Arcade games vs Home games - Pc games vs Console games

[Arkitech]

Remember when the best games used to be at the arcades. At one time the arcade games always had the best graphics and sounds, even the nature of the games seemed to be better. Eventually they would port those games to the various home gaming systems but they would never really be as good as the original. We all know that now the story is completely different, I was playing "No one lives forever" last night and I was thinking as a kid I would have never imagined playing a game of this quality on a home system.


Another thing I've been thinking about is the difference between console and PC games. While PC games are usually technically better the console games tend to have the advantage in some cases because of their ease of use. Sometimes I like to buy a game bring it home and immediately start playing, which is why I love my ps2 or dreamcast. Unfortunately you can't really do this with a PC game, first you have to install it, then depending on your preference you have to configure the display properties or the controls. If you've ever had to spend 20 minutes configuring a gamepad for a game you can relate to how frustrating that is when all you want to do is to start playing. Even worse in some cases you have to download a patch in order to get the game running smoothly. Right now I'm having a problem with Deus Ex and trying to get the graphics to look the way it should. But despite the difficulties PC games have some incredible titles to choose from.


Enough of my rambling how do you all feel about video games these days?

 

[jonnyGURU]

Well, considering I used to spend all of my spare time in an arcade and actually met my wife in an arcade, and now I am perfectly content with not going to the arcade every day... I'd say I'm happy with the way home games have evolved.

 

[Arkitech]

Johnny - i remember those days, I used to practically live in the arcade and then come home and plug up the c64. Not trying to brag but I was the undisputed street fighter champ back in the day, ken was my fav. those uppercuts were lethal.

 

Heh, I was thinking the same thing last night. When I was a kid I used to dream about having an actual arcade game in my home. Now, the home versions of games are usually better than the arcade.

Does anyone even go to the arcade anymore? I see that a lot of them have closed down. The only arcade games I see in stores and all seem pretty old.

I agree with you on the PC vs. Console issue too. Console games are really easy to setup and play. PC games take a lot of effort to configure and all. It's just that a PC game has to support a variable array of hardware, consoles represent fixed hardware.

 

[jonnyGURU]

I wouldn't mind still having an arcade machine in the house, but a PINBALL MACHINE is what I would want. That's not something you can duplicate on a monitor... as hard as some game makers may try!

 

[Arkitech]

what i'm looking foward to is my own personal holodeck. that would be the high point of gaming, actually being in the game.

 

[WilsonCat]

I am a sucker for arcade games, especially classics. I have owned 3 arcade games, now I only have 2 (needed space). I have some pictures here and here. They are my hobby as of late. I just completed the tabletop Ms. Pac-Man but I also just sold the Upright Pac-Man to fund the repairs

The other machine I have is a generic cabinet that I have a few game boards for. Most of the time it has my favorite puzzle game: Battle Balls running in it. It also has a PIII 450 in it that runs MAME with ArcadeOS. That one is always the party favorite. I think that I have about 300 ROMS on the machine so there is much variety.

JonnyGURU: I too would LOVE a Pinball machine, cept they are quite expensive. I think that is mostly because nobody makes them any more. Bally/Midway and Williams were the last ones making them and have since stopped.

Even the Midway wing of Williams closed it's doors last month. Arcades are becoming a thing of the past. A shame.

 

[stonerdave]

let me get this straight, they don't make pinball machines anymore?

it seems over the last few years they've tried to incorporate more deluxe hardware & features into arcade games (like silent scope's sniper rifle), but it seems people just don't dig arcades like they did before.

those cocktail tables simply kick ass. i saw this mame project and decided that's something i'm going to need when i've got some money to spend in the future.

 

[WilsonCat]

Oh man, I am all for the MAME projects, but to kill a very good condition Donkey Kong Jr. cocktail, OUCH! This guy chose to use just the cab and go with a vga monitor, hacked keyboard for controls. This cabinet can ONLY run off the PC now. I went the other route by making an arcade cabinet that works fine as an arcade cabinet with the standard JAMMA harness, and making the PC interface with the cabinet as is. It was a little more complicated, but I have the option of using MAME and all the ROMS to also throwing my NHL 2 on 2 Open ICE board right into the same harness. Here is a good site with the info: ArcadeOS / PC2JAMMA

As for the Pinball machines, I believe that the last 2 to come out were Star Wars Episode 1 and Revenge From Mars.

Funny, I was just away on business and while walking around the resort that I was staying at, I stumbled across a Revenge From Mars pinball. I spent about $10 playing it. Quite fun.

Revenge From Mars

 

[MrAnderson]

It is worth the time to configure my PC games as the sound and video is SOOOOOOOOOO much better

 

[stonerdave]

yeah, i've read about that at mameworld.net (a mirror of arcadeos, i'm guessing?). i wish i had better skills with electronics & circuits or i'd be all for it.

then again, maybe i should worry about that when i have the loot.

 

[Electric Amish]

I have a friend the just bought a Cyberball 2000 machine off [/b]Ebay.

amish