Which game should I look for? And how?

General_Norris

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As many know, I'm still thinking about getting a cab or not and I have to consider my budget. How much do you think these games can go for in Europe in working order? I don't mind the cab itself as much as the electronics because the cab can be built or fixed little by little.

Out Run (Apparently more expensive in parts than whole. I wouldn't mind Turbo Outrun either but it's rarer)
Berzerk (Was told it's rarish and hard to mantain)
Robotron
Stargate (Or Defender, I can always convert later)
Millipede (Or Centipede, I can always convert later)

I'm thinking about putting a WTB ad in the trading forums but I don't know the etiquette. Can I just tell everyone to send me a PM with an offer if they have one of those games near me? I'm afraid I would turn down many of them.

If you also know a Spanish forum about arcade games, tell me because I don't know any right now. I was told there were many Spaniards in Arcade Otaku but it looks very focused on candy cabs and shmups.

I think I should screw this and get bigger screens and a new card for my PC. ^^U

Sorry if I'm kind of annoying with this subject!
 
I have no idea what the market is like in Europe, so I can't help you there.

But one thing that will assist you in finding things is to fill in your location field so the rest of us know where you are. That way, when you post a WTB, or even mention you're looking for something, people will know if they're local to you or not. Shipping games is expensive and complicated.

What to look for? Well, look for a game you like. You might not find exactly what you want straight off, but you should be able to find one you'd enjoy.

What to look for in a game? Depends on your skillset. For instance, I have no problem getting games to work - I can fix the electronics without issue. But a game with a damaged cabinet is a real problem for me, since I lack woodworking skills and tools. Whereas another person might be better with fixing the cosmetic aspects of the game but not know how to solder.

You can start with a WTB post - but definitely do your research first. Figure out what you want, and what you're comfortable fixing. If you're looking for a complete, working, good game and don't want to fix anything, expect to pay more ;)

-Ian
 
If you want a game from here in the U.S.A. i can help,i would assist you with the purchase and shipping of the game if youd like. You would have to be the money man and i can help with the rest over here but be prepared to drop some $ let me know,im always up for a new project.
 
I don't think anyone can answer this question for you because only you know your taste in games. The games you're choosing between vary wildly in subject matter.

Get a cheap JAMMA cab and run a multi-board until you're sure about what you want.
 
But one thing that will assist you in finding things is to fill in your location field so the rest of us know where you are. That way, when you post a WTB, or even mention you're looking for something, people will know if they're local to you or not. Shipping games is expensive and complicated.
Done! I thought I already had it. I also got an avatar and other cool stuff.


I don't think anyone can answer this question for you because only you know your taste in games. The games you're choosing between vary wildly in subject matter.
Oh, it's not about which game is better, it's about how hard to find or, more importantly, to fix those games are. They are my favourites and I would be incredibly happy with any of them.


If you want a game from here in the U.S.A. i can help,i would assist you with the purchase and shipping of the game if youd like. You would have to be the money man and i can help with the rest over here but be prepared to drop some $ let me know,im always up for a new project.
I don't think shipping a cab from the other side of the ocean will be worth it, it must be horribly expensive! Thanks for the help tough :)

BTW, any tips on moving a cab with a van or something? How would you secure it in place?


Thanks for the tips! Feel free to continue :)
 
BTW, any tips on moving a cab with a van or something? How would you secure it in place?

Before moving the game, open the back door and carefully inspect the insides - be sure that the monitor is securely bolted into place, the monitor chassis is screwed into it's frame, and that the boardset, power supply, and any other components are screwed down. It's pretty common for someone to, say, swap a monitor then not put the bolts back in. Remove or secure any loose parts. Games tend to have washers, screws, coins, and other junk in the bottom, so clean up anything like that. Tuck the power cord into the game if you can - most cords simply exit through a notch in the bottom, so with the door off you can lift it out of it's groove and stow it inside, preventing it from being damaged.

Provided that everything is attached properly, put the back door on, lay a blanket or something over the back bumper of the van, tip and slide the game on it's back (or side, if there is something like a monitor bubble sticking out in the back - use good padding for moving games on their sides) and slide the game in.

Drive to destination.

Reverse the above procedure, and stand the game up. Remove the back of the game and fish out the power cord you tucked in there - and while you're in there double check all the electronics, make sure nothing has landed on anything. This is where you find the quarter that fell into the fuse block *before* you plug the game in.

There is nothing wrong with moving games on their backs or sides - you just have to make sure everything is secure first and take precautions to prevent junk causing short circuits ;) I've moved all my games on their backs in a minivan.

-Ian
 
Wow, nice advice!

So there's no risk of the cab sliding and getting damaged? Tough the weight must help them to stay in place, I guess.
 
So there's no risk of the cab sliding and getting damaged? Tough the weight must help them to stay in place, I guess.

They're heavy enough that they stay put - but slide the game as far forward as you can, lest it slide forward if you have to slam on the brakes. The carpet in a minivan is enough friction to keep a game mostly from moving. If you put cardboard down underneath the game, it might slide a bit, but even then, not much. If you're worried, just put a blanket or some pillows or something around the game where it might contact the sides of the van. Even if it does hit the sides, the interior of a minivan is plastic and carpet, there's little to damage the game with. I've never had a problem with games sliding around in my van though. Just, you know, don't drive like a maniac.

Now, this applies to minivans. Carpeted floors, completely enclosed. You will definitely have to strap things down if you move them in an open pickup truck. Pickups have metal or plastic beds, and the game WILL side around.

-Ian
 
Open pickups are much less common in Europe than in America. They love their vans there.

I say don't try to decide what you want in advance, since that will be very hard to do where you live. Shop between what becomes available.

You would have a very hard time trying to collect the exact same thing the US collectors here have anyway, since not all the same games were available in Europe and large numbers of them were not the exact same versions of the games that you see the American collectors with. They play the same, but they often came in different cabinets and with different artwork (that isn't reproduced), and thus restoring them will be far more difficult.
 
If you need the dimensions and weight of the game, check out the main site here,

http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_list.php?letter=A&type=Videogame

And choose a game, then look for the flyer of the game, most if not all flyers will show all the specs of the game. I have used this method many times to find the information I needed for shipping or transporting of games.

Example: Centipede - Flyer page 2 with the specs of the game.

http://flyers.arcade-museum.com/?page=flyer&db=videodb&id=190&image=2

buena suerte (Good Luck),

Johnny
 
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