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| Howdy!; (the lurker emerges) | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 2 2015, 02:58 PM (477 Views) | |
| SpeckCat | Feb 2 2015, 02:58 PM Post #1 |
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Well, uh, I guess I start this out by saying Hi, and introducing myself, right? Okay... a little rusty, but here goes. Hi! My name is Sue and I'm here because of Mac Tonight. She posted an advertisement for the forum a while back, and I immediately joined, and like a true creeper hid and kept quiet because, well... I'll be honest... I feel like an outsider to this community, but not because of alienation, or anything. No, because truthfully, I had no idea this group, or fans, or even a fandom existed. If you don't mind a read, then read on. If not, here's the TL;DR version: I'm 31 years old and a complete IDIOT when it comes to fan groups and reaching outside my own box. Long version: I think I went to Chuck E. Cheese's a grand total of two times in my childhood. My memories are horribly (and sadly) vague; I recall a ball pit (the bottom of which was mysteriously damp, and another corduroy-clad child opposite me just... smiling... hm.), and of course, the Chuck E. gang. My restaurant was one in Latham, NY, which at the time to me was the end of the world. No, seriously. I really thought when I was little that beyond Latham and that Chuck E. Cheese there was a vast pit of nothingness, despite the globe telling me otherwise. Anyway, I remember the characters, and particularly, Jasper and Pasqually, but not sure why. I don't know enough to know what sort of stage set-up they had in that restaurant/store (balcony? stage? whut.), but I do recall being really close to them at one visit, possibly even having clambered up onto a stage or just really really close when they weren't performing. Like I said, in the late 80's/early 90's I've no recollection of what set-up they had, but either way. Fast forward about 25 years or so. I'd had an on-again, off-again relationship with Chuck, and his predecessors (sad fact: because of said lukewarm memories and inability to think beyond my own head, the notion of Rock-Afire Explosion was a complete and utter shock. What? An animatronic band before Chuck E.? What magic is this?! *ranter's note: I'm unbelievably naive, please forgive me!*). I'd on occasion looked up the odd video here and there, had visited ShowBizPizza.com, but never enough to fully invest any full-on eagerness to know more. And then this little game came out called Five Nights at Freddy's. Wait! Don't run! Don't get me wrong, I love the game to bits, but I'm not a rabid, drooling fangirl over it. I'm more intrigued that it centers around my main interest, which is abandoned and neglected buildings/machines/etc. (I do indeed have the first game, not the second, but jumpscares and myself don't quite get along. Hasn't stopped me trying though. xD) Needless to say, despite people being sick to death over the hype, FNAF really blew my interest into roaring, heated flame. I want to know more. I want to know about the stages, the stores, the characters and their animatronic innards. How they run. The air valves, how they're programmed, what goes in to programming them, the end results, cosmetics, what variety of characters there were. I want to see people refurbish the forgotten, the abandoned, digging into warehouses and shuttered stores to find the last bits of tubing or manuals needed to get these fabulous creations running again. I want to see people reinvigorate those not in the know, like me, who simply want to know everything, down to the last possible scrap. I want to see the ad campaigns, the merchandise and memorabilia. I want to know more about the Rock-afire, Munch's Make-Believe Band. I just want to know. (more than anything I want to know what's become of my little Latham restaurant. My issue is I am 31 years old, have no children, and am pretty sure I'd be either mocked or thought a creeper if I even called the location. Also I am fairly alone in my endeavors... I live in a region where everything is pretty much molded. I have no idea if I even live close to anyone even remotely as interested as I am in such things. Nor do I know where I could go to find out.) Anyway, if you've made it through my long-winded blather, thanks! You're a trooper. I'm a wordy person when I'm not hiding out of weirdness LOL. -SpeckCat |
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| CECshows | Feb 2 2015, 03:03 PM Post #2 |
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Welcome! Not sure if it's the same location, a lot of stores relocated in the 90's... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL5Vm3Sgucg I visited Latham once (April 2012), and recorded one segment. I'll upload it in the future if you'd like. ![]() EDIT --- After more research, the original location you're referring to was located in the Northway Mall. It closed in Fall 1995 after declining sales. The new location opened at Latham Crossing in 1999. http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/1998/07/20/story4.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northway_Shopping_Center#Loss_of_initial_anchors Edited by CECshows, Feb 2 2015, 03:15 PM.
