Space Invaders returning to arcades... - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

5 Dec 2003

...
 From: Witchy &lt;witchy(a)binarydinosaurs.co.uk&gt;

  -----Original Message-----
 From: cctalk-bounces(a)classiccmp.org
 [mailto:cctalk-bounces@classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of Dwight K. Elvey
 Sent: 05 December 2003 21:44
 To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org
 Subject: Re: Space Invaders returning to arcades...

  One thing to consider. If they were making so much money that it
 was a overwelming gouge, other would compete against them. Arcade
 machines are not cheap to make. Doing 10K units of a 10 year lifetime
 is not a large run. The CPU board is most likely designed in house
 because they can not depend on outside vendors to keep an obsolete
 design. Any uP design is obsolete within 6 months to a year. They
 need a longer product life. Knowing the methods used to create
 these arcade machines, I would say that $3K is a little on the
 high side but not all that much. One wouldn't stay in business doing
 these for anything less then $2.5K. Maybe you know something I don't. 
Hang on, given current technology are you saying that these people are
spending time and money actually DESIGNING new boards for 20 year old games
that can run on mobile phones?
Even paying the original licensors a fee per cab you can get Space Invaders
running on an old 386 for next to nothing. The controllers and buttons are
readily available so you could do it yourself for a very small fee. 
 You miss the point. That board source needs to be around for
10 to 15 years. The only way to do that is to make them your self.
Actually, they often use a common board for many different models.
They are still custom and there isn't a truly economical to get around
this. It is the nature of the business. In the near future, you'll see
things changing, even for video. Next year the vga signal you depended
on might not be there. It cost quite a bit to change what
one is doing, even if it seems obsolete to someone on the outside.
Dwight

...

Has the point here gone rushing past my rather tired head?

cheers

PS I've just knocked an entire glass of red wine over my legs, testbed PC
(fortunately not running), 2 production machines (fronts only), floorboards,
stuff lying round waiting to be sold etc, components, docs and even my
powermac G3, which should be out of harms way. Suffice to say I'm not happy.

--
adrian/witchy
www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk - the online computer museum
www.snakebiteandblack.co.uk - ex-monthly gothic shenanigans :o(