(Custom) arcade sticks; what's the use/appeal?

[crunchywasp]

When you pretend to spend every waking hour memorising frame data for every character in every fighting game series, know all the lingo, call hard punch fierce and think everyone except yourself is a scrub then you need a stick to match, and maybe even a stand to keep it on

[emphatic]

Basically, it's for people with too much money. Some consider them a work of art though. I wouldn't pay hundreds of dollars for a fight stick myself, because Japanese cabs exist.

[SuperPang]

When you pretend to spend every waking hour memorising frame data for every character in every fighting game series, know all the lingo, call hard punch fierce
and think everyone except yourself is a scrub then you need a stick to match, and maybe even a stand to keep it on.

[crunchywasp]

[emphatic]

[waiwainl]

Custom is always more expensive. No matter what kind of object you have custom made for you; it is mostly the man-hours of labor that you have to pay.
Yes, the parts are the same, but the combination makes it unique and therefor people are willing to spend money on it.

Obviously you can do it yourself, but than you don't calculate the man-hours, if you would, you would probably end up with 600GBP on that stick

[geosnow]

people buy custom houses. you know, you can do this.

[waiwainl]

So do you get a custom console to connect to your custom TV to play your custom stick on? Spend a few grand on some wooden boxes with hideous tacky graphics and you can start playing . Anyway, i guess i just don't get it. Which is fine, it's a free country

Not sure why you need everything custom suddenly? Any standard PVM/BVM 20" is fine.

But don't you really understand it or are you secretly wanting such custom stick but can't afford it?

[trev1976]

I used to love customising my arcade sticks but now i have a cab they have taken a back seat..

[gray117]

Depends... it's a bit like asking why someone chose a bad tattoo.

Myself I've only bought 1 (and it was less than you could get a hrap for in the uk at the time - probably cost me just over £100) when I wasn't sure what I was doing and wanted a seimitsu for my ps2 and didn't have the common tools required for modding. Whilst I should replace the casing for one with more heft, it's still a good stick. Since then it's mostly been customising for connectivity and swapping out a stick or buttons. Undoubtedly you're probably doing a custom job of some description to connect a nice stick to an older console...

Then there's also the aesthetic considerations... probably like OP I've never really gotten on with the polished wood approach, weeabo faceplates, non sensical artwork (sonic on a fight stick), lights and most of the rest of it. But even if like me you prefer something 'plain' some custom jobs are still way better than some of the manufactured garbage - those razor sticks... blergh...

But there's no accounting for taste people are going to choose some bad stuff ... I also imagine a lot of people also make a stick or two thinking it'll be easier to do a nice job than it is, it ends up being a lot of hassle, but they stay with it because it still cost them money and time... and even if the end result is perfectly playable, it was probably a bit of a waste of time and money whilst also looking somewhat dodgy.

It's true basic stick, buttons, wires and case shouldn't seem too expensive, but include construction, shipping, storage of a large niche item, licensing (or another 3rd party who has to get cut in via a converter or whatever) and profit ... you'll tend to pay over the odds for what you want even if it is off the shelf. Even if you bought all the various components yourself from separate locations you'll probably find the addition of shipping charges has pushed up the cost, and that's assuming you have basic tools and competency with them... maybe not 400+, but enough to make the $150 factory version seem ok when factoring in the hassle.

And who you guys kidding? As superior an overall experience it may be, maintaining a cab is gonna run you more time/energy/space and money these days than even an poncy custom fight stick (which can also be put away in a cupboard, or walked to a new venue).