BattleTech Centers
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Battletech Centers are commercial virtual entertainment venues that feature multiplayer virtual combat in the BattleTech universe. The games are played in fully enclosed cockpits with multiple screens, joysticks, and rudder pedals.[1] The centers were initially created and operated by Virtual World Entertainment, Inc., with Tim Disney on the public records. The corporation was closed under the corporation guidelines registered in State of Illinois public records.[citation needed] Today, the gaming cockpits can now be found in various sites around the United States.
The first BattleTech Center opened in Chicago in 1990, with others in Yokohama following in August 1992 and Tokyo in 1993. Eventually 26 such facilities were built and included other game types and more elaborate operations. These new locations were called Virtual World. Each Virtual World site featured at least 16 networked pods designed in part by Frog Design.By 1993, patrons could compete against players in other centers across the country. "Red Planet" was the first non-BattleTech game added, and involved racing through the mining tunnels of Mars using vectored thrust mining hovercraft. However, rapid advances in arcade games and online games meant that the Japanese Centers began closing in 1995, and by 2000 no BattleTech Centers remained operational in Japan.
In 1996, Virtual World Entertainment, INC and FASA Interactive merged and claimed to be a wholly owned subsidiaries of Virtual World Entertainment Group (VWEG). In 1999, Microsoft Corporation purchased VWEG[2], sold VWE to a group headed by VWEG's former CFO, James Garbarini (and two other individuals) into an LLC in the State of Delaware, and integrated FASA Interactive into the Microsoft Game Studios division. In 2005, all interest in VWE was claimed to be sold to Nickolas "PropWash" Smith and the principal offices were moved from Chicago to Kalamazoo, MI. [3] Nick Smith claims a headquarters in Michigan but this has not been confirmed as registered with the office of the Secretary of State.[citation needed]
In November 2005, an independent operator of the Virtual World Tesla II cockpits, MechCorps Entertainment, LLC, in Houston, Texas, USA opened its doors to the public with eight Tesla II pods. They acquired another four pods in 2007, and hosted the 2007 National BattleTech Invitational in September 2007 with all twelve pods operational. [4] [5]
Virtual World Entertainment, MechCorps Entertainment, and VGCorps decided to refit existing Tesla II pods and take the BattleTech Center experience on the road starting in 2008. Gaming, Sci-Fi and Anime conventions (OwlCon, ChimaeraCon, Dragon-Con and MechaCon) in the south-central US were introduced to MechCorps' Mobile Armor Division[6] while Virtual World Entertainment in association with MechJock LLC made appearances in the Midwest at events including Gen Con, Origins, Chicago Comicon, ACEN, CodCon and Youmacon.
In 2006, players in Japan purchased four Tesla pods from the United States, and began to put together an unofficial Virtual World Center in Tokyo. Despite many key components becoming "LosTech" and their spare parts no longer available on market, the four pods were reported to be semi-operational, though no commercial operation had resumed yet.[citation needed]
In 2009, Elsewhen Studio in Texas released software updates. The company was disbanded by the Texas Secretary of State.[when?] All assets, including software copyrights, were disbanded. As in many arcade games where software developers are gone, the software is classified as abandonware. Documented on State of Texas Secretary of State[citation needed]
List of BattleTech centers
| Center Name | Location | Number and Type of Pods | Game(s) Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Airlock | Kirkland, Washington | 8 Tesla II pods | Closed |
| Hinkle Family Fun Center | Albuquergue, New Mexico | 6 Tesla II pods | Pods Sold |
| MechCorps Entertainment LLC | Houston, Texas | 16 Tesla II pods | BattleTech: Firestorm and Red Planet - Open to Public |
| Modesto Virtual | Modesto, California | 8 Tesla II pods | Closed |
| Mr. Biggs Family Fun Center | Colorado Springs, Colorado | Closed | |
| Mr. Biggs Family Fun Center | Littleton, Colorado | 12 Tesla II pods | Closed |
| (Private) The Fallout Shelter | Twin Cities, MN | 8 Tesla II pods | BattleTech: Firestorm - Not Available to Public |
| Sim Playground | Rolling Hills, California | 8 Tesla II pods | Closed |
| (Private) Solaris Babylon | 4 Tesla II pods | Private - Not open to the public | |
| (Private) South Pasadena 3.0 Pod Bay | Pasadena, California | 6 3.0 pods | Closed |
| Ultimate LAN Experience | Grand Rapids, Michigan | 4 Tesla II pods | BattleTech: Firestorm |
| (Private) [1] | Kalamazoo, Michigan | 8 Tesla II & 4.10 pods | BattleTech: Firestorm, Red Planet, and BT / RP 4.11 |
| XMax Games | Dallas, Texas | Closed | |
| VGCorps LLC | Dallas, Texas | 8 Tesla II pods | Closed |
| Private Single Owner | Denver, Colorado | 8 Tesla II pods | Private - Not open to the public |
The 42 other (estimated) cockpits not included in this list may be salvaged or operating by private owners. This list is old and not updated. Each site is independently owned.
References