Who among you frequents SVGL? Me thinks it'd be pretty cool to hang out there sometime.
I've got long hair and a beard, and i'm usually wearing a black sweater. if you see me there, go ahead and say hi. Just make sure to tell me you're from the boards.
I do.
You'll see me on basically every non-DDR Bemani cabinet there, oftentimes with a friend.
I used to go every weekend for a two months but Xmas is coming around and I just don't have the money nor the time.
I played alot of Maximum Tune v3, Initial D v3, Soul Calibur 3 (BEFORE THEY TOOK IT AWAY :'( ) and IIDX.
Fun place :D
I go every Saturday morning. I might start going on Wednesdays since my classes are coming to an end.
I always whore out WMMT3 whenever I go there, though lately I've been getting back into Initial D 4.
I haven't gone to SVGL for about a year, since I live in Salinas I'll try to see if I go when I have a chance to play some fighting games.
Quote from: G.S. LXVIII on December 03, 2007, 11:55:45 PM
I go every Saturday morning. I might start going on Wednesdays since my classes are coming to an end.
I always whore out WMMT3 whenever I go there, though lately I've been getting back into Initial D 4.
Huh. I just started playing Maximum Tune a few days ago...Maybe I saw you saturday and didn't realize it.
I'll go if I can find Marvel comp. What days are good for finding some?
Eh, the MVC2 scene has died down a bit at SVGL, so I guess any day is as likely to have competition as any other, although wednesday nights have a lot of people at the arcade, so I guess you'd be more likely to get a challenge then.
Quote from: Shinsengumi on December 04, 2007, 01:56:47 AM
I haven't gone to SVGL for about a year, since I live in Salinas I'll try to see if I go when I have a chance to play some fighting games.
Did you go in the morning (between 10am-12pm)? I go there for Arcade Mania ($6 for unlimited gameplay from 9am-12pm).
I haven't been to SVGL for a year! But now since I own IIDX Gold, friends who live close to SF State owns Pop'n Music Adventure, SF State barely upgraded GF/DM (not in the mood to play the latest one), I'm like its really not necessary to go all the way there from SF anymore since I play bemani series strongly here. The next time I do go I just gonna hang out and play few games.
I used to go from time to time to play KoFXI. Now I'm strongly into Melty Blood instead, so I just stay around my school: SJSU. Has anyone seen any KoFXI players around SVGL recently? I wouldn't mind swinging by to play some.
No one in norcal plays MvC2 seriously, go to So Cal... or Seattle...
NO ONE plays KOF 2001 outside of anime people, and Mexicans(It's not as racist as it seems if you actually know the truth behind this statement) in the US.
SVGL in terms of actual real competition, is only good for CvS2. Though, most of the better players don't even go to SVGL anymore.
Quote from: Jun-Watarase on December 05, 2007, 08:58:33 AM
No one in norcal plays MvC2 seriously, go to So Cal... or Seattle...
NO ONE plays KOF 2001 outside of anime people, and Mexicans(It's not as racist as it seems if you actually know the truth behind this statement) in the US.
SVGL in terms of actual real competition, is only good for CvS2. Though, most of the better players don't even go to SVGL anymore.
I know exactly what you're talking about with KOF, i've seen it in action many times before.
As far as competition goes, there's a couple (literally two) of very, very good 3S players. And i've seen a couple pretty good KOF XI players on non-arcade mania days.
I play quite a bit of 3S but not hXc competition style.
I used to challenge EVERYONE at Soul Calibur 3 Arcade Edition until they took the damn machine out.
Quote from: Jun-Watarase on December 05, 2007, 08:58:33 AMNO ONE plays KOF 2001 outside of anime people, and Mexicans(It's not as racist as it seems if you actually know the truth behind this statement) in the US.
Last I checked, 2k1 wasn't XI.
