Hello there. I have lurked these forums for a long time, and now I want to ask for your help. I am planning to open a new arcade in the San Francisco bay area. I have a majority of the financing lined up and I have a few locations in mind. But in order to really pull the trigger on this, I need data. A lot of it.
First, a little on the goals of the place I envision. I want to make this a player's arcade. That means no ticket games, no cheap trinkets, none of those thinly veiled versions of slot machines for children. I want to offer entertainment that will stick with people. Just like a good movie stays with you and makes you think about it throughout the week, I want to offer games that will "stay" in much the same fashion. That means the games have to be substantive and offer a unique experience for the people who come and play it. The list of games is as follows:
*Street Fighter 4 (4 linked hi res cabs)
*Blaz Blue (2 linked hi res cabs)
*Tekken 6 Bloodline Rebellion (2 linked hi res cabs)
*Gundam vs. Gundam (4 linked cabs)
*Marvel vs. Capcom 2
*Capcom vs. SNK 2
*Ikaruga
*DoDonPachi DaiFukkatsu
*EspGaluda 2
*Neo Geo multi (King of Fighters 98, Garou Mark of the Wolves, The *Last Blade 2, Metal Slug 3, all of these of course variable)
*Possibly 1 or 2 large dedicated cabinets like Dance Dance Revolution or Initial D or the like.
As I mentioned before, I want this to be a player's arcade. So this list will change with the wishes of the players. As well, for the players there will be weekly tournaments and prizes for things like single credit clearing the various scrolling shooters, posting videos online of tournaments, ect ect.
So in order to get an idea of what is important to you, I am asking for no more than 2 mintues of your time in filling out 6 questions in this survey:
http://www.kwiksurveys.com/online-surve ... K_a21042b0
But perhaps just as important as catering to the already established players, this place will only thrive if it can bring in NEW gamers, and show them that the arcade can offer unique things that the home experience cannot. Any ideas concerning that would be very helpful. Some ideas I have are:
1. Hold "clinics" for various games where a number of people could pay a set amount, the particular game would be turned to free play, and the people who signed up could play on it for a block of time (both winner and loser would have to get off, increasing rotaton and playtime for everyone).
2. Keep games updated and rotating, so that the same crowd doesn't just rule over the same set of games. Everyone will have to learn something new once in a while.
I am also considering secondary sources of income such as:
1. Snacks and drinks, really a given.
2. Offering a small showcase/shelf space for people who make custom sticks and the like
3. Offering arcade parts.
Please keep any ideas you might have coming along. And please circulate the survey to as many people as you know who might be interested. The more data I have, the better I can know if this can (or cannot) work.
Sincerely,
Myung Kim
New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
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totoroslayer
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:41 pm
New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
Last edited by totoroslayer on Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
Hold tournaments & keep hi-scores posted.
Also: have a pool table or two. Lat arcade i was in was dead except for the billiards area.
Also: have a pool table or two. Lat arcade i was in was dead except for the billiards area.
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PC Engine Fan X!
- Posts: 9099
- Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:32 pm
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
If you can get Namco's Wangun Midnight: Maximum Tune 3, that would be ace. ^_~
If you could open up a sister location in the Modesto, CA area, that would be a very good market for an independent arcade like you're proposing, totoroslayer. The very last Modsto, CA-based indy arcade closed it's doors forever back in May of 1998 and there hasn't been one ever since then. The still-vacant former Good Guys location just right off of Highway 99 in Modesto, CA would be an awesome location for an indy arcade hangout. The retail space inside it is freaking huge and spacious enough to host even the multi-linked deluxe sit-down racing game cabinets such as Intial D Stage 4 and WM:MT-3 games with ease. ^_~
Also, don't forget to stock your new arcade with a mixture of both classic Williams/Stern/Bally Midway/and the newest Stern pinball machines as well for the pinball crowd as not to alienate them. Make sure you have ample room for the restrooms also for the possible handicapped folks/customers -- is required by law. ^_~
Add some odd-ball Japanese pachinko machines to spice up your arcade for some authentic Japanese gaming flavor. The Sangyo produced "Julie" pinball-themed pachinko machine is a cool one to own/show off to others. Or even the Sammy produced Sexy Reaction Pachinko 1 & 2 PCB kits shown on a candy cab setup is another consideration. It might not be everyone's "cup of tea" in terms of subject matter, but there is a market for it outside of Japan. ^_~
PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
If you could open up a sister location in the Modesto, CA area, that would be a very good market for an independent arcade like you're proposing, totoroslayer. The very last Modsto, CA-based indy arcade closed it's doors forever back in May of 1998 and there hasn't been one ever since then. The still-vacant former Good Guys location just right off of Highway 99 in Modesto, CA would be an awesome location for an indy arcade hangout. The retail space inside it is freaking huge and spacious enough to host even the multi-linked deluxe sit-down racing game cabinets such as Intial D Stage 4 and WM:MT-3 games with ease. ^_~
