I have a really good idea. I'd like to get Caine's Arcade a real cab.

[cdamm]

i'd be down for chipping in a few bucks. I say something like a dynamo cab with an age appropriate game inside (we dont need the attention of sending an 8 year old 'mortal kombat'). good monitor (the kid doesnt need that kind of hell yet), but maybe needs a little refreshing. hell we could send him a set of new happ buttons so he can learn the hobby a bit (2 player game should be less than $50 shipped to repopulate).

i found these in like 2 minutes (all of which have a nice achievable number for donations):

ms pacman- not too big. its $500 and has room to fix it up.
areo fighters $270- that seller had a couple of $270 games, but this was the most age appropriate
of course being snk folk- here is an svc chaos- for $400(might be a little violent for his age- but it's snk. just sayin')

damn. LA has some decent prices!

 

[wataru330]

Posts 19, 20, & 21 (sorry tapatalk no likey multi-quote) gave me alot to think about. He *is* only 9, and I'd hate for him to get zapped...

Also, Stage: why u so mad @ TonK's ideas, lately?

 

[cdamm]

a little pricey (but its a reseller). still i found a restored 1 slot mvs: http://www.endlesspinball.com/neo-geo-one-slot-video-game-450/

 

[LoneSage]

Also, Stage: why u so mad @ TonK's ideas, lately?

It's just coincidence.

I dunno, maybe it's just me, but I think $1,500 can go a lot farther for better uses. It can buy a water pump for a third world village, off the top of my head. But if people want to buy a kid an arcade cabinet where he's already got a six-figure fund set up in his name, then by all means.

And the 'media attention' comment - I've never liked the idea of people doing good things in the hopes that they would get noticed. 'Judge a man by what he does when others aren't looking' is the way to do it but w/e.

 

[Marek]

Just buy him some stronger cardboard boxes or MDF sheets. he'll love it

this

 

[RabbitTroop]

I'm in the, "heart's in the right place, but not a good idea," camp as well. Hell, that Skeeball table SamuraiShodownSensei linked at Amazon is crazy expensive, but it looks like you were going that route anyway. If you were going to do anything, that really fits the bill better than a cabinet. I also don't think he needs it. His arcade is fun and whimsical as is. Throw a real machine in there and all of a sudden it has polluted the environment he created. The kid's already getting nationwide attention, is set for school and probably has a lot of goodies thanks to others raining in on him. You really want to make this kid's day? Put together a little group visit to his arcade and play some of his games with him. Better use of the money, if you ask me.

 

[DanAdamKOF]

You really want to make this kid's day? Put together a little group visit to his arcade and play some of his games with him.

No offense Nick, but did you watch the video?

 

[RabbitTroop]

No offense Nick, but did you watch the video?

You don't think you could score on his soccer game, is that it? I think he'll remove the defenders on the sides if you think it's too hard. He seems to be pretty fair. Especially if you go out and get a fun pass. PS: Not sure how I was supposed to take offense to that....

 

[DanAdamKOF]

It sounded to me like you suggested that as though you'd only heard of "Caine's self-made cardboard arcade" but not actually watched the video. My bad

 

[RabbitTroop]

It sounded to me like you suggested that as though you'd only heard of "Caine's self-made cardboard arcade" but not actually watched the video. My bad

I haven't followed a lot of the story beyond the original video. It's been on the news here a few times, and of course the web is all chatter, but yeah all I really know is in that short video that was posted. Hell, I don't even know if it's still even there. I still think if Tonk and company wants to make this kid's day, take a trip out to LA. I'll tag along, just let me know when you all are going. After we can do some nerdy Neo-Geo stuff, I don't care

 

[TonK]

I wanted to do something unique, but maybe a personal donation from myself would fit the bill.

Any other suggestions?

Seems the cab might be out.

