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Between work, musical rehearsals, and having a new dog at home, I really haven't had much time to do anything with the new games yet. In fact, I really haven't had time to do much of anything lately. Even my latest VJ Army score was logged over two weeks ago.

At this point, the new games are still sitting in the garage. I've played them in the garage a couple times before getting in my car to go to work, but that's about it.

Bust-a-Move...well, it's Bust-a-Move. I don't think I need to say much more. However, it should be noted that, as the seventh game in my collection, it's the first to actually have a joystick.

beatmania Core Remix, the eighth game in my collection, is interesting. I've really only played 5-key beatmania a few times in the past. I was quickly reminded that the key spacing on 5-key is much different than IIDX. It's a row of 3 keys and row of 2 instead of 4 and 3. However, the overall width of the 3 keys is about as wide as the IIDX row of 4--likewise between the top rows of each game. As a result, there's a lot more space between the keys. It certainly changes the gameplay mechanics a bit.

Also, as you might be able to discern from the picture, this is a beatmania mini cabinet. It's cute. I think the turntables are actually smaller than those of the IIDX KOCs.



I don't really have a strong interest in 5-key beatmania. I really only got this cabinet because it was a bargain at $410 and for its potential use as a generic Bemani monitor/sound system like I've been using DMX for in the past. This could work out better because it doesn't have the big sensor array in front of it that requires you to stand further back from the monitor if setting up a controller in front of it. Like so...



Also, it could be low enough to actually use as a DrumMania monitor as well. I guess I'll just have to see once I have a chance to get it down to the basement.

With the bump of this topic, I noticed I said I'd post some before/after pictures of the IIDX cabinet...like 3 months ago. I don't really feel like doing a full write-up, but I'll post some of the most notable pictures.

The last stand at Putt-Putt...


BEFORE
AFTER

BEFORE
AFTER

BEFORE
AFTER

Here's all the keys for one side disassembled and cleaned.


BEFORE
AFTER

BEFORE
NEW

Here's just one of the many internal components. I won't post them all, but they were all about as bad.
BEFORE
AFTER


The installed keys are after cleaning, the uninstalled keys are before cleaning. Note how gray, almost white, the smoked keys were before they were cleaned.


The window of the sub enclosure on the right has been cleaned while the left one has not.

Sub enclosure kick plate
BEFORE
AFTER

BEFORE
AFTER
AFTER
AFTER

BEFORE
AFTER

BEFORE
IN PROCESS
AFTER

BEFORE
AFTER

A nice picture of the keys after cleaning.


And finally, the whole machine!


Since that picture was taken the monitor has been remounted to sit higher and closer (more like the original monitor). The wrist rest on the front of the control deck was also reattached and reinforced.


Y'all in Ft. Wayne were pretty hard on that poor machine. There was obviously at least one Coke spilled on the control deck and tons of dust and dirt. There were also some parts that were broken or otherwise cracked or bent. There were also some serious WTF wiring issues that were leading to the horrid sound. Fortunately, most of it wasn't irreparable damage. It just took something like 15-20 hours of work to get everything back into shape.

Thanks to Joe for letting me know the machine was available for sale. Thanks to Zach and Melody for helping me retrieve the machine. Thanks to Brandon for helping me figure out a few of the electronic issues and building me a really awesome CS adapter. And thanks to Heath for helping me get the monitor mounted and fix some of the broken wood parts.

I was a great daddy to my little baby machine! Unfortunately all the gangsta kids that used to come in liked to jump on it and spill their crunk juice all over it. Wiggidy whack fo sho.

Man, my body has a weird shape in this picture. I'm like a broad-shouldered rectangle.

Good call on the NeoGeo cab. All you need are some fun shmups.

So, where on Earth did you get the BM Core Remix cabinent? I'm very curious considering the price you paid for it.

You'd be amazed what you can buy on eBay...

MonMotha wrote:You'd be amazed what you can buy on eBay...

almost makes me wish I had bid on it...we could have had a beatmania machine at the GXS -_-

Merk wrote:Putt-Putt will probably go ahead now and make efforts to get a Drummania machine to replace Beatmania

I.... WISH....


btw.... that's truly amazing what you did to that machine! it was definitely beat up pretty badly...

looks great!