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Post by Emig5m on Feb 12, 2018 5:10:58 GMT -5
Damn, I really did. Feelin' the stress levels on this purchase....lol. My Sacagawea sack is constricting up into my anal gland right now, lol. I let probably five over the past year slip through my fingers because I guess my 2k offers where lowballs? I got tired of the hunt and losing....I guess I just had to fork up and pay the price....grr. Asking price of the last two where $2500....I tried, I tried, I tried to get one for an even 2k but the absolute best I could do is $2300. I seen one sell for as high as $3500 (the rarer 100 made color side art version) so.... what's your guys professional opinion on the situation? Should of I just got me-self $2300 in prostitutes and had the pow-wow of the century instead of the game? Now I have to look forward to a nine hour round trip drive on Tuesday to pick it up. Steam sales and downloading is so much easier on the stress levels and bank account...lol. I could of had one last week only a 2.5hr drive if I just forked up the dough in the beginning but it sold right away to someone willing to pay the price so I kinda screwed myself now into a nine hour drive but it could be worse (none available or across the entire damned country).
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Post by Cop on Feb 12, 2018 13:52:10 GMT -5
Can't wait for the restoration pics...
Am I already supposed to know which game it is or is it a guessing game?
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Post by Emig5m on Feb 12, 2018 18:41:07 GMT -5
Can't wait for the restoration pics... Am I already supposed to know which game it is or is it a guessing game? Well yea you're supposed to know because I've talked about this game before but if not I guess it turns into a guessing game, lol. I kinda want to build up the sexual tension before I actually have the game in my possession. Yea, there will probably be some pics to be posted, lol. As far as restoration, so far nothing major since it looks in pretty good condition already and I'll do a basic cleanup and maintenance where needed of course but what I have planned is to upgrade the power supply with a more modern and less troublesome part which the battery on the original power supply that saved high scores tended to leak and destroy the power supply board and the modern power supply update comes with a modern non leaking battery so it's a good upgrade but you can remove the original battery, replace with a new one and then rebuild the original with new parts but it's much easier to just get the new upgraded and modern PSU. I also plan to order a modded ROM that gives it a freeplay mode since it didn't originally come with a freeplay setting like all of my other games do. Well this is it! This is the final and last arcade game that I wanted and then I'm done getting these things! And this game is one-of-the-ones....one of the most collectable and iconic arcade games of the golden age era however gameplay is first priority to me with these things since they take up so much space the replay value and fun factor has to be there and that's the main reason I want it. Star Wars is probably 'the one' that's the most collectable and demands the highest prices but I wouldn't want one due to the fact that I don't think it has the gameplay and replay value. A game like Missile Command you can replay over and over chasing high scores and it never gets old and actually gets better the better you get at it. But Star Wars was cool as shit back in the day with it's color vector monitor and 3D graphics and the cool cockpit version, but I don't think its gameplay lasted the test of time like other games (Centipede, Asteroids Deluxe, the game I'm picking up tomorrow, etc.) Not looking forward to the nine hour drive tomorrow plus bringing it up steps, through narrow doorways and corners since this is the widest cabinet I'll be getting to date.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2018 19:03:39 GMT -5
I believe, at one point, you were contemplating trading in R-Type (or R-Type II) for it.
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Post by Emig5m on Feb 14, 2018 1:20:56 GMT -5
I believe, at one point, you were contemplating trading in R-Type (or R-Type II) for it. Yes! And bad news, picked the game up and the insides is a nightmare. The PCB was only being held in by one screw, came loose on the transit home, and did some damage to the point the game doesn't work at all (looks like a capacitor got broke off and a ribbon cable got torn). So hopefully trying to power it on didn't hose the PCB. Next major problem is someone hacked in a switching power supply improperly and looks like I'll need to source a new wire harness or carefully unwind what's been hacked of the original. At one point it looks like one of the pins on one of the edge connectors burned so they soldered the wire directly to the pin of the PCB. What a horrendous hack job. Instead of just getting a new edge connector let's cut and solder wires directly to the pcb, wow, can't believe the thing was actually running like this. No wonder it couldn't handle a transit without causing it to totally break down. So now I don't know whether to open up a claim with ebay/paypal and if I even have a leg to stand on. I did message him before paying asking if it was "running all original internal hardware" and his reply was "Has all original hardware." so he chose his answer wisely and it does have the original hardware although some of it is bypassed/not working (the original power supply has been bypassed and using an aftermarket power supply very poorly hacked into the original harness.) The basis that there's a horrendous hack job going on inside is probably not a basis to start a purchase dispute of "item was not as described" but I asked a question and he didn't accurately answer it. I asked if it was "running" all original hardware and didn't say it was running it only that it had it so that's a question I might have to call and ask ebay about. So I don't know if I have any grounds to stand on to start a dispute and it might just be the risk of buying something that's been used for 35 years, through multiple peoples possession, and improperly maintained and worked on. But I will at least call ebay and honestly explain the situation and ask them if I have any option to try to at least get a partial refund and/or what a realistic outcome would be before I actually did try to take action. I've never once thought about leaving negative feedback to anyone I've ever dealt with on ebay before and every purchase has been a great experience up until now. Or I can just try to make the best of it and start to unwind the madness going on inside this cabinet, send the main board out to someone to test, diagnose, and do any needed repairs. Hopefully I can find another original wire harness or new repro or I'll have to painstakingly repair the million hacked up wires inside of it and trace each one back to it's original location, remove all the hacked in wires, and then a new power supply + the proper adapter will be plug and play with no hacking needed. The ribbon cables for the PCB are still available brand new and I'm sure it will be no problem for the missing capacitor but I haven't come up with anything for a wire harness and finding one used might also not be easy (and will sadly be more expensive than if a brand new proper repro existed). It wouldn't be a big deal if it wasn't such an expensive purchase. When I got my Asteroids it was only a $150 purchase and known not working.