Also, don't forget to stock your new arcade with a mixture of both classic Williams/Stern/Bally Midway/and the newest Stern pinball machines as well for the pinball crowd as not to alienate them. Make sure you have ample room for the restrooms also for the possible handicapped folks/customers -- is required by law. ^_~
Add some odd-ball Japanese pachinko machines to spice up your arcade for some authentic Japanese gaming flavor. The Sangyo produced "Julie" pinball-themed pachinko machine is a cool one to own/show off to others. Or even the Sammy produced Sexy Reaction Pachinko 1 & 2 PCB kits shown on a candy cab setup is another consideration. It might not be everyone's "cup of tea" in terms of subject matter, but there is a market for it outside of Japan. ^_~
PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
Unless you outright own the building/location already, you will need another source of income, which should really be your main source of income, as per machine revenue is not going to cover a monthly lease, especially in SF bay area. Combine with pearl tea and japanese gimicky things, or better yet combine with a bar (alcohol) for highest returns. Theme the arcade as per the business model, or you risk being too generic and not building a core audience/following, this includes the style of games operated. I recommend membership style with credit based swipe cards for more predictable monthly revenue, and easier customer loyalty programs/incentives.totoroslayer wrote:I am also considering secondary sources of income such as:
1. Snacks and drinks, really a given.
2. Offering a small showcase/shelf space for people who make custom sticks and the like
3. Offering arcade parts.
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
I don't live in NorCal but I have been watching your threads on Dustloop and Shoryuken (no account on either, I just lurk) with a lot of interest as it's something I've been thinking about doing over here. But making a place that isn't full of booze or gambling machines is pretty much financial suicide.
I was intrigued when Spirit Juice said shmups were “big money makers,” as this certainly isn't the case in the UK by any stretch. Though, I think there are only 2 arcades left in the south that haven’t devolved completely into fruit machines.
Anyway, good luck.
I was intrigued when Spirit Juice said shmups were “big money makers,” as this certainly isn't the case in the UK by any stretch. Though, I think there are only 2 arcades left in the south that haven’t devolved completely into fruit machines.
Anyway, good luck.
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
have you talked to the guys at arcade infinity or denjin arcade and gotten any advise from them yet?
agree with everything dave already said. maybe a bar/restaurant, or snooker/pool hall with cabs in the back. or run a membership scheme where you pay $x.xx for a day/week/month/yearly pass, and all the cabs are on freeplay. downside of that is people having to play up front to go in, but maybe you could do "promo" days or half days where there's no entrance fee and you put all the cabs on freeplay just to help spread the word
and definitely get those tournaments going
anyways, you should also talk to wouvou (french member here, and on other sites) who has his own arcade. game selection and not over-committing yourself financially to any particular title will be the key, i think.
you have a nice selection of games there, but what's considered cool by the few may not take very much money at all. i know wouvou had dodonpachi daifukkatsu when it was brand new, and what it took in a week, ghost squad or silent hill would take in a day
and it's all about getting the right location as well. there's a member on ArcadeOtaku (UK-centric arcade forum) who has four SF4 cab setups (at other people's sites) that barely take £300 a month each at £1 a credit, and they cost £6,000 each. in other arcades it does well.. 
anyways, it says the survey thing is closed, or i would've done that too. but best of luck with it all
(1 more post until i'm dead)
agree with everything dave already said. maybe a bar/restaurant, or snooker/pool hall with cabs in the back. or run a membership scheme where you pay $x.xx for a day/week/month/yearly pass, and all the cabs are on freeplay. downside of that is people having to play up front to go in, but maybe you could do "promo" days or half days where there's no entrance fee and you put all the cabs on freeplay just to help spread the word
and definitely get those tournaments goinganyways, you should also talk to wouvou (french member here, and on other sites) who has his own arcade. game selection and not over-committing yourself financially to any particular title will be the key, i think.
you have a nice selection of games there, but what's considered cool by the few may not take very much money at all. i know wouvou had dodonpachi daifukkatsu when it was brand new, and what it took in a week, ghost squad or silent hill would take in a day
and it's all about getting the right location as well. there's a member on ArcadeOtaku (UK-centric arcade forum) who has four SF4 cab setups (at other people's sites) that barely take £300 a month each at £1 a credit, and they cost £6,000 each. in other arcades it does well.. anyways, it says the survey thing is closed, or i would've done that too. but best of luck with it all
(1 more post until i'm dead)
RegalSin wrote:Videogames took my life away like the Natives during colonial times.
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totoroslayer
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:41 pm
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
Hey all, thanks for the feedback. There's a new survey link posted, so that should be a little more robust. For those who havent been following this on the SRK forums, here's some more talking points.
