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[FightyF]

...arcade games featured "next gen" graphics?

The death of arcades came at a time where console games "caught up" to arcade games as far visuals go. Current arcade games often look worse that console offerings!

Though when I see pics of the Unreal 3 engine (which is possible on present hardware, just a tad expensive for the mass-market), and the new pics of the Heavenly Sword game, there is no reason why arcade games have to look horrible, despite the fact that current console hardware is quite advanced.

I think the biggest reason why we don't see arcades featuring the latest graphical technology is because that prevents easy ports to consoles.

On one hand, it's great for arcade developers because you can make money off of the arcade version at first, and then on the home version.

But on the other hand, people like myself often wait for the arcade perfect home version, and would rather save $5 checking the game out and spending that money for the home version.

I'm a graphics whore, so if I saw an arcade game with next gen graphics, say an F1 racer that looked like the real thing...there'd be little stopping me spending a good $15 on it. The same applies to an amazing looking fighting game. I'm not talking about graphics that look a bit better, but a whole generation better (which I think is possible, just costly, but arcade machines have the luxery of being 4-6 times the price of consoles) .

 

[Ninja Scooter]

probably not. IMO, the height of arcades was in the early-mid 90s when there when competitive games are what drew huge crowds of people around machines like Street Fighter 2, Mortal Kombat, Tekken, Killer Instinct, ect... IMO, online gaming has sort of taken that over (and i don't mean console online gaming. IMO Counterstrike and Unreal are this generations Street Fighter) and so arcades have just become more about "experience" based games, where you pay $1 to play a motion sensor boxing game for 2 minutes or goof arund with your buddies on a DDR machine as a goof after having one too many beers at Dave and Busters.

 

[Semjaza Azazel]

Really the main reason I don't go is simply the prices. When I had to spend $2 on machine, I just never went back.

 

[FightyF]

IMO, the height of arcades was in the early-mid 90s when there when competitive games are what drew huge crowds of people around machines

I agree. Competetiveness really made these places bustle.

I see competitiveness and "awesome graphics" as the 2 main lures.

Some people going to internet cafes go because they can't have the same kind of visuals at home (60fps with all details on for UT 2004), and many go despite being able to play these games at home, because it's competitive and social. Some people go for both reasons. I think it's generally accepted that Internet Gaming stores are the next gen arcades...but I see that as SEGA, Konami and Namco falling behind.

You have a good point about "experience" based games like Police 9/11. It's kinda nifty, but takes away from a social competitive experience.

 

[Ranger X]

If my arcades games were truly looking 3 to 5 times better than my home games i would be back at the arcade for sure!
When you play some SNES racer and go to the arcade and play Cruisin' USA, you definetely want to come back you know what i mean...

 

[cvxfreak]

I go the aracdes for fun games, so next-gen graphics wouldn't change much unless we had another Street Fighter or Beach Spikers on our hands.

 

[way more]

Really the main reason I don't go is simply the prices. When I had to spend $2 on machine, I just never went back.

I agree. If games were a quarter I think there would be a line out the door of dorks.

 

[BlackMage]

It's all about the price that is the downfall of arcades. $1-1.25 for a round of tekken doesn't sound like a good deal to me.

 

[Warm Machine]

I think the return of those Battletech centers or something like that would pull me back to an arcade. Competition and leagues is where it is at now as well as giving an experience that is near impossible to duplicate at home.

Cost is something of an issue too. $10 an hour at a center like that would be excellent. I'd want huge projector screens and full on 7.1 surround.

 

[Infinitemadness]

I think the return of those Battletech centers or something like that would pull me back to an arcade. Competition and leagues is where it is at now as well as giving an experience that is near impossible to duplicate at home.

Cost is something of an issue too. $10 an hour at a center like that would be excellent. I'd want huge projector screens and full on 7.1 surround.

IAWTP

bring us something we cant get at home.

 

[Warm Machine]

Those Battletech centers were awesome. I think it died out because the technology didn't advance at all. I remember playing Battletech's 15fps flat shaded action for the first time in Las Vegas when model 2 Daytona was out...and this was 1995 so even that was somewhat dated!

