Thank you everyone! These comments are great and will certainly make for a better museum next year.
Thank you everyone! These comments are great and will certainly make for a better museum next year.
. . . . .
Last edited by bohproper; 08-11-2010 at 04:55 PM.
I try to keep up with this on my items (mostly the handheld games display, but I had a few other things scattered around the room). Since I knew I'd be 'finding' things up to the last minute, I started printing my own cards out just so I'd have some info with them...
But I did notice that a lot of the cards (even some of my own) would just have a title. 'Rare 2600 variation' or something. I try to include a little paragraph describing the item, I think the cards for the CGE owned museum should be updated at least to include some more info... If someone brings something, and no info is provided, it's hard to know what to put on the card I'd imagine... Unless there's a website about it or something.
Sadly, the color Vec is in a temporary state of not-working... It needs a new high-voltage transformer for the CRT, but it's a different one than a normal Vec, and I've had a hard time finding one. I'm pretty sure I can get one that will simply power the tube, but it may not react properly to the circuitry to actually change colors. But I do think it's time to get it working again... If I get lucky, maybe in time for next year...
These are cool, but they are difficult to transport (esp for people driving in cars or flying). I have a Dreamcast kiosk I was going to bring, but I couldn't fit it in the car... I'll get a bigger vehicle next year!
Yeah, the large cards don't work with stuff crammed in the glass cases... Maybe we should have a smaller format card for the cases or something. At the very least, put a little number on/next to each item, and then a description list next to the case.
Was the Vectrex on in the museum? I honestly can't remember now, but we usually have one turned on. (Of course, there was a playable one in the main room... )
I think if we were to try this, there should be one table (or one corner, etc) with stuff that 'can be touched'. Maybe some of the old magazines and books could be put there as well, if the owners don't mind them being pawed through... But touchable items throughout the museum is probably not a good idea. That way it's easy to see if someone even reaches for the table, you know they are doing something wrong.
Space permitting, it would be neat to start each section with the final retail version. For Atari 2600 (for example), have a normal 2600 and it's box (maybe powered up on a TV) showing what everyone remembers having in their living room (this could even be a good place the kiosk if one is available). Follow that with tables of rarities and prototypes, etc... I think it's a good idea to show/remind everyone what we actually owned, and what it took to get there (or where it might have gone).
And we definitely need to find a way to hang things on the walls! We also had some mobiles or other hanging displays, it would be neat if those could be assembled and hung from the ceiling somehow (assuming the hotel wouldn't freak out...) Non-destructive of course, but there has to be a way...
Rik
I really liked the museum this year
Our radio show recently attended MAGFEST in the D.C. area, which has over 3,000 attendees, 110 games in the arcade and a 10,000sqft console room. The event is massive to say the least. Since I live only an hour away MAGFEST sent a big rig to my house and I provided 25 games and 5 pins sponsored by our show. For the museum I provided my Pong and Computer Space. The museum is pretty new to them and I wrote up some feedback and I used CGE as a model for museums. Their main failing was security and I made it clear that I would bring something big, but nothing that could be carried out unless they get to CGE standards. So all things considered the CGE museum is the model.
It is my understanding that CGE owns or posses in storage a Computer Space. I have done restorations on this game (you can see mine in the pics I attached the link for) and can offer to do what I can to get the CGE Computer Space in museum condition. There are allot of unknowns but if I can get as much info and pics as possible I can come up with a plan. I usually arrive quite a few days before CGE and could dedicate some time to this.
http://www.retrogamingroundup.com/images/magfest/
-Scott
Last edited by RetroGaming Roundup; 02-02-2011 at 06:24 AM.