let us know and we'll update this section.
The "ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PINBALL" is a planned six-volume work covering
the game's history and development from its earliest antecedents
through the present.
- Volume I, WHIFFLE to ROCKET 1930-1933 was published in 1996.
- Volume II, CONTACT TO BUMPER 1934-1936 was published in 1997.
Each volume contains 252 pages and includes hundreds of photos -
many in color. The "Dean" of Coin Machine historians, the late
Richard M. Bueschel, wrote volumes I and II. Just prior to his
death, Dick asked Gordon A. Hasse, Jr., a well known pinball
collector and Bueschel's former editor and publisher, to assume the responsibility for writing the remaining four volumes in the
series. Volume III SKIPPER to NUDGY 1937-1947 is planned for
release next year with Volumes IV, V & VI to follow.
"Pinball machines" by Herbert Eiden & Jurgen Lucas
A chronology from EMs to solid state pinball machines. Lots of
color pictures. 168 pages
"Pinball, Lure of the Silver Ball" by Flower & Kurtz. Lots of
color pictures. 130 pages.
"Mr. Pinball Pinball List & Price Guide" by Daina Pettit. Handy
reference guide listing flipper game names, dates, features,
production runs, and values; sorted by machine name and
chronological. Includes separate sections for bingos, baseball
pitch & bat games, bowlers, and gun games. Published annually
since 1990. 230 pages.
Larry Bieza used to publish a Price Guide in October of
even-numbered years for odd-numbered years. Last update is 2005 Price
Guide printed in October 2004. 120 pages. Resurrected in Fall 2010
as "The Pinball Price Guide" by Eric Kantor.
"This Old Pinball" DVDs. Wonderful (and inexpensive at $8.00 each) DVDs
show how to care for your game.
See the website for details.
http://marvin3m.com/top
"Pinball Memories" by Marco Rossignoli, released January 2003, has
272 pages, and over 700 color photos. Marco features 50 machines
from 1958 to 1998, each with its own chapter.
Ken's Custom Pinball Machine Score and Instruction Cards website.
Ken has a large selection of creative and attractive custom S/I
cards available for free download at: http://www.pinballrebel.com/game/pins/card/card.htm
Most 1990s DMD games are represented, including many classics.
------------------------------
Subject: 9. Manufacturers
Alive and flipping:
===================
Stern Pinball
Formerly Sega Pinball Inc. and Data East
2020 Janice Avenue
Melrose Park, IL 60160
tel: 708-345-7700
fax: 708-345-7813
toll free: 1-800-KICKERS (number valid only in US and Canada). http://www.sternpinball.com
Reproduction games:
===================
Illinois Pinball Co., Gene Cunningham [Bloomington, Illinois]
- Reproduction of Capcom machine(s)--Big Bang Bar and perhaps
others at some point.
Phone: (309) 828-6993
[email protected]
http://www.illinoispinball.com
The Pinball Factory, Wayne Gillard [Murrumbeena, Victoria, Australia]
- Reproduction of Williams/Bally games. Talked of Medieval Madness reproduction for years, but in October 2010 sold rights to Planetary
Pinball Supply who has specifically said they will be focusing on
parts reproduction and not on machine manufacturing.
Phone: 61-3-9579-0466
Planetary Pinball Supply [San Jose, California]
Purchased rights for Williams/Bally pinball parts and machine
reproduction from The Pinball Factory in October 2010. Focusing on
parts for the time being.
[email protected]
http://www.pinball.com
Now sadly out of the pinball business:
======================================
Williams Electronic Games Inc. (Includes Bally and Midway)
(In late 1999, Williams announced they would no longer manufacture
pinball machines. The other parts of the company, including
Williams's slots and Midway and Atari videos are still being
produced. Independent companies make other products bearing the
Bally brand. Williams was only making Bally-branded pinballs.)
[Property rights (reproduction) of parts are held by Illinois Pinball
Co. and The Pinball Factory. Property rights (new and reproduction) for games held by The Pinball Factory. Yeah, it's messy.]
Premier Technology (Includes Gottlieb and Mylstar)
[The property rights are now owned by Gottlieb Development LLC,
apparently a holding company for intellectual property rights.
