Why would I not like the arcades anymore?

[Keatah]

It might be as simple as the innocence of youth and that games were more creative and diverse when they first came out. Today they're essentially copies of each other, racing & fighting.. How boring. And the short amount of game time. You have to work too hard to stay with the game for any length of time and then it becomes a task, a job. Not relaxation and fun.

 

Over the past 20 years I've also taken a liking to complex PC simulations, something you won't find in arcades. And then I ask, what am I getting out of this? What's the real benefit? And then there is brand marketing - arcades seem full of marketing and mascots. Back then they were about the games.

 

I can see spending $200+ at 257 when we go there 2 weeks!

[Cynicaster]

I've definitely found that arcades nowadays tend to contain no shortage of disappointments. Now, this is distinct from any kind of "repulsion" or "sickness" or whatever because my enthusiasm or desire to play is not the problem.

 

There are absolutely no arcades in my area, but I've done a fair bit of traveling around in the last few years for both work and fun and have always made a point to hunt down arcades near my destinations, even if it's just for a quick stop in to check them out.

 

I won't name any names, but so far they've all pretty much been the same in this respect. I'll be like "hell yeah, Robotron!" or "saweet, they have Xevious!" and I'll eagerly step up to the machine to play. Unfortunately though, all too often, I start a game on the machine and find that the joystick won't hit diagonals, or the screen is dim and jittery, or the sound isn't working... at which point it occurs to me, I can play this on my basement MAME cabinet for free with a bright/crisp display, sound as loud as I want it, and controls that work perfectly. The "authenticity" of cig-burned CPO's and original leaf joysticks is great, but it's useless to me if I can't even play the game properly.

 

I understand these machines are decades old and require meticulous upkeep to play at the level I want, but that explanation is little consolation when I'm at the arcade ready to play "for real" but can't play anywhere near the level I can play on an emulator at home. It's not even about the money, as in "Shit man, I paid for these tokens and the games aren't even working right... this is bullshit"; the disappointment is all in the simple fact that I feel so close, yet so far away, from having a great arcade experience on these classic machines.

[+Random Terrain]

I've definitely found that arcades nowadays tend to contain no shortage of disappointments. Now, this is distinct from any kind of "repulsion" or "sickness" or whatever because my enthusiasm or desire to play is not the problem.

 

There are absolutely no arcades in my area, but I've done a fair bit of traveling around in the last few years for both work and fun and have always made a point to hunt down arcades near my destinations, even if it's just for a quick stop in to check them out.

 

I won't name any names, but so far they've all pretty much been the same in this respect. I'll be like "hell yeah, Robotron!" or "saweet, they have Xevious!" and I'll eagerly step up to the machine to play. Unfortunately though, all too often, I start a game on the machine and find that the joystick won't hit diagonals, or the screen is dim and jittery, or the sound isn't working... at which point it occurs to me, I can play this on my basement MAME cabinet for free with a bright/crisp display, sound as loud as I want it, and controls that work perfectly. The "authenticity" of cig-burned CPO's and original leaf joysticks is great, but it's useless to me if I can't even play the game properly.

 

I understand these machines are decades old and require meticulous upkeep to play at the level I want, but that explanation is little consolation when I'm at the arcade ready to play "for real" but can't play anywhere near the level I can play on an emulator at home. It's not even about the money, as in "Shit man, I paid for these tokens and the games aren't even working right... this is bullshit"; the disappointment is all in the simple fact that I feel so close, yet so far away, from having a great arcade experience on these classic machines.

 

But you're supposed to "play" like you're supposed to watch The Walking Dead. It's all about feelings, drama, and character development, not about excitement and fun. Classic arcade games aren't supposed to be played for real. If you're old enough to remember the 1980s, you're supposed to plop in a token and let the memories wash over you and have dramatic feelings. Actually trying to play would make you look like a guy with a huge beer belly who still has a Flock of Seagulls hairdo or a goofy mullet.

