1) where did you get all the videogame marquee billboards that adorn your walls? Are they real, or are they printouts? (Either way, they're cool!)
My arch nemesis eBay. They're all real marquees except for the two miniature ones on one of the bends. You can actually get them for relatively cheap and they look awesome displayed on the wall (keep in mind that since these are originals, many are not in the best of shape, but that adds to the charm!).
Rowdy Rob wrote:
2) Those stools that you have in front of your machines... are they comfortable? While cool-looking, they don't look very comfortable, and I'd easily fall out of them (which is how I recently broke my rib!). Where did you get them?
Target. They were super cheap and look dynamite (I don't recall the price, but I think each they were around $50 or so, which is amazing). They also come in different colors (I've seen blue and black). I don't like ANY stools for seating, but that's what you need in that type of situation. We also have stools for our center island in our kitchen that are necessary evils.
Rowdy Rob wrote:
3) It sounds like a "duh" question, but is the arcade cab's monitor horizontal-based or vertical-based? It's hard to tell from the pics; the monitor just looks "square." Depending on the game, it would make a difference.
It's a Wells Gardner 27" arcade monitor, horizontal (http://www.xgaming.com/htm/wells-gardner-mame-arcade-cabinet-machine-mon...). A vertical monitor (or mounting it vertically) would have been too limiting for general use. As it is, vertical games like Pac-Man, Pooyan, etc., play awesome on that setup because it can match the refresh rate of the original games (Pac-Man is like 15kHz for instance), with real colors/timing/etc. The size of the monitor certainly helps, as it's big enough where even with a clean black border on games with unusual resolutions that are meant for either vertical or horizontal it still looks great. There's really no good way to play everything on one monitor type, so you compromise where necessary, and I must say I'm very happy with the decision.
Rowdy Rob wrote:
4) Where do you keep all the consoles and computers you've collected?
I think you saw "The Goodnight Gamer", but if not you can check that out for a general idea of how things looked back in April 2008. In that last photo with the Hero Jr, to the left is a door that leads to the office room and to the right is a door that leads to the collection/storage room with all the racks (plastic and metal shop racks). Everything else is in there except for four laptops that we use regularly, the Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii, and various handhelds.
Rowdy Rob wrote:
5) What is that big blue "pill-looking" thing in the corner? Is it some sort of stretched-out medicine ball?
It's one of those inflatable swiss balls/ab balls. Instead of round, it's pill shaped to minimize rolling.
Rowdy Rob wrote:
6) I noticed you have those "adjustable-weight" dumbbells (I forget what they're called). I once considered getting them, but a workout buddy said that they were uncomfortable and that I'm better off with regular dumbbells. What's your opinion?
Depends on the brand. I believe the Gold's Gym brand from all that I've heard are the worst. Not sure about the Bowflex ones, though those look a bit more traditionally shaped. The ones I have are PowerBlocks: http://www.powerblock.com/ and they're generally considered the best of breed. It did take a little getting used to at first (as you frankly have to with any new type of dumbbell really from a feel/balance standpoint), but I can honestly say that after a short period of time I grew quite fond of them. You can actually do a few things you can't with some traditional fixed weight dumbbells, though you also have to make the occasional adjustment like for things where you would typically grab the flat end (weight end) of the dumbbell like with dumbbell pullovers. In that case you grab the bar shaft rather than the weight end. In short, it works and serves the purpose of putting a rack of dumbbells in a small space which super quick changeovers.
Rowdy Rob wrote:
7) I notice you have the "Wave Master," but do you have room to work out with it? Your gym/arcade is remarkably free of clutter, considering all that's packed in there (I hate clutter, so kudos to you guys!), but I know those things don't sit still when you contact them, and you need room to move around them.
A few things. One, I have it up against the corner, so that certainly helps. When I use the heavy bag, I only move in roughly 1/2 or semi-circle that the space allows. And finally I only occasionally punch or knee it hard. What I try to do is measure my hits where full impact just falls short of the meat of the bag so the force isn't enough to shift its position all that much. But yeah, the combination of plastic bottom and flat rug do allow it to move more than is probably desirable. I have mine filled to the brim with water rather than sand so I'm not sure that makes a difference.
Vintage Games book!
Xbox 360: billlog | Wii: 1345 2773 2048 1586 | PS3: ArmchairArcade Bill Loguidice, Managing Director | Armchair Arcade, Inc.
