Dragon's Lair Fans - Arcade Lifestyle

General Chat => Arcade Lifestyle => Topic started by: Superully on June 05, 2009, 02:32:16 PM

Title: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: Superully on June 05, 2009, 02:32:16 PM

preface: sometimes small things can turn into giants  ;D curious??? read on ...

a couple of weeks ago i've posted on various forums that i was looking for a taito cab (empty or not, i don't care) to house one of my favourite games: QIX

fortunately, i received an answer on a german arcade forum. unfortunately, the cab's location was berlin. that's more than 500 kilometers one way - for an (almost) empty cab.

whatever, rule number one: if you REALLY want something, go get it - no matter how far away it is!  8)

so here's what's coming up  :arrow:

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3368/3597804946_1f4e7c548b_b.jpg)

once again, my good friend charlotte will be my roadtrip companion, because - once again - we're going to spend the night at her relatives'. sometimes having a huge family DOES have advantages  :-*

just for the records ...

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3333/3597805190_77d0f760e4.jpg) (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3588/3596997799_f36af56e0b.jpg)

charlotte et moi are huge fans of motorway service areas, because there are so many great things to be discovered if you wander around with open eyes. this time, however, we obviously wandered around with open teeth  ;D

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3631/3597805324_d047a52aac_b.jpg)

although the machine in the men's bathroom was broken, there was another one in the women's area. charlotte couldn't resist to throw in a dime - and how happy that made her when she saw the "pink package"!!!

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3618/3596997723_045cb390ba_b.jpg)

signs and portents. popquiz: who knows what's inside of that truck?

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3555/3596998059_cde3c09551_b.jpg)

berlin, we're coming!

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3328/3597805650_608b31f32b_b.jpg)

"you have reached the city's border"

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3379/3597805950_e2f0e1f912.jpg) (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2433/3596997917_0f812c0168.jpg)

of course, charlotte couldn't resist (or was she forced to?) to take a picture of that roadsign. ever thought of moving there, charlotte?

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3612/3596998197_7f214e4042_b.jpg)

 :shock: welcome to berlin :shock:

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3291/3597806172_9deea62536_b.jpg)

typical berlin rush-hour traffic - and we're caught in the middle!

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3566/3596998449_4852b2ea93_b.jpg)

bear-lin

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3558/3597806038_9ca36d6fb9_b.jpg)

while charlotte hangs out with her relatives, i'm off to the seller's location. this is a good one ...

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3592/3596999611_6776f4aab8_b.jpg)

... an old fire station! who would have guessed that this would be part of the arcade lifestyle?

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2448/3596999711_49fb1cfd3e_b.jpg)

after walking down some flights of stairs and "crawling" through concrete tunnels i can see the object of my affection. a TAITO CABINET. btw, nice to see a fire! pinball inside a fire station. that's classic!  :)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3380/3597806272_7eef6d077c_b.jpg)

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE !!! OUTRUN (MINI), PACMANIA, CENTIPEDE

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3191/3596998733_fec0820994_b.jpg)

rough sidearts, but outrun is a blast!

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3033/3596999213_7bc9b672d7_b.jpg)

both sidearts on the pac-mania are intact. you don't find that very often anymore. overall, the cab is in good shape. some nice cleansing would make it almost perfect! no damage to the marquee  ;)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3311/3596999407_df800f0c2f_b.jpg)

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE !!! WIZARD OF WOR, MISSILE COMMAND CABINET

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3595/3596998837_e5960b54a1_b.jpg)

i've never seen or heard of a WoW in Europe. Although the artwork is very rough, it's nothing that can't be restored to full glory (reproduction artwork is available). and the game plays PERFECTLY. what a terrific two-player game that is!

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2484/3597806814_aa4bc50b36_b.jpg)

marquee and bezel are in PERFECT order, the control panel could use a new overlay (reproduction also available). fortunately, the metal paintings on the front of the panel are intact. check it out  :arrow:

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2446/3597806972_903dcf7228_b.jpg)

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE !!! DEFENDER! however, that game is not working. the seller tells me that it should be a problem with one of the ribbon cables ant that it should be an easy fix for him.

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2456/3596999033_580f77442d_b.jpg)

furthermore, there were piles of pcbs in the room plus some spare monitors, but the seller asked me not to show pictures of those on the forum - which i certainly accept / respect!

after one night in berlin (not in paris  :oops:) we're heading back to where we came from ...

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3394/3596999807_5e1de81925_b.jpg)

say good-bye to berlin. can you see the bear waving?