On the issue of secondary income:
No doubt, this will be necessary. As much as I would love a pure videogame place to make money, all the evidence not only from here but from other operators would seem to indicate that it is at best, only slightly profitable. Certainly nothing one can call a “career.” But hey, if it can pay rent and draw people in, that means any supplemental business on top of it is pure profit (and I'm perfectly fine with that ). I have heard a few ideas for secondary incomes:
On the issue of alcohol:
No. The cost of a liquor license and losing the entire crowd under 21 I think is just too much to bear. On top of that, people already get pretty heated when it comes to fighting games (and particularly, losing at them). Imagine how they would be drunk. Now imagine a whole ARCADE full of them.
On the issue of tournaments:
The size of these will be determined by the space I get. And the space I get will be determined by how many people live where. And that can only be determined by the survey. But the standard of a tourney buy in with a portion going to the house (and the machines on free play) could work. But I would also want to host amateur tourneys, or else we're just going to see the same faces over and over taking everyone's money, and the tourneys will die out faster than the Crocs fad.
On the issue of cafes:
Food is great. It's profitable. It's also a whole other can of worms in terms of permits, equipment, liability, employment, ect. Does anyone here have any experience with running a cafe or a restaurant? Are the rules different for a place that cooks and prepares things (like a Denny's) compared to a place that sells prepared stuff (like a Baskin Robbins) compared to a place that just sells sealed stuff (like snacks and gum at a newspaper booth)?
On the issue of naysayers:
You have a very important and appreciated role in this. Everyone here is eager to say “yes yes yes” when it's someone else's money going on the line. I, on the other hand, need to protect mine. However, I would ask that you go one step farther. For every reason this wouldn't work, try to come up with a way that it could work, something extra we could to to overcome that obstacle. If that obstacle is insurmountable, please feel free to say that too. If you cannot do any of that, at least please try to shoot down posts only once every 6 hours (so your points can be compacted into one post like this).
On the issue of home gatherings:
I know there are a lot of home gatherings. Hell, that's what most of the threads on here are about. I have gone to quite a few and hosted a few as well. But let me say that they are far from ideal. Most people live in an apartment that can't really comfortably fit more than 5 or 6 people, max. Once you start getting a party of 10 or more friends coming over, and especially in the night when you have to close the windows because of the noise, it gets pretty uncomfortable pretty quick. On top of that, people tend to have 2, 3 tvs at the most. That means when you get 14 or 15 people over, you're stuck doing NOTHING for a good long while waiting for your turn to cycle in. Now granted, my proposed 4 cab setup of SF4 is not going to mean you never have to wait, but at least you can play other games while you're waiting, or maybe even (gasp) try a new game you've never tried before.
On the issue of logistics:
On the issue of public transportation:
When it comes to public transportation, I'm the greenest hippie freak you will find. I personally live in San Mateo, so naturally I started my real estate search closest to home, but I was bummed because San Mateo mass transit really sucks. But I would love to be in Millbrae or some other place near a BART station so the Cal, Oakland, and east of the Caldicott folks could just hop a train and come over. But again, the survey will tell me where the place to set up shop will need to be. Also, I need to be in a relatively nicer place, because I just can't afford to spend the money on security guards and replacing vandalized stuff.
On maintenance:
One of the main reasons I thought I could start this is because I know how to do a lot of repairs and hacks on my own. On top of that, my pet peeve is broken controls. Nothing sours my mood faster. My machines will work. That's an issue I will take PERSONALLY.
On payment method:
Yes, tokens have problems. But card readers are potentially way more devastating in terms of loss. If a card reader breaks down, I have no idea how to repair that. I'd need a new unit, maybe even someone to install that (while adjustable coin mechs are relatively cheap). And god forbid the card WRITER went down early Saturday evening. That would mean my ENTIRE ARCADE would be closed until probably Monday morning when someone could come and fix it (not to mention the price of fixing it). No... the card thing, while cool, is just too potentially devastating. As for foreign tokens, you're right. I'll have to try and source some tokens that are very distinct and get electronic coin mechs that can be calibrated to them. But does anyone know how reliable card systems are? How much do they cost out of the box? Do they work with existing cabs/coin mechs, or do they need to be specially modified?
What I actually envisioned was a bar tab/pool hall model, where people could have a credit card for them or their group and whenever they wanted another $5 or $10 bag of tokens, just come to the front and show their ID. At the end of the night, the tab would be closed out and their card swiped. Of course cash is always accepted, but this is just a further convenience method I was thinking of.
On the issue of hours:
I think the Arcade UFO hours are spot on. Again, that would depend on my location and the regulations in that area, but I would look to run it pretty late.
On the issue of air conditioning:
YES. And lots of it.
