34

This is the question...in question.

Arqade is an exchange about video games and the question certainly is about one, just on the hardware end.

5
  • 9
    I don't think it should have been closed: meta.gaming.stackexchange.com/questions/2148/…
    – Invader Skoodge
    Dec 21, 2016 at 2:27
  • 7
    Also, our on-topic help page states that questions about "Game-specific hardware and utilities" are on-topic, which a gamepad certainly qualifies as.
    – Wipqozn Mod
    Dec 21, 2016 at 2:31
  • 3
    My apologies, I screwed up here!
    – fredley
    Dec 21, 2016 at 9:41
  • 1
    "Any other 6-player, dual screen games out there?" That's the only reason why it should have been closed.
    – Mazura
    Dec 22, 2016 at 23:57
  • I don't frequent here much, but i do on other stacks. I don't care much for this question because it seems more like a shopping question than asking for technical information, and the dual monitor mirroring part seems like a separate question.
    – DForck42
    Jan 3, 2017 at 22:25

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
26

How does my question about my arcade machine not fit in Arqade?

That's a very good question, because as far as I can tell your question is a perfect fit for Arqade. As the On Topic page of our help center clearly outlines questions about "Game-specific hardware and utilities" are on-topic (emphasis mine):

What topics can I ask about here?

Arqade is for passionate videogamers from all platforms, including consoles, computers, handhelds, and mobile devices. If your question generally covers things such as …

  • Gameplay strategies and tactics
  • Puzzle solving or obstacle clearing
  • Game mechanics and terminology
  • Plot and characters in games
  • Game-specific hardware and utilities

JAMME certainly falls under "Game-specific hardware" since it's an Arcade board which, as far as I can tell, is used exclusively for Arcade Cabinets. From jammaboards.com:

The JAMMA standard was invented in 1985; any game older than this will not be JAMMA. JAMMA (Japan Arcade Machine Manufacturers' Association) is a standard 56-way connector used on many arcade boards to simplify conversion of cabinets from one game to another. The majority of newer games use a subset of this pinout. Some games (i.e., Street Fighter) which need extra buttons have extra connectors for these additional controls. The JAMMA connector has a .156" pin spacing edge connector (male on the game board).

Honestly, if this doesn't count as Gaming Specific harware, then I'm honestly not sure what does. Sure, Electronics.SE could cover this too, but that doesn't suddenly make it off-topic here.

The only problem with your question was the part asking for a list of 6-player Arcade games, but that wasn't why your question was closed, and I've already edited it out. So as far as I'm concerned your question should be re-opened.

16
  • 1
    I disagree entirely with this. Since when do we get into electronic engineering and what bits are compatible with others?
    – Frank
    Dec 21, 2016 at 2:51
  • 7
    We have plenty of questions asking about controller compatibility. Here are just a few examples.
    – Wipqozn Mod
    Dec 21, 2016 at 3:00
  • 1
    None of those require rewiring or unplugging things from a circuit board.
    – Frank
    Dec 21, 2016 at 3:00
  • 15
    @Frank So what?
    – Invader Skoodge
    Dec 21, 2016 at 3:03
  • 1
    @StrixVaria So since when do we get into electronic engineering? Seriously. What does this have to do with playing games? You might want to play games with this equipment, but it still doesn't require gamer expertise to perform these actions. In fact, this is literally the opposite of such.
    – Frank
    Dec 21, 2016 at 3:04
  • 13
    Technically, every time I unplug my Mega Drive controller, I'm unplugging it from a circuit board. </pedant>
    – Robotnik Mod
    Dec 21, 2016 at 3:05
  • 20
    @Frank The subset of people who have expertise on this is arcade proprietors and gaming enthusiasts, not electrical engineers. Our site caters to topics of specific interest to gaming enthusiasts, not necessarily limited only to the actual playing of games.
    – Invader Skoodge
    Dec 21, 2016 at 3:06
  • 4
    @Frank A controller is a pretty key part of playing a game. Plus, as the On Topic page outlines, our scope goes beyond just playing games. Plot and Gaming hardware are two examples.
    – Wipqozn Mod
    Dec 21, 2016 at 3:07
  • 2
    @StrixVaria I really think this isn't anything we have any of the expertise for. It would be way better suited for electronics. We don't have any of the necessary skills to diagnose, troubleshoot, or fix anything that might go wrong. If it doesn't work right, there's nothing we can do to help. That's not expertise. That's sheer straight up luck.
    – Frank
    Dec 21, 2016 at 3:08
  • 2
    @Wipqozn A controller, yes. Changing a controller, even, okay, sure, there are third party ones we use, no big deal. Modifying connections from a circuit board is going to be a little outside our expertise, I feel.
    – Frank
    Dec 21, 2016 at 3:10
  • 5
    @Frank That's not even what's being asked, though. The question is about board compatibility
    – Wipqozn Mod
    Dec 21, 2016 at 3:15
  • 15
    @Frank I've said it to you before, and I'll say it again, just because you may not have experience with arcade cabinets does not exclude the possibility that there are some users on this site that do have that experience.
    – nightsurfer
    Dec 21, 2016 at 19:47
  • 2
    @Kaizerwolf And, again, I'll tell you the same thing: I'm making a distinction between playing games and fixing them. I don't care that you don't like it, but I will continue drawing the line at things outside of actually playing games.
    – Frank
    Dec 21, 2016 at 20:00
  • 8
    @Frank I don't recall it being either of our choices on "drawing a line" like that.
    – nightsurfer
    Dec 21, 2016 at 20:03
  • 4
    If there's a distinction between playing games and fixing them, almost every Creation engine game question needs to be closed. It'd probably be easier to just delete every question with the PC tag and start over. #sarcasm
    – Mazura
    Dec 22, 2016 at 23:55
-20

I feel that modifying arcade cabinets is outside of our level of expertise. Our focus is on game playing, mostly, with a little bit of dabbling in consoles and associated hardware.

The hardware in use for arcade cabinets is going to be rather custom work; each game is going to use different bits and pieces, and I suspect even the same game will have different hardware between different revisions. While help with the game itself is something we can easily help with, once you open the cabinet, we're outside our depth. We don't help with modifying PS3s, XBoxs, Wiis, or any other console; we can barely help fix them, and generally answer with, "Take them to a service center." I'm not sure why cabinets should be different.

Knowing which boards are compatible with a specific set of hardware isn't a gaming skill, not in any sense; it requires a level of knowledge in electronic engineering well outside our controller plug and play methodology. For example, if a third party controller didn't work, there's nothing we could do to diagnose or fix this issue; that's outside what we can expect a gamer to know. Sure, there might be one or two of us that actually could answer that, but that's incidental knowledge, at best.

3
  • 9
    The question isn't about modding a cabinet. It's a question about what JAMMA compatible boards will work with the cabinet, and if screen mirroring will occur.
    – Devar-TTY
    Dec 21, 2016 at 3:57
  • Yes, and that requires in-depth knowledge of how the hardware works to be able to answer.
    – Frank
    Dec 21, 2016 at 4:23
  • 12
    Not really. A JAMMA harness is pretty much plug and play.
    – Devar-TTY
    Dec 21, 2016 at 11:36

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .