Arcade Style Games
by Ed Farias · in General Discussion · 02/15/2006 (1:55 pm) · 8 replies
Hello everyone, I'm not sure if this is the correct place for such a topic, if it's not, I apologize but it seemed like a good place to start.
My name is Ed Farias and I am the sole owner of www.arcadeinabox.com . I make and design arcade controls panels that house the computer in the box itself making an all in one arcade console solution. The boxes are designed around MAME, naturally. However, I don't provide any games on the units because of obvious copyright restrictions. There is a pretty good collection of legal Atari Roms out there that I do point my customers too (www.starroms.com).
Then I started thinking about garage games, and other indie type gaming sites I have seen in the past during my years of trying to make my own games. And I thought it would be pretty cool to include some of these great games compatible with my arcade boxes. The problem is, the systems are designed to make use of the control panel (arcade stick and buttons) to select and play games. Windows is hidden, and a frontend is automatically launched.
With many of these games being perfect for arcade play, I thought I would jump in here and just kind of get a feeler for what everyone thought. There is no reason a custom built arcade machine has to be exclusive to playing arcade games 20 years ago when the computer is more than powerful enough to handle many of these great 2d games.
A few things to consider. By default arcade joysticks are not analog, 4-way or 8-way directional. Many of the boxes I build also include a spinner and/or a trackball, so games can be designed around both of those controller types as well.
I guess mostly I am just looking for some feedback. Is this a good idea, bad idea? Any advice for me maybe getting some developers on board? I'm not looking for anything exclusive, but maybe some simple rewrites of code to allow for the joystick and buttons of an arcade control panel. The arcade control panel actually uses a keyboard interface card, so the computer itself thinks the button presses are keyboard inputs. For example, player 1 control schemes goes like this (Up, Down, Left, Right arrows, But1 - LAlt, But2- Lctrl, But3 - LShift, But4 - Space, But5- Z, But6-X). Something like that, that is not exact but I will get that info when and if it's needed.
I guess the big picture would be some kind of downloadable service (Sort of like Live Arcade) that could be accessed from their box (if its is online) to pay for and download new titles. If not, then order the CDrom online, but with a custom install that is compatible with the arcade boxes.
Thoughts, comments.
I sure appreciate any feedback.
Thanks,
Ed Farias
Arcade-in-a-Box
www.arcadeinabox.com (Website is currently being rewritten from scratch, I apoloize for the current "Unprofessional" look of it, it was designed 4 years ago and is kind of showing it's age now :).
My name is Ed Farias and I am the sole owner of www.arcadeinabox.com . I make and design arcade controls panels that house the computer in the box itself making an all in one arcade console solution. The boxes are designed around MAME, naturally. However, I don't provide any games on the units because of obvious copyright restrictions. There is a pretty good collection of legal Atari Roms out there that I do point my customers too (www.starroms.com).
Then I started thinking about garage games, and other indie type gaming sites I have seen in the past during my years of trying to make my own games. And I thought it would be pretty cool to include some of these great games compatible with my arcade boxes. The problem is, the systems are designed to make use of the control panel (arcade stick and buttons) to select and play games. Windows is hidden, and a frontend is automatically launched.
With many of these games being perfect for arcade play, I thought I would jump in here and just kind of get a feeler for what everyone thought. There is no reason a custom built arcade machine has to be exclusive to playing arcade games 20 years ago when the computer is more than powerful enough to handle many of these great 2d games.
A few things to consider. By default arcade joysticks are not analog, 4-way or 8-way directional. Many of the boxes I build also include a spinner and/or a trackball, so games can be designed around both of those controller types as well.
I guess mostly I am just looking for some feedback. Is this a good idea, bad idea? Any advice for me maybe getting some developers on board? I'm not looking for anything exclusive, but maybe some simple rewrites of code to allow for the joystick and buttons of an arcade control panel. The arcade control panel actually uses a keyboard interface card, so the computer itself thinks the button presses are keyboard inputs. For example, player 1 control schemes goes like this (Up, Down, Left, Right arrows, But1 - LAlt, But2- Lctrl, But3 - LShift, But4 - Space, But5- Z, But6-X). Something like that, that is not exact but I will get that info when and if it's needed.
I guess the big picture would be some kind of downloadable service (Sort of like Live Arcade) that could be accessed from their box (if its is online) to pay for and download new titles. If not, then order the CDrom online, but with a custom install that is compatible with the arcade boxes.
Thoughts, comments.
I sure appreciate any feedback.
Thanks,
Ed Farias
Arcade-in-a-Box
www.arcadeinabox.com (Website is currently being rewritten from scratch, I apoloize for the current "Unprofessional" look of it, it was designed 4 years ago and is kind of showing it's age now :).