On the issue of game choice:
Again, I have only put together a list of things that came to my mind. Another thing I should tell you is that all the Naomi, CPS3, and MVS games on that list are games that I already own, so they would really help my bottom line. This list is by no means final, and I might have to do another survey on game choice to find the right balance of games.
On the issue of “classic” games:
Things like Frogger and Dig Dug? I don't want to put games like that in because face it, people who are in to those games are people who don't really come to arcades in the first place. Rather, they used to, but then they got married, had kids, and now consider it a relaxing weekend if they have enough time for a beer with their friends on a Saturday afternoon. I think that cabinet, especially when compared to what that same space could be used for otherwise, is not worth it.
On the issue of easy to pick up games:
Yes. For sure, I want to have a selection of beat 'em ups (I have access to The Punisher and Aliens vs Predator! 
) and things like Metal Slug or Shock Troopers. Space will dictate how many of those I can have.
On the issue air hockey and pool:
I would LOVE to have those tables, but again, it all depends on how much space I have. If I have to choose between say the Neo Geo cabinet and a pool table or the like... well, I'd want to have some sales figures from various arcades to tell me what decision to make.
On the issue of scrolling shooters (shmups):
I LOVE these games! My Ikaruga set is my pride and joy (followed by my EspGaluda board). If the demographic is there to support it, I don't mind keeping as current and large a selection of those as the fighters.
On the issue of Gundam:
I think a few of you misunderstood which game I was talking about. While the pod based game would be awesome, I don't have quite as much money as God, so I don't think I can do that. No, look up Gundam vs. Gundam on youtube and you'll see the game I'm talking about. And yes, I know Gundam vs. Gundam NEXT is out in Japan (I played a bunch of it while I was there). But try finding me a set I can buy. For those of you unfamiliar with it, it really is the best game that no one has ever played. I'm almost certain if you like fighting games, I can make you a convert.
Thanks again, all.
-Myung
There's a new survey link posted, so that should be a little more robust. For those who havent been following this on the SRK forums, here's some more talking points.On the issue of secondary income:
No doubt, this will be necessary. As much as I would love a pure videogame place to make money, all the evidence not only from here but from other operators would seem to indicate that it is at best, only slightly profitable. Certainly nothing one can call a “career.” But hey, if it can pay rent and draw people in, that means any supplemental business on top of it is pure profit (and I'm perfectly fine with that
). I have heard a few ideas for secondary incomes:On the issue of alcohol:
No.
The cost of a liquor license and losing the entire crowd under 21 I think is just too much to bear. On top of that, people already get pretty heated when it comes to fighting games (and particularly, losing at them). Imagine how they would be drunk. Now imagine a whole ARCADE full of them.On the issue of tournaments:
The size of these will be determined by the space I get. And the space I get will be determined by how many people live where. And that can only be determined by the survey.
But the standard of a tourney buy in with a portion going to the house (and the machines on free play) could work. But I would also want to host amateur tourneys, or else we're just going to see the same faces over and over taking everyone's money, and the tourneys will die out faster than the Crocs fad.On the issue of cafes:
Food is great. It's profitable. It's also a whole other can of worms in terms of permits, equipment, liability, employment, ect. Does anyone here have any experience with running a cafe or a restaurant? Are the rules different for a place that cooks and prepares things (like a Denny's) compared to a place that sells prepared stuff (like a Baskin Robbins) compared to a place that just sells sealed stuff (like snacks and gum at a newspaper booth)?
On the issue of naysayers:
You have a very important and appreciated role in this. Everyone here is eager to say “yes yes yes” when it's someone else's money going on the line. I, on the other hand, need to protect mine. However, I would ask that you go one step farther. For every reason this wouldn't work, try to come up with a way that it could work, something extra we could to to overcome that obstacle. If that obstacle is insurmountable, please feel free to say that too. If you cannot do any of that, at least please try to shoot down posts only once every 6 hours (so your points can be compacted into one post like this).
On the issue of home gatherings:
I know there are a lot of home gatherings. Hell, that's what most of the threads on here are about. I have gone to quite a few and hosted a few as well. But let me say that they are far from ideal. Most people live in an apartment that can't really comfortably fit more than 5 or 6 people, max. Once you start getting a party of 10 or more friends coming over, and especially in the night when you have to close the windows because of the noise, it gets pretty uncomfortable pretty quick. On top of that, people tend to have 2, 3 tvs at the most. That means when you get 14 or 15 people over, you're stuck doing NOTHING for a good long while waiting for your turn to cycle in. Now granted, my proposed 4 cab setup of SF4 is not going to mean you never have to wait, but at least you can play other games while you're waiting, or maybe even (gasp) try a new game you've never tried before.
