Personalities


We all fit in one or more of these categories at times. I think we move from one to the other as time passes and experience mounts. I believe I am still a hobbyist. The quotes are purely for humor value.

buyer
1. A collector with no interest in restoring, fixing or understanding the arcade game.
2. A game owner in need of very helpful, possibly on site, technical support.
Also: retail or retail customer
Quotes: "I just want to play Asteroids one more time."

collector
A buyer with more than 3 games. There may be little interest in fixing games, but the experience is mounting and simple fixes are possible with these buyers.
Quotes: "I adjusted the monitor, but it didn't get better."

expert
An experienced technician, operator or repairer amused by the continuing education and frequent mistrials of all the other personalities. The expert often professes to be "out of the hobby" and just seagulls rgvac for the sheer amusement.
Quotes: "I published an answer to that on spies.com back in 1992, did you look?"

fixer
1. A restorationist with less interest in the original electronics state. They restore games to be cosmetically beautiful but do not fear multigame kits, high score kits, or reliability modifications. These hobbyists prefer to install a switching power supply.
2. A collector with more than 5 games. They learned to recap monitors, apply reproduction artwork and replace T molding.
Quotes: "It's not like the serial numbers matched!"

hobbyist
An owner or collector with an interest in restoring, fixing and understanding the arcade game.
Quotes: "I don't know if it is the game board or the monitor, it just stopped working."

MAMEr
Single cabinet owner and Windows enthusiast built a MAME cabinet with no regard to the original game, controls or artwork. These hobbyists never seem to move out of newbie status.
Quotes: "Does anyone sell a square monitor so I don't need to rotate mine?"

operator
Professional machine owner with machines on route and in various storage areas. The operator is in business to make a profit. This blocks any desire to maintain the original state for restorationists.
Quotes: "It's in great shape and only needs new side art, a CPO and a back door, but I can let it go for $900 if I take out the bill acceptor I cut into the front."

price police
A long time collector who is unhappy with large price changes in the market. These personalities will immediately swoop on any rgvac or klov forum post which they consider to be too high on price. They also abhor selling parts from a game and destroying the unwanted bits (called “parting out”) and will repeatedly post that sellers should either sell it for a low price or give the game to another collector without regard for the owner’s investment.
Quotes: “You want $500 for a Gal’s Panic?”

preservationist
A restorationist focused on black and white games from the 1970’s. They may also own slot machines, pachislo, bowlers, shuffle alleys and pinball machines.
Quotes: “Clowns was a fun game and should be worth at least $400”

pin head
Any of the personality type listed here may also own and restore pinball machines. The pinball industry’s focus on mechanics gives them a different perspective on the electronics-focused video game hobby.
Quotes: “I would trade my Space Shuttle for 3 vids, sure!”

restorationist
A hobbyist with a strong desire to fix the original components and preserve the unit's integrity for posterity. They try to avoid switching power supplies, multigame adaptations and conversion games.
Warning: The restorationist should be kept away from the MAMEr except in the Ultimate Fighting Octagon.
Quotes: "You turned a Quantum into a Gal's Panic?"

repairer
A technician who works the whole cabinet. They may lack the training in physics and engineering of the technician, but hey can fix anything and understand the purpose of these machine was to entertain on site for a profit. These hobbyists may also encompass the operator category.
Quotes: "I've seen that before, when can I get at crack at it."

technician
A highly schooled electrical engineer primarily interested in preservation and maintenance the PCB, not the cabinet. Unlike the restorationist, the technician may seek to correct errors or shortcomings they perceive in the code of the game or design of the PCB. The ultimate prize of the technician is the design, production and sale of a High score kit, multigame kit or CPU exerciser.
Quotes: "Just put it on the scope and let's see what is wrong."