And there was a small KoFXI scene in NorCal a little while back. Maybe, like, a year ago. It was mostly concentrated at SJSU and SFSU, but there were some scattered players worth mentioning who played at, like, New Park in Newark, and the occasional SVGL player. Most of that scene doesn't really seem to play anymore. Some of us moved to Melty. I did. I don't mind tossing the occasional credit into a KoFXI machine these days though and that's why I have to ask.
Quote from: Jun-Watarase on December 05, 2007, 08:58:33 AM
No one in norcal plays MvC2 seriously, go to So Cal... or Seattle...
Uh, ever heard of Chunksta (sp?)? He lives in NorCal as far as I know.
Anyway, anybody going to the tourney this weekend? I wanna go. Games include CvS2, Marvel, T5DR, and 3S.
I found out about it through the SRK Forums.
Quote from: Barnes on December 06, 2007, 12:49:44 AM
Quote from: Jun-Watarase on December 05, 2007, 08:58:33 AM
No one in norcal plays MvC2 seriously, go to So Cal... or Seattle...
Uh, ever heard of Chunksta (sp?)? He lives in NorCal as far as I know.
Anyway, anybody going to the tourney this weekend? I wanna go. Games include CvS2, Marvel, T5DR, and 3S.
I found out about it through the SRK Forums.
Tourney at SVGL? Damn, they need to include Soul Calibur 3 in tournament games... I feel left out.
T_T
Chunksta, the Lew brothers... that's about all I can think of.
Hmmm, I feel like going now, wonder if I can make it out there. If for anything to see some people.
Home to Tekken. lol. The gaming scene there is better than the Golfland by Oakridge, so it's pretty cool.
The Tekken scene is better at SVGL than MGL and wayyyy better than SJGL.
Im ranked like 5th on the Soul Calibur 3 machine at MGL with Mitsurugi and I have beaten the 1st ranked person.
The 3S scene is better at MGL in my opinion. Usually during arcade mania days 3S gets more played at MGL.
I used to spend alot... ALOT of time at MGL (almost every Thursday during JR and SR year of high school).
SJGL fails at everything lol.
QFT.
Also, I was there yesterday. One-handed Space Waltz hyper is not as ridiculously easy as a Nico player made it look, but it was pretty exhilarating nonetheless. Took me three tries to pass.
Quote from: Barnes on December 06, 2007, 12:49:44 AM
Quote from: Jun-Watarase on December 05, 2007, 08:58:33 AM
No one in norcal plays MvC2 seriously, go to So Cal... or Seattle...
Uh, ever heard of Chunksta (sp?)? He lives in NorCal as far as I know.
Anyway, anybody going to the tourney this weekend? I wanna go. Games include CvS2, Marvel, T5DR, and 3S.
I found out about it through the SRK Forums.
On saturday, i'm assuming?
^Yes.
John Choi, Ricky Ortiz, Chunksta, and other really good players will be there.
Quote from: Chloe on December 06, 2007, 03:40:04 AM
Home to Tekken. lol. The gaming scene there is better than the Golfland by Oakridge, so it's pretty cool.
Bronson and a lot of others occasionally play at SVGL. I need to ask him if he's going actually.
I haven't been to SVGL since.. I can't remember.. :P
Do they still have ParaPara and the other non-DDR games there?
And, any new fighting-games? Maybe if/when Street Fighter 4 appears there, I'll go check it out. :)
As far as I remember, SVGL never had ParaPara. MGL still does though.
Quote from: abcbadcat on December 06, 2007, 11:11:13 PM
As far as I remember, SVGL never had ParaPara. MGL still does though.
Not anymore. They sold the machine. If you want Para para, you have to go to Nickel City in south san jose.
I like going to SVGL. The only thing i play is the star wars arcade machine lol
Quote from: RyuHayabusa on December 06, 2007, 11:16:30 PMIf you want Para para, you have to go to Nickel City in south san jose.
If anybody decides to go there, let me know, and I'll join up. Lol. Too bad that place has NO fighting game comp whatsoever (the machines there aren't up to "standards" shall we say).
