Video of a coinop convention in Chicago from '82

tta583

Active member

Donor 2011, 2013
Joined
Jun 10, 2006
Messages
2,328
Reaction score
18
Location
Kentucky
Anyone seen this? I was looking for some info on Century CVS systems and turned this up. The film maker is...well...apparently trying to add drama. The close up of the dude's face playing Robby Roto makes it look like he is about to pop. The dialog...its eye poking exciting... The sales pitches...epic...

There is a Zaxon, Robby Roto, Pac Pin, Kick.. A lot of general footage of the floor. Most games have redundant monitors on top of the cabs. The CVS demo cab is pretty cool. Its clear plex or plastic of some sort.

http://mediaburn.org/Video-Priview.128.0.html?uid=5758
 
An Arcade in CA in action.
http://www.mediaburn.org/Video-Preview.128.0.html?&action=2&uid=5770

Games start at 12:29....and end in a Pac Man love fest thing..
http://www.mediaburn.org/Video-Preview.128.0.html?&action=2&uid=5750

15:47...Console WoW...WOW it is...I don't need that kind'a super hero!!
http://www.mediaburn.org/Video-Preview.128.0.html?uid=5753

More clips from the show they were making. May have to Copy and Paste.
http://www.mediaburn.org/index.php?id=125&tx_mediaburntitleindex_pi1[page]=57&tx_mediaburntitleindex_pi1[letter]=&PHPSESSID=b84ea74ec6dd97f7dbb815559140769b
 
Last edited:
Cool vids.

My head almost exploded when about 14:30 into the last link the footage of the voice simulated computer graphic of the woman's face kept repeating in the tracheotomy voice box voice saying "I AM THE FUTURE OF DESIRE! I AM THE FUTURE OF DESIRE!"

haha
 
I had two of those cabinets those multi system things go in. It had some sort of cartridge or something that kind of popped off the motherboard so you could change games.
 
I had two of those cabinets those multi system things go in. It had some sort of cartridge or something that kind of popped off the motherboard so you could change games.

I have a board and a game kit. That's why I was looking into them. Looking up the Kit I have the game itself looks a little cheesy. Need to see what game is on the board.
 
One of mine was that game with the round orange sideart in the background of the video I think, if it's the same system you're talking about. I can't remember the other one, both boards were hella fried and I couldn't get them to do anything. You've done better than I did, I couldn't find any info on them.
 
"dazzler" was one of my broken ones. Watch when she switches the game.... she never turns the power off, and a guy's still playing the game! WTF?
 
Good footage of Eugene Jarvis ("Ron Robot") playing Robby Roto and giving his thoughts on it!
 
Last edited:
I was just about to post that the person they refer to as "Ron Robot: is in fact none other than Eugene Jarvis.

Love how he hesitates when asked if he'd play Roto again...he must have known already that this was no PacMan (or Defender for that matter) :D ...

Jon
 
So who is he, what's his claim to fame?? I think he was a speaker at the Midwest gaming thing recently
 
"dazzler" was one of my broken ones. Watch when she switches the game.... she never turns the power off, and a guy's still playing the game! WTF?

My other is 8 Ball. Yeah, I caught that, at least it looks like she pulled it out hot. Loved how they explain away the flipped screen. It's a 2 player game. Player 2 simple has to crawl, backwards, up inside the face of the game and reach across the monitor...or hand from the ceiling.
 
Eugene Jarvis is/was one of the "VidKidz" from back in the glory days of Williams coin-ops. He is the main guy behind some of Williams' finest classic arcade games including Defender, Robotron, and Stargate, plus a few other lesser known classics. Other more modern games include the Cruis'n driving series, NARC, and Smash TV.

He is still active to this day with his own company called Raw Thrills. They released the Target: Terror and Fast and Furious games a few years back.

Here is the Wikipedia entry for him:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Jarvis

He was at the 2006 CAX show and gave a terrific talk on the development of Robotron, and we hope to have him back at a future show sometime. He is a very busy guy still, but he does have relatives in the San Francisco/Bay Area so you never know if and when he might decide to visit them and maybe stop by the CAX show ;) ...

Jon
 
Wow, there are people on the KLOV videogame forum who have never heard of Eugene Jarvis??????????????????????? Apparently you are either 16 years old or haven't left your cave in a long, long time.
 
I didn't go to the '82 AOE, but I did go to the '83 AOE. It was a crazy event. That was where Dragon's Lair was demoed and a bunch of other games. A lot of which never saw light of day based on feedback. I remember talking with a programmer that worked on Robby Roto and IIRC he said they got several cease & desist letters from other companies (Universal for Mr. Do and Atari for Dig Dug most likely) because of the whole digging theme. Back in those days C&D letters were handed out like corner advertising in Las Vegas. It was always a convenient reason for killing a game. If they had wanted to produce it, they would have. About 1/3 to 1/2 of the games shown at these shows never were produced.

I had forgotten about the plexi cabinets. Those were very cool for shows, but they were very flimsy. I think it would be cool for home, but it wouldn't take a lot of abuse.

I also forgot about smoking on the show floors and having to wear ties. Two things are best left forgotten. :D

ken
 
I also forgot about smoking on the show floors and having to wear ties. Two things are best left forgotten. :D

ken

Apparently cowboy hats, low button shirts with chains, and an occasional heavy super hero costume were allowed as well.
 
Wow, there are people on the KLOV videogame forum who have never heard of Eugene Jarvis??????????????????????? Apparently you are either 16 years old or haven't left your cave in a long, long time.

Or not a COMPLETE nerd.
 
Back
Top Bottom