People will go to Go Kart tracks and lay down the $$$ to race cars around a track and while a game can't replicate that kind of tactile and physical experience games can offer differn't types of specialty experiences. With large 16:9 (or more) curved screens, full force feedback enclosed cockpits and cutting edge visuals I'm sure you could draw people into it. On top of that you have to organize teams and keep records of who did what.

Online at home is cool but going someplace and seeing your competition there and then talking shit after the game with a drink is a whole other experience.

Really, Counter Strike Internet tea houses are the new arcades...but I can see it being taken up a notch and out of the dark ages.

 

[Saint Cornelius]

I would visit more arcades if they were massively multiplayer, not too intimidating (get the ladies to play!), and had alcohol for the adults. I'm 31, I like going to D&B to play Point Blank while I enjoy a Sammies.

 

[DarienA]

The missus and I hit D and B regularly to play Konami's boxing and police games(where you have to move around), and the various 2 player gun games.. HOTD #535355, Time Crisis #4543543 etc.

 

[LakeEarth]

I agree. If games were a quarter I think there would be a line out the door of dorks.

Exactly. Spending a buck on a game that'll last for about 2 minutes isn't worth it.

 

[AlphaSnake]

Really the main reason I don't go is simply the prices. When I had to spend $2 on machine, I just never went back.

That's *exactly* what I wanted to write when I saw this thread. Fuck that shit. I won't pay more than 50-cents for arcades.

 

[Malleymal]

I hated the raise in price of games... like 50 cents for a quarter of NBA JAM...... or those fighting games.... just wasnt worth it...

 

[isamu]

They need to slash the prices of the cabinets themselves, one fourth of what they currently cost...so we can all have a chance to buy them and put them in our garage

Gimme an F-Zero AX Monster Ride cab for a couple thousand dammit!

 

[ArcadeStickMonk]

I'd go back if I could fucking find one. I don't really consider D&B a true arcade, and even the local Gameworks turns me off. It's a Sega franchise and they VF4 machine is broke, WTF?

So I guess I want the fighters back, and I want those sticks maintained. Don't put those Happ Super clones in there, put in the real thing. Would it kill you to use Competiton parts? I'll give you the extra five bucks. And when shit is broken, fix it right prompt. Y'all don't know how many times the Monk paid his fifty to steal the machine from some kid and then I got broken buttons. This is why your fighter crowd dried up... well that and fuckers who played Tekken on their Playstation in their dorm room and can't play more than two rounds on a stick before they whine that their wrist is broke.

I rarely pass up the chance to log a high score on a Time Crisis machine, but what is the deal with the shitty replacement guns? It takes money to make money, jerks, and guess what? I got like, fifteen copies of Time Crisis at home. It's not worth me paying if the gun isn't going to kick. Yeah I know the kick is going to slow my fire rate and reduce my score, I don't care. If you don't maintain special equipment like that you're letting the experience decay and that's what's going to cost you money.

I'd go back to the arcades if they were the arcades that I remember; not a ski game next to a jetski game next to a water ski game next to one of those horse derbies.

Bottom line, you get the games, and maintain the goods, and I'm there even if it's a buck a game.

 

[RiZ III]

Arcades died simply cause people got too lazy to go to the arcades.

 

[AlphaSnake]

Arcades died simply cause people got too lazy to go to the arcades.

So after 20 years people just decided to say fuck it? No. They died because of console gaming's mainstream and overpricing.

 

[Zenny]

Arcades need competative games that are fully networked locally and nationwide with score rankings and other incentives to keep you coming back.
Otherwise at present, they are worthless.

 

[miyuru]

Initial D was really hot, but its died down around here :-\

 

[Flynn]

Air conditioning would be a nice arcade feature.

 

[toohectic]

I still go to the arcade regularly. But then again, my arcade is still a quarter for fighting games, 50 cents for shooters / bemani / pinball. Some of the driving games are 75cents, but I'm not really interested in those anyway. Also, there is a Nickel City as well. Like 3 bucks entry fee, but then all games are 15 or 20 cents. 30 cents max for the crazy stuff. Can't beat it. Even then, most of the more mainstream Cali arcades are like 50 cent fighting games.

