[SWCollect] Vintage Computer Gaming Conference (VCGC)

[C.E. Forman]

Hey gang,

As you might recall, a few of us were talking back in Jan/Feb this year
about putting together a software collector's expo ("VCGC", formerly
"SCExpo") featuring classic authors as guest speakers, and vendors who
specifically deal in the vintage games we collect.

But we've run into a couple of snags.  The first is contacting authors to
invite them.  We have a professional graphic designer on board who's
designed some really nice print invitations, and we'd like to mail them to
the authors' physical addresses instead of just an e-mail.  Cuz that'd be
neater.  We had someone on this list who initially expressed an interest in
providing us with addresses, but I'm told he hasn't yet done so.  At this
point we really need to get a guest list nailed down soon so we can start PR
for the show, so if anyone has physical (not just e-mail) contact info for
any of these people, please let us know:

Mike Abbot
Joel Billings
Marc Blank
Chris Crawford
John Freeman
Richard Garriott
Andrew Greenberg
Tom Hall
Dave Lebling
Jordan Mechner
Steve Meretzky
Alan Pavlish
Stuart Smith
Anne Westfall
Ken and Roberta Williams
Robert Woodhead
Don Woods
Don Worth

Before you ask, no, we're not planning to invite everyone above, just a few
out of the ones we're able to contact.  (We do have a preferred-guest list
but I'll refrain from posting it here to avoid bad feelings about
favoritism.)

Just a reminder, please e-mail privately if you have someone's address...
please don't post it here in public.  Never know who may be lurking, and I'm
sure our favorite authors don't want to be stalked.  Please cc: myself,
Howard Feldman, and Hugh Falk so we all get the same information.  If you
know your author would prefer not to have his address revealed to anyone
else, please let us know that and we'll use you as a go-between for getting
the invite to them.

Second concern is cost.  Right now with our current budget the admission
price we're looking at (balanced between keeping it halfway affordable and
making enough profit to be worthwhile) is $49.95 for a weekend pass.  That's
in addition to the normal travel expenses, airfare and hotel room.  I'd
appreciate any comments on that: Is it more than you'd want to pay for an
event like this?  Enough that it would discourage you from attenting?  Do
you have family members who would tag along if we offerred a family package
price instead of making everyone pay individually?  And, ignoring price for
a moment, would you actually be interested in coming to this show?

The other thing we were hoping to do is recruit some venture capital.  It
looks like this is going to cost us several thousand dollars up front (for
showroom rental, possibly hotel bookings, etc) and spreading it out means
it's less painful on everyone.  In return for your generosity you'd be
sharing in the profits from the show (if any) based on your level of
contribution.  The full budget details will be provided to people who are
serious about investing.


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Re: [SWCollect] Best copy protection?

[C.E. Forman]

> - Original versions of Elite, which used a device called a LensLok.  This
> one is actually on par with Chronoquest (maybe worse).  It's a clear
plastic
> device that you squint through and try to decode a shape on the screen.  I
> have one, and I actually just read an article on it in retrogamer
magazine.
> I'll have to scan or type that in.

The problem with LensLok was that depending on your monitor, it didn't
always work.  Level 9 used it for some of their text adventures but quickly
scrapped it.


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Re: [SWCollect] Previously owned games resold by chains

[C.E. Forman]

> > I still troll the used item bin for the very occasional vintage goodie
> > that shows up.  Found two yesterday: LucasFilm's Tie Fighter and OOP's
> > Perfect General II.
>
> At what store?  Those are a decade old.

Every once in a great while this can happen.  I got a brand-new Countdown by
Access at my mall Babbage's a few years back (for $1.67).  No idea how it
managed to stay in stock all that time, but it did.

> I can't take credit for that technique; I believe either Tom or Chris
first
> suggested it to me once 3+ years ago when we were out trolling for
oldgames

The blow-dryer is Tom's technique, I first learned it from him.

> > One box even had the original receipt in
> > it, with the buyer's name and address.  Maybe I'll drop him a post-card
> > and ask him if he has anything else to sell.
>
> THAT technique was first suggested by Chris, no doubt about it ;-)

Correct.  B-)


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Re: [SWCollect] June 22, 1979

[C.E. Forman]

> True, but they were all gone when Activision published those Infocom
> compilations, so I thought there was some small hope.

Right now Ken Love is the closest thing to an Infocom historian at
Activision, and assuming he's aware of the date he's probably the only one
there who cares.  More likely, as Peter says, they'll all just get together
at Steve Meretzky's.


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Re: [SWCollect] Kids and Classic Gaming

[C.E. Forman]

I saw this too.  Hilarious!  I loved 
the fact that they were over-thinking, over-analyzing everything, believing the 
different colors on the blocks in Tetris meant something, wondering if you can 
do stuff with the umbrella and purse in DK, rapid-fire in Space Invaders, 
etc.
 

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Monday, May 31, 2004 8:54 AM
  Subject: [SWCollect] Kids and Classic 
  Gaming
  "Cute" ;)http://www.egmmag.com/article2/0,2053,1487038,00.asp

Re: [SWCollect] Sierra cover artists (was: Drash...)