Steve Young at The Pinball Resource purchased the remaining
inventory]
Capcom Coin-Op
[Property rights currently held by Illinois Pinball Co.]
Chicago Coin / Stern Electronics
Stern Electronics purchased Chicago Coin. Stern Electronics is not
the same company as Stern Pinball, but Gary Stern is/was involved
with both.
Other US-based Companies that produced pins ===========================================
Alvin G. & Co.
Game Plan
Atari
Allied Leisure
Keeney
Genco
United
Exhibit
------------------------------
Subject: 10. Abbreviations, Acronyms and Definitions
Here are some terms that may be unique to the industry/hobby. A
file that defines many of the abbreviations that you will see in
rpg can be found at:
http://www.bull.usyd.edu.au/pinball/
Shopped - a vague term that implies that the owner has performed
work to restore the machine to top condition. This can mean
anything from just putting new rubber rings on, to refurbishing
with new parts. Some buyers have claimed that a seller's shop job
consisted of swiping the dust off the playfield with a dirty rag.
NOS - "New Old Stock". This is material that was manufactured at
the same time as the machine, but never used.
EM - Electro-mechanical. A game consisting mainly of relays,
switches and motors. They contain no solid state electronics, such
as circuit boards or dot-matrix displays.
HUO - Home Use Only. This refers to a game that was purchased new
in the box by an individual and was used only in the home. This is
intended to indicate a low use game in near mint condition, but
a HUO game can be more worn out than arcade games, and is not a
reliable indication of condition.
Woodrail - The first EMs (up through 1960) had wooden legs, and
wooden siderails. Most of the single-player games had "bulb
scoring," in which a large portion of the backglass area has
numbers and lightbulbs behind those numbers are turned on by
stepper units. Woodrail games had a few gadgets for the playfield,
such as pop bumpers and moving targets, and the designers would
have a new layout of those gadgets for a new title every two months
or so. Home use of older games was prevalent in that era, but not
an organized activity as it is today. Survival rate of woodrail
games to the present era is estimated to be from 0.5 to 5%,
depending on whom you ask. All of the above factors combine to form
a rosy glow of nostalgia around woodrails, so many say it was the
Golden Age of Pinball.
PB2K - Pinball 2000. The next-generation pinball released by
Williams. The game consisted of a video monitor mounted in the
head. The image reflected off of the playfield glass, and provided
changing views, depending on game condition. Revenge From Mars,
and Star Wars - Episode 1 were released before Williams shut down
production.
WPC - Williams Pinball Controller (?). The version of pinball processor/architecture used from 1991 (Funhouse) through 1999
(Cactus Canyon). Succeeded by PB2K.
Gtb - Gottlieb
Wms - Williams
Games/Pins
AFM - Attack from Mars
AFV - Addams Family Values
BK - Black Knight
BK2K - Black Knight 2000
BoP - Bride of Pinbot (The Machine)
BR - Black Rose
CC - Cactus Canyon
DH - Dirty Harry
DM - Demolition Man
DW - Doctor Who
FB - NBA Fastbreak
FG - Family Guy
FH - Funhouse
FS - Flintstones
FT - Fish Tales
GI - Gilligan's Island
HD - Harley Davidson (2 versions - Sega & Stern)
HSII - High Speed II : The Getaway
IJ - Indiana Jones
JD - Judge Dredd
JM - Johnny Mnemonic
LoTR - Lord of The Rings
MB - Monster Bash
MM - Medieval Madness
NGG - No Good Gofers
PZ - Party Zone
POTC - Pirates of The Caribbean
RBION - Ripley's Believe It or Not!
RFM - Revenge From Mars
RS - Road Show
SC - Safe Cracker
SS - Scared Stiff
SM - Spider-man
SMB - Spider-man Black
STTNG - Star Trek: The Next Generation
SWE1 - Star Wars Episode 1
T2 - Terminator 2: Judgement Day
T3 - Terminator 3: Rise of The Machines
TAF - The Addams Family
ToM - Theatre of Magic
TOTAN - Tales of The Arabian Nights
TSPP - The Simpsons Pinball Party
TRS - The Rolling Stones
TZ - Twilight Zone
WCS - World Cup Soccer
WH2O - White Water
WOZ - Wizard of Oz
WPT - World Poker Tour
WW - Whirlwind
------------------------------
Subject: 11. Other Frequently Asked Questions
What does CARGPB mean?