 

[DanAdamKOF]

To me, the best gift you can give a kid, regardless of what it physically is, is enrichment. There are tons of electronics kits for kids. I don't have time now but I would be glad to look around and post some links later. I definitely stand behind Lego Mindstorms though, it's basically a (relatively) easy-to-program small computer that controls motors that you attach Lego parts to. What CAN'T you do with that?

 

[HeavyMachineGoob]

I'm voting for the "road trip" option, definitely the only way to really contribute. Band together a bunch of people from here and go to Caine's Arcade.

I can't because I don't even live in the US, let alone anywhere near LA.

 

[Moon Jump]

I kinda like the idea of giving him some Lego Mindstorm kits. Considering how hands on he in with making stuff out of cardboard, tape and scissors I think it'd be something he'd get a kick out of and maybe incorporate it into some of his games. I've seen a lot of cool things (and some stupid things) people have done with Mindstorm kits. Plus Lego in general is just expensive as hell.

But no matter what you decide to do I'm in and I'll do whatever I can to help spread the word.

 

[Tyranix95]

I wanted to do something unique, but maybe a personal donation from myself would fit the bill.

Any other suggestions?

Seems the cab might be out.

Knowing you, that would be making the next step in the story.

So, either you go to Caine or Caine comes to you.

IMHO, order some of Caine's Arcade games--Thow a pizza party for The Slums of Shaolin--And have Caine deliver his games in persion, set 'em up, and run them for a couple of hours. Take a bunch of pictures, make a short video, and display it NG.com. Just don't be supprised if the camera crew tags along and a flash mob shows up. They seem to like him too. And I'm sure the proceeds from the order will go to either his college fund or more arcade games.

 

[RabbitTroop]

To me, the best gift you can give a kid, regardless of what it physically is, is enrichment. There are tons of electronics kits for kids. I don't have time now but I would be glad to look around and post some links later. I definitely stand behind Lego Mindstorms though, it's basically a (relatively) easy-to-program small computer that controls motors that you attach Lego parts to. What CAN'T you do with that?

That's a really good idea. I inherited my grandpa's old Erector (heh heh) set when he passed away. I was probably 8 at the time and it was the coolest thing my 8 year old brain could fathom. It was a really old school one too, with the crank motors and a lot of it had belts and pulleys. Cool shit. Something like the Mindstorm sets would let him really expand on his arcade, and give him a fun project like thing to work with. He'd probably get a kick out of those and come up with some really cool new games.

 

[DanAdamKOF]

I remember seeing Mindstorms as a kid and at first not having any idea what it did, then later not caring about it. Years later I am kicking myself for not ever asking for it as a present lol. I want to get into microcontrollers but if I'd been Mindstorming as a kid I would have had some foundation for this sort of thing.

 

[cdamm]

Mindstorms are pretty cool and im down with that. the communities for those are nuts. he could expand his arcade pretty well:

 

[Kid Panda]

Mindstorms are pretty cool and im down with that. the communities for those are nuts. he could expand his arcade pretty well:

wow, that is pretty fresh, they didnt have anything NEAR as cool when I was a kid :/

 

[cdamm]

wow, that is pretty fresh, they didnt have anything NEAR as cool when I was a kid :/

word. plus he could do concessions too:

that guy doesnt fuck around when it comes to lego.

 

[NeoSneth]

i can help.

 

[TonK]

I like Adams idea of the Lego Mindstorm stuff.

Maybe a Home Depot gift card as well for extra materials.

Anyone want to get a "arcade grab-bag" put together?

 

[Cavalry]

Won't that ruin the whole feng shui of his place

 

[aria]

While we're at it let's go buy boog a PSP.

 

[Renmauzo]

Building and figuring out how to make things work seem like where the fun is derived from for Caine. To that end, Adam's idea is great and I think would be the most rewarding for Caine in the end, and the most fun; it's all about the journey, not the destination in this case, right? Count me in towards this, so send me a PM when you're ready to collect Tonk.