Re: [SWCollect] Shrink think
For his benefit and others, didn't you write up something in a YOIS column at some point? URL please? The following three columns have shrinkwrap discussions. (Note that some of the columns have link problems, etc., gotta fix those, but the articles relevant to this discussion are fine.) http://www.if-legends.org/~yois/backissues/19981008.html http://www.if-legends.org/~yois/backissues/19981120.html http://www.if-legends.org/~yois/backissues/2318.html - Holes in the wrap (usually back only) where the guy with the blow-dryer blew too hard/long and made it open into a hole and was too lazy to rewrap it again I love these. Makes it really easy to tear off when you're opening a rewrap. - The back of the box is upside down compared to the front (guy put the box on upside down before shrinking) Careful, though: I believe the early Wizardry titles may actually have been packaged this way. I've opened at least two because of this, only to find mint-looking materials inside. Anyone confirm? Anyone care to contribute to the above list? I think I nailed most of the obvious re-wrap signs. Hugh got the pencil-sized hole that only exists with conveyor shrinks, but here are a few more: Wear on the package, underneath the wrap. Package feels lighter than it should with all the materials intact. (This one takes some practice, and it helps to have a known wrap for comparison.) Particularly dirty or old-looking wrap is probably an original, especially if the game itself is old (pre-1983 or so). It's a sign it's been gathering crud in a filthy warehouse for 15 - 20 years. -- This message was sent to you because you are currently subscribed to the swcollect mailing list. To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of 'unsubscribe swcollect' Archives are available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/swcollect@oldskool.org/
Re: [SWCollect] Toolworks trivia
I've added this company trivia to the Software Toolworks entry at MobyGames; thanks for the info! C.E. Forman wrote: Yeah, I have two versions of Golden Oldies Volume 1 (Adventure, Eliza, Life, Pong), one from each company. Couldn't find a date on the earlier Country package, though. - Original Message - From: Hugh Falk [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2001 3:00 PM Subject: [SWCollect] Toolworks trivia I just shared this with a group member and thought other might be interested: Here's a bit of trivia I only learned recently. I picked up the original Atari 8-bit version of Chessmaster 2000, and it was published by Software Country. It's the same logo as Software Toolworks with a different name. It seems that Software Country changed their name to Toolworks sometime after the original Chessmaster was published...likely in late 1986, early 1987. -- This message was sent to you because you are currently subscribed to the swcollect mailing list. To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of 'unsubscribe swcollect' Archives are available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/swcollect@oldskool.org/
Re: [SWCollect] Shrink think
I was thinking about what C.E. said regarding holes, and thought the same thing Hugh said about a single hole. Chris, can you elaborate a little on a single hole, as I know I've seen them on original wrap. Anyway, in addition to what was already said, things I look for with original shrink: - No excessive thickness around the seams - If there are holes in the shrink, is it a single (small) hole with no thick edges - If there are several holes, are they consistently spaced - If there is overlap (folding, that is not heat sealed) on shrink, its probably original - Uniform tension on the wrap. If its stretched in someplace, its probably uneven use of a heat gun When I buy any game, I always check everything. Lots of newer games just use a clear circular or rectangular sticker on the top and bottom. I check to make sure there is no adhesive to the left or right of the sticker, a sign that it was opened and reapplied. I also check to see if it was double-stickered (stores usually have their own stickers). I remember I bought M1 Tank Platoon when it was originally released. Got it home, and the keyboard overlay was all cut up. I took it back and the (@(#*@#) manager just opened a new box, took the overlay and exchanged overlays. Like it would have KILLED him to just give me a new game! G. Why I remember this sorta stuff I have no idea... Dan - Original Message - From: Hugh Falk [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2001 4:00 PM Subject: RE: [SWCollect] Shrink think Another thing to look for is the small circular hole that appears in many factory shrinked packages. That will help you spot the real thing sometimes. Hugh -Original Message- From: Jim Leonard [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2001 3:42 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Shrink think C.E. Forman wrote: I only keep shrinks if I'm absolutely convinced they're the original. Any slight wear under the plastic, any suspiciously cheap-looking wrap, any package that seems underweight, I open it and take the loss. In my entire collecting life I've opened fewer than 10 packages that turned out to indeed be original shrink jobs. I've gotten very good at spotting rewraps. For his benefit and others, didn't you write up something in a YOIS column at some point? URL please? Spotting rewraps is trivial to learn if you: 1. Have ever worked at an old software retail store when they used to rewrap returns (1992 and earlier) 2. Have a known rewrap next to a known original and can compare Rewraps are fairly easy to spot. They have things like: - Holes in the wrap (usually back only) where the guy with the blow-dryer blew too hard/long and made it open into a hole and was too lazy to rewrap it again - Messy/dirty/burnt edges where the shrinkwrap seams come together - The back of the box is upside down compared to the front (guy put the box on upside down before shrinking) - The wrap doesn't feel like it could give; isn't flexible (factory wrap always gives a little, like Reynolds/plastic wrap) - Vendor-supplied stickers (price sticker, etc.) are *under* the wrap, stuck right on the box (argh) Anyone care to contribute to the above list? I think I nailed most of the obvious re-wrap signs. -- This message was sent to you because you are currently subscribed to the swcollect mailing list. To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of 'unsubscribe swcollect' Archives are available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/swcollect@oldskool.org/ -- This message was sent to you because you are currently subscribed to the swcollect mailing list. To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of 'unsubscribe swcollect' Archives are available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/swcollect@oldskool.org/ -- This message was sent to you because you are currently subscribed to the swcollect mailing list. To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of 'unsubscribe swcollect' Archives are available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/swcollect@oldskool.org/
[SWCollect] Double posts?
