A very thoughtful post Phet, I applaud you for it. The timing is impeccable, as I was just about to put together the "Aging Out of the Hobby" thread, but it got somewhat depressing.
I'll try and keep it as positive as I can . . .
I was born in 1965 (in So. Cal) which makes me close to the big 6-0 and yes old and depressing. I grew up with rotary phones, LPs, mix tapes, 8 tracks, Thomas Guides for navigation, typewriters, persimmon-headed drivers, cameras that used film rolls, etc. The one good thing about being this old is I think I am in the sweet spot for having experienced the whole arcade/coin-op evolution.
The earliest arcade memories started with Pong, Tank, Gun Fight, Sprint. I didn't like Disneyland much as a kid because of the crowds, but I was happy to go to hang out in the Starcade in its hay days (bronze age goodness) – I can remember 2 floors filled with rows of games like Steeplechase, Indy 800, Breakout, Drag Race, Stunt Cycle and Space Wars.
When the Golden Age of arcade games bloomed, I was at the age where we rode our bikes all over the place. There were literally 3 (full size 50-100 games) arcades within a 15-30 minute bike ride. In addition, every corner Liquor Store, 7-11, Laundromat had at least 2-4 games. Smoked-filled Bowling Alleys were big and had rows of games. In 1981, I got my Drivers License and then that really opened the options to more arcades and many excursions with the same group of friends. This was really the best of times.
Flash forward to the decline of arcades which coincided with coming into adulthood. In your 30's and 40s you really need to establish your careers, family and independence, no time to play games. Once I got financially sound and started growing older, I immediately thought about staying young by reaching back to the best memories/hobbies of my youth. Something to take you back to a simpler time (without kids, mortgages, taxes, bills, etc.). I started to think back to the pure joy arcades gave me. Walking into an air-conditioned building on a hot summer day with a pocket full of quarters. Blasted by the cool air, loud music, and the sweet symphony of sounds from the games. With those memories, on a whim, I did a search on eBay for local arcade games. Searched for my favorite game, Missile Command and lo and behold $125 game for sale within driving distance. As everyone here knows, once you have 1, it's on to the next one and the addiction is on.
Next year will mark 20 years since I joined KLOV . . . where did all that time go? Now the depressing part - aging out of the hobby: that time will come for everyone. You will get too old to fix, maintain, look for games and play games. Simply moving games around gets to be a chore when you are older. Games will start collecting dust as kids grow older and move out. Gatherings with friends and family will happen less. You can see this happening in our forum. Long time members are no longer active posting, selling their collections and even passing away. That's just life.
Bottom line "old man advice": Very cliché but enjoy today – that's all you have. In the end, you'll only be left with your memories. Money, material things will only matter to those who get an inheritance or try to pick your bones when you are gone. Go out to your games, crank up your favorite tunes and spend some time playing them - it will give you a reminder of why you got into this hobby. When the time comes to exit the hobby, you'll know but you'll have all the great memories.
I'm off to play some games, thanks for reminding why I got into this hobby in the first place