As for the tourney at SVGL this Saturday, I'll try and bring a camera to record some Marvel matches, if the players are ok with it.
Quote from: abcbadcat on December 06, 2007, 11:11:13 PM
As far as I remember, SVGL never had ParaPara. MGL still does though.
Back in the para prime, SVGL had it. Some of the best paralists in CA used to frequent the place.
Quote from: Tsubasa on December 07, 2007, 12:01:38 AM
Quote from: abcbadcat on December 06, 2007, 11:11:13 PM
As far as I remember, SVGL never had ParaPara. MGL still does though.
Back in the para prime, SVGL had it. Some of the best paralists in CA used to frequent the place.
Oh really? I never knew lol. My GF used to have over 30 ParaPara routines memorized without the arrows. She plays quite a bit at Fanime and thats the only reason why we used to go to MGL.
I like SVGL more due to the huge selection of music games but... im not very good at IIDX (I can only play 6s) but they took out Soul Calibur 3.
I remember taking my friends during Halloween to SVGL and played ParaPara and then did the same thing Halloween 2005 at Milpitas Golf Land. I'm sure MGL still has PP there, even though I haven't been there for at least 8 months?
Quote from: Eurobeat King on December 07, 2007, 12:19:46 AM
I remember taking my friends during Halloween to SVGL and played ParaPara and then did the same thing Halloween 2005 at Milpitas Golf Land. I'm sure MGL still has PP there, even though I haven't been there for at least 8 months?
Nope.
anyway, if anyone is going to SVGL saturday, I wouldn't mind coming and hanging out. Even if it is just to play the star wars machine, the simpsons game and pinball, lots and lots of pinball lol. anyone has plans?
MGL does have PPP 2nd Mix, I just went there tonight.
Oh, and MGL also got Initial D 4...but dammit, today was unlimited arcade day and they didn't have it on free play T.T
I'm confused. When it comes to MGL and SVGL, which one is better for what games and comp? ???
Quote from: G.S. LXVIII on December 07, 2007, 12:53:40 AM
MGL does have PPP 2nd Mix, I just went there tonight.
Oh, and MGL also got Initial D 4...but dammit, today was unlimited arcade day and they didn't have it on free play T.T
Ah ok. My bad. shows you how long I was there. The last time I was there, I didn't see it. I guess they reinstated it back or something.
Saturday mornings is when they do the unlimited gaming for 3 hours. I forget how much it is though.
Quote from: RyuHayabusa on December 06, 2007, 11:16:30 PM
Quote from: abcbadcat on December 06, 2007, 11:11:13 PM
As far as I remember, SVGL never had ParaPara. MGL still does though.
Not anymore. They sold the machine. If you want Para para, you have to go to Nickel City in south san jose.
I like going to SVGL. The only thing i play is the star wars arcade machine lol
I've never beating that game, I could never beat the Battle of Hoth, or destroy the Death Star lol.
Eurobeat King: Your avatar, is that your actual car? If so, do you have any more pics and specs?
RyuHayabusa: I would go but I only have two weeks of school left and I really should start working on projects. Also Saturday morning/Wednesday Night arcade mania is $6.
GS68: Do you know when SVGL is getting their second WMMT3 cab? Any other new games at MGL?
Barnes: Both places are pretty good but I prefer MGL for fighitng game comp. Alot of people migrated from MGL to SVGL due to Initial D V4. But now I guess since MGL has IDV4 I don't know.
Quote from: abcbadcat on December 07, 2007, 03:42:34 AM
Eurobeat King: Your avatar, is that your actual car? If so, do you have any more pics and specs?
Haha, I get that Q a lot. No, it's not my FC. At Anime Central in May, a guy I talk to each year who brings his own AE86 to the con, brought his FC this year too, so we did a photoshoot where I borrowed his FC for pictures. I can find out more info about his car if you like.
