When you get into PCBs, where do you intend to start?

alpha5099 · Post by **alpha5099** » Sun May 22, 2005 9:18 pm

I think a lot of people also aspire to one day get a supergun and start collecting PCBs. I was curious to know what other people plan on starting their collections with.

I'd probably try and get a copy of ESP Ra De and Sunset Riders. Then I'd need a Capcom beat 'em up, probably Alien vs. Predator or Cadillacs and Dinosaurs.

(Try to keep these short, what you plan to make in your first few purchases. Don't list every arcade game you've ever liked.)

Alternately, those who already play PCBs, what'd you start off with?

Tomtom · Post by **Tomtom** » Sun May 22, 2005 9:33 pm

I'd probably either get a Toaplan PCB (Fire/Flying Shark, or Truxton, maybe?) or Ketsui/something by Cave (EspRaDe or Mushi would rock, too). I can just see myself playing these to death.

sven666 · Post by **sven666** » Sun May 22, 2005 9:40 pm

i got a supergun just to play Blazing star (sinde it was alot cheaper than an AES).. but then it got totally out of hand.. my first PCB was outzone and my second was ESPrade and after that i was beyond stopping (and help

)

SheSaidDutch · Post by **SheSaidDutch** » Sun May 22, 2005 9:43 pm

If I could afford it Gradius Series, R-TYPE 1-2, and afew more early to late 80's shmups to start off with.

Ord · Post by **Ord** » Sun May 22, 2005 9:59 pm

I got my candy cab on a Monday. My first pcb, which came in the mail on Tuesday was Dragon Blaze. Three days later I got Armed Police Batrider & Guwange. One of the best weeks I have ever had.

sjewkestheloon · Post by **sjewkestheloon** » Sun May 22, 2005 10:06 pm

sorry for the ignorance but can soemone please explain to me the exact purpose, make and specs of a supergun? i knid of understand that you plug your pcbs into it but not much other than that.

i'd have to go for street fighter 3: third strike and probably strikers 1945 part 2 to start my collection as those are two games tyat get a lot of love from lil old me

Neon · Post by **Neon** » Sun May 22, 2005 10:26 pm

I was planning on getting Strikers 2 and CPS2 Alpha 3 at some point, since all the homeports of both are pretty flawed. Maybe Alpha 2 if the Japanese ps2 can't fix the loadtimes.

I've decided not to get into PCB's until after I graduate school, so I can use a cab and not a supergun...

ST Dragon · Post by **ST Dragon** » Sun May 22, 2005 10:34 pm

I would get a NEOGEO MVS cabinet with KOF 94, 96 & 97, Pulstar, Ninja Combat.
CPS-1 with Carrier Air Wing, Final Fight, Punisher, Cadilacs & Dinosaurs & Strider

CPS-2 with AVP, Armored Warriors & Capcom VS Marvel

SDF Macross - Only becasue it's one of my all time favorite shmups & there is no sound emulation in MAME.

And last but not least:

2 Quad Screen compilations of Daytona USA & Scud Race!

Davey · Post by **Davey** » Mon May 23, 2005 2:45 am

Actually, now that I have a real job, I might save up for a Supergun rather soon.

I'll probably buy them slowly so that I can appreciate them fully, but these are probably the first ones I'll get:

- Dangun Feveron
- Ketsui
- Super Pang
- Saboten Bombers (although I hear this is ridiculously rare)
- Tetris: The Grand Master

Although in all probability, I'll stock up on console puzzle games first, which is a cheaper alternative with just as much (if not more) gameplay to offer.

Or I'll just be dirty pirate scum and set up a PC with a boatload of emulators and hook it up to my TV.

neorichieb1971 · Post by **neorichieb1971** » Mon May 23, 2005 3:52 am

I bought my first PCB 3 years before having anything to play it on. That was Blazing star.

Then about a year ago I bought a capcom impress cabinet and had a blast on it for about 5 months when it started to have monitor trouble.

Then I bought 2 astro city cabinets and probably around 10 PCB's.

