At CAX this year I probably played a total of 15-20 different video game... and perhaps 15-20 different pinball machines.
Here are a few observations I've made about myself.
1. As bitchen as they look... and as much as I want to say otherwise... pinball machines < video games as far as gameplay in my opinion. It seems that later history pinball and modern pinball is just trying to achieve the same level of "fun" that video games achieved in the 1980's. They do this via sound and clever toys for the most part... but the game itself comes down to pretty much the "same"... hit shit with a ball/flipper combination. Hell, many pinheads get all giddy over grayscale "video mode" games on a small dot matrix screen... tech from the early 90's...
2. Pins are GREAT machines for people who like to tinker and work on their machines. I find that I much enjoy working on my pinball machines... for the most part. Hell, I even enjoy cleaning them up and waxing them down.
3. I own most of the video games I like playing. I find myself playing games that I own more often than not when I am at an event like CAX or at some gameroom out in the wild. Sure... I enjoyed checking out the protos (Marble Madness II would have been such a better game with the trackballs)... and a couple games I wish I owned >couBlack Widowgh< ... but more often I would find myself playing a game I owned... comparing physical appearance/"feel"... etc.
4. I enjoy talking/chatting/bullshitting about these machines with friends more than I enjoy playing or even working on them. The majority of my time at CAX (both times I've been) was spent kickin' it with my friends... talkin... drinkin... having a good time. THAT is the main reason I am in this hobby... you folks... by far.
Here are a few observations I've made about myself.
1. As bitchen as they look... and as much as I want to say otherwise... pinball machines < video games as far as gameplay in my opinion. It seems that later history pinball and modern pinball is just trying to achieve the same level of "fun" that video games achieved in the 1980's. They do this via sound and clever toys for the most part... but the game itself comes down to pretty much the "same"... hit shit with a ball/flipper combination. Hell, many pinheads get all giddy over grayscale "video mode" games on a small dot matrix screen... tech from the early 90's...
2. Pins are GREAT machines for people who like to tinker and work on their machines. I find that I much enjoy working on my pinball machines... for the most part. Hell, I even enjoy cleaning them up and waxing them down.
3. I own most of the video games I like playing. I find myself playing games that I own more often than not when I am at an event like CAX or at some gameroom out in the wild. Sure... I enjoyed checking out the protos (Marble Madness II would have been such a better game with the trackballs)... and a couple games I wish I owned >couBlack Widowgh< ... but more often I would find myself playing a game I owned... comparing physical appearance/"feel"... etc.
4. I enjoy talking/chatting/bullshitting about these machines with friends more than I enjoy playing or even working on them. The majority of my time at CAX (both times I've been) was spent kickin' it with my friends... talkin... drinkin... having a good time. THAT is the main reason I am in this hobby... you folks... by far.