Quote from: Eurobeat King on December 07, 2007, 08:41:31 AM
Quote from: abcbadcat on December 07, 2007, 03:42:34 AM
Eurobeat King: Your avatar, is that your actual car? If so, do you have any more pics and specs?
Haha, I get that Q a lot. No, it's not my FC. At Anime Central in May, a guy I talk to each year who brings his own AE86 to the con, brought his FC this year too, so we did a photoshoot where I borrowed his FC for pictures. I can find out more info about his car if you like.
Oh, no I was just wondering lol. I have an FC myself as a project car and I am a fan of rotary in general... if you can't tell from my avatar lol.
Quote from: abcbadcat on December 07, 2007, 03:42:34 AMGS68: Do you know when SVGL is getting their second WMMT3 cab? Any other new games at MGL?
They finally have 4 MT3 cabs (as does MGL), though if you want to see 4-player battles Wednesday's your best bet.
MGL got that new EA Nascar game (I'm more fond of the Sega one) and Gitadora V4.
Quote from: abcbadcat on December 07, 2007, 03:42:34 AM
Eurobeat King: Your avatar, is that your actual car? If so, do you have any more pics and specs?
RyuHayabusa: I would go but I only have two weeks of school left and I really should start working on projects. Also Saturday morning/Wednesday Night arcade mania is $6.
GS68: Do you know when SVGL is getting their second WMMT3 cab? Any other new games at MGL?
Barnes: Both places are pretty good but I prefer MGL for fighitng game comp. Alot of people migrated from MGL to SVGL due to Initial D V4. But now I guess since MGL has IDV4 I don't know.
SVGL has four WMMT3 cabinets.
And as far as competition goes for fighting games, me and a friend of mine went to MGL awhile ago and wiped the floor with everyone there. Either we went on some bad days, or the players over there aren't as good as you guys claim they are.
Quote from: G.S. LXVIII on December 07, 2007, 11:34:33 AM
Quote from: abcbadcat on December 07, 2007, 03:42:34 AMGS68: Do you know when SVGL is getting their second WMMT3 cab? Any other new games at MGL?
They finally have 4 MT3 cabs (as does MGL), though if you want to see 4-player battles Wednesday's your best bet.
MGL got that new EA Nascar game (I'm more fond of the Sega one) and Gitadora V4.
Gitadora V4? GFDM V4?
Oh god SVGL was so effing awesome during the 90s.. it is really sad to see how it is
all dispenser games and one row of fighting games and another for bemani.
sucks :(
Quote from: lyricaldanichan on December 07, 2007, 07:21:33 PM
Oh god SVGL was so effing awesome during the 90s.. it is really sad to see how it is
all dispenser games and one row of fighting games and another for bemani.
sucks :(
What did it have before?
Eitherway... that row of Bemani games is pretty damn epic.
Also, don't forget t e hella good racing games!
Well, they did have Dance ManiaX at one point, as well as PPP and PIU, now if I want those I have to fight my way down Montague Expressway and I-680 for it.
Quote from: abcbadcat on December 07, 2007, 08:52:21 PM
Quote from: lyricaldanichan on December 07, 2007, 07:21:33 PM
Oh god SVGL was so effing awesome during the 90s.. it is really sad to see how it is
all dispenser games and one row of fighting games and another for bemani.
sucks :(
What did it have before?
Eitherway... that row of Bemani games is pretty damn epic.
Also, don't forget t e hella good racing games!
They had a mix of everything, pinball, fighting games (well 2 rows of fighting games), larger cabnet games (shooters), row of
shooters, and later on bemani.
I dunno if Capcom still betas their games there, but SVGL would be the first for people to play their fighting games. Even the Capcom JP
team would go there to watch people play their games and take notes! This was during the Street Fighter days.. I miss that :(
I think Namco and Sega were beta their arcade games as well.
Quote from: G.S. LXVIII on December 07, 2007, 11:34:33 AMMGL got...Gitadora V4.
But both of their machines are nigh unplayable so it's as if they don't exist at all.