 

[dog$]

I love how people bitch about arcade games costing too much to play, when in Japan games have been at least $1 a pop since Space Invaders.

I also don't really believe the equalization of graphics between arcade and console games really had much of a difference either, since techncially they've been on the same level since MVS. From that to N64 (with Blitz... 97 or something) to Naomi/DC and more, there's even been gimmicks to get arcade and console games to co-exist, so I don't see how the growth of one market caused the death of another in this respect.

Rather, I'd consider the death of arcades in not-Japan is due to several other factors, most of which has barely been mentioned so far:

- Too much hardware, too little development.
In the early 90's, the majority of popular arcade games were either on MVS, CPS2, Model1/2, and whatever boards Midway/Atari used for their titles. New software came at regular cycles and cabinets didn't need to be continuously repurchased.
Now, besides there being System 246, Chihiro, Naomi / 2, Triforce, and Atomiswave hardware, there are less games to chose from which run on these boards. All of the other new arcade games being developed now (i.e. music games) are on gigantic proprietary machines that cost way too much to purchase, way too much to ship, consume way too much space in a normal arcade (leading to fewer games available in the same space) and have no guarantee of returning the initial investment.

- Shift in consumers' tastes.
By this I mean most videogame players have very different motivations and priorities for playing any games currently than they did a decade or two ago.
Then, the simple strive to get a high score was motivation enough for people to play games, and players actually did attract spectators and higher interest when they were good enough. It might be hard to imagine a group of people excitedly watching a single person rack up a few hundred thousand points in Q*Bert, but in the 80's this actually happened.
Now, only diehard fans of specific titles give the slightest damn about obtaining a high score.
Couple this lack of demand for competition with the advent of online gaming at I see no reason why common people would care about playing games in an arcade. Why drive to some place and put up with noisy kids, smelly teens, and broken machines in the off-chance of finding someone else worth playing a game against when you can easily find twice as much competition from the comfort of your home.

Anyway.

I still personally love arcades. I have no problem driving 90 minutes to spend $20 and 5 hours in a single spot just to play Beatmania III. I never walk past a Ms. Pac-Man or Galaga machine without giving it at least a single credit (as long as it's sped-up; normal speed Pac-Man just drives me insane). So, to answer the thread's question; no, I wouldn't care if arcade games had graphics a gen ahead of consoles, because I never left them in the first place.
But I can certainly understand why nearly everyone else has.

 

[Flynn]

I spent my last night in Japan roaming the streets for video games. This is where I wound up.

 

[dog$]

Retro games indeed... nice selection there. Wish I could see it in person.

That reminded me; the complete death of pinball games has to be another contributing factor for the decline of arcades.

 

[Flynn]

Retro games indeed... nice selection there. Wish I could see it in person.

That reminded me; the complete death of pinball games has to be another contributing factor for the decline of arcades.

No doubt. Pinball's demise is a sad one indeed -- and one you can't really blame home gaming on. It's not like video games have really replaced pinballs. Rather they supplanted them.

 

[Takosuke]

I don't go to arcades because I got my own Arcade Cabinet now ;p

 

[shuri]

Arcade gaming is too expensive. Back then, when SF2 came out, it was a quarter to play; but when the 3d games started coming in, it became too expensive. Daytona was the first expensive game that I remembe, it was two quarters to play. Then MK3 and all the 3d fighters were the same price.

And it went downhill from there. Sorry but I dont want to pay 1$ to play a generic racing game.

 

[XS+]

I spent my last night in Japan roaming the streets for video games. This is where I wound up.

I've never gone to that arcade but I've been to plenty of others that are set up the same way.

Every country on earth should be like Japan I tells ya (if for no other reason, for the awesome and abundant arcade scene)

 

[Badabing]

Nothing can really bring me back to the arcades, since there aren't any around my area anymore....


With that said, the first online game I ever truly got into competitively was Counter-Strike. To this day, I still play that game religiously with friends and in competitions (Something you would do at the arcade...). Talk about the ultimate $50 investment...

I'd shell out about $50 within a week if I played at the arcade as much as I do Counter-Strike.