This abbreviation stands for Cheap *ss Rec.Games.Pinball B*st*rd. This is
a designation within the rec.games.pinball community for those that are extremely cheap. They would rather spend $0.05 and 100 hours, than spend $100.00 and 5 minutes for the right pinball part. Becoming a member of this exclusive group is by nomination of the group's members only. This designation is really only for fun and has no real meaning.
Why all the asterisks in words like Bl*ck Kn*ght?
For many years on the Internet people have been putting asterisks in profane words in place of the vowels to soften the impact and to prevent the text from being banned on certain servers. Sometimes "starring" a machine name
is seen as a way to curse the machine--as if its name is a swear word.
However, on rec.games.pinball, sometimes someone will mention a pinball machine by name (as in a signature listing the poster's collection of machines), but not want the article to show up on a search about that machine, because the article is not about that machine. "Starring" your machine names solves this problem.
------------------------------
Subject: 12. Internet Pinball Podcasts
Are there any pinball podcasts I can download and listen to?
In 2007 the Internet pinball podcasting hype began with four
different groups attempting shows. Three of the groups' shows
are still available for download and only one is no longer
producing shows. Some shows are just a bunch of guys sitting
around and talking about pinball, some are about repair info,
and some are interviews with key figures in the pinball
industry.
All podcasts are free and most can be downloaded from their
website or from iTunes.
The Silverball Podcast
Seven shows were produced, beginning in June 2007. These
shows also included video games in their discussions. Their
shows can be downloaded for free from
http://www.SilverballPodcast.com
Talk Pinball
Seven shows were produced from February and April 2007.
These are available to be downloaded for free from
http://www.TalkPinball.com
TOPcast Pinball Talk
One of the most prolific podcasts is TOPcast with over 60 shows
produced starting in February 2007. A few shows include a
video feed as well. Most shows focus on interviewing a
notable figure in the industry, usually a designer, artist,
collector, or industry insider. A few shows focus on
technical aspects of pinball repair and take calls. Shows
can be downloaded for free, or listened to live from http://www.marvin3m.com/topcast
PinBull
A recent couple of podcasts in April 2011.
http://www.pinbull.net
Spooky Pinball
This is the most regularly produced podcast. Starting in April 2010, shows are released around the first of each month. Show includes a lot of goofing off with family and friends and very unusual interviews with pinball
people. Sometimes the show will feature an artist, a celebrity, a designer, a parts supplier, an operator, or an ordinary person. http://www.spookypinball.com
Gameroom Junkies
Covers the broader topic of gamerooms with some pinball. Started in October 2010.
http://www.gameroomjunkies.com
The Pinball Podcast
A couple of guys talking about pinball. Started in October 2011. http://www.thepinballpodcast.com
------------------------------
Subject: 13. Placing a Machine on Location
How do I place a machine on location and become an operator?
Placing your machine on location is not as easy as setting up the game and collecting the money. Risk is involved, laws need to be obeyed and taxes need
to be paid. Your machine may be destroyed or stolen. You may end up liable for damages due to fire or a patron's injury. Placing your well-loved machine
in a public environment crosses over into the dark world of cash-only businesses and 24/7 service calls. But this may be what you enjoy!
1. Approach the owner of a location that you consider safe enough for your machine(s). You do not want an unattended location in a high crime neighborhood. Preferable is a location where the machine is in view of the front desk or attendant. DO NOT attempt to place a machine in a location currently serviced by another operator unless you and the operator agree to this. Operating machines is a rough business and you can stir up some bad things (your machine mysteriously has the cord cut off on a regular basis, or it just vanishes!) if you are not careful.
