Tornadoboy
Well-known member
Coming up with a "preservation status" ratings system
In the big scheme of things, I think the only way many if not most of what we now know as classic video arcade games are going to survive long term is through the possibility of later reproduction, which will only be made possible by the availability of thorough documentation, such as precise blueprints of cabinets, scans of artwork, ROM dumps etc.
So it got me thinking, shouldn't some kind of "official" ratings system for the preservation status of games be created? And if so, how should it work and be defined?
For example personally I'd think something like Pacman would be consider as say 90% preserved, cabinet blueprints have LONG since been made public, as well as artwork scans, ROM dumps etc, the only thing missing is perhaps PCB foil pattern scans, PCB parts placement diagrams and maybe machinist drawings of the control panel.
In contrast I would say a game like Bouncer should be listed as "extremely endangered" at maybe 5%, with pretty much nothing preserved except for the few pictures of the artwork being available.
What do you think of the idea? I thought this might make for an interesting discussion. I think if these games are going to be preserved then NOW is the time for all of us to record as much info as we can from the originals.
In the big scheme of things, I think the only way many if not most of what we now know as classic video arcade games are going to survive long term is through the possibility of later reproduction, which will only be made possible by the availability of thorough documentation, such as precise blueprints of cabinets, scans of artwork, ROM dumps etc.
So it got me thinking, shouldn't some kind of "official" ratings system for the preservation status of games be created? And if so, how should it work and be defined?
For example personally I'd think something like Pacman would be consider as say 90% preserved, cabinet blueprints have LONG since been made public, as well as artwork scans, ROM dumps etc, the only thing missing is perhaps PCB foil pattern scans, PCB parts placement diagrams and maybe machinist drawings of the control panel.
In contrast I would say a game like Bouncer should be listed as "extremely endangered" at maybe 5%, with pretty much nothing preserved except for the few pictures of the artwork being available.
What do you think of the idea? I thought this might make for an interesting discussion. I think if these games are going to be preserved then NOW is the time for all of us to record as much info as we can from the originals.
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