One last thing:

I don't think LAN centers are helping arcades either. LAN centers have just about every new PC game there is, and for $3 an hour, you can get some gaming goodness never before seen at an arcade. Whats better is that LAN centers almost always have competitions going on, and most game can allow 16+ people to play.

 

[Ranger X]

Let me tell you people with the price argument that you are most probably wrong.
If the games in the arcarde were still looking like something 1 or 2 gen of home gaming ahead, we would all be in the arcades instead of typing on this forum right now.

In the 80s i was going in the arcades because the arcades was giving me 2 times the quality of my Nes. Same goes for the first half of the 90s where the games were looking and playing ALOT better than my SNES or GENESIS.
Now if i go to the arcade right now, most games are looking 32/64 bit gen!! Why the fuck would i be attracted by that and pay 50c for game that is poorer than what i play at home????

And as for the price, i don't about you in the US but here in Canada back then i was paying 50c for cheap games and the like of 1$ for new fat games. And if i go arcades here today, it's still this range of prices.

 

[Warm Machine]

LAN centers are the new arcades. They offer arguably better and certainly more competitive gaming at a cheaper price than a traditional arcade. The concept of having a stand alone complex that serves to supply video gaming for a price is still very valid. It is all about the experience you offer to the customers. I will not leave my house to get the same experience I can get in my house.

Also, the concept of lead time needs to be established for a traditional arcade to survive. It used to be that a game would be available for at least a year in the arcade before any home port would be attempted. In the DC days it was simultaneous.

The movie industry thrives off of lead time to work its way into the various markets.

 

[xsarien]

I agree, my lack of interest in arcades these days has nothing to do with graphics, but with the fact that most places charge excessive amounts of money to play even Galaga. As a secondary reason, I'd appreciate the places get newer games, between two Jillians' and a Dave and Busters, there's not one F-Zero or Outrun 2 machine (for example). Just a single Virtua Cop 3 unit that's always busy.

 

[dog$]

Arcade gaming is too expensive. Back then, when SF2 came out, it was a quarter to play; but when the 3d games started coming in, it became too expensive. Daytona was the first expensive game that I remembe, it was two quarters to play. Then MK3 and all the 3d fighters were the same price.

And it went downhill from there. Sorry but I dont want to pay 1$ to play a generic racing game.

Again, I can't believe this mentality.

There were giant racers/etc that cost more than $.25 long before "3D games started coming in", not to mention the prices arcades incurred for Laserdisc games back in the 80's.

And if you don't want to pay $1 for a generic racing game, then don't. But quit assuming that this is the only thing an arcade provides.

And again, just be glad you haven't been paying $1 a credit since 1978.

 

[Flynn]

The price thing kills me.

Back when video games came out candy bars and soda cost a quarter too. You don't see very many people shunning snacks because of inflation.

 

[Stuggernaut]

I'd go back to arcades to play KI3 in a heartbeat.

To me, NOTHING touches arcades for fighters when it comes to control...unless you make a home cabinet

 

[Warm Machine]

How long have arcade games been 25 cents for? It has been 24 years since that price was set and I don't expect that to still be around today. in the 80s if you were decent at a game that 25 cents could last 15 minutes or more. I used to be able to beat Double Dragon or Golden Axe on 1 quarter!

The price thing is only an issue for the 1 dollar for 3 minutes bullshit that modern racing games seemed to usher in.

Arcades need a revolution to bring them back to popularity but what I think it is going to take would cost an investor or company a reasonable amount of money.

 

[GDJustin]

*doesn't read thread*

Nothing but a drop in prices would make me return to arcades and that's not going to happen, so... no.

 

[Brofist]

How long have arcade games been 25 cents for? It has been 24 years since that price was set and I don't expect that to still be around today. in the 80s if you were decent at a game that 25 cents could last 15 minutes or more. I used to be able to beat Double Dragon or Golden Axe on 1 quarter!

The price thing is only an issue for the 1 dollar for 3 minutes bullshit that modern racing games seemed to usher in.

Arcades need a revolution to bring them back to popularity but what I think it is going to take would cost an investor or company a reasonable amount of money.

Exactly why many arcades went bankrupt long before people decided to stop going. Does that sound like a money making venture?

