Hey all,

I'll be back in the area next week and I'll take a look at the left arrow.

Also, just a friendly reminder: It is not safe to assume that I will see maintenance requests that are sent anywhere except to my forum account via PM. I specifically have my e-mail rigged up to give me notifications of PMs, whereas if you just post in this thread, I might not have time to check, and if you text message me I may simply not be checking.

Also, please refrain from "talking shop" to me via my Facebook user account at all; I don't want to mix work and my personal life.

Hey, just wanted to bring this up again to see if anything has changed since last year.  I had asked about turning on No Fail mode at ACME and the answer was "no settings on the machine will be changed at this time."  However, I noticed recently the single song cutoff length got extended, so I was hoping we might get No Fail turned on as well.

Hi! I'm sorry for missing this. Cxxxx PM'd me exactly like he was supposed to, but for some reason the e-mail notification didn't come through. I'll be monitoring a lot more closely now that I know that this is an issue.

The single song cutoff length wasn't supposed to be extended; this is the first I've heard about this and probably has to do with Tony adding a new theme to the machine. I'll ask him about that.

Regardless, the single song cutoff being extended, were it intentional, would actually make it LESS likely that we'd turn No Fail on, since both of these things make people's sets longer and when combined allow for players to play sets far longer than the original game had the capability for.

On another note, I still need to find people who are available to test the pads. A few weeks ago I messed with the left arrow (the tape had slipped off and I put it back) and it seemed to be working okay, but I only play lower difficulty charts, so I basically can't test pad performance on 12s +.

Would anyone be available to meet me at ACME next Thursday night (July 30th, I believe?) to help me figure out what would make the pads better for higher level players?

Just the song-extension is good enough and let's keep it pls
It helps some of us feel like we're less likely to waste rounds if we end up not performing well on a 2-rounder. Plus, it's annoying when some 2-rounders are literally 1 second too long of the cutoff. 3-rounders can probably be set back down to 6 minutes though.

Also, I unfortunately work everyday but I have Friday off so I was planning on asking you if we could meet up to fix the pads. But I'd also like there to be a third person - preferably the more common-sized adult player. I'm afraid the pads have become conditioned to just my play style - a 100lb kid playing 15s in his socks. This is not a good thing. Booregaurd couldn't pass a 12 here, so it may be an issue, although it also could've been he's conditioned to the Narrows pads.

I plan on playing all day at ACME on Friday and fixing up both the pads and if no one shows up I may just, at the least, get P1 started on modding. I haven't even started. I work at ACME now so they're more comfortable with my messing with the machine lool. Hopefully they don't ask me to work that day because I need to train for spergin5 smh.

Are you talking about this Friday? I was planning on not doing pad work until after SMH because I'm super busy preparing for out-of-town visitors until then, but if you could meet me at like 11 I could help you in the late morning/early afternoon. Would need to be done and home by 2 PM.

Yeah, this Friday because that's literally my only day off for the rest of the month. I'm willing to try to make it by opening if you are.

Yeah, opening is the only time I'd be able to go for it to even work, since I only have a couple of hours and can't afford to risk becoming stuck in traffic on the way back.

I'll plan on being there from 11-2 tomorrow as long as you confirm before I'd leave.

I just wanted to say that the ITG machine looks spiffy. Thank you guys & gals for maintaining and upgrading it.

Edit: Also wanted to ask what themes are on the ITG machine?

So the last time I was able to play on an ITG machine was probably 7-8 years ago.  I found out on Wednesday by some stroke of luck that there was a machine here so I stopped by to check it out.  It felt so good to play on a machine again!  Only played one set of 3 songs and attempted Driven (failed on Energizer, but it's been years so it's fine) since I didn't bring water or anything.  I met 2 guys there who pointed me to this site - wish I had known about it earlier!  Thanks for the referral guys.

I've been updating the modding for both P1 & p2 to about a decent basic level so it's neither too flushed nor craters. Feedback much appreciated pls, so far I've only been able to test with a 100lb powder-sock-streamer - me.

So Z-i-V has the DDRX3 gone at Acme.   Did Narrows get Acme's machine?  Does Narrows have two DDR machines now?

Yes, X3 had to leave Acme.  It was the slowest game in the entire arcade, sadly.  So yes, went to Narrows, but the Super Nova 2 at Narrows went to Daffodil Bowl in Puyallup.

Narrows currently has X3 and a custom ITG. 

That's a shame. I'm always curious about why a certain game does poorly at certain locations.

Does anyone still care about the ITG pads/want me to do anything specific to them? I have a bunch of time next week.

My availability next week:

Thursday after my court meeting beginning at 1pm
Friday at opening
Saturday opening

That's if anyone still thinks we need some more work

So, I'm guessing there won't be any work.

Anyway, starting next Thursday, I have every Thursday off from now on, hopefully. If you are still able to meet me to do some modding, pease do come on a Thursday.

I'd also like the pack list to be updated, there hasn't been anything new for a while.

Hey, stopped by ACME last night and just wanted to remind anyone who still plays here to be conscientious of powder-pocolypse.  There was baby powder spilled everywhere last night which is completely unacceptable.  It was even seeping into the brackets.  Please please please clean up after yourselves.

