Comments on: Editorial: 1 step to improve your arcade – Fix the games! http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/ The Saviours of Coin-Op Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:22:41 +0000 hourly 1 By: Mark N http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/#comment-17473 Mark N Sun, 30 Oct 2011 10:58:51 +0000 http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/#comment-17473 For more help on this topic try our instructional videos on You Tube. Just do a search for "arcade repair tips" We have many videos that will show you how to fix common arcade game problems. Check out our facebook page also to get your questions answered. For more help on this topic try our instructional videos on You Tube. Just do a search for “arcade repair tips” We have many videos that will show you how to fix common arcade game problems. Check out our facebook page also to get your questions answered.

]]> By: HeavyElectricity http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/#comment-653 HeavyElectricity Mon, 10 Dec 2007 11:39:54 +0000 http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/#comment-653 Ugh, any transportation is pretty bad. I once hit upon a small arcade in a cross-channel ferry, which was great apart from that only one game worked properly (ironically, it was Behind Enemy Lines, which was the oldest game there). Ugh, any transportation is pretty bad. I once hit upon a small arcade in a cross-channel ferry, which was great apart from that only one game worked properly (ironically, it was Behind Enemy Lines, which was the oldest game there).

]]> By: twistedsupreme http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/#comment-652 twistedsupreme Fri, 07 Dec 2007 22:50:55 +0000 http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/#comment-652 sorry, bit late to the discussion, but what really steams my bean is when machines have broken buttons but the machine is still switched on. So you put ur money in and dont get a playable game. I might start carrying around "buttons out of order" signs so i can stick them on the offending machines and save people money! The worst locations in my experience are Airports. sorry, bit late to the discussion, but what really steams my bean is when machines have broken buttons but the machine is still switched on. So you put ur money in and dont get a playable game.

I might start carrying around “buttons out of order” signs so i can stick them on the offending machines and save people money!

The worst locations in my experience are Airports.

]]> By: SaraAB87 http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/#comment-651 SaraAB87 Fri, 07 Dec 2007 17:57:44 +0000 http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/#comment-651 Usually games on route are maintained well here, because the company that provides most of the games in my city actually goes out and answers the service calls, and they even told me that I could call them anytime if there was a problem. They know that a broken game doesn't earn any money. Also these locations are usually staffed so if a customer finds a broken game they usually report it to the nearest employee of the business the game is in. There is usually a business card on each game here with phone number and address of the vendor providing the games. Usually games on route are maintained well here, because the company that provides most of the games in my city actually goes out and answers the service calls, and they even told me that I could call them anytime if there was a problem. They know that a broken game doesn’t earn any money. Also these locations are usually staffed so if a customer finds a broken game they usually report it to the nearest employee of the business the game is in. There is usually a business card on each game here with phone number and address of the vendor providing the games.

]]> By: Shaggy http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/#comment-650 Shaggy Thu, 06 Dec 2007 23:53:37 +0000 http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/#comment-650 I agree that play-testing the games is a good idea and it works. Each arcade will have different needs and obviously this won't work for routes much but if you have an arcade with employees they can playtest the games - maybe just a couple of games before opening, a few on break (most arcade employees play something when on break, if they find something wrong it should be policy to report it) and a few after work. Or set aside an day when they go out an playtest after close. Most arcades do something like that when they do token pull - make a day like it but play-test. BTW- Thanks for the Randy Fromm link Editor I agree that play-testing the games is a good idea and it works. Each arcade will have different needs and obviously this won’t work for routes much but if you have an arcade with employees they can playtest the games – maybe just a couple of games before opening, a few on break (most arcade employees play something when on break, if they find something wrong it should be policy to report it) and a few after work. Or set aside an day when they go out an playtest after close. Most arcades do something like that when they do token pull – make a day like it but play-test.

