: danny_galaga on September 06, 2006, 07:00:12 am
Wow there seems to have been an infusion of 40-somethings.  For a long while I was one of only a few it seemed.

you still are. people just felt sorry for you and lied about their age  ;D
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Santoro on September 06, 2006, 09:38:37 am
That explains it.  :badmood:
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Havok on September 06, 2006, 10:45:42 am
That explains it.  :badmood:

Damn you're old... You're at least 3 or 4 years older than me!

 ;D
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Santoro on September 06, 2006, 10:49:51 am
DAMNED KIDS GET OFF MY LAWN.

It's cliche'd by now and I use it too much, but it fits
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: rdowdy95 on September 06, 2006, 09:52:25 pm
I am 29 years old.  The first home console we had was the orginal Mattel INTELLIVISION.  We got it when it came out in 1979.  I was just 2 years old.  My dad and brother played it.  I started playing it when I was four in about 1982.  We played Nightstalker and I think it was called B17 Bomber.  It had this voice thing attachment on there.  Then in like 1983 we got the INTELLIVISION 2.  My favorite game on there was Burgertime.  Then we got the NES in 1985, Super NES in 1991, N64 in 1996, Gamecube and Xbox in 1999.  Now I have a Xbox 360.  We would go to the Arcades all the time growing up though.  Man we had some fun times! 
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: DaFoo on September 07, 2006, 01:34:25 am
Wow, I'm in the old guy over the hill cat.   I figured there'd be more guys 40 and over, uness all the 35-39 are really 39 ;-)   I mean I was a teen in the hayday of the arcades, and was starting it's downward tumble when I turned 20 in 1985.

Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Texasmame on September 09, 2006, 04:55:47 pm
*bump*

After it's off page 1 again, I'll lock the voting.

Thanx to all for the participation!   :applaud:
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: MajorHavoc on September 09, 2006, 10:54:31 pm
Count me among the old farts.  I am an ancient 46.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: horseboy on September 09, 2006, 11:08:00 pm
*bump*

After it's off page 1 again, I'll lock the voting.

Thanx to all for the participation!   :applaud:

Why lock it? Let 'er go. You can even request voters to post so it bumps it.  :applaud:
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Texasmame on September 10, 2006, 11:32:29 am
Could request a sticky!
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Chaos on September 10, 2006, 10:42:45 pm
43 here. I got a month til I have to change stats.
 :applaud: GO BIRDS!! :applaud:
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: johnm160 on September 10, 2006, 11:14:58 pm
39.....

For a few more weeks anyway.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: MickeyG59 on September 11, 2006, 06:43:14 am
Hi all,

       I'm a noob here  but an old one, weighing in at 47 i can still vividly remember playing Pong at the local country pub  (south australia) in the early 1973 era. This game was great, with carefull manipulation of the paddles you could get the ball (dot) to ricochet back and forth while leaving the machine to go get drink refills, then returning to pickup on your game play where you left off. Later came the addition of an Asteroid cocktail (a little more challenging at the time) and a new 8-ball table that had non ripped felt and was actually "level".  Early 1979-ish and space invaders hit the local food cafe'. This game DOMINATED and i can still remember standing in line (sometimes for hours) just waiting for my turn to "have a go". This also took the pressure off the old "well thrashed" 50's 60's  pin table  KINGS & QUEENS (which accepted 5c coins at the time - ahh the good ol' days). Due to the public demand SPACE INVADERS created, around 1981-ish the shop took delivery of 4 more new machines  GALAXIAN   PACMAN (cocktail)  PHEONIX  and   PLEIDES (at last color & real game play) i played these last 4 machines extensively till the mid 80's when "real life" put a stop to my gaming life and i had to contend with a new family.  There was another game there and for the life of me i can't remember what it was called, it was a circular maze mounted on the wall about 2 feet in diameter with plexi on the front and a steering wheel mounted in the centre, you would put a 2c coin in the top and navigate the maze by turning the wheel left & right, with a bit of practice you could play this thing for hours as your coin would come out the bottom.  Anyway's i'm starting to ramble here, just thought i'd share a few memories from when these machines were all "Shiny & Brand New".
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: loadman on September 11, 2006, 07:42:21 am
Due to the public demand SPACE INVADERS created, around 1981-ish the shop took delivery of 4 more new machines  GALAXIAN   PACMAN (cocktail)  PHEONIX  and   PLEIDES (at last color & real game play) i played these last 4 machines extensively till the mid 80's ".
Hmmm I was 11 at that time (In Sydney) now 37. Occasionally the smell wafting from a 'Milk Bar' reminds me of those days. As you say waiting for Hours for your go. I never mastered the Galaga and Crazy Kong special cheat moves I saw others do while I was waiting.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Dexter on September 11, 2006, 08:19:14 am
31. Been playing arcade games for a quater of a century, had a gaming machine since the old Atari VCS 'woodie' back in 1981 and have been using mame since mame 030. Started converting cabs about 5 years ago thanks to the help of fellow BYOACers.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Q*Bert_OP on September 11, 2006, 05:30:26 pm
Don't go to the next page!