FUCKING GOD

I TYPED UP A LONG THING ABOUT SHIT AND I SUDDENLY LOST CONNECTION AS I HIT POST AND IT'S GONE

I'm not even going to try to rewrite my entire essay nor keep it polite.

This is what I'm going to say

Pads are poorly maintained because no one can get into them because they have no permission but Laura and Tony
I also have not seen a new pack in months
And now people are leaving a mess? I clean up my baby powder
Managers at ACME are also getting on my ass about the FP Judgment font, because people are seeing "NIGGA WHAT!" Because they only ever see me as the regular in the arcade, they think I can fix this shit myself. They saw a few guys playing and using the FP font. None of that is my fault at all. Change the damn metrics in the Groovenights theme.

This is all shit we can easily fix, particularly the programming and content stuff, but only the owners can get into it, and we haven't had very much response.

I'm fucking tired of this shit, we need people who are more attentive to this old game that no one even plays anymore, or just pull the machine out whether it's due to the offensive content or the lack of interest.

I'd rather we pull it out because I'm the only one who cares about playing ITG anymore anyway. Who the hell gives a fuck about what I want? No one else plays this, why should I?

Look at me, I'm pissed off about a video game, but who cares. It's not your problem.

Get mad at me, everyone, because I'm just done. I'm the stupid kid who thinks he can keep an old game alive.

I'm dead wrong.

No one gives a shit because we're all adults with responsibilities and life problems.

All I'm trying to do is have fun while I'm living but I really can't, so I'm giving up with this cabinet.

(brief laugh must be given for Chris' use of the term powder-pocolypse)

I completely agree with Kevin about the ITG cab needing regular maintenance attention of some kind. I'd also agree with you that a few more people are dropping off the ITG scene almost entirely, but the reason they've told me is because of either poor machine condition or the feeling of a lack of communication/feedback from the owners.

The restrictions on who can do stuff to the machine was from ACME's management, not Bill, though I get the impression the only reason that happened is because of random people thinking people were doing stuff to the machine that they weren't supposed to.

The reason I quit showing up is the stamina players unilaterally decided the pads should be modded to their liking -- alienating me and half of the other players in the process -- and then the modding ended up requiring a ton of upkeep on top of that. As far as I'm concerned, you reap what you sow.

As long as we're not keeping it polite, you caused this. I am past the point of caring about the machine or trying to fix it, but I want you to understand the cause and effect at play here.

(Borrowing from BflySamurai's post)

Can't we all just go back to having fun playing dance games!?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Obse93e2GM

P.S. I agree that better attention needs to be given to the ITG machine. New content/packs aside, fixing the "Nigga what" thing is probably important, as is regular maintenance items.

KLOC, I understand you get passionate about this, but just remember that moderation and reason gets a lot more respect than aggression and swearing. Although I admit the later gets MUCH more attention.

I will agree that the non-hardcore regulars are all but gone now. I think the large fracas that happened last year (or was it two years back?) just made a lot of players feel like this community wasn't for "them" anymore. If the only people who play at Acme anymore are the hardcore, then they should get the pads the way they want them, maintenance headaches and all. Let Chris or one of them get back in charge of maintaining it.

Hopefully Bill will be able to offer some feedback on how we can reach a resolution to the issues here.

(Borrowing from BflySamurai's post)

Can't we all just go back to having fun playing dance games!?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Obse93e2GM

P.S. I agree that better attention needs to be given to the ITG machine. New content/packs aside, fixing the "Nigga what" thing is probably important, as is regular maintenance items.

OrangeChicken; I understand you get passionate about this, but just remember that tempered and collected reasoning gets a lot more respect than aggression and swearing. Although I admit the later gets MUCH more attention.

Just so you know, I've been playing this game since 2002. Believe me, no matter how horrible you think the Acme machine is, I'm sure the places I used to regularly play at were far, FAR worse. Try and be happy you at least have something to play on that doesn't miss every 10th step. I feel sorry for the poor souls in Portland. I don't think they have a half-decent 4 panel game within an hour drive of them.

Also, I will agree that the non-hardcore regulars are all but gone now. I think the large fracas that happened last year (or was it two years back?) just made a lot of players feel like this community wasn't for "them" anymore. If the only people who play at Acme anymore are the hardcore, then they should get the pads the way they want them, maintenance headaches and all. Let Chris or one of them get back in charge of maintaining it.

Hopefully Bill will be able to offer some feedback on how we can reach a resolution to the issues here.

I can go to Thursday and work on the pads. I was just made aware of this problem via PM (the only way I take messages about the pads, as has always been the case) today. That's really not bad turnaround time.

People occasionally complain about the pads but can never work with me to find a non-weekend time to meet up (taking the machine down over the weekend is a problem because of revenue. Casuals are there on the weekend and don't care about the pads, so pad work should be done on weekdays when the cabinet isn't getting play anyway.)

To the guy who messaged me: When do you want to meet on Thursday?

To everyone else: If you wanna meet on Thursday and give input about the pads, that would be awesome!

Thanks Laura, your paycheck will be in the mail.  :-)