On the issue of logistics:
On the issue of public transportation:
When it comes to public transportation, I'm the greenest hippie freak you will find. I personally live in San Mateo, so naturally I started my real estate search closest to home, but I was bummed because San Mateo mass transit really sucks. But I would love to be in Millbrae or some other place near a BART station so the Cal, Oakland, and east of the Caldicott folks could just hop a train and come over. But again, the survey will tell me where the place to set up shop will need to be. Also, I need to be in a relatively nicer place, because I just can't afford to spend the money on security guards and replacing vandalized stuff.
On maintenance:
One of the main reasons I thought I could start this is because I know how to do a lot of repairs and hacks on my own. On top of that, my pet peeve is broken controls. Nothing sours my mood faster. My machines will work. That's an issue I will take PERSONALLY.
On payment method:
Yes, tokens have problems. But card readers are potentially way more devastating in terms of loss. If a card reader breaks down, I have no idea how to repair that. I'd need a new unit, maybe even someone to install that (while adjustable coin mechs are relatively cheap). And god forbid the card WRITER went down early Saturday evening. That would mean my ENTIRE ARCADE would be closed until probably Monday morning when someone could come and fix it (not to mention the price of fixing it). No... the card thing, while cool, is just too potentially devastating. As for foreign tokens, you're right. I'll have to try and source some tokens that are very distinct and get electronic coin mechs that can be calibrated to them. But does anyone know how reliable card systems are? How much do they cost out of the box? Do they work with existing cabs/coin mechs, or do they need to be specially modified?
What I actually envisioned was a bar tab/pool hall model, where people could have a credit card for them or their group and whenever they wanted another $5 or $10 bag of tokens, just come to the front and show their ID. At the end of the night, the tab would be closed out and their card swiped. Of course cash is always accepted, but this is just a further convenience method I was thinking of.
On the issue of hours:
I think the Arcade UFO hours are spot on. Again, that would depend on my location and the regulations in that area, but I would look to run it pretty late.
On the issue of air conditioning:
YES. And lots of it.
On the issue of game choice:
Again, I have only put together a list of things that came to my mind. Another thing I should tell you is that all the Naomi, CPS3, and MVS games on that list are games that I already own, so they would really help my bottom line. This list is by no means final, and I might have to do another survey on game choice to find the right balance of games.
On the issue of “classic” games:
Things like Frogger and Dig Dug? I don't want to put games like that in because face it, people who are in to those games are people who don't really come to arcades in the first place. Rather, they used to, but then they got married, had kids, and now consider it a relaxing weekend if they have enough time for a beer with their friends on a Saturday afternoon. I think that cabinet, especially when compared to what that same space could be used for otherwise, is not worth it.
On the issue of easy to pick up games:
Yes.
For sure, I want to have a selection of beat 'em ups (I have access to The Punisher and Aliens vs Predator! ) and things like Metal Slug or Shock Troopers. Space will dictate how many of those I can have.On the issue air hockey and pool:
I would LOVE to have those tables, but again, it all depends on how much space I have. If I have to choose between say the Neo Geo cabinet and a pool table or the like... well, I'd want to have some sales figures from various arcades to tell me what decision to make.
On the issue of scrolling shooters (shmups):
I LOVE these games!
My Ikaruga set is my pride and joy (followed by my EspGaluda board). If the demographic is there to support it, I don't mind keeping as current and large a selection of those as the fighters.On the issue of Gundam:
I think a few of you misunderstood which game I was talking about. While the pod based game would be awesome, I don't have quite as much money as God, so I don't think I can do that.
No, look up Gundam vs. Gundam on youtube and you'll see the game I'm talking about. And yes, I know Gundam vs. Gundam NEXT is out in Japan (I played a bunch of it while I was there). But try finding me a set I can buy. For those of you unfamiliar with it, it really is the best game that no one has ever played. I'm almost certain if you like fighting games, I can make you a convert.Thanks again, all.
-Myung
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
For those that care, here is a link to the correct survey:
http://www.kwiksurveys.com/online-surve ... K_a21042b0
and here is a link to the SRK forum thread (much more activity than on here):
http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=204195
Best of luck Myung!
http://www.kwiksurveys.com/online-surve ... K_a21042b0
and here is a link to the SRK forum thread (much more activity than on here):
http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=204195
Best of luck Myung!
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
I don't know a whole lot about the legal stuff that would go along with it, but a coffee house type setup may be an option that wouldn't be as difficult to pull of as something like a restaurant/bar, And I bet there's plenty of owners of other little coffee places that would be willing to give pointers.
Beside (maybe) being easier to get set up, people tend to hang around in those places for a long time, and people being around longer mean more chance for them to sink some money into games. The other reason I thought of that idea is I once saw some photos of a coffee shop/laundromat in Holland (I think) and it was pretty spiffy.
Beside (maybe) being easier to get set up, people tend to hang around in those places for a long time, and people being around longer mean more chance for them to sink some money into games. The other reason I thought of that idea is I once saw some photos of a coffee shop/laundromat in Holland (I think) and it was pretty spiffy.
