Memories Games, Bemani hotspot - Page 2

Wigmund · 03-04-2007, 02:32 PM

Faded has owned that DanceManiax for awhile, i'd say....4 years or more?

He is the owner/operator, I'm his brother.

As far as nametags or uniforms...not so much. He's usually wearing a brightly colored polo shirt...and I'm hobo'in around in a flannel shirt most days, unless it's warm out. Anyway you'll probably recognize me from the few trips I've made up to FFC...long hair and a full shaggy beard. And like Faded said....it's only the two of us workin there right now.

We'd love to get our hands on a sessioned GF/DM setup, but thats sort of backburnered right now.

Jinx · 03-12-2007, 01:24 PM

Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring a verdict!

Memories Games- Pros and Cons.

Pros:

1. Very VERY clean. One of the things I hate so much about my own arcade is how grungy it is. Fresh carpet and no bad smell makes me love MG all the more.

2. Not overcrowded. Really a mixed blessing, but you shouldn't have to worry about waiting in a line to play your game.

3. They have a bounce house. Enough said.

4. Machines all appeared to be in good working order. Although IIDX seemed to have a few songs that would crash the game, that was the worst of it, really. No machines to my knowledge were down for repairs.

5. Comfy stools. FFCs are a good height, but you'll definitely get butt cramps from sitting on them for too long.

6. Probably most importantly, a staff that likes and UNDERSTANDS music games.

7. VERY reasonable pricing for Bemani.

---

Cons:

1. Music games were a bit too quiet for my tastes. It's a small building, so I really didn't expect ear-shattering music like at FFC (which is probably a bad thing anyway), but it was hard to hear parts of certain songs and it definitely hampered my performance a bit. The ones I felt needed turned up were Pop'n and IIDX. 5-key beatmania was a bit quiet too, but not as big a problem as it was with Pop'n and IIDX.

Really, few arcade games need their sound like Bemani games. I hope you guys will at least crank up FEVER a bit when you get it.

2. Stools, though very comfy, were too high for IIDX and Pop'n. Not a problem for people who prefer to stand, but I'm too used to sitting while playing to be comfortable standing. An easy to fix problem (and I know Wigmund is looking for some shorter stools already), so I this con is hopefully going to be remedied.

3. Lack of a big sign makes it a bit hard to find if you're driving too quickly. I think Faded mentioned to me that there marquee sign was being made, so that should help a ton so long as it's bright and noticeable.

4. Tiny Bemani scene there. Hopefully it will be something that'll grow and flourish in the near future, but the scene looked to me to be comprised of goth/emo kids playing ITG2 and Extreme. Maybe I just came in on an off day, so until I go back again, this con kind of straddles the fence.

5. A bit of a whiney con, but I'll throw it up anyway. The Pop'n home cab there could use some elevation on the front part of button platform, even if it just throwing some wooden wedges in there. It is way too uncomfortably to quickly bend your hands that far back to hit buttons with the bottoms of your palms. Level out that panel a bit and you'll definitely have a more comfortable, more dedicab-true Pop'n.

---

Time for the score breakdown. All scores take into consideration the size of the arcade:

Cleanliness - 10
Variety - 7 (I figure this will definitely increase in the coming years)
Helpfulness of Staff - 10
Price - 10
Condition of Machines - 9 (IIDX's crash error, DancemaniaX's blue sensor misfiring, and Pop'n's buttons needing to be hit rather hard all threw this down one point, but the rest of the arcade seemed in excellent condition)
Redemption/Concession score - 9

Overall Score and Rating: 9.1 / A+

Keep up the good work and improve on what you can. The MG guys are doing an excellent job with what funds and resources they have and they definitely deserve every quarter they get.

Wigmund · 03-12-2007, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jinx

Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring a verdict!

Cons:

2. Music games were a bit too quiet for my tastes.

You may or may not have noticed that we sit right above a large public library...which hinders massive amounts of volume on our machines. And being that Bemani at FFC are turned up quite ridiculously loud, you may be biased on the whole volume issue.

