Arcooda Pinball is a Massive Project

July 1, 2021

Arcooda Pinball is a massive project for Highway Group. It is much bigger than we have announced previously, and we will try to explain why various setbacks has made us more determined than ever to release the full potential of Arcooda Pinball (machines, hardware and software).

But it all started during our international launch at IAAPA 2016, Florida USA.

IAAPA 2016

During our negotiations with software companies in 2015, we had forecast that our pinball sales would be approximately US$25million in the first year of release.

At launch during IAAPA 2016, we were well underway to achieve these sales.

We really did have tremendous support and belief in Arcooda Pinball. At launch, we had the top game companies contact us and we were one of the lead stories on local Florida TV about the IAAPA Show. There was genuine interest in where Arcooda was trying to take pinball.

https://www.clickorlando.com/entertainment/2016/11/17/iaapa-showcases-latest-greatest-in-amusement-attractions/

On the 2nd day of the show, even our original pinball cabinet factory asked us if we would consider taking them back.

Arcooda Is Where Competitors Come To Get Their Ideas

July 1, 2021

Arcooda is where competitors come to get their ideas (or copy the entire machine).

You may have noticed we stopped our advertising of product development, including social media and our checkpoint video series. Sadly, we could not stop the overwhelming amount of copiers or partner betrayals.

We plan you show you how 90% of our products have been completely copied (one to one), and what steps we have taken recently to protect future product releases. You may have noticed that many competitor products are starting to look like our products (people were laughing at our designs where we showed USB inputs at the front of our machines, but now its common place).

Whilst we say thanks to follow us, our main concern is for companies who copy our entire machines and misrepresent the products (whether this is selling the machine as Arcooda, or, relabeling the products under your factory/product name).

Let’s start with our legends 2 player cabinet. After making the first production for both fish machines and home gaming, the product started being displayed on competitor USA and China websites.

So what happens when you take our Arcooda logo, and blend it with our sister companies (Highway Games & Highway Entertainment) logos?

You get someone who misrepresents our companies…..

Mystic Dragon

Mystic Dragon was a game Arcooda released into both the gaming, and, the ticket redemption marketplaces. It was sold to our agents in Hong Kong and USA, and never sold to resellers in China. Later, we developed a more advanced Mystic Dragon 2 ticket redemption machine which performed strongly in the FEC stores.

Our game software is being advertising throughout Chinese sellers, but, it’s fake.

IAAPA 2016

During 2016 we developed our Arcooda Deluxe 8 player fish machine which was capable of playing all Taiwan and Chinese game boards using the one wiring system. It included interchangeable joystick and coin door panels. It was the only fish cabinet in the market to have the ability to turn on its side and wheel through standard doors making the machine incredibly versatile.

We started shipping internationally and showcased our machine during the IAAPA Trade Show in Florida/USA.

Shortly afterwards, we started to find advertising promoting our machines in China/USA by companies who were not our agents. Later, we found that our cabinets had been copied “one for one”.

The Arcooda Deluxe fish machine is still heavily advertised throughout China and USA by our copier competitors.

The EMP Anti-Cheater

With the high incomes the fish machines were generating, there started to be problems with theft and cheating the machines. We needed to constantly update our machines and add even more levels of security. One of these security measures included our EMP Anti Cheater Device – an alarm system that stopped electromagnetic pulses and WIFI attacks on our machines.

How does the cheater steal money from the machine? Using an EMP device, they pulse energy into the machine in the hopes of pulsing the coin or bill acceptor. If they are successful, each “click” can generate $1, or, $10, or more. Quickly, the owner can lose money on their machine. On the fish machines, the player will add credits onto the cabinet, play a little, and then cash-out, often walking out with thousands of dollars.

With our EMP Anti Cheater, when a cheater users their EMP, an alarm is immediately sounded and will keep running for up to 10 minutes. On the board, there is also a counter which displays how many times the machine has been attacked.

After making our samples, we sent our product to a test lab for FCC approval. After it was granted, we started selling into the USA market.

Unfortunately our product was copied, including our manual. We found a number of copy products in the marketplace which were not made by us, with some using the exact same logos as ours. Ultimately, we removed the product from the marketplace, however we still see copy products being advertised in the market today.

