Pins vs. Vids - Natural preference?

[vinito]

I don't know why I flashed on this today, but I was thinking about the day I picked up my first pin.
I was driving home from my Mom's house the day before curbside trash pickup and saw a pin put out. Also there was a video game too. I had been considering getting a pin for a while, but a vid hadn't crossed my mind, although I had seen MAME setups by then and thought that might be cool.

Anyways, I got out to check it out and lay claim on the pin. The homeowner came out and visited and eventually I was loading up the GP Sharpshooter pin.

The thing I now think is odd though is that he was also pushing a little for me to take the vid too, but I passed. It was more beat up and I had zero knowledge on the inner workings of a vid, so that may have been a contributing factor. But for a packrat like me, it now seems very puzzling that I did not haul the vid home anyway.

My game playing history started out inthe early '70s with EM pinball machines, so later I was probably at the prime age to get sucked in by the video craze, which I did. I fed unhealthy amounts of money into video games all through their peak and really enjoyed them. Of course at that time there were very few pins in the arcades of the day. Many had none. I didn't mind at the time since I liked the vids.

So as of a couple years ago I guess I was fully burned out on vids, or maybe the thing appeared to be past my comfort zone as far as reanimating it, or more likely, I just have a natural, innate preference for pinball machines.

I can see how pinball guys like us will develop this preference once you get into it. There is a touch of "pinball snobbery" in collectors which is evident when they (we) plead the case for pinball machines, especially since competition from vids caused pinball's first survival challenge and there are some hard feelings on that issue. But I wasn't into pinball yet when I ran across those two games, nor was I aware yet of any discussion of pinball history and its demise caused by this competition. It was almost a pure test since I was a virgin to either and could have taken either, none or both for free.

I chose the pinball and really never regretted leaving the vid. I'm sure there are plenty of guys who would have taken the vid and left the pin, but I think this points to a basic truth: There are two kinds of game collectors and one has a natural preference for pins while the other prefers vids. Both are fun but when the chips are down, nature takes over.

Pretty meaningless post here and I'm just rambling on a thought I had, but I hadn't really considered it until it popped into my head this morning. There are video games I wouldn't mind having and maybe a MAME is in my future someday, but I still don't really regret leaving that vid there.

[pinnies4me]

Interesting thoughts there Vinito.

I have a single vid (39 in 1) and did play a little back in the day as the craze took hold, but while vids are entertaining, they do not have the tactile involvement that is provided by pins, the physicality of the game - vids are an escape in a way, mostly they create alternate worlds for you to indulge your fantasies. But pinball is here and now, a big heavy ball being shot around, and while physics determines the outcome, the game can fight back in a way that a vid can't.

[Strangeways]

I remember the days when Pinball dominated the Arcades and the Cafe's etc.. I also vividly remember the 4 NIB Midway "Space Invaders" that turned up in the Workshop one day.. Then the Car Games - "Demolition Derby", "Le Mans", "Sprint 1", "Basketball"...etc. Slowly the Pins were coming off site and into storage.. By the time "Asteroids" and "Pac Man" were on location, there was a fierce battle raging for floorspace, and Arcade games were slowly winning the race..

Pinheads love seeing "Warehouse Raids" - Storage areas FULL of Pinballs.. I had my 21st Birthday in 1991, and I had it at Dad's double story Factory - Upstairs.. It could hold 100 people easy.. DOWNSTAIRS - Was FULL of stacked Pinballs. You could only walk the rows.. There were Gun Games, Car Games, Pinballs, EM Arcade Games... 30m X 70m FULL of machines... Rendered derelict by Arcade Games.. There was only a sprinkling of Pinballs left on Location - Maybe 30.. The rest were Arcade Games..

Fast Forward to Today - The Pinnies are gone.. I have what is left... But how about this for Irony... By 1995, the Downstairs section was empty. All the pins etc were sold, given to charities etc, or thrown in landfill. The Business closed, and all the machines on location were picked up and stored in another, much smaller building. Whats left of an Amusement Machine Business that started in the early sixties, sits in there.. But all the good stuff is gone.... What is left is the VIDEOS... Around 100 PCBs, Tabletops and uprights..and they are all "well worn" and past their "use by date".

No one wants them - and they are worth PEANUTS, because most don't work..

Nowadays, my generation want PINBALLS.. Not Videos. You were able to play Joust, Galaga, 1942 etc on the Commodore 64...For Free..Buy a late model console and you probably get the classics for free !

I don't care for Video machines as they offer no challenge and are guaranteed to be repetitive. With Pinball - No two balls are the same..

I don't hold a "grudge" against Videos, I just don't like them as much as pins - and pins take up all my attention (as a hobby). I probably get a request every week - "Can you get this pinball".. Maybe once every 6 months for a vid..

However, one day, I'd like to restore a Cocktail table or upright..











 

[ktm450]

Interesting thoughts there Vinito.

I have a single vid (39 in 1) and did play a little back in the day as the craze took hold, but while vids are entertaining, they do not have the tactile involvement that is provided by pins, the physicality of the game - vids are an escape in a way, mostly they create alternate worlds for you to indulge your fantasies. But pinball is here and now, a big heavy ball being shot around, and while physics determines the outcome, the game can fight back in a way that a vid can't.

Couldn't agree more Nick, I love the randomness, no 2 games are the same, unlike a vid each stage is exactly the same you can momorize exactly what to do to get to stage 173

[felixthadog]

There are two kinds of game collectors and one has a natural preference for pins while the other prefers vids.

For me, the decision would have been easy ..... take both. I love both vids and pins, I will play both with the same level of excitement. Admittedly, I have spent more money playing vids in my life than pins, yet I am as happy hitting the silverball around as I am bashing buttons. At events like Bumper's Pinball Faith night, I try and play all of the games on the floor - every pinball machine and every arcade machine. I have my favourites of course, but I would happily play on a single machine for the duration of the event. Perhaps it is because I am not fussy enough, or because my childhood memories are tied to spending time in various amusement centres and fish & chip shops, but whatever the reason is, I can't get enough of arcade & pinball!  

Matthew

[Chuck]

I started playing pins (em's) then was blown-away when the first video games came out.  I used to live in arcades.  I love all types of machines you would have found in an arcade, pins, vids, em games, you name it.  I need to pickup some em games (gun, helicopter) and my collection will be complete.