Decepticon
Mizuki's Demon
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Magnaflux said:
Use Linux
If you were to open an arcade, how would you go about doing it??
- Thread starter Sythe
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Mizuki's Demon
Use Linux
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I'm loving this thread to bits, everyone. Thanks for the imputs and suggestions on making a great arcade.
Most game rooms and fun centers have nice and expensive games...even classic ones...plus pool tables, air hockey, CHEXX Hockey & Foosball however the mainstay of many gameroom these days are redemption games like Skeeball, Cyclone, etc. The games that pay out tickets so you can win stuff.
Don't get me wrong. I love the idea of a "video games" only arcade but I don't think it could survive on games alone.
Someone mention cost of games. In order to compete, you need the latest games but when the distributor can charge $10,000 for a Time Crisis 3, the operator can NOT charge only a quarter or even 50 cents a play and expect to pay for it. That's the main reason they charge 50...75 cents...even a $1 a play.
Classic games are nice but the kids of today have better access to better games on the home consoles and most likely will play it once and that's it.
In the entire Phoenix Metro area, there is only ONE 'pure' arcade left. They have roughly 100 games including an impressive 4 cabinet dual sit-down Daytona USA that plays 8 people...new games, classics like Tron, Joust, Tetris...a room with just pinballs and cocktail tables, another room with pool tables and air hockey tables and a projection TV set-up that shows a 6' by 8' screen of a game. An excellent place.
I think a arcade has a better chance in a smaller town or city with less competition where something like this would be welcomed and more appreciated. Getting top-notch games are nice but the best games to get are the ones that work, hold the interest of the players and experience little or no down time. Neo-Geos are great since games can be swapped easily and affordably. Ultracade is a good buy since the kit itself goes for under $1800 and comes with 88 games without worrying about a program crashing in it.
Gun games are a must and very affordable. Driving games always make money but be prepared to spend a bit on those...even the older ones can be costy.
Pinball machines are great however the biggest drawbacks on them...high maintenance. that's what almost wiped out the industry.
I don't claim to know everything about running an arcade. I've been in the business for 20 years myself and seen the rise and fall of the games in the early 80's and have seen them evolved thoughout its lifetime. Personally...I'm a classic game player who enjoys the games from times past. Maybe there is a future for them. Many companies are remaking these games to introduce to the next generation of game players.
Thanks for taking the time to read my post. Good day
Most game rooms and fun centers have nice and expensive games...even classic ones...plus pool tables, air hockey, CHEXX Hockey & Foosball however the mainstay of many gameroom these days are redemption games like Skeeball, Cyclone, etc. The games that pay out tickets so you can win stuff.
Don't get me wrong. I love the idea of a "video games" only arcade but I don't think it could survive on games alone.
Someone mention cost of games. In order to compete, you need the latest games but when the distributor can charge $10,000 for a Time Crisis 3, the operator can NOT charge only a quarter or even 50 cents a play and expect to pay for it. That's the main reason they charge 50...75 cents...even a $1 a play.
Classic games are nice but the kids of today have better access to better games on the home consoles and most likely will play it once and that's it.
In the entire Phoenix Metro area, there is only ONE 'pure' arcade left. They have roughly 100 games including an impressive 4 cabinet dual sit-down Daytona USA that plays 8 people...new games, classics like Tron, Joust, Tetris...a room with just pinballs and cocktail tables, another room with pool tables and air hockey tables and a projection TV set-up that shows a 6' by 8' screen of a game. An excellent place.
I think a arcade has a better chance in a smaller town or city with less competition where something like this would be welcomed and more appreciated. Getting top-notch games are nice but the best games to get are the ones that work, hold the interest of the players and experience little or no down time. Neo-Geos are great since games can be swapped easily and affordably. Ultracade is a good buy since the kit itself goes for under $1800 and comes with 88 games without worrying about a program crashing in it.
Gun games are a must and very affordable. Driving games always make money but be prepared to spend a bit on those...even the older ones can be costy.
Pinball machines are great however the biggest drawbacks on them...high maintenance. that's what almost wiped out the industry.
I don't claim to know everything about running an arcade. I've been in the business for 20 years myself and seen the rise and fall of the games in the early 80's and have seen them evolved thoughout its lifetime. Personally...I'm a classic game player who enjoys the games from times past. Maybe there is a future for them. Many companies are remaking these games to introduce to the next generation of game players.