-Bump-

 :spam:
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Kremmit on September 11, 2006, 07:07:31 pm
Don't go to the next page!

-Bump-

 :spam:

At some point, everybody that's going to answer will have already done it.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: screaming on September 11, 2006, 07:25:17 pm
...old enough to wish I was a teenager again ;)
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: rumpelstiltzkin on September 11, 2006, 08:12:23 pm
I thought 24-27 would have been in the lead by now.  I hope no one done the old i will be 28 in a month or so trick and went for the higher age catagory that would ruin it .
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Havok on September 11, 2006, 11:11:20 pm
I've had a woodie since 1977!

(I'm supposed to call the Viagra guys after 4 hours, right?)

 ;D
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Kremmit on September 11, 2006, 11:29:18 pm
I thought 24-27 would have been in the lead by now.

It would've been about 9 years ago, but never again.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: SithMaster on September 12, 2006, 12:39:34 am
You need to find a better way to fight a significant other.  really.

and if you have a viagra erection for more than 4 hours you call your friends to boast and show off. really havok i thought youd know that.  wait your telling us right now so thats okay i guess.



really since 1977?
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: MaMeNnO on September 12, 2006, 02:29:30 am
36 over here and from the Netherlands. I remember playing 1942 and Kung Fu Master a lot. Also "In the Hunt", great game!
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: teef two on September 12, 2006, 05:49:22 am
Happily in the majority :)
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Bluedeath on September 12, 2006, 06:13:49 am
Just turned 31, i figured out that i have more fun in building controls that in playng. MAybe I'm getting older.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: _) (V) (-) on September 12, 2006, 10:31:43 am
People say I am very much 'in touch' with my inner 8 year old.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Texasmame on January 10, 2007, 06:36:23 pm
*bump* for newbies.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: mvolke1 on January 10, 2007, 06:49:25 pm
I think the poll makes perfect sense. I'm on the young end for people who lived through the "classic game" period. I'm 27, born in '79. I was 5 at the end of the classic period, but those were the same games, and many of the sequals and games based off those games, that I played in the arcades, pizza shops and roller rinks.

The guys in their upper 30s were tweens and teens who had the paper routes to support their gaming habits, and really were old enough to rock those games.

I was lucky enough to have parents who were happy to be rid of us by dropping us at the arcade while they ran errands. God bless you mom and dad!  :angel:
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Fig on January 10, 2007, 07:37:00 pm
34 Here  :cheers:
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: spiffykyle on January 10, 2007, 09:14:26 pm
25 Here.

Never really had a full blown arcade near me growing up, but the local roller rink had like 20 machines.

I remember when they got their first driving cab. We'd wait for hours to get a go at it.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: kelemvor on January 10, 2007, 11:05:01 pm
32 here.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Druxar on January 11, 2007, 01:36:32 am
32.
Memories:  I was in the mid to late 80s era local arcade and convenience store scene. 

When I was barely old enough to remember much, I'd be in what seemed like huge arcades packed with games I could never afford to play to my fill.  This would include space invaders although it was kind of unexciting to me.  Dig Dug was there and I'd play that more often but it was still kind of dull to me, too cartoonish.  I'd try games like Gyruss but they were a bit out of my league for that age.  I think my first favourite game I liked to keep putting money in was Roc n Rope, though I could have sworn it was called Rope Man in that arcade.  I accidentally found it in mame as roc n rope.

