how many arcade game POSERS do you know??

vintagegamer

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I had to post this bc it's just 2 dang funny. I have a handful of people who know I have machines, and whenever I show them a new one that has come in, or one that I have gotten up and running, they ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS say to me "well when you are ready to let this one go [or another game I have], make sure you let me know!!!"

Funnily enough, the Ms Pac I currently have for sale is one of those games. I have told those exact people that it is up for sale and, those people are holding back on buying now. One of them provided a reason that was just simply hilarious (although they were serious when they were telling it to me).

Do you have these people circling your arcade, telling you that when you are ready to part with one they should be number 1 on the contact list, and then when you DO give them the opp, they bail?
 
Many friends, neighbors and others always say "I want a Ms PacMan (or Centipede)". Others say they want a certain pinball machine (usually Adams Family or Twighlight Zone or similar). They say it with such conviction that you want to believe them. However, pretty much everyone is a poser in my book. People rarely do much of anything that takes effort...much less skills with a soldering iron. But still, I am happy they enjoy the games I have. I just get tired of entertaining that "desire" they have to acquire a machine.
 
When someone says that they would love to have a particular game, I say to them, "If you're serious, I could find one for you." At that point they usually back down with some excuse...
 
I did that to a friend who has a large car collection. I told him "when your ready to sell one of the vipers let me know!" well he did and needless to say no viper :( darn wife...
 
Just me. :)

Lots of people like the idea of having a game, but actually having one is too much money and/or effort.
 
I did that to a friend who has a large car collection. I told him "when your ready to sell one of the vipers let me know!" well he did and needless to say no viper :( darn wife...

I could understand it being bogus if someone told me that when I had a collection of cars. But an arcade game? And not even an expensive one? I guess it's hard for me to see why someone would say that about an arcade game and not be serious about it, bc when I found my first game (Asteroids) and the guy told me he'd sell it to me, I couldn't get to my house fast enough to get the cash.

One person I even offered to deliver it to their house and they still declined. If you pass on a deal like that, I don't think you're going to find one much better!
 
I know a few like that. It's mostly that they would love a machine but are unable to fit it into their place, move it themselves, or are afraid of what their wife would say. I know 3-4 guys that are like that. I totally understand however... I even have looked for machines for them but they don't bite.

I think it's a rare breed of collector that just pulls the trigger fast and goes to get the machine (cash in hand)
 
I feel like I'm a poser right now. Lol. I do have 4 machines. Two work two don't. The two that don't work I work on like one night every two weeks. I have a list of like 6 I want as well right now but unless someone came to me with them dirt cheap I wouldn't be able to afford them.

But I do know what you are talking about though about the people who have none, talk about getting one someday, then you offer a quality machine for 100 and they back out.
 
I'm betting its also a cost thing...

Full size arcade games in most peoples heads = Mucho expensive no matter how old they are.

Having a whole basement of them can be seen as lavioush or extreme.

While your Ms Pac is only $350. Thats a lot for most people to spend
on a single "Video game".

The wiring in our brains says its okay to spend that amount for nostalgia
and enjoyment (nothing wrong with that).

I've had a bunch of friends come over and say wow I'd love to have a
machine like that.. but they often arent serious and they all dropped the
idea once they heard the cost/fact it will require repair.
 
I'm betting its also a cost thing...

Full size arcade games in most peoples heads = Mucho expensive no matter how old they are.

Having a whole basement of them can be seen as lavioush or extreme.

While your Ms Pac is only $350. Thats a lot for most people to spend
on a single "Video game".

The wiring in our brains says its okay to spend that amount for nostalgia
and enjoyment (nothing wrong with that).

I've had a bunch of friends come over and say wow I'd love to have a
machine like that.. but they often arent serious and they all dropped the
idea once they heard the cost/fact it will require repair.


Not to knock your theory or fire on you in any way, but how much is a Wii? Xbox360? PS3? These same types of people will buy those things all day long, even though in another year a new one's going to come out. And my price included "or best offer" at the end as well :D

And yes I know you can get multiple other games with those systems... ;)

I totally understand some people would say "oh that's too old for me" blah blah blah, but these folks I'm making the example of are people who flat out told me I WANT THAT WHEN YOU SELL IT (or ONE of your games). So, there 'is' interest in that specific form of gaming media in these specific people.
 
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...Having a whole basement of them can be seen as lavioush or extreme....

No kidding! a person was in my basement recently and made the remark" Wow, you must make 300,000 per year!"

Dude, if I pulled 300k, I certainly wouldn't be living where I am now!

Tom
 
I gave up on selling games to friends.