XBL - CountryGolden
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PC Engine Fan X!
- Posts: 9099
- Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:32 pm
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
This is a true story. Back in 1987, I went to the Great America amusement park armed with a bunch of foreign tokens from various Modesto, CA based arcades (this was when all the arcade games and pinball machines at Great America used to take tokens back in the day). So I whip out the plastic baggie of foreign tokens and proceed to see what games would take 'em. Most games never did accept them due to the miniscule weight differences and size dimensions anyways. This arcade attendant in the far distance noticed me and approached me -- asked to see my bag of tokens and tried a few of them in various arcade cabinets. One token was accepted and the others didn't work. He said don't use them in the games anymore. So the next time I went back to Great America, all the games and pinball machines were converted to take in quarters instead. I'm sure it was a huge undertaking to pull it off but that's exactly what they did. ^_~
So yeah, having your arcade machines modded to take tokens as opposed to using quarters has it's pros and cons, totoroslayer. Of course, it would mean having to get a few token/quarter change machines and consistantly refilling up during business hours to make sure they're well-stocked. There's nothing more dissapointing than having a change machine flash the dreaded "empty" status light for a potential customer like myself. ^_~
Your idea of having some dedicated space to sell miscellaneous arcade PCBs and replacement arcade parts sounds like a winner in my book. It's always good to have spare parts on hand, just in case of a worst-case senario situation rears it's ugly head.
Losing your alcohol license while serving inside an arcade...that is a really bad idea, especially if you get busted by a under-aged decoy with undercover law enforcement in tow. Then you're really fucked big time. Some businesses (and/or employees) can be fined big time for stupid shit like that. I personally recall of one of my fellow co-workers selling alcohol to an under-aged decoy and she got busted big time and fined over $2,000+ (not to mention that the local authorities paid more attention to the business that I worked in after this particular incident -- one more incident like this and we would lose our alcohol license for good). You learn from your mistakes and move on, of course.
Fellow shmupper sven666 used to own/operated his arcade sometime back...charged a set fee paid upfront at the front desk counter and all the games were set on Free Play. This alternative payment option may or may not work to your advantage, totoroslayer.
I used to frequent this one cool Modesto,CA based arcade that had both restrooms endowed with black lighting fixtures and had fuzzy blacklighting wall decoration mounted in place -- that was one of the cool highlights as I've never been to an arcade like it since then. Something to consider for your arcade's restroom(s). ^_~
Good luck with your arcade business endeavor, totoroslayer.
PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
So yeah, having your arcade machines modded to take tokens as opposed to using quarters has it's pros and cons, totoroslayer. Of course, it would mean having to get a few token/quarter change machines and consistantly refilling up during business hours to make sure they're well-stocked. There's nothing more dissapointing than having a change machine flash the dreaded "empty" status light for a potential customer like myself. ^_~
Your idea of having some dedicated space to sell miscellaneous arcade PCBs and replacement arcade parts sounds like a winner in my book. It's always good to have spare parts on hand, just in case of a worst-case senario situation rears it's ugly head.
Losing your alcohol license while serving inside an arcade...that is a really bad idea, especially if you get busted by a under-aged decoy with undercover law enforcement in tow. Then you're really fucked big time. Some businesses (and/or employees) can be fined big time for stupid shit like that. I personally recall of one of my fellow co-workers selling alcohol to an under-aged decoy and she got busted big time and fined over $2,000+ (not to mention that the local authorities paid more attention to the business that I worked in after this particular incident -- one more incident like this and we would lose our alcohol license for good). You learn from your mistakes and move on, of course.
Fellow shmupper sven666 used to own/operated his arcade sometime back...charged a set fee paid upfront at the front desk counter and all the games were set on Free Play. This alternative payment option may or may not work to your advantage, totoroslayer.
I used to frequent this one cool Modesto,CA based arcade that had both restrooms endowed with black lighting fixtures and had fuzzy blacklighting wall decoration mounted in place -- that was one of the cool highlights as I've never been to an arcade like it since then. Something to consider for your arcade's restroom(s). ^_~
Good luck with your arcade business endeavor, totoroslayer.
PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
couple it with a marijuana despensery? we will then all make "donations" to "play" your "games"
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PC Engine Fan X!
- Posts: 9099
- Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:32 pm
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
Yeah, that's right them California voters passed that medical marijuana act sometime back. An arcade dealing with that issue has got to be something else. The real question is: Does the arcade owner want a visit from local law enforcement and the FBI when dealing/dispensing it in the first place? Quick, hide your stash as the Five-O is here!