CPS2 mobo (no games)
Esp Ra.de
Dragon Blaze
Raiden Fighters
Osman
Shinobi
Wonder boy
Mr DO!
Battle Bakraid
Rygar
Mr driller 2

MVS

Bust a move again
Metal slug 1,2,3 and X
Strikers 1945 plus
Spinmaster
Blazing star

At the moment I have no desire to play or even buy any new PCB's. However I want to build my own cabinet due to the complexities of rotating monitors to suit different games. This will use my supergun and a TV via component input.

I am going to use LS32 joysticks with happ controls buttons.

neorichieb1971 · Post by **neorichieb1971** » Mon May 23, 2005 3:57 am

sjewkestheloon wrote:sorry for the ignorance but can soemone please explain to me the exact purpose, make and specs of a supergun? i knid of understand that you plug your pcbs into it but not much other than that.

i'd have to go for street fighter 3: third strike and probably strikers 1945 part 2 to start my collection as those are two games tyat get a lot of love from lil old me

Superguns are a junction box of wires, resisters and switches which direct audio/video and joystick signals to home equipment instead of a arcade cabinet.

So instead of having a big arcade unit you can just have one little box which does the same thing. Instead of control panel you can wire it to a joystick used for neo geo for example. You can attach a TV to it or a stereo system.

The specifications are usually Jamma compliant, but there are some non standard additions/subtractions that people can opt to put on or take off.

The PCB's themselves do all the hard work, you just have to get power to them and know how to get the signals to where you want to use them.

Neon · Post by **Neon** » Mon May 23, 2005 4:49 am

I had forgotten about Dangun Feveron. One of my favourite shooters. Put the ship on max speed and try to catch the little disco men...stupid simple with *almost* no depth whatsoever, yet ridiculously fun.

llaoyllakcuf · Post by **llaoyllakcuf** » Mon May 23, 2005 5:02 am

I started early last year with either ESPRADE or Strikers`99, not sure which.

in terms of PCBs, the last one I plan on getting is XEXEX, and then that'll be it

what an expensive hobby...

sven666 · Post by **sven666** » Mon May 23, 2005 7:43 am

llaoyllakcuf wrote:I started early last year with either ESPRADE or Strikers`99, not sure which.

in terms of PCBs, the last one I plan on getting is XEXEX, and then that'll be it

what an expensive hobby...

xexex is crap.. i sold mine straight away, pretty as hell with sluggish gameplay.. get r-type LEO instead..

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Mon May 23, 2005 8:42 am

I think my first PCB was V-V b/c they didn't have Dogyuun in stock, and then I bought Ketsui soon after.

elbarto · Post by **elbarto** » Mon May 23, 2005 8:59 am

My first boards were Vulcan Venture (GradiusII) and Aliens, waaay back in '95.

Herr Schatten · Post by **Herr Schatten** » Mon May 23, 2005 9:21 am

I think I would start off my collection with R-Type. Later, the first few games I would add would be Bubble Bobble, something from Psikyo (Gunbird or Strikers 1999 perhaps) and Mr. Heli no Daibouken.

Post by **system11** » Mon May 23, 2005 10:18 am

Got some advice - when first getting into PCBs, get yourself something cheap. Sky Shark is a good place to start, stuff of that age and price. You can pick up POW boards dirt cheap and so on. Plugging your JAMMA connector upside down on a brand new Ibara PCB is going to be a very expensive mistake..

black mariah · Post by **black mariah** » Mon May 23, 2005 11:00 am

If I ever manage to get enough money I'm going with one of the smaller MVS cabs. Blazing Star, KoF, SvC Chaos, Metal Slug... all for relatively low dollars.

After that it would be an Astro City or similar. SF3: Third Strike, Cyvern, something Cave, maybe Tumble Pop to change things up a bit...

damn I want a cab.

llaoyllakcuf · Post by **llaoyllakcuf** » Mon May 23, 2005 11:42 am

sven666 wrote:xexex is crap..

well, I do actually like the gameplay (Gradius-style) and I think the music is great.

as for LEO- I just prefer part 2 over it.

SheSaidDutch · Post by **SheSaidDutch** » Mon May 23, 2005 11:53 am

llaoyllakcuf wrote:
sven666 wrote:xexex is crap..
well, I do actually like the gameplay (Gradius-style) and I think the music is great.

as for LEO- I just prefer part 2 over it.

