Author Topic: Old Battletech Game Centers - Video (Read 3974 times)

Wrangler · « **on:** 05 June 2020, 19:31:33 »

So i remembered when i was young :P when i joined the Navy, the Battletech Center had opened up in Chicago, i actually played what i believe was year one of them being opened when i went trained in Great Lakes (great mistakes as recruits call it) i go and play in the game. This video on youtube is one of interviews i hadn't seen before.

I've not played in a Battletech simulator since then. Has anyone played in back in the day?
I know were fortunate that simulators were saved from more modern version of the game and do tours at GenCon once in a while.

elf25s · « **Reply #1 on:** 05 June 2020, 21:15:56 »

lol back in 92 i think i stayed in chicago for an extra 5 days so i can have fun at the center...

Kojak · « **Reply #2 on:** 06 June 2020, 00:42:44 »

Oh man, look at how young Jordan Weissman is in that. Wild.

Wrangler · « **Reply #3 on:** 06 June 2020, 07:55:09 »

Quote from: Kojak on 06 June 2020, 00:42:44

Oh man, look at how young Jordan Weissman is in that. Wild.

Isn't it? At one point they have at a desk where he seems have miniatures. I had trouble telling which one they were.

ckosacranoid · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 June 2020, 16:53:36 »

I remeber going there once. we went to the autoshow and then over the the center to blow some stuff up. it was in north pier and it was dark in the building and mars racing was across the hall.

Wrangler · « **Reply #5 on:** 13 June 2020, 17:53:15 »

Quote from: ckosacranoid on 13 June 2020, 16:53:36

I remeber going there once. we went to the autoshow and then over the the center to blow some stuff up. it was in north pier and it was dark in the building and mars racing was across the hall.

That's cool. I was luck my liberty lasted long enough for me to get there and play. I have video of the game play but it's on VHS. I don't think i can find something to digitize it. XD

elf25s · « **Reply #6 on:** 13 June 2020, 18:05:16 »

Quote from: Wrangler on 13 June 2020, 17:53:15

That's cool. I was luck my liberty lasted long enough for me to get there and play. I have video of the game play but it's on VHS. I don't think i can find something to digitize it. XD

vhs converters are cheap and do use usb ports and are about 12 to 15 usd and editor programs can up the resolution from 240dps to something higher...

CrossfirePilot · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 June 2020, 19:13:12 »

I remember reading about them in Popular Science and they way it sounded was there was going to be one in every major mall arcade. Sadly I never saw them come to the Twin Cities area.

Luciora · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 June 2020, 20:09:22 »

I dearly missed the ones in Walnut Creek and Milpitas. There was a rumor they were supposed to return to the Dave and Busters in Milpitas at one point as well

elf25s · « **Reply #9 on:** 14 June 2020, 00:32:00 »

supposedly dave and busters in NYC on 42nd street right out the door from port authority bus terminal has 4 of the tesla pods

Bosefius · « **Reply #10 on:** 14 June 2020, 07:08:13 »

Quote from: Luciora on 13 June 2020, 20:09:22

I dearly missed the ones in Walnut Creek and Milpitas. There was a rumor they were supposed to return to the Dave and Busters in Milpitas at one point as well

That's interesting because Chuck E Cheese received a very basic version of the pods. The seat moved, it was mechwaeeii on a gymbal that would throw you around and it was surrounded by yellow clear plastic. It has multiple games built in, along with "MechWarrior" it had "Crimson Skies" and other games. One may have been the Mars racing game the pods, it's been a while.

elf25s · « **Reply #11 on:** 14 June 2020, 11:13:04 »

Quote from: Bosefius on 14 June 2020, 07:08:13

That's interesting because Chuck E Cheese received a very basic version of the pods. The seat moved, it was mechwaeeii on a gymbal that would throw you around and it was surrounded by yellow clear plastic. It has multiple games built in, along with "MechWarrior" it had "Crimson Skies" and other games. One may have been the Mars racing game the pods, it's been a while.

the pod you speak of is also available on e bay for about 3k and i came across one on craiglist in NY and PA area either for trade or for 3k \
funny i posted about it about 3 weeks back on fb in classic bt page

Force of Nature · « **Reply #12 on:** 17 June 2020, 14:07:01 »

Quote from: Bosefius on 14 June 2020, 07:08:13

One may have been the Mars racing game the pods, it's been a while.

The "Mars racing game" was Red Planet.