2. Check with government licensing, zoning, and tax requirements (either county, city, or state). Many require an annual license per machine and/or location. Some allow a floating license that just covers a certain number of machines at specified location and others require that the licenses stay with each machine. Watch out for zoning problems that restrict the number of arcade
machines (pinballs are arcade machines) within a neighborhood or within a certain distance of a school. Taxes may be based on total receipts (a tax on gross sales) or on some other measure. Violating licensing, zoning, or taxes may get your machine confiscated and/or fines levied.
3. Purchase liability insurance so if your machine catches fire and burns down
the location, or a patron injures themselves on your machine you will be protected and won't lose everything you own. Don't bother with insurance to cover the machine itself. If your machine gets stolen, burns in a fire, or someone cuts it in half to get the money out, you'll just have to take the loss
and be happy they didn't cut you in half. Insurance to cover your machine itself is too expensive. Don't count on the location's insurance for anything,
even if the owner tells you so.
4. Use a contract for you and the location owner (not the manager). Normal split is 50/50. If you have a high end/new game you might be able to get 60/40
with the 60% going to you. Or you may want to set up that you get the first X
amount per week (for maintenance overhead) and then you split 50/50 after that.
This is one area where you can be creative and make it worth your bother. Or,
you may find out the revenue isn't worth the bother and pull out. Keep in mind
the contract may cover how often you rotate games, how soon after a reported failure you must service the game or replace it. You can find boilerplate contracts for this sort of thing or pay a lawyer (who will use a boilerplate contract anyway!) to do it for you. If you are a member of AMOA they have a standard contract template.
5. Secure your machine--Put a hasp on the coin door...or not. The hasp tells
bad guys something is inside. No hasp and the game is less likely to be seriously damaged. Being in an attended and visible location is best. Detach
yourself from the game. It will get damaged. Get used to it.
6. Profit!
Operating machines on location is a tough business. You may find it easier to
put your game into your own business instead of dealing with all the nonsense of other locations.
Now you know why pinball machines are now hard to find on location.
end
*******************************************
let us know and we'll update this section.
The "ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PINBALL" is a planned six-volume work covering
the game's history and development from its earliest antecedents
through the present.
- Volume I, WHIFFLE to ROCKET 1930-1933 was published in 1996.
- Volume II, CONTACT TO BUMPER 1934-1936 was published in 1997.
Each volume contains 252 pages and includes hundreds of photos -
many in color. The "Dean" of Coin Machine historians, the late
Richard M. Bueschel, wrote volumes I and II. Just prior to his
death, Dick asked Gordon A. Hasse, Jr., a well known pinball
collector and Bueschel's former editor and publisher, to assume the responsibility for writing the remaining four volumes in the
series. Volume III SKIPPER to NUDGY 1937-1947 is planned for
release next year with Volumes IV, V & VI to follow.
"Pinball machines" by Herbert Eiden & Jurgen Lucas
A chronology from EMs to solid state pinball machines. Lots of
color pictures. 168 pages
"Pinball, Lure of the Silver Ball" by Flower & Kurtz. Lots of
color pictures. 130 pages.
"Mr. Pinball Pinball List & Price Guide" by Daina Pettit. Handy
reference guide listing flipper game names, dates, features,
production runs, and values; sorted by machine name and
chronological. Includes separate sections for bingos, baseball
pitch & bat games, bowlers, and gun games. Published annually
since 1990. 230 pages.
Larry Bieza used to publish a Price Guide in October of
even-numbered years for odd-numbered years. Last update is 2005 Price
Guide printed in October 2004. 120 pages. Resurrected in Fall 2010
as "The Pinball Price Guide" by Eric Kantor.
"This Old Pinball" DVDs. Wonderful (and inexpensive at $8.00 each) DVDs
show how to care for your game.
See the website for details.
http://marvin3m.com/top
"Pinball Memories" by Marco Rossignoli, released January 2003, has
272 pages, and over 700 color photos. Marco features 50 machines
from 1958 to 1998, each with its own chapter.
Ken's Custom Pinball Machine Score and Instruction Cards website.
Ken has a large selection of creative and attractive custom S/I
cards available for free download at: http://www.pinballrebel.com/game/pins/card/card.htm
Most 1990s DMD games are represented, including many classics.
