making the cabinet the source of entertainment for guests and the wives

[knightrdrx]

I just got the joysticks, trackball , and spinner configured..haven't put the computer into a cabinet yet..it's all in a computer desk now but had my friend and his wife over last night..and we played some trackball bowling..my wife is really into it especially because she has the high score... My friend's wife was then excited to play Qbert...and she then moved the wrong way and Qbert commited suicide immediately.... "rookie mistake" I said then it was my turn and i cleared the board ..then I glanced and she looked a bit bored so I died on purpose...I understand this isn't 1982 and we don't crowd around the Pac-man or the Atari anxiously awaiting our turn..these days it is easier to entertain your friends over a 4 player simultaneous game of Mario Kart on the 60 inch TV.  Am I looking at this cabinet the wrong way...It's really more for me...and when I have 1 of my guy friends over we could play games for hours like NHL 94 or Burgertime.  Maybe I should put something else in the basement for my wife and his wife other than playing with the dogs or sitting on the couch and playing Candy Crush.  Or am I trying to hard to keep them happy and they should just go off and do something else like watch tv or bake a dessert.
The finished cabinet will be user friendly I hope and I just want my friends to go over to it and just play without having to ask.  I certainly want my wife to be into it as well and my future kids but I understand they won't be interested in most of the games and that's fine.

[Malenko]

first off, kudos for saying the women should be baking dessert 

Get the women involved more, ask what games they want to play, then let them play WITHOUT you. My fiancee got super bored when we played MsPacman together, she doesnt enjoy watching someone else play; but she liked to play it solo and I dont mind standing there not playing. Idealy when they arent in the kitchen barefoot and pregnant, you should let them play against each other while you and your buddy play some NHL 94 on the 60" TV

[Howard_Casto]

To get women involved, make your cab dispense money and/or coupons as money or saving money is the only thing they care about.  Well that and shoes.

[jennifer]

     There is just soooo much wrong with this thread already, And rather than Jennifer getting all like involved, It should be noted that girls are people too, and building them is just as much fun as playing them, Not to mention the "The something we can enjoy together" thing... However you do bring up an interesting point, the not waiting for your turn, that was expected back in the day but now that everyone is so hyper connected, ADD (and a host of other disorders) have taken away the simple and basic societal protocols..... And +1 on awesome  shoes!!!

[Malenko]

     There is just soooo much wrong with this thread already, And rather than Jennifer getting all like involved, It should be noted that girls are people too, and building them is just as much fun as playing them, Not to mention the "The something we can enjoy together" thing... However you do bring up an interesting point, the not waiting for your turn, that was expected back in the day but now that everyone is so hyper connected, ADD (and a host of other disorders) have taken away the simple and basic societal protocols..... And +1 on awesome  shoes!!!

you are of course posting this from the kitchen, right?

[jennifer]

    OMG....!!!!.... You are like horribly mean.... But no, I "had" a kitchen but after removing the oven I fitted 6 cabs and 2 jukes in there.

[pbj]

Only thing I've ever gotten a woman to play more than once was Dance Dance Revolution.  My wife likes the "ambiance" but I'd be shocked if she's played one of my machines in the last two years.

[Le Chuck]

You want a game that the ladies will love?

Boonga boonga.  Bishes love boonga boonga. 

[jennifer]

    Oh I love the Dance Dance , (Wish I had one) Jennifer has to go to the mall to play it and then I look like a idiot, Spinning and dancing and laughing and laughing.... But back to the OP, Get yourself a countertop Mega touch and plop it in front of her chair, (And take her out dating too.) 

[pbj]

Spend the money you would have wasted on a Megatouch on an Ipad Mini instead.

[Howard_Casto]

We have a forum with thousands of members, and two women... I think my point still stands. 

[yotsuya]

My friend's wife was then excited to play Qbert...and she then moved the wrong way and Qbert commited suicide immediately.... "rookie mistake" I said then it was my turn and i cleared the board ..then I glanced and she looked a bit bored

Another "rookie mistake", I see... 

