Would you remove this Pac-Man sticker? (with Poll) And, how do you feel about upgrades and multicade machines?

Reserved for classic gaming discussions.

What would you do with that sticker?

Keep it there, no question
3
20%
Keep it there, but I'd be torn too
2
13%
Remove it, but I'd be torn too
4
27%
Remove it, no question
6
40%
 
Total votes: 15

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Retro STrife
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Would you remove this Pac-Man sticker? (with Poll) And, how do you feel about upgrades and multicade machines?

Postby Retro STrife » December 17th, 2017, 3:40 pm

I got a 1981 Pac-Man machine a couple months ago as my newest arcade addition. (I'm done for now, since this completes the 3 arcade/pinball machines that I had always wanted). One issue though.. The game has a sticker on it, which shows the company that may have been the one that originally owned and distributed it in the 1980s-- Montano Brothers Cigarette and Amusement Machines. It also shows that it was based out of CT, which means that it might have always been in my local area, which I liked the idea of. So..to remove or not to remove? On one hand, it's a cool piece of the game's history and has probably been attached as part of this machine for decades. (Generally, I really like things like things that help tell a game's backstory... just like I like old game receipts, or price stickers on sealed games). On the other hand, it's a cosmetic blemish that takes away from the aesthetic of the marquee. I've been very torn in deciding. Help break the tie in my head -- what would you do?

But the main reason for this post- I have another question that I've always wondered related to how people feel about "upgrading" classic arcade machines. As to this Pac-Man machine, most importantly to me, I appreciated that it seems to be all original. Unless the machine isn't working properly, I dislike when people give modern upgrades to an old machine (like LCD monitors or repainting the artwork), and it really pains me when I see someone gut a classic like Pac-Man to make it a 60-in-1 multicade full of classic games, which seems to be a really popular trend in the past 5-10 years. Part of my dislike is because I want to see old games preserved, and part of it is because it takes away some of the cool retro appeal once it's no longer original. (I don't mind small improvements and restorations btw, or needed repairs.. just big unneeded changes.) Does anyone else share these same feelings or am I in the minority?

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ESauce
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Re: Would you remove this Pac-Man sticker? (with Poll) And, how do you feel about upgrades and multicade machines?

Postby ESauce » December 18th, 2017, 1:24 am

I hate when I see what looks like an original Pacman or Donkey Kong machine in a bar then I go up to it and it’s a multicade. I have no problem with multicades but just build a new case or buy one already built. Don’t ruin an old arcade machine to make one.

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pacman000
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Re: Would you remove this Pac-Man sticker? (with Poll) And, how do you feel about upgrades and multicade machines?

Postby pacman000 » December 18th, 2017, 3:23 pm

It's not a bad looking sticker; it's just in the wrong spot. Personally, I'd leave it alone, as part of the machine's history. If you do decide to remove it you can always save it, put it in a book or glue it to a less-distracting spot.

And, yes, multicades made that way are heartbreaking.

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scotland
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Re: Would you remove this Pac-Man sticker? (with Poll) And, how do you feel about upgrades and multicade machines?

Postby scotland » December 18th, 2017, 4:09 pm

I'll chime in too that remaking an original cabinet into a multicade is a shame. It can't really save that much from just using a modern cabinet and screen. Congrats on owning an original Pac-Man cabinet. That is awesome. I hope it sounds fill your game room for many years to come.

On the sticker, I would remove it. I agree that I wouldn't repair artwork, but a vending machine sticker right there? Yeah, its coming off. I might save it and put in inside the cabinet on the coin box.

Alucard1191
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Re: Would you remove this Pac-Man sticker? (with Poll) And, how do you feel about upgrades and multicade machines?

Postby Alucard1191 » December 18th, 2017, 7:13 pm

One, I agree wholeheartedly with leave an original cabinet alone. Build a new cabinet and put some creative art on it. Two, the sticker is distracting, but it is original and neat. In a perfect world I would very carefully remove it and glue it somewhere less obvious on the case. I would absolutely want to keep it... that is too cool to get rid of, but the placement is really bad. Do some research on how to do something like that first... I'd hate to damage either the sticker or the machine during the removal process.

Good luck, and fantastic game room!
Last edited by Alucard1191 on December 18th, 2017, 8:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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VideoGameCritic
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Re: Would you remove this Pac-Man sticker? (with Poll) And, how do you feel about upgrades and multicade machines?

Postby VideoGameCritic » December 18th, 2017, 7:41 pm

I'd remove it. I think it looks ugly.
This is why God created Goo-Gone.

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Retro STrife
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Re: Would you remove this Pac-Man sticker? (with Poll) And, how do you feel about upgrades and multicade machines?

