The Shmup Library - PCB Lending -- Ideas?

[Frenetic]

Hi everyone,

Due to the scarcity and rising prices of PCBs and the ease of changing out PCBs into arcade cabinets and superguns--what do you guys think about people lending out their PCBs to other people?

USPS Flat rate boxes can be shipped anywhere in the US (do they have something like this in other parts of the world?)

There also could be a map service where people can lend out PCBs to people close to them.

The lendee would pay for shipping to and fro as well as insurance and deposit. What do you think would be a fair compensation for the lender?

I know there are film organizations that rent out film prints: http://americangenrefilm.com/loan-guidelines

Let's hear some ideas!

--F

[broken harbour]

I think this is a fantastic idea, however without significant deposits, I think the risk is too great.

If people are willing to shell out $500+ deposits then go nuts people!

[drunkninja24]

I think it's a bit of a double edged sword. On one hand, I'm a nice guy and wouldn't mind letting some other folks play my games for a while (especially ones that don't get a whole lot of playtime). On the other, sending off a game of mine to someone else and hoping they don't somehow ruin it would make me nervous especially on some more expensive/rare titles

I'm sure there'd have to be some agreed-upon system in place for that situation though.

[Bonus!]

This sounds like a pretty bad idea. I learnt pretty quickly to not lend games, books, CDs, heck, anything because people don't seem to care enough about keeping your stuff in pristine condition. So, even if you got your stuff back, it's still a gamble that the other person takes care about stuff as much as you.

[trap15]

This sounds like a pretty bad idea. I learnt pretty quickly to not lend games, books, CDs, heck, anything because people don't seem to care enough about keeping your stuff in pristine condition. So, even if you got your stuff back, it's still a gamble that the other person takes care about stuff as much as you.

Pretty much this. I'll lend to stuff to really good friends, but even then not if I really care a ton about the thing.

[system11]

It's too risky - things you'd have to worry about:

People leaving the game running 24/7 to create their own personal arcade experience.
People who can't package things securely before posting.
Transit damage even if they are well packaged.
Loss in transit - ever tried to claim from the post office?
People running games over voltage and reducing operational life, burning out edge connectors and so on.
People borrowing non-JAMMA games and blowing them up with a bad adapter.
Theft.
Who covers the loss if one fails between person A and B, did it die when A fired it up or die when B was using it, or between then?
Rough handling.

[MintyTheCat]

Too much of a risky nightmare to put into practice I am a afraid to say, Frenetic.

As a solution these days I have seen people band together to rent out space to house arcade machines and PCBs. Each member pays a fee each month or so and they use that to pay the rent, pay for repairs and make acquisitions.

It takes some experience and knowledge to maintain and look after a PCB and I have to say that most people do not have this required experience and knowledge so the full risk is on the person who lends the PCB.

We are talking about rare electronics with arcade PCBs often so there is no way most people could feel safe

Even consider such a library with MVS carts: how many of us would still feel safe and secure in lending those out? With PCBs the issues are even greater.

Nice idea but it won't work out sadly, Frenetic.

[Satan]

Fuck that, in my experience if people are given the option of being a cunt and not, they'll choose the former every single time.

[BIL]

Pls lend me all your rarez imma take real good care of 'em for bargain price

Phase II of operation STEAL ALL TEH FUCKEN SHUMPS is go. Delete this line before posting. Over.

Check my feedback for great vouch, legendary member (THATS WHAT SHE SAID) ;3 ;3 ;3

[neorichieb1971]

I hide my PCB's from myself

[MintyTheCat]

Fuck that, in my experience if people are given the option of being a cunt and not, they'll choose the former every single time.

100% gospel truth spoketh, brother!

[Xyga]

Would be a great idea if we all had teleportation devices at home.

Anyway if we did we could do 24/7 shmupping sessions anywhere in the world anytime, carrying the beer/pizza/pcb between gaming rooms/salons/arcades, there wouldn't be any point in lending stuff.

[rugdoctor]

I wanted to do this a long time ago as I believe the cause for the greater good. I think it is far easier to sell the games to the borrower at the same price the lender got it for and have the first right to buy it back for the same price later on if the lender want it back.

[Ed Oscuro]

Isn't this what shmupmeets are for? And deep pockets, of course.

[waiwainl]

Great idea, but not very executable I am afraid.

I only would lend out PCB's to people who treat the PCB's the same way I do and have experience handling similar typed PCB's (read: value$).
No way for me to check that properly.
Plus the transit issue as system11 described. The more a PCB is send across to various people, the risk of getting lost goes up quickly.

[Acid King]

A way to make this work would be to draft a bunch of locals and form an arcade/shooting game version of a Lions/Kiwanis/Freemasons-type club where everyone paid dues to upkeep the boards/storage/playing space. If you can find a way to do that, then you could conceivably open chapters in other areas and limit pcb lending to other chapters.

[MintyTheCat]

Yes, that is the way, Acid King.

I can see Shmups ending up as a kind of religion.

Edit: I keep missing the verbs - too much German influence.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

I agree with Acid King's suggestion...it isn't like anyone has instant access to some of those easily over $1,000 USD arcade PCBs these days (unless you live close to one of those super PCB collectors -- or close enough to attend a shmupmeet to try out desired rare/expensive PCB to see if it's worth getting one for your own personal PCB stash).