Thanks for taking the time to read my post. Good day
SeaWolf69
Haomaru's Blade Shiner
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Hah,
I would buy alot of PCB's & cabinets. To hell with the music, tv's, etc. Just alot of killer games
. Up here in Alaska there is alot of things to do except play video games & watch movies 
. The last Arcade up here did very well, the reason it closed is because the owner got too old & closed it down. Sold all of the cabinets & that was that. I already have one, going to pick up a few more. I already have my nephews & neices breaking down my door to play it. Hah, they even bring their own quarters to play. So, why the hell not, I already have enough PCB's for 12 cabinets 
. If it doesn't work out, I'll still have all those games to myself .
I would buy alot of PCB's & cabinets. To hell with the music, tv's, etc. Just alot of killer games
. Up here in Alaska there is alot of things to do except play video games & watch movies . The last Arcade up here did very well, the reason it closed is because the owner got too old & closed it down. Sold all of the cabinets & that was that. I already have one, going to pick up a few more. I already have my nephews & neices breaking down my door to play it. Hah, they even bring their own quarters to play. So, why the hell not, I already have enough PCB's for 12 cabinets . If it doesn't work out, I'll still have all those games to myself .
the best games too have is puzzle bobble in a 1 slot and xmen vs street fighter or if you had a retro department for your arcade put on super street fighter or better yet space invaders
but i have an arcade of my own and thinking of getting another one for the fun of it and put the greatest fighter the world has ever seen super fighter
but i have an arcade of my own and thinking of getting another one for the fun of it and put the greatest fighter the world has ever seen super fighter
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SeaWolf69 said:Hah,
I would buy alot of PCB's & cabinets. To hell with the music, tv's, etc. Just alot of killer games
That's by far the cheapest way to set up a game room...get JAMMA convertable cabinets and the PCBs so you can freely and cheaply rotate games. Having the bells and whistles like TV's, music and such isn't a necessity IMO.
Also a good thing to do is have the parts for the games handy. Worse thing in the world to have is having a game with a crappy joystick, sticky buttons and a coin mech that won't take anyone's money
My Arcade
This is how, i'd make MY arcade. I'd have the top floor be with all the bells and whistles, some vending machines, some of the ticket games, some music games (I'm thinking DDR, Guitar Freaks, that DJ game). The reason for the music games to be up there, is because it would be quieter then the bottom floor.
The bottom floor would be where it's at. I'd have about 4 50 inch MEGALO's with the newest, most money making 2D games. I'd have about 2 4 slot Super Neo 29's with some classics. Then i'd have a whole bunch of Versus City's
3 for Street Fighter 3rd Strike
1 for Street Fighter Alpha Three
2 for the newest KOF
1 for Matrimelee
1 for SvC
1 for the newest Guilty Gear
Then in another corner would be 4 linked New Astro City's with either Gundam DX or some linkable beat 'em up game.
Of course, this would be how it'd be if I am going to make it right now.
For location, i'd pick Kobe. Because I just loved my stay there.
This is how, i'd make MY arcade. I'd have the top floor be with all the bells and whistles, some vending machines, some of the ticket games, some music games (I'm thinking DDR, Guitar Freaks, that DJ game). The reason for the music games to be up there, is because it would be quieter then the bottom floor.
The bottom floor would be where it's at. I'd have about 4 50 inch MEGALO's with the newest, most money making 2D games. I'd have about 2 4 slot Super Neo 29's with some classics. Then i'd have a whole bunch of Versus City's
3 for Street Fighter 3rd Strike
1 for Street Fighter Alpha Three
2 for the newest KOF
1 for Matrimelee
1 for SvC
1 for the newest Guilty Gear
Then in another corner would be 4 linked New Astro City's with either Gundam DX or some linkable beat 'em up game.
Of course, this would be how it'd be if I am going to make it right now.
For location, i'd pick Kobe. Because I just loved my stay there.
Charles Franklin Fernandez
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C.N. Fuzzy said:
The only thing about the 80's that I miss is the Golden Age of Arcades.
Maybe in Florida, but not in California. In the City were I live, which is fairly large, there is only one arcade and it is located inside Paramount's Great America. The City Council is so hard headed that they do not allow anymore arcades within the city limits because they believe that it promotes violence
My city is located right next to a large city, and I only know about two Nickel Cities.