The Metro Fish Cabinet

In our Checkpoint videos, we were excited to release a low cost fish machine called our Metro Fish Machine. Similar to our deluxe machine, it offered our customers the ability to install any fish game board without the need to completely rewire the cabinet each time a new game board was released.

Unfortunately, this machine was copied and released in the marketplace under a variety of different names/brands.

Copiers try to destabilise us with various tactics that include “bait and switch”, “passing off” or destroying market prices.

For example, competitors might not be able to copy our cabinet but will advertise the exact same product through a variety of international websites at $995usd, whilst the true sales price is $3,995usd. When a customer views the product, their first impression is “why is it so cheap?”, then after chatting with the copier, the copier will inform them that the product is not good and they were clearing the dead stock, but, they can offer them a better product, etc…

In this image, it’s a complete blend of our METRO Cabinet being advertised with Ocean King game software, and using our product images from our Arcooda Deluxe fish cabinet product.

“Customers”

Copiers also contact us under the disguise of a “customer”. It’s been crazy….whether its our joystick, fish or pinball machines, “customers” have talked with us about why we use certain components, delivery details, technical specifications, etc and copy our emails and resend to their clients.

In this example, we showed a “customer” a development photo of our Deluxe fish cabinet. Later, we found this image on our competitor’s website. With regards to the fish series, our catch phrases of “honeymoon phase”, “income averaging” etc… were all being quoted by our competitors…. even though they did not understand the meanings.

Arcooda is You

July 1, 2021

Arcooda is….You.

We make our prototype machines and show them at various trade events and exhibitions. At every opportunity, we chat with you to get your opinion. Then, we look to go into production. We don’t release our products without any testing.

Below is our test results during 2016 Pinfest Australia.

Arcooda is Arcade, Not Toys

July 1, 2021

Arcooda is Arcade….. not toys

When we design our arcade machines, they have been developed for gamers, by gamers. We are trying to achieve the best arcade experience, where owners use their machines daily. Many of our customers have purchased a second machine for even more flexibility.

When we make machine productions, we choose the best available monitor available in the market, testing all brands and assemblies prior to assembly. We do not use domestic panels or used monitors in new cases (if you wonder how some Ebay/Amazon sellers are offering machines so cheaply).

In our next productions, we will offer you a choice of monitor that include our standard VGA/HDMI 1080P screens, or other models that include 4K, 144Hz refresh rates, and 1ms response time.

Arcooda is coming from a pure arcade background, where arcade machines must work first time, and have playability that allows gamers to stay longer on an arcade machine. If the “stickiness” of arcade machine is great, it will be reflected in the machine’s income.

Beside how good the quality the game software is, if the cabinet is poorly designed, players will leave the machine.

Its why we do not design our machines like the image below.

We have made a lot of prototypes and improvements in our cabinets. The position of the mounting plates, and even the springs/assembly of push buttons are super important to us.

We have had some troubles with suppliers who cannot understand why we want things perfect, and abandon the projects midstream. As one distributor mentioned, just get the products into the market and fix them on later productions. But why should we except a lower standard?

Why Arcooda? Arcooda is Experience

May 21, 2021

Arcooda is……. Experience

From introducing one of the first online website platforms to the amusement industry, to product development with Atari/Midway, to product testing with Tencent, and much more… the Arcooda team strives to push the boundaries of what is possible.

Image 1: AMOA 2000, USA Tradeshow promoting Highway Games industry platform

Image 2: Arctic Thunder Arcade Cabinet

Prior to game releases, we were invited to private viewing events. In this 2000 photo, we are viewing the first sample of Arctic Thunder before it was released to the market. Shortly afterwards, we purchased samples and sent these to Hong Kong and Australia for income testing. In Australia, we generally tested our samples at Melbourne Crown Casino’s Galactic Circus or Barcode.

After testing, we gave feedback on income and updates on what possible changes should be made to the game software before release.

Image 3: 140k machine sales

Image 4: Wholesale DDR Machines

Game Wizard Xtreme Production

Our company group has sold over 140,000 amusement machines worldwide, including brand new famous factory brands, wholesale used machines, and the Arcooda product range.

Why Arcooda? Arcooda is Plug and Play

May 18, 2021

Why Arcooda? Arcooda is Plug and Play

Whether its consoles, Raspberry Pi, PC, arcade game boards…. or, its spare parts and accessories, every Arcooda machine has been designed for home users. From commercial coin operated machines to home products, repairs and upgrades and extremely easy.