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Post by Emig5m on Mar 1, 2018 8:59:31 GMT -5
Received the main game PCB back from the repair man (replaced a few capacitors, 7 new Rom sockets, all new ribbon cables, added the freeplay rom because this game never shipped with a freeplay setting, replaced a couple toasted power pins, verified the board was working). I didn't want to waste my time with anything until the PCB was serviced and verified in working order. So moving on... I carefully followed the schematic and repaired the wire harness back to stock. Whoever worked on this game hacked in a switching power supply but didn't use all the voltages and the original power supply was being used in conjunction with the switching power supply. That wasn't the main problem - they had the switcher tapped into the service plug so that even when the game was powered off, the switcher was always running and the PCB always supplied voltage? Yikes! Power connector to the PCB was so toasted that when I removed it, it broke in half! And instead of replacing the burnt connector in the first place, they jumped the connector and soldered wires directly to the pins on the PCB! Premo professional job there, lol. Installed a brand new PCB power connector with quality trifurcon pins from Arcadepartsandrepair... The game was missing the factory PCB mount/bracket and they had the PCB held in with one single wood screw in the top right corner, lol, so I got a brand new replica MCR PCB mount/bracket from Paradise Arcade to mount and secure the PCB properly... Neatened up and re-zip tied the repaired wire harness and as much as I like to run a game with it's original hardware, I sucked it up and installed the arcade shop MCR adapter with their recommended heavy duty power supply because at this point in time I didn't feel like rebuilding the original.... I didn't even want to try to repair the wire harness being afraid I would wire something wrong but the guy making the new repro harnesses is in the middle of a move and couldn't start taking orders until mid march. So I really neatened up the inside of this cabinet and undid some weirdness and did a much more professional and neater install of a power supply (even though I'm not a professional and a n00b learning with each new cabinet that I get). Got the PCB mounted and secured properly and not with a missing bracket and one single wood screw in one corner, LOL. How do you misplace and lose a bracket that big anyway?? Also added a new piece of pine on the left side to hold the back door as when I picked the game up the original piece of wood was completely broken and unattached. Had to put a new plug on it too as the ground pin was broken off (I might replace the entire power cable later). Checked and set the voltages of the power supply with the PCB unplugged just to make sure it wasn't sending 7 volts or something to the PCB. I set it to 5.1v just like the instructions said to do... And the moment of truth... PCB plugged back in, fire extinguisher on precautionary standby, 357 magnum to my head, if it didn't work I was going to blow my brains out, lol, very nervous to power the game on.... did I get every repaired wire back to exactly where it was suppose to go? Was I reading the schematic correctly? Did I have the pin order of the larger rectangle connectors correct? Did I miss anything? I finished at 2am and this little bit of shit took me nine hours straight believe it or not because I was super paranoid of my novice skills and quadruple checking everything - I'm sure if there's ever a second time I'll be able to blast right through it much faster after doing it the first time. Well..Ready for the smoke and sparks to fly, here it goes...lol.... Tada! The damned game fired up and worked! But there's a lot left to do to this game... Cup holders loose and barely holding on... Need to fill and redrill the screws for the foot bar because they're also loose and barely staying in... One player button barely working so I swapped it with the two player button until I can find out if I can get new replacement buttons... I took off all the bezels and monitor covers and cleaned them front and back (there was actually small paint specks on the monitor that came off with Windex and my finger nail.) But I got the main things fixed... Got it wired and power supply installed properly and not using two power supplies at the same time one always powered on even with the switch to the game off, fixed the burnt connector and wires soldered to the pcb, got the PCB serviced and freeplay also added, mounted the PCB properly, secured the back door so that it wasn't falling off, did some exterior cleanup, and it's just some minor odds and ends from here on out...
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Post by Cop on Mar 1, 2018 11:41:36 GMT -5
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Post by ForRealTho on Mar 2, 2018 11:35:16 GMT -5
This whole thread reminds me I need to learn how to make my own amps and such and stop putting it off. I have been meaning to do it for over 10 years.
