Ms. Pac-Man Proto cocktail?

mclemore

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Supposedly 5 of these were made.... Does anyone know the (real) story with these things? Has anyone seen photos of this model before, or in person?
 

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There is about a 20 page thread about these.

Basic consensus. Everyone who has a financial interest in one insists they were a prototype.

Almost everyone else notes that every thing about them points to them being some kind of home made hoobajoo that uses all the parts off an upright, has cabinet construction that looks like it was done in a shop class, couldn't be operated because there is no room for the coin bucket below the door, and wouldn't have made it past engineering because it has no tmolding and that glass would get shattered as soon as someone set a drink down on it kind of hard.

It is a worst of all worlds design. You would have a hard time coming up with something worse if that was your goal.

Takes more room than an upright? CHECK
Requires a chair? CHECK
Has 2 player software that would require people awkwardly swapping chairs? CHECK.
Can't take in any coins for lack of coin bucket? CHECK
Looks home made despite the fact that Midway had their own cabinet shop and had access to others? CHECK
No record of machine being on location anywhere? CHECK
Pseudo cocktail format without thick tempered glass. CHECK
Awkward to insert coins? CHECK
 
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We have 2 of them. One that is production & one that is not.
To put this to rest... after the Chicagoland Show this weekend, we will get pictures of the 2 that we have.
 
That isn't t-molding. That is a stained and sanded edge or a piece of wood trim (hard to tell from the photos), rather high quality too, but not at all appropriate for a commercial gaming environment.

I had about 1200 pieces of furniture to keep looking nice at my last job, I do know a bit about it.

This picture where it ends shows.

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It has t-molding IIRC, just wood colored. I would buy one in a snap.
 
Thanks for the link to the other thread.

I posted as I was offered one last night from someone in Chicago, who said they bought it from a Bally Midway employee (gave me the name) who in turn was given the machine by the company president.

That story seems to match the other ones that have shown up.

Without any more info, I'd guess that they are less prototype (depending on your definition of prototype) and more real, but promotional.

I think I'm inclined to pass at the moment. I'm past 700 machines now, and am more interested in buying a building then every last machine. Now space or not... one of these in nice condition I'd pay a lot for: http://flyers.arcade-museum.com/?page=flyer&db=videodb&id=2479&image=1
 
More to the story.

Seller says he has had the game since 1998 or 1998, and that he bought it as a pair with the Baby Pac in a similar cabinet. He said soon several years after he bought a second pair from another ex-Bally Midway employee.

He sold off the 2nd Ms. Pac and both Baby Pac machines (that look like the one Todd posted a photo of in the other thread) and now is selling his first Ms. Pac.

He said both employees told him they were proto mockups made to be aimed at higher end establishments. He said one of guys told him that 5 of each machine was made.

So, if this is accurate...there are more of those Baby Pacs floating around too...
 
That almost looks like stained birch ply. It just doesn't match the cabinet construction and materials of what the factories were doing.. not that they couldn't deviate from that for an odd cabinet such as this, but I tend to think it wasn't built by the same folks.
 
That looks like it was designed for the shortest person on the planet to play, even seated it looks tough for anyone over 6ft tall to play comfortably.
 
Hmmm...another proto?????

PACMAN MINI ARCADE - $200

MINI ARCADE 4 GAMES IN 1 HAS MS PACMAN, GALAGA, MAPPY, XEVIOUS, ASKING $200 CUSTOM MADE... NEW MONITOR LOOKS AND SOUNDS GREAT.
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It could be yours if you need it for the museum.....:p
 
Everybody keeps insinuating they aren't from Midway. May I ask how many different stories you're going to have to hear with the same general story "bought it from an ex-employee" before you do believe they came from Midway?

Or are you just not going to believe it no matter what?
 
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