------------------------------
Subject: 9. Manufacturers
Alive and flipping:
===================
Stern Pinball
Formerly Sega Pinball Inc. and Data East
2020 Janice Avenue
Melrose Park, IL 60160
tel: 708-345-7700
fax: 708-345-7813
toll free: 1-800-KICKERS (number valid only in US and Canada). http://www.sternpinball.com
Reproduction games:
===================
Illinois Pinball Co., Gene Cunningham [Bloomington, Illinois]
- Reproduction of Capcom machine(s)--Big Bang Bar and perhaps
others at some point.
Phone: (309) 828-6993
[email protected]
http://www.illinoispinball.com
The Pinball Factory, Wayne Gillard [Murrumbeena, Victoria, Australia]
- Reproduction of Williams/Bally games. Talked of Medieval Madness reproduction for years, but in October 2010 sold rights to Planetary
Pinball Supply who has specifically said they will be focusing on
parts reproduction and not on machine manufacturing.
Phone: 61-3-9579-0466
Planetary Pinball Supply [San Jose, California]
Purchased rights for Williams/Bally pinball parts and machine
reproduction from The Pinball Factory in October 2010. Focusing on
parts for the time being.
[email protected]
http://www.pinball.com
Now sadly out of the pinball business:
======================================
Williams Electronic Games Inc. (Includes Bally and Midway)
(In late 1999, Williams announced they would no longer manufacture
pinball machines. The other parts of the company, including
Williams's slots and Midway and Atari videos are still being
produced. Independent companies make other products bearing the
Bally brand. Williams was only making Bally-branded pinballs.)
[Property rights (reproduction) of parts are held by Illinois Pinball
Co. and The Pinball Factory. Property rights (new and reproduction) for games held by The Pinball Factory. Yeah, it's messy.]
Premier Technology (Includes Gottlieb and Mylstar)
[The property rights are now owned by Gottlieb Development LLC,
apparently a holding company for intellectual property rights.
Steve Young at The Pinball Resource purchased the remaining
inventory]
Capcom Coin-Op
[Property rights currently held by Illinois Pinball Co.]
Chicago Coin / Stern Electronics
Stern Electronics purchased Chicago Coin. Stern Electronics is not
the same company as Stern Pinball, but Gary Stern is/was involved
with both.
Other US-based Companies that produced pins ===========================================
Alvin G. & Co.
Game Plan
Atari
Allied Leisure
Keeney
Genco
United
Exhibit
------------------------------
Subject: 10. Abbreviations, Acronyms and Definitions
Here are some terms that may be unique to the industry/hobby. A
file that defines many of the abbreviations that you will see in
rpg can be found at:
http://www.bull.usyd.edu.au/pinball/
Shopped - a vague term that implies that the owner has performed
work to restore the machine to top condition. This can mean
anything from just putting new rubber rings on, to refurbishing
with new parts. Some buyers have claimed that a seller's shop job
consisted of swiping the dust off the playfield with a dirty rag.
NOS - "New Old Stock". This is material that was manufactured at
the same time as the machine, but never used.
EM - Electro-mechanical. A game consisting mainly of relays,
switches and motors. They contain no solid state electronics, such
as circuit boards or dot-matrix displays.
HUO - Home Use Only. This refers to a game that was purchased new
in the box by an individual and was used only in the home. This is
intended to indicate a low use game in near mint condition, but
a HUO game can be more worn out than arcade games, and is not a
reliable indication of condition.
Woodrail - The first EMs (up through 1960) had wooden legs, and
wooden siderails. Most of the single-player games had "bulb
scoring," in which a large portion of the backglass area has
numbers and lightbulbs behind those numbers are turned on by
stepper units. Woodrail games had a few gadgets for the playfield,
such as pop bumpers and moving targets, and the designers would
have a new layout of those gadgets for a new title every two months
or so. Home use of older games was prevalent in that era, but not
an organized activity as it is today. Survival rate of woodrail
games to the present era is estimated to be from 0.5 to 5%,
depending on whom you ask. All of the above factors combine to form
a rosy glow of nostalgia around woodrails, so many say it was the
Golden Age of Pinball.