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| SpeckCat | Feb 2 2015, 03:16 PM Post #3 |
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I have no real clue, to be honest, hehe. Like I said, I went maybe twice when I was tiny, but I do remember it being in/near Latham (my mom was from that region, so while my 5-year old brain was geographically challenged, I knew Latham to be a place, at the least LOL). They very well could have relocated, for my limited knowledge. I will say this, it was very classic Chuck E. Cheese, dark in the area where the stage was (and fairly dark everywhere, IIRC). If that's indeed the same place, location and all, wow it has certainly changed! And I did see that video before, when looking it up on YT... your vids are amazing, by the by... any future visits would be loved by this ol' girl to be seen again. EDIT: Ahh, okay! Thanks for the amazing information! So that's what happened... well, memories remain, at least Dang, it was Colonie... I'm a lot dumber for not realizing that. Oy!
Edited by SpeckCat, Feb 2 2015, 03:18 PM.
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| SpeckCat | Feb 2 2015, 04:27 PM Post #4 |
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Wow... so as an addendum to my recent education (CECshows, thank you so much... you gave me something to go from that I'm not otherwise smart enough to do on my own ^_^)... The location I went to was, as CECshows stated, in a place called Northway Mall. I actually just finished up talking to my mom (I might be older, but not older that momma doesn't get a phonecall LOL), and yes, she was able to fill in the blank spots in my memory as to that area, at least. It was in Colonie, so the Latham store is a relocation. We would go to the mall, then to Chuck E. Cheese. That restaurant is gone. I can't go back there again because, well, it's gone. Ugh. Ah well... believe it or not I'm actually a little teary-eyed. Maybe that's dumb of me, but I'm just so dang nostalgic... ah me. Anyway... is there a place for a weepy ol' weirdo like me? I need a hug LOL. |
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| 80sgirl | Feb 2 2015, 09:47 PM Post #5 |
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Electroidal Animal Doctor
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Belated welcome to the board! I wouldn't be too self-concious about being here because of FNAF. The game brought quite a few of us in, myself included. The people who are here are pretty low-key and cool about it. Just don't bring it up outside the gaming forum unless it's directly relevant to the thread. Don't worry about going into the restaurants either. I was really concerned about them thinking I was a weirdo too, but once I did I found they'll probably just assume you're there with a family that's already inside. If they ask, just tell them you're checking the place out before you bring in a kid. If you were a guy it might set off creeper alarms, but since you're not I wouldn't worry about it. BTW... it sounds like you're under the mistaken impression the Rock-afire Explosion predates Chuck. This is not true. The first Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre opened in 1977, three years before ShowBiz. Around 1979 Nolan Bushnell was franchising PTT and David Brock signed a franchisee agreement to open PTT restaurants in 16 states. He backed out when he met Aaron Fechter and decided he could make his own FEC chain. Aaron had made a few shows with earlier versions of some of the individual RAE members, but the actual Rock-afire band wasn't created until ShowBiz came around. So you could pretty much say both are their own creation, but Chuck is definitely the predecessor. |
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| SpeckCat | Feb 3 2015, 12:33 AM Post #6 |
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That would definitely be true of my impression, thanks so much for the clarification! I've a lot to learn, haha Like I said, I only have the basest of ideas of the whole history of the chains, even checking things out on the internets gets me confused. Also I'm not the brightest bulb in the box, so it takes me hearing something at least fifty or so times before it sticks, LOL.Also, I do apologize for my newbish-ness. I hope I don't irritate people if/when I open my mouth and say something the group knows is either misinformed or just plain uninformed... it's because I'm just trying to learn it all. It's just all so incredibly fascinating to me, it really is. |
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| PaulKTF | Feb 4 2015, 06:36 AM Post #7 |
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Welcome to the funhouse! It's nice to have you here. Feel free to ask any/as many questions as you like! How else can one learn if one does not ask questions? The Showbiz/Pizza Time Theater (CEC) story is a long, complicated, interesting one to be sure! Edited by PaulKTF, Feb 4 2015, 06:37 AM.
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| Clockwork | Feb 4 2015, 01:19 PM Post #8 |
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Hello! I also have a love of seeing the forgotten rise to their former glory (which I hope to reach with a bot I have acquired). You'll find that we're all pretty friendly here.
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10:40 AM Jul 11
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Like I said, I only have the basest of ideas of the whole history of the chains, even checking things out on the internets gets me confused. Also I'm not the brightest bulb in the box, so it takes me hearing something at least fifty or so times before it sticks, LOL.
10:40 AM Jul 11
