Forums > News > New MobyGoal: 2800 Arcade Games!
Foxhack (32100) on 8/20/2019 2:00 AM · Permalink · Report
We finally cleared the previous MobyGoal - adding all those iOS games took a lot longer than we expected - so it's time to move on to another platform that's been sadly neglected here: Arcades!
We currently have 2472 arcade games catalogued on the site; we need your help get to 2800! We're missing a lot of early arcade games, and there's quite a few gaps in the 80s and 90s we need to fill in. And don't forget, a lot of the games we have on other platforms were originally Arcade games, so if you know of any classic game that's missing that platform, feel free to add it too!
piltdown_man (235946) on 8/22/2019 4:16 PM · Permalink · Report
I'm unclear what can be classed as an arcade game and what cannot. Is it just games that were lifted from a physical ROM in an old machine or does it extend to other kinds of game?
For example I have some slot machine compilations, 'official' CDs & DVDs of games produced by IGT and Phantom EFX, that are played in casinos (that's why I got them - it's way cheaper). So while they were not necessarily played in an old-style arcade they were played in a public place with real money. Would these count as Arcade games?
vedder (70802) on 8/22/2019 9:01 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
Yes those would qualify for the Arcade platform! The rule of thumb for the Arcade platform is, that it's a (video/computer) game played in a public space and requires money to be inserted into the device to play.
Addendum: Unless they pay out money. We do not document gambling machines.
Foxhack (32100) on 8/23/2019 12:02 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start vedder wrote--]Yes those would qualify for the Arcade platform! The rule of thumb for the Arcade platform is, that it's a (video/computer) game played in a public space and requires money to be inserted into the device to play. [/Q --end vedder wrote--]The thing is, he's talking about gambling games used in actual casinos, which were repackaged for play on home computers. While we do have some gambling games in the Arcade platform, we don't have any games that let you bet and win or lose real world money on the database.
The actual compilation of gambling games SHOULD be fine to add as a Windows set. At least one set of those Casino games is available here. But I'm not completely certain we can add the original gambling games here.
It certainly deserves discussion...
Pseudo_Intellectual (66360) on 8/23/2019 2:46 PM · Permalink · Report
It certainly deserves discussion...
We should have gambling (and pinball) games, it would allow us to tell the rest of the story for WMS/Midway/Bally.
Foxhack (32100) on 8/23/2019 5:46 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Pseudo_Intellectual wrote--]It certainly deserves discussion...
We should have gambling (and pinball) games, it would allow us to tell the rest of the story for WMS/Midway/Bally. [/Q --end Pseudo_Intellectual wrote--]Why not add fruit machines while we're at it!
This is sarcasm, by the way.
Pseudo_Intellectual (66360) on 8/24/2019 3:50 AM · Permalink · Report
But ... why not.
There are only two letters difference between gambling and gaming.
MAT (240968) on 8/23/2019 12:25 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
Wait, game on a CD or DVD-ROM are not played on arcade machines of any kind but on a computer, right? Just because someone charges you for playing them doesn't make them arcades. If the arcade machine would accept CD-ROM as a media, then that would be a game for an arcade platform.
If these are simply played on Windows, for example, then that's Windows platform, nor Arcade.
I find it a bit of a strange rule that Arcade platform means money-required-to-play-the-game. I thought it's more defined by the types of devices the game is played on. Honestly, I don't see why we don't treat those big arcade machines that are sold to be played at home without money as arcades rather than dedicated something. What if someone would charge them for playing in a public place like a cafe or game arcades but you wouldn't need a coin to insert, just pay the manager or bartender a dollar or something, would that suddenly be treated as an arcade?
I wish we have some page for each of our platforms with description of a platform as how we perceive it and what sort of games are treated as games for that platform. That we have dos and don'ts written and all that necessary info for someone to understand what it okay to add under that. And how we even separate platforms since some platforms are no more than hardware upgrades of existing platforms :P
Ah... at times like this, I miss the good ol' days when this site featured only PC platforms (OSs) and everything was pretty straightforward, lol.
Foxhack (32100) on 8/23/2019 12:30 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start MAT wrote--]Wait, game on a CD or DVD-ROM are not played on arcade machines of any kind but on a computer, right? Just because someone charges you for playing them doesn't make them arcades. If the arcade machine would accept CD-ROM as a media, then that would be a game for an arcade platform.[/Q --end MAT wrote--]No, these casino games run off Windows (or a similar OS), and they only run the games. These compilation discs include adapted / recompiled versions of those gamblers for use on normal PCs.
He's basically asking if he can use the Windows versions as reference to add the original arcade versions. Which in my opinion is fine, as long as any new additions to the port are not listed.
