DJ MAX Technika testing in Europe... and Wal-Mart?
Posted by eddie - Wed 08/26 2009 - 08:18 AM - 3416 Views
For those of you in the UK who have been waiting for Technika to touch ground over there, it has finally happened. Mike Yum from PM Studios has sent me an e-mail this morning letting me know that the first Technika location test in the UK is happening right now at Hollywood Bowl in Finchley, London.
Hollywood Bowl Finchley
North Great Leisure Park, Chaplin Square
Finchley, London N12 0GL
Phone: 020 8446 6667
There's also a test happening at a Wal-Mart in California. This is interesting because I've been hearing rumblings for quite some time that they were planning to break some ground into the Arcade business at a number of locations in the US. Rumor has it that if the isolated tests they've been doing go well, many of the Wal-Marts all across the country will see some kind of dedicated arcade space added to their already packed floorplans. Definitely go check this one out if you're in the area, this location test may quite possibly be the most important one of all as if it does well, the retail giant would be the one company that could make this game available to everyone in the US.
Wal-Mart Supercenter (Store #3523)
26471 Carl Boyer Drive
Santa Clarita, CA 91350
Either you look at it, both of these tests are a huge deal. On one hand you have the entirety of the UK, and on the other you have the biggest chance for the game to spread in the US and the possibility of reviving the arcade industry. If you're a fan of rhythm games, or even just arcade titles in general you owe it to yourself to make it to one of these 2 spots if you're in the area.
Rating: 17 Positive | 0 Negative
Comments
Posted by belink - Wed 08/26 2009 - 08:38 AM [ quote ]
Why doesn't anything good ever come to Surrey? The best we've got is a shitty ITG2 upgradicab.
Posted by Jumbo - Wed 08/26 2009 - 08:48 AM [ quote ]
I have never felt more compelled to go to a Wal-Mart than right now.
Posted by kent - Wed 08/26 2009 - 09:16 AM [ quote ]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jumbo
I have never felt more compelled to go to a Wal-Mart than right now.
hahah same
Posted by naokai - Wed 08/26 2009 - 09:23 AM [ quote ]
Santa Clarita? That's next to my house!
-naokai
Posted by wohdin - Wed 08/26 2009 - 09:44 AM [ quote ]
Dammit PM stop making me want to drive 3000 miles to move to Cali, since that's apparently the only place you'll ever be doing locationtests. 8|
Posted by Rwr - Wed 08/26 2009 - 09:54 AM [ quote ]
FINCHLEY!?
Brb going there NOW
Posted by ranatalus - Wed 08/26 2009 - 10:08 AM [ quote ]
Quote:
Originally Posted by wohdin
Dammit PM stop making me want to drive 3000 miles to move to Cali, since that's apparently the only place you'll ever be doing locationtests. 8|
hey they did that one in NY and the other in NJ for everyone on the east coast
Yeah yet down in the south we continuously get screwed.
Posted by jbean3535 - Wed 08/26 2009 - 11:11 AM [ quote ]
Quote:
Originally Posted by linkismyhero
Yeah yet down in the south we continuously get screwed.
Dont forget the Midwest ;). Also - Our local WalMart has a GH AC cabinet and Coinstar owns/runs it if that helps any
Posted by kannazuki - Wed 08/26 2009 - 11:16 AM [ quote ]
Oh god, I hope the machine in Finchley stays there until I get back in October -- oh wait, the Philippines already has a machine and the queues for it are fucking massive. :p
Posted by dahrkdaiz - Wed 08/26 2009 - 11:32 AM [ quote ]
huge downside: if wal-mart starts to produce a lot of arcades, you know very well the machines will be run all to hell and back with very little to no maintenance done on them :(
huge downside: if wal-mart starts to produce a lot of arcades, you know very well the machines will be run all to hell and back with very little to no maintenance done on them :(
We'll have little kids just wailing the crap out of the machine and fat kids spilling their Icees and McDonald's soft serve ice cream all over it. That's why I always avoid arcades that are at children's party themed pizza places. Wal-mart arcades will suffer the same, if not, a worse fate.
