101 replies to this topic

[Wizards_Hat]

The sub-heading for this particular area of the forum states

Only a real pinball machine can surpass these!
Create, Explore, Enjoy!

Yet from what I read, and see on here, I'm sure people are spending more money, and these cabs are taking up as much room as a real machine.

I'm just wondering what people would rather have.
(You can assume that money is no problem....but you only have space for one)

I know what I'd have without a moments hesitation - a real machine...I can play VP on almost any pc.

Regards,
Dan.

[Noah Fentz]

I'd go with the VP/FP cab for more table variety. Although a real pin would be GREAT, I think hundreds of tables vs. one real one takes the prize for me.

[Steely]

If I only had space for one... For sure the real deal, without a doubt.

Along with your reasoning Dan, you could always swap it out, when and if you get bored with it (as people do.)

[studmuff]

If I only had space for one... For sure the real deal, without a doubt.

Along with your reasoning Dan, you could always swap it out, when and if you get bored with it (as people do.)

I own 8 real pins right now. They can be a lot of work and maintenance. Board problems, switches, lamp matrixes oh my.

Right now I would much rather own a combo visual/future pinball cab. It might take some time to get it going but should be a lot less maintenance. It will just take awhile to get VP9 alot of 16-9 tables. I'm going to try and have a lot of fun build my cabinet.

[KEG]

I went with the VP & FP cab. I'm in the very early planning stage for one right now. I have a 32" and a 26" LCD but my 32" has a big speaker at the bottom so I may just go with a mini pin and use the 26" as the playfield and get a 17 or 19" for the back glass.

[Tony Kapolka]

I have some pinball machines, but there is never enough room and there are some very rare machines I'll never be able to play; hence a VP/FP cabinet is a wonderful thing.

[destruk]

I don't think people are spending more on a cabinet than a real machine. Lately, newer pinball games are about $4000 each. You can get some decent displays, and a good pc and actually 'create' something to run hundreds of pinball games for that much or less. I don't like the idea of having a warehouse of real pinball machines with electrical cords running all over, and the maintenance involved for all the games I might play a few times a week. I've seen that in person at the Pinball Hall of Fame. For me, since my hobby is porting the real games to the pc, it probably means a bit more, than the average pinball enthusiast who just likes to put quarters in and have a go.
Nobody builds their own car anymore, so it's down to game cabinets. And I don't like the idea of having to 'swap out' a game, with a limited number of games to trade for in my zip code, at 250+lbs each.

[PinballDork]

I agree with the above.... I have 15 machines, and there is ALWAYS something to tweak, fix and scratch my head over. And my games don't get to many plays. I can totally see why arcades don't have pin's. They take a lot of upkeep. Fortunatly I enjoy bringing a dead pin back to life, and doing standard repairs on them, almost more than playing them.

I'm getting really excited about the home made VP/FP cabinets with the 16:9 screens. I believe there is nothing like a real machine, and I will always take that over a simulator. BUT there is limited money and space, and there are machines I will never see or play. So I am going to be making a vp pinball emulator machine very soon!

If I could only have one I would have a real machine and play VP on the computer
Glenn

Edited by PinballDork, 09 March 2009 - 12:30 PM.

[Pinball Ken]

I was tempted to buy a Theatre of Magic that was offered in near perfect condition with a few hundred plays from an owner who worked on the original concept, but $8000, or $10,000 by the time it was installed here in the UK, was just too expensive for one table, however good!

Now I've an UltraPin, which I'm adapting to play FP, too. This gives me a 250+ tables in a space that's less than most real pinball tables. The cost, so far, has been in the region of $5000. That's $20 per pinball, which isn't bad value!

Honestly, I've just no room for more than one pinball table, and I wouldn't want to be under the hood, all the time, replacing parts that are worn out.

PK

[faralos]

well you say we don't build our own cars anymore, actually, I and my roomie are restoring a '67 Cougar he purchased two weeks ago! So in essence we ARE building a car, but point aside, I'd rather have the real thing, being a former pin techie (I worked on them for 9 yrs thru the 80's!) I love the mechanical side of them. As wizards hat states," I can play them on any computer", but to have the real thing would really be the icing on the cake! esp. if money was no object. hell I have an entire empty basement where I live, just no money for anything to put into it!
To me, it is fun to clean and fix/adjust the real thing! i loved that job(working in vending) and miss it terribly! but alas, that kind of job does not exist anymore where I live, sigh...

