MrSandman wrote: ↑January 11th, 2023, 6:51 pm
And in general, anything from the 80s to the early 2000s has been so nerdified that you are not allowed to talk about it if you don't have a PhD in "retro gaming".
So true!
it's great to see people of all ages enjoying classic titles, however way too many online 'experts' have a strange perspective because they base views on recycled second hand information. eg 5 minutes on wikipedia.
A good example is the Dreamcast, we all know it was cutting edge at the time and had some great games. Yet i've lost count of the number of people who confuse its commercial failure with it being a bad system.
Don't even get me started on need to make unnecessary modifications- leave those poor consoles alone!
Last edited by jimmerd on January 13th, 2023, 6:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
MrSandman wrote: ↑January 11th, 2023, 6:51 pm
And in general, anything from the 80s to the early 2000s has been so nerdified that you are not allowed to talk about it if you don't have a PhD in "retro gaming".
So true!
it's great to see people of all ages enjoying classic titles, however way too many online 'experts' have a strange perspective because they base views on recycled second hand information. eg 5 minutes on wikipedia.
A good example is the Dreamcast, we all know it was cutting edge at the time and had some great games. Yet i've lost count of the number of people who confuse its commercial failure with it being a bad system.
Sorry to ask, but I'm not sure what either of you are talking about.
pubjoe wrote: ↑January 13th, 2023, 11:19 am
Sorry to ask, but I'm not sure what either of you are talking about.
I'm referring to the rise in gaming related social media over that last five years, (edited to add..) which includes arcade games now with the arcade1up, evercade and on becoming popular.
A small number of cases whereby somebody makes a lazy video on something they know little about with great authority.
Don't get me wrong, the majority of Youtube channels and streamers are brilliant and provide excellent well researched content. For example The Ted Dabney Experience, RMC, The Retro Hour, Kim Justice to name just a few.
Also i've nothing against modding - I'm just moaning about those promoting that every console should be HDMI modded or that playing a game on a Mister is 'better' than original. I accept that's some people's opinion and fair play to them.
Last edited by jimmerd on January 13th, 2023, 6:56 pm, edited 2 times in total.
One thing that really annoys me about these price increases is it means I'm starting to worry about my PCBs. Which I hate doing. Don't get me wrong, I don't mistreat boards or cabinets, but generally I've never been too afraid of them failing. Made to be played and all that.
Now I'm even thinking twice about putting particular boards into particular setups in case anything happens.
Have a 6 slot switcher in my Pony III with Ibara in one of the slots...when I bought it, it was a €275 euro board. Now I'm a little worried about it being in a Chinese jamma switcher.
After having great success with a MiSTercade I do think I'm just going to bite the bullet and sell most of my PCBs.
Last edited by o1s1n on January 17th, 2023, 1:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
It's why i got rid of most of my original pcb's. When you've got a few hundred quid of old boards on a shelf it's fun old stuff to mess around with. When it's becoming thousands of quid instead of hundreds it's becoming a burden to worry about and stops being fun (for me)
Same feeling. I sold off many video games and arcade machines when:
1) Value skyrocketed
2) I didn't use them because of
a. lack of time
b. lack of interest
c. all of the above
I just couldn't motivate having thousands of euros laying about on shelves and cardboard boxes.
So it's now a more moderate collection that's actually getting used. Without the hassle of worrying about money or maintenance. I wan't to play, not tinker all the time.
I got in late, maybe three years ago?
Already I’ve seen massive increases in almost everything.
I’ve invested far, far too much in this hobby over these past few years, but it’s been a very deliberate attempt to get in before it’s prohibitively expensive.
I think the key, now, is to be very selective. Buy only what you really want and will actually play.
Chasing big collections isn’t realistic anymore. Plus, if you don’t have time to play them all anyway, what’s the point?
I’ve been selective and I’m pretty sure I have all the games I will actually be able to invest time into, maybe too many already and I’ll have to review the collection.
