Card swipe systems

curterj145xr

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Has anyone tried to implement a card swipe system for classic videos/pinballs in their barcade? It seems like the easiest thing to do especially when you have a bunch of games owned by different people.

Players would go to the main machine, get a card that is either loaded with a certain number of credits or unlimited play for a period of time then swipe at each machine that they want to play.

My experience is that people really don't like to drop quarters anymore and a token setup is virtually the same with added expense. Seems like a card swipe on each machine is the easiest way to get people to drop the greatest amount per visit.

Anyone have any idea how much one of these systems costs to implement for a 30 machine or so location?
 
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Just keep using quarters/tokens. I (my employer Incredible Pizza Co.) have used Ideal and currently use SACOA. They are good for FEC but not for small arcades. You are looking at a minimum of $500 per game on just the electronics. Then you have the server PCs. Yes PCs, as in 2 or more. You need back-up, sooo on the low end $1000 each, then you have to license the software, (depending on the package could initially cost $10000). The networking-routers for wired systems (Ideal), wireless access bases for wireless(SACOA). Other expenses: non normal time software support, installation time, training, replacing a card reader because a kid using it as a step to get high on the game or getting kicked, hit with a ball, etc.
Also the damage to the games. Extra holes in the coin door. The readers you mount can't be standard coin hole wide, they are normally 1/2 larger than the holes you can use. I have been ordering my games with extra blank coin door so I can just throw the original door back on with all the parts still on it and it is an unhacked and original.
You have to drop another $10K on the card dispensing kiosks to make your package sweeter. Upkeep on these also. Rubber wheels inside, printer, credit card readers you have to constantly upgrade to cover the newest anti theft encoding type crap.
Then you have the cost of the cards. I don't remember how much they are, but of course, the more you buy, the cheaper the bulk lot will be. Then do you charge and how much for the cards. I have seen free (and just charge more per game), I currently charge 25 cents, but I have seen some places charge $2. Depending on the system, they use a cheap cardboard card with a thin magnetic strip that sucks the card into the reader (big hole on coin door BTW) to RF bracelets/cards.
So you do have many, many factors to think about when deciding how big of a system, how much of initial investment, upkeep costs, quality of system.
Half of April, I am going to 2 other Incredible Pizza locations taking out our old SACOA system (metal reader box with B&W LCD screens) to a newer SACOA system with nice translucent plastic with LEDs inside with color touch screens and RF card/bracelet capable.
2nd week of April I'll be in Tulsa and 4th week in Memphis.
We aren't going to sell any of it off quite yet. We will just transfer the stuff that can be used in other stores that use that particular system like my store in St. louis. We are planning to switch over later this year.
Hope this fills in some of your questions. but if you have any more, I'll try to answer them.
 
You have to carve up the coin doors to install the card reader. Do you really want to carve up a classic Midway coin door?
 
I recently went to Pinballz Lake Creek while in Austin on a business trip. Here's how they do it:

- Walk in, get an RFID card at the front desk (the card costs $1 if you don't already have one). Load it up with credit ($10 minimum).

- Go to a change machine, swipe the card, get $5 in tokens (20 tokens) per swipe.

- Put tokens in games and play.


Doing it this way solves a number of problems:

- Doesn't require a card reader on every machine, so no cabinets harmed

- Players get the satisfaction of actually feeding tokens into the games (and taking home tokens as souvenirs)

- The arcade is guaranteed a $10 minimum spend

- Doesn't make the business model entirely dependent on the bar / restaurant (though they still probably bring in 80% of the income)

Have to say that I liked doing it this way. I wasn't handing them cash for game credit, so being able to get tokens without having to hit an ATM was a definite plus.
 
As Ralph points out, it is far more expensive then what you'll get in return.
Casm is showing an example of an FEC, not a barcade. Any Family Entertainment Center not using a card system is a dinosaur. However, barcades in general are built off of nostalgia. To walk into a barcade and not get an authentic experience kind of defeats the purpose. The idea of a BARcade is to cater to individuals 21 and over. Any barcade that opens up with only 30 games (that may be operated by various outside operators) should not even be contemplating this choice.
Run coins or pay-per-hour style.
 
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