Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => General chat about Amiga topics => Topic started by: Delta on March 05, 2008, 02:00:58 PM
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Hi guys, I'm about to open a gaming center (cyber café) soon and in addition to top of the line gaming PCs I was thinking to have a small "retro" section with 2-3 machines such as A500 and C=64 for the nostalgics.
I'm wondering if its a good idea or if I am just another weirdo that will make my customers laugh... :) Any of you know someone who already does that?
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That's is a really cool idea, but you would probably get more milage with Emulators... Since the retro machines are going to need software, most of which is under copyright and would have to be loaded from floppy and in some cases tape!
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I don't care who knows I'm a geek, so I would definitely play retro games in a web café if I were there. There are things you can do to get around the problems of media in retro consoles (like a hard drive in an Amiga or MMC64/IDE64 on a C64). But this won't help for consoles like SNES (assuming you wanted to use them). One alternative would be to have a the retro machine on display with the machine running the emulator hidden, and use original controllers with USB adapters connected to the PC. That way if you rig it up cleverly it might look like the player is using the original machine.
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moto
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How cool would that be!
You go in and see some old retro computers in the corner. You should print out a description of what they are and the years etc. and put it near the mchines.
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it's actually a cool idea.
I only use such facillities once or twice a year when I'm out travelling and needs a full browser to do something, and I don't happen to have my laptop with me.
But if I went by a place that had amigas for use, I'd happily go in and spend some time.
It would mean that they would have to be set up so that it was click and go to enjoy the games
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bloodline wrote:
That's is a really cool idea, but you would probably get more milage with Emulators... Since the retro machines are going to need software, most of which is under copyright and would have to be loaded from floppy and in some cases tape!
Also it should be easier to make more user friendly, and robust. It would be crap if the setups died the first week.
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setup two a500 with Lotus Turbo Challenge and paranet(serial network) them together and you got a great two player game ;)
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BTW, as for the question of whether it's "cool" enough, just look at the resurgence of retro games in the mainstream. The XBox and Wii are two examples of consoles which are bringing retro games back to the masses. So I think the simple answer to "is it cool enough" is "yes" :-)
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moto
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Thanks for the enthusiast replies, it gives me a boost :)
I would surely setup the systems to be really easy to use, just click and play. Easy for Amiga, just start the games trough icons as normal.
For C=64 I can make a little script in basic with a "press X key for game X". I would definitely need an expansion that let me put the games on an SD card or a HD, I think there is plenty of info on the net about these kits for the C=64.(?)
Of course i'll have to check every licence that are still alive and see the conditions for commercial usage. Most of it must be abandonware tho and therefore the fees are applied to using the computer "at large".
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Be really careful about just setting up an Amiga running Workbench or C64 in BASIC. Very open to abuse - so be prepared to re-copy everything if someone decides to delete all the games from the Amiga or overwrite your BASIC menu on the C64!
Also I regret to inform you that there is no such thing as abandonware. As long as the software is in copyright, you would need to obtain permission from the author/publisher before using the game in a commercial manner.
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moto
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great Idea mate. Only suggestion is that if you do use like an Amiga I would definately use and A3000 or A4000 with a good sized HDD so that you can have all your software loaded for the customer and to make sure that no customer walks with any of your discs. Also please use original software and not pirated copies. Good luck and cheers!!!
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Sounds like a great idea to me!
But be warned, don't use emulators - for one thing, you lose all the nostalgia factor when using an emulator - a C64 just becomes a blue box in a window, but actually using the C64 itself is a different matter. Same with other machines. Also, copyright permission for ROMs is a nightmare with emulators, and probably a lot of hassle you don't need.
Good luck with it! If I were near I'd come and check it out for sure!
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motorollin wrote:
I don't care who knows I'm a geek, so I would definitely play retro games in a web café if I were there. There are things you can do to get around the problems of media in retro consoles (like a hard drive in an Amiga or MMC64/IDE64 on a C64). But this won't help for consoles like SNES (assuming you wanted to use them). One alternative would be to have a the retro machine on display with the machine running the emulator hidden, and use original controllers with USB adapters connected to the PC. That way if you rig it up cleverly it might look like the player is using the original machine.
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moto
I think this is the best option, that way you can program a nice front end for the Emulation (This could probably be done using an HTML based interface)... with Game selection, and also a Timeout/credit system so that you don't get someone just sitting there all day... with a cold cup of coffee, playing monkey island. It also preserves very old Hardware from the abuse of 16hours a day 300 days a year will give... As Moto says wit the Emualtion machine hidden well no one would ever know... a suitably powerful PC could proably run all the emulations at the same time (Two C64 and two E-UAE run fine on my MacBook Pro), with a multi-monitor setup... saving quite a bit of money...
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Well, I have a little 'museum', and every single reaction is very positive, whether it's from a computergeek or not. I'd reccomend an Atari 2600, (with the 32in1 cartridge). It boots fast, it has huge pixels (so, a huge retro-factor), easy and addictive games... And it's being played on the most when I got visitors.