PB2K - Pinball 2000. The next-generation pinball released by
Williams. The game consisted of a video monitor mounted in the
head. The image reflected off of the playfield glass, and provided
changing views, depending on game condition. Revenge From Mars,
and Star Wars - Episode 1 were released before Williams shut down
production.
WPC - Williams Pinball Controller (?). The version of pinball processor/architecture used from 1991 (Funhouse) through 1999
(Cactus Canyon). Succeeded by PB2K.
Gtb - Gottlieb
Wms - Williams
Games/Pins
AFM - Attack from Mars
AFV - Addams Family Values
BK - Black Knight
BK2K - Black Knight 2000
BoP - Bride of Pinbot (The Machine)
BR - Black Rose
CC - Cactus Canyon
DH - Dirty Harry
DM - Demolition Man
DW - Doctor Who
FB - NBA Fastbreak
FG - Family Guy
FH - Funhouse
FS - Flintstones
FT - Fish Tales
GI - Gilligan's Island
HD - Harley Davidson (2 versions - Sega & Stern)
HSII - High Speed II : The Getaway
IJ - Indiana Jones
JD - Judge Dredd
JM - Johnny Mnemonic
LoTR - Lord of The Rings
MB - Monster Bash
MM - Medieval Madness
NGG - No Good Gofers
PZ - Party Zone
POTC - Pirates of The Caribbean
RBION - Ripley's Believe It or Not!
RFM - Revenge From Mars
RS - Road Show
SC - Safe Cracker
SS - Scared Stiff
SM - Spider-man
SMB - Spider-man Black
STTNG - Star Trek: The Next Generation
SWE1 - Star Wars Episode 1
T2 - Terminator 2: Judgement Day
T3 - Terminator 3: Rise of The Machines
TAF - The Addams Family
ToM - Theatre of Magic
TOTAN - Tales of The Arabian Nights
TSPP - The Simpsons Pinball Party
TRS - The Rolling Stones
TZ - Twilight Zone
WCS - World Cup Soccer
WH2O - White Water
WOZ - Wizard of Oz
WPT - World Poker Tour
WW - Whirlwind
------------------------------
Subject: 11. Other Frequently Asked Questions
What does CARGPB mean?
This abbreviation stands for Cheap *ss Rec.Games.Pinball B*st*rd. This is
a designation within the rec.games.pinball community for those that are extremely cheap. They would rather spend $0.05 and 100 hours, than spend $100.00 and 5 minutes for the right pinball part. Becoming a member of this exclusive group is by nomination of the group's members only. This designation is really only for fun and has no real meaning.
Why all the asterisks in words like Bl*ck Kn*ght?
For many years on the Internet people have been putting asterisks in profane words in place of the vowels to soften the impact and to prevent the text from being banned on certain servers. Sometimes "starring" a machine name
is seen as a way to curse the machine--as if its name is a swear word.
However, on rec.games.pinball, sometimes someone will mention a pinball machine by name (as in a signature listing the poster's collection of machines), but not want the article to show up on a search about that machine, because the article is not about that machine. "Starring" your machine names solves this problem.
------------------------------
Subject: 12. Internet Pinball Podcasts
Are there any pinball podcasts I can download and listen to?
In 2007 the Internet pinball podcasting hype began with four
different groups attempting shows. Three of the groups' shows
are still available for download and only one is no longer
producing shows. Some shows are just a bunch of guys sitting
around and talking about pinball, some are about repair info,
and some are interviews with key figures in the pinball
industry.
All podcasts are free and most can be downloaded from their
website or from iTunes.
The Silverball Podcast
Seven shows were produced, beginning in June 2007. These
shows also included video games in their discussions. Their
shows can be downloaded for free from
http://www.SilverballPodcast.com
Talk Pinball
Seven shows were produced from February and April 2007.