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Post by Emig5m on Mar 4, 2018 21:51:51 GMT -5
Here's one for $3500 if one of you guys want one The reason it's over a $1000 more than the one I got is because it's one of the first 300 with the color side art which I don't like anyway. I think the later monotone color side art gives it's that old rustic western bar look and the color looks out of place on it (hence why they probably changed it after the first 300 made).
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Post by Emig5m on Mar 4, 2018 21:55:27 GMT -5
Oh the ad says only the first 60 made where color side art. I think I got the number 300 from the cocktail table version of the game in which they made a total of 300.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2018 17:27:50 GMT -5
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Post by Emig5m on Mar 12, 2018 23:28:34 GMT -5
Polished the foot bar up with #0 steel wool + vinegar/water... Before: After: I honestly never polished/restored brass before and didn't know what the outcome was going to be but I think it came out pretty great considering how it looked before! Fixed the stripped screw holes for the foot bar with tooth pics/wood glue: The holes where stripped because someone put screws in it where the threads didn't go all the way to the head (screw on the left) which wiped the threads out in the wood (on the right is the screws I had laying around which I replaced them with) Holes filled and glued ready to be re-threaded with new screws and install the foot bar: Freshly polished foot bar installed with new screws and fixed the stripped holes: I'll continue dilly-dallying with this game cleaning it up and maintaining it more as time goes on.... My current high score is 117,xxx. This game is addicting once you get into it. It might possibly be my new favorite gameplay arcade game.
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Post by Cop on Mar 13, 2018 11:58:05 GMT -5
Nice work, but isn't the inclusion of a bar wrong for the setup of the game? I mean, the bar is supposed to be on the outside of the bar furniture, so the customers can put their feet on them, but if you're the tapper, shouldn't you be on the other side, where there is no foot bar?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 13, 2018 16:56:04 GMT -5
Nice work, but isn't the inclusion of a bar wrong for the setup of the game? I mean, the bar is supposed to be on the outside of the bar furniture, so the customers can put their feet on them, but if you're the tapper, shouldn't you be on the other side, where there is no foot bar? Like a painting by Picasso, it's a work of art. It doesn't have to be completely realistic to be a thing of beauty.
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Post by Cop on Mar 14, 2018 11:05:20 GMT -5
Are you telling me video games aren't realistic? So, that's why those people reacted the way they did that day at the turtle sanctuary...
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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2018 13:41:50 GMT -5
Are you telling me video games aren't realistic? So, that's why those people reacted the way they did that day at the turtle sanctuary... Nintendo does seem to resist the gaming industry's general push towards having the best hardware and more realistic graphics, and it somehow works for them. Judging by Nintendo's sales figures, fans are happy with their current line of products. How do you explain Nintendo's success? Mass hysteria? lol www.vgchartz.com/charts/weekly.php?reg=date=43156
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Post by Cop on Mar 16, 2018 11:12:04 GMT -5
Young kids, nostalgic fanboys and hipsters...
Let's not forget their previous console already came and went and flopped big time and if you were to look at the game sales for that one, it was most likely just Super Mario and Zelda games as well that sold well on that one (not going to look it up though). It's the only thing they still have left that's not available anywhere else. You really think people (kids and hipsters) would buy the console if they could play those games on their PS4 or Xboxes?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2018 12:39:19 GMT -5
Nintendo has a successful home console about every other console generation, so what you're suggesting is probably only part it. The WiiU failed because it's mostly parents buying Nintendo consoles for their kids AND Nintendo screwed up the marketing. imo, the biggest mistake was giving it a name so similar to their previous console (Wii... WiiU). Parents (many of whom are not really into gaming or, at least, what they perceive as a child's toy and have short attention spans on the topic) probably gave it a passing glance, mistook it for being the same console, and moved on.
We definitely live in a society that spoils their kids, now more than ever. People spend billions every year on toys for their kids. And, of course, Nintendo dominates the niche of kiddie consoles.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2018 15:23:14 GMT -5
Young kids, nostalgic fanboys and hipsters... Let's not forget their previous console already came and went and flopped big time and if you were to look at the game sales for that one, it was most likely just Super Mario and Zelda games as well that sold well on that one (not going to look it up though). It's the only thing they still have left that's not available anywhere else. You really think people (kids and hipsters) would buy the console if they could play those games on their PS4 or Xboxes? Not sure if any games sold well for it, since the console (WiiU) itself didn't move very many units and it was a disaster for Nintendo. The latest Zelda game is a hot button topic that left lots of Nintendo fans feeling burned. For a long while, Nintendo promised a Zelda exclusive for the WiiU. But due to poor sales of the WiiU console, they delayed and eventually decided to make it a (launch) release for their Switch console. If I'm not mistaken, they did a simultaneous release for both WiiU and Switch. But it's likely the game was better optimized for the Switch, which angered many fans who already invested in the WiiU (i.e. they felt like Nintendo didn't deliver enough exclusive content for the WiiU console before abandoning it).
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2018 22:06:20 GMT -5
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