The four beeps with the stop lights in the attract mode of pole position will always remind  me of 7-eleven slurpees and vice versa. I just moved to an apartment complex near a 7 eleven that always had 2 arcade games constantly rotating on a monthly basis and that's where I acquired most of today's MAME nostalgia.  Pole position was installed when I moved there and every time I was in the store I'd hear the 4 beeps, they were very frequent and must have driven the girls at the cash register nuts.
Also in that store is where I discovered spy hunter, paper boy, IKARI, Karnov, Gauntlet, Xenophobe, Arkanoid, Double Dragon, Rampage, Rush n attack, Exciting Hour, Cheyene, Kung Fu Master

In a fish & chip store in that same little zone of stores, also had 2 rotating monthly games.  There I discovered Commando, 1942, Xain'd Sleena, Tiger Heli, played some galaga already nostalgia by then for me

In a full arcade a short bike ride away is where I found Twin Cobra as a brand new installed game and loved it from day 1, became mesmerized by the already simplistic yet strangely enigmatic Tron, and the rest of the games I would have already been exposed to.

In a dept store entranceway in a mall, I saw Karate Champ and a kid there showed me how to win most rounds before I ever put a quarter in:  Walk up to the guy, press left joystick up and right joystick down to jump over opponent, then push both joysticks toward each other to back kick and knock him down. 

WIthin the next few years when I moved again, the arcade in the local mall introduced me to Guerrilla War, Contra, R-Type, Shinobi, Bubble Bobble (gay as that is to mention), Space shuttle/station pinball and Banzai Run Pinball, XYbots, Bad Dudes, Rolling Thunder, Ninja Gaiden, Golden Axe, Robocop

That was the end of my era.  Beyond that point I started noticing that when I'd walk into an arcade I'd see 8 street fighters beside each other or 8 sit down racing games networked together, and I'd walk through the place finding nothing of interest, probably see 2 or 3 machines in the very back that MAY be powered up, if so they'd have all yellowed screens or the joysticks wouldn't work reliably in certain directions, that would be Galaga, Pacman, sometimes a centipede.  Then I turned to Mame.

Started discovering many games I never knew about back in 98 and NOW they are nostalgia to me (Rastan).  WHen I build the cab this year and fully start playing, It'll all come back to me. it's been a dormant hobby for years.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Loki on January 11, 2007, 03:14:26 am
22 here.
Most of the arcades were gone here in the Netherlands so I grew up on DOS games and Nintendo.
The only arcade I sometimes played at was a small one at Ameland, a small island where I often went on vacation, I can't really remember the names of them but most of them were those big driving cabinets, fight games and a few with guns.
The rest was pinball and in the back some slot machines.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Hockeyboy on January 11, 2007, 07:06:15 am
41 - grew up when arcade machines and arcades really started hitting their strides.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: canardo on January 11, 2007, 09:21:21 am
26 here
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: clockwork on January 11, 2007, 09:22:19 am
36 quickly approaching 37 here. When I started playing MMOs years ago, at 29, I heard the average gamer age was somewhere around 25-30. Now they say the average gamer is in the 30s. Go figure.  :P
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Solocade2008 on January 11, 2007, 01:45:36 pm
37 going on 21  ;D

I just recently discovered the art of MAME cabinet building. I knew MAME and roms were around and I had been using the x-arcade joystick to play them, but something was missing. My favorites are the old fighter games and I could not perform some of the moves using the joystick because it kept shifting around on my desk. I also like to stand while I play. It's too embarassing to visit arcades at my age so I had only memories.

But then stumbled upon this site and feel in love all over again!  ;D woohoo
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Tailgunner on January 12, 2007, 06:04:21 am
41 for a few more months.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Naru on January 14, 2007, 08:22:32 pm
I'm 32.
Being in the arcades back
in the 80's was heaven for me.
I seriously want to fill my home
with arcade machines.
In 32 years, hanging in the old arcades
was the pinnacle of my life.
That's sounds kinda' sad doesn't it?
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Texasmame on January 14, 2007, 09:49:30 pm
I'm 32.
Being in the arcades back
in the 80's was heaven for me.
I seriously want to fill my home
with arcade machines.
In 32 years, hanging in the old arcades
was the pinnacle of my life.
That's sounds kinda' sad doesn't it?