Ask your guy friends before they come over if their wives like games, and if so, what games they like. Then, when showing the machine off for the first time, boot into one of their favorites. If all else fails, boot into Ms. Pac-Man or Centipede (if you have a trackball).

[leapinlew]

They just aren't going to be that interested in it. No big deal, but 2 player games for the classics is a total bore. Hell, I don't want to watch someone else play. Good party games is where it's at: Bowling, 2 player simultaneous games like Joust and Mario Bros, and shuffleshot.

[ChadTower]

Fill the gameroom with Tetris clones.

[dkersten]

I realize this thread is a little old, but I am kinda bored today, so I will throw my 2 cents in, lol.

While some women are just as fanatical about games as guys, it is a fairly rare trait.  If you can get them excited about the nostalgia and give them something they can do while you pay attention to them (ie have them play centipede while you watch), you are good for a bit.  But leave a few women alone in a room with an arcade cabinet and they will likely spend more time talking about how you play a lot, how nice it is to have a man who can build something like that (ie handy, which women in general get googly eyed over, especially in their 30's and 40's after they have lived a little and recognize how desirable it is to have that in their man), and then move on to talking about other stuff like shoes, shopping, kids, crafts, men, or whatever else they are into.  Bottom line is women get together and like to talk, to gush, and to gossip, usually with a bottle of wine (or 3).  So let them.  If it is a good woman, she will feel bad for "ignoring" you all night while you played video games with your friends because she was so preoccupied with gabbing with her girlfriends.  It is a win-win in that case. 

If you DO end up with a woman who likes to play video games with you, she will probably not want to take turns, so play a simultaneous 2 player game.. BUT, make sure she wins, and then be a good sport about losing.  I have yet to meet a woman who is a good sport when they lose in anything.  A best, they will pretend it is OK, but that night you won't get any lovin.  At worst they will never want to play again with you (which might actually end up being OK, lol).  Either way, if you win, you will be buying her a new pair of shoes in the next few days, or at best having to spend 3 hours in the store while she looks for a new pair of shoes.

[jennifer]

   Oh please 3 hrs for the shoes and where are you?, over in the electronics section checking out the discounted movies, and wondering how your going to talk us into the "new" giant tv that we so desperately need like right now (Giggle, WHATEVER).... And FWIW, we have to let you win at the games just so you can feel you feel all macho.

[Howard_Casto]

Speaking as a man, that's the difference between men and women.  We don't browse, we don't shop, we go and buy things.  All this looking at stuff for 30 mins and then deciding NOT to buy it, that's a woman thing. 

Even if I'm TRYING to kill time somewhere, I can go though an entire store in 15-20 minutes.  They sell the same crap every day what's so fascinating to look at?

[chopperthedog]

We have a forum with thousands of members, and two women... I think my point still stands. 

Jennifer and kaneda?


good day.

[dkersten]

Sorry, there isn't an electronics section when you are in the shoe section of a Dillards .. And no seats to sit on while you wait for countless hours.. instead you have to lean on a post in front of the changing rooms and try not to look like a perv trying to catch a glimpse of someone else's wife coming out of the dressing room half unbuttoned.  The good news is, any other husbands/boyfriends there are in the same boat so you aren't going to catch any hell for it, even if you ARE checking out the other wives/girlfriends.. The bad news is, every employee there (all ladies over 60) are looking at you like you are just waiting for a mom to look away from her baby so you can grab the baby and sell it on the black market to buy hookers and blow..

All I can say is thank GOD for smartphones, now at least we can play a game or read a book look at the cheesecake thread on BYOAC while we are waiting.

[Howard_Casto]

I take exception to your map.  No self-respecting man ever sets foot in the Gap. 