 

youtube.com/watch?v=jGCJ_F0z4WU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGCJ_F0z4WU

 

Young people are supposed to "play" ironically or as part of their character development. They can pretend to play classic arcade games to make themselves seem more interesting. It adds to the drama of their fake complicated personalities that they use to get laid.

 

[82-T/A]

Hard to answer... but maybe you're just kind of over it.

 

I had the same feeling a couple of months ago when an old computer that I ordered (an old 386 SX Laptop) came in the mail. I was totally unexcited, seemed like a burden. 10+ years ago, that same laptop would have thrilled me.

 

But sometimes our likes and dislikes go in phases.

[Keatah]

I've definitely found that arcades nowadays tend to contain no shortage of disappointments. . .

 

Unfortunately though, all too often, I start a game on the machine and find that the joystick won't hit diagonals, or the screen is dim and jittery, or the sound isn't working... at which point it occurs to me, I can play this on my basement MAME cabinet for free with a bright/crisp display, sound as loud as I want it, and controls that work perfectly.

 

I understand these machines are decades old and require meticulous upkeep to play at the level I want, but that explanation is little consolation when I'm at the arcade ready to play "for real" but can't play anywhere near the level I can play on an emulator at home.

 

 

I was probably "ruined" and spoiled by M.A.M.E. The consistency, comfort, convenience, configurability, and especially the reliability it brings to classic gaming is unparalleled anywhere.

 

In continuing to extol mame's virtues and thinking back to the early 1980's; I never ever thought I'd be able to buy "arcade hardware" in a department store. "Arcade hardware" in this context refers to the equipment you need to run mame today.. Let alone think it possible to have a circuit board (motherboard) which was strong enough to play music and run the program in the Zaxxon cabinet at the same time. It was just too heady! Ohh yes I dreamed about such things but got laughed at so much I gave up on it all and just rolled with the times.

 

Sometime in 1997, mame's first year of being out there, it supported awesome classics like Xevious, Tempest, Gyruss, Zaxxon, and many others. http://mamedev.org/oldrel.html

Once 1997 passed I knew mame came of age and emulation was going to be the way forward.

[backflipper]

I think you need to go with friends who enjoy playing these games as well.

 

I have always found taking the girlfriend doesn't really work out for them.

[Keatah]

Hahaha!! I think I was even more worse than Buff Johnson during the twilight of the arcade fad.

[Shaggy the Atarian]

It all depends on what expectations you have and at what level visiting a particular arcade will fulfill them.

 

I get all sorts of people in the arcade and I observe a lot of different expectations.

 

Most are just there to be entertained, they aren't looking to relive 1982. As long as the games they want to play work, then they are happy.

 

Some do come in looking for ONE particular game. If I don't have it, then I "suck". More than once I've heard people claim "oh man, if you just had x game, I would be here all the time!" - I've got a game I've heard a few people claim that they want badly and then it never gets played, it just eats up my electrical bill.

 

Then there are those that will wander in and say "oh MAN, it is so awesome to see an arcade! I haven't been in one in years! It is so cool that you are doing this" then they leave without spending a dime. I think those have a particular memory of the past and don't want it spoiled by realizing that maybe the games play differently than they remember them or something else. It is a bit annoying to hear that though, why bother to lather on praise if you aren't willing to give a little support?

 

Everyone does expect that the games will work but knowing whether every button and switch is operating when you have a big collection is easier said than done. Most of the time no one tells me when there is a coin jam until you cannot put any more coins into the machine or a control can linger for a while not working. I don't have the time to go through and test every switch every single day. But especially with the classics I've found that people's memories override things more than anything else "I can't do combos with the joystick" or "the stick doesn't move like I like it" but I check them and everything is fine. There is nothing I can do about that, I can't win against memories (which often are not accurate as they become romanticized over time).