Image 1: Game Wizard Xtreme Interchangeable Panels

Cabinet designs are all modular with interchangeable parts and adding your own functions are super easy. With easy to follow wiring diagrams, plugs and components, there is no need for experienced arcade technicians, as home user skill level is plenty, even for our commercial coin operated machines.

Image 2: Inside Game Wizard Xtreme Control Panel

Why Arcooda? Arcooda is Touchscreen

May 18, 2021

Arcooda is……Touchscreen

We really believe in touchscreen gaming, and most of our new release products come with touch screen as standard. There is no going back to keyboard/mouse once you use an Arcooda touchscreen product. More games, more functions, more fun…..

In fact, we had designed our machines with cross-over in mind, from mobile phone to your arcade machine and back. Its part of our Do Want You Want TM philosophy.

Arcooda Pinball was the first commercial virtual pinball machine to be released with touchscreen as standard.

Image: Arcooda Pinball Touchscreen AGE 2016 Gaming Show

Touch gaming is super easy on Arcooda machines.

Why Arcooda? Arcooda is Virtual Reality

May 16, 2021

Arcooda is…….Virtual Reality

Core to our development work, our machines have supported VR game play on a plug and play basis. With Game Wizard 2.0, all machines have additional functionality that also include motion/vibration/effects support (subject to game software co-operation).

Image 1: Oculus Rift VR Arcooda Pinball Arcade

VR..with Arcooda’s proprietary add-ons. Its “almost” like playing a real pinball, but at a fraction of the cost. Add new tables via Steam, Oculus and other online gaming platforms. No need for any special adjustments or Arcooda branded software – virtually all VR pinball games are supported on Game Wizard 2.0 machines.

Image 2: Virtual Reality Pinball Machine on Arcooda

Why Arcooda? Arcooda is Do What You Want

May 15, 2021

Arcooda is…….Do what you Want TM

Arcooda products are designed with you in mind. Driving, shooting, touch, hand controller, joystick…..play the way you want. Use you phone, console, android device, PC, arcade PCBs plus, add-on components, interchangeable control panels and more.

Image 1: Driving Control Panel on the Dynasty Pinball Machine

VR? No problem. Experience VR with Plug and play on the Game Wizard 2.0 machines. All Game Wizard 2.0 products support VR as standard, together with additional functions.

Do What You WantTM

Image 2: Do What You Want – VR as Plug and Play

Want more from your arcade machines? Easy, add software add-ons to expand your cabinets functions.

Do What You Want TM

Image 3: Do What You Want with Arcooda Choreo

Any product that supports touch/gamepad/joystick is supported by Game Wizard 2.0 machines. This means over 450,000 titles are supported. Then, for further advanced gaming, add Arcooda’s proprietary software and hardware add-ones for high level arcade game action…at home.

Do What You Want TM

Do What You Want with Video Pinball

Why Arcooda? Arcooda is Android

May 14, 2021

Arcooda is…….Android

Well before the current excitement, Arcooda was working on a new arcade machines. In 2015 we had built the prototype arcade and pinball machines which we started showing publicly in middle of 2016. These machines used the Highway Controller IO board mentioned previously.

Image 1: Arcooda Pinball for Android Aug 2016

If you visited us during Pinfest Australia in 2016, playing our Android pinball machine in the morning was great. Playing our machine later in the day…no so great. Unfortunately heavy and constant use resulted in the sample motherboards overheating.

Image 2: Arcooda Android Pinball – Pinfest 2016

We were working on a new custom multiscreen android motherboard which needed significant product development. Frame rate losses, motherboard overheating, and custom firmware all needed to be solved.

Image 3: Mother Board

During this period, we talked with Zen Studios about releasing a $699usd pinball product but they were not interested in the project. Later, after signing with FarSight Studios, we concentrated on releasing the 3 monitor PC version first, and then to come back to the Android smaller machines.

At IAAPA 2016, we showed our new Android products that included Touch Wizard, and Game Wizard for Android.

Image 4: Touch Wizard with Android

In 2018, Arcooda works with Tencent Games on a larger project for both mobile and android gaming products.

Image 5: King of Glory – Arcooda & Tencent

Heroes of Soulcraft, PUBG and exclusive Tencent titles were being used in development work.