There was a large arcade in the Great Mall of The Bay Area that was forced to shut down when Dave And Busters open a chain there.
You haven't heard about static shock haven't you. And even if the machines are up to code, shit still happens. Also the electrical scenario was just an example. There are still other liabilities, like some stupid shit that succesfully tiped the arcade machine over him/her.
Insurance companies can lower the rate somewhat, but there are still too much liabilities for them not to take under consideration. BTW, I know many arcade operators that where forced to close their arcade because they could no longer afford insurance.
You are entitled to your own opinion as I am entitled to my mine.
***Sarcasm on***
Gee, I can just see the masses lining up around 3 city blocks just to play a 12 year old game.
***Sarcasm off***
I completely agree with you there.
OK, tell me one thing. Are you just responsible to collect the money? Do you drive around town to fix a machine when it brakes down? And do you carry enough parts to fix the machine? Or do you have someone else do that for you?
Your word not mine
Last edited:
C.N. Fuzzy
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Static Shock....isn't that a cartoon on Saturday Mornings? =)
Actually static electricity is not much of a concern here in FL, as the temperature is very rarely cold enough. As to the other liabilities, I agree... never understimate the power of human stupidity. A trend that is becoming more and more popular however, is that many of these arcades are using wavers that many customers dont even realize they have agreed to... example....XS Orlando uses a standardized liability waver, that basically works out that if you use their cards (the arcade uses a card-swipe sytem instead of quarters) you agree to their terms and conditions... this is one of the reasons the card is not tranferable.
Actually, That's four things....But to answer your questions, I do Collect the Money, I do Repair the Machines when they break, I do carry enough parts to fix most problems, I am the only one that does this for the locations I am responsable for. I am also the one that tranfers the games between the locations.
-Daniel
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Charles Franklin Fernandez
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C.N. Fuzzy said:
Well in California, static electricity is a concern since it has desert like weather and the temperature does tend to be cold enough.
I know that Dave and Busters uses a similar waiver as they also use non-transferable cards. But let's remember that your average arcade operator cannot afford such lawyers as Dave and Busters or another big arcade chain can.
Well sir you earned my respect. And to be clear, in my original post I was not trying to put everybody down with their ideas of opening an arcade. But I was trying to show them the other side of the coin. Things are not always as rosy as they seem to be. And my points were valid ones as they are pointed out by arcade operators and distributors that have been in the business for over 20 years.
Charles
C.N. Fuzzy
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Your points are valid, I guess I am just incurably optimistic, after all Murphy was an optimist too. =)
Actually your posts did give me a chance to do some serious thinking, as opening an arcade within the next 3 years is an actual goal of mine, here in Greater Orlando.
-Daniel
Moon Jump
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I hate getting into posts during a flame war, but who the hell cares.
What's sad about arcades is that you NEED redemption games. As much as all the hardcore gamers hate them, they make the most money. My friend runs 6 of the FYE arcades in the northeast. And at every arcade, redemption games make the most money.
But there a few arcades that have NO redemption games and they do fine, because they have a good ammount of people that have been going to the arcade for years.
Chinatown Fair in NYC has all arcade games and no redemption games. The whole place is pretty much Neo-Geo fighters, Capcom Fighters, a handfull of old 80's games, 3 Music games, 2 pinball machines and a couple of puzzle games.
But people missing the arcades of the 80's should go to Jersey and visit 8 on the Break. They have a great crowd of people that come every day to play all the fighting games they have. They also have there own snack bar with REALLY good food, and there also a Pool Hall. But there's one thing that sets 8 apart from other acades. There games are allways in perfect working order. They have 8 pinball machines and there ALLWAYS perfect because the guy fixes them all the time.
So if you go to make an arcade, check to see how the neighborhood is. If it's full of kids redemption games are the way to go. But if you notice a more older crowd of people put some older games in and games that do the best.
Shooters like The Lost World allways make a ton of money, big cabs make alot of money, it doesn't even matter what game is in there, my arcade has an nice sit down cab with SportsJam in it and it makes a killing because it's an easy game for everybody, and the cab is great.
So just make sure if you open an arcade, get people that can fix stuff and care about the place. Hold tounraments, special offers and just do stuff to have the people keep coming in.