[pbj]

[Slippyblade]

The bad news is, every employee there (all ladies over 60) are looking at you like you are just waiting for a mom to look away from her baby so you can grab the baby and sell it on the black market to buy hookers and blow..

That's NOT what you do?  Oops.

[Howard_Casto]

I've never got that either.  Don't they have husbands?  They do understand that even if we WERE pedophiles ready to snatch up children we still wouldn't go to the ladies shoe section of Macy's to do it.  I mean sweet tender child flesh is great and all, but if I have to pretend to look at shoes... totally not worth it. 

[dkersten]

Those shoes don't fit well anyway.. although they DO make ---my bottom--- look GREAT!.. Wait.. what?

[yotsuya]

Dave never met a topic he didn't want to throw a few pennies at. 

[Vigo]

About the only department store I can handle is Sears. It managed to keep some of the masculinity that places like Macy's gave up on years ago.

The worst stuff is those trendy mall shops that blast remixed pop music in your ears and nearly shut out the lights. Never got the point of why even women would want to stumble around those stores. It apparently became obvious that the only thing shopping was missing out on was 16+ night at the local club.

[dkersten]

Dave never met a topic he didn't want to throw a few pennies at. 

Costing me a pile of pennies lately, lol.  And I am learning to avoid throwing anything at topics where X2 is involved.  Like talking to a wall.

[yotsuya]

About the only department store I can handle is Sears. It managed to keep some of the masculinity that places like Macy's gave up on years ago.

The worst stuff is those trendy mall shops that blast remixed pop music in your ears and nearly shut out the lights. Never got the point of why even women would want to stumble around those stores. It apparently became obvious that the only thing shopping was missing out on was 16+ night at the local club.

Those of you that have tweenage daughters know of the unspeakable horror that is Justice.

[Le Chuck]

Costing me a pile of pennies lately, lol.  And I am learning to avoid throwing anything at topics where X2 is involved.  Like talking to a wall.

Of text.  Hey-o!

[yotsuya]

Costing me a pile of pennies lately, lol.  And I am learning to avoid throwing anything at topics where X2 is involved.  Like talking to a wall.

Of text.  Hey-o!

Rep for you.

[eds1275]

Yeah no Gap. I buy my stuff at stores I can get as much shopping done in one place as I can. Target, Costco, heck even Walmart. At least I can get screws and milk there too. If I need fancy pants, I steal them from my suits.

As for getting women involved in your arcade gaming, play puzzle games or 3/4 player games. Many women like beat 'em ups as well. My wife loves golden tee, shuuz, shuffleshot and world class bowling. Puzzle Bobble, Super Bishi Bashi Champ, Dr. Mario etc etc.

[pbj]

In my household, we both dislike shopping so much that we're seriously considering signing up for grocery delivery.  If they can bring soda, toilet paper, and beef jerky on the regular then we're good to go.

[dkersten]

Funny, I just got an email from Amazon about the new Prime Pantry.. Amazon Prime for groceries.. I want my Cheetos delivered via a drone, dammit!

And for the Gap, I took that image off the interweb, you can interchange the store name with any other store in the world and the idea holds true.  You could send a woman to the dollar store for a sponge and she would still manage to spend more than $50, and it would still take her 3 hours to do it.. And she would probably forget to get the sponge and would tell you afterward how much money she saved by spending all that money..

[jennifer]

    OMG, Jennifer loves going to the mall.... A giant cherry slurpie, and those HUGE pretzles, and sniffing the candles at the card shop..., AWESOME!!!.... However no self respecting cowboys hang out there. So sometimes I got to go to the Sears too.

[Vigo]

I was with you until candle sniffing came up...

[yotsuya]

In my household, we both dislike shopping so much that we're seriously considering signing up for grocery delivery.  If they can bring soda, toilet paper, and beef jerky on the regular then we're good to go.

Leave instructions for them to roll you outside to the curb when you pass on the next world, my friend. 

