Curious about the expense of the hobby

[Styx]

Hello,

I'm going to start off by saying I'm not a serious buyer (yet, anyway). I wouldn't mind planting the seed, and preparing myself for what I may be interested in down the road.

I'm in Manitoba, and wondering how much it would be, (very general ball park numbers, just to get an idea) to buy:

1. A table top machine with multi games. The kind you find on the end of a bar. Usually has poker, solitaire card games, strategy games, object searches, etc...
2. A video machine with many games and multi denom. Could be Game king, or maybe the PE+ so I could have fun with programming (if I've got that correct). Must have several pokers, and blackjack at least.
3. A couple of pinball machines.

I think #1 and #3 would be my very first priority. Like I said, I don't need anyone to go out of their way with pricing and shipping info on specific machines, I'm just getting my head around "If" and "how far" I may get into it.

P.S. My dream game room has: 3 pinball machines, a table top multi game machine, a multi-game multi-denom video gameking type machine, two custom reel machines, a shuffle board, a heavy duty arcade style foosball table (or however you spell it), and a heavy duty arcade style air hockey table.

[Fourbyracer]

A very wide open question for sure but I will post something to get you started and everyone feel free to narrow it down.  Lets say shipping is not an issue.  In my area--California, there are lots of tabletop machines with all sorts of neat little games.  I would budget 400-1000 for that depending on what you can find and age.  Game King type can run from say 600-1200, again depending on age and features.  Pinball machines are pretty wide open so you will have to narrow what you like.  60's and 70's pins to restore could be in a couple hundred dollar range, 80's Solid State pins are around 1000, and modern brand new games are 6000 plus.  There are several generations of equipment in-between too and high demand games that cost more vs others, etc.  I would find a theme you like, then research what is available on a site like this: http://pinside.com/pinball/top-100.  Lots of great pins out there, as well as everything else you want.  I would see what you can find local and if you cant find something that is cool and cheap, hit up one of the great retailers on this site (home page) to hook you up!  Good luck.

[Styx]

That was exactly the kind of start up idea I was looking for! Thank you!

That pinball site was dangerously nice to sift through. My favorite pin is Adams Family, and I think there was a sports pinball I had really liked at some point. It looks like it may be far too affordable a hobby once I have a game room to fill up. 

[Styx]

I also learned a very important lesson today.

Stay as far away from Ebay as possible.

[Jimise]

 eBay is EVIL...........  

I also learned a very important lesson today.

Stay as far away from Ebay as possible.

[slotsteve]

That was exactly the kind of start up idea I was looking for! Thank you!

That pinball site was dangerously nice to sift through. My favorite pin is Adams Family, and I think there was a sports pinball I had really liked at some point. It looks like it may be far too affordable a hobby once I have a game room to fill up. 

taf is one of the most wanted pinballs here in us you pay any where from 2500 to 7000+ for a nice one we still have 4 of them  just turned down 4500 each as/is the way they are in warehouse , as long as cost of new pins keep going up the older stuff will go up to , 1st ss pins in late 70,s were 1650 .today you pay 5000to 8000 for the crap that's being made

[Styx]

I actually think it would be way more fun to make my own pinball machine. Get some fancy metal tracks and rig something up to keep a simple score. That would be a proud moment if I ever did it in my lifetime.

-Styx

[RiseLikeRa]

Styx:

You have already been sent some great advice.  Setting a theme and a budget are two good ones.  If you like a game then find one that you can play and play it for a LONG time.  Make sure you like it.  Also a long play can reveal latent flaws.  I went to look at an old Bally EM slot.  The seller handed me about five dollars in quarters to "TEST" it.    The coins when fast and he was ready to sell.   I insisted on playing for a few minutes more.  A coil got stuck in the head unit and the damn thing almost caught on fire.  When we unplugged the machine and looked at the multiplier unit it was obvious by scorch marks that this had happened many times before. 

Take your time.  Its your money and your home that you will be putting this device in.  Enjoy!

Ra

[rokgpsman]

Of course,,,

knowing about the possibility of a fire can add an element of risk & suspense
that keeps a game from getting boring.   

[RiseLikeRa]

You are obviously a glass half full type of person.  Perhaps I should look at the possibility of 3rd degree burns as a game bonus feature.  LOL

[rokgpsman]

after reading your post about the coil burning up on that machine for sale I was trying to imagine what a dedicated seller trying to salvage your interest in the machine would say to you and that was what I came up with.

How's the hunt for a Fortune One machine going? If it wasn't for high transportation costs you would probably have one cornered by now.

[RiseLikeRa]

I have located a Fortune 1 a little over 2 hours away from me.  A very londg day back and forth.  I plan to check it out the first part of next week. 

Some folks say take a good look at the battery to make sure it is not leaking, others say, interestingly enough, look for signs of previous overheating and burning,  I will do all of the above and anything else that is suggested from those who know more than I do.  I intend to play it for a while and make sure that the hopper is working and paying out properly.  It looks clean and the owner, who seems like a gentleman, says that it works 100%.

Below is the machine.  Your thoughts?  BTW Thank you  for asking.

[jay]

History: Sort of a Darwin sketch......from ape to human.
Fortune1, Fortune11, PE, PE+, GameKing

If you are buying a Fortune1/11, finding alternate games for it is going to be a Mother.... but if its cheap enough buy it keep it.

Until you get to the PE+ there are no bill validators.

With the PE+ there are 2 sets of multigames (all poker) and the slot games despite being video copies of the S+ cousins are pretty lame.
You can get a Keno game for PE+ but this means adding a chip to the game board, and buying (and significantly grounding) a light pen and light pen controller board to tap the numbers.  You also mentioned about programming. One of our members called Stolistic has a MAME version of the PE+ available and has a blog about programming your own games.

The GameKing can have slots, keno, and poker all on one platform with a touch screen. Very civilized.

I own a PE+

[jay]

Just in case your not familar.

MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) is a program you run on a PC and it loads all of the ROM files (dumps of the ROM chip to PC file) and plays the exact game from the 1970s era. I built one and have collected just over 23000 games. Many are dupliciates such as the game 1941 in which you battle aircraft. I have UK planes, Japanese, French, German, American, etc. More versions of Street Figher than you can imagaine. My favoriates are still Pacman and Galaga.

You can get adapters such as a device called a KE72. It plugs into either a keyboard spot on your PC or the newer versions are USB. This device has 72 discreet inputs so you can wire up real acrade joysticks and buttons. Many people make their own MAME cabinet.

Mine is an adapted version of a walnut coffee table with a 26" LCD panel. I have 4 sets of controls - 2 at the end and 2 at the sides. This allows me to play horizontal games like Joust, street fighter or even crazy climber and then end to end games like Galaga and Pacman.

In my previous post there are a number of other platforms like the PE+ that have been emulated as well. You can also download thousands of PC games and buy the Masq series of slot games. They emulate all of the IGT, Williams, games etc.

There are also other emulators like Vpinball. There is a web site dedicated to these. All of the good williams games are there plus hundreds of personalized ones, along with Vpinball editors to create your own. I added side buttons to my coctail table and ran some solinoids to the buttons in parallel. This way when I hit the ball the solinoid hits the bottom of the table and I get some tac-tile feedback.

I have also added in an accelerometer which allows me to be able to bump and nudge the table and have the ball respond accordingly. IF you do it with a bob or mercury switch all you really get is Open/Close where as the usb based accelerometer lets the PC know how hard the table has been hit and then determine if it will tilt or nudge etc.

I was using an old laptop strapped to the bottom of the coffee table but with the Vpin stuff I found that the old laptop didnt have great graphics ram and had to run the games in lower resolution (othewise the rendering of the ball was not smooth). I replaced this about a year ago with a HP DL365- 2U server, and added in a high end graphics card from a Z800 HP drafting workstation. I think I have the only Windows 7 box with Hardware Raid (LOL). I also picked up a USB sound card and USB Wifi adapter. All the goodies that a laptop has and a server doesn't.  While I have a trackball and keys setup to left click, right click etc - I also have a wireless mouse and keyboard as its simply easier. 

By the time I finished my mame platform I probably have about $1000-$1500 tied up into it if you don't count the server I got from the office. Its good but its not something you could throw in a bowling alley and just let run.

With that second thought in mind you can get JAMA 5-in-1, 23-in-1, 60-in-1, 200-in-1 etc. boards off of ebay. You then add a Jama Harness plus a cabinet and you have a rock solid gaming platform with NO-FUSS. The user interface is very good to change games and your not ever exposed to a Windows PC interface.  You can probably pay less than $200 for the board.