What's sad about arcades is that you NEED redemption games. As much as all the hardcore gamers hate them, they make the most money. My friend runs 6 of the FYE arcades in the northeast. And at every arcade, redemption games make the most money.
But there a few arcades that have NO redemption games and they do fine, because they have a good ammount of people that have been going to the arcade for years.
Chinatown Fair in NYC has all arcade games and no redemption games. The whole place is pretty much Neo-Geo fighters, Capcom Fighters, a handfull of old 80's games, 3 Music games, 2 pinball machines and a couple of puzzle games.
But people missing the arcades of the 80's should go to Jersey and visit 8 on the Break. They have a great crowd of people that come every day to play all the fighting games they have. They also have there own snack bar with REALLY good food, and there also a Pool Hall. But there's one thing that sets 8 apart from other acades. There games are allways in perfect working order. They have 8 pinball machines and there ALLWAYS perfect because the guy fixes them all the time.
So if you go to make an arcade, check to see how the neighborhood is. If it's full of kids redemption games are the way to go. But if you notice a more older crowd of people put some older games in and games that do the best.
Shooters like The Lost World allways make a ton of money, big cabs make alot of money, it doesn't even matter what game is in there, my arcade has an nice sit down cab with SportsJam in it and it makes a killing because it's an easy game for everybody, and the cab is great.
So just make sure if you open an arcade, get people that can fix stuff and care about the place. Hold tounraments, special offers and just do stuff to have the people keep coming in.
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YuckMud said:
Very well said. Main reason redemption games and big cabinet games do so well are simple...they can't be duplicated on the home consoles (though that would be funny to see a PS2 spit out tickets if you win the game LOL!!!).
In the game room I run, the 1988 Sega classic G-Loc makes great money despite being a mediocre game because it's a moving sit-in game. Marvel vs Capcom and Crisis Zone biggies since they're on giant big screens. The older people play the gun games and Pac-Man since they're easy to understand.
I'd love to go to an arcade with tournaments and contests. Way back in the early 80's I won a statewide tounament on Sinistar and walked away with a pinball machine...the highlight of my life...along with getting the world record on 1943: The Battle of Midway
Charles Franklin Fernandez
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YuckMud said:
I am sorry that you saw my posts as part of a flame war. As I posted before, I was trying to show the other side of the coin. Things are not always as rosy as they seem to be. And my points were valid ones as they are pointed out by arcade operators and distributors that have been in the business for over 20 years.
And thank you to bring up the redemption games because I completely forgot about them. As another member mentioned they cannot be duplicated on the home consoles, and kids can always get good prizes.
Charles
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Charles Franklin Fernandez said:
I be that other member
It's gotten to the point where a game room can't survive without redemption games and make a profit. Per example, in the game room I run, redemption games i.e. skeeballs, Cyclones and cranes do about 65 to 70% of all game room business. Of the video games themselves, the dual sit-down games and big screen games represent 25% of the videos but haul in close to 60% of all revenue. These games of course can't be easily duplicated on home consoles. That's the draw to game rooms these days
I never really gave much thought to having redemption Games in my arcade, but in all the locations I have thought about opening in, younger kids would be a major part of my market, so that would be a good way to go. Now, I would need to hear more good ideas like that so I could sell this idea to a bank to get the funding I need to start this whole operation.
Cookie Monster
Mega Shock!!
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I would rent a room in a mall, or a fair, or next to a night club, a place where alot of youngsters hang around.
Then a I would rent the machines not buy them. But before renting games I would go check out in some arcade rooms which games are successful.
The last time I went to an arcade the most successful game was "King of Fighters 2002", there was like 10 guys waiting their turn to play. So I would rent 2 "KoF2002" cabinets (or what ever successful game), the second most successful was "Street Fighter III 3rd Strike", there was like 4 guys waiting their turn, I would rent 1 cabinet, etc.
Personnally I would go for cheap to rent but successful games.
Then a I would rent the machines not buy them. But before renting games I would go check out in some arcade rooms which games are successful.
The last time I went to an arcade the most successful game was "King of Fighters 2002", there was like 10 guys waiting their turn to play. So I would rent 2 "KoF2002" cabinets (or what ever successful game), the second most successful was "Street Fighter III 3rd Strike", there was like 4 guys waiting their turn, I would rent 1 cabinet, etc.
Personnally I would go for cheap to rent but successful games.