Cavalary (11445) on 8/23/2019 1:05 AM · Permalink · Report
Wait, that's the rule, being charged money for it? Well then, a heck of a lot of games can be "arcade", enough to find it offered at some gaming club/cafe/stall/whatever. That makes no sense. Platform should have to do with the hardware (yeah, that also means that Windows/Linux/DOS should just be tech specs for PC). And yep, definitely would like just a PC focus... Or at least a return of the subdomains so I could again just stay on pc.mobygames.com and not get flooded with other platform stuff when I don't care to see it.
vedder (70802) on 8/23/2019 7:01 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Cavalary wrote--]Wait, that's the rule, being charged money for it?[/Q --end Cavalary wrote--]
No, if the machine you play it on requires you to insert money to play. That's a subtle but big difference in terms of hardware.
We don't care if the internals of the machine use solid state logic, cartridges, or runs Windows CE. If it's presented to the player as an arcade machine and you have to put in your quarters to play we count it as an Arcade machine. The gigantic difference in hardware between different arcade machines is the reason it took more than 10 years for MobyGames to start documenting it, but then we diced to just cast the widest net possible. Much like for the Browser, Mainframe and Terminal platforms.
MAT (240968) on 8/26/2019 12:33 AM · Permalink · Report
What? I remember back in 1990s when Arcades were popular I never inserted my money in the machine. I paid for a coin (not money) that was used for arcade machines. So, technically, I didn't insert my money when I played games like Pang or Toki or whatever. And that wouldn't make them arcades, then? This is silly. Arcade platform should contain all arcade machines, no matter how you play the game, by inserting coins or holding your thumb in the slot all the time while playing.
Pseudo_Intellectual (66360) on 8/26/2019 3:40 PM · Permalink · Report
(the term for "non currency coin needed to play an arcade game" is "token")
(or "slug" for an unauthorized lower-value pseudocoin 8)
MAT (240968) on 8/27/2019 12:12 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
Right, "token", thanks. I would never have remembered that :)
So basically, it's just something that activated the game. No different than having a code wheel or manual and enter the right answer to the question to start the game on a PC (DOS), lol. So I guess our rule for arcades isn't that the money needs to be inserted to play. Home arcades (if there are any that aren't emulated) could be added under that platform just as well. Speaking of which, are there any coin/token operated arcades that actually run emulated game from a console or a computer?
Foxhack (32100) on 8/27/2019 3:37 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start MAT wrote--]Speaking of which, are there any coin/token operated arcades that actually run emulated game from a console or a computer? [/Q --end MAT wrote--]Yes, there are hacked up arcade systems that are basically consoles with roms and ISOs inside and that work on a timer. You can buy kits to do this in certain Chinese stores. There are also hacked up arcade systems that run modified versions of arcade games that run on PC... also available from these same stores.
And of course there's arcade systems with badly working Android games on 'em. Mostly kiddie stuff.
Remind me to take some photos of the ones at my local movie theaters the next time I go see a movie.
S Olafsson (59674) on 9/9/2019 9:31 PM · Permalink · Report
https://www.mobygames.com/game/pac-mans-arcade-party
Definitely not original HW. Even has a non-coin operated version. Of course these should be allowed, but this discussion could be construed as if it should not.
Foxhack (32100) on 9/9/2019 11:09 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start S Olafsson wrote--]https://www.mobygames.com/game/pac-mans-arcade-party
Definitely not original HW. Even has a non-coin operated version. Of course these should be allowed, but this discussion could be construed as if it should not. [/Q --end S Olafsson wrote--]... the non coin operated version should be split because of the additional game...
S Olafsson (59674) on 9/10/2019 10:57 PM · Permalink · Report
And thus by some logic not be allowed. (Dedicated Console?)
Foxhack (32100) on 9/11/2019 1:38 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start S Olafsson wrote--]And thus by some logic not be allowed. (Dedicated Console?) [/Q --end S Olafsson wrote--]You're mistaken, it would count as a dedicated console.
I remember that back when I worked at Toys'R'Us in the mid 2000s, there were a bunch of tabletop or half-sized arcade systems with Neo games that you could buy. Unfortunately I haven't found much info about them online...
Pseudo_Intellectual (66360) on 8/23/2019 2:47 PM · Permalink · Report
If a LaserDisc player cannot be an arcade machine, then Dragon's Lair cannot be an arcade game.
Flapco (46055) on 8/23/2019 5:49 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
Its unlikely I am gone add these but maybe I can interest someone else to add them.
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Wing War (I found some time to submit this one)
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Brave Firefighters
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Trophy Hunting
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Soul Surfer
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Sports Shooting USA
At least these 5 are missing but probably more.
Check also the site below that even lets you download the official flyers. (I used it to add a flyer to several entries I created years ago like Planet Harriers)
https://web.archive.org/web/20110323015012/http://www.segaarcade.com/archive/
HelloMrKearns (15374) on 12/18/2019 1:39 AM · Permalink · Report
What a great site! Here's a few other Sega arcade links: https://sega-interactive.co.jp/special/history/
piltdown_man (235946) on 8/28/2019 11:51 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
Thanks to all who commented and apologies for not being around and taking part, some domestic stuff has kept me busy and I've actually been playing a game!