Also, the redemption/kiddie side of our business is what brings in the revenue, so blasting all the music games might deter from that said revenue.

Oh, and about the IIDX...we have no clear idea to why half a dozen songs consistently crash the machine, if we did, it would be corrected. Faded was looking into pickin up a DistoreD upgrade...thinking it might run under $200, but come to find out its gonne be quite a bit higher. So that has been put on the backburner while we feed revenue into our expansion into the space next door...which will most likely involve Lazertag of somesort.

All in all, sounds like you had a good time stoppin in on your way back to Omaha, glad you came in man. If you could find out the height of those stools you guys have, send me a PM here. Faded says he has an adjustable height stool somewhere in his warehouse, but trust me...I'd rather spend a couple minutes buyin some new ones than go fishin through 10 years worth of random piles of arcade stuff....that man likes to hold on to his parts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jinx

I hope you guys will at least crank up FEVER a bit when you get it.

I refuse to respond to this on the grounds that I may incriminate myself.

faded · 03-12-2007, 09:09 PM

Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring a verdict!

Memories Games- Pros and Cons.

4. Machines all appeared to be in good working order. Although IIDX seemed to have a few songs that would crash the game, that was the worst of it, really. No machines to my knowledge were down for repairs.

->
Wanna guess who we bought the kit from? For a while it crashed ALL the time, but I worked on the drive and now only a few do it. Corrupt data I think..

I'll pick up a BemaniPC like Distorted if I ever can get ahold of a USB I/O card
<-

5. Comfy stools. FFCs are a good height, but you'll definitely get butt cramps from sitting on them for too long.

->
I'm the only one that plays PopN with a stool here. Works for me, but we will try to get some for the IIDx platform as it makes good sense.
<-

Cons:

1. No food to buy on the premises. I might've missed it, but I couldn't find anything to snack on there. Luckily there is an abundance of restaurants on that street.

->
Um. Snacks and sodas and candy, oh my.
<-

2. Music games were a bit too quiet for my tastes. It's a small building, so I really didn't expect ear-shattering music like at FFC (which is probably a bad thing anyway), but it was hard to hear parts of certain songs and it definitely hampered my performance a bit. The ones I felt needed turned up were Pop'n and IIDX. 5-key beatmania was a bit quiet too, but not as big a problem as it was with Pop'n and IIDX.

->
My games are set at reasonable levels. Many, MANY arcades have ridiculous volume levels. Parents with young'ns do not like that, and no employees should have to endure it either.

Like you said, we play the games too. (Actually that would be mainly me. Chris hardly every touches ITG2, DDREx or PPP.) If I couldn't hear 'em, I couldn't play. I am by no means a great player, but I have finally earned a couple Stars on ITG recently.
<-

Really, few arcade games need their sound like Bemani games. I hope you guys will at least crank up FEVER a bit when you get it.

3. Stools, though very comfy, were too high for IIDX and Pop'n. Not a problem for people who prefer to stand, but I'm too used to sitting while playing to be comfortable standing. An easy to fix problem (and I know Wigmund is looking for some shorter stools already), so I this con is hopefully going to be remedied.

-> I can only hope this will actually become a problem. Hardly anyone plays besides us. So if more people show and spend, we will make reasonable accomodations.
<-

4. Lack of a big sign makes it a bit hard to find if you're driving too quickly. I think Faded mentioned to me that there marquee sign was being made, so that should help a ton so long as it's bright and noticeable.

->
Don't have much to work with. Can't build a new sign at the roadside, and right now I'm waiting a while to put new panels up, IE with Laser Tag on it etc.
<-

5. Tiny Bemani scene there. Hopefully it will be something that'll grow and flourish in the near future, but the scene looked to me to be comprised of goth/emo kids playing ITG2 and Extreme. Maybe I just came in on an off day, so until I go back again, this con kind of straddles the fence.