Nah, any arcade dealing with drugs ain't worth patronizing in the first place...it's all about arcade games, shooting some pool, air hockey, and pinball in a general social setting at best. ^_~
You sure got some excellent taste, antron. You'd be better off heading down to your local marijuana dispensary joint. Lol ^_~
PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
Nah, any arcade dealing with drugs ain't worth patronizing in the first place...it's all about arcade games, shooting some pool, air hockey, and pinball in a general social setting at best. ^_~
You sure got some excellent taste, antron. You'd be better off heading down to your local marijuana dispensary joint. Lol ^_~
PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
most successful arcades and pool halls i've seen sell a drug, alcohol.PC Engine Fan X! wrote: Nah, any arcade dealing with drugs ain't worth patronizing in the first place...it's all about arcade games, shooting some pool, air hockey, and pinball in a general social setting at best. ^_~
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
I'm not sure such a thing would work here in the Midwest, but CA is a whole 'nother planet. I've often tossed around the idea, and redemption games would have to be part of the equation. Those along with "classics" geared towards late 20's/early 30's types such as X-men, Simpsons, TMNT, Golden Axe or any other beat em ups of that era. Have a bunch of shitty Dynamo 25" Jamma cabs that you could print out shitty marquees for then swap games constantly. This would give some people the lure of coming back to see what you have now. Maybe hit up some warehouse buys and be able to swap 10 Jamma cabs in and out every few months just to give the older heads a reason to stop in. You never know what was someone's favorite game back in the day no matter how crappy you think it is. As far as brand new items, definitely make sure you are buying something legit so you are not just throwing your money away. And I suppose in today's day and age you have to buy the game asap so as to make your money back before the inevitable home port. You probably know what to buy better than me so I won't even begin to comment there.
Then you'd need the real deal classics such as Centipede, Donkey Kong, Paperboy, you name it to draw in the older folk. Along with that, pinball are needed for that scene. Also, pinballs of all eras. Old EM machines are not that expensive and easier to fix than new machines. I know I would go to a specific place if they had pinball machines that were well maintained. I know other pinball heads would as well. The pinball crowd is more tied in with the classics people as well. Also, look at pinballs as an investment. They're only going up in price, plus they're not something you can just fire up on a home system.
I'm wading through that thread on SRK and I don't know fuck all about fighters so I can't really comment on that. As far as shooters go, I'd say definitely have some geared towards the hardcore player, but also maybe some nostalgia ones. Say Raiden, 1943, or Sky Shark. All of which are geared towards the more average player and do hold some name value with people.
These are just my thoughts of how an arcade here would be profitable. You are lucky though where there is more a gaming culture than here, so its possible you might do alright with focusing strictly on the hardcore gaming type. I have an Excel file at work going over some of the plans and basically I'd have to own a lot of it before opening it to make it a go. That and location/rent would be the problem.
Then you'd need the real deal classics such as Centipede, Donkey Kong, Paperboy, you name it to draw in the older folk. Along with that, pinball are needed for that scene. Also, pinballs of all eras. Old EM machines are not that expensive and easier to fix than new machines. I know I would go to a specific place if they had pinball machines that were well maintained. I know other pinball heads would as well. The pinball crowd is more tied in with the classics people as well. Also, look at pinballs as an investment. They're only going up in price, plus they're not something you can just fire up on a home system.
I'm wading through that thread on SRK and I don't know fuck all about fighters so I can't really comment on that. As far as shooters go, I'd say definitely have some geared towards the hardcore player, but also maybe some nostalgia ones. Say Raiden, 1943, or Sky Shark. All of which are geared towards the more average player and do hold some name value with people.
These are just my thoughts of how an arcade here would be profitable. You are lucky though where there is more a gaming culture than here, so its possible you might do alright with focusing strictly on the hardcore gaming type. I have an Excel file at work going over some of the plans and basically I'd have to own a lot of it before opening it to make it a go. That and location/rent would be the problem.
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
Definitely get feedback from arcades that are doing well, like the ones around LA. I live in Millbrae, but I don't care to play at the arcade at SFSU, due to crappy parking in that area. So maybe you could find a location that's in the suburbs and outside the congestion of the metropolitan area. As much as I'd like to help, I don't know anything about the business aspect of running an arcade, but you have my full support if you ever do open one up in the bay area.
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
Ash, park either across from the dorms on Font or there's usually parking on Winston, kind of near the mall.. then you just take the steps down across the parking lot to get to the arcade.
New arcade in SF? That would be beyond awesome
New arcade in SF? That would be beyond awesome
Humans, think about what you have done
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
Sunnyvale Golfland has the card reader system instead of tokens. It looks like it basically just mounts to the cabinet and sends the insert credit signal to the game board. The cards have bar codes on the back which are scanned like a grocery store scanner. A little screen tells you how many credits are still active on that card. When you want to play you slide the card, press the arrow pointing toward the side you are sitting on (which then signals the game that you inserted the credit), and press START on the game.
