NCSX taking pre-orders for Death Smile PCB kit...

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Just in today, 10-03-2007, NCSX is now taking pre-orders for the newest Cave produced arcade shmup PCB kit of Death Smiles. The tentative October 19th, 2007, debut date is what NCSX mentions on their site for such a Death Smiles PCB kit.

http://www.ncsx.com/2007/100107/ncs1001w.htm

Be prepared to spend in the neighborhood of $2,250 USD or 246,000 yen for one though...and will it be worth every penny though? ^_~

Will some USA-based arcades be willing to plunk down some serious cash for one of these expensive PCB shmup babes? Be sure to let your local arcade owner/operator that you want Death Smiles at the local arcade..... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Macaw]

I don't think any game is worth more than $2000 US, but of course that wont stop people from buying it ^_~

USA based arcade getting this in? Surely you jest ^_~

Macaw! ^_~

[PC Engine Fan X!]

I don't think any game is worth more than $2000 US, but of course that wont stop people from buying it ^_~

USA based arcade getting this in? Surely you jest ^_~

Macaw! ^_~

Nah man, for those serious about attracting the crowds don't mind spending some serious $$$ for such a new arcade PCB kit -- perhaps, I should inquire with my local Funworks owner/manager to see if he would be interested in acquiring one... ^_~

My local Funworks, at one time, had a CPS2-based Dimahoo installed in an upright arcade cabinet set up & it was cool to try it out in person... ^_~

But seriously, my own private arcade shmup hangout is better than what's locally available right now... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[szycag]

I wish we had an arcade vendor here to even ask that would put it in. We have stuff like Dave and Buster's here but I highly doubt that's worth it because they're a huge corporation thing.

[icycalm]

I don't think any game is worth more than $2000 US, but of course that wont stop people from buying it ^_~

But what if you could resell it after you are done with it and make a large part of that money back? Wouldn't it be worth it then? ^_~

On the subject of Deathsmiles, I just met CIT in Lyon today, and he told me that a friend of his in Munich is getting the game in when it's released. I am seriously thinking of taking a trip there to play it and write a review. Perhaps if others were interested we could organize a little meet. ^_~

icycalm! ^_~

[Hibou]

By the way, how do things work for arcade operators nowadays ?

Back in the eighties I always thought that an arcade place was freely loaned the PCBs or the cabinets in exchange of a part of the money earned (like the games in pubs). But the word "buy" suddenly confuses me a bit.

Do the arcade operators simply have to buy a PCB to be entitled to use it for their own profit ? Or do they have to buy it and also buy a kind of fixed-price license ? Or do they have to buy it and also give back a percentage of the related income ?

The first option seems more logical to me, but then a price of 2000$ does not look high. I mean, it's an investment I would have thought quite easy to show for a profit... So how exactly do things work ?

[oxtsu]

The arcade operator buys the PCB/cabinet, and keeps all income.
License is included and designated for business use.

In the case of non-arcade locations, the operator keeps a portion of the income, paying some to the location owner.

The developer and publisher benefit from high income in multiple ways. 1st..the big corps have stake in arcade operations themselves (corporate owned+managed arcades from Taito, Sega, etc). 2nd..higher income for ops means higher PCB/cabinet sales, particularly for sequels and forthcoming games from a high performing dev/pub.

For an operator in the US, I'm afraid $2000+ for a shooter is out of the question. Even a $100 board from 10 years ago is a rarity. :(

That's the gist of it.

[sven666]

I don't think any game is worth more than $2000 US,

but youd buy it in a heartbeat if it was $1999 ??

whod buy this from NCSX anyways, isnt everyone familiar with teh much cheaper and better fujita/legend by now? both of those take paypal these days aswell..

[Hibou]

Thanks oxtsu for the explanations.

Here in France arcade centers have almost completely disappeared since at least 10 years. I even can't remember when I saw one for the last time. So I've just kept my outdated memories of how things were (and I don't know why thought they had survived just like I loved them in the US). So regarding the $2000 for a shmup thing, I somehow didn't realize shooters could nowadays be unattractive to arcade players as well. I just still was picturing the queue you had to endure to play R-Type when I was a kid...

Back on topic about the new Cave game with more noobish questions (I'm sorry, I've never bought a PCB yet). Are new Cave PCBs available for a long time, and do the prices for new ones go down after a few months?

[GaijinPunch]

Definitely worth not using the main thread. :/

[Rob]

^_~

Makes every post 10 times better. I only wish I thought of it first. O_~

[cigsthecat]

As if we needed another reason to dislike Icycalm.

[eretsua]

Are new Cave PCBs available for a long time, and do the prices for new ones go down after a few months?

yes, they are available for a long time. and indeed the prices drop rapidly after the first few weeks and then slowly drop down further. for example you can buy a new ESPgaluda II kit for 65,000yen/395euro and that game was released two years ago.

[GaijinPunch]

^_~

I only wish I thought of it first. O_~

X_~

[system11]

^_~

I only wish I thought of it first. O_~

X_~

>>--X_~-->

[DreamerNL]

Don't you guys hate this stuff? ^_~

I do ^_~

DreamerNL ^_~

[P_HAT]

^_~

[elfhentaifan]

this is a very friendly thread (threat)