Episode #1: We had party about a year ago and a friend of my wife and her boyfriend came over. When the boyfriend walked in he freaked out over the games and cornered my with this story about how a year before he asked his mother what she wanted for Christmas and was told "I wants me one of those Mrs Pacman games, like they had at the laundrymat" (sorry the accent won't come through). So I told him that I might be able to get him one, but it would be at least $500 and maybe more. He said, "No problem, you get it, I'll buy it. Done Deal." A month later I came across a cheap Ms Pacman fixed it up and let him know I had one for him. Nothing. No response. A week later we hear that he and the girl friend split and I never heard from him again.

Episode #2: I had a friend at work that wanted a Joust in the worst way. I finally restored a spare one and called him up and gave him first dibs. "Gee, I'm kind of short on cash right now.....". It sold on CL for $200 than I offered it to him.

ken
 
I've had several people ask for Galaga's and Ms. Pacmans, as well as counter top games. I might get some to buy countertops but the anytime I say I need cash up front for a Galaga or Ms. Pacman I can't ever get the cash. I know a few people with warehouses full of games that I can call them, show up and take away 3-4 of each and get them a really nice looking one. I don't even charge for 3-4, I just need the money for one of them!
 
Well a lot of people want games. But they can't afford them. As people want games from the Pacmans to Gyrusses to Galagas. Plus how the sizes will fit in their rooms and all of that!
 
Poser...me?

I guess I'm kind of a poser, because I don't have any arcade games yet (definitely once I have more space). Although I would never beg someone for a game and then back out.
 
I don't think I've had a friend ask me to sell them one of my games, yet... :confused:

But I do try and get games into my friend's houses... :rolleyes: And I finally convinced my stepbrother to put a mame machine in his house.

His wife hates me, but he's happy. :D
 
Not to knock your theory or fire on you in any way, but how much is a Wii? Xbox360? PS3? These same types of people will buy those things all day long, even though in another year a new one's going to come out. And my price included "or best offer" at the end as well :D

And yes I know you can get multiple other games with those systems... ;)

I totally understand some people would say "oh that's too old for me" blah blah blah, but these folks I'm making the example of are people who flat out told me I WANT THAT WHEN YOU SELL IT (or ONE of your games). So, there 'is' interest in that specific form of gaming media in these specific people.

Somehow it seems more amazing to people when it's an arcade machine... I was telling this kid who just bought a PS3 about my new Neo Geo and he freaked and said "WHOAH! THAT MUST HAVE COST YOU AT LEAST A THOUSAND BUCKS!!!" I think it's because these things were once in the wild making money... the equivalent in people's minds of having a working gas pump in their garage, a roller coaster in their backyard, a Chuck E Cheese animatronic, etc. To us it seems like an everyday thing to sip tea in the morning in the seat of a Virtual On while browsing through 200 new CraigsList post crying "OVERPRICED!" at 300 dollar working machines... but the average Joe doesn't think to do that search, he doesn't even know you can GET arcade machines anymore. Back when arcades were big you paid to play them, so the idea of having one in your house was larger than life. Now that they're pretty much dead it's enough shock to see one, let alone own one, for most people. It seems unimaginable to be able to own one, like something from a dream... that's why the really POS 'home' arcade games from Target and the like did so well in the normal person market. We scoff at their lack of realism, most drool at being one step closer to the real thing. We've been in the biz so long the shock has worn off.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, though, these things are pretty much worthless to people who don't know about them. Without any of the mysticism they just look like ugly dressers with locked drawers and an old TV in them with no cable.

Hilariously enough, we're in the middle about them. We don't think it's some far off amazing dream to own one but we certainly don't think they're junk either.

As far the OP's question, a lot of my buds would love to have one but have no room. One guy was actually really excited about a good deal I found him on a JAMMA cab until he measured his apartment and realized there was literally no place it would fit no matter what space he would have been willing to sacrifice. We're really the lucky ones here, others don't have the games for the same reason we didn't have them until the stars aligned and we got addicted to them :)
 
your not too far away from me (newark DE) and i wouldnt mind being on your call list when you decide to get rid of something. how much is said mrs pac man?
 
I've received that "I can't believe your wife let you this" comment a couple of times, obviously from beat down weasels who could never have anything cool.

I love to see people that don't know about MAME get blown away by a multi-game. I've had 4 buddies build MAME cabs after playing mine.
 
When someone says that they would love to have a particular game, I say to them, "If you're serious, I could find one for you." At that point they usually back down with some excuse...

Im gonna use this the next time someone asks! ;)
 
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