Question for professional game techs

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

Hi Matt,

just in terms of the pins, you may want to email Lloyd Olson, or post to
RGP. He has PLENTY of insight in terms of pinball machine arcade
maintenance.

My guess is, with the number of devices you have proposed there would be
enough work for at least one full time person...

Regards,
Dan

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

I always love this question.You better think 1000 times before you open a
place with that many machines.You also better be prepared to have a crew of
people to be fixing all the one's that will be breaking all the time.It is
more then a full time business with that many machines.A tremendous headache
that never goes away until you sell the place for 1/3 of what you
paid.Believe me invest your money in something else.Those days are over.
"Matt Hoy" <matthew.hoy@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1126556679.493159.194170@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> How much of a time investment is the typical modern machine in fairly
> high traffic arcade?
> If I had an arcade of about 100 machines (10 pins, 50 upright vids, 10
> drivers, and 20 redemption pieces), how many hours could I expect to
> spend each week cleaning and repairing them? Enough that I'd need a
> full time person for it?
> Or could this be handled by a part time person working a coupel nights
> a week?
>

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

100 games ? ( you have 90 on your list ), kept in top shape, you'll need two
full time techs who know what they are doing. One of them could also fill
your redemption pieces. The number of games sounds like at least 8,000
square feet of space needed, you'll need at least two full time employees
making change and keeping an eye on the business. One person will never be
able to supervise that big of an operation and keep peace. LTG

"Matt Hoy" <matthew.hoy@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1126556679.493159.194170@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> How much of a time investment is the typical modern machine in fairly
> high traffic arcade?
> If I had an arcade of about 100 machines (10 pins, 50 upright vids, 10
> drivers, and 20 redemption pieces), how many hours could I expect to
> spend each week cleaning and repairing them? Enough that I'd need a
> full time person for it?
> Or could this be handled by a part time person working a coupel nights
> a week?
>

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

He got a police report to send to his insurance adjuster and he got
some start-up money for them, LOL.



-Tim

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

Matt Hoy wrote:
> Thanks for the answers everybody. I'm not trying to start an arcade,
> just trying to judge how much time it would take if I wanted to help
> somebody run their place.

100 Machines will keep you busy full time. Not only do you have normal
wear and tear you need to keep up with. you'll also be repairing damage
done to the machines from people beating on them, and then don't forget
the damage done to them from your attendants improperly filling the
machines, breaking keys, and trying to do their own "repairs."

I worked as the lead technician for the games department at a local
amusement park for 5 years. During the winters (when the park was
closed) I was the only tech. for the 6 month we were closed I spent all
my time repairing the machines. The park had about 450 games. During
the summer I was the only tech who had knowledge of games, the other
techs were kids in school... who worked there for the summer... and
might have fixed something once in there life. so not only did I have
to fix the games, I had to fix there mistakes.


Here's an example of what you'll put up (didn't make this up... this
really happened):
Day one.> Arcade attendant complains that coins keep getting jammed in
Ms. Pac Man. Tech removes slug rejecter, replaces it with new one
(Brand new, just ordered a box of 24), then throws the old one away.

Day two.>Arcade attendant complains that coins keep getting jammed in
Ms. Pac Man. Tech removes slug rejecter, replaces it with new one then
throws the old one away.

Day three.>Arcade attendant complains that coins keep getting jammed in
Ms. Pac Man. Tech removes slug rejecter, replaces it with new one then
throws the old one away.

Day Four.>Arcade attendant complains that coins keep getting jammed in
Ms. Pac Man. Tech complains to me that this is the fourth time they
have got a complaint for this problem. I check machine, tech is using
screws way too long for the rejecter, the screw goes so far in the
rejecter the coins do not even make it to the rejecter, rather they
just sit on top of it.
Cost: $12 each rejecter. Total $36.00
Should have cost $12 for rejecter plus $.60 for the new screw.

~Jeff
www.shootagainamusements.com

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

Do I! 5 years you get a lot of stories.

One morning I come in (8am... way before the park opens) and I'm
working in the shop. There's a knock at the door. It's CLP Security...
the guard says "the night watch found this out by one of the rides,"
then hands me the flight yolk off the Star Wars sit down we had.
Someone ripped it off the machine.... wire hanging from it and
everything.

One of the techs came to me one day and handed me a drill, a push style
coin mech, and a box of parts. She says "one of the crane machines kept
jamming coins so I tried to put a new coin mech in... I can't do it so
you need too." I go over to the machine and there is a 5x6 hole hacked
in the front of it. Anything coin related is in 1,000 pieces and there
is no wood at all that I can even attempt to attach this 2x2 coin mech
to. Had to have the wood shop fill it.

Water Gun Midway Game: Player 8's balloon won't go up. Tech replaces
$140 motor. Still won't go up. Tech replaces $140 motor again. Still
won't go up. Calls me to look at it. Tech has tightened motor down so
tight that chain is binding (and has no slack). Loosened screw... game
works great. Where is old motor? Yep in the trash.

Whack-a-mole midway game: light bulb out on display. Send tech to WAM
with new light bulb. 20 minutes later I get a call on the radio....
Come Quick whack a mole just caught fire!" Run up there sure enough
tech has somehow melted all the wiring... but doesn't know what he did.

Tech was replacing ceiling lights in arcade. No ladder, walking on the
tops of games. Worked well until they started walking on the tops of
the pinball machines and broke thought the playfield glass.

Those are all I can think of right now.
~Jeff
www.shootagainamusements.com