No, not really. 

I still look at the time I was 10 to 13 (80 to 83) as the best years of my life.  Plenty of money, what with my paper route and all (heh); no worries; I had an Atari 2600 with 31 games; no "real world" concerns - just a pocket full of quarters or hours in front of my VCS was all it took to make me very happy.   ;D

In the three years I collected, 50 or so games shuttled their way in and out of my basement arcade.  The memories all of it brought back were priceless.  I'll always look back on my collecting days with great joy and be eternally grateful to my wife for allowing all that silliness to take up what was supposed to be her beautiful, finished basement retreat. 

Go for it.

:cheers:
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: CC6264 on January 15, 2007, 05:30:01 pm
Another old fart at 44. My brain tells me I'm still 19 - but my body tells me otherwise.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Gaston77 on January 16, 2007, 04:18:57 pm
I am 29 YO. Mental age is 29-16(amount of years ago when Streetfighter 2 came out) = 13. And I will be stuck at 13 mental years. Hail to videogames, they keep us young at heart!!!!

To quote some wise words that Bono sings; "Time won't take the boy out of this man!"
DAMN RIGHT
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: yalborap on January 16, 2007, 06:28:01 pm
I'm one of the young guys at the age of 16.  At one time I thought I was the youngest.  I may not be the youngest but I'm damn close.  I spend much of my time at my cabinet and even more time tweaking it.  No help from mommy ether other the ocasinal can you hold this for a second.

I've probably been beaten already, but I'm personally 15. I'm not much of an oldschool obsessive, though, so generally just emulation via consoles is enough to satisfy me. I'll be honest, there are many a time I wish I could get into it as much as you guys do, but sadly I just wasn't born early enough.

Now then, to actually read through the bloody thread...
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: diverdown on January 17, 2007, 04:14:53 am
32

Just for curiosity I klov'ed the first game I remember playing.

Arkanoid.   WOW I played it when it was new......... Ahh the days of jumping the caravan park managers back fence, stealing ( I mean borrowing) the bucket of 20c coins taken from the parks BBQs and returning them back to the arkanoid machine in the games room.


And before you start a caravan park is a trailer park but we actually went there to stay while on holiday. Not live there like MnM :)


hmmm  maybe it was a subliminal thing but i found myself FORCED to buy a spinner as soon as I got my 1st cab.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Donkey_Kong on January 17, 2007, 12:17:00 pm
DK-31 in APE years even! hhahahahha

 :cheers:
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Melissa Jones on January 17, 2007, 02:16:50 pm
ok before i tell you how old i am i would like to know how old you all think that i am.... no one ever gets it right, lets see how you guys do.  you have all seen pictures of me, so how old do i look??
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: HaRuMaN on January 17, 2007, 02:18:47 pm
ok before i tell you how old i am i would like to know how old you all think that i am.... no one ever gets it right, lets see how you guys do.  you have all seen pictures of me, so how old do i look??

I would say...  25.  Am I close?
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Donkey_Kong on January 17, 2007, 02:25:04 pm
ok before i tell you how old i am i would like to know how old you all think that i am.... no one ever gets it right, lets see how you guys do.  you have all seen pictures of me, so how old do i look??

Well they have a bit of a hint right above your head but maybe they would believe that I'm robbing the cradle or something. Or, like when people think that I am your dad Melissa. That is the best. Or, at the Drive-up window of the bank when they give out three suckers, 1 for each of the boys and one for you. Oooh you hate it when they do that!

 :laugh2:

Good luck on the guessing guys. $5 bucks to the winner. Off of your PP carving... ;)
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Melissa Jones on January 17, 2007, 02:39:28 pm
yeah i have been carded for the dumbest things.... like the arcade at a casino a few years ago, the sign by the door said "must be 12 years old if not with a parent". ??? :dunno  i guess it doesnt help that i am only 5'2" & 115 lb.

oh and nope not 25. sorry.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: clockwork on January 17, 2007, 02:56:25 pm
You look very young, but since you seem to be suggesting you're a lot older that you get taken for, I'm going to guess you're older than DK. 32?
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Donkey_Kong on January 17, 2007, 03:12:19 pm
I'm 32.
Being in the arcades back
in the 80's was heaven for me.
I seriously want to fill my home
with arcade machines.
In 32 years, hanging in the old arcades
was the pinnacle of my life.
That's sounds kinda' sad doesn't it?

