Illusionz

dyaballikl

Don't know if many of you have heard, but Issaquah, WA's beloved Illusionz arcade has recently and permanently closed down. I went by after school a few days back, hoping to do a little work with my joker on Gauntlet Dark Legacy, or maybe hit up some DDR, but all I saw were "For Lease" signs and an apology that after 7 glorious years, Illusionz had been shut down. Personally, I blame the people. Sure, consoles and pc games make it a little harder to justify going to an arcade, and the prices could have come down a little, but people just stopped supporting this awesome arcade over the past couple years.

Anyway, the reason I bring this up in the PAX forum is because the music arcade machines for PAX over the past few years have come from Illusionz through a rental agreement. I was wondering if Khoo or anyone else knows if we're going to get to play free music arcade games again this year.

dyaballikl

let us gaze upon its beautiful majesty one more time in remembrance:

Legacy

It only closed down due to the long power outages this winter. Can't make any money if nothing works...

I'm very surprised they couldn't get some government aid or something. Oh well.

It would've been better if they serviced their machines more...

dyaballikl

the power outtage was really just icing on the cake, though. anyone who's been there in the past year or two can tell you that business was just rediculously slow there. having been the only gamer in there on many occasions, it doesn't take much math to tell that i wasn't spending enough money to cover employee pay, electricity, game machine costs, maintenance, rent, other building fees, and everything else they gotta pay. that place was huge.

de4dmeta1

Sounds disturbingly similar to what happened to Playdium here in Vancouver. Goes strong for a while, buisiness slows down a bit, then all of a sudden it's a fraggin' HomeSense. Then again, if you cleaned it out you'd have a gorramned warehouse, so it's not wonder they didn't stay afloat.

Viscountalpha

Death of an arcade seems to happen more and more. The ones that survive only do so by ticket and prize vending. Even wunderland (nickle arcade in oregon) is up to 3-4-5 nickels so its almost to the point of a standard quarter arcade.

Arcades are on their way out and unless they get re-invented, Its going to keep heading that way.


More ontopic, I wonder how much those rentals costed penny-arcade. They might be able to purchase used units from them if they are closing. The question is maintence and storage fees then.

Sometimes you can't win

Moe Fwacky

I would like to see more pinball machines at PAX, this may be a pipe dream, however...

Doc

PAX is right across the street from Gameworks Seattle.

Moe Fwacky

Doc wrote: »

PAX is right across the street from Gameworks Seattle.

That place has no fucking idea what's about to happen to them in about 6 months.

Doc

Also, I do mean that it's literally across the street from one of the convention center's entrances. It's even the closest place to get booze.

dyaballikl

Viscountalpha wrote: »

Death of an arcade seems to happen more and more. The ones that survive only do so by ticket and prize vending. Even wunderland (nickle arcade in oregon) is up to 3-4-5 nickels so its almost to the point of a standard quarter arcade.

Arcades are on their way out and unless they get re-invented, Its going to keep heading that way.


More ontopic, I wonder how much those rentals costed penny-arcade. They might be able to purchase used units from them if they are closing. The question is maintence and storage fees then.

Sometimes you can't win

i bet it was next to nothing, if not nothing, because illusionz had their name all over those things.

dyaballikl

Doc wrote: »

PAX is right across the street from Gameworks Seattle.

gameworks is the worst damn arcade ever. they rocked when dreamcast came out, but they've hardly gotten anything new since then, and don't seem to have done any maintenance on their machines since then. anybody try playing ddr there? last time i checked, it was still 7th mix, and none of the pads worked for shit. not only that, but the games are all too expensive. it's definitely not a gamer's arcade. sega really pisses me off, keeping that open and running how it is.

Relativiox

I don't know the last time you were at a Gameworks. But the one right by my house is really cheap. It seems they finally realized that expensive games just weren't bringing in enough money, so they made everything cheaper.

Doc

I have not been to the Gameworks in Seattle for years, so I cannot comment on how good/horrible it is. They have drinks (although overpriced) and they had skeeball last time I was there.

de4dmeta1

Well, they may be willing to roll some machnes across the street. Or have some sort of PAX pass deal, you never know.

BigRed

de4dmeta1 wrote: »

PAX pass deal

That would be a wise idea on their part.