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2436/3597807614_f2c3f6867b_b.jpg)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3397/3597807780_2e676ab75f_b.jpg)

the end of yet another roadtrip is near ...

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2449/3596997403_664b8fe90f_b.jpg)

the light at the end of the tunnel!!!

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3309/3597805024_bb560fc35f_b.jpg)

some final shots of the taito cab inside patrik's shed. ooops, i almost forgot: he asked me not to call it shed anymore, but storage!

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2371/3597000273_f715f7c8a1_b.jpg)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3624/3597808146_697169318e_b.jpg)

although it was designed to be a qix cab, it now houses popeye. however, the only thing left from that game is the control panel. especially peculiar is the design of the monitor and the control panel part of the cab. my cab was manufactured in europe, perhaps that explains the difference. have a look at the two cab versions  :arrow:

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2478/3597000471_af8d2ee1b6_b.jpg) (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2451/3597175003_24fce2fc41_o.jpg)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3590/3597807986_417aabb4bb_b.jpg)

i'm not sure yet how i'm going to accomodate the original qix control panel or how i'm going to solve the problem with the vertical monitor orientation, but this will have to wait anyway. too many arcade projects at home.

if anyone has ideas / suggestions - bring 'em on  :spaceace:

and now, the typical end-of-a-roadtrip-picture  :arrow:

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3203/3597000101_6e6d329395_b.jpg)

one continent, six COUNTIES, 1120 kilometers - this roadtrip is OFFICIALLY OVER!

no wait, wasn't there something about "small things that can turn into giants"?

.
..
...

oh, i almost forgot to mention: all those beautiful cabs pictured above: THEY ARE GOING TO BE MINE!!!

but that's a different story - and it will be told at a different time 8) ...


Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: Etienne MacGyver on June 05, 2009, 02:51:20 PM
You are starting to look like darthnuno in the sence of roadtrips 8)

Congrats with the new catch !
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: level42 on June 05, 2009, 04:32:36 PM
The truck question is an easy one:

http://www.spielothek.de/

Merkur-Spielothek.

Since these "arcades" are owned by Gauselmann (http://www.gauselmann.de) I bet there's a shit-load of wall-money-gambling machines inside of that truck. Nothing that we care about I guess...

The "sun" logo gave it away ;)

 I think I even saw one in Amsterdam a couple of weeks ago.... (Edit, according to their site there even is one in Rotterdam, very close to where I live, I've never even seen it :) ).

Something like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFvSyhcZZYQ
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: level42 on June 05, 2009, 04:49:47 PM
HF !!!! A Wizard Of Wor  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How much does he want ??????


That MUST be unique in Europe..... FABULOUS game (played Atari 8-bit version a lot) How is the speech on the real cab ???
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: level42 on June 05, 2009, 05:00:58 PM
They should really get this:
http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7212

or maybe even this:

http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7814


There was a Fire Truck for sale not too far from Berlin not too long ago....
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: Sonic 1992 on June 05, 2009, 05:57:37 PM
Hope you had lots of fun!!  Cool, there was a Pin Bot in there... Classic from 1988, and seen in the movie BIG!!!

I would've got the Missile Command.. Cabarets are so cool!

Good luck and have fun restoring your Qix!!!  ;D
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: Superully on June 05, 2009, 06:02:52 PM
HF !!!! A Wizard Of Wor  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How much does he want ??????


That MUST be unique in Europe..... FABULOUS game (played Atari 8-bit version a lot) How is the speech on the real cab ???

the machine speaks german! the speech itself is fabulous (sounds like stephen hawking), although sometimes difficult to understand. the difficulty arrises from the fact that although the language is german, the words are pronounced as if they were american english words  :D sometimes it's extremely hilarious!!!

as for the price: i got a bulk deal for all the games, monitors, cab kits and an original qix pcb. the offer was more than fair (to say the least) and i simply couldn't resist. this was the opportunity of a lifetime!
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: Superully on June 05, 2009, 06:03:45 PM
I would've got the Missile Command.. Cabarets are so cool!

the MC was not for sale and i didn't care, because i already have the upright version!   8)
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: DarthNuno on June 05, 2009, 06:09:21 PM
Great road trip  :-* :-* :-* I love to know all the detail  (which are the most important things IMO)  :-* Homepage of course  8)  :arrow:

(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/news/qix-quest.jpg)

I'll also add other members roadtrips in the 'roadtrips' section (link on the homepage) by the way  ;)

I need these details according this template if possible :

   Date :
   Author :
   Starring :
   Target :
   Trip :
   Total length :
  ;)

Regarding the "SUN" logo sticker... I use to see them applied on German cab, for example on my Dragon's Lair cabinets (got it in Germany ) :

(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/dlcab/dl19.jpg)

Also on my RoadBlasters (Germany too...)  :arrow:

(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/atari/atari_rt12.jpg)

Charlotte looks to be a cool road trip team member  :-* She really seems to enjoy the thing  :)

By the way Charlottenburg means something like 'Charlotte town'?