Yeah yet down in the south we continuously get screwed.
I know right! Well maybe we will get to play at Wal-mart. The one here in Denton is getting a massive makeover currently. Maybe when its all done they will get a DJ MAX up and running.
huge downside: if wal-mart starts to produce a lot of arcades, you know very well the machines will be run all to hell and back with very little to no maintenance done on them :(
Actually, Our GH AC at our Wal Mart had a guitar get the SHIT beat out of it (Strap broke off, Neck cracked) and it got replaced pretty promptly. Wal Mart is replacing all the McDonald's with Subways now too.
Both locations have been added to the Locations Listing, for people who want Google Maps links and whatnot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by linkismyhero
Yeah yet down in the south we continuously get screwed.
There was actually a player from the (South?) Carolina area who went to AX, saw the pocket guide that I'd made the week prior, and asked for a PDF of it so that she could print it out and toss it to arcades to get them interested in the game. I'm not sure what the status of that is, but I do know some sort of attempt at getting Technika in the south-eastern-ish States is happening!
Make sure the Wal-Mart test location does well, Technikas across the country would be a cinch if Wal-Mart decided to pick it up.
This. Please PLEASE go play it if you live near that Wal-Mart! Very good chance that more locations will pick it up if it does well, and that will inevitably lead to Platinum Crew sooner for us.
As for the south-east US, I do know that there will soon be a location test 'somewhere' in the North Carolina region, I just haven't been able to confirm exactly where yet. Will try to find out more this weekend.
Posted by Juli - Wed 08/26 2009 - 04:35 PM [ quote ]
Most Wal Marts already have arcade spacs... the ones in new mexico had solo cabs more often than not. So I'm not too surprised by that...
Just got back.
I found it really fun, but the lifebar felt kind of unforgiving. Probably just me though.
Play Lite mode until you are comfortable with gameplay, THEN proceed to Pop mode. The lifebar in Lite mode is extremely forgiving; in other modes, it isn't forgiving at all. But once you get the hang of the game using Lite mode, it will at least feel fair to you.
Posted by m-robo - Thu 08/27 2009 - 03:27 AM [ quote ]
Quote:
Originally Posted by DiGiTaLDJ59
its near my house. about damn time! OPEN 24 HOURS TOO! :]
I'm actually severely jealous of that. I'd love to be able to play it at any time, too many times am I bored at 3 AM. :(
That's the one awesome thing about Technika at Walmart: 24 hours. I'm so jealous.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spiritsnare
There was actually a player from the (South?) Carolina area who went to AX, saw the pocket guide that I'd made the week prior, and asked for a PDF of it so that she could print it out and toss it to arcades to get them interested in the game. I'm not sure what the status of that is, but I do know some sort of attempt at getting Technika in the south-eastern-ish States is happening!
Unless some other girl did the exact same thing during AX, that would be my girlfriend who actually lives in Virginia. She's not had any luck because there just doesn't seem to be any big arcades in Richmond.
Make sure the Wal-Mart test location does well, Technikas across the country would be a cinch if Wal-Mart decided to pick it up.
This. Please PLEASE go play it if you live near that Wal-Mart! Very good chance that more locations will pick it up if it does well, and that will inevitably lead to Platinum Crew sooner for us.
As for the south-east US, I do know that there will soon be a location test 'somewhere' in the North Carolina region, I just haven't been able to confirm exactly where yet. Will try to find out more this weekend.
Unless some other girl did the exact same thing during AX, that would be my girlfriend who actually lives in Virginia. She's not had any luck because there just doesn't seem to be any big arcades in Richmond.
My bad, then. Also, that's unfortunate that she hasn't had any luck - but hopefully one of the smaller arcades may be willing to give Technika a shot?
Unless some other girl did the exact same thing during AX, that would be my girlfriend who actually lives in Virginia. She's not had any luck because there just doesn't seem to be any big arcades in Richmond.
Well, there are Swaders and Dave & Buster's in the Richmond area. If either one of those got a Technika I'd be there every day.