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I'd lock myself in and set everything on Free Play. Gotta have some food and two clean, working toliets; one for myself and the other for my guest. It'd look like a shut down store in a mall, but in reality, I'd have a secret entrance in the back where people would give a password to enter. There'd also be a soundproof glass shield at the "entrance" of the store with a black curtain covered by a gate looking towards the rest of the mall. One more thing.....ventilation.
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Hidden Character said:
I remember a game room I ran about 15 years ago or so...I, along with a few friends would stay in the game room all night long. We got very good at games like Gauntlet and found out secrets on many a game. Not a coffee drinker, I found a good friend in JOLT Cola
Hello gentlemen. This post is going to be very long. Infact I was forced to split it into two post parts...so grab a cup of Strawberry Icee, and pull up your favorite chair! I have broken the post up in several paragraphs making it easier to read.
First of all, I just want to say...WOW. This is possibly the most entertaining and inspiring thread I have ever had the pleasure of reading on a messageboard.
Sythe... It's extremely ironic that you brought this topic up. I have been dreaming of opening my own arcade for many years, especially since I started witnessing the decline in popularity it's gone through in the last 10 years. I am now 30yrs old. I hope to have my very own arcade open to the public hopefully by the time I'm 34/35.
I would first like to start by giving you a lttle history and pointing something out...
I live in Los Angeles, near Little Tokyo. In the past 10 years or so, I've become fascinated with quite a few things derived from Japanese culture....anime and quirky unique videogames being among them. I have never been to Japan, but have always wanted to go there. I have dated a few Japanese girls and they have described it as an extremely different experience, where most people are very nice, the food is intersting, crime is low, streets are much cleaner, very crowded and of course how everything is ridiculously expensive. I have seen what a lot of it looks like and have watched many programs on TV where they would show Tokyo and other parts of Japan through the eyes of tourists.
One thing I have not accomplished however, is learning the language. I know maybe four or five words but would have a bitch of a time conversating with someone, not to mention getting helplessly lost if I ever went there without a friend.
Anyway the reason I bring all this up is because of this...
After hearing and reading about how videogames are such a major part of Japanese culture, and how they are basically a way of life, not to mention the amount of insanely hardcore players over there, I would like, if possible, and DESPITE not knowing hardly any Japanese, to open my own arcade in Tokyo, Japan. Sounds crazy 'eh??
Well here's another twist....
I also wish for my arcade to be absolutely free of charge, and invite anybody that wants to come in, to stay as long as they wish during business hours. The key to be able to manage this would be for me to establish a source of income and wealth outside of the arcade, that I can rely on to consistently cover the cost to operate and run the arcade. I am working on this, but I'm looking at a projected time of about 4-5 years from now.
The reason I would not charge anyone to play my games, is because I want as many people as possible to visit, and to meet as many hardcore Japanese players(not to mention hot chicks:P ) as possible. I will not be in it for the money! For some reason, the idea of charging people to play games at my own arcade rubs me the wrong way. I don't want to witness people dropping by and worrying about only being able to spend a few minutes playing because they don't have enough quarters to spend. I want my arcade to be one big "videogame social party"...something similar to the kind of environment you see at E3 or TGS, where people can just hang out, stay and play anything they want.
My goal is to encourage the people of Japan to get out of their homes, and to come party with me, at my arcade, without worrying about how much money to take with them. It's my goal to reintroduce people to a lot of the coin-up games that failed in the arcades, such as Sega Super GT, Sega Touring Car, Rave Racer and the currently struggling to make a profit F-Zero AX. People weren't/aren't playing these games because are/were fucking expensive! Spending a dollar a pop on your favorite racing game for 5-6 hours could easily cost you your rent money(believe me...I did it). I do not want to go down that road!
I want to be wealthy enough to manage an arcade and its expenses without charging ONE RED CENT to the gamers! I want to live and breath in my own arcade everyday, engulfed in an environment where I'm surrounded by dozens of cool, hardcore gamers who are there to compete, have a good time, get to know each other, and most important of all, who otherwise would not go to an arcade simply because they can't afford it. I want to bring these people out of their homes and revive the arcade revolution. I want to LIVE the experience! Farfetched? Maybe...but I'm not one to give up on my dreams.
Now...
As for the design, I'm thinking about a very large empty wherehouse, indoor lot, or buying a couple floors of a multi-story commercial building with plenty of sqft per floor.