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I like the idea of the Atari 2600 :) Haven't planned on getting consoles yet but if I do i'll surely keep the same "new meets retro" spirit.
A pile of floppies beside an amiga or a C=64 isnt my kind of idea for sure that's why I must have a practical solution like a harddrive or a card reader.
Emulators are tempting but it just isn't the same as the real thing. I still even have my old CBM1701 monitor and plan to use it :)
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I'd make it a total 80's corner, if I were you. Otherwise it'll be overlooked by many.
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I really like your idea :-)
If there were such a place in little Denmark, I would sergently visit it. Several times :-D
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@Delta
I too have had this idea....for a long time....I hope to open a Cafe here in New York as well.
With Amigas! here is what I recommend. Make or buy yourself 2 or 3 Arcade Cabinets and put Amigas in each one. Pinball Fantasies (CD32 version....runs on an A1200 as well) and another with pinball illusions or SlamTilt (CD32 versions where possible). With Slam Tilt get yourself a PC keyboard adaptor (so that you wont mess up the Amiga keyboard) and attache Joystick Buttons to the keyboard equivalents on the PC keyboard thats now attached to your Amiga. (it is to control the launch of the ball and flippers etc...) for the CD32 versions of the games you can attach larger arcade buttons to the CD32 pads circuit board (it is possible to do this without totally damaging the CD32 pad)
I once made a fully functioning Pinball Fantasies that accepted Quarters and ran very well.
This way no one can mess with the Amiga OS and delete stuff.
Also you can have 2 fully loaded A1200's with 68030's and 128mb of ram each for internet use....particularly AmIRC with Kuang 11 and all sorts of hacks..............dedicate it as soley an IRC-ing machine that way it shines.
add USB ports to each one so tha no one complains that you cant transfer stuff..........also add Compact Flash Drivers and leave a Compact Flash adaptor attached.
Fun fun fun!
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spirantho wrote:
Sounds like a great idea to me!
But be warned, don't use emulators - for one thing, you lose all the nostalgia factor when using an emulator - a C64 just becomes a blue box in a window,
There IS a fullscreen option in almost every emulator, you know. And I know there is one in VICE. Added to that, using original joysticks (with a joystick-to-pc interface), tv-out of the pc, and it'll be quite useable I think. :-)
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I have to agree, emulation is not the same as using the real thing.
You could set up a PC as a fileserver, downloading software to the retro computers via their serial port, or even their cassette port, provided they can accept a fast load speed.
At the start of each day the PC would also have to download a terminal program and menu.
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This is what I recommend!!!
Get a cheap Amiga 2000 computer with C=1084S monitor, a nice big HD and maybe a 030 card with 8Mb or more RAM. Then buy boxed original games of popular titles, get the Whdload version installed on the HD and you are set!! You could also display the box next to the Amigas or on the wall, etc!!!!
You'll need KS 2.x or 3.1 of course but that's easy.
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WHDLoad is probably the best software for that kind of project. Right now I only have an A500 but I'll look around for another model also. 2-3 retro stations will be enough for a start then we'll see.
The customers I have currently in my other store (hobby shop) aren't a bunch of savages that want to corrupt all my computers so I guess the new customers will also behave in a civilized manner so I'm not worried about having the retro machines configured simply.
The PCs on the other hand will be managed by a software designed for cyber cafés which will leave me plenty of time for the rest.
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If you decide to go the PC route you should get this!!
http://gbamiga.elowar.com/
else get somehing like this!
http://igame.amigahellas.gr (site down at the moment)
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This is great stuff. thanks!
I just had a tought about the Minimig too (well bolted on the table) It could be a nice way to play classic games whitout any moving parts.
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@TjLaZer
THats great stuff!
But you can do the same thing using SCALA and a Larger menu with larger fonts to execute the Games! You can Put SCALA MM400 in your startup Sequence so that it goes straight into SCALA instantly without booting Workbench, and then have it execute WHDload games from a Menu that you creat yourself..............and different pages for different Games!
Ive done it before to execute my favorite games like SlamTIlt and Ruff N Tumble right at bootup. its kind of like that RainBoot thing, because you can also make your own Boot Intros.
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Delta wrote:
I just had a tought about the Minimig too (well bolted on the table) It could be a nice way to play classic games whitout any moving parts.
Or put a MiniMig in to a dead Amiga. Who would know ;-)
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moto
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I think it's a brilliant idea! If there was one in Dublin I would surely be a regular. I'm just racking my brain now trying to think of anyone I know who's involved in an internet café so I could suggest the idea...
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The catch is proberbly the copyright farce..
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Then again, who would sue for old Amiga games?
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I will defintely check if the copyright holders of each game can be reached and ask permission but if they are nowhere to be found I wonder why it should bug them anyways...
Who would sue for ols stuff like this...plus in another country...
Big companies like EA or Activision don't ask very big amounts to licence their games so I would laugh really loud if I had to pay at all for a game that is 20 years old or more... :)