Raiden333

I imagined everybody getting a free $5 gameworks card in their swag bag when they walk in the door. That gets them in and spending more money.

Mo1son

GameWorks Seattle doesn't have many fun games.. and last time I checked.. they have neither Drummania nor Guitar Freaks. This is not condusive to having free music games at PAX!! That is one of the funnest things in my opinion. Help Khoo, save the day! See if you can negotiate some kind of rental from the Narrows Plaza Bowl in Tacoma. They have a Guitar Freaks 11th/Drummania 10th setup (only 4 mixes old) which I have heard is in very good condition!! Good luck.

Legacy

Moe_Fwacky wrote: »

Doc wrote: »

PAX is right across the street from Gameworks Seattle.

That place has no fucking idea what's about to happen to them in about 6 months.

Oh, they have some idea.

But I doubt they'll be prepared in ANY way for it.

jennyg

Then again, if you cleaned it out you'd have a gorramned warehouse.

It used to be an Ernst hardware store, so you're not far off.

As for Gameworks getting slammed -- pffft. I've seen it semi-busy-ish before, but this'll blow everything out of the water.....

Legacy

jennyg wrote: »

Then again, if you cleaned it out you'd have a gorramned warehouse.

It used to be an Ernst hardware store, so you're not far off.

As for Gameworks getting slammed -- pffft. I've seen it semi-busy-ish before, but this'll blow everything out of the water.....

I'm sure they get slammed a bit during Sakuracon.

But...yeah...poor bastards...

Viscountalpha

I am just wondering what that would look like. A few thousand people raiding that near by gameworks.

uc4life

Legacy wrote: »

jennyg wrote: »

Then again, if you cleaned it out you'd have a gorramned warehouse.

It used to be an Ernst hardware store, so you're not far off.

As for Gameworks getting slammed -- pffft. I've seen it semi-busy-ish before, but this'll blow everything out of the water.....

I'm sure they get slammed a bit during Sakuracon.

But...yeah...poor bastards...

All i am imagining is everyone lined up at their 3 working machines.

I actually haven't been there for awhile, but im assuming it hasn't improved

ctishman

Oh come now. 3 working machines?






















Isn't that a bit generous?

Shade

Mo1son wrote: »

GameWorks Seattle doesn't have many fun games.. and last time I checked.. they have neither Drummania nor Guitar Freaks. This is not condusive to having free music games at PAX!! That is one of the funnest things in my opinion. Help Khoo, save the day! See if you can negotiate some kind of rental from the Narrows Plaza Bowl in Tacoma. They have a Guitar Freaks 11th/Drummania 10th setup (only 4 mixes old) which I have heard is in very good condition!! Good luck.

I forgot about narrows, I used to drop $50 every Saturday there on DDR. When I was last there(over 2 years ago) they had 6 DDR machines and a pump it up.

Viscountalpha

ctishman wrote: »

Oh come now. 3 working machines

Isn't that a bit generous?

Wow, That bad? I mean I've heard bad things but that bad? It really is sad so many arcades let their machines go to crap so much. Arcades are dying because OP's( arcade machine operators) just don't care. If they care, It shows.

www.groundkontrol.com is a good example. They care and it does show.

PikaPuff

Low maintenance is just one reason why arcades are going belly up.

Druhim

I remember going to Illusionz about a year or two ago to supposedly chill with some forumers. Due to some miscommunication, no one else showed up but I checked it out by myself. I spent a couple of hours there trying to work up some enthusiasm since I used to fucking love arcades but by the time I left, I knew the age of the video arcade was over. Let it rest in peace.

dyaballikl

de4dmeta1 wrote: »

Well, they may be willing to roll some machnes across the street. Or have some sort of PAX pass deal, you never know.

they'd better fucking do some maintenance on those machines first, then. i don't want some broken down half-working pieces of shit over there.

dyaballikl

Viscountalpha wrote: »

ctishman wrote: »

Oh come now. 3 working machines

Isn't that a bit generous?

Wow, That bad? I mean I've heard bad things but that bad? It really is sad so many arcades let their machines go to crap so much. Arcades are dying because OP's just don't care. If they care, It shows.

www.groundkontrol.com is a good example. They care and it does show.

well, the worst part is that sega started and owns all gameworks, but not even they will put any effort into the arcades. i almost feel like i should get a job there and try to work my way up in the ranks to turn things around. just like in any business, you put a little into the business, you get a lot back.