My favorite track to play in Red Planet was the Ottobahn because it was the longest and fastest track with a tricky choke-point...
because I designed it that way. ;)

ANS Kamas P81 · « **Reply #13 on:** 17 June 2020, 17:03:57 »

I miss playing Martian Football.

garhkal · « **Reply #14 on:** 18 June 2020, 03:13:20 »

Quote from: Bosefius on 14 June 2020, 07:08:13

That's interesting because Chuck E Cheese received a very basic version of the pods. The seat moved, it was mechwaeeii on a gymbal that would throw you around and it was surrounded by yellow clear plastic. It has multiple games built in, along with "MechWarrior" it had "Crimson Skies" and other games. One may have been the Mars racing game the pods, it's been a while.

What few arcade like facilities i've seen, no longer have the game i like. GAUNTLET..

Daryk · « **Reply #15 on:** 18 June 2020, 04:08:07 »

Gauntlet was awesome! 8)

elf25s · « **Reply #16 on:** 18 June 2020, 09:13:22 »

gauntlet the second friendship killer after mario bros

Daryk · « **Reply #17 on:** 18 June 2020, 15:13:06 »

Never had that problem with my friends...

garhkal · « **Reply #18 on:** 18 June 2020, 15:31:09 »

Quote from: Daryk on 18 June 2020, 04:08:07

Gauntlet was awesome! 8)

Still is, if you can find one...

Hell, if i won even a 10k lottery scratcher, i'd go out and BUY a console..

Daryk · « **Reply #19 on:** 18 June 2020, 15:56:15 »

Heh... with only a 10K one, I'd never get it past my wife... Now, a proper multi-million dollar lottery, on the other hand... ^-^

House Davie Merc · « **Reply #20 on:** 18 June 2020, 18:48:46 »

Did they say a whole 32 Megs of RAM ?

It's surreal how far we've come since I
desperately wanted to travel
so far to get in one of those .

CrossfirePilot · « **Reply #21 on:** 18 June 2020, 19:34:26 »

Yeah that was probably back when a Meg of ram cost about $200.

elf25s · « **Reply #22 on:** 18 June 2020, 21:12:47 »

Quote from: garhkal on 18 June 2020, 15:31:09

Still is, if you can find one...

Hell, if i won even a 10k lottery scratcher, i'd go out and BUY a console..

well one up arcades supposedly has one on the burner so 300 to 500 bucks for one of their cabinets...btw star wars trilogy one of theirs is about 250 usd

DOC_Agren · « **Reply #23 on:** 02 August 2020, 20:35:27 »

We had something like that but it didn't "close up" around you in Maine at the Maine Mall that had I think "Mechwarrior" and Crimson Sky. I sucked piloting a mech did good flying go figure.

Renard · « **Reply #24 on:** 02 August 2020, 21:58:56 »

God I miss the 80s. Everything about those videos brought tears to my eyes.

elf25s · « **Reply #25 on:** 02 August 2020, 23:24:00 »

Quote from: Renard on 02 August 2020, 21:58:56

God I miss the 80s. Everything about those videos brought tears to my eyes.

i definetly do not miss the hair...nor explosion of rap music...

Nightlord01 · « **Reply #26 on:** 03 August 2020, 05:30:59 »

Quote from: elf25s on 02 August 2020, 23:24:00

i definetly do not miss the hair...nor explosion of rap music...

Lots of things I don't miss about the 80's, and lots of things I do miss.

Have to admit, the 90's was the best decade for me, joined the Navy, met my wife, my entire family was still alive, that sort of thing...

Don't know about the US, but in Australia the Intensity centres that ran Virtual World entertainment here were still in business until 2004, another good thing about the 90's. :)

Wrangler · « **Reply #27 on:** 03 August 2020, 06:52:45 »

I noticed alot businesses survive outside the US, when in the US it goes away.

I wonder what happened to the pods in Aussie. I'm not going try to think what happened to the ones in Japan, since they're more likely have turn-over things more quickly than most places I've been commercially.

Nightlord01 · « **Reply #28 on:** 03 August 2020, 07:34:46 »

Pretty sure the VWE pods were returned when the license lapsed, so they would have been sent to Microsoft for disposal.

Noting how old the technology was, it's highly unlikely they ended up being scrapped. :-(

elf25s · « **Reply #29 on:** 03 August 2020, 11:44:11 »

Quote from: Nightlord01 on 03 August 2020, 07:34:46

Pretty sure the VWE pods were returned when the license lapsed, so they would have been sent to Microsoft for disposal.

Noting how old the technology was, it's highly unlikely they ended up being scrapped. :-(

speaking of microsoft does any one know what ever happened to battletech 3025? i had made no ireoads or even know who knows in MS what ever happened to it