Arcade Legends 2: You guys are scaring me!

On Jan 30, 6:30 pm, Tony Belding <zob... DeleteThis @techie.com> wrote:
> On 2008-01-30 16:44:38 -0600, markwhit... DeleteThis @comcast.net said:
>
> > Hey guys. I've had my heart set on buying anArcadeLegends2for some
> > time, and I finally have the cash for it. But true to my form, I'm
> > just now researching it for best prices etc. I'm learning there's not
> > alot of real happyArcadeLegendsowners out there. I thought this was
> > going to be the end all be all video system, but it's getting ripped
> > up and down in this forum, and others.
>
> I've been shopping for a cabinet myself.  Here's what I've figured out. .. .
>
> I was tempted byArcadeLegends2, and I was tempted by the very
> similar GlobalArcadeClassics.  The promise is, you buy this machine
> and it's fairly affordable, and it's plug-and-play.  You uncrate it,
> plug it in, and you are ready to start playing.  I liked the sound of
> that.  The problem is, you are limited to only the games the company
> provides.  They provide something like 125 games, and maybe there's 15
> that I really like.  So. . .   It's not necessarily a bad deal, but
> there were just too many of my old favorites that they don't have.  No
> Moon Cresta, no Gyruss, no Phoenix, no Star Castle, and the list goes
> on.  You can't play emulated home games from the SNES or Genesis and
> such either.  I knew I could do better.
>
> With a computer-based system and the MAME software, you can run darn
> near any "classic" coin-op game you can remember from the good old
> days.  There's also software to emulate the old home systems, if you
> like.
>
> >  Guess I need to do more
> > homework than I thought.
> > Guys, do me a favor....would you buy one if you could? Or is there
> > something I'm missing?
>
> I might buy one if I was computer-phobic.  With MAME you have to get
> the software and set it up, and get the ROM images, and get everything
> configured.  It's not hard, but it's not instant gratification either.  
> A good compromise might be to buy a MAME-based cabinet that comes with
> some licensed games already installed.  Then you can start playing
> immediately, but you can also download and add games when you decide
> you are ready to fool with that.  There are a lot of companies selling
> these kinds of cabinets.
>
> Here are a few:
>      http://arcadehollywood.net/
>      https://www.customhomearcades.com/Home_Page.html
>      http://www.dreamarcades.com/
>
> >  What's a guy to do? I don't
> > know a damn thing about a "MAME" system, but you guys are raving over
> > it. And the licensed or licensed game issue?
>
> That's something a lot of people argue about.  My own take is that
> distributing an unlicensed game ROM is a violation of copyright law,
> but downloading a ROM off Usnet isn't "distributing".  If anybody got
> in trouble it would be the people who upload them.  I have heard about
> websites that offered ROMs and got shut down by legal pressure, but
> I've never heard of people who downloaded the ROMs getting in trouble
> over it.  Sort of like in the old days of Prohibition. . .  The cops
> could bust a "speakeasy" for selling alcohol, but they couldn't bust
> the patrons.  However, be advised: I am not a lawyer.
>
> --
> Tony Belding, Hamilton Texas

Thanx for the input Tony. After staying up all night digging through
pages and pages of internet, I've decided I would have made a huge
mistake by purchasing the AL2 game. Turns out, I found exactly what I
was looking for over at game cabinets inc (www.gamecabinetsinc.com)
They have some cool stuff, and I inquired about it late last night. To
my surprise, I got a call at about 9pm and we discussed the various
differences between the MAME base game, and the pre fab AL2. And
again, I'm sure glad I read into it. Cost wise, which is always the
big deal, I spent a couple hundred bucks more., but it's money well
spent.
I'm getting a ready to play game, w/ 150 games loaded in it. And I
paid a little extra for the Dragons Lair/Space Ace disc, plus they've
added a jukebox so I can load all my mp3's in it and listen while I'm
playing, Also, they've told me, for any diagnostic work that needs to
be done on the game, I can just go online w/ it and they can access
the computer software from thir shop and diagnose the problem.
If any of you guys are reading this, you probably knew this technology
was out there. But for me, this was a wake up call! I couldn't believe
what can actually be done w/ this style game, not to mention future
upgrades,.hell, even surf the net on it.
I thought I'd type here for a hile to describe what the difference is,
even though you probably already knew that, but if someone is looking
to do the same thing as I, hopefully this answers all the questions
they have. It's pretty much a no brainer: NO Arcade Legends! Dave, at
Game cabinets inc was way cool, and explained everything involved, how
it works, what you can do with it, upgrades, and all this is no
different than owning/operating a home computer, which is all that
runs the MAME base game.
This all really blew my mind last night,..so much, I sent them payment
today, and can't wait to get it here. The only thing that sucks is the
other 3 dedicated games I have here, are already programmed into the
new one I've bought, so now those are probably gonna go, and I need
something else to fill the hole! So be it!
That's it for me then,..I thought this was going to be a long battle
to try and figure out. Hopefully this helps somebody out someday.
Anyone, feel free to e-mail and see how I like it after it arrives. I
know I'll be busy for awhile!
Thanx again Tony,..talk w/ ya later!
Regards,
Mark
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