6. A bit of a whiney con, but I'll throw it up anyway. The Pop'n home cab there could use some elevation on the front part of button platform, even if it just throwing some wooden wedges in there. It is way too uncomfortably to quickly bend your hands that far back to hit buttons with the bottoms of your palms. Level out that panel a bit and you'll definitely have a more comfortable, more dedicab-true Pop'n.

-> Um, I have no idea what you mean. Works fine for me, and Chris sure tears it up.....
<-

---

Time for the score breakdown. All scores take into consideration the size of the arcade:

Cleanliness - 10
Variety - 7 (I figure this will definitely increase in the coming years)
Helpfulness of Staff - 10
Price - 10
Condition of Machines - 9 (IIDX's crash error, DancemaniaX's blue sensor misfiring, and Pop'n's buttons needing to be hit rather hard all threw this down one point, but the rest of the arcade seemed in excellent condition)

->You could have SAID something about the DMX, the sensors sometimes get knocked crooked by players, its like a 2 second fix....
<-
Redemption/Concession score - 7 (No food killed it for me)

Overall Score and Rating: 7.2 / A-

Keep up the good work and improve on what you can. The MG guys are doing an excellent job with what funds and resources they have and they definitely deserve every quarter they get.

-> So bring more!

modarius · 03-13-2007, 03:04 PM

If you guys get Distorted I'll be making some trips down there. Playing distorted BMS sims just doesn't cut it for me :/

Jinx · 03-14-2007, 01:09 AM

Review post edited with corrected info. Thanks for the correction.

I still stand by what I said about the volume, but I didn't weigh it as hard against you this time around because of the library. Ironically, I wouldn't give FFC near as good a rating as you guys earned. Probably a B+ at most.

Oh, and we did eat at the Twin Dragons. Not the best, but not bad by any means.

Wigmund · 04-03-2007, 05:36 PM

Pop'n Music Fever

ETA: 4 weeks

More updates as they become available.

Jinx · 04-04-2007, 03:58 PM

Hey Wig, did that PS2 work?

jbean3535 · 04-12-2007, 12:55 PM

Rawr, Come and pick up GZ

. Hah. I ALMOST made it up there the other day but unfortunately came down with the stomach flu and I doubt you want me throwing up all over your games. I know I wouldn't want the same for ours :P

Brazoliange · 04-12-2007, 01:09 PM

Haha. Hope to see you up sometime soon.

faded · 04-24-2007, 07:45 PM

Where's Waldo?

http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/...php?lid=343730

Imagine a tiny arcade machine somewhere on board that huge ship.

My PopN should be on that ship as we speak.

-faded

vader_seven_ · 04-30-2007, 07:15 PM

hey faded, how is the iidx situation these days?

still an 8th that crashes on the odd song or two or did you upgrade?

if you havent, when do you think you will?

faded · 04-30-2007, 07:46 PM

I'll gladly upgrade the IIdx if I ever find a cheap kit.

The I/O boards are extremely hard to come by.

Distorted kits are fairly easy to find, but the ops have to keep the IO board for GOLD, so those are useless to me since I don't have a Bemani PC IO already.

-faded

Wigmund · 05-02-2007, 02:45 AM

Two people play the IIDX on a regular basis, one of them has keys to play for free.

Unless that changes, I see no reason why we should invest thousands into upgrading it.

If Pop'n Fever brings people to St. Joseph, and the Bemani scene here gets a revival, maybe we'll consider it.

We might make the Pop'n 8 super cheap once the Fever gets in....who knows.

桜の色 · 05-06-2007, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wigmund

Two people play the IIDX on a regular basis, one of them has keys to play for free.

Unless that changes, I see no reason why we should invest thousands into upgrading it.

If Pop'n Fever brings people to St. Joseph, and the Bemani scene here gets a revival, maybe we'll consider it.

We might make the Pop'n 8 super cheap once the Fever gets in....who knows.

I will honestly make the 3 hour trip from Springfield to come play. I did it once back in March (during Naka-Kon)!