#2
I don't want anything from the developers at all, I just want something to else to offer my customers. Most don't realize that there is a whole community of people like yourselves that are still dedicated to creating killer games. I want to support a community like that as much as I can.
I totally agree with you on Marble Blast, it is probably the first reason I came here asking this. Playing it with a 3" arcade trackball would be a wonderful thing. So much talent around here, I'm just trying to come up with another outlet for these games.
02/15/2006 (2:22 pm)
Personally I don't have the time to develop games, as much as I would love too :). I guess I am asking for 2 things, 1. Would current developers be willing to create an "Arcade Control" friendly version of the game, and 2. Are there any new developers that think it would beneficial to create games that are playable on an arcade machine.I don't want anything from the developers at all, I just want something to else to offer my customers. Most don't realize that there is a whole community of people like yourselves that are still dedicated to creating killer games. I want to support a community like that as much as I can.
I totally agree with you on Marble Blast, it is probably the first reason I came here asking this. Playing it with a 3" arcade trackball would be a wonderful thing. So much talent around here, I'm just trying to come up with another outlet for these games.
#3
I am working on an arcade-style game right now (2D gameplay, 3D graphics) which might work well with this setup. It's designed around keyboard and mouse controls (keyboard as a poor-man's joystick), so it could theoretically work with this setup.
Anyway, please feel free to contact me and we can swap info.
jayb@rampantgames.com
02/15/2006 (2:47 pm)
Ed -I am working on an arcade-style game right now (2D gameplay, 3D graphics) which might work well with this setup. It's designed around keyboard and mouse controls (keyboard as a poor-man's joystick), so it could theoretically work with this setup.
Anyway, please feel free to contact me and we can swap info.
jayb@rampantgames.com
#4
One other that would be cool to implement into the games, well 2 things. 1. If somehow they could be altered a bit to allow credits, and 2. Making the games sort of stripped down without all the menu options, just the basic game that when you select it, it takes you to the title screen where you insert coins and start. Developers can determine how to handle the credits, whether it lets you keep playing, adds time, starts you at the beginning of a level if you have to continue, etc.
I'm open to any and all ideas.
02/15/2006 (3:06 pm)
Thanks Jay, I sent you an email.One other that would be cool to implement into the games, well 2 things. 1. If somehow they could be altered a bit to allow credits, and 2. Making the games sort of stripped down without all the menu options, just the basic game that when you select it, it takes you to the title screen where you insert coins and start. Developers can determine how to handle the credits, whether it lets you keep playing, adds time, starts you at the beginning of a level if you have to continue, etc.
I'm open to any and all ideas.
#5
We have an arcade cabinent based Orbz (again, TGE) sitting in our break room right now--it's certainly feasible!
02/15/2006 (7:44 pm)
I know of two commerical developers using TGE/TSe to make arcade games, and many of the T2D games being developed commercially would fit right inside an arcade.We have an arcade cabinent based Orbz (again, TGE) sitting in our break room right now--it's certainly feasible!
#6
If anyone has any ideas, please share them. Naturally I hope this brings me some sales, but more importantly I hope it brings some more knowledge about these great games. And people get a chance to hear about them. And the developers are awarded for all of their hard work.
SO, with that said. Any idea of anyone I should contact? I'll send emails all day long if I think it will help. I'll even give out my cell phone number for one on one discussions.
02/15/2006 (8:25 pm)
Thanks Stephen for the hope. Can you think of any other way to reach out to the community about the idea? If anyone has any ideas, please share them. Naturally I hope this brings me some sales, but more importantly I hope it brings some more knowledge about these great games. And people get a chance to hear about them. And the developers are awarded for all of their hard work.
SO, with that said. Any idea of anyone I should contact? I'll send emails all day long if I think it will help. I'll even give out my cell phone number for one on one discussions.
#7
And, of course, make sure you stay in touch with the community when you can, and if you come across a screen shot of the day or .plan of a project you think would make sense, don't hesitate to politely let the developers know via commenting!
02/15/2006 (8:32 pm)
I think your best plan would be to make a blog (.plan here on the site) describing your services, and some of your previous experiences. Pictures are always cool, as well as success stories. You may also want to create a company here at GG with some good descriptions of the services you provide, so that if/when people are searching for this type of information, it's there and ready to go.And, of course, make sure you stay in touch with the community when you can, and if you come across a screen shot of the day or .plan of a project you think would make sense, don't hesitate to politely let the developers know via commenting!
Torque Owner Philip Mansfield
Default Studio Name
I'm not sure what you're actually asking though. Are you asking for advice about creating games that work with an arcade style control system, for what people think of such a system, or the likelihood of developers changing their games to work with arcade controls?