 

The reason places like D&Bs probably don't have a ton of classics is because they won't get played no matter what condition they are in. The way people talk about classics online makes it seem like right now they are probably hauling in $500/wk but the reality is 50¢, a dollar, in the case of Ms. Pac-Man maybe $20. I have quite a few classics but no matter what I do, they never make anything if they are not called Ms. Pac-Man or Donkey Kong. Especially my Atari games, I'm lucky if all of them combined makes me $10 a week, even when the displays and controls are operating like they should. Arcades do still have to face the realities of bills so most of the time they are going to stock games that make money, not stuff that gets them a thumbs up on Facebook but makes nothing (crazy collectors like myself tend to be the exception but almost half of my arcade is '00-'15 games at this point)

[Cynicaster]

It all depends on what expectations you have and at what level visiting a particular arcade will fulfill them.

 

I get all sorts of people in the arcade and I observe a lot of different expectations.

 

Most are just there to be entertained, they aren't looking to relive 1982. As long as the games they want to play work, then they are happy.

 

Some do come in looking for ONE particular game. If I don't have it, then I "suck". More than once I've heard people claim "oh man, if you just had x game, I would be here all the time!" - I've got a game I've heard a few people claim that they want badly and then it never gets played, it just eats up my electrical bill.

 

Then there are those that will wander in and say "oh MAN, it is so awesome to see an arcade! I haven't been in one in years! It is so cool that you are doing this" then they leave without spending a dime. I think those have a particular memory of the past and don't want it spoiled by realizing that maybe the games play differently than they remember them or something else. It is a bit annoying to hear that though, why bother to lather on praise if you aren't willing to give a little support?

 

Everyone does expect that the games will work but knowing whether every button and switch is operating when you have a big collection is easier said than done. Most of the time no one tells me when there is a coin jam until you cannot put any more coins into the machine or a control can linger for a while not working. I don't have the time to go through and test every switch every single day. But especially with the classics I've found that people's memories override things more than anything else "I can't do combos with the joystick" or "the stick doesn't move like I like it" but I check them and everything is fine. There is nothing I can do about that, I can't win against memories (which often are not accurate as they become romanticized over time).

 

The reason places like D&Bs probably don't have a ton of classics is because they won't get played no matter what condition they are in. The way people talk about classics online makes it seem like right now they are probably hauling in $500/wk but the reality is 50¢, a dollar, in the case of Ms. Pac-Man maybe $20. I have quite a few classics but no matter what I do, they never make anything if they are not called Ms. Pac-Man or Donkey Kong. Especially my Atari games, I'm lucky if all of them combined makes me $10 a week, even when the displays and controls are operating like they should. Arcades do still have to face the realities of bills so most of the time they are going to stock games that make money, not stuff that gets them a thumbs up on Facebook but makes nothing (crazy collectors like myself tend to be the exception but almost half of my arcade is '00-'15 games at this point)

 

I totally get everything that you're saying. It's gotta be tough to be a lover of classic games, and watch them sit there taking up space in your business while making you little to no money.

 

I checked out your site and if I lived in that area I'd be there at least 2-3 times a month for a few hours, guaranteed.

[Shaggy the Atarian]

 

I totally get everything that you're saying. It's gotta be tough to be a lover of classic games, and watch them sit there taking up space in your business while making you little to no money.

 

I checked out your site and if I lived in that area I'd be there at least 2-3 times a month for a few hours, guaranteed.

 

I do try ways to get people to play, such as posting the #1 score with a picture of the person on the game as well as offering small prizes for beating a certain score. Often if I coax someone into giving a classic a try they will like it (especially getting groups to try Warlords) but I can't do that all the time. Most arcades are not going to bother though.

 

I guess the best, simple answer to the original poster is try a different arcade. Fortunately there are more and more opening up out there and perhaps one will provide that vibe that you are looking for.

[Syzygy1]

The arcades died and got replaced with crappy redemption games, that's why!