Quote from: Shinsengumi on December 07, 2007, 01:05:20 AM
Quote from: RyuHayabusa on December 06, 2007, 11:16:30 PM
Quote from: abcbadcat on December 06, 2007, 11:11:13 PM
As far as I remember, SVGL never had ParaPara. MGL still does though.
Not anymore. They sold the machine. If you want Para para, you have to go to Nickel City in south san jose.
I like going to SVGL. The only thing i play is the star wars arcade machine lol
I've never beating that game, I could never beat the Battle of Hoth, or destroy the Death Star lol.
For the first Death Star: put the cursor on the red target thingy over the exhaust port, wait for a yellow circle to pop up on your cursor before you fire.
For the second one: Not much to say, aim carefully and quickly.
For the whole game: Use your non-dominant trigger finger to FIRE LIKE HELL.
Bump. Found an interesting article about SVGL.
http://www.gametap.com/home/read/article/3293
QuoteNo Country for Old Arcades: Sunnyvale Golfland
A world renowned arcade in the heart of the Silicon Valley.
By: Jared Rea | jaredr
Jan 23, 2008
When Ben Kenny set out to establish his own brand of mini-golf centers in the 1950s, the term "videogame" wasn't yet part of our lexicon. Air hockey and mechanical pinball tables were sucking down quarters like no tomorrow at the Tucson, Arizona, golfing center, but these machines could never compare to what the advent of Pong would do for this burgeoning industry. A new expansion that opened in 1958 in Sunnyvale, California, placed the up-and-coming franchise in the heart of Silicon Valley and over the next 40 years, Golfland would become a part of Bay Area culture and videogame history. It's also the perfect place to begin the first entry in GameTap's look at arcades across the America.
Throughout the 1970s and '80s, Sunnyvale Golfland (SVGL) gained a well-deserved reputation for having the latest and greatest in arcade gaming. It was one of the first locations to jump on board with Pong and subscribe to the craze of Ms. Pac-Man--and these machines proved to be just as important to Golfland as the putting greens themselves. So important, in fact, that an entirely new building was constructed to hold the ever-expanding lineup; the original building was converted into the snack shack of today. For as much as the technology and the nature of the business have changed, one thing that hasn't is Golfland's family heritage. Jason Kenny, who inherited the business from his grandfather and father, is the current owner of Sunnyvale Golfland and has seen his business and the entire industry evolve.
"One of the main reasons why Sunnyvale Golfland has always been so hot for games is that all the major manufacturers are here," explains Kenny. "Capcom, Namco, Sega.... Sadly though, they're all gone." These names tend to come up regularly as we chat and deservingly so. Throughout arcade history, Capcom, Sega, and Namco have been three of the biggest arcade developers in the business. While all three are still hugely successful in the videogame space, they've all scaled back their arcade divisions to the point of obscurity--and in the case of Capcom, they've pulled out of the U.S. entirely. This exodus of manufacturers has not only put the hurt on arcades like Sunnyvale Golfland, but the players as well.
When I ask Jason how long SVGL has been the testing grounds for new games, he laughs and simply responds, "Forever. Atari and Midway, those guys would bring in raw machines. We'd help gather player feedback and they'd bring us updates a few times a week. They'd essentially develop the games here." Players would come out of the woodwork for these tests, and it wasn't out of the ordinary to see editors from magazines such as Electronic Gaming Monthly and Tips & Tricks poking around for the latest dish. Some manufacturers such as Sega would go so far as to fly out both executives and machines to see what the players of SVGL thought of their latest creations.
"Now, every once in a while we'll get a test, but the game is pretty much done."
Owner Jason Kenny keeps Sunnyvale Golfland in top condition.
Arcades may be on life support, but that doesn't stop dedicated players.