*************************** Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
Armchair Arcade, Inc.
1) where did you get all the videogame marquee billboards that adorn your walls? Are they real, or are they printouts? (Either way, they're cool!)
My arch nemesis eBay. They're all real marquees except for the two miniature ones on one of the bends. You can actually get them for relatively cheap and they look awesome displayed on the wall (keep in mind that since these are originals, many are not in the best of shape, but that adds to the charm!).
2) Those stools that you have in front of your machines... are they comfortable? While cool-looking, they don't look very comfortable, and I'd easily fall out of them (which is how I recently broke my rib!). Where did you get them?
Target. They were super cheap and look dynamite (I don't recall the price, but I think each they were around $50 or so, which is amazing). They also come in different colors (I've seen blue and black). I don't like ANY stools for seating, but that's what you need in that type of situation. We also have stools for our center island in our kitchen that are necessary evils.
3) It sounds like a "duh" question, but is the arcade cab's monitor horizontal-based or vertical-based? It's hard to tell from the pics; the monitor just looks "square." Depending on the game, it would make a difference.
It's a Wells Gardner 27" arcade monitor, horizontal (http://www.xgaming.com/htm/wells-gardner-mame-arcade-cabinet-machine-mon...). A vertical monitor (or mounting it vertically) would have been too limiting for general use. As it is, vertical games like Pac-Man, Pooyan, etc., play awesome on that setup because it can match the refresh rate of the original games (Pac-Man is like 15kHz for instance), with real colors/timing/etc. The size of the monitor certainly helps, as it's big enough where even with a clean black border on games with unusual resolutions that are meant for either vertical or horizontal it still looks great. There's really no good way to play everything on one monitor type, so you compromise where necessary, and I must say I'm very happy with the decision.
4) Where do you keep all the consoles and computers you've collected?
I think you saw "The Goodnight Gamer", but if not you can check that out for a general idea of how things looked back in April 2008. In that last photo with the Hero Jr, to the left is a door that leads to the office room and to the right is a door that leads to the collection/storage room with all the racks (plastic and metal shop racks). Everything else is in there except for four laptops that we use regularly, the Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii, and various handhelds.
5) What is that big blue "pill-looking" thing in the corner? Is it some sort of stretched-out medicine ball?
It's one of those inflatable swiss balls/ab balls. Instead of round, it's pill shaped to minimize rolling.
6) I noticed you have those "adjustable-weight" dumbbells (I forget what they're called). I once considered getting them, but a workout buddy said that they were uncomfortable and that I'm better off with regular dumbbells. What's your opinion?
Depends on the brand. I believe the Gold's Gym brand from all that I've heard are the worst. Not sure about the Bowflex ones, though those look a bit more traditionally shaped. The ones I have are PowerBlocks: http://www.powerblock.com/ and they're generally considered the best of breed. It did take a little getting used to at first (as you frankly have to with any new type of dumbbell really from a feel/balance standpoint), but I can honestly say that after a short period of time I grew quite fond of them. You can actually do a few things you can't with some traditional fixed weight dumbbells, though you also have to make the occasional adjustment like for things where you would typically grab the flat end (weight end) of the dumbbell like with dumbbell pullovers. In that case you grab the bar shaft rather than the weight end. In short, it works and serves the purpose of putting a rack of dumbbells in a small space which super quick changeovers.
7) I notice you have the "Wave Master," but do you have room to work out with it? Your gym/arcade is remarkably free of clutter, considering all that's packed in there (I hate clutter, so kudos to you guys!), but I know those things don't sit still when you contact them, and you need room to move around them.
A few things. One, I have it up against the corner, so that certainly helps. When I use the heavy bag, I only move in roughly 1/2 or semi-circle that the space allows. And finally I only occasionally punch or knee it hard. What I try to do is measure my hits where full impact just falls short of the meat of the bag so the force isn't enough to shift its position all that much. But yeah, the combination of plastic bottom and flat rug do allow it to move more than is probably desirable. I have mine filled to the brim with water rather than sand so I'm not sure that makes a difference.
Vintage Games book!
Xbox 360: billlog | Wii: 1345 2773 2048 1586 | PS3: ArmchairArcade
Bill Loguidice, Managing Director | Armchair Arcade, Inc.
***************************
Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
Armchair Arcade, Inc.