Arcades are fun more so when they are free play

[SithMaster]

Well yesterday was my project graduation and i went to funmation or some such america.  it was fun.  first i went to the jurassic park light gun game.  now im not sure but it looks like it requires 3d glasses.  still fun but if thats the case its a little weird i think cause then some kid would take them.

then i got food.  free food.

back to games.  hotd, crisis zone, star wars arcade trilogy (want it.  whoever bought one a while back congrats)  some midway racing game 2 player and then a savage dinosaur game.

between playing all these games i took time to play laser tag and ride the simulator.

my only regret is not having more food.  i got maybe 50 tokens, 20 tickets a friend found in the bumper car , o i went on the bumper cars a lot, and a visa gift card.

project graduation was fun and now that im a grad i hope to finish my cabs.  just thought id share my experience.

[rohan]

I couldn't disagree more...The act of spending money on the game is what makes it more exciting...By being emotionally (and financially) invested in a game, you just get sooo much more out of it...

For example:

All my 9 arcade games are setup for quarter play; there's something about feeling and hearing the quarter drop down the chute/mech and the sound of the machine coining-up that just squeezes out those endorphines.  You're prepared for battle, and you don't want your quarter to be spent in vain.

As a D&B technician, I also setup those all-night grad-night parties with the games on freeplay.  Perhaps it's the fact that your demographic has a shorter attention span, or just is far more interested in consoles...I just don't see the interest that you personally felt in most of the kids that attend these freeplay grad-nights.  We also have have more games than your typical family fun center, as well as huge party rooms setup with free food, dancing, performers, etc.

I'm glad that you, unlike many of your contemporaries, feel an affinity for arcade gaming...It's just that the act of paying for a game really does enhance the overall experience.

P.S. Perhaps working in an arcade all day has changed me and killed a little of the child-like excitement that others like you would find.

[SithMaster]

When i wrote the title i meant that it was great since i would be able to play all the games i want.  the experince was hollow.  the victories were meaningless since i could just hit start to continue.

when my cabs are done they will use quarters.  but for the 20 i paid to go it was worth being able to play without running out of quarters whenever i should have ducked from a missile in crisis zone.

but your right if its on free play its not the same.  i just meant it was cheaper for me to pay the 20 to go than to pay the 20 in quarters to beat jurassic park.  and yeah i was far more liberable in wasting shots and health since i could just hit the start button.

and you think im not child like.  ha.  im building a cab and a laser tag course.  im so child like its not funny.

but to expect me to bring 100 or so dollars to play games all night is a little silly.  we stayed there from 10 to 5 so thats a lot of gaming which would mean a lot of money to play.  in this instance free play was good.

[TheOtherBob]

I did the quarter thing in my small arcade at home for awhile.... I got tired of digging quarters out and finally just put them on free play.....

Maybe it was because I kept stealing the quarters out of the coin boxes so I could go play pinball locally....