I certainly have more MVS carts than I’ll ever be able to 1cc, but I love my U4, and being able to change the line up of games that cycle through the attract screen gives me a lot of enjoyment, so I’m still getting ‘use’ from them.
I’ve got my eye on one last cab (SNK Candy), and one more large format PVM/BVM, and I think my setup/collection will have reached completion.
That still doesn’t have to be the end of it all. There are plenty of mods to do, bits to refurb, acrylic cases to fawn over, and of course, games to actually play and master rather than just hold on to.
My real goals are to 1cc all of the arcade Metal Slug series, Esp.Ra.De, and Espgaluda 1 & 2 (and mayyyyyybe Guwange, but there’s a serious difficulty spike in there!).
After that, maybe all of this stuff that doesn’t have sentimental value can go to new homes where it will all be used again.
The thing is, you don't HAVE to be selective if you don't want too anymore.
We've reached a technical landscape where arcade games can be run on a multitude of solutions. Be it software or hardware (FPGA) and almost, if not entirely, 1:1 to the original game.
PCB's and software that were lost to time can be enjoyed and archived.
Collecting PCB's that are now incredibly valuable has always been a niche.
Arcade gaming at home has never been better and there's room and solutions for all wallets and type of players.
You’re basically right, but you’re missing the intangible…
So for me, although I’ve always loved arcade games, and building/modding my own sticks, owning real PCBs and cabs was always a ‘maybe one day’ kinda thing.
Then I got really into Metal Slug. Played the Hamster Arcade Archives release on the PC, with a USB stick that I’d modded myself.
Eventually got pretty good, then even better.
I loved it, but the achievement of the 1cc didn’t feel authentic as it was (legal) emulation, and it was on the PC.
Eventually I got a consolised MVS to play real hardware on an LCD via an OSSC.
Still felt great, but now I wanted a more authentic experience still, and eventually I bought two Neo Geo multi slot cabs.
Even though I’d beaten the game plenty of times, I still got huge satisfaction from my first 1cc on full arcade hardware.
Being perfectly honest, even as someone who can 1cc that game and has dozens of hours on it, gameplay wise I can’t tell the difference between the ACA version on PC, the real cart on real hardware, or my NeoSD Pro multi cart on real hardware. The difference to me is the subjective experience.
Having and using the real cart, modding the cab and the control panel.
Another drawback to multi solutions like FPGA, is the proliferation of choice.
With MAME, and so I’m sure with MiSTer, it’s so easy to just flick around, try a different game every twenty minutes.
With hardware, you’re invested, and so you are willing to put time and effort into that single PCB. That’s where my satisfaction and enjoyment comes from in this hobby.
That’s not to say others don’t get as much enjoyment from simply playing MAME on a laptop with an X Box pad, and that’s great too.
I guess it’s just a case of finding the circumstance that makes you happiest…?
I know what you mean, because I'm exactly the same. I agree fully in everything you wrote.
...and for me, it's a problem. Because I know a Mister, for example, is really enough. It would give more than I'd ever need and have time for. But deep down I crave those 30 year old japanese electrons blessed by Ikeda and his likes.
What is it with these Egrets anyways, besides "easy rotate mechanism and monitor with near flawless geometry, and stunning picture in 15kHz", that everybody is after one? In contrast to other cabs?
MrSandman wrote: ↑January 18th, 2023, 6:21 pm
What is it with these Egrets anyways, besides "easy rotate mechanism and monitor with near flawless geometry, and stunning picture in 15kHz", that everybody is after one? In contrast to other cabs?
I suspect in most cases the price and demand is driven by people who haven’t owned one. Yes they are good cabs but £3k above say an Astro better? Madness. Buy 2 Astros, instant access to either orientation, spare change for a Cave pcb or kidney.
Other cabs have rotate mechs and even though the screen on an E2 is an easy turn, the bezel/surround is a pita.
markedkiller78 wrote:that's probably my best contribution to the forum to date "I am pluralising fanny"
they are nearly worth something these days !!! 
