I wish the old arcade could make a comeback - ok maybe video games are now too easy to just do in people's basement on the internet (gone are the old LAN parties) - but things like pinball, batting cages, and other games that aren't easy to do and maintain at home - i'm guessing the costs are high and the clientele is low. But have laser tag right next door or a comic book store...it'd just give kids of a certain age a place to hang out.
And even my adult self would use batting cages on the regular. That's one that is so weird to me to have seen disappear - now all batting cages are part of serious training centers, where they used to be just a form of entertainment. That's not bad or good, but it has made it more exclusive in a way. Sorta coincides with baseball going from a game kids would play in the yard or the street to being one that players have to take seriously. yet, adult softball still exists. I'm sure that niche has been filled by other games - soccer, basketball, volleyball - still, sorta weird that batting cages, and baseball, have become so serious for kids.
Yeah. When I was a kid we used to go this golfing range/minigolf/battling cage place, that also had a couple light gun arcade machines and an old pinball table in the lobby. It was cheap, outdoors, light exercise, and a fun way to spend two or three hours on a weekend. It does seem like most of these places have disappeared.
I feel like mini golf is still around. My wife and I went to batting cages for our first date - neither one of us were serious base/softball players but we both knew how to swing a bat and it was a fun "get to know you" setting. A few years ago we tried to have another date like that - the place we'd gone to had closed and the rest of the cages were all too serious for a goofy old couple.
Clearly I'm emotionally fixated/nostalgic for it for personal reasons. It's probably fine. But it is one that doesn't quite make sense to me haha
This brings back great memories, the local 7-11 had pinball machines. We'd ride our bikes down there and play all day. We had to be back for supper. There were no phones. It was AWESOME growing up without mobile phones of any sort. One day I will unplug the internet, no, I don't mean just for me, that would be selfish, but for the whole damned world. You will thank me later.
“Ain't got no distractions” doesn’t quite hold today. I don’t recall any alerts interrupting a game of Pong or Asteroids. Still, I never earn a spot on the leaderboard.
One of the things I truly miss was growing up and making a call and getting a busy signal. My parents NEVER got call waiting. And there was no answering machine until the early nineties. I know personally, my concentration has been fried by all this. I can't even imagine what it's like to be a kid nowadays. I guess one thing that sums it up was the old gun safety skit on SNL - when John Belushi tells the wife - Jane Curtin maybe? can't remember - that she shouldn't worry leaving the kid alone at home, he'll never find the loaded gun, "I hid it with the Playboys." Geeez, I could go on and on. It's not me getting old, and I wish it was, but the world has gone to a very dark place and it will only get darker I'm afraid. There are true things out there, and false things, too, but for the sake of political correctness we just call everything normal. Bruce Jenner is on the Wheaties Box. That's THE truth. One of many. I will shut up now. Take good care of yourself, as always, a good day and a better life. Hasta.
I just read an article in the NYT about a large scientific study that confirms the health benefits of touching. The focus was on human-to-human, skin-to-skin contact, but there must also be studies that confirm the health benefits of human-object contact. Sound—another physical sensation—is often an important part of these experiences. One day, the best, most engaging, and most satisfying gaming environment ever invented will turn out to be a stream, a pond, or a forest. Entry will be free and there will be regular upgrades, in-game purchases, and a leaderboard.
When I lived in Chicago, I went to a place like this a couple times. It was called Headquarters Beercade and every machine was on free play. They made money on food and drink. I don't know if it's still freeplay or if it was just a promo near opening. https://www.hqrivernorth.com/
OK now I want to vacation in Purcellville!
The comment about programmers being priestly - I think you're spot-on, but it works both in the pagan and the Christian sense of priesthood. A friend of mine wrote about it recently: https://fullstacktheology.substack.com/p/welcome-to-the-priesthood-of-the
Very interesting!
That’s the problem with algorithms and large language models — you can’t open the hood.
Yeah.
I wish the old arcade could make a comeback - ok maybe video games are now too easy to just do in people's basement on the internet (gone are the old LAN parties) - but things like pinball, batting cages, and other games that aren't easy to do and maintain at home - i'm guessing the costs are high and the clientele is low. But have laser tag right next door or a comic book store...it'd just give kids of a certain age a place to hang out.
