Golden Age of Arcade Games 58
jayintune writes "2old2play has an article about the resurgence of arcade games in the living room. The article shows that while large companies like MS and Nintendo can make a nice dollar, small developers can now make money off of low budget arcade games with far less monetary risk. Just like fashion, what was once cool is now cool again." That, combined with the Xbox Live arcade rollouts, do seem to be bringing back the oldies but goldies.
Even game like Hearts and whatnot... (Score:2)
We put Hearts and a couple of version of Solitaire in the first beta of indi [getindi.com] and that was the thing that got the most "wow" - not the instant messaging, not the calendar stuff we'd labored over, but the multiplayer Hearts. Ah well.
Arcade (Score:2)
Re:Arcade (Score:1)
I miss that place [I'm in Tx now
Re:Arcade (Score:1)
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Re:Arcade (Score:2)
Not sure where this one was that you refer to, but, if you like the older games, go try the bar "The Goldmine" down in the quarter. They have a pretty good collection of old games an pinball machines.
I hang and work with a friend of mine on restoring old pins, and building MAME cabinets out of old arcade cabs we pickup. These old games are a blast
Re:Arcade (Score:2)
I've got an old Atari Star Wars game myself. Had it since i was about 7 years old (i'm 24 now). My grandfather was a pharmacist and had a drug store and movie theatre back in the 50's. I've got an old pinball game from his store that's so old it doesn't have flippers. Just a whole bunch of holes for the ball to fall in once you launch it. Also an old slot machine that gives ou
Re:Arcade (Score:1)
I also recently bought an old Playboy pinball machine that I hope to find time in the near future to start restoring...hehehe...maybe by then I'll be in a house again with a place to put it.
My friend that does most of the restoration, e
Re:Arcade (Score:2)
Xbox 360 Arcade (Score:1)
Re:Xbox 360 Arcade (Score:1)
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Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Public Domain (Score:4, Interesting)
>All the bad stuff remains more or less buried while a veritable trove of glittering jewels of culture are dusted off and appreciated anew.
We can compare the realm of games to those of music and literature. For every Mozart there was probably a hundred hack composers; for every Shakespeare, a hundred dreadful playwrights, churning out whatever might make them a living. Art & technology has progressed far in the centuries since, but the best work survives because, for all their technological limits (...from our standpoint ...) they hit something really, really important.
I'm not going to claim that Pac-Man or Hearts are comparable to Hamlet or to Mozart's Requiem, but in their own realm they appeal to our need for play in a way that transcends technology; while their numberless contemporary competitors have all but disappeared because they just didn't quite hit it.
Re:Public Domain (Score:2)
Imagine if someone owned a copyright/patent on the rules for chess. We'd have never been able to enjoy all the hundreds, if not thousands of "implentations" that are chess (E.g. classic board, computer chess, online
Re:Public Domain (Score:2)
>Imagine if someone owned a copyright/patent on the rules for chess
1. Apply for patent on chess
2. PTO grants patent
3. Sue anyone making games on a square board
4. ???
5. Profit!!!!
Re:Public Domain (Score:2)
Re:Public Domain (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Public Domain (Score:2)
Re:Public Domain (Score:2)
It's not illegal to copy the idea for a game. Go nuts.
Re:Public Domain (Score:2)
Last time I bought a CD of Mozart sonatas, which are public domain, I still had to purchase the recording. The difference, is that whoever made the recording did not have to pay royalties to the original copyright holder.
Even if these games were public domain, the company providing them would be completely entitled to ask a fee for that service.
Copyright means I can restrict who profits from my work. Public Domain means ANYONE can profit from my work.
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Re:You're Only Half Right (Score:2)
Hell, I'm sure Microsoft would be thrilled if all the games they're pushing on Live! were PD, because it means they wouldn't have to pay anyone for the right to sell them.
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Re:You're Only Half Right (Score:2)
They are up against the same IP restrictions as anyone else trying to set up a similar service. Microsoft is just the first to set up a working business model DESPITE the IP restrictions. Just because noone got it working before doesn't mean Microsoft is 'bad' for pulling it off.
I'm up for Microsoft bashing as much as the next guy, but you're not making sense here.
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Re:You're Only Half Right (Score:1)
Ira
Re:You're Only Half Right (Score:2)
Re:You're Only Half Right (Score:2)
Re:You're Only Half Right (Score:1)
They were pretty popular in the 80's. A lot of their music was used for TV shows and documentaries. It had a sort of futuristic, electronic feel to it, even though they were all classically trained musicians. They did a great tocatta on the electric guitar.
Re:Public Domain (Score:2)
Go ahead. It's okay. No one here is going to fault you for it.
Re:Ahh the golden age of the arcades (Score:2)
But there was a second golden age. Mortal Kombat/MKII, Killer Instinct, Tekken and the early SFII games. I dropped many an allowance on those games.
My rise to stardom at the local Mall began when the resident Asian kid was afraid to play against me.
That's not intended to be a racist statement, but every mall that I ever playe
Re:Ahh the golden age of the arcades (Score:2)
Ah the old days on the mall. You know... When every mall in the states had an arcade, Babbage's, comic book store, and that hobby shop (which I can't remember)
I think the golden age of arcades for me was when Street Fighter II hit the shelve
Re:Ahh the golden age of the arcades (Score:2)
Xybots: Fun maze games that was great with a partner for teamwork due to the split screen
Xenophobe: Fun cartoonish graphics and with good controls. One of my favs!
Smash TV: One of my all time favs. Great with a partner. Sort of like Bezerk meets The Running M
Re:Ahh the golden age of the arcades (Score:2)
I picked up a several GB archive once, but only about half of the games worked and of those only about half were any good.
LK
Re:Ahh the golden age of the arcades (Score:1)
LK
Re:Ahh the golden age of the arcades (Score:2)
Re:Ahh the golden age of the arcades (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Ahh the golden age of the arcades (Score:1)
Even the lottery is in on it (Score:3, Interesting)
http://www.michigan.gov/lottery/0,1607,7-110-821-
I feel it (Score:2)
Re:I feel it (Score:2)
I bought an original Centipede (Score:1)
Oh, and if you
I concur (Score:2, Funny)
Now I can justify getting 4 more machines to my sig-other. Oh honey? We need to remodel the living room some more - I'm thinking Sinistar and Robotron. Whaddya think? Honey?....Honey?
Its not the same without an aracde stick (Score:2)
It has a joystick and 9(!) buttons.