arcades - Kotaku

posts about #arcades more →
Homeland Security Seizes Fake Frogger, Donkey Kong Machines
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That Square Enix Countdown Was Counting Down To This...
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IvanDashSmith
11/10/09

In reply to Homeland Security Seizes Fake Frogger, Donkey Kong Machines
David R. Foley strikes again. #retro
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Orionsaint
11/10/09

In reply to Homeland Security Seizes Fake Frogger, Donkey Kong Machines
#retro
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Fecal-Lord
11/10/09

@Orionsaint: Eat the fly, eat it! #retro
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t4paN
11/10/09

In reply to Homeland Security Seizes Fake Frogger, Donkey Kong Machines
Excellent use of tax payer money. I applaud the DHS. #retro
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Sobersean promoted this comment t4paN was starred t4paN was unstarred

Duin
11/10/09

In reply to Homeland Security Seizes Fake Frogger, Donkey Kong Machines
So it's a MAME-in-a-Box.

Nicer to hear about this I suppose than the seizure of illegal contraband. #retro
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Bouchart
11/10/09

In reply to Homeland Security Seizes Fake Frogger, Donkey Kong Machines
I know it's true, but I find it difficult to believe that some 30 year old arcade cabinets is worth over $100,000 when they can be made for just a fraction of the cost.

Note to self: when making bootleg cabinets, buy parts locally if possible. #retro
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supercrap
11/10/09

@Bouchart: That value would have to be for all 168 machines, and even that is pretty generous. #retro
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Bouchart promoted this comment supercrap was starred supercrap was unstarred

Bouchart
11/10/09

@supercrap: Oh I see. I misread the article as value for each machine, not value for all of the machines.

Still, the profit margin on those things must be huge. #retro
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deanbmmv
11/10/09

In reply to Homeland Security Seizes Fake Frogger, Donkey Kong Machines
Surely Pac-man and the like are out of copyright now?
Or do they fall under the "Walt Disney Copyright till the end of time and space, and even then will probs still be in effect Act"?

It's great to see law enforcement really clamping down on pirates, what with the 360 dude the other week, and now these Arcade cabinets pirating 30 year old games. These people are bringing the games industry to it's knees. :P #retro
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grahamwest
11/10/09

@deanbmmv: Pretty much anything created more recently than 1923 is still copyrighted and is very likely to remain so forever. Things from 1923 to 1963 which did not have a copyright notice on them when published are also in the public domain but I believe that is a small minority.

Here's a good explanation of what copyrights have expired and when.

[inventors.about.com] #retro
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deanbmmv promoted this comment grahamwest was starred grahamwest was unstarred

deanbmmv
11/10/09

@grahamwest: It's far too long tbh.
Still at least we have Fair Use n the like. #retro
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Megaman LXIX
11/10/09

@deanbmmv: That's remind me a lot of my own theory on robbery:

You should only be allowed to rob old people (mostly senior citizens, but anyone over 50 is probably okay), because really who gives a shit... THEY'RE OLD!

That's how the law works, right? #retro
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deanbmmv
11/10/09

@Megaman LXIX: If they're over 70 years old, and not wearing Mickey Mouse ears, then they are in the public domain.
So you can do what you want then, clone them, cut them up into your own derivative work whatever.
Though while they are under 70 you are free to take small parts of them, poke fun at them, or use them as a lesson for all. #retro
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OW-Holmes:Bringer of Fear
11/10/09

In reply to Homeland Security Seizes Fake Frogger, Donkey Kong Machines
It looks like its

[puts on sunglasses]

gameover.

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #retro
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Bouchart
11/10/09

In reply to Homeland Security Seizes Fake Frogger, Donkey Kong Machines
This is just misdirection on the part of Homeland Security. They actually just seized a dangerous shipment of highly modded Polybius machines that would threaten Western civilization as we know it. #retro
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Michael Dukakis
11/10/09

In reply to Homeland Security Seizes Fake Frogger, Donkey Kong Machines
Donkey Kong was taken into custody after it was found out his banana's contained pure opium! #retro
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killah101
11/10/09

In reply to Homeland Security Seizes Fake Frogger, Donkey Kong Machines
Boss: "Why did you seize all these game machines??"

Agent: "If we don't seize them, THEN THE TERRORISTS WIN!!!"

Boss: "OMG YAH, FOR 'MERICAH" #retro
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SycoJack
11/10/09

@killah101: lol #retro
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lolgreg
11/10/09

@killah101: /Reads back of machine.
'Made in China'

"I KNEW IT" #retro
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deanbmmv
11/10/09

@killah101:
2 weeks later

Boss: So, what did you guys do with thsoe arcade cabinets?