BTW- Thanks for the Randy Fromm link Editor

]]> By: SaraAB87 http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/#comment-649 SaraAB87 Thu, 06 Dec 2007 22:24:55 +0000 http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/#comment-649 The issue that I find here is that they don't know the game is broken, so when you tell them its broken they fix it (with the exception of the tourist areas which just don't care period). This could be solved by play-testing the games each day before close but I guess there isn't enough time to do that. I guess they figure if someone takes the time out to complain that it was important enough to that person so they fix it. But since they don't have parts on hand (or sometimes parts are hard to find) it takes a while to fix the game. The issue that I find here is that they don’t know the game is broken, so when you tell them its broken they fix it (with the exception of the tourist areas which just don’t care period). This could be solved by play-testing the games each day before close but I guess there isn’t enough time to do that. I guess they figure if someone takes the time out to complain that it was important enough to that person so they fix it. But since they don’t have parts on hand (or sometimes parts are hard to find) it takes a while to fix the game.

]]> By: editor http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/#comment-648 editor Thu, 06 Dec 2007 17:38:18 +0000 http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/#comment-648 On extra point: Randy Fromm's website is a good source: http://randyfromm.com/amusements/arcadeschool/ On extra point:

Randy Fromm’s website is a good source: http://randyfromm.com/amusements/arcadeschool/

]]> By: editor http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/#comment-647 editor Thu, 06 Dec 2007 17:35:08 +0000 http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/#comment-647 I have an Aladdin's cave of images of the various 'Sorry Broken' signs I see on my travels. The fundamental issue is that for many operators they are so lazy that they wait a week before fixing, and so tight that they don't want to spend on spares till they have no choice. The best sites work the hardest, but I was in a D&B in September that had a hoard of failed machines with they crappy laminated 'broken' notices. We need a shift in attitudes to operating amusement in order to see better machine support. Thank heaven that amusement sites don't operate many simulators or we would have wiped out most of the players by now! I have an Aladdin’s cave of images of the various ‘Sorry Broken’ signs I see on my travels. The fundamental issue is that for many operators they are so lazy that they wait a week before fixing, and so tight that they don’t want to spend on spares till they have no choice.

The best sites work the hardest, but I was in a D&B in September that had a hoard of failed machines with they crappy laminated ‘broken’ notices.

We need a shift in attitudes to operating amusement in order to see better machine support. Thank heaven that amusement sites don’t operate many simulators or we would have wiped out most of the players by now!

]]> By: SaraAB87 http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/#comment-646 SaraAB87 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 23:23:36 +0000 http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/12/05/editorial-1-step-to-improve-your-arcade-fix-the-games/#comment-646 Yeah, I was in a Chuck E Cheese where about 20% of the games were working, yet the place was filled with tons of customers and more customers coming in. There were just not enough games working to feed the crowd so to speak. However I did see a tech replace a coin mech in a machine, however when I asked him a question if they were going to be getting a certain game in (and showing them a picture of the game), the person was totally clueless. They really should be more on top of their games, especially on a busy day when the kids are not in school, this is not the time to slack off but the time to fix things and show the customers working games! I bet by the end of the day they had like 2 working machines in the whole place. I know I will not be returning to that location and I will be telling friends and family about the broken games in that location so that they can take the kids somewhere else and avoid disappointment. The biggest offenders of this seem to be tourist areas, I could probably blog and blog and blog about the broken games in tourist areas. I guess arcades think that American's are so stupid that we will put money into any game even if its not working, and in some cases sadly, that is the truth. Why spend money to fix the games when your guests are clearly satisfied with the non or half working games you are providing them? Yeah, I was in a Chuck E Cheese where about 20% of the games were working, yet the place was filled with tons of customers and more customers coming in. There were just not enough games working to feed the crowd so to speak. However I did see a tech replace a coin mech in a machine, however when I asked him a question if they were going to be getting a certain game in (and showing them a picture of the game), the person was totally clueless. They really should be more on top of their games, especially on a busy day when the kids are not in school, this is not the time to slack off but the time to fix things and show the customers working games! I bet by the end of the day they had like 2 working machines in the whole place. I know I will not be returning to that location and I will be telling friends and family about the broken games in that location so that they can take the kids somewhere else and avoid disappointment.

The biggest offenders of this seem to be tourist areas, I could probably blog and blog and blog about the broken games in tourist areas. I guess arcades think that American’s are so stupid that we will put money into any game even if its not working, and in some cases sadly, that is the truth. Why spend money to fix the games when your guests are clearly satisfied with the non or half working games you are providing them?

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