I'd start by filling it up with rows upon rows of linked driving games. But here's the unique part...I would actually have each driving cabinet custom built(Yes, I know a friend who owns a company that does this), where it would be a bunch of mini Ferrari and Lambo convertible styled racing frames that you sit in. Each of these beasts would rest on a powerful 6 axis motion platform, powered by a strong hydraulic motion motor. Basically if you're playing Daytona USA for example, whenever you steer left or right, drift around the corner, get hit from behind by a another car, or scrape a wall, the whole Ferrari or Lambo cockpit would move accordingly, delivering a true sense of tactile feedback and vehicle reaction.
I'm thinking there'd be about 4 rows of racing cockpits, each row made up of 8 machines, totaling 32. Each row of these cockpits would be daisy chained together enabling 8 way mutliplayer games in each row. Each of the 32 or so racing cockpits/cabinets would sit in front of a large, three screen projection display that would wrap around you at a good angle ala Ferrari F355. Each of the three screens would be about 150"-200" in size, making the display one huge spectacle of racing nirvana.
I have broken the post up in several paragraphs making it easier to read.First of all, I just want to say...WOW. This is possibly the most entertaining and inspiring thread I have ever had the pleasure of reading on a messageboard.
Sythe... It's extremely ironic that you brought this topic up. I have been dreaming of opening my own arcade for many years, especially since I started witnessing the decline in popularity it's gone through in the last 10 years. I am now 30yrs old. I hope to have my very own arcade open to the public hopefully by the time I'm 34/35.
I would first like to start by giving you a lttle history and pointing something out...
I live in Los Angeles, near Little Tokyo. In the past 10 years or so, I've become fascinated with quite a few things derived from Japanese culture....anime and quirky unique videogames being among them. I have never been to Japan, but have always wanted to go there. I have dated a few Japanese girls and they have described it as an extremely different experience, where most people are very nice, the food is intersting, crime is low, streets are much cleaner, very crowded and of course how everything is ridiculously expensive. I have seen what a lot of it looks like and have watched many programs on TV where they would show Tokyo and other parts of Japan through the eyes of tourists.
One thing I have not accomplished however, is learning the language. I know maybe four or five words but would have a bitch of a time conversating with someone, not to mention getting helplessly lost if I ever went there without a friend.
Anyway the reason I bring all this up is because of this...
After hearing and reading about how videogames are such a major part of Japanese culture, and how they are basically a way of life, not to mention the amount of insanely hardcore players over there, I would like, if possible, and DESPITE not knowing hardly any Japanese, to open my own arcade in Tokyo, Japan. Sounds crazy 'eh??
Well here's another twist....
I also wish for my arcade to be absolutely free of charge, and invite anybody that wants to come in, to stay as long as they wish during business hours. The key to be able to manage this would be for me to establish a source of income and wealth outside of the arcade, that I can rely on to consistently cover the cost to operate and run the arcade. I am working on this, but I'm looking at a projected time of about 4-5 years from now.
The reason I would not charge anyone to play my games, is because I want as many people as possible to visit, and to meet as many hardcore Japanese players(not to mention hot chicks:P ) as possible. I will not be in it for the money! For some reason, the idea of charging people to play games at my own arcade rubs me the wrong way. I don't want to witness people dropping by and worrying about only being able to spend a few minutes playing because they don't have enough quarters to spend. I want my arcade to be one big "videogame social party"...something similar to the kind of environment you see at E3 or TGS, where people can just hang out, stay and play anything they want.
My goal is to encourage the people of Japan to get out of their homes, and to come party with me, at my arcade, without worrying about how much money to take with them. It's my goal to reintroduce people to a lot of the coin-up games that failed in the arcades, such as Sega Super GT, Sega Touring Car, Rave Racer and the currently struggling to make a profit F-Zero AX. People weren't/aren't playing these games because are/were fucking expensive! Spending a dollar a pop on your favorite racing game for 5-6 hours could easily cost you your rent money(believe me...I did it). I do not want to go down that road!
I want to be wealthy enough to manage an arcade and its expenses without charging ONE RED CENT to the gamers! I want to live and breath in my own arcade everyday, engulfed in an environment where I'm surrounded by dozens of cool, hardcore gamers who are there to compete, have a good time, get to know each other, and most important of all, who otherwise would not go to an arcade simply because they can't afford it. I want to bring these people out of their homes and revive the arcade revolution. I want to LIVE the experience! Farfetched? Maybe...but I'm not one to give up on my dreams.
