Halloween @ My House - My Plans/Blog

[SirPeale]

For the last few years my plan has been thus: put games out on my porch/sidewalk for the kiddies to play on Halloween.  Candy is also served, of course.

This will be the third year I do this.  The first year I had two Mame cabs - a horizontal and a vertical - but kept it simple.  Ghosts and Goblins on the horizontal and Galaga on the vertical.

I got a *lot* of compliments.  One kid went so far to say "I've been trick-or-treating for like seven years, and this is the coolest thing I've ever seen!"  Made my night worthwhile right there.

Last year I had a slight conflict and couldn't get out there in time.  I think I had one trick-or-treater that night because I got everything set up so late.

This year I want to do this AWESOME.  Rope lighting.  Haunted music (already have it set up).  And of course...games.

Here's my line-up:
Centipede Mini (if I can get it working in time)
Defender (if I can get it looking good in time)
Donkey Kong (again, if it's working and if my artwork shows up)
48-in-1 (if I don't sell it first)
Arkanoid cocktail (if I don't sell it first)

I'd stick my Mame machines out there too, but they're upstairs in my kids room, and there's no way I'm lugging them up and down stairs alone.

So this thread will chronicle what I'm doing to make this reality.  Of course I'll accept suggestions, but bear in mind my budget is extremely limited (read: $0.00) and I'll have to use either what I have on hand, or can beg/borrow/trade to get.

[TheShanMan]

I love this idea, Peale. I wouldn't mind doing it in the coming years myself!

P.S. Played Ghosts and Goblins for the first time ever last night because my son wanted to try it (he saw one at the local retro arcade).

[SirPeale]

I'd really like to have GNG out there again, but I'd need a lot of help moving it.

[ChadTower]

I might be doing this myself if my basement weren't down 8 steps from ground level.  Nice job.

[Kevin Mullins]

Great idea !!

Well, if this is of any help ..... kids generally don't care what the games "look" like. So if you have it handy and it works stick it out there. (especially if it'll be fairly dark anyways)

I have a few cobbled up games in a small area that when "kid company" comes over is always a hit. (and I'm talking about machines with wrong marquees, bad artwork, etc)

I live out in the sticks now, so it's kinda hard to put on a good Halloween function.
But I remember doing it up when we lived in a city area and it was always the talk of the neighborhood. So I say do what you can and make it enjoyable.
 

[ChadTower]

Peale, are you going to be leaving them out there when you go trick or treating with the kids?  That's one of the main reasons I have never done up a Halloween night display.  I'm not there most of the night.

[SirPeale]

Peale, are you going to be leaving them out there when you go trick or treating with the kids?  That's one of the main reasons I have never done up a Halloween night display.  I'm not there most of the night.

Oh, hell no.  In fact, I'm making a special trip to give my wife the car early so I don't have to pick her up later on.  Sarah will take the kids out trick-or-treating.  At least that's the plan.  It was the plan last year until she fell a bit ill, so I elected to take them instead of staying at the house.  She felt better shortly, but too late to get the games out at a decent time.

Great idea !!

Well, if this is of any help ..... kids generally don't care what the games "look" like. So if you have it handy and it works stick it out there. (especially if it'll be fairly dark anyways)

That's the idea.  More or less I'm just trying to get them working for this event.  DK needs a cap kit on the monitor (and who knows what else until I get that done) and Defender needs buttoning up and some adjustment.  Centipede has some board issues I'm trying to work out (see my thread in Restorations for the details).

[ChadTower]

Dude!  Don't skip the trick or treating!  They only do it a few times.

[SirPeale]

Dude!  Don't skip the trick or treating!  They only do it a few times.

Mom will take them out.

[SirPeale]

Oh yeah, they play...it's hard to get them to leave so others can play!  One kid came back twice!

[SirPeale]

Capped the monitor that's going in Donkey Kong. 

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=81481.msg898500#msg898500

[BobbyG66]

That's a cool idea! At least you are not having a trail of candy leading into your basement... Watch out kiddies.

We have a guy down the street that has a popcorn machine, you know the big ol' movie theater style.
It attracts alot of people, you can smell it for a couple of blocks.
There is usually a line there in between batches.

[SirPeale]

Here's the forecast @ weather.com for the month.

http://www.weather.com/weather/monthly/05301?from=36hr_topnav_undeclared

Just keeping my eye on the 31st.  Hoping for 70 degrees and sunny.

[shardian]

Back in the day, I would have given up candy to play your games for free! Kids nowadays? I am personally shocked that they stick around to play.

[ChadTower]

Cabs have TV screens.  Kids will stand around a TV screen showing a test pattern if you don't shoo them away from it.

[TheShanMan]

Cabs have TV screens.  Kids will stand around a TV screen showing a test pattern if you don't shoo them away from it.