To recharge the card you go to a recharge station and either insert cash or change, or swipe your ATM/Credit card. I'm guessing these machines are connected to the phone line to do the ATM thing. Obviously each card that is dispensed is linked to a serial number stored in the system, which is allotted the amount of credits you purchased. Thus, when you swipe your card at a game, it is linked to the server which looks up that serial and deducts credits from your total.
I have never personally had problems with the card system at SVGL, but I can't speak for everyone. Maybe just go to Golfland one day and ask the guys about the system (but don't let on that you're the competition!)
To recharge the card you go to a recharge station and either insert cash or change, or swipe your ATM/Credit card. I'm guessing these machines are connected to the phone line to do the ATM thing. Obviously each card that is dispensed is linked to a serial number stored in the system, which is allotted the amount of credits you purchased. Thus, when you swipe your card at a game, it is linked to the server which looks up that serial and deducts credits from your total.
I have never personally had problems with the card system at SVGL, but I can't speak for everyone. Maybe just go to Golfland one day and ask the guys about the system (but don't let on that you're the competition!)
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PC Engine Fan X!
- Posts: 9099
- Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:32 pm
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
This is the type of system that all the arcade games over at the Modesto, CA based John's Incredible Pizza uses as well. There was a time when all the game used tokens but they have since upgraded to the card reader system...has been in place for a few years now. ^_~bitkid wrote:Sunnyvale Golfland has the card reader system instead of tokens. It looks like it basically just mounts to the cabinet and sends the insert credit signal to the game board. The cards have bar codes on the back which are scanned like a grocery store scanner. A little screen tells you how many credits are still active on that card. When you want to play you slide the card, press the arrow pointing toward the side you are sitting on (which then signals the game that you inserted the credit), and press START on the game.
To recharge the card you go to a recharge station and either insert cash or change, or swipe your ATM/Credit card. I'm guessing these machines are connected to the phone line to do the ATM thing. Obviously each card that is dispensed is linked to a serial number stored in the system, which is allotted the amount of credits you purchased. Thus, when you swipe your card at a game, it is linked to the server which looks up that serial and deducts credits from your total.
I have never personally had problems with the card system at SVGL, but I can't speak for everyone. Maybe just go to Golfland one day and ask the guys about the system (but don't let on that you're the competition!)
PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
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John Quixote
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sat Nov 22, 2008 4:59 pm
- Location: Berkeley, CA
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
From a fellow Modestan shmupper...yes, a Modesto sister branch would be greatly appreciated. It's so hard to find a good place here, especially if you don't have good traveling opportunities like me...
I've been to that John's Incredible Pizza you're talking about, PCE Fan...I've gotta say, the card reader system just feels too weird for a big arcade like that.
It's so hard to find a good place here, especially if you don't have good traveling opportunities like me...I've been to that John's Incredible Pizza you're talking about, PCE Fan...I've gotta say, the card reader system just feels too weird for a big arcade like that.
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PC Engine Fan X!
- Posts: 9099
- Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:32 pm
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
Good to hear from another Modesto shmupper, John Quixote. Yeah, I liked it better when all the games took tokens at John's Incredible Pizza...the only catch is that you have to pay/order food & it costs extra $$$ if you want to play games. I went there one time and asked if I could just play games -- was told that I had to purchase a meal, then I could play some games. That is a really weird way of suckering a potential customer in I'd have to say.John Quixote wrote:From a fellow Modestan shmupper...yes, a Modesto sister branch would be greatly appreciated.
I've been to that John's Incredible Pizza you're talking about, PCE Fan...I've gotta say, the card reader system just feels too weird for a big arcade like that.
PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
I got curious as to the status of this endeavor, so pulled this update from shoryuken on 10/31. Sounds like picking a location and remodeling takes much more time and money than originally thought.
totoroslayer wrote:Greetings, faithful fans.But at any rate, that's the current state of things. If anyone has any questions or can offer any assistance, please chime in.
Till later,
Myung
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
This is very exciting
Humans, think about what you have done
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
Any updates on this? A new arcade in the bay area would be most neato!
Love,
Naked BoB
Love,
Naked BoB
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
No updates on SRK forum thread linked above. I hope the construction and legal run-arounds didn't foil his plans.
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
http://gamecenterex.com/wp/?page_id=2
It's not actually open yet. But good news is that he's found a spot!
It's not actually open yet. But good news is that he's found a spot!
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
Great news, any idea when he will open? Looks like that website hasn't been updated in about 3 months.
Re: New Arcade in NorCal (with shmups love) (interest check)
Dave_K. wrote:Great news, any idea when he will open? Looks like that website hasn't been updated in about 3 months.
I posted a question asking if they were open yet. The post stayed up for a few days and was then taken down, so someone is watching the page at least.