Cabinet Styles


bartop
Small cabinets approximately the size of a monitor. Designed for installation on top of a bar.
Also: table top

cabaret
Similar to the upright, the cabaret is a smaller version offered for tight spaces. Cabarets are usually 48-62 inches tall and 18 -24 wide. Many cabaret cabinet do not feature side art.
Also: mini, minimyte
Variant: moppet, an upright cabinet designed for children. Usually has full side art but is scaled for children.

cockpit
Typically a racing game with a seat. The cockpit cabinet does not move, see rider. The seat may be required because pedals control are involved.
Also: sit down
Variant: environmental, a stand in cabinet. No pedals were involved, but more speakers (back channel) and lighting effect necessitated the additional space.
Variant: multi monitor, a cockpit cabinet with additional side view monitors for a total of 3 or more monitors.

cocktail
A glass top table with an arcade game built between the legs. usually under 36 inches tall, 36-42 wide and 24-36 deep. May have two control panels, one on each side, sharing a monitor. The game usually flips for the second player and flips back for player 1's turn.
Variant: tent, a dual monitor cocktail for head to head action. Essentially a two player cocktail.

gang
Rider or cockpit cabinets designed to be connected and share a single game.

mocap
Motion Capture cabinets have few controls depending on capturing the movements of the player for input. Dance games have pressure pads on the floor, sport and shooter games have a motion capture arch over a stage. Unlike rider the only movement is provided by the player.
Also: dance

rider
Often these are cockpit cabinets that provide motion feedback. Rider racing games may tilt with the track banking. Extreme sports riders will tilt the board with the changes in the slope or wave.
Also: ride on, cycle, skier
Variant: flight sim, the entire cabinet moves not just the seat.

theater
A large (rear) projection screen is the primary feature of these cabinets. The theater cabinet often has multiple player control sets, usually guns, for team play in a single game. Small theaters are 50 - 70 inches wide. Similar to a two player cockpit game. Larger theaters are small rooms with seating for 6 or more players and multiple projectors.

two player
Similar to two uprights in one cabinet. These cabinets have a control panel and monitor for each player for head to head games. the monitors might be side by side or angle apart. Two player cockpits are not uncommon.
Also: twin

upright
The most common cabinet type. Uprights are 60-75 inches tall and 24-32 wide.
Also: standard
Variant: dual monitor, an upright cabinet with two monitors stacked to provide additional game information.
Variant: twin, see two player

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 quote 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."

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 fixer 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!"

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?"

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."

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."

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?"

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."