Garcade or Loftcade?

nesjess

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So my family will be moving later this year into a bigger house and I'm just trying to plan ahead. There are two locations in which I can put my games: the garage or the loft.

I don't want to use both locations as I'd like my game room in one place. My wife suggests the garage for obvious reasons. I prefer the loft but I'm hesitant about having to haul games up a winding staircase.

Is the garage that bad on your games? How hard is it to move games upstairs (with help)? Any advice or suggestions from your experiences? Pictures for inspiration would be awesome. :)

Garage:

Pros
- Easy to move games in and out
- Enclosed so it would have more of a game room feel
Cons
- More prone to dust, spiders and weather
- Less space (1 car port) so it would be cramped (Maybe 6-8 uprights?)

Loft:

Pros
- More space (Maybe 10 uprights?)
- Inside the house
Cons
- Have to move games up a winding staircase (up one set, 180 turn and up another set)
- More open so it doesn't really feel like a "room" Just an open area when you get to the top of the stairs.
 
I moved my first Nintendo cabinet upstairs at my parents house to my room. I wouldn't say it was easy, but it wasn't too bad. The hallway and stair landings (on both ends) were pretty narrow, too. If I had to move more, It would be a days work, but could be done easily enough.

As for garages, really depends if it's a finished garage or not. in California weather shouldn't be too much of a concern. I just like the feel of a finished game room. None of the framing visible, and what not. Plus, you tend to get more bugs and cobwebs in a non finished garage, not to mention mice and such.

I was thinking about a loft the other day... I thought it would be sweet to have a bedroom loft overlooking the game room.

Oh yeah... and suggestion: do a sketchup model of both, and see which you like the arangements in better
 
Loft no question. Arcades aren't about how easy it is to get games in and out, they're about how cool the space is once the games are there. Nothing beats a loft arcade for the wow factor. On the other hand, just about everything beats random games sitting in a garage. The way you've been selling your 'grails' lately though, maybe a garcade would be best for the easy in and out.
 
Loft, for sure. I had some games up in the loft at my last house, and it looked sweet. I had to make the 180-degree turn as well, and it wasn't too big of a deal.
 
Loft no question. Arcades aren't about how easy it is to get games in and out, they're about how cool the space is once the games are there. Nothing beats a loft arcade for the wow factor. On the other hand, just about everything beats random games sitting in a garage. The way you've been selling your 'grails' lately though, maybe a garcade would be best for the easy in and out.

I wouldn't call mb or even x-men my "grails" though I get what you're saying. Easy in-and-out vs. quality game room. But some guys in here may defend the validity of the garcade just enough to convince me one way or the other. I'm leaning towards the loft and I'm glad guys agree with me so far.
 
You lugging the games up the stairs = Garacade
Someone else lugging them up the stairs = Loftcade

Problem solved! :D

Wait a second, is C. All of the above, an option?
 
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I wouldn't call mb or even x-men my "grails" though I get what you're saying. Easy in-and-out vs. quality game room. But some guys in here may defend the validity of the garcade just enough to convince me one way or the other. I'm leaning towards the loft and I'm glad guys agree with me so far.

Lofts are the Big Naturals of the arcade world. As to the grails thing, you forgot one:

Red Tent
Mario Bros
Xmen

*Shakes fist*

But I do the same thing. Rave about a game for a week or 2, play the shit out of it for 2 months, wait 6 months, offer it up for sale. Variety is the spice of life.
 
For me, I have a two car garage, the loft would require me to cut down the collection by about half - so I'll stay in the garage. Plus I have a Spy Hunter sitdown and a Pole Position II cockpit. Even the stair climbing dolly wouldn't make moving those up the steps easy enough for me!
 
Lofts are the Big Naturals of the arcade world. As to the grails thing, you forgot one:

Red Tent
Mario Bros
Xmen

*Shakes fist*

But I do the same thing. Rave about a game for a week or 2, play the shit out of it for 2 months, wait 6 months, offer it up for sale. Variety is the spice of life.

Oh yeah. Forgot about that one. :)

But again, they may have been games I obsessed about for a short period, but not my "grails". But then we get into that debate about what a "grail" is. Rare game? Favorite game? Etc. I sold off most of my Nintendo games because I realized I was collecting them because they were "Nintendo" not because I actually wanted them in the long run. Hence, the sudden shift in my collecting habits. I don't want to have games just to say I have them. I'll admit, my early goal was to create a massive Nintendo row, but I got some sense knocked into me and realized that's not the kind of gamer I am.

For me, the hobby is about collecting not only games I like or appreciate, but also games I played as a kid. I'm a late 80s early 90s kid. Selling MB and X-Men are more for circumstantial financial reasons than anything else. I know games can be replaced or picked up again. At least the ones I've owned.

I do agree with you that keeping a variety is important and swapping out of games is almost inevitable. I hope to pick up one more classic, a gun game, a driver and maybe a couple more JAMMA games in the future to round out my game room.
 
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I have to go with the loft. It may be a pain to get the games up there, but it will be far cooler in the long run. The garage is where you put games when you can't fit them inside the house any other way IMO. ;)
 
On the other hand, just about everything beats random games sitting in a garage.

You are such an asshole.

Some of us didnt/dont have choices and had/have to have games in our garage. You have officially made my "blocked" list. Bravo sir. Phetishboy party of 1.
 
You are such an asshole.

Some of us didnt/dont have choices and had/have to have games in our garage. You have officially made my "blocked" list. Bravo sir. Phetishboy party of 1.

A thousand pardons kimoslobbee. I seemed to have deeply offended you and for that, I have no excuse. Come here and let me rock you, stroke your hair, and whisper sweet nothings into your ear for a while.
 
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Add some Cons to the Loft list:

- if a game breaks down, you'll be less likely to pull it out and fix it
- If you get bored of a game, you'll be less likely to sell it since moving it would be a hassle

... just playin' devil's advocate while Phet and Jow play with each other's hair.
 
Add some Cons to the Loft list:

- if a game breaks down, you'll be less likely to pull it out and fix it
- If you get bored of a game, you'll be less likely to sell it since moving it would be a hassle

... just playin' devil's advocate while Phet and Jow play with each other's hair.

Yeah, I mean Phet made a good point about the garage being the "easy" choice. When it comes down to it, it's really about whether or not I (or my friends) want to occasionally move games up and down the stairs. It also depends on what game. Nintendo cab, easy. Konami cab? 4-slot MVS? Possibly a bigger game in the future? Not so easy.

If I needed to sell a game in the loft, I wouldn't let the stairs stand in the way. Plus, I'd leave it up to the buyer to get additional help hauling it down and into their vehicle. Pulling games out to work on them wouldn't be terribly hard to do.

The way I'm talking and after hearing all the feedback, I guess my choice has been made. Loft it is. Thanks my KLOV brethren.

/thread. :D
 
Add some Cons to the Loft list:

- if a game breaks down, you'll be less likely to pull it out and fix it
- If you get bored of a game, you'll be less likely to sell it since moving it would be a hassle

... just playin' devil's advocate while Phet and Jow play with each other's hair.

I see it the opposite - Loft means less likely to ever get rid of any games! :D

Phet and Jow can't quit each other. I don't know why Jow even played that bluff... :confused:
 
I see it the opposite - Loft means less likely to ever get rid of any games! :D

That's my point. Soon, he'll be left with a game room and games he's tired of playing. Look how quickly he sold the red tent (X-Men is next.) But since they're up in the loft, he'll just let them sit there to die. We'll soon see a post that he's getting out of the hobby, how he doesn't have the warm and fuzzies anymore, etc. I've seen it a million times....




:D
 
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