[spoot]

I take exception to your map.  No self-respecting man ever sets foot in the Gap. 

Indeed, gap only deals with spark plugs.

[ark_ader]

My usual shopping experience is go to Dillards, giver her my Dillards Card, then leave her to play Keno for three hours (after Starbucks) then pick her up, compliment her on the purchases she made, then off for a nice dinner and drinks then home.

Totally stress free.  You have to play the game and make her feel special, then any cab even a Steel Talons will work for her.

Make a cocktail cab and put a nice frilly lamp on it and she will be happy.   

[Howard_Casto]

In my household, we both dislike shopping so much that we're seriously considering signing up for grocery delivery.  If they can bring soda, toilet paper, and beef jerky on the regular then we're good to go.

Leave instructions for them to roll you outside to the curb when you pass on the next world, my friend. 

I have this image of them having to cut pbj out of his house when he dies and lifting him out with a crane.  I'm not saying he's that fat by any means, it's just his reluctance to do anything that requires leaving the home.....

[eds1275]

I'm not saying he's that fat by any means, it's just his reluctance to do anything that requires leaving the home.....

I can totally relate to not wanting to interact with the outside world.

[pbj]

I, along with about 200,000 other people, work in the Texas Medical Center.  Every day, we pack ourselves into 100 acres.  And that big corner office?  You don't get those unless you have the kind of job that involves people arguing with you for 10 hours a day.

Then the hoards.... the hoards of sick people... sick people everywhere...

Privacy is impossible.  No matter how remote the restroom, someone in a hospital gown will be rattling your stall door.  You cannot so much as fart without an audience. 

By the time I get home, I want to hide in a dark cave without phones or e-mail.

 

[dkersten]

Plus you probably have to fight traffic and drive for 30 minutes just to stop at a grocery store, and it probably ends up being a 2-3 hour ordeal.

See, I live in the biggest city in Montana, and we have about 100,000 people spread out across about 100 square miles.  It takes me 12 minutes to get to work when I hit most of the lights during traffic.  I can get there in 5-6 minutes at night.  I have 3 grocery stores within 3 minutes of me, and only WalMart is busy enough to make it frustrating.  And I work in an office with the same 14 other people with virtually no interaction with anyone outside that office.

I still understand your situation, I am somewhat of an introvert and I don't need to be around a lot of people to enjoy myself.  Plus my house is my sanctuary, I ENJOY being here, and I spend a lot of time making it exactly how I want to live.  When I was married I enjoyed nothing more than going home and being there.  I had no need to go out or do anything.  I hate shopping so I always sent the wife for that stuff, and she enjoyed it (too much, unfortunately).  The last 4 years has been different, I have had to get out and socialize more unless I wanted to spend all that free time alone, and I find I like it now and then.  I love having people over now and I have a great deck, firepit, and game room that is all one big entertaining space and I regularly get 6-12 people over to enjoy it with me.  Despite having a steady girlfriend most of that 4 years, I still like getting out of the house. 

Now today, I would like to just stay home and be alone.. It is cold and raining, I had to spend the last 4 hours clothes shopping for my two teenage daughters (and no I didn't go to the gap, lol), and now even though I am thoroughly finished with the human race for a while, I still have to go to a wedding for a friend shortly.  Otherwise I would kick off my shoes and just call it a day.  Or I would be in my shop starting the construction of my next cabinet, but either way alone and not out in public dealing with people.

[Howard_Casto]

I, along with about 200,000 other people, work in the Texas Medical Center.  Every day, we pack ourselves into 100 acres.  And that big corner office?  You don't get those unless you have the kind of job that involves people arguing with you for 10 hours a day.

Then the hoards.... the hoards of sick people... sick people everywhere...

Privacy is impossible.  No matter how remote the restroom, someone in a hospital gown will be rattling your stall door.  You cannot so much as fart without an audience. 

By the time I get home, I want to hide in a dark cave without phones or e-mail.