What version have you got llaoyllakcuf?

I've played the world version an you have an energy meter, not sure on any other changes though

llaoyllakcuf · Post by **llaoyllakcuf** » Mon May 23, 2005 12:11 pm

SheSaidDutch wrote:What version have you got llaoyllakcuf?

I've played the world version an you have an energy meter, not sure on any other changes though

er, its just MAME at the moment.. I plan on picking up a copy

the world version also has instant re-spawn where you die (no checkpoints)
and I think slightly faster enemy bullet patterns.

I like the Jpn. version better

Gozer · Post by **Gozer** » Mon May 23, 2005 1:42 pm

When I bought my supergun it came with a MV-1C board. So naturally I bought some MVS games. However, I bought the supergun with the main intention on buying Progear. I'm very glad that I did.

raiden · Post by **raiden** » Mon May 23, 2005 3:43 pm

Got some advice - when first getting into PCBs, get yourself something cheap. Sky Shark is a good place to start, stuff of that age and price. You can pick up POW boards dirt cheap and so on. Plugging your JAMMA connector upside down on a brand new Ibara PCB is going to be a very expensive mistake.

I started with a €250 Raiden Fighters Jet and a selfmade supergun to make things worse, pretty risky I have to admit, but I spent a few months reading on the subject of PCB handling before starting out, and I´m very glad that I did. People touching a PCB by the solder side without even discharging their electrostatic load beforehand make me cringe. Recently I saw someone playing his Virtua Fighter 3 setup with some metallic parts resting on the powered PCB and a glass of juice standing beside it. I had to pull myself together not to scream out...

The way I see it, playing these things is a privilege, but also a responsibility.

dpful · Post by **dpful** » Mon May 23, 2005 4:04 pm

I couldn't stand having super guns and no cabs.- got to have the fixed joysticks so it feels like the arcade when I was a kid. On that note, when I was 16, I would visit the arcade and the gas station- never had any quarters, just wished. So the first boards I bought when I grew up were

Final Fight - came in a cabinet from the thrift store,35$, and that's what rekindled my love of arcade stuff and collecting in the first place.
Ninja Gaiden
Rastan
Ninja Combat, Magician Lord

and since then I've bought tons of stuff.

captain ahar · Post by **captain ahar** » Mon May 23, 2005 4:11 pm

i already bought my first pcb, Dimahoo. still not sure as to its working-ness. a supergun will hopefully follow in the fall or winter.

next - Battle Toads, ESPrade, Batrider, Dodonpachi (have saturn, but this is so pretty), Ketsui, Guwange, and Progear (might as well get more out my CPSII). apparently, i am cave whore. ^_^

by the way, anyone seen the Sheep?

Ord · Post by **Ord** » Mon May 23, 2005 4:34 pm

captain ahar wrote:
by the way, anyone seen the Sheep?

Sadly no, i haven't heard from sheep in months.

Palmer Eldritch · Post by **Palmer Eldritch** » Mon May 23, 2005 4:52 pm

Bought a cab with ESP RA.DE. a while back.
Just bought my second PCB, Raiden DX.

raiden · Post by **raiden** » Mon May 23, 2005 5:39 pm

I couldn't stand having super guns and no cabs.- got to have the fixed joysticks so it feels like the arcade when I was a kid.

you can have a fixed joystick with a supergun as well, or even with consoles for that matter. A selfmade setup doesn´t look as sexy, but isn´t nearly as expensive or bothersome when it comes to repairs.

sven666 · Post by **sven666** » Mon May 23, 2005 7:11 pm

llaoyllakcuf wrote:
SheSaidDutch wrote:What version have you got llaoyllakcuf?

I've played the world version an you have an energy meter, not sure on any other changes though
er, its just MAME at the moment.. I plan on picking up a copy

the world version also has instant re-spawn where you die (no checkpoints)
and I think slightly faster enemy bullet patterns.

I like the Jpn. version better

i had the jpn version but i just couldnt get over how sluggish and unresponsive the gameplay felt, a real shame as the game sure has some fantastic potential..
i just chose LEO cause most people dont have it, all the R-types (and gradiuses) are better than xexex...