Druhim

Doc wrote: »

I have not been to the Gameworks in Seattle for years, so I cannot comment on how good/horrible it is. They have drinks (although overpriced) and they had skeeball last time I was there.

For drinking there are much better places to go that aren't much further. The games just aren't worth the higher price of the drinks. I love the 5 Point as a great place to get good, inexpensive drinks among a diverse, unpretentious crowd with a great jukebox and no bullshit. There are certainly plenty of other options though depending on what people want. I just can't see how any rational person would prefer going to Gameworks.

Doc

Druhim wrote: »

Doc wrote: »

I have not been to the Gameworks in Seattle for years, so I cannot comment on how good/horrible it is. They have drinks (although overpriced) and they had skeeball last time I was there.

For drinking there are much better places to go that aren't much further. The games just aren't worth the higher price of the drinks. I love the 5 Point as a great place to get good, inexpensive drinks among a diverse, unpretentious crowd with a great jukebox and no bullshit. There are certainly plenty of other options though depending on what people want. I just can't see how any rational person would prefer going to Gameworks.

Did you miss the part where I mentioned Skeeball?

QuickSnap

I don't know about the rest of you, But I think it would be really cool to have the Illusionz laser tag set up at PAX. It could be in one of the ballrooms or something.

Gabe, Tycho, if eather of you guys are listining, here's a huge hint. and their email
Illusionz1@hotmail.com

Druhim

Doc wrote: »

Druhim wrote: »

Doc wrote: »

I have not been to the Gameworks in Seattle for years, so I cannot comment on how good/horrible it is. They have drinks (although overpriced) and they had skeeball last time I was there.

For drinking there are much better places to go that aren't much further. The games just aren't worth the higher price of the drinks. I love the 5 Point as a great place to get good, inexpensive drinks among a diverse, unpretentious crowd with a great jukebox and no bullshit. There are certainly plenty of other options though depending on what people want. I just can't see how any rational person would prefer going to Gameworks.

Did you miss the part where I mentioned Skeeball?

I guess it's cool if you're really into skeeball. That doesn't really matter to me in a drinking establishment. Yeah, it's kind of like bowling I guess but again that just isn't enough to entice me back into the pile o shit (IMO) that Gameworks is.

QuickSnap

I just got an email back from the guy who ran Illusionz and everything, from the arcade machines to the air-hocky and pool tables to the magic stuff and laser tag equipment, are all now under bankruptcy controll. It is likely that it will all be sold off at auction. I will get more information for thoes intrested in a guantlet lagacy system for their living room.

Viscountalpha

QuickSnap wrote: »

I just got an email back from the guy who ran Illusionz and everything, from the arcade machines to the air-hocky and pool tables to the magic stuff and laser tag equipment, are all now under bankruptcy controll. It is likely that it will all be sold off at auction. I will get more information for thoes intrested in a guantlet lagacy system for their living room.

Oh man, I'd love a project but I don't have the space. DAMMIT!

ctishman

*cough* Omega Prize *cough*

dyaballikl

QuickSnap wrote: »

I just got an email back from the guy who ran Illusionz and everything, from the arcade machines to the air-hocky and pool tables to the magic stuff and laser tag equipment, are all now under bankruptcy controll. It is likely that it will all be sold off at auction. I will get more information for thoes intrested in a guantlet lagacy system for their living room.

lmao, i've been in talks with the illusionz guys. i've had my eyes on that dark legacy machine for a while. they're going to let me know as soon as that stuff is ready for auction.

QuickSnap

I was about to say... "Anybody want to donate to my 'Save the Gauntlet' fund"? I kinda want to get that Marvel VS Capcom machine...or maybe house of the dead.

Let me know: Mastervandar@gmail.com

dyaballikl

QuickSnap wrote: »

I was about to say... "Anybody want to donate to my 'Save the Gauntlet' fund"? I kinda want to get that Marvel VS Capcom machine...or maybe house of the dead.

Let me know: Mastervandar@gmail.com

haha, no way. i got like $600 i can put down on that thing. i want it bad.

QuickSnap

I don't want your guantlet lagacy, I want my Marval VS Capcom.