Future of the hobby

Sometimes I wonder what my arcade future holds. As we have discussed many times over, we get older, the games get heavier, and space is at a premium. My brother and I pulled a Race Drivin out of a basement a few weeks ago. It was free so I couldn't pass it up, but half way up long steep staircase, I questioned whether it was worth it. It was, but ouch. I recently picked up a $50 Final Lap that didn't have the CRTs, but had dell computer monitors. For a minute I considered putting in CRTs, but it's playable so I moved on. Looked wrong so I threw in scanline generators. Then considered putting some kind of bubble or lens over the LCD to make it look more like a tube. CRAZY TALK! I decided if I cared more about the game, I'd just install CRTs, but I don't. I'll save my tube's and chassis for games I love.
 

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I recently picked up a jukebox, then designed a modern replacement controller for it. I followed that with a custom amplifier and will be selling both soon. There seem to be quite a few collectors in some big groups on Facebook.​
 
I think if we spent more time enjoying what we have and fixing/ repairing/playing our games we'd be happier as a group. Thinking about what "may" happen in some distant future is just a waste of time. Sure some games will be lost to time and the next generation but if we pass along the thrill and enjoyment of playing the arcade machines then I think that legacy will outlast anything we do or say.
 
My games and other projects are pulled out of the trash heap. They will be available as a working specimen when I am gone. The worst part is who will fix the future projects?
 
Perhaps I'll have someone give all of my games away when I die. Every couple of days one will be posted for free. To take the game home you must answer 3 questions to my satisfaction. I will have 100 questions and randomly choose 3 for each sale. It will be an Enders Game type of situation. There will be a couple of guys that will try, but will been banned. Once identified, they will be injected with a small dose of toxins that will prevent them from scamming people for flips. I may have myself cremated and sprinkled in each cabinet. It'll be like an @eXidy signature in a cab, but I'll have the option of haunting the game and changing the high scores at will. The finale mystery will baffle them all. I will remove all the back doors and have them cremated with me!
 
It's there, but if you search for anything, not much comes back, just "missing URL" messages. Pretty sure all of those years of data are gone.
They are. It is the Forum posts is where alot of the advice and specifics were. General info is still there but the forum posts are long gone due to a shady internet host in Florida if I correctly remember what Jeff Kinder said about it.
 
Like KaBoom said, let's just be happy enjoying what we have to collect, play and repair. It is out of hands as to what happens to the games we have when we're gone. We'll have NO control over that. Myself, I'm just happy to be doing what I've been doing for 20 years, as of September. I consider myself fortunate to be collecting games, THIS is 'living the dream'.
 
Have the general feeling our hobby is on the decline. At least here on KLOV. Seems there are less members due to various reasons for attrition…

Seems there is much less volume and less desired items on the seller's forums and less traffic in general.

See the same happening to other arcade sites that used to be busy:
  • Neo Geo Forums
  • Shmups Forums
Maybe a chunk of that (and our) sales traffic moved to the Arcade Projects forum and FB Marketplace…dunno.

As others stated, it won't matter when we are gone. That said it would be nice to know the games we invested so much time, money and care will still be cherished in the future.

Sadly neither of our sons (20 and 17) have taken an interest in my games. I hope that changes one day, as I'd like to think the gameroom encapsulates a lot of things I love and they'd have a connection when I'm gone by the flip of some switches, 😂

Wishful thinking most likely.

Hosted a game night this past Saturday and always have some non arcade attendees and they seemed to really enjoy it.

I often invite any cool and nice people I encounter.

Am (55) now. Hoping to last another (30) or so. Imagine in my later years will end up being a curator or sorts, introducing these games for as long as I can until it's time to pass on.
 
Perhaps I'll have someone give all of my games away when I die. Every couple of days one will be posted for free. To take the game home you must answer 3 questions to my satisfaction. I will have 100 questions and randomly choose 3 for each sale. It will be an Enders Game type of situation. There will be a couple of guys that will try, but will been banned. Once identified, they will be injected with a small dose of toxins that will prevent them from scamming people for flips. I may have myself cremated and sprinkled in each cabinet. It'll be like an @eXidy signature in a cab, but I'll have the option of haunting the game and changing the high scores at will. The finale mystery will baffle them all. I will remove all the back doors and have them cremated with me!
The haunted arcade game just reminded me of this
 
And on the pedestal, these words appear:
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
 
Just today I picked up a joust non working but in B+ shape for $300 - that was a great deal 10 years ago when I started this hobby… and it sat for 24 hours while I was out of town for the weekend… 5 years ago it would not have lasted for sale for more than an hour… great for me because I have always wanted one, but it tells me that we are on the down slide of interest for folks collecting… my collection today is worth about 20k, but in 5-10 years I imagine it will be worth half that IF I sold it all…
 
Just today I picked up a joust non working but in B+ shape for $300 - that was a great deal 10 years ago when I started this hobby… and it sat for 24 hours while I was out of town for the weekend… 5 years ago it would not have lasted for sale for more than an hour… great for me because I have always wanted one, but it tells me that we are on the down slide of interest for folks collecting… my collection today is worth about 20k, but in 5-10 years I imagine it will be worth half that IF I sold it all…
Eh, that just mirrors the state of consumer confidence in the US right now which is at a very low level. That doesn't mean interest in the hobby is falling off, it means that people are scared to spend money and the economy is slowing down.
 
Eh, that just mirrors the state of consumer confidence in the US right now which is at a very low level. That doesn't mean interest in the hobby is falling off, it means that people are scared to spend money and the economy is slowing down.
One doesn't hear this enough on social media these days, but I hope I'm wrong and you are right :)
 
Eh, that just mirrors the state of consumer confidence in the US right now which is at a very low level. That doesn't mean interest in the hobby is falling off, it means that people are scared to spend money and the economy is slowing down.
It's both, trust me.
 
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