Now...
As for the design, I'm thinking about a very large empty wherehouse, indoor lot, or buying a couple floors of a multi-story commercial building with plenty of sqft per floor.
I'd start by filling it up with rows upon rows of linked driving games. But here's the unique part...I would actually have each driving cabinet custom built(Yes, I know a friend who owns a company that does this), where it would be a bunch of mini Ferrari and Lambo convertible styled racing frames that you sit in. Each of these beasts would rest on a powerful 6 axis motion platform, powered by a strong hydraulic motion motor. Basically if you're playing Daytona USA for example, whenever you steer left or right, drift around the corner, get hit from behind by a another car, or scrape a wall, the whole Ferrari or Lambo cockpit would move accordingly, delivering a true sense of tactile feedback and vehicle reaction.
I'm thinking there'd be about 4 rows of racing cockpits, each row made up of 8 machines, totaling 32. Each row of these cockpits would be daisy chained together enabling 8 way mutliplayer games in each row. Each of the 32 or so racing cockpits/cabinets would sit in front of a large, three screen projection display that would wrap around you at a good angle ala Ferrari F355. Each of the three screens would be about 150"-200" in size, making the display one huge spectacle of racing nirvana.
continued....
Now for what is probably the most diffucult part of this setup...
Each of these racing cockpits would be built to house at least 15 to 20 arcade racing PCBs from the likes of Sega, Namco and Konami. I would, at the very least, install Sega Super GT, Daytona USA 1 & 2, Out Run 1 & 2, F-Zero AX, Rave Racer, Ridge Racer, RR5, Sega Indy 500, Sega Rally 1 & 2, Racing Jam(old Konami racer), and Wangan Midnight(the latest in the TXO series) in each cockpit, and then have a PCB wiring expert configure the system to allow the player to cycle between each game at their desire IN REAL TIME ala Neo Geo multi-slot cabinet.
Accompanying these fabulous racing games, that would no doubt take up a fuckload of real estate, would be a utopia of classic fighting games and arcade beat-em ups, as well as a few novelty dance and puzzle games.
Where I would place them I do not know. It would of course, depend on the kind of building I buy. But if the facility rested on one large floor, I'd probably take the liberty to place these other games along the back, up against all three walls, surrounding the 4 rows of racing games. I'd have each game installed in one those deluxe Midway MK-style cabinets that C.N. Fuzzy mentioned, Y'know, the ones housed in the newer styled cabs that are detatched from the monitor and you're looking straight ahead. I believed you could get them to house monitors up to 30-33" inches, and I would definitely purchase the newer ones from Edwards. There'd be at least one wall full of nothing but Neo-Geo fighters, and another wall lined up of nothing but brawlers from Cappy.
Another thing I'd experiment with would be placing a few 65" big screen TVs next to one another, accompanied by a few very long plush leather sofas and love seats, sitting on a thick rug. The purpose of this would be to attempt to recreate a living room environment, where gamers could take off their shoes, kick back and play some home console games on all the home systems while meeting and competing against new people.
I can see it now....I'm there, sitting on the sofa playing multiplayer Super Bomberman with a few buddies. Then suddendly a few lovely Japanese girls come and join in on the fun and we go at it all night, playing games, getting drunk, and just laughing our ass off having a good time, until I decide to close the arcade. THAT my friends, is truly an orgasmic arcade experience
Now to the serious questions...
I'm hoping Arcademan, C.N. Fuzzy, and Charles Franklin Fernandez can answer some of these questions. Going by the description of my imaginary arcade described above, which I'm hoping to turn into reality someday, what can of building would you recommend shopping for? Would you recommend a tall buisness building several stories high? Or would you go for a large sq ft abandoned wherehouse?
How much would a building, with space big enough to hold these games comfortably, cost? 50mil? 100mil? 250? 1bil?
How much of a monthly cost could I expect to shell out to run this arcade including maintenance, electricity, employees, etc?
Given that my arcade would 100% free to everyone, and would reside somewhere in Tokyo, how much traffic do you think it would generate? Do you think it will be more on the empty side, or do you envision a crowded environment?