Postby Retro STrife » December 23rd, 2017, 8:31 pm

Thanks for all the input and votes everyone. Much appreciated.

Now for a little twist to the story..which I didn't want to share earlier since it might have influenced votes... This poll is actually based on a debate between my wife and I. When I first got the machine, I was in the "remove it, no question" category, because the sticker looks ugly on there. Then she pointed out that it's part of the machine's history, which is always an appealing argument to me, so I've wavered since then. I'm on the "remove it, but torn" side now. I'd like to do like Scotland suggested-- take it off, but keep it in the coin box. But she is still on the "keep it" side, since she thinks it's neat. I couldn't convince her otherwise, so I was actually hoping that more people would vote "keep it" and convince me to change! I guess that didn't happen, but she wins by default by not giving me a hard time about buying the machine, so I'll leave the sticker there for now. I think it'll grow on me.

Alucard1191 wrote:Good luck, and fantastic game room!


Thanks!, although that picture is actually part of the living room in my house, rather than the gameroom. I used to have the machines in a spare room to keep them out of her way, but she insisted that they go in the living room where they'll actually get used. (And she's not that into them, and rarely ever plays them, so it was more for me and guests that she made that suggestion.) So, as you can see, I know not to push my luck - yet another reason why she wins on the sticker debate....

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scotland
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Re: Would you remove this Pac-Man sticker? (with Poll) And, how do you feel about upgrades and multicade machines?

Postby scotland » December 24th, 2017, 12:43 pm

Not to get into the middle of a debate between a gamer and a significant other, but...

I totally get preserving the history of a gaming cabinet, but that sticker is like the price sticker on an used game cartridge you may have purchased. Don't you remove those kind of stickers? Should that service sticker ever been right there on the front marquee? At the very least, it should have down by the coin slot. For all you know, the original patrons of the arcade who played that machine hated that sticker right there on the marquee too. You might be preserving their frustration.

When have you ever seen the service sticker put right there on the marquee like that?

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By the way, Montano Brothers Vending is still an active business in Connecticut. So, its not like you are preserving lost history, as the company can probably send you a new sticker if you wanted them to.

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Re: Would you remove this Pac-Man sticker? (with Poll) And, how do you feel about upgrades and multicade machines?

Postby VideoGameCritic » December 24th, 2017, 2:02 pm

By the way, I noticed the option with the most votes was not visible, so I fixed that (shift-reload). FYI

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Retro STrife
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Re: Would you remove this Pac-Man sticker? (with Poll) And, how do you feel about upgrades and multicade machines?

Postby Retro STrife » December 26th, 2017, 9:34 am

scotland wrote:Not to get into the middle of a debate between a gamer and a significant other, but...


Nah nah, it's not a real debate, so don't worry about that. Very casual. Like I could peel it off tonight and she might be mildly annoyed for 2 minutes and then be over it. But I'd still prefer to do it mutually, so I've held off.

scotland wrote:I totally get preserving the history of a gaming cabinet, but that sticker is like the price sticker on an used game cartridge you may have purchased. Don't you remove those kind of stickers?


Ehhh, suprisingly, not at all. I generally keep all my price stickers on my used games when I buy them. It allows me to look back 5, 10, 15 years later and see what I paid for a game. In that way, it helps me keep track of price history and I find it interesting to see if I made a good investment. Like "neat, I bought this from Digital Press for $10 and now it's worth $25." Or I'll see a Goodwill sticker and think "wow, how'd I find this rare game for $3.99 at Goodwill? I don't remember that, must have been years ago..." I used to remove them, but I think I stopped because it got too tedious.. but now I keep them because I found myself liking to look back at them.

However, as for original price stickers (i.e., like you might find on a sealed game), I definitely never remove those. I find it cool when a game has an old KB Toys sticker or whatever else on there, along with the original price. To me it tells the origins of the game, so I always leave it on there.


scotland wrote:Should that service sticker ever been right there on the front marquee? At the very least, it should have down by the coin slot. For all you know, the original patrons of the arcade who played that machine hated that sticker right there on the marquee too. You might be preserving their frustration.

When have you ever seen the service sticker put right there on the marquee like that?


Yeah, the placement of the sticker is definitely the biggest issue for me. Pac-man has a nice marquee and it's just sitting there, mucking it up. If it was by the coin door, this would be a non-issue and I'd keep it there... And I agree, I don't think I've ever seen another arcade machine with a sticker in that spot.


scotland wrote:By the way, Montano Brothers Vending is still an active business in Connecticut. So, its not like you are preserving lost history, as the company can probably send you a new sticker if you wanted them to.


I've tried to look into the company online, but it's a bit dicey. There are a few different Montano companies in that area, and I'm not sure how related they are to this one. Either way, I think that the company has left the arcade business though, and are doing other things now.


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