 

[DDayton]

I think the problem for many people is that arcade games aren't a good value anymore... it's almost always a better deal to buy a game for a home system rather than play a "watered down" version in the arcades. Arcade games used to be superior to the home versions, but now they are inferior in nearly every way...

... and shifting from "skill" to "time" based games can't help. Many modern games are designed to prevent one from playing for hours on a single quarter, which was the goal of arcade gaming in ages past.

 

[Brannon]

A drop Drop DROP DROP in prices ($1.25 for Street Fighter 3 fucking KILLED that game at the local arcade here) and a broader selection of traditional games and NOT more racers, dancers, skateboarding, etc. would bring me back big time.

Look at Metal Slug; a very generous timer on one quarter, but to stay on that one quarter required mad skillz of epic proportions and nothing less would would be acceptable. Now games cost a buck or more and no matter how good you are, you'll only get "one guy" or three minutes before it's over. What's the point in that?

Personally I don't see the money flowing out of my hand when it's 25 cents at a time. Just one more quarter. Just one more stage; I can do it. Oh I died okay just one more quarter and I'll call it qui.... DAMN I DIED one more quarter and I'll make it... Pretty soon you spent a good deal of money. If every credit cost a dollar to continue, you begin to debate about whether it's worth it. Then if you DO want to blow it, but don't have the dollar in quarters to continue, you'll have to rush your ass over to the change machine while the continue timer counts down. Will you make it before time runs out, or before some opportunistic bastard sees how far you made it and decides to take over while you battle with the ever-rejecting token machine?

Everybody has a quarter to splurge, even when they tell bums they don't have any change. A dollar is much harder to part with, even when you want to.

Drop the damn prices.

 

[dog$]

Fuck the damn prices.

If all credits were a quarter I doubt that would lure anyone back.

 

[AstroLad]

Arcades are dead imo b/c our society is now about doing shit as far away from other people as possible. Arcades were, in a big way, a type of community. But now, anything "community"-oriented is being replaced, or has already been replaced, by in-your-home, on-demand, don't-get-off-the-fucking-couch services and products. This is why arcades have manages to maintain their popularity in places that don't have this drive toward isolationism, or where arcades have a stronger hold on peoples' consciousness and are thus able to fend off the isolationist tendencies.

I really don't think dropping the price to a quarter would do anything major other than lure out a few more nerds like us every couple of weeks. Heck, most people would pay an extra quarter to stay at home rather than play in an arcade.

 

[Triumph]

I would head back to arcades if I could use my 20,000 volt electric cattle prod on people using the DDR machines.

 

[Phoenix]

I think the return of those Battletech centers or something like that would pull me back to an arcade. Competition and leagues is where it is at now as well as giving an experience that is near impossible to duplicate at home.

Cost is something of an issue too. $10 an hour at a center like that would be excellent. I'd want huge projector screens and full on 7.1 surround.

IAWTP.

The reason the arcades are dead or dying (outside of Dave and Busters) is because they don't provide anything that we can't already get at home. Its not the graphics... its the whole experience. THey aren't giving us an experience that we can't get otherwise. Most people have screens at least as large as those in arcade machines and outside of the most specialized bike or rowing style games, you can get the controller experience as well (Steel Batallions child crushing controller for example).

Cost isn't as big a deal for me. At D&B I get a whole lot of gaming in a $20 dollar card

 

[Folder]

Initial D Ver 3 cards priced at £3 a pop, about US$5, really pissed me off. And get this, when I transfered my data from my old card, it was made unusable, with INVALID stamped on it. WTF?

 

[User 406]

Back in the day, you could play a top of the line arcade game for a quarter, and buy a new release home console game that looked like shit by comparison for $50-60.

Now, you can play a top of the line arcade game for two dollars, and buy a new release home console game that makes the arcade game look like shit for $40-50.

Yeah, there's a fucking price problem.

 

[evilromero]

The height of the arcade business was the early-80s and the late 80s when all the leftovers from the big crash were cheap as fuck to play. Arcades nowadays are just filled with fat anime nerds "losing wieght" while they play DDR. I have yet to see a goddamn person lose a pound of weight from that game. Arcades have also lost their aesthetic. No more fascinating 80s decor or carpeting.