CFF...you mentioned something like a counsel meeting and needing to get their appoval. Do you know anything about Japanese city counsels? If they discovered that my arcade is 100% free(except for food/snacks), do you think they would still allow me to open it? How receptive do you think they would be to an American, who just moved there, and wants to open and start and arcade?
Last but not least, EVEN if I had the capital to start, how feasible do you think the possibility of me doing this is, knowing hardly any Japanese at all? If I could afford to hire a translator while I learn the language, would it still present a problem in your opinion?
Anyway now that you've read about my dream, I'm hoping to hear some feedback for you guys! Even if you feel you you're not qualified to comment or give advice, I'd love to hear you speculate on this scenario. This is something I very much want to accomplish and hopefully I'll get my wish someday. Are you going to drop by?
Now for what is probably the most diffucult part of this setup...
Each of these racing cockpits would be built to house at least 15 to 20 arcade racing PCBs from the likes of Sega, Namco and Konami. I would, at the very least, install Sega Super GT, Daytona USA 1 & 2, Out Run 1 & 2, F-Zero AX, Rave Racer, Ridge Racer, RR5, Sega Indy 500, Sega Rally 1 & 2, Racing Jam(old Konami racer), and Wangan Midnight(the latest in the TXO series) in each cockpit, and then have a PCB wiring expert configure the system to allow the player to cycle between each game at their desire IN REAL TIME ala Neo Geo multi-slot cabinet.
Accompanying these fabulous racing games, that would no doubt take up a fuckload of real estate, would be a utopia of classic fighting games and arcade beat-em ups, as well as a few novelty dance and puzzle games.
Where I would place them I do not know. It would of course, depend on the kind of building I buy. But if the facility rested on one large floor, I'd probably take the liberty to place these other games along the back, up against all three walls, surrounding the 4 rows of racing games. I'd have each game installed in one those deluxe Midway MK-style cabinets that C.N. Fuzzy mentioned, Y'know, the ones housed in the newer styled cabs that are detatched from the monitor and you're looking straight ahead. I believed you could get them to house monitors up to 30-33" inches, and I would definitely purchase the newer ones from Edwards. There'd be at least one wall full of nothing but Neo-Geo fighters, and another wall lined up of nothing but brawlers from Cappy.
Another thing I'd experiment with would be placing a few 65" big screen TVs next to one another, accompanied by a few very long plush leather sofas and love seats, sitting on a thick rug. The purpose of this would be to attempt to recreate a living room environment, where gamers could take off their shoes, kick back and play some home console games on all the home systems while meeting and competing against new people.
I can see it now....I'm there, sitting on the sofa playing multiplayer Super Bomberman with a few buddies. Then suddendly a few lovely Japanese girls come and join in on the fun and we go at it all night, playing games, getting drunk, and just laughing our ass off having a good time, until I decide to close the arcade. THAT my friends, is truly an orgasmic arcade experience
Now to the serious questions...
I'm hoping Arcademan, C.N. Fuzzy, and Charles Franklin Fernandez can answer some of these questions. Going by the description of my imaginary arcade described above, which I'm hoping to turn into reality someday, what can of building would you recommend shopping for? Would you recommend a tall buisness building several stories high? Or would you go for a large sq ft abandoned wherehouse?
How much would a building, with space big enough to hold these games comfortably, cost? 50mil? 100mil? 250? 1bil?
How much of a monthly cost could I expect to shell out to run this arcade including maintenance, electricity, employees, etc?
Given that my arcade would 100% free to everyone, and would reside somewhere in Tokyo, how much traffic do you think it would generate? Do you think it will be more on the empty side, or do you envision a crowded environment?
CFF...you mentioned something like a counsel meeting and needing to get their appoval. Do you know anything about Japanese city counsels? If they discovered that my arcade is 100% free(except for food/snacks), do you think they would still allow me to open it? How receptive do you think they would be to an American, who just moved there, and wants to open and start and arcade?
Last but not least, EVEN if I had the capital to start, how feasible do you think the possibility of me doing this is, knowing hardly any Japanese at all? If I could afford to hire a translator while I learn the language, would it still present a problem in your opinion?
Anyway now that you've read about my dream, I'm hoping to hear some feedback for you guys! Even if you feel you you're not qualified to comment or give advice, I'd love to hear you speculate on this scenario. This is something I very much want to accomplish and hopefully I'll get my wish someday. Are you going to drop by?