And even my adult self would use batting cages on the regular. That's one that is so weird to me to have seen disappear - now all batting cages are part of serious training centers, where they used to be just a form of entertainment. That's not bad or good, but it has made it more exclusive in a way. Sorta coincides with baseball going from a game kids would play in the yard or the street to being one that players have to take seriously. yet, adult softball still exists. I'm sure that niche has been filled by other games - soccer, basketball, volleyball - still, sorta weird that batting cages, and baseball, have become so serious for kids.
Yeah. When I was a kid we used to go this golfing range/minigolf/battling cage place, that also had a couple light gun arcade machines and an old pinball table in the lobby. It was cheap, outdoors, light exercise, and a fun way to spend two or three hours on a weekend. It does seem like most of these places have disappeared.
I feel like mini golf is still around. My wife and I went to batting cages for our first date - neither one of us were serious base/softball players but we both knew how to swing a bat and it was a fun "get to know you" setting. A few years ago we tried to have another date like that - the place we'd gone to had closed and the rest of the cages were all too serious for a goofy old couple.
Clearly I'm emotionally fixated/nostalgic for it for personal reasons. It's probably fine. But it is one that doesn't quite make sense to me haha
Check out Pinball Wizard by The Who.
This brings back great memories, the local 7-11 had pinball machines. We'd ride our bikes down there and play all day. We had to be back for supper. There were no phones. It was AWESOME growing up without mobile phones of any sort. One day I will unplug the internet, no, I don't mean just for me, that would be selfish, but for the whole damned world. You will thank me later.
“Ain't got no distractions” doesn’t quite hold today. I don’t recall any alerts interrupting a game of Pong or Asteroids. Still, I never earn a spot on the leaderboard.
One of the things I truly miss was growing up and making a call and getting a busy signal. My parents NEVER got call waiting. And there was no answering machine until the early nineties. I know personally, my concentration has been fried by all this. I can't even imagine what it's like to be a kid nowadays. I guess one thing that sums it up was the old gun safety skit on SNL - when John Belushi tells the wife - Jane Curtin maybe? can't remember - that she shouldn't worry leaving the kid alone at home, he'll never find the loaded gun, "I hid it with the Playboys." Geeez, I could go on and on. It's not me getting old, and I wish it was, but the world has gone to a very dark place and it will only get darker I'm afraid. There are true things out there, and false things, too, but for the sake of political correctness we just call everything normal. Bruce Jenner is on the Wheaties Box. That's THE truth. One of many. I will shut up now. Take good care of yourself, as always, a good day and a better life. Hasta.
Glorious!
Have you seen this Rube-Goldbergesque "Machine" from XKCD? It's editable!
https://m.xkcd.com/2916/
Pan around the examples: https://m.xkcd.com/2916/#xt=11&yt=52
If you want to learn more about how old mechanical pinball machines work, check out this guy's videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue-1JoJQaEg
He does stuff on lots of other consumer electronics, too. Especially heat pumps and electric cars!
Nice. Have you seen this one, in Asbury Park? https://www.silverballmuseum.com/asbury-park/
Check out this great video for much more on how the electromechanical pinball machines work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3p_Cv32tEo
I just read an article in the NYT about a large scientific study that confirms the health benefits of touching. The focus was on human-to-human, skin-to-skin contact, but there must also be studies that confirm the health benefits of human-object contact. Sound—another physical sensation—is often an important part of these experiences. One day, the best, most engaging, and most satisfying gaming environment ever invented will turn out to be a stream, a pond, or a forest. Entry will be free and there will be regular upgrades, in-game purchases, and a leaderboard.
it won't be engaging or satisfying - it will be addictive and desensitizing.
However, a stream, a pond or a forest, sounds like a good long walk. If you are REALLY lucky, on that walk there is someone to hold hands with.
There’s a great one in Austin, TX, called Pinballz. We love to visit any time we’re there.
When I lived in Chicago, I went to a place like this a couple times. It was called Headquarters Beercade and every machine was on free play. They made money on food and drink. I don't know if it's still freeplay or if it was just a promo near opening. https://www.hqrivernorth.com/