For the avoidance of doubt this is one of the games I was planning to submit and, from the comments it seems as though it qualifies as an arcade game so this IGT Slots: Lil' Lady will be submitted shortly. I should have posted this with my original question but, well, it seemed so simple I didn't think it was necessary
Never realised we didn't document games that pay out actual money. That's all the on-line slots and bingo games ruled out - I guess I should stop playing those now
Pseudo_Intellectual (66360) on 8/28/2019 2:50 PM · Permalink · Report
you can play them, just don't expect to document them here anytime soon. (start a free blog at blogger and document them in kind there until such a time as we do support them.)
piltdown_man (235946) on 8/28/2019 2:58 PM · Permalink · Report
Now that's a brilliant idea!
Pseudo_Intellectual (66360) on 8/29/2019 1:37 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
that's what I did with ad scans; scanned all the ads out of my comics, transcribed them, and then gave the comics away. (and then, only years later, learned that Mobygames would require the never-documented comic issue, date and page number to accept the scans!)
http://videogamecomicads.blogspot.com/2012/03/hello-world.html
piltdown_man (235946) on 9/16/2019 4:01 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
Another 'What is an arcade game?' type question.
I've submitted a VR game recently. I got it from Steam but when looking for details I found it was available elsewhere. One of those places was here , an on-line company that licenses games for VR Arcades, their web page states they can help "Whether you’re thinking about starting a VR arcade, or running a large location-based VR center...".
Several games I've looked at, like Arizona Sunshine and Beat Sabre, are already on the database as Occulus Rift games, others such as Job Simulator 2050 are present but not on that platform. None are listed as arcade games.
Does their being marketed as games for VR Arcades make them arcade games in terms of the goal that has been set? They seem to fit the bill because they are rented by this company to VR Arcades who then charge punters to play them. It's not coin-in-a-slot stuff but it is still pay to play.
Update: Thanks for the replies. These are NOT Arcade games then.
vedder (70802) on 9/17/2019 12:45 PM · Permalink · Report
Yes. I've been working in the VR industry for the last 4 years and I haven't seen or heard anything that would count as an arcade platform. Usually it's just a Vive hooked to Steam either on a PC or a laptop in backpack, sometimes a Rift. You pay when entering the building, you don't put quarters in a device.
firefang9212 (81827) on 9/16/2019 8:31 PM · Permalink · Report
I asked about this awhile back when I was creating the entry for The Wizards as I had encountered releases for both Springboard and smartVR. I was told at the time to submit them under the Windows platform.
Flapco (46055) on 4/11/2020 2:11 PM · Permalink · Report
Perhaps a few I approved. It just seemed strange to me that there is a goal for this, and very few approves seem to have time handling this. It just doesn’t seem fair to the submitters of these new entries especially if it’s on the front page. It is my personal opinion that you can’t leave entries from new users pending for weeks. And I understand it’s all voluntary work here and many people here are also busy in real live. So if people have no time for it, it might be best to take it down so to not disappoint new user or add a line that it might take quite some time before somebody will take a look at their submission.
Deleted (13945) on 4/11/2020 2:39 PM · Permalink · Report
I understand what you're saying here, definitely. When I first joined I was frustrated about it but nowadays I just accept it, lol.
And it's a difficult one because it's not really the approvers fault either... the amount of time some of them spend not only contributing also approving is absolutely admirable, I have no idea how they manage it.
Technically I've been an approver since July last year but rarely do I approve anything just because I don't have the time to do it alongside my huge personal backlog of things that need adding (which just seems to get bigger all the time, lol), my college coursework and work (before that was cancelled due to the coronavirus). At most, sometimes I self-approve some of my own submissions, but only the minor stuff that I know is correct and have sufficient sources for, just to try and somewhat help keep things down.
It's frustrating because if more attention goes to Arcade, there'll be another platform that misses out, and that platform will become bad, so I'm not sure what to suggest really. Some of my submissions recently have been approved really quickly (like, same-day levels of quick), and then at the same time I have trivia revisions dating back to January.
Foxhack (32100) on 4/11/2020 3:34 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Flapco wrote--]Perhaps the Arcade goal should be removed from the front page. Nobody seems to approve (or reject) new submissions. [/Q --end Flapco wrote--]I feel this is a personal failure of mine. I was so eager to add new arcade games but... I just haven't submitted many thanks to the usual reasons. (Depression, laziness, depression, lack of motivation, depression, need to clean stuff.)
There are currently 21 new arcade games in the queue, plus six additional ones are new platforms for existing games. So it's not just that nobody is approving things... no one was submitting many arcade games either. (There are 11 very recent submissions though.)