 

Well there's your problem.    See the thing about Texas is it'd be a nice place to live, if it weren't for all the Texans.  It might be time to move for the sake of your mental health. 

[Slippyblade]

Plus my house is my sanctuary, I ENJOY being here, and I spend a lot of time making it exactly how I want to live.  When I was married I enjoyed nothing more than going home and being there. 

This is how I feel.  My home, wife, and family are my happy place.  I get into discussions about this all the time with co-workers and friends.  Many of them ---smurfette--- about their home life so much it makes me wonder why they HAVE a home life.  I love being at home, I'm happy and comfortable there.  Why would I go out to a bar or club or other such nonsense when I can kick back, drink a beer once in a while, watch TV, play games, or read a book all with the company of my family in my comfy chair at home?

[Howard_Casto]

I think we need to put things in perspective here. 

There is a difference between wanting to stay at home all the time (I'm in that boat) and deciding to no longer go to the grocery store.  You need to get out in the world outside of work for a bit if nothing more than to re-affirm the fact that the outside world sucks. 

[pbj]

Well there's your problem.    See the thing about Texas is it'd be a nice place to live, if it weren't for all the Texans.  It might be time to move for the sake of your mental health.

I've lived more places than you have.  There are very few Texans in Houston, a term I define as "did you take seventh grade Texas history."  This is a young, extraordinarily diverse city.

I like it here but EVERYTHING is a hassle. 

Guests won't touch anything beyond chicken wings and consoles.  You cannot compete with a woman's smartphone. Believing and acting otherwise is an exercise of abject futility.

 

[Howard_Casto]

Oh believe me, I'm aware.  Don't take this the wrong way but honestly the people that willingly migrate there have more issues than the natives.  Plenty of diversity for a perfect sampling of the most annoying people from all corners of the country. 

Don't feel bad though, I can't stand it here anymore either. 

The whole country is screwed up these days, there are just pockets of it I find particularly annoying.  People suck everywhere you go, but if you can find an area with a low population, at least you have the opportunity to get away from them without barricading yourself indoors all the time. 

I have family that have inexplicably moved to Texas, near where you are at I think, I'm starting to run out of excuses to keep from visiting them.  Hopefully I'll die soon or something.   

Before people accuse me of being cynical or something understand that it's a Men in Black sort of thing.  I like a "person" it's when "people" get involved that I just want to get out of dodge. 

[ark_ader]

Just work from home or find a job that will let you.

Simples.

[Vigo]

As far as my opinion goes. People are awesome where I live. 

[dkersten]

It's funny because for the past several years (the past year being the exception), we have been watching an excessive number of people from Texas move here to Montana.  At one point I could drive for 10 minutes and count no less than 100 cars with texas plates.  The past year is the exception because the last couple winters really sucked.  Over 100 inches of snowfall last year in a town where the average is about 28 inches per year.  That sent a lot of the Californians home too, lol.  Thank God for that..

I spent a couple weeks in Texas not long ago.. we opened up a location in Dalhart.. Not many people, and the ones I ran into were hella friendly, but what a shithole.  First day there it was 80 degrees, the next morning it was snowing and 25 degrees.  Two days later it went from hot to cool at night and all the cowshit turned into a mist on the road and it was literally raining cow manure.  And what the heck is up with having to buy a membership to drink a beer??

I will stay in Montana, thanks.. 

[jennifer]

       I HATE my stupid "smartphone.... I will be talking, and talking, doing the hand gestures and laughing only to realize my face turned the phone off like 5 minutes ago.

[dkersten]

must be a Samsung.. this thing sucks..

[eds1275]

       I HATE my stupid "smartphone.... I will be talking, and talking, doing the hand gestures and laughing only to realize my face turned the phone off like 5 minutes ago.

7/8ths of the time I want to smash my wife's smartphone, just slap it right out of her hands onto the floor and stomp it into dust.