Not really what-so-ever is that sad, in fact I BELIEVE we are all in the same boat here!

Brem too high...haruman too low
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: HaRuMaN on January 17, 2007, 03:15:33 pm
Brem too high...haruman too low

I'd rather be too low than too high, lol.  Ok.  I'll guess my age.  28.  Am I right?
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: shardian on January 17, 2007, 04:15:45 pm
I believe I saw a picture over on your site that showed you have a teenage son, so I will say 32...please forgive me. ;D
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Donkey_Kong on January 17, 2007, 04:22:29 pm
I told Melissa to come on and give the prize to haruman for missing by one.

She is 29. I pity the fools that went over. JK  Most think she is 12 when they see her in person. Well maybe like 14 now a days. When my 13 year old calls her mom in public she gets dirty dirty looks from the grammas sometimes.

Whad ya do? We started young...We are having fun with our kids though cause it is like there is almost virtually no generation gap. It is nuts. We all went to a GREEN DAY show like a year ago...was fricken great. Got a 30 seat box and a bunch of friends from our last life showed up to join the party.

EDIT: Melissa wants pics...Here is our family...
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: clockwork on January 17, 2007, 04:48:07 pm
What? I thought I was guessing low.

J/K! *ducks and runs*
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: shardian on January 17, 2007, 04:54:37 pm
In my defense, I was going STRICTLY off the teenage kid.  ;D
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Melissa Jones on January 17, 2007, 05:12:05 pm
yep, i will be 30 in may. and yes i do have a 13 year old and 11 year old. i was really young when i had them.

jason is that the only family pic that we have?? i think everyone was in a bad mood except you in that picture.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Donkey_Kong on January 17, 2007, 05:37:04 pm
yep, i will be 30 in may. and yes i do have a 13 year old and 11 year old. i was really young when i had them.

jason is that the only family pic that we have?? i think everyone was in a bad mood except you in that picture.

Oops!  :-[ Imagine that! Well try here then. I just posted a family album where we are all wearing smiles...

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=62248.0
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: HaRuMaN on January 19, 2007, 09:37:57 am
yep, i will be 30 in may. and yes i do have a 13 year old and 11 year old. i was really young when i had them.

jason is that the only family pic that we have?? i think everyone was in a bad mood except you in that picture.

When in May?  I'll be 29 in May...   :cheers:
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: HaRuMaN on January 19, 2007, 09:38:31 am
I told Melissa to come on and give the prize to haruman for missing by one.

What do I win?  :laugh:
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Melissa Jones on January 19, 2007, 01:01:53 pm
What do I win?  :laugh:

i think donkey kong was saying something about a carving.....


Good luck on the guessing guys. $5 bucks to the winner. Off of your PP carving... ;)



When in May?  I'll be 29 in May...   :cheers:

I was born on friday the 13th.  ;)
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: HaRuMaN on January 19, 2007, 05:02:18 pm
I was born on friday the 13th.  ;)

Oh how cool!

...  24th, for me.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Chris G on March 03, 2007, 05:03:10 pm
34 here.   Glad I missed the guess-the-lady's age contest, although I would have been low & safe.   ;D
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Unholyknight on March 03, 2007, 05:04:30 pm
20 in a month, I'm actually in the minority, thats surprising.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Mattiekrome on March 03, 2007, 05:16:40 pm
28, and surprisingly (for me) on the younger half of the bell curve  :o
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: mailman3028 on March 03, 2007, 10:17:15 pm
34 for another month, then I become middle aged ::)
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: newbee on March 04, 2007, 01:09:41 pm
55 and still counting. Hope, I am not the only one.  :)
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: markt on March 04, 2007, 09:02:28 pm
Weird numbers. 

Does everyone die when they hit 40?  Or only their interest in retro gaming?

