Is It Time To Leave This Hobby ??

[J69]

I first started collecting about 15 years ago. My first cab was an electrocoin spectrum with carrier airwing. I won it on ebay for £100 delivered! I bought NAC's, AWSD's, NNC's, Net City's for about half the price that they go for now and the hobby was reasonably affordable.

I then moved over into pinballs as they were still reasonably priced 10 years ago. I bought a Lethal Weapon 3 for £300, a Addams Family for £900 and a Whitewater for £600. They currently go for £2000, £5000 and £3000. That's when I knew it was time to get out of pinball and move back over the arcades.

I ended up selling my final pinball, a scared stiff, for about £2500 and used the cash to buy an Outrun, Afterburner and Chase HQ. It is sad to see the prices going the same way in arcades as they did in pinballs but I guess it is inevitable. I agree with others though that it's a bit of a sh*tter seeing blokes with 100 classic cabs in lock ups that haven't seen the light of day for a decade. I'd rather own a handful and play them regularly.

Currently reliving my youth with

Outrun

Daytona USA special

Afterburner

NNC running SSF2HF

Dino King running R Type

 

[mozie]

That’s a nice selection of classics right there, pinball is another step up entirely and one I only got into a couple of years ago but prices there were crazy then and it’s been steadily going the same way with the arcade machines Iam glad I’ve got what I have now and genuinely feel sorry for anyone trying to get into the hobby now, even finding a generic woody with a couple of bootlegs is a serious financial commitment even moreso if you want to get a few original boards you remember from bitd.. even the genetics are being picked up ‘upgraded’ with Pandora’s/lcds and flipped for big money. Very cost prohibitive for anyone just looking to get into the hobby now

 

[antray84]

On the topic of pinball, I went and brought one of those massively over priced visual pinball tables. It was a rip off but is a great machine. Not sure if you are aware of BAM but it uses Kinect to make the tables look 3d. See it on YouTube the results are crazy.

It will never ever beat a real deal but every year the tech gets better and better with those. Probably the only way I will ever get to play Medieval Madness

 

[Robbiedog]

I think it's a shame the world is heading towards digital download, at the moment it's retro and barcades that are back in fashion, I can see there being a big demand for retro game stores in 10 years (if you think the arcade stuff is rare that will be nothing compared to the digital download stuff).

 

[Velyks]

Just a catch all message. If anyone does decide to leave the hobby can I have your stuff?

 

[PAC-MAN]

It all depends what you want back from the hobby that will
determine whether you want in or out.

The nice thing about video games and pinball is that there
are or can be many aspects to it – collecting/restoring/playing/repairing/the
community - and it’s not weather
dependent!

If you feel you’re not getting anything in return from what
you’re putting in I guess it’s pointless or maybe try harder and stick with it?

I’m with Rich and I quote

Just about all my cabs were bought as projects as thats my favourite part of the hobby.

I personally live for restoring them, making them works of art
again, bringing something back from the dead and giving something a new lease
of life. I get a huge amount of satisfaction from that. I admire Richie
Knucklez, his drive and the dedication for the hobby as a whole and his
enthusiasm is contagious.

Then there’s the other part, the gaming side of it. A few
beers, a major session on Donkey Kong, the fight, trying to survive, the
concentration, the stress and when you do finally get to the end that feeling
of victory is huge after all the effort, the hours trying, the silly deaths,
the panic, feeling absolutely knackered knowing that you gave everything but
man, was it worth it, engrossed in a decent game took me
away from the real world for a couple of hours. Awesome!

The other part is the collecting/nostalgia, being in an
Arcade playing Galaxian at 10 years old in 83, some of the best days of my life
and recreating that magic at home, in your garage or wherever - there’s nothing
like it.

I’m sure the electronics guys get huge satisfaction from
repairing a faulty pcb. RGP for instance, the guy’s a genius when it comes to
board repairs and there are some clever guys on here for sure.

If stuff is too expensive, save for it, it will make it that
little bit more special when you do finally get it.

This forum is another thing and it goes for all forums. The
forum can only be as good as the members and the content shared by those members.
If you’re going to stand on the side lines and cry about prices or the fact
that cabs are scarce or too expensive then keep crying, a Robotron isn’t going
to be ringing your doorbell anytime soon.

I snatched a Midway Space Invaders
last year fairly local for £200, complete but in need of a resto - chuffed to
bits with it. I also brought a Defender from Rav back in 2017? The thing
is rotten to the point it just about stands up by itself, it’s complete and a
huge job but I’m going to save it, I need that cab in my life and the cab needs
me, or at least somebody who's going to throw 100 hours at it.

