tomdotcom
Active member
Yes. Yes & Yes. No question about it...
Home Arcade Etiquette Question.
- Thread starter thefader
- Start date
If they are your friends you should show some hospitality.
Put up a sign like "Donations Welcome" if you really want to try to get some quarters in your machines and see who bites.
tcleary
Member
I would say that is definitely a douche move, I would not even think of such a thing.
chris25810
Well-known member
I look at this from a totally different angle than most of you. I've spent thousands restoring my games knowing full well that i'll never get it back. Therefore, i have no interest in having my coin door powder coated again cuz some drunk asshole couldn't find the quarter slot and chewed the hell out of the finish in his attempt to credit the game. Mine are all on "freeplay" All the doors are complete and functioning but there isn't a single token or quarter to be found near my games and i tell everyone to keep their change. Finger prints on my bezels are irritating enough!
modessitt
Volunteer: Encyclopedia Submission Moderator
Put a hat at the door and have them all chip in their beer money to gain access.
Or bring their own beer....
Or bring their own beer....
smokinfish
Member
Ugh... I hate when people have parties and do collections. If you can't afford to have people over then let someone else throw the party.
Now that said, if your friends are inviting themselves over because you have games. Then say cool you bring the drinks I'll supply the games.
But you can't invite people over on their free night, and bum them out with games they have to pay for. They're trapped what are they going to do, bolt? Besides with debt cards who's prepared for that kind of thing? Unless of course you take those too.
Nothings worse then looking at a game you want to play and you don't have the money to do so. So you watch other people play or pretend your playing while it's in attract mode.
Those are memories I don't want to relive. In fact playing those games anytime i want for free is a big reason I'm in this hobby! So I couldn't ask my friends to pay. It defeats the joy that is a home arcade.
Before I worked at Dave & Busters, I liked it. My friends and I would go and play, it was cool. But when I started working there and could play for free!! It was AWESOME!!! Then my friends played for free too. Some of the best nights ever!
Of course the free drinks and food helped as well!!
Now that said, if your friends are inviting themselves over because you have games. Then say cool you bring the drinks I'll supply the games.
But you can't invite people over on their free night, and bum them out with games they have to pay for. They're trapped what are they going to do, bolt? Besides with debt cards who's prepared for that kind of thing? Unless of course you take those too.
Nothings worse then looking at a game you want to play and you don't have the money to do so. So you watch other people play or pretend your playing while it's in attract mode.
Those are memories I don't want to relive. In fact playing those games anytime i want for free is a big reason I'm in this hobby! So I couldn't ask my friends to pay. It defeats the joy that is a home arcade.
Before I worked at Dave & Busters, I liked it. My friends and I would go and play, it was cool. But when I started working there and could play for free!! It was AWESOME!!! Then my friends played for free too. Some of the best nights ever!
Of course the free drinks and food helped as well!!
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smokinfish
Member
Ok best way to get your friends to bring booze over...
Have a stock the bar alphabet party.
You send out invites to all your friends.
Give them each a letter of the alphabet.
They have to bring an alcoholic beverage starting with that letter.
They can be creative it doesn't have to be a brands name.
Tell them you will supply all the mixers and snacks.
The more you invite the more you get.
That supplies the booze for the night and stocks your bar.
Be sure to invite some of your closer friends over for a few finish them off parties afterward.
Trick is you have to drink what's left. The selection gets worse each time as it narrows down to the jager and mad dog party!
Have a stock the bar alphabet party.
You send out invites to all your friends.
Give them each a letter of the alphabet.
They have to bring an alcoholic beverage starting with that letter.
They can be creative it doesn't have to be a brands name.
Tell them you will supply all the mixers and snacks.
The more you invite the more you get.
That supplies the booze for the night and stocks your bar.
Be sure to invite some of your closer friends over for a few finish them off parties afterward.
Trick is you have to drink what's left. The selection gets worse each time as it narrows down to the jager and mad dog party!
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jeremymil
New member
You have just as much right to charge them, as they have to never come over to your house again.
OP
OP
thefader
New member
+1...............
I have all my machines on free play. I have a bowl of quarters next to the pop machine, so my friends can get beer or pop. I would never charge my friends. Sometimes they bring beer, not a big deal.