Am I the only one getting 2 copies of the same message? I get one copy w/the boilerplate at the bottom, and one without. Its intermittent, and only this list... -- This message was sent to you because you are currently subscribed to the swcollect mailing list. To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of 'unsubscribe swcollect' Archives are available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/swcollect@oldskool.org/
RE: [SWCollect] Double posts?
Never happened to me. It happening because when I hit reply to your e-mails it adds your address and the SWCOLLECT address to the TO field. Hugh -Original Message- From: Dan Chisarick [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2001 8:07 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [SWCollect] Double posts? Am I the only one getting 2 copies of the same message? I get one copy w/the boilerplate at the bottom, and one without. Its intermittent, and only this list... -- This message was sent to you because you are currently subscribed to the swcollect mailing list. To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of 'unsubscribe swcollect' Archives are available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/swcollect@oldskool.org/ -- This message was sent to you because you are currently subscribed to the swcollect mailing list. To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of 'unsubscribe swcollect' Archives are available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/swcollect@oldskool.org/
Re: [SWCollect] Shrink think
(Dan, what email program do you use? It mangles/rejects the Reply-To: header, such that I have to rewrite the [EMAIL PROTECTED] email address every time.) Dan Chisarick wrote: I was thinking about what C.E. said regarding holes, and thought the same thing Hugh said about a single hole. Chris, can you elaborate a little on a single hole, as I know I've seen them on original wrap. Chris may have seen others, but from what I've seen, it's a single hole the diameter of a pencil and is usually *not* distorted (ie it's a circle, not an oval). - If there are several holes, are they consistently spaced Now that's a new one. I don't think I've seen that ever. But if they're uniform in size and spacing, I'd agree it's original wrap. - Uniform tension on the wrap. If its stretched in someplace, its probably uneven use of a heat gun Not so sure about this one; usually uneven stretching *is* the result of someone who just didn't use the gun long enough. I remember I bought M1 Tank Platoon when it was originally released. Got it home, and the keyboard overlay was all cut up. I took it back and the (@(#*@#) manager just opened a new box, took the overlay and exchanged overlays. Like it would have KILLED him to just give me a new game! G. Why I remember this sorta stuff I have no idea... You remember it probably for the same reason you collect games ;-) -- This message was sent to you because you are currently subscribed to the swcollect mailing list. To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of 'unsubscribe swcollect' Archives are available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/swcollect@oldskool.org/
Re: [SWCollect] What was the first IBM game to have mouse support?
Jim Leonard boldly stated: Dan Chisarick wrote: Apple ][ - Speaker only (hardly anyone had a Mockingboard or Echo card) - 48-64K of memory (128K later on) - 5 colors (7 really, but there were 2 blacks and 2 whites) Did double-hi-res ever catch on? I saw some pretty impressive double-high-res stuff back in 1986, but never followed its use to completion. The only double hi-res game I'm aware of is Airheart by Dan (Choplifter) Gorlin. I'm sure there must be others. Airheart both looks great and plays well (although I think it sometimes suffers from slowdown when there are too many enemies and shots on the screen.) I think double hi-res really came along too late for the Apple IIe/c. Companies had moved on to the IIgs/ST/Amiga/PC/Mac. Or maybe I just didn't become aware of it soon enough. -- Lee K. Seitz * [EMAIL PROTECTED] * http://home.hiwaay.net/~lkseitz/ Wanted: Vintage Pac-M*n necktie (The asterisk is to keep from mucking up people's Usenet search results. Replace it with an a, if you didn't know.) -- This message was sent to you because you are currently subscribed to the swcollect mailing list. To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of 'unsubscribe swcollect' Archives are available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/swcollect@oldskool.org/
