Console Setup in Comic/Card shop? What do you think?

Media Outlet Comic Book Forum
1

We are looking into having our comic and card shop have a Dreamcast and PS3 setup inside so people can play fighting games (only fighting games) in the shop and I’ve got a few issues I’d like opinions on.

Games lineup:
Dreamcast: MvC & MvC2
PS3:SF4, SSF2HD, CvS2, SF:Anniversary, Battle Fantasia, MK vs DC and KoF(latest version here).

Hardware:
Amazon HRAP2 (arrived) w/vermillion Sanwa buttons (ordered 3-31). Total Control Plus adapter for PS2->DC (arrived) and inPin PS2->PS3 adapter (found em, just waiting now). Two of each of the above.
The Sticks:
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...l/CIMG2047.jpg

Price:
Initially I thought $2 for all day. If there are already two people playing add yourself to the queue and play the winner of the match. I don’t know if $2 is too low or not. The gear is expensive and the electricity adds up. I figure if one per day plays, we pay for the electricity and if more than that play, it goes toward paying for the gear. I’ve also entertained ideas of a monthly charge but no idea what that would come out to be. $20-30 for a month?

Rules rough draft:

  1. You may bring your own controller if you like.
  2. Abuse of the equipment will cost you your privlidge to play for the day, week, month or indefinitely @ the discretion of Drom’s Comics & Cards.
  3. The winner of each round may stay on until they have played one full rotation of the line.
  4. Keep the trash-talking fun for everybody. Don’t make it personal and don’t let it be personal.
  5. No betting!
  6. No fighting! If there is a fight, we will call the police and those involved may be banned.

I understand most fighting game enthusiasts have these games at home, but not everybody has access to a good stick and a variety of opponents (minus online matches with a bit of lag).

Compiling rules at the moment. Input is appreciated!

Edit: Just picked up a 60gb PS3 last night for $180. Has a bad laser but there is a shop in Fairfield I ordered a new laser from. Should be here tomorrow or Wed. In the mean time I’ll get some SF2HD downloaded on it. Still not charging a fee as of yet. I don’t feel it’s worth paying money for without the PS3 and SF4.

2

I am not a business man so I don’t know how to address how it would affect your profit margins. It sounds like something that might be a fun idea, and if it attracts people to your store, why not? (Unless everyone who shows up only pays 2 bucks to play games all day and completely ignores your comics and cards - or worse, they browse through your products while they wait for their turns and leave everything in total disarray.)

Also, your shop is in Davis, CA? I used to live there. Are you at Bizarro World or at the new shop?

3

We are the new shop, Drom’s Comics & Cards. I used to work for Dan and a few of us got together to open Drom’s after having issues with the old regime.

4

Don’t have any advice since I’ve never heard of anything like this. Except for maybe some comic book stores that had arcade machines back in the day. Forbidden Planet in NYC used to have MVC2 and SFA3. Me and some friends had lots of fun way back when and we used to beat the guys that worked in the store for kicks! It was pretty cool and something else to do on Wednesday nights other than the weekly ritual of buying comics. Especially if it was one of those nights where you walked into the store and none of the books you picked up regularly came out.

Sounds like a fun idea. Not sure if you need MVC1 if you have MVC2, especially since it will be mainly for 2 player competition I’m assuming. On the flip side it will be good to have another Marvel based game in a comic book store I suppose. Ah well, see how it goes and let us know. :smile:

5

somebody brought in their 360 with two sticks and SF4 on friday night and it was a hit. I just ordered a pair of the amazon orange HRAP 2 sticks and adapters for DC and PS3. I just need a spare PS3 and some vermillion obsf-30’s now and I’m good to go…