The boards.ie hypothetical Arcade!

EnterNow

EnterNow wrote: »

Have to say I'd always lean towards real cabs over self-built ones. Some of the DIY ones are really really nice, but to agree with o1s1n, I prefer a 'real' cab that's been on site & has some character. The DIY ones are too clean & pristine

They were all clean and pristine once. 20 years of sitting in game rooms getting beer spilled on them and being hammered by careless drunken mates who don't have the same love for them that you do will sort that out

LoGiE wrote: »

I've enjoyed every minute of restoring my MKII cab... For me you just can't beat owning a piece of gaming history...

Well done, once again. I have serious respect for someone who takes on a project like that and comes out the other end with something that looks as good as your cab.

If i had a garage or a games room, there are a handful of dedicated machines i would love to own. A metal slug, a final fight, a street fighter, etc. I just go the MAME route because dedicated cabs are not practical for me. Emulation is great, but it's great to see people actually properly preserving these things, because without people who do what you've done, they are quite simply not going to exist in another 20-30 years time. They just weren't built for it.

a5y

o1s1n wrote: »

Well it's simple really, one is real, the other is not! Even if it's a nice reproduction (and I have seen some lovely ones) - it's still not a real arcade machine.

I see it as the difference between owning an original console and one of those newer clones you see around.

They're not very technical machines though. It's a harness, some controls, speakers and a monitor. All is very easy to replace. Practicality is the only thing which should come up. But if you have the room for a real cab with a big CRT monitor then it can't get any better than that.

The main reason to do a reproduction Cute is just because how expensive and hard to come across they are.

As for modding it though... as long as you don't destroy anything. They come with a 6 player CP, JAMMA harnesses can be linked up to a PC - there's nothing you should really need to do which wouldn't be reversable.

Yeah, the prices a Cute can go for. Looking at a few on different forums it could be cheaper to get one sent from Florida than Germany. :eek:

Really the size of the cab is what I like about it, but knowing that for around the same money I could get a New Net City (well, a used New Net City :rolleyes:) its grating. Compare that with building a replica, and saving that money for games?

Deleted User wrote: »

Yeah, i get what you're saying, and I'm kinda in two minds about that TBH, both options have their merits, but i think repro is better for me. Real original SF2 cabs generally are hard to come by at good prices and/or have taken a bit of a battering because they were so popular back in the day, so normally they need a lot of work, and also they have all the US stick and button hardware in them (which is muck for anyone who is serious about the game). I would probably be looking at replacing a lot of the stock control panel parts on an original EU SF2 cab for newer sanwa stuff, just purely for the sake of being able to play on a setup that i love, as well as having to probably touch up or replace artwork, kickboards, etc (nevermind worrying about having trouble with the CRT, which is also a distinct possibility on a 15-20 year old cab)

Doing all that is going to leave the cab in a half new, half old, weird hybrid state, and i think i would just rather build a really good faithful reproduction from scratch out of new parts that i know is gonna last me years than deal with having a frankensteiner that's made of stuff from different sources and constantly needs work. Either that or a really good themed original cab that a lot of time and planning went into, which is another distinct possibility.

I hadn't even considered this. Some games have harder working lives than others. New condition original spec parts would look or feel like an anachronism.

Me too. I think original cabs, especially woodies, are super super cool, (seriously, major cool points to any one who owns and maintains an original) but they can give a fair bit of trouble or be a bit of a pig to look after, restore, etc. Most of them were never built to last as long as they have, and just by owning one you're opening yourself up to having a permanent work in progress in your life. That's fine if you have the time for that kind of hobby, but with having a kid and an adult to look after as well as myself, i just don't have time to be constantly tinkering with a cab. I already have enough works in progress raising a family, and I'd prefer to build a cab that looks sweet, is made out of all new parts, and just works, all the time, so i can play it when i get a few mins spare in the day.

Yeah, I don't like interruptions or ongoing annoyances with any other platform I play games on, I certainly wouldn't want them on the a games machine more expensive than any console I own.

I must say, owning a bartop may not get you as much kudos as owning a full size woody or whatever, but i've owned both, and a bartop is super handy if you don't have the space to dedicate to a games room or an entire area to give over to games in your home. My bartop sits over in the corner of the living room out of the way, and can be easily moved or stowed away nicely in a wardrobe if ever needed.

I do miss having a proper full size cab, but bartops are a really great alternative if you don't mind making some compromises.

I'm fine with a compromise like that. I don't have the kind of space that full size arcade cabinets were designed for. I appreciate collectors who do, and take an interest in restoration and preservation, but I see that as separate to what is practical for many who'd just like to play arcade games.

Myrddin

Deleted User wrote: »

They were all clean and pristine once. 20 years of sitting in game rooms getting beer spilled on them and being hammered by careless drunken mates who don't have the same love for them that you do will sort that out

I dunno, there's something about a real cab that makes it different from a dit one for me. It could be a placebo effect I dunno lol. But to me, knowing they were really played by people who put money into them & enjoyed them makes it 'better' than building one myself.