[Bill Loguidice]

Even many classic-themed arcades, with genuine classic arcade machines, still don't evoke the same feeling anymore. Part of the reason is us, we've aged and we've experienced tons more since the days of classic arcades, plus we've played most of those games tons of times by now. The other part of the problem is one that can't really be addressed and that's the allure/"danger" of a game being tied to a single quarter. Most of these places now are set to free play (you pay a flat fee by the half hour) or you use a redemption card that makes it very difficult to tie what you're paying to what you're playing (i.e., it's too much of an abstraction). In short, there are no real stakes and that affects the enjoyment.

 

Think about MAME for a moment. We would have just about murdered to have something like that back in the day, but today having access to thousands of arcade machines on a variety of devices for "free" does little more than evoke a "meh!" for the most part. We've become spoiled (and I'm not saying that's not a good thing either--it is).

[Keatah]

The arcades used to be "a thing" back in the day. Kind of like car hops. While Sonic is set-up as such, the 50's and 60's attitude is gone. The fashion style is gone. For the arcade the importance of the hi-score is also lost today. And I also agree the danger of playing badly would shorten the amount of time you spent at the arcade as your supply of quarters dried up was a real motivator. Today we can just hit the reset button and play again for free.

 

Back in the day I even made some sort of MAME contraption. I disassembled some of my consoles and mounted the boards inside my Pirates Treasure Chest. But being like 7 years old I didn't know how to make a multi-cart selector. I only knew enough about electronics to know things like batteries and power supplies and switches. So I ended up with this 30kg wood crate that was full of circuits and could play like games from 5 systems. I saved all the screws and housings and didn't cut any wires, so it was a simple matter to re-assemble the consoles when I got tired of that - which was relatively soon.

 

I recall being laughed out of a lunch conversation with my dad and a bunch of stodgy old IBM engineers. I'm pretty sure we were all at McDonalds. I told them I wanted a suitcase that could hold and play ALL my video games AND all my favorite arcade games so I could take them to school with me. Or even smaller so I could take it to Disneyland and play with it during the upcoming ELO concert or while riding the monorail. I got laughed out of the discussion faster than 0 changes to 1.

 

Can you imagine the pile of hardware you'd need to equal all the features in Altirra..for example.. And with emulation it all works with 100% reliability. No need for screwdrivers and contact cleaner, no need for searching for replacement capacitors and connectors and power supplies. No intermittent cartridge slots. No fading plastic, no keyboard issues, no tear-down cleaning sessions. No fear of damaging anything really. No endless searching through magazines and auctions and going through transactions and physically acquiring all this material, let alone fixing it when it breaks. If you fuck something up you can just start again with a fresh .ini file. Now extend this to all other classic systems and arcade cabinets.

 

Most importantly, emulation is allowing us, today, to see and experience how unobtainable hardware from our childhood works. I couldn't afford a Model II then, let alone hard disks for it or any of the other micros of the day except for the Apple II. And that was sort of an arbitrary choice at the time. Hmm.. Which system should I "get into" and "deck out"? Well, I got a lot of stuff for the Apple II, might as well continue on with it.

 

It takes a full-size electronics' shop to support these machines. Not forgetting an internet-sized spare parts warehouse. Consider Especially the arcade cabinets and their aging CRT monitors and power supplies. What with their physical size and numerous seemingly endless fail-points. You'll be spending more time tweaking and adjust and replacing things than you do actually playing the games.

 

But with emulation if you do break your host hardware you can do some curbside cruising or splurge at Wal-Mart or BigBox and you're in business again. And with emulation you can eliminate huge MOUNDS of physical items. Say nothing of the time needed to search through piles of cartridges to find the one game you want to play right now.

 

I can tell you that almost every day I look upon my emulation collection with amazement and reverence. That it is actually here! It was something I dreamed about many-a night while reading my astronomy and space books. We'd imagine going on the space shuttle and getting blown out of orbit into a deep space voyage. And we'd have a real arcade set up in the cargo bay and all that.

 

In reality I had to settle for consoles, cartridges, controllers, and a crt. All stuffed under the mattress which was partly propped up at a 45 degree angle and sides closed off with those 70's bean bags and covered with a tent. And our Lunar Lander missions were the stuff of legends.