GUEST COMMENTARY
COMMENT ARY
GUEST
A decade
change:
A
decade of
of cha
nge:
Are things
things really
really different?
different1
Are
by Roger
Roger C.
C. Sharpe
Sharpe
by
Maybe it's
it's because
I'm living
out here
here in
in the
the
Maybe
because I'm
living out
wilds
of
Connecticut
that
I've
had
a
chance
to
take
a
wilds of Connecticut that I've had a chance to take a
very
removed
look
at
the
industry.
And
what
I
have
very removed look at the industry. And what I have
seen is
is a
a sorry
sorry state
state of
of affairs
affairs that
that doesn't
doesn 't look
look to
to be
be
seen
getting
any
better.
There
are
some
reasons
for
that
getting any better. There are some reasons for that
observation that
that I I hope
will read
read and
and truly
truly
observation
hope everyone
everyone will
understand
.
understand.
When I I lived
in New
York City
it was
to take
take
When
lived in
New York
City it
was easy
easy to
for
granted
the
half
dozen
arcades
I
had
to
choose
for granted the half dozen arcades I had to choose
from . I I could
to the
the other
other and
only
from.
could go
go from
from one
one to
and not
not only
check
out
the
action,
but
also
the
latest
equipment.
check out the action, but also the latest equipment.
And every
down inside,
inside, I I felt
bit of
And
every time
time, , deep
deep down
felt a a bit
of satis-
satis-
faction
and
pride
because
of
my
involvement
in the
the
faction and pride because of my involvement in
1976
legislation
in
New
York
that
paved
the
way
for
1976 legislation in New York that paved the way for
pinball
to
be
operated
and
for
all
that
followed
as
a
pinball to be operated and for all that followed as a
result.
result.
But maybe
maybe that
is part
part of
But
that is
of the
the sudden
sudden realization
realization
I've had.
had . For
For more
more than
than 10
10 years
years I I have
have been
been
I've
wrapped
up
in
this
industry,
carrying
such
labels
as
wrapped up in this industry, carrying such labels as
diehard fan,
fan, journalist,
journalist, book
book author,
coin-
diehard
author, historian,
historian, coin-
op expert
of sorts,
game designer,
designer, game
op
expert of
sorts, game
game critic,
critic, and
and a a
slew of
slew
of others
others. . Through
Through everything,
everything, my
my enthusiasm
enthusiasm
and dedication
dedication to
to the
the industry
industry haven't
haven 't diminished;
diminished ;
and
in fact,
fact, they
they have
have probably
probably increased
increased even
even though
though
in
many of
the individuals
originally met
met back
back in
in the
the
many
of the
individuals I I originally
mid-'70s are
around. The
The industry
industry has
mid-'70s
are no
no longer
longer around.
has
some magical
some
magical power
power over
over me
me that
that has
has kept
kept me
me
mesmerized
and
always
wishing
that
sometime
mesmerized and always wishing that sometime I I
might be
able to
to do
do more
more for
might
be able
for the
the business
business than
than I I
have.
have.
The problem
problem is
is that
that it
it has
has been
been so
so easy
easy to
to lose
lose
The
sight
of
the
critical
issues
that
really
have
never
sight of the critical issues that really have never
82
82
been resolved,
resolved , even
even though
th ough since
since I've
I've been
been
been
watching
the
industry
much
of
what
has
happened
watching the industry much of what has happened
has been
look at
in
has
been good
good. . If If yo
you u look
at the
the growth
growth of
of pinball
pinball in
the
late
'70s,
all
the
advancements
were
remarkable
the late '70s, all the advancements were remarkable
and poised
industry for
real steamroller
attack .
and
poised the
the industry
for a a real
steamroller attack.
And
,
thanks
to
the
video
explosion
,
the
attack
led to
to
And, thanks to the video explosion, the attack led
the
emergence
of
co
in-op
entertainment
as
really
the emergence of coin-op entertainment as really
big business.
shows, and
big
business. Movies,
Movies, books,
books, television
television shows,
and
all
the
trappings
of
success
celebrated
the
industry.
all the trappings of success celebrated the industry.
Then the
the inevitable
inevitable downslide
downslide began.
began . I I don't
don't
Then
think
anyone
in
his
ri
ght
mind
could
have
thought
think anyone in his right mind could have thought
the gravy
gravy train
train would
would last
last forever.
forever . It
for
the
It never
never has
has for
any
other
industry
w
ith
a
phenomenal
stretch
of
any other industry with a phenomenal stretch of
success
.
Besides,
the
public
will
always
be
fickle
in
success. Besides, the public will always be fickle in
its
passion
for
a
prevailing
fad
.
Coin-op
was
no
its passion for a prevailing fad. Coin-op was no
different. The
The belt
belt tightening
ti ghten ing started,
started , and
and many
many had
had
different.
second thoughts
second
thoughts about
about the
the general
general health
health and
and stay-
stay-
ing power
power of
of the
the industry
industry and
and the
the need
need for
for leisure-
leisure-
ing
time entertainment
ines of
time
entertainment mach
machines
of any
any kind.
kind.
Nevertheless, some
some shining
shi ning lights
lights decided
dec ided to
to
Nevertheless,
persevere, not
ill ing to
coin-
persevere,
not w
willing
to give
give up
up the
the dream
dream that
that coin-
op could
could and
and would
wou ld always
always have
have a
a place
place for
for the
the next
next
op
generation . The
The rebuild
ing process
process began
began slowly
slowly
generation.
rebuilding
and steadily,
steadily , bring
ing us
and
bringing
us to
to a a stage
stage in
in which
which the
the
industry isn't
isn 't that
that bad
bad off.
off.
industry
Or is
is it?
it?
Or
That's part
part of
of the
the point
point I I want
want to
to get
get across,
across, that
that
That's
the developments
developments of
of the
the past
decade were
were directly
the
past decade
directly
attributable to
icular games.
was never
attributable
to part
particular
games. It It was
never the
the
industry
as
a
who
le
that
commanded
all
the
industry as a whole that commanded all the atten-
atten-
tion , but
he all
ure and
tion,
but rather
rather t the
allure
and gaudiness
gaudiness of
of pinball
pinball
machines
with
a
Hugh
Hefner
on
the
backglass,
or
machines with a Hugh Hefner on the backglass, or
PLAY METER,
METER. June
June 15,
15, 1986
1986
PLAY