Agent: Oh well Obama wanted something for his kids to play

--------

Obama kid 1: Hey daddy, I'm nearly at level 256 on Pac-man

Obama: Aw, great honey.

Cabinet *bebebebbebebe* #retro
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Michael Dukakis
11/10/09

@deanbmmv: What was his kid doing at the Capitol building? #retro
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lolgreg
11/10/09

@Michael Dukakis - Curse you baseball gods!: She was with the terrorists all along. #retro
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deanbmmv
11/10/09

@Michael Dukakis - Curse you baseball gods!: Oh she had a slight relapse of British-ness. #retro
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Anemone
11/10/09

@Michael Dukakis - Curse you baseball gods!: Taking him back to Civics class. #retro
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Marios_shadow
11/10/09

In reply to Homeland Security Seizes Fake Frogger, Donkey Kong Machines
I don't see the point in this...
I get that it's copyright infringement, but, really, who would this hurt? (Aside from whoever would buy them, I mean, $672,000? Ouch.)
The games are ancient, hardly ever for sale unless as some shitty remake cash-in, and hard to find in their original forms. And it's not like the machines were armed to explode or anything, this isn't Die Hard 4...
I daresay some pirate arcade machines would be a good thing, if only to preserve the games and experience themselves.
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Neko_Tech promoted this comment Edited by Marios_shadow at 11/10/09 5:33 PM Marios_shadow was starred Marios_shadow was unstarred

Ad-hominem
11/10/09

In reply to Homeland Security Seizes Fake Frogger, Donkey Kong Machines
...These machines were going for over $1,000-$6,000 each? Who wanted them that badly? #retro
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Trygle12... NOW IN HD!
11/10/09

@Ad-hominem: You can make a MAME cabinet for much less than 1K....

MUCH less. #retro
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Techno-Atom
11/10/09

@Ad-hominem:

Contrary to what you might hear on the "net", there are still a lot of people who seek out Arcade Cabs and restore them and even use them still for personal use or commercial use. #retro
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badasscat
11/10/09

@Techno-Atom: Yeah, but these were bootleg machines, and anybody who cares enough to spend that much on an arcade machine would know it.

There are certain "classic" bootlegs that are actually worth something because they play the games slightly differently, but these wouldn't be in that category. These machines are practically worthless. This is like when the RIAA says it lost 5 quadrillion dollars to piracy last year; it's just a made-up number based on some DHS agent looking at an Ebay auction for one of the (real) machines. #retro
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Taggart6: I don't always drink beer, but when I do...
11/10/09

In reply to Homeland Security Seizes Fake Frogger, Donkey Kong Machines
So when's the public auction? #retro
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(Starman) Starman
11/10/09

@Taggart6: I don't always drink beer, but when I do...

I auctionate! #retro
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(Starman) Starman was starred

Taggart6: I don't always drink beer, but when I do...
11/10/09

@(Starman) Count Von Count: We already booked this guy: #retro
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Blore07
09/30/09

In reply to Super Street Fighter IV Is NOT Coming To Arcades
no one seems to be bringing up the exact arguement they were bringing up about their home versions.

Now, I dont know much about arcades and how owning/renting a cabinet costs.

But think, all of you moaning how its going to be too expensive and its too soon, the arcade owners or cabinet maker... people...
might be feeling simmalar but on a much larger scale due to a cabinet costing a fair bit more than a game i'm assuming.

But yeah, before someone completely destroys me on this comment, I dont know anything about how arcades are run, it was just what popped into my mind.

By the way, do arcades buy or rent their machines? anyone know? i'm rather interested now.
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wtf_G
09/30/09

@Blore07: They buy them, in pairs. SF4 viewlix cabs require two since they're single paneled.

Basically, it's about $30k for one setup.
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Blore07 promoted this comment wtf_G was starred wtf_G was unstarred

Blore07
09/30/09

@wtf_G: Cheers for the swift reply.

So yeah, thats one way to look at how if Capcom release SSFIV in arcades (right away that is) it might not go down well in the long run.

Arcades may be weary of buying Capcoms wares in the future if they had to shell out an extra 30k
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wtf_G
09/30/09

In reply to Super Street Fighter IV Is NOT Coming To Arcades
This is basically a huge loss.

This game is fairly popular in Japan, and was imported to many arcades in California, New York and some in Texas.

The Japanese SF4 scene is largely where most of the tactics/styles come from, and a great source for viewing matches/tournaments from on sites like Youtube and Nico Video.

Basically, to say that a game which is in the top 10 for arcade cabinets will not have a release overseas, is a big slap in the face.

If this game isn't popular in Japan, since SF4 will be the main tournament game played, it won't be nearly as huge here in the states.
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