[rokgpsman]

History: Sort of a Darwin sketch......from ape to human.
Fortune1, Fortune11, PE, PE+, GameKing

If you are buying a Fortune1/11, finding alternate games for it is going to be a Mother.... but if its cheap enough buy it keep it.

Until you get to the PE+ there are no bill validators.

With the PE+ there are 2 sets of multigames (all poker) and the slot games despite being video copies of the S+ cousins are pretty lame.

I believe the primary reason for selecting the Fortune One is it is old enough to be legal in New York state. Newer slot machines don't qualify.

[RiseLikeRa]

Rok you are correct.   I chose a Fortune 1 because as far as I know it is the only one I can buy that complies with the 30 year restrictions of my state.  The newer machines sound like more fun and less trouble but alas they are out of my reach.

Ra

PS the evolution is very informative.  I am apparently looking for a caveman game

[slotsteve]

buy a game king change glass or have a fortune glass made from someone with a plotter , we use to change glass on bingo pinballs to a flipper pinball name , cops came in looked at name list of bingos than were illegal  and it wasn't on it they left

[RiseLikeRa]

Steve that is clever as hell.  I would have never thought of that.  I love this list so much.  You did put ideas in my crazy head.  Resist the darkside Luke!  Lol.

[jay]

If your going down that road be sure to change the plate on the side that states model and date of manufacture.

[RiseLikeRa]

Jay thanks. It would be a bad thing to go through all of the trouble to have glass made and leave the date tag on the cabinet.   I am going to stick with the limitations of my old Fortune 1.  Since all that I have now are old Bally EM slots any poker game will be fun for a time.

Ra

[rokgpsman]

I have located a Fortune 1 a little over 2 hours away from me.  A very londg day back and forth.  I plan to check it out the first part of next week. 

Some folks say take a good look at the battery to make sure it is not leaking, others say, interestingly enough, look for signs of previous overheating and burning,  I will do all of the above and anything else that is suggested from those who know more than I do.  I intend to play it for a while and make sure that the hopper is working and paying out properly.  It looks clean and the owner, who seems like a gentleman, says that it works 100%.

Below is the machine.  Your thoughts?  BTW Thank you  for asking.

It is colorful and clean, the chrome appears to be in very good condition. The battery should definitely be looked at. Don't be surprised if the crt screen has some image burn, it will look worse with the machine powered off but may be fine when powered up. Ask the owner what parts he has replaced over the years, will give you an idea of the type of possible repairs you could face down the road.

Just a heads up, in case you haven't dealt with older crt monitors, they sometimes can develop problems due to the aging of parts inside called capacitors. These capacitors contain a paste-like substance that can dry out over the decades, which reduces their electrical effectiveness so a common preventative repair is to have the large filter capacitors replaced, sometimes referred to as getting the monitor "recapped". The current owner may have had this done, it isn't especially hard for a tech to do.

Good luck with this, hopefully it will work out well, but don't be afraid to walk away if something isn't right. There will be other deals.

   

[jay]

Personally I would rather have an orginal illegal machine and play dumb, vs purposely changing glass and model plates. The latter shows criminal intent to deceive.

IF your just after a poker game you might want to look into downloading a program onto a PC. You can buy a decent laptop for $300 as they have gone out of favor in leiu of tablets.

[RiseLikeRa]

Rok:

Very good advice at the end of your post.  The walk away is hard for me to do but you are correct.  This video poker quest came as a result of my broken heart from not finding a Bally Las Vegas or Bally Monte Carlo EM. 

Jay

I did download a video poker app to my phone and I have been playing it ever since.  I also have to get a stand.  Mo money Mo money.


It is colorful and clean, the chrome appears to be in very good condition. Just a heads up, in case you haven't dealt with older crt monitors, they sometimes can develop problems due to the aging of parts inside called capacitors. These capacitors contain a paste-like substance that can dry out over the decades, which reduces their electrical effectiveness so a common preventative repair is to have the large filter capacitors replaced, sometimes referred to as getting the monitor "recapped". The current owner may have had this done, it isn't especially hard for a tech to do.

Good luck with this, hopefully it will work out well, but don't be afraid to walk away if something isn't right. There will be other deals.

   
[/quote]