How to increase the WAF of BYOAC'ing/Arcade games/etc.?

[Necro]

Ok guys, just wondering how people handle their arcade/gaming/etc. issues with the wife/significant other.  So far my wife is 'accepting' but I'd really like to get her to actually...well, enjoy all the work I'm doing on my setup and all.

Just curious if anyone's been able to get their wife/s.o. involved in some way thats not building, MameWah Setup (heh), but gets you to share the hobby a bit more.

(Given, the alterior motive here is that when I mention dropping >$100 on a track ball or spinner, she doesn't just stab me for saying something so insane )

(BTW, I didnt post this in E.E. because I'm scared of that forum.  This place seemed the closest non-insane place I could post this and get a few serious answers )

[walls83]

My wife isnt into gaming at all.  Chances are that she never will be atleast as much as we are.  You need to find some games she like.  My wife loves Tetris : Grandmaster, Mario Karts, Super Mario bros. and most puzzle games.

I would just try to find some games that intrest her.  Even with the games my wife likes she will still only play like 20 mins at a time.

[Jabba]

You thought you could get away from EE? Hah! We actually *sometimes* venture out to increase our post count.

My wife has no interest in my arcade, she doesn't play it at all, but the kids LOVE it. The way to a womans heart is through the kids. Use that wisely. Using this method, I've added two real games, a MAME cabinet, pinball game and Pool table. Now all I have to add is some of the cool rug Saint used to cover his games room with...

Oh, and if you have no kids, then your screwed 

[Goz]

My wife is supportive to a point with my addiction. (no not the porn)

My wife loves to entertain guest and so the building up of our game room is really something she is supportive of. The best way to suck the wife into this is to have some friends over and let them play and with the banter and comments it will plant a seed in the back of her head. This is especially effective if you can get her friends or the children of the friends into it.

Ask questions... There are tons of chick friendly games that they like as well. My wife is especially fond of trackball games. (centipede, world class bowling, shuffleshot, hamsterball, and feeding frenzy are a few). Centipede was the game that hit her gaming gspot and unlocked a whole new world and acceptance.

If she likes gambling work the angle (slot games, poker games, etc...)

Because of my wifes enjoyment in the hobby (entertaining mostly) the game room is pretty well set up. (arcades, slots, jukebox, pool table, popcorn machine, snow cone machine,etc...)

If you can figure out a way to turn a profit by rolling over some games that sugar coats it for them and helps seal the deal as well.

Good luck

-Goz

[CheffoJeffo]

motive here is that when I mention dropping >$100 on a track ball or spinner, she doesn't just stab me for saying something so insane

That is the heart of your problem ...

• Show some compassion and spare her feelings ... don't tell her. 
• It's not insane.

Having said that, my wife has come to appreciate my obsession (I even use her eBay and Paypal accounts to buy parts!), and I learned some important things along the way:

• Don't keep more than two cabinets in the dining room -- once I hit three, they all had to go downstairs.
• Don't sand cabinets in the house.
• Don't leave parts scattered around the living room.
• Make progress ... don't let projects sit around too long.
• Make sure that you have at least one game that she'll like, even if she never plays it.

Cheers.

[fredster]

Get her to "enjoy" your hobby?   

OMG man, then you'd have to help her go shoe shopping.  NOOOOOOOOOOOO

Dude, just make sure you buy her something that cost just as much as your stuff or you are screwed.

[ChadTower]

Fredster has it correct.

If you bring her into your hobby she will want some input into its direction.  Then you are screwed.

Just figure the cost of anything you want to buy and then double it.  50% for the cost of the item and 50% for the crap she's going to buy at the mall to match it.

[Witchboard]

Here's my take.

You'd be shooting yourself in the foot if you bought her one of those.

[ClubNinja]

MsNinja helps from polishing pinball playfield plastics to assisting in moving cabinets around.  She also plays the pins more often than I do.  It happens.

[walls83]

but Pinball games are completely different then arcade machine.  I would bet most women will and have played pinball games and enjoyed it.  Not the same with arcade machines

I used to own world cup soccer and the only time I got to play it was when she wasnt home cause she would come down and hog the damn thing.

[ClubNinja]

True, though that was just an example.  She plays the vids too.

[MYX]

We should find 2600chick and ask her what turned her on to vids. She not only plays em she knows a lot about em. Ya know, get the female pulse on this thing. I am still collecting parts to build my cab. The first thing I bought was a trackball with the promise that she would be able to play Centepiede. (oh and the fact that it would glow pretty colors)
I have always been curious why centipede was such a hit with females.
I would have to think that Mappy would be a good one. My Daughter loves Buster Bros.

[Necro]

Man...that little mini arcade pac-man better not get my butt killed on Christmas .  She does like Pacman though so...we will hope it doesnt.



I'm hoping I can get her into it once I start taking my first major 'steps' down the BYOAC road.  (I'm getting an X-arcade...I haven't mentioned that I'm planning on making a spinner asetup to go along with it the week between christmas and new years yet...and looking at trackballs on e-bay )

Hopefully her getting to play Frogger on the x-arcade will buy me some time.  

[Havok]

Just keep her in the loop. Most women get really pissed when they see the credit card bill - not knowing what is going on. This hobby is expensive. That way, nothing is hidden that could be discovered later and drive a wedge into your arcade enjoyment...

[nostrebor]

My personal rule is that a hobby must be self-sustaining finincially. If it is not, I change hobbies. I buy and sell parts and games, build consignment projects, etc. to fund my hobby. This makes it much easier to sell it to  my wife.

I also spend lots of time with her and my children. This actually means more to her than the $$.

[RayB]

Its a good thing that Pacman toy is a small gift, otherwise it would be akin to Homer buying Marge that bowling ball.

[RetroACTIVE]

My wife thinks its ridiculous... but she is very proud of it... she shows it (insert dirty joke here) off to everyone that comes over.

We have teenage daughters that have frequent "boy" guests and she also was able to find justification in that it keeps the 13 yr old boys hands off of our 13 yr old girls...

Its quite a pacifier

[ChadTower]

You need to learn the Al Bundy Toss.

[RetroACTIVE]

You need to learn the Al Bundy Toss.

ALLWAYS an option... the arcade machine doesn't work on all of them!

[ChadTower]

13 year old hands are the equivalent of weed... they're the gateway to bigger, more evil things.

[ClubNinja]

Evil, yes.  Not necessarily bigger.

[ChadTower]

Good point.

[Necro]

See that one yes vote up there?  That's mine.  Guess why?  She loves the handheld pac-man mini cabinet thingey - thinks it's cute and is dying to try it (forgot to get AAA batteries for it hehe).



And I got my x-arcade...and it's incredible.

This is shaping up to be a good holiday season