Hope I'm not next!   :P


RandyT

*edit*  More likely is the probability that the older folks are less likely to accurately report their age, or they don't take part in the poll. ;)


OLDER FOLKS?? Looky here you whippersnapper!!(LOL)
I am 40, and I did report my age correctly.
I'm not dead (yet, if I keep buying new games my wive might kill me though), nor have I lost my interest in retro games.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: bfauska on March 05, 2007, 12:55:37 am
Voting on the first day of this post would have bumped me down a whole notch, day 2 notsomuch, but since I missed day one (and the following 6 months), I have to admit to 28.

Pizza parlors, 7-11, Plaid Pantry (garbage pail kids and little 10 cent boxes of candy), the arcade next to the food court in the mall, weekend trips to little towns on the beach (and their accompanying boardwalks), and mom and dad handing me rolls of quarters in Vegas so they could go play their machines and I could play mine. Memories... misty  :cry: water colored  :cry: memories.

Sorry gotta go, I think my mom's calling, must be time for dinner and "Family Ties"

Later,
Brian
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: MYX on March 05, 2007, 07:57:49 am
Ahh for me, if I get a whiff of an apple or watermelon jolly rancher that's it man, I get a flood of memories. I used to get the like 6 inch JRs at MR. J's (the local 7-11 type place) and play what ever was there. My parents forced us to go to church (something I could have cared less about at that point in my life, I like it now, but that's not the point is it) Anyway, the church was acrossed the street from Mr. J's too, so we would get dropped off and when they left, we used our offering money to get a Jolly rancher and play a few games of Time Soldiers. 3 quarters was all we had so had to make those games go as far as they could, so it was some serious gaming let me tell you. I have to give kudos where it is due. My brother rocked at Time Soldiers. I was usually out pretty quick, but he could play for a long time. Haven't played that in a long time.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: mwatson on April 11, 2007, 04:46:28 pm
20 here -  the town next to me used to have a vintage game store that sold old arcade cabs and pinball machines (among other retro game room merchandise). I grew up playing a lot of the arcade classics on an old BBC Microcomputer. I've been playing an assortment of emulators for the past few years on my PC and Xbox, but mamedox wasn't enough for the old classics. I'm a few weekends away from being all finished with my first cab build  :D
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: (+_+) on April 11, 2007, 08:23:28 pm
Turned 40 on the 9th.  :'(

But as Groucho Marx said.
"You're only as young as the woman you feel."

Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Chris G on April 11, 2007, 08:37:35 pm
But as Groucho Marx said.
"You're only as young as the woman you feel."

That would put my 42 year old boss at about 19.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Hawk Daddy on April 11, 2007, 08:41:47 pm
I'm 19, I've always loved the arcade games.  I like the consoles but I'd always prefer a stand up machine.  And Finally I have one, or a couple.

Hawk
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: knave on April 12, 2007, 05:55:27 pm
As of Yesterday I'm 33...Where's my cane... :dizzy:
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: shmokes on April 13, 2007, 01:02:29 pm
I'm 28, but I only just voted, and when the poll was first posted I was 27.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: shardian on April 13, 2007, 01:09:17 pm
I think it is neat that we have a distribution that matches the bell curve. Maybe theres something to those statistics after all.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Jeff AMN on April 13, 2007, 01:16:05 pm
I just turned 26 earlier this month.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: (+_+) on April 13, 2007, 03:39:35 pm
But as Groucho Marx said.
"You're only as young as the woman you feel."

That would put my 42 year old boss at about 19.

Lucky Cockroach.
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: Chris G on April 13, 2007, 04:08:30 pm
Lucky Cockroach.

No luck involved... just money.  ;)
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: shorthair on April 13, 2007, 05:44:16 pm
Lucky Cockroach.

No luck involved... just money.  ;)

<raises eyebros> Not quite the difference, but when I was 32, my girlfriend (the ex with the child, now) was just18. Thing is, the young ones you often gotta teach....sometimes just how to kiss.  I prefer salty females (ya, go an joke).
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: horseboy on April 13, 2007, 05:45:53 pm
Like pirates salty, or sweaty salty?
Title: Re: POLL: How old are you?
Post by: shorthair on April 13, 2007, 11:08:09 pm
Please, I'd have to go beyond the parental rating of the forum - but, depending, both.