If your so hard up that you have to charge your friends to play. just sell the machines, or install some parking meters outside!!
If your so hard up that you have to charge your friends to play. just sell the machines, or install some parking meters outside!!
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LyonsArcade
Well-known member
You must be the type of guy when you go out to eat, you take a calculator. I HATE that shit. The only reason to even have money is to spend it on your loved ones, you should be happy that you have friends to come over and enjoy your games. Plus, a little humour goes a long way with stuff like this. You could say
"Well, I guess your broke ass is coming over again. Lesse, I'll bring the 10,000 dollars worth of arcade games that you can play for free, what are you going to bring?" like you're kidding, and then they'll get the hint to bring some beer, lol.
"Well, I guess your broke ass is coming over again. Lesse, I'll bring the 10,000 dollars worth of arcade games that you can play for free, what are you going to bring?" like you're kidding, and then they'll get the hint to bring some beer, lol.
incrediblegamez
Well-known member
This is just bizarre IMO. I dont know where to start with this one. I did start charging my kids to play though
...jk
...jk
I'm an operator and have a warehouse full of games. We have "warehouse" parties quite often and I keep all the games on freeplay except the online games such as golden tee live and silver strike bowling. These online games have fees and a cell phone charge. I don't think I should have to pay for my friends fees, nor their prize play fee which they can make money on. No one ever complains. We don't keep up with who buys the beer.
You're kidding right???
Louis Tully:
"Gee, I think all I got is acetylsalicylic acid, generic. See, I can get six hundred tablets of that for the same price as three hundred of a name brand. That makes good financial sense, good advice... Hey, this is real smoked salmon from Nova Scotia, Canada, $24.95 a pound! It only cost me $14.12 after tax, though. I'm givin' this whole thing as a promotional expense, that's why I invited clients instead of friends.
...
Okay, who brought the dog? "
"Gee, I think all I got is acetylsalicylic acid, generic. See, I can get six hundred tablets of that for the same price as three hundred of a name brand. That makes good financial sense, good advice... Hey, this is real smoked salmon from Nova Scotia, Canada, $24.95 a pound! It only cost me $14.12 after tax, though. I'm givin' this whole thing as a promotional expense, that's why I invited clients instead of friends.
...
Okay, who brought the dog? "
RetroHacker
Well-known member
Yeesh. I've known some cheap people... but man... you're CHEAP! It's one thing to have your games set up to take coins - it's more authentic that way, IMHO. But to make your guests provide their own coins? That's pretty crummy. What's next? A cover charge?
If they're really your friends, then you shouldn't treat them like that. Sure, you can suggest everyone bring some beer, or chip in for pizza... but to say "Yeah, bring a six pack, and be sure to pick up a roll of quarters if you want to play any of my games"...
-Ian
If they're really your friends, then you shouldn't treat them like that. Sure, you can suggest everyone bring some beer, or chip in for pizza... but to say "Yeah, bring a six pack, and be sure to pick up a roll of quarters if you want to play any of my games"...
-Ian
I'm a little late to the party, but they way I see it, they are YOUR machines, you can do whatever YOU want to!
Now that said, mine are on free play, but if I came over I would not think you an asshole for not having them on free play, only because I understand the time, money and effort you put in to have a nice setup for yourself. Others probably have no idea what these games cost to buy and maintain, so to them, sure, you may seem like a jerk.
I prefer to not be perceived as a jerk, so I have mine on free play
Just saying
Chris
Now that said, mine are on free play, but if I came over I would not think you an asshole for not having them on free play, only because I understand the time, money and effort you put in to have a nice setup for yourself. Others probably have no idea what these games cost to buy and maintain, so to them, sure, you may seem like a jerk.
I prefer to not be perceived as a jerk, so I have mine on free play
Just saying
Chris
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Scuba Steve
New member
The questions is how many friends turn up for your parties? At the end of the night, what kind of take-in are we talking about at .25 cents per play?
OP
OP
thefader
New member
I was originally talking about using it as a sort of "donation jar" to get a keg. But I know that most people prolly haven't seen that in the 4 pages of flaming.