I agree that kids would be interested in the games. After all, they're free and they're different from what they're used to playing. Whether they're hooked by the time they're done playing is another question. I know my son would be on those machines like white on rice, but then again, I'm making sure to raise him properly.

[Ummon]

Cabs have TV screens.  Kids will stand around a TV screen showing a test pattern if you don't shoo them away from it.

...I know my son would be on those machines like white on rice, but then again, I'm making sure to raise him properly.

No ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---, that is funny. But, um, rice is made white.

[SirPeale]

Cabs have TV screens.  Kids will stand around a TV screen showing a test pattern if you don't shoo them away from it.

...I know my son would be on those machines like white on rice, but then again, I'm making sure to raise him properly.

No ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---, that is funny. But, um, rice is made white.

 

[gokun]

I think he was saying like white on rice on a paper plate in a snowstorm, ya know?. ;p

No ---Cleveland steamer---, that is funny. But, um, rice is made white.

[SirPeale]

Got the Centipede running today without graphics glitches.  Yay!  One down.

[Ummon]

I think he was saying like white on rice on a paper plate in a snowstorm, ya know?. ;p

No ---Cleveland steamer---, that is funny. But, um, rice is made white.

Now that one I've not even remotely heard. Anyways, I was just subtly pointing out the cliche culturally biased.

[TheShanMan]

Now that one I've not even remotely heard. Anyways, I was just subtly pointing out the cliche culturally biased.

Does it matter? It's just a saying. And FWIW I only eat brown rice anyway.

[ChadTower]

I only eat brown rice anyway.

You, sir, are a ricist.

[TheShanMan]

That was awesome Chad! You're right. I do discriminate against white rice.

[ChadTower]

That was awesome Chad! You're right. I do discriminate against white rice.

The funny part is that I'm sure there are several people on this forum that actually say it that way.   

[SirPeale]

Bloody hell...Centipede decided to stop working again.  Same error as before.

I still need to pull DK from storage and pop the monitor in it.  I've been resistant to doing so because of space issues.

[SirPeale]

And!  According to weather.com we're looking @ 57 degrees and sunny.  Yes!

[ChadTower]

Does everything there get coated in heavy condensation once the sun goes down the way it does here?  It's really, really heavy here at the end of Oct.  You'd think it had just rained every morning.

[SirPeale]

Not until much later.  But yes the dew is pretty heavy in the AM.

Still trying to figure out why 'pede keeps screwing up.  Going to go over it - again - with the iron.

[SirPeale]

Raining now...tomorrow too, according to weather.com.  Friday still looks like good weather.  But we know how that can change...

[Ummon]

Gotten right warm here. I don't know how much the kids go out round here anymore though. I'd definitely be heading to your house.

[web.geek]

Gotten right warm here. I don't know how much the kids go out round here anymore though. I'd definitely be heading to your house.

It's supposed to reach 91 here in Phoenix! I'll be dressed in my usual "Beer-drinking Dad escorting his kids trick-or-treating" costume 

[SirPeale]

Pulled DK out of storage today.  Popped in my repaired EZ.  Good pic, just hot on red and slightly out of focus.  Red was easy (tweak pot) focus I'll have to remove the flyback shield.  It'll be fine for tomorrow.

Can't remove the marquee retainer, the screws have rusted too much.  I even cut a slot with my Dremel...no dice.  I just bent my screwdriver. 

Centipede I haven't touched again, but last time I turned it on I played for about ten minutes.  Who knows how long it'll last next time.

Arkanoid won't be going out because the monitor developed a fault just as I was buttoning it up. 

48-in-1 just needs a glass to be "playable".  Could use a marquee light, but I don't have one that's together right this second.

I don't think Defender will be joining the party.  It was a pin enough getting DK here today.  Damn shame, I've been wanting to play it since I repaired it!

[ChadTower]

Sounds like it's going to be a great time.  Nice work.

[SirPeale]

Sounds like it's going to be a great time.  Nice work.

Here's hoping!  I nearly called the whole thing off.  I've been sicker than usual for the last few weeks.  I'm still not feeling well, but I really want to do this.  I've been looking forward to it all year.

[ChadTower]

Here's hoping!  I nearly called the whole thing off.  I've been sicker than usual for the last few weeks.  I'm still not feeling well, but I really want to do this.  I've been looking forward to it all year.

Is that the same antibiotic problem you had before?

[SirPeale]

Who even knows anymore.  I'm certainly not getting any better.

[shardian]

Forget the games, are you doing the Hallowindow? 

[SirPeale]

I wish!

[ChadTower]

I had plans to get Hallowindow set up and tested tonight.  Then my boss volunteered me to work at 10pm and my wife promised the kids, without checking with me first, that I would help them carve 3 jack o lanterns for school tomorrow.   

So no Hallowindow for 2008 here.