I built my own supergun a few years ago, I'd be more than capable of going the whole hog & doing a cab...but although they're both basically wooden boxes with screens & wires in them, dedicated original cabs appeal to be far more than home built ones.

Don't ask me to explain it any clearer, I simply can't & acknowledge it could be all in my head

a5y

EnterNow wrote: »

Don't ask me to explain it any clearer, I simply can't & acknowledge it could be all in my head

No big deal, this is a hypothetical arcade thread anyway. :cool:

o1s1n

If I made a cab, I'd always know I made it and know that inside is only really a computer hooked up to a monitor or whatever. To me it would forever be a computer in a box and not an arcade machine. No matter how absolutely lovely it looked.

I'd much rather a battered up JAMMA cab, fag burns and all. In fact my first cab was exactly that and I got an insane amount of joy in owning such a thing.

Different strokes and all that I guess. As I said, I have seen some really lovely home builds, so am not saying they're rubbish or anything (far from it!) it's just not for me.

I don't just stop at machines by the way, that includes everything inside. So I'd be a stickler for using arcade PCBs rather than emulation.

Perhaps Enternow is right and it's just some kind of Placebo effect...but it's one I'm happy to go along with!

Steve X2

And if you get a real arcade machine and it has a coin counter installed (like most candies, not sure about woodies) its fun to work out how much its taken over its lifetime.
With candies its pretty easy as they nearly all have 100 yen mechs. I worked out how much my Egret 3 took in, cant remember the figure but it was a pretty large amount.

Casey120

I would like to ad my Cute and Aero to the virtual arcade site in the city centre , one with Mushi and the other with Futari so we have lots of bugs and other creepy crawly's to play with ( and shoot ) !

unky chop chop

Steve SI wrote: »

And if you get a real arcade machine and it has a coin counter installed (like most candies, not sure about woodies) its fun to work out how much its taken over its lifetime.
With candies its pretty easy as they nearly all have 100 yen mechs. I worked out how much my Egret 3 took in, cant remember the figure but it was a pretty large amount.

Yeah my Astro only has 1846 on the clock..I think it's been fiddled with!
Tis only a virgin
My whore of a KI2 cab has 50 something thousand on it...She's been around the block but still not a massive amount compared to An SF2 machine or similar in that era in the right arcade I'd imagine.

Casey120 wrote: »

I would like to ad my Cute and Aero to the virtual arcade site in the city centre

Aero City..good man,Haven't seen that yet. Pics please Casey my son

Steve X2

unky chop chop wrote: »

Yeah my Astro only has 1846 on the clock..I think it's been fiddled with!
Tis only a virgin
My whore of a KI2 cab has 50 something thousand on it...She's been around the block but still not a massive amount compared to An SF2 machine or similar in that era in the right arcade I'd imagine.



Aero City..good man,Haven't seen that yet. Pics please Casey my son

My Egret 3 was around 69300 when I got it and that was about 70,000 Euro in today's money not taking into account inflation and all that stuff.

unky chop chop

Just goes to show you what these bad boys hauled in for the arcade owner in the day.Ruddy hell

Jack burton

LoGiE wrote: »

I have to say I've enjoyed every minute of restoring my MKII cab. You can find the exact same buttons, switches and joysticks, the only difficulties are the potential monitor issues.

As someone mentioned earlier, Midway cabinets are huge and are a real talking point when people see them. For me you just can't beat owning a piece of gaming history and I will be adding another cabinet just as soon as I find my holy grail... An original working Killer Instinct cabinet.

Well most cabs are a real talking point, but I would fecking love a stand alone SFII or that MK II, and without getting into too much detail, for some reason that I dont understand women love the cabs.....and I can say that from first hand experience

Casey120

unky chop chop wrote: »

Aero City..good man,Haven't seen that yet. Pics please Casey my son

Loaded with Mushi and Futari !
Click to enlarge .

o1s1n

Steve SI wrote: »

My Egret 3 was around 69300 when I got it and that was about 70,000 Euro in today's money not taking into account inflation and all that stuff.

Hmm, I never thought of checking my counter. I guess you could kind of use it like a mileage counter on a car.

My cab says 011380. So it's either gone all the way around the clock once (meaning at one point, there'd been 999999 credits through it, which I doubt) or the cab just hasn't been used much at all.

Jack burton

So.....where abouts you living friend?




Seriously though! I am literally vomiting with envy right now, those seats especially? where'd you get them outa?

Casey120

Those where the cheapest Ikea I could find and at perfect hight pimped with 2 Capcom stickers I had laying about !

o1s1n

They seriously look like an official Capcom product!

unky chop chop

Jack burton wrote: »

Well most cabs are a real talking point, but I would fecking love a stand alone SFII or that MK II, and without getting into too much detail, for some reason that I dont understand women love the cabs.....and I can say that from first hand experience

Spill the Beans Romeo

Alas Tis not the way for me.Often my bird has openly expressed her desire for me to be electrocuted violently by my KI2 cabinet and then buried in it as a substitute for a coffin.
She hates it with a passion..But Candies,Birds love candies for some reason.