These are available to be downloaded for free from
http://www.TalkPinball.com
TOPcast Pinball Talk
One of the most prolific podcasts is TOPcast with over 60 shows
produced starting in February 2007. A few shows include a
video feed as well. Most shows focus on interviewing a
notable figure in the industry, usually a designer, artist,
collector, or industry insider. A few shows focus on
technical aspects of pinball repair and take calls. Shows
can be downloaded for free, or listened to live from http://www.marvin3m.com/topcast
PinBull
A recent couple of podcasts in April 2011.
http://www.pinbull.net
Spooky Pinball
This is the most regularly produced podcast. Starting in April 2010, shows are released around the first of each month. Show includes a lot of goofing off with family and friends and very unusual interviews with pinball
people. Sometimes the show will feature an artist, a celebrity, a designer, a parts supplier, an operator, or an ordinary person. http://www.spookypinball.com
Gameroom Junkies
Covers the broader topic of gamerooms with some pinball. Started in October 2010.
http://www.gameroomjunkies.com
The Pinball Podcast
A couple of guys talking about pinball. Started in October 2011. http://www.thepinballpodcast.com
------------------------------
Subject: 13. Placing a Machine on Location
How do I place a machine on location and become an operator?
Placing your machine on location is not as easy as setting up the game and collecting the money. Risk is involved, laws need to be obeyed and taxes need
to be paid. Your machine may be destroyed or stolen. You may end up liable for damages due to fire or a patron's injury. Placing your well-loved machine
in a public environment crosses over into the dark world of cash-only businesses and 24/7 service calls. But this may be what you enjoy!
1. Approach the owner of a location that you consider safe enough for your machine(s). You do not want an unattended location in a high crime neighborhood. Preferable is a location where the machine is in view of the front desk or attendant. DO NOT attempt to place a machine in a location currently serviced by another operator unless you and the operator agree to this. Operating machines is a rough business and you can stir up some bad things (your machine mysteriously has the cord cut off on a regular basis, or it just vanishes!) if you are not careful.
2. Check with government licensing, zoning, and tax requirements (either county, city, or state). Many require an annual license per machine and/or location. Some allow a floating license that just covers a certain number of machines at specified location and others require that the licenses stay with each machine. Watch out for zoning problems that restrict the number of arcade
machines (pinballs are arcade machines) within a neighborhood or within a certain distance of a school. Taxes may be based on total receipts (a tax on gross sales) or on some other measure. Violating licensing, zoning, or taxes may get your machine confiscated and/or fines levied.
3. Purchase liability insurance so if your machine catches fire and burns down
the location, or a patron injures themselves on your machine you will be protected and won't lose everything you own. Don't bother with insurance to cover the machine itself. If your machine gets stolen, burns in a fire, or someone cuts it in half to get the money out, you'll just have to take the loss
and be happy they didn't cut you in half. Insurance to cover your machine itself is too expensive. Don't count on the location's insurance for anything,
even if the owner tells you so.
4. Use a contract for you and the location owner (not the manager). Normal split is 50/50. If you have a high end/new game you might be able to get 60/40
with the 60% going to you. Or you may want to set up that you get the first X
amount per week (for maintenance overhead) and then you split 50/50 after that.
This is one area where you can be creative and make it worth your bother. Or,
you may find out the revenue isn't worth the bother and pull out. Keep in mind
the contract may cover how often you rotate games, how soon after a reported failure you must service the game or replace it. You can find boilerplate contracts for this sort of thing or pay a lawyer (who will use a boilerplate contract anyway!) to do it for you. If you are a member of AMOA they have a standard contract template.
5. Secure your machine--Put a hasp on the coin door...or not. The hasp tells
bad guys something is inside. No hasp and the game is less likely to be seriously damaged. Being in an attended and visible location is best. Detach
yourself from the game. It will get damaged. Get used to it.
6. Profit!
Operating machines on location is a tough business. You may find it easier to
put your game into your own business instead of dealing with all the nonsense of other locations.
Now you know why pinball machines are now hard to find on location.
end
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| Sysop: | Keyop |
|---|---|
| Location: | Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK |
| Users: | 715 |
| Nodes: | 16 (2 / 14) |
| Uptime: | 09:55:10 |
| Calls: | 12,100 |
| Files: | 15,003 |
| Messages: | 6,517,972 |