Woow... WIZARD OF WOR in Europe? Interesting  :)

The PacMania looks very nice (only the joystick is not the original Atari black one...).

Glad to know that you'll catch most of these cabinets soon (I hope you'll have enough free space)  :P ;)

Thanks for posting this awesome story  :-* :-* :-*

 :spaceace: :spaceace: :spaceace:

Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: scr33n on June 05, 2009, 06:44:32 PM
Great roadtrip and cabs  :-* :-* ....

what about Defender? It's for sale? 
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: Superully on June 05, 2009, 06:52:45 PM
Great roadtrip and cabs  :-* :-* ....

what about Defender? It's for sale? 

all the games are included in the bulk deal: pac-mania, centipede, out run, wizard of wor and defender!
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: arcadefever on June 06, 2009, 06:04:29 AM
 :o Lot of cool cab in that warehouse ....
Nice cab !!! qix a very cool game...i play it often on my 48in1 ....
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: level42 on June 06, 2009, 10:25:42 AM
HF !!!! A Wizard Of Wor  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How much does he want ??????


That MUST be unique in Europe..... FABULOUS game (played Atari 8-bit version a lot) How is the speech on the real cab ???

the machine speaks german! the speech itself is fabulous (sounds like stephen hawking), although sometimes difficult to understand. the difficulty arrises from the fact that although the language is german, the words are pronounced as if they were american english words  :D sometimes it's extremely hilarious!!!

as for the price: i got a bulk deal for all the games, monitors, cab kits and an original qix pcb. the offer was more than fair (to say the least) and i simply couldn't resist. this was the opportunity of a lifetime!
Wow man that's a GREAT deal no matter what.... That Out Run mini is sweet too ! And Defender is also very nice ! Good luck on the hardware on that one though, it's a beast ;) First thing to do is to convert the memory board to be able to but 4164's in there instead of the 4116's.

The Centi looks really nice. Kinda weird that the coin door is black, I wonder if that's done later. Usually the Irish/Euro coin doors are simply blank. You do need to replace that fire button with a proper leaf-switch though ;)

Could you please make a video of that WOW ? I'd like to see the entire cab and running (HEARING !) it !!! :) Cheers !
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: vib_ribbon on June 06, 2009, 10:46:55 AM
very nice road trip and very nice set of photos!!

were you tempted to steal the pacmania marquee??  :twisted:
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: Superully on June 07, 2009, 09:28:26 AM
Could you please make a video of that WOW ? I'd like to see the entire cab and running (HEARING !) it !!! :) Cheers !

yepp, once the machine is in my possession i will make a video - no problem!!!
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: Superully on June 07, 2009, 09:29:19 AM
were you tempted to steal the pacmania marquee??  :twisted:

nope, 'cause i'm going to "steal" the whole machine. but the pac-mania marquee is absolutely awesome, i agree!
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: Zorg on June 07, 2009, 04:28:37 PM
is scanning the side art an option for you ??

I would love to have it traced.
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: Superully on June 07, 2009, 04:58:11 PM
is scanning the side art an option for you ??

I would love to have it traced.

hasn't the pac-mania sideart already been scanned and traced? after all, there are reproductions available.

anyway, i don't have the equipment to scan the sideart (no portable a3-scanner) - sorry!
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: Valsimot on June 08, 2009, 02:31:48 PM
Wow! Congrats on the find.
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: Superully on June 08, 2009, 02:42:04 PM
Wow! Congrats on the find.

thx! hopefully i will be picking up the games this thursday. another huge roadtrip is on the way  :spaceace:
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: Etienne MacGyver on June 08, 2009, 04:41:56 PM
Wow! Congrats on the find.

thx! hopefully i will be picking up the games this thursday. another huge roadtrip is on the way  :spaceace:

I think i saw your transportation for this roadtrip  ;D

(http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/11_04/superlorry2_800x507.jpg)
Title: Re: [Roadtrip] Road to Berlin (Taito Qix Cab)
Post by: Superully on June 08, 2009, 04:45:22 PM
I think i saw your transportation for this roadtrip  ;D

damn, i thought i could do this without being detected  ;D