Women and Cabs Rule#1: Get a b4stard big woody to begin She will hate it,naturally.
Next get a Candy.Naturally,compared to the other beast she will prefer it and over time,even grow to love it.Mainly due to her detest over the original cab.
Plus they look like a dishwasher/oven, which Women love in there home..It's
in their genes:pac:

Cab rule#2: buy sh1t loads of other cabs because the flood gates are now open.
If there is still protest from the ball and chain..Get a tabletop cab.It Can be used as household furniture and used to arrange hello/heat magazine on.A true testament that Cabs can be assimilated into domestic life.

Then simply revert to rule 1 to continue..Simple:)

Jack burton

Well I *live* on my own so I can put whatever I want wherever I want..........if only I had more money now. Might start a kick starter to help me buy more cool sh1t

Steve X2

unky chop chop wrote: »

Spill the Beans Romeo

Alas Tis not the way for me.Often my bird has openly expressed her desire for me to be electrocuted violently by my KI2 cabinet and then buried in it as a substitute for a coffin.
She hates it with a passion..But Candies,Birds love candies for some reason.

Women and Cabs Rule#1: Get a b4stard big woody to begin She will hate it,naturally.
Next get a Candy.Naturally,compared to the other beast she will prefer it and over time,even grow to love it.Mainly due to her detest over the original cab.
Plus they look like a dishwasher/oven, which Women love in there home..It's
in their genes:pac:

This not my experience, they love a big woody usually.

Jack burton wrote: »

Well I love on my own so I can put whatever I want wherever I want..........if only I had more money now. Might start a kick starter to help me buy more cool sh1t

You need a big woody then as the chicks be lovin that. You wont need to love on your own any more.

o1s1n

unky chop chop wrote: »

.

Women and Cabs Rule#1: Get a b4stard big woody to begin She will hate it,naturally.
Next get a Candy.Naturally,compared to the other beast she will prefer it and over time,even grow to love it.Mainly due to her detest over the original cab.
Plus they look like a dishwasher/oven, which Women love in there home..It's
in their genes:pac:

Massive +1, I did this very thing too!

Jack burton

So what were all saying here is bigger is better?

Myrddin

unky chop chop wrote: »

Women and Cabs Rule#1: Tell them to stfu, they're very much replaceable as is a cab

Fixed

Andrew76

EnterNow wrote: »

Fixed

Amen brother ENow. :cool:

o1s1n

Unfortunately balls aren't replaceable so you may want to watch out for that if you're going to pull such a line on a female of the species.

Maybe wear a cup.

Myrddin

o1s1n wrote: »

Unfortunately balls aren't replaceable so you may want to watch out for that if you're going to pull such a line on a female of the species.

Maybe wear a cup.

Soft lads you's need to grow a pair before you can lose them

a5y

Casey120 wrote: »

Loaded with Mushi and Futari !
Click to enlarge .

You have a Cute?

...

Excuse me while I contemplate these newfound depths of envy.

Casey120

Yes ,
Great little cab, especially for the oldies, has a very sharp but small 18" monitor and a bit of an old school feel because of the way the screen is hidden inside the smoked plexi .
Is not worth the crazy price they demand nowadays though, the Aero with it's lovely 26" nanao screen next to it gives a much better gaming experience .

a5y

I think part of the reason Capcom Cutes are so expensive is that whenever anyone who owns a few arcade machines is moving house or needs to make space, the Cute is the most practical to keep. So less of them appear for trade and sale.

That and there really aren't that any competing small cabs, plus its unlikely they were ever produced in the numbers that larger cabs dedicated arcades tend to buy and fill their aisles with.

TL;DR, They're expensive because they've no small cab competitors, they weren't made in numbers resembling larger JAMMA cabs, owners tend to be more reluctant to sell 'em that any other cabs when they need to make space/move house.

If anyone knows better correct me, this is mostly speculation on my part and I've far from a broad knowledge of candy cab designs and size.

Casey120

Lots of nice small candy's like the Jaleco Pony II ( my favourite ), SNK Candy 18, SNK SC 14, SNK SC 19, Neo 19, Ambo, Namco Consolette 18, Sega Mushi King, Capcom Status 18 .

Casey120

Casey120 wrote: »

Lots of nice small candy's like the Jaleco Pony II ( my favourite )...

Oh wow, that is beautiful. I think i'm in love. Want.

How much does one of those go for anyway? I'm sure they're not cheap.

Casey120

Almost as expensive as a Cute .
Ronnie usually has a couple in every new shipment but like the Cute's these are sold before you know it .

Cute's went from something like € 699,- to € 1299,- for a nice one in just a couple of years :eek:

a5y

Casey120 wrote: »

Lots of nice small candy's like the Jaleco Pony II ( my favourite ), SNK Candy 18, SNK SC 14, SNK SC 19, Neo 19, Ambo, Namco Consolette 18, Sega Mushi King, Capcom Status 18 .

I love it when I'm right wrong! Thanks for the info on these!