For the London test, you guys have until Wednesday to impress the arcade there that's it's worth keeping. Play it as much as possible, and give them feedback that you like the game and want it to stay.
Also, there is supposadly a 2nd Technika machine testing at a Wal-Mart near Oklahoma... sorry that's not very specific, but that's all I know about it. That's all the inside info I have for you guys :)
Posted by Jamuko - Sat 08/29 2009 - 03:24 AM [ quote ]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spiritsnare
Quote:
Originally Posted by DJComet
Unless some other girl did the exact same thing during AX, that would be my girlfriend who actually lives in Virginia. She's not had any luck because there just doesn't seem to be any big arcades in Richmond.
My bad, then. Also, that's unfortunate that she hasn't had any luck - but hopefully one of the smaller arcades may be willing to give Technika a shot?
It's me! :D
I poked around the forums here but the subforums for the mid-Atlantic area are pretty dead. Got no ideas/leads from there.
My actual home (where I was over the summer) is a lot less populated, and the only "arcade" I could find was a dinky little place in the mall. I've actually never even seen anyone in there playing anything at all... I'm surprised they're still in business.
I recently moved back to Richmond and brought the PM Studios promo stuff as well as Spiritsnare's PDF, but I don't have a car here so I haven't been able to search very far yet. I won't give up, though.
My college has an underground area in one of the buildings that used to have DDR in it... I thought that might be a great place to try but it seems they've removed the entire arcade section for lack of interest and now there's nothing but pool tables and a little bowling thing. :/
I've also thought about trying Kings Dominion amusement park, but even though they might give it good business, it'd be tough to play there with any regularity since you have to pay to get in.
Still looking. I'll look into the places you mentioned, Synthetic Dreamer. Thanks.
Still looking. I'll look into the places you mentioned, Synthetic Dreamer. Thanks.
No problem. Virginia Center Commons Mall still has a (rather crappy now) arcade, and there's an EMPRESS machine at Cici's very near VCC. Aside from those, Swaders, D&B, and the rather old Putt-Putt in Midlothian, I don't know of any significant arcades in the area.
Also, you're probably referring to the old Break Point arcade at VCU; there used to be DDR/ITG, ParaParaParadise, DanceManiax, and Beatmania III at various points. The arcade was removed in 2007 due to lack of interest and increasing impatience from Games People Play (who rented the games to VCU), especially after someone kicked the screen out of the ITG2 machine. The arcade was in its prime in 2003-2005 or so.
:D Ahh~ Some people live near me. Umm yeah the one in VCC Mall is very very crappy. Went their to play DDR and one of their pads didn't work. And no one is barely ever their. So chances that a Technika would be there would be very slim, but it's always good to dream. =/ I'd be happy to see any music game in there other than DDR.
Posted by djgiza - Sat 08/29 2009 - 07:55 PM [ quote ]
Does anyone know how much a new Technika cost and arcade?
Technika will cost an arcade roughly $10K before tax. Completely depending on the distributor markup.
Posted by PkerUNO - Sun 08/30 2009 - 06:51 PM [ quote ]
There's no way the London machine will remain there. In the 2 hours I spent there today, absolutely nobody even gave it more than a second look. :(
Posted by K.AuthoR - Wed 09/02 2009 - 02:40 AM [ quote ]
As far as Virginia goes, Swaders is the most vibrant arcade, even though the only music game they have is Pump Pro. All the other music games are scarce.
If anyone with power/contact reads this, Swaders has EXCELLENT business, and I've talked to the owners about various things before. They are willing to try new things, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were game for a loc test.
also, people seemed to think that the IIDX machine at Cici's in Ashland would promptly be destroyed by little kids with greasy hands - FYI, this is an outrageous exaggeration. The machine hardly gets attention from little kids, probably because their attention is usually directed towards games they already know how to play. (claw machines, candy machines, driving games, ect)
Posted by Tau - Thu 09/03 2009 - 04:56 PM [ quote ]
The London machine is gone now :(
Yeah hardly anybody played it, which was a bit of a shame. Brand recognition uber alles, I guess :\
