(Co11tinuedjrom pap,t• 5 9)
for your very own
a kutz-kasch
logic testet
Techs, distribs, operators, here is
your chance.
The good that names do is oft
interred in their syllables.
And if you think an operator 's ,
arcade's or other coin-op amusement
business captures business because
of its moniker, send it to the Name of
the Game contest in care of Name of
the Game, Play Meter, P.O. Box
24170, New Orleans, La. 70184.
originality is the k e y
All entries will be judged by the Play
Meter staff, their pet flies, wierd
relatives and assorted aliens.
Some entries already under consider-
ation include: Too Bitter, Tex. ; Guys
& Dolls, La.; Little Pleasures, Neb. ;
Mushroom Amusements, Pa.; Dad-
dy's Money, S.C.
All entries must be postmarked no
later than Dec. 25, 1975.
60
game . Having an original game that isn't on the
market yeti a good drawing factor.
PLAYMETER: On the average, how long does it
tak for a machine to get back into operation once it
is malfunctioning?
CALFIN: On the average, in an arcade that handles
25 to 30 machines, we will have two machine go
down a day. orne days you may have six down,
others only one. We have it et up so that our
mechanic allot hi time equally to all arcades and is
at each location daily. Our managers are trained to
handle the maller problem . Not only do s our
mechanic rectify any malfunctions of the game, he
a! o follow a program of preventive maintenance.
Every "X" amount of plays, each machine
und rgoes a complete checkover. In that way, we
can pick up defective parts that are about to go
without putting the machines out of commission at
all. We are always getting comments from our
players that they enjoy playing our games because
they are alway so well-maintained.
It come down to the fact that the pinball players
who are there on a day -to-day basis realize that
they are games of kill and they appreciate a
well-kept piece of equipment. I really wish more
operator would value their machines more than
they do.
PLAYMETER: ince you are about to move into an
enclo ed mall arcade, how do you compare that sort
of operation with the exterior locations?
CALFIN: The enclo ed arcade has many advan-
tage , one of those being heavier traffic coming by
your door. They may not necessarily be coming
there to play arcade pieces. They are coming there
to shop and the arcade is an impulse to them. In
other word , thi i a whole new market of players.
They are being inducted to the ranks of the Flipper
Freaks United without intentionally doing so.
Another plu is that the atmosphere inside a mall
is uch that it create an image of respectability for
the arcade it elf. You are able to install a much
more plu h urrounding because you allow no
moking, food or beverage within it. By setting it
up nicely like that, people's behavior is much better
and you find that your equipment is treated with
more respect. It is a! o beneficial to deal with this
ort of tran ient trade and not count on repeat
bu ine a much. For example, in the college trade
you have the breaks in school during which you lose
your prime clientele for a period. You then have to
cultivate the new tudents into becoming clients.
There are orne negative things, such as higher
rent . Hopefully, the increa e in traffic flow will
offset that.
PLAYMETER: What do you ee for the future of
arcade in Michigan and the U.S.?
CAL FIN: I think the trend of arcades will go
toward the larger hopping centers. They are
getting away from the smaller locations and strip
center . On a national level, I think that the larger
operation will consume the small individual
operation . Related to that i sue, I wish that
manufacturer would get out of the operating
bu ine . I feel t hat they should get out of the retail
end of th bu ines and stick to the wholesale end.