When I think about all the arcade PCBs that I have in my own personal stash, I don't see any of my local FECs (Family Entertainment Centers) or street locations that would have such rare and expensive arcade PCBs to play out on location (as it's already a very specialized niche/genre in regards to arcade shmup PCBs). It'd be the local arcade distributor that would make the local rounds to service/maintain the various arcade game cabs/pinball machines placed at various "mom & pop" owned businesses in the area nowadays.

Heck, the very last indie arcade joint closed their doors back in May of 1998 for the Modesto, CA area and there hasn't been one open for business since then. I personally don't count the franchised owned FECs like John's Incredible Pizza, Funworks, Chuck E. Cheese or Boomers located in the Modesto, CA area as they really don't carry the rare and expensive arcade PCBs that shmuppers would like to see/play (sad but true). So the only remedy/solution to that pressing issue at hand, is to get your favorite arcade PCBs and play 'em properly with a candy cab/supergun setup -- essentially, you have your own private arcade that's way better than what's available locally (with the usual slim pickings & whatnot to play nowadays).

If a Round One arcade joint were to open for business in Modesto, CA...I'd certainly be up to patronize it indeed (in hindsight, I know won't happen as the market base/customer base isn't there to support such a business venture like that -- which would require lots of foot traffic on a daily basis -- i.e.: inside a mall might work if the business lease doesn't keep on increasing year after year with the company responsible for the entire mall operation/general upkeep). Not to mention if the Modesto mayor and the Modesto city council would be keen/interested/what their stance/opinions would be in having such a new major or indie arcade joint open up for business anyways -- that'd have to be taken into consideration. The "latest and greatest" in arcade/pinball would have to be offered to attract the customers in, otherwise if an arcade has the usual stale and boring stuff year after year, that ain't gonna cut it these days.

I was talking with a co-worker whom used to be a bartender -- she said that on a good night, she could easily earn up to $500 a night just on tips alone. Hmmm, sounds like she'd be good to use/hire in a "barcade" type of establishment (has the usual sense of humor to the laughs/chuckles going on & never a dull moment with her) -- have a friendly bartender work her magic with the paying crowd and add in some of the latest arcade games/pinball and you've got something right there. Again, the city of Modesto doesn't have a barcade business in operation either -- so that'd be a definite first. Of course, obtaining a California alcohol license would be needed -- plus the fact that local law enforcement uses under-age decoys unannounced to see if they'll be served or not (something to keep in mind) or the business could end up losing it's liquor license if it happens more than once (plus hefty fines/possible prison time for the person whom, unknowingly, serves alcohol to the under-age decoy). Key points/issues that aren't to be taken lightly herein the Golden state, alrighty.

Back to the OP's topic at hand.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[MintyTheCat]

It kind of gets to me that we were told that a large Arcade would be opening up in Berlin and that was just over two years ago.

Last time I was in the Casion Arcade in London was Halloween 2013 I think it was and they had fewer Shmups but still had R-Type Leo and Progear arashi as I recall but gone were the dogyyuun, tatsuji-ou, DDP, DOJ and even Metal-Slugs.

I think large cities like London, Paris and Berlin all NEED decent Arcades and decent Cinemas that show all the old stuff from the 70s, 80s for Action, SciFi and Horror in particular. Sadly this does not happen.

But I agree with PCE Fan that a Barcade is a good way to go to cover the risks as alcohol is not likely to go out of fashion too soon.

I know that people do want to play in competitions particularly for Fighters but most of the time now it is mates meeting up at a mate's house or a privately run Warehouse type of Arcade that have been popping up in the UK these last few years. I went to a really cool one in Lancashire a couple of years ago when I was attending Replay.

Even Replay ended up not really offering many Shmups and last time I was there in 2014 they only had two Candy cabs

[Satan]

I love the sound of videogame Freemasonry lodges. I'd be well up for that, we'd have a secret handshake and we could help each other get into positions of power in local elections and grant permits to our members only.

[Xyga]

Actually...hasn't this been a thing for a long time already in the arcade collecting world ?
The guys dealing with really rare and expensive stuff are few, discreet, and most of them located in Japan or visiting often.

I bet they do unspeakable stuff in secret gatherings, wearing costumes.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Plus the transit issue as system11 described. The more a PCB is send across to various people, the risk of getting lost goes up quickly.

The transit issue seems like the big one to worry about. Irreplaceable stuff getting lost or damaged is No Fun. This is more workable with local friends into PCBs and loaning them out... but doesn't seem very practical for long-distance lending.

[system11]

I wouldn't share them even locally, it's not worth the potential drama. What happens when a $600 PCB pops while on loan being used at a meet? In many cases now it's not even the money, some of these games now take years of hunting to locate.

[MintyTheCat]

Plus the transit issue as system11 described. The more a PCB is send across to various people, the risk of getting lost goes up quickly.

The transit issue seems like the big one to worry about. Irreplaceable stuff getting lost or damaged is No Fun. This is more workable with local friends into PCBs and loaning them out... but doesn't seem very practical for long-distance lending.

Do you actually own any PCBs? Some are very delicate and most gamers do not know how to handle them. When dealing with repairs you are then into another domain of expertise.

I have a degree in Electronics which I dare say most gamers do not have but I could not say "right, I will now fix all those PCBs that the loaners damaged". Instead, I would have to get a lot of advice and spend some time checking each part of the board.

I think you miss the crux here, Roo.