Personal satisfaction...

[ChicagoDave]

I thought it was a great feeling when I actually finished my cabinet, but the feeling I get when having a party and watching people enjoy playing it is even better....

[spacies]

Nice one Dave 

I totally agree. The look on their faces as they stumble across their favourite classic game is very rewarding.

The only problem is getting them to leave 

[theCoder]

There was a rip-off machine that my older brother and I played almost every day during a summer many years ago.  We got very good at it.  It was a very tight bonding thing for us.  Last year, he and his family came to visit for the first time in about 8 years.  You talk about a great time.  Every chance we could get, he and I were at my Mame machine playing rip-off.  That weekend experience made the entire build worth every penny.

[Xam]

I thought it was a great feeling when I actually finished my cabinet, but the feeling I get when having a party and watching people enjoy playing it is even better....

I can hardly wait for that moment! (when others get to play it)
My nephew came over today and was floored when he saw just the hull of my cab. I took him to the computer room and showed him my MAME setup (the stuff I will be using in the cab. We palyed a few games and had a blast!

Xam

[dudebozo]

i'm almost done with my cabinet, so i haven't experienced stuff like that yet.  but i do get a lot of that..."you're building a what-now?"
but on the other hand, i'm getting a few people like..."can i make a sf2 tourney bracket?"

[(+_+)]

That's pretty funny that you guys mention this. My family and friends actually make fun of me since I'm the one who does all the work and all the programming to bring it together, yet their the ones who enjoy it. Little do they know, there's nothing more rewarding than me watching them (especially my kids) play. Truth be told, I do squeeze in a game of Robotron or Mutant Storm every now and then.

[AlanS17]

I guess in that respect, I had ultimate satisfaction. The first machine I built was put into my fraternity's house. It was very popular for fighting games at parties, and it was great to just hang out in the middle of the day and throw down in Puzzle Fighter. It was used and abused, but boy did it get some play-time.

Of course, hardly anybody ever beat me when I stepped up to the machine. 

[javeryh]

The best feeling I had in the entire process was at the first party I had the thing working.  No one could believe that I built it and that they were able to play all those games from when we were kids.  My brothers-in-law were actually really good at several games and beat the high scores!  They are having me build another one for the family beach house!

[skyblast]

Totally agree with you guys.  My twin brother had seen my mame project when it was partially completed but was completely caught off guard after it was finally done. 

When he walked into the back room for the first time to check it out he just about choked on his clam chowder.  He just stood there with his spoon in his mouth, frozen with this WTF look on his face.  He could hardly speak.  After a moment of silence then dropped about 4 f-bombs.  It was priceless.

[DaOld Man]

I agree. The feeling you get seeing others play makes all the many late hours, breathing MDF dust, cutting and cutting, then sanding and sanding makes it all worthwhile.

Right after I finished my first machine, we threw a halloween party.
We have a pool table, air hockey table, and then the arcade.
People were literally standing in line to play the arcade.
First thing people would ask me was if it has their favorite game from way back when.
Seeing the look on their faces when I said sure does, is something I will remember always.

[Jimbo]

Aww man, I can't wait to get my cab finished...  I've had a couple of friends come over and have a quick go on the *in-progress* machine, but I can't wait to have my first arcade party

[pinballwizard79]

A lot of people say "wait, you did this....how.....I mean whats in there.....you wired that....did you order those parts from somewhere....is that custom artwork....do you have (random title) or (random title) game......omg......wtf....?" & that makes it all worth while to me.

Well that & playing Killer Instinct!

[Epyx]

The cab is *always* the center of attention on poker nights...to the point the poker has become quite secondary

The only thing missing for me is a portable bartop (being worked on) that addresses someone else hosting the poker...

[Todd H]

I can't wait to have some friends over when mine's done. A few of them have seen the cabinet in my garage and asked me about it. They seem amazed when I tell them what I'm doing.

I have to admit I feel a good bit of satisfaction just knowing that I took this old beaten up cabinet that has probably been in a number of arcades over the years and saved it from the trashbin. I feel like I saved a piece of history. It's a good feeling.

[Mark70]

I just popped back in a few years after finishing my first mame cabinet.  This thread rings so true.  It's the best reason to take your time and do a good job, and make it look professional.

I've found that others play my cab more than me.  I run SNES titles on it, and the kids (3-4 years) love the Mickey Mouse ones.  My parrents came to visit with my mom's boss and his wife (also friends of the family), and my dad and mom's boss stayed in the basement the whole time playing golden tee.  We literally didn't see them for a minute, until it was time to leave, unless we went down there.

Friends my age (30s) like the old arcade titles.

I found that people heard I was doing it and were like, "meh"; assuming it would be a bodge job home peice of garbage.  When they see it operating and all set up then they're floored.

Repair men see it when they come in to deliver furniture or fix the furnace and they say things like, "oh, neat, where'd you get that?".  Then when you say "I built it" they suddenly get very suprised and go over to look at it and stare and mutter in suprised disbelief.  The Air Conditioner installer told me to "f-off" (in a friendly way) in disbeleif.

I enjoy building it and setting it up more than playing it.  If I play I'll play the old console games.  I have a few favourite arcade games I'll play, but I find that most arcade games were designed to eat quarters and be too hard for any length of play.  Something like tetris suits this well, but other don't hold up.  I grew up a PC gamer.

I guess I should also say that I find it rewarding when someone says, "hey, this is really fun, we would use one of these".  You made someone smile.

[SnApRoLl]

I have had some friends and family over and they ask what I am going to do with that beat up old cabinet? So I tell them what I am building and I get comments like how are you going to get "that thing" working or that's going to be impossible to get working again and your just going to waste your time and money and all of the other negative Blah Blah Blah  I just can't wait to see the look on their faces when it is complete!!!!  But I think the most rewarding things so far was over hearing my oldest son brag about how "Twicked" ( according to my 9 year old son, it means totally wicked) he thought I was for what I am building or over hearing his friends say, you have the coolest dad ever, I wish my dad would build something like that. It's a great feeling knowing that my son thinks I am "Twicked" (The words kids come up with today) I  know I will enjoy it when its done but I think I will get the most joy seeing my kids having fun!


Shawn

[JamIt]

Repair men see it when they come in to deliver furniture or fix the furnace and they say things like, "oh, neat, where'd you get that?".  Then when you say "I built it" they suddenly get very suprised and go over to look at it and stare and mutter in suprised disbelief. 

Funny you mention this, as I've actually been so nervous after seeing the carpet guys and the various delivery guys (TV, sofa, etc.) check out the cab that I've considered changing my house locks.  And this is with my modest looking cab, I can imagine what kind of attention some of these "works of art" that people here are churning out are getting.

[ChadTower]

I've had multiple service guys stare in awe at the games... and then when I fire them up and let them play they end up doing extra work for free.  The furnace cleaner cleaned out my water heater too.  The guy that replaced that old furnace ran an extra vent line to my PC area.  A plumber still tried to rip me off but did it with a smaller bill.