The hobby can only be as good as you want it to be and I
live for it, it’s a huge part of my life and has been since 1999.

Get stuck in guys and enjoy it for what is is.

Al

PAC-MAN2020-03-11 12:35:04

 

[Equites]

Woah! Al is back! Hope Bob is still helping you with the restoration work.

 

[Mr20to5]

Woah! Al is back! Hope Bob is still helping you with the restoration work.

Ha ha. I miss Bob.

Well I miss Al and his restos too, obvs....

 

[PAC-MAN]

Woah! Al is back! Hope Bob is still helping you with the restoration work.

Hey Nad, of course! Bob is most certainly still involved.

He's also now taking Guitar lessons.

 

[big10p]

Haha! I remember Bob!

 

[Mark H]

Some will leave then come back a few years later regretting they left...and so it goes on

 

[tb lilley]

I also brought a Defender from Rav back in 2017? The thing is rotten to the point it just about stands up by itself

He must have a few of those - I bought one just like that from him in about 2007. Still got it. It's still a bit of a shed, but it's been running for the last 13 years and still (mostly) standing up by itself.

 

[PAC-MAN]

I also brought a Defender from Rav back in 2017? The thing is rotten to the point it just about stands up by itself

He must have a few of those - I bought one just like that from him in about 2007. Still got it. It's still a bit of a shed, but it's been running for the last 13 years and still (mostly) standing up by itself.

I think Rav was growing Defenders at one point.

It's in a similar condition to the Missile Command I brought from Ol, the base is shot as is the front but it was a good deal (I brought two Defenders which then triggered 'Rav's multibuy savings'

 

[andyman]

I also brought a Defender from Rav back in 2017? The thing is rotten to the point it just about stands up by itself

He must have a few of those - I bought one just like that from him in about 2007. Still got it. It's still a bit of a shed, but it's been running for the last 13 years and still (mostly) standing up by itself.

I think Rav was growing Defenders at one point.

It's in a similar condition to the Missile Command I brought from Ol, the base is shot as is the front but it was a good deal (I brought two Defenders which then triggered 'Rav's multibuy savings'

I have a Stargate with similar patina...hmmm, that came from Rav too

 

[ZedEx48K]

I also brought a Defender from Rav back in 2017? The thing is rotten to the point it just about stands up by itself

He must have a few of those - I bought one just like that from him in about 2007. Still got it. It's still a bit of a shed, but it's been running for the last 13 years and still (mostly) standing up by itself.

I think Rav was growing Defenders at one point.

It's in a similar condition to the Missile Command I brought from Ol, the base is shot as is the front but it was a good deal (I brought two Defenders which then triggered 'Rav's multibuy savings'

I have a Stargate with similar patina...hmmm, that came from Rav too

"hhmm, near a high score but need a piss....."

ZedEx48K2020-03-12 11:50:20

 

[tb lilley]

Ah yes - the Rav multi-buy. My Defender came with a Robotron. That certainly had patina. Cheap as chips for the pair though.

 

[backflipper]

Going to bump this thread..

I did a search and this popped up.

The time to buy arcade stuff is now! Some really cheap cabs being sold.

 

[Hexen]

Going to bump this thread..

I did a search and this popped up.

The time to buy arcade stuff is now! Some really cheap cabs being sold.

Yes, prices seem to be dropping.

Though one day, when we're all gone, collections will probably be skipped. So depressing.

 

[chubsta]

Prices are dropping because demand just isn’t there anymore - people get older, the scratch was itched and those old machines were far more hassle to keep going than you thought, plus the games are not designed to be played day after day, they were always designed fit a quick hit.
I think it’s only natural that demand for these things will drop off as people get older and are either no longer interested or not physically capable of maintaining them.
Now isn’t the time to buy, the time to buy will be in a few more years when forums like this start to die off even more and people start to panic sell.
There will always be a few people interested in this stuff, but it’s a dying hobby I think.

 

[Bods]

Sad state of affairs when genuine 80's Jamma cabs offered here for less than people asking for Arcade 1up's

1st problem of collecting them was space, so having to save up 10-30k to build the space which then limits the amount of cabs you could afford to buy though in early days you could get a lot of cabs for £1000 if you happy buying non workers
2nd problem of collecting them is, it doesn't take many cabs to fill that space you created and now you can't buy any more unless you fill every room of your house or have spent £1000s more on creating more space or buying a bigger property and with the cost of house prices rising your fighting a loosing battle unless your earning 100k plus a year

So as much as many would be happy to keep everything you have and be able to buy more cabs, you just can't without selling something unless we have more members with money and space joining but younger generations will be lucky to even afford a house but the government don't want you enjoying life