A huge factor in this is the industry's shift from videogames to redemption (or ticket) games, as both manufacturers and operators are overall less willing to take risks on expensive or untested titles. Since the dawn of the business, arcades have relied on showcasing the very latest in technology, but to do so now is to put the other foot in the grave. The visual gap between the arcade and home console markets has also ceased to exist, so in an attempt to lure players back into the arcades, manufacturers are going for broke with elaborate and at times costly setups. Tekken 6, for example, is due out in arcades this summer, but the price tag for the widescreen, HDTV setup has owners like Jason rethinking their methods.
"[Tekken 6] is about $15,000, and for a fighting game, that's tough," he explains. "In the past with something like say, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, that's an obvious slam dunk. We'd order two for every location." With your average arcade title costing around $5,000 a pop, operators were much more willing to take a risk on something that may have been slow to recoup the loss, because the arcade scene was more active. "The way we purchase now is a lot different. We've had to become much more strategic." Sunnyvale is still the first stop for new games, but it's also become something of a commercial testing ground for the rest of the Golfland franchise. Should a machine like Tekken 6 take off, they'll start purchasing it for their other locations. If not--well, nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say.
Despite the stream of titles slowing to a trickle over the past couple of years, the players of SVGL still come out in droves. Sunnyvale established itself long ago as a dedicated partner to manufacturers, but it's the passion of the location's user base that made a test so valuable for developers. From world class fighters to rhythm gaming savants, SVGL players are notorious for being some of the very best in the world at any given title. If a developer wanted its game to be broken, torn apart, and generally dissected in ways they could never imagine, they dropped it on Sunnyvale. Gamers have traveled from all around the world, including Japan, Korea, Australia, and India just to be pushed to their limits. And for as much as things have changed, that is one aspect that remains the same.
John Choi is one such player and has been a Sunnyvale regular for going on 15 years now. His accomplishments in the competitive gaming scene, particularly in Capcom's fighting titles, are well documented--he's a certified beast in Super Street Fighter II Turbo. When asked what keeps him coming back to SVGL, he instinctively replied, "The competition." Sticking to one arcade requires more than healthy competitors, though. "The owner, Jason, is a real good guy and they make sure to keep their machines in nice condition. You can have all the games you want, but if they're not well maintained, nobody will want to go there."
The general consensus is that arcades are dead, but when stepping into Sunnyvale Golfland your only clue as to the decline of arcade culture is the expanding section of ticket games, slowly crawling across the facility and claiming more space. For the dedicated, there is no substitute for the social camaraderie and experience that arcades have continued to provide for more than 30 years now and will continue to do so for some time to come.
[For more photos of Sunnyvale Golfland, please visit the Flickr set from our photographer, Oscar Chang. Thanks!]
Barnes: You realize that... the writer of that post on these forums right?
Hahaha, that's kinda funny though, I ran into John Choi Tuesday night when I went out to dinner. We talked about how no one goes to SVGL anymore, and he told me secret locations of where all the people go to play now.
Rebecca Chamers (from resident evil 1) - " OOOOHHHH A SECRET MEETING !!!! "
probably the only person who would get that would be Karisma_Black or LadyKaren... :P
Quote from: Jerry on January 24, 2008, 06:31:21 PM
Rebecca Chamers (from resident evil 1) - " OOOOHHHH A SECRET MEETING !!!! "
probably the only person who would get that would be Karisma_Black or LadyKaren... :P
I get it...well, only because I had to sit through it...but thats me :P...haha secret locations...less annoying people around then :D
Heh. I remember when I was a wee DDR n00blet, SVGL and MGL were some of the biggest names in the West Coast.
Maybe I should practice freestyle, just to commemorate some of the tourneys that once took place in that vein (and possibly revive the DDR scene)
SVGL feels bleh....
I used to remember one of those time when me and my friends were one of the few people got to try out DDR Extreme when it barely came out and being rare at the time plus we were noobs at the time.
Now I would just go there if i want to try out Bemani stuff.
I used to frequent the Sunnyvale Golfland when I was a kid. I should visit again, just for good time's sake. Maybe when Street Fighter IV is released.