[Wizards_Hat]

Very interesting to see how close this poll actually is

I don't think people are spending more on a cabinet than a real machine. Lately, newer pinball games are about $4000 each.

LOL - I've never bought a "new" machine in my life!

I've just sold a JD today for £450 ($620?), and I'm selling a Whirlwind and Game Show for ~£350 each ($500?)...because I only really have room for 2 games to be set-up (& I'm never getting rid of my STTNG), and I want to get a new (to me) game...I fully expect to able to get something very nice for £1150!

You don't need to spend a fortune to get a pin! (you can buy one off me for £350 if you like )

Dan.

[SunWizard]

I prefer an option thats not on the poll. Instead of a cabinet, I use a 45" LCD tv as my monitor, with a pinball wizard. This gives the large size playfield and feel of a cabinet, without much space needed. And I can use the large TV as my main TV, and having the computer hooked to it is great for recording, burning and playing video, music, etc. Having it hooked to my 5.1 surround sound system makes pinball sound really good.

Another advantage to this is that all of the existing VP8 tables work good on it, as well as new VP9 tables, and I don't have to wait for 16:9 versions of my dozens of favorite tables to be made. (VP9 and special versions are required for rotated cabinets.) And my computer doesn't get shaken up by my play style of lots of nudging which can wreck hard drives.

Edited by SunWizard, 09 March 2009 - 09:52 PM.

[lonnie]

I have one real pinball, yes some work but still would not trade it. I am building a FP\VP cabinet. Hopefully FP will get fixed before I am done. I have ATI card. Just do not want to purchase a Nividia maybe when I get table done. I have approx 1300.00 in it now but still need to buy plexiglass for table and back glass, paint, decide if I am going to do paint on generic graphics (probably will do this) just not sure yet, plus some odds and ends trim etc.

Thanks for asking.

[destruk]

I didn't say you couldn't get an older machine for cheap. I have an Allied Leisure Take 5 table I got for $300. It still needs to be fixed. Sure, lots of good used machines can be had for <$600, and if they're EM machines you can probably get them close to free in some cases. You can even make your own bagatelle game with a piece of wood, some nails, and a ping pong ball too. Those options just might not be as fun for everybody though.

[TAB]

Having a old 'Phillips' frontend. You put them between PC and keyboard. Sorry have no camera. Blue plastic ...but plunger and so on. It lives in my restroom ... but not bad.

[neoblood]

I have only played a real pinball machines a few times in my life and never really enjoyed them much because I always seemed to dump the balls straight down the middle lol But a few weeks ago I decided to download and play a few FP tables after seeing a couple on youtube and I am amazed how much fun I am having. It is an incredible thing to play realistic pinballs with the advantages of having complete control over the visuals, sounds and gameplay. I'm hooked, as soon as the eco-money picks up I'll be building myself a vp-fp cab with as big a playfield as my wife will allow!

[das-r]

Wow, I also own one of this blue Phillips controllers. Does it run on a modern computer?

Having a old 'Phillips' frontend. You put them between PC and keyboard. Sorry have no camera. Blue plastic ...but plunger and so on. It lives in my restroom ... but not bad.

[ynneBBenny]

I voted for a VP cabinet only.
Yeh sure a real cabinet is best, but what are the chances of me been able to buy ALL the machines I used to play as a kid even if money was no object as the poll states.
To me the sounds are a big part of the memory trip, and the game play comes second.
Since sound recreation is almost perfect I see no reason to own every real machine I used to play.

Why VP only? I really dont like the appearence of open GL environments. (Even with a decent video card)
I am yet to see a FP game that plays smoothly on an affordable computer, unlike VP that plays well on almost anything.

[Clean Richards]

Well, going by how the question is worded, I voted for real pinball. If money were no object I would just warehouse all my tables in my mansion. As cool as VP/VPM is, there's really no substitute for the real thing. In my current situation where money is an object, I would definitely go for the VP cab. There are quite a few places to play real pinball here in Portland so I get the best of both worlds. I don't have a VP cab, but I play on my computer just fine, I'm a keyboard guy anyway. I can go out and play real pinball anytime and don't have to clutter my non-mansion with tables.

[RipleYYY]

real table for sure !

now i have the luck to got two pins at home, its a course greater than playing on computer : the feeling, the ambiance...

BUT, during all this years before, i was very happy to have VP to keep in touch with the pin world