[C.E. Forman]

> > BTW does anyone here own original game art?
> > Cover art or ingame?

Not the actual paintings per se, but I have a number of films from
Activision showing the work-in-progress cover art for a number of
post-Infocom releases: Lost Treasures, LGoP2, Zork Grand Inquisitor (which
shows some neat variations including one with a hand holding the lantern on
the cover).


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Re: Re: [SWCollect] Nit-picking at its finest

[C.E. Forman]

Not to mention it'd be featured on the front page of "The Collecting Times"
on YOIS.  B-)

(Emoticon, but I'm serious too.)

- Original Message - 
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, May 22, 2004 8:33 AM
Subject: Re: Re: [SWCollect] Nit-picking at its finest


> Jim Leonard wrote:
> **
> > Hm... Now see, I would probably take a blank disk, write Akalabeth to
it, and put the sticker on -- wouldn't that be worth just a tiny bit more?
> **
>
> No smile emoticon...no indication of humor...For goodness sake, Jim, I
hope you're kidding!
>
> Being coy about this is against my better judgement, and if this offends
anyone, please state factually that I didn't get the joke.
>
> *Putting an original akalabeth sticker on a 'non-original' disk is a
forgery.
>
> *Putting an original sticker on a disk that has the data copied from an
original Akalabeth is a forgery.
>
> Tom is correct.  The sticker on it's original backing, in the way that it
was presented (sold) to him is much more valuable than creating a 'new' copy
of a game.  The value of an Akalabeth made your way is exactly ZERO.  Anyone
who bought it would get a certificate of 'UNAUTHENTICITY' on the Museum
website.  Thoughts like this not only decrease the value of your reputation,
but the reputation of the game collecting community as a whole.
>
> Like I said, I don't want to offend, but I will stand by my principles.
It's forgery, a felony--punishable by up to 10 years in a Federal prison.
>
> Joe Garrity
>
>
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Re: [SWCollect] Fw: Message from eBay Member

[C.E. Forman]

Yeah, the one still up has the instructions too.

Agreed, it could go either way on the value.

- Original Message - 
From: "Dan Chisarick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Software Collectibles Mailing List" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, May 17, 2004 9:08 PM
Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Fw: Message from eBay Member


> Interesting.  Though I wonder what will make it appreciate more if all
> of a sudden they're popping out of the woodwork (relatively speaking).
> He's the one who had a tape + warranty card only auction, yes?
>
>
> On May 17, 2004, at 7:56 PM, C.E. Forman wrote:
>
> > Just in case anyone else wondered.
> >
> > - Original Message -
> > From: "Aaron Kipness" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > Sent: Monday, May 17, 2004 6:47 PM
> > Subject: Re: Message from eBay Member
> >
> >
> >> Another Mt. Drash popped up on EBAY and I'm not about to compete with
> >> another Drash and get less money. I'm probably going to wind up
> >> keeping it
> >> and watching it appreciate anyway.. Sorry,
> >>
> >> Aaron
> >>
> >>>
> >>> Just wondering why you pulled the Ultima: Escape from Mt Drash
> >>> auction?
> > I
> >> was planning to snipe this.
> >>>
> >>> Thanks for your time.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Thank you,
> >>> morrodox
> >>
> >> -- 
> >> 
> > -
> >>>
> >>> Visit eBay, The World's Online Marketplace (TM) at
> > http://pages.ebay.com/.
> >>>
> >
> >
> > --
> > This message was sent to you because you are currently subscribed to
> > the swcollect mailing list.  To unsubscribe, send mail to
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> > http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
> >
>
>
> --
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[SWCollect] Fw: Message from eBay Member

[C.E. Forman]

Just in case anyone else wondered.

- Original Message - 
From: "Aaron Kipness" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, May 17, 2004 6:47 PM
Subject: Re: Message from eBay Member


> Another Mt. Drash popped up on EBAY and I'm not about to compete with
> another Drash and get less money. I'm probably going to wind up keeping it
> and watching it appreciate anyway.. Sorry,
>
> Aaron
>
> >
> > Just wondering why you pulled the Ultima: Escape from Mt Drash auction?
I
> was planning to snipe this.
> >
> > Thanks for your time.
> >
> >
> >
> > Thank you,
> > morrodox
>
> --
-
> >
> > Visit eBay, The World's Online Marketplace (TM) at
http://pages.ebay.com/.
> >


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[SWCollect] eBay Closes Another Feature

[C.E. Forman]

Just tried searching on a seller's old user ID and eBay didn't recognize it.
Used to be you could do this and it'd come back with the current ID.  This
is going to make it harder to follow crooks who swap their IDs out for new
ones (but keep the same account).


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Re: [SWCollect] Cornerstone on Ebay

[C.E. Forman]

Yeah, the slipcover goes over the plastic case and then the whole thing is
shrinkwrapped.  This guy sold one last year and he said he had a few more.

- Original Message - 
From: "Stephane Racle" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "swcollect" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, May 15, 2004 11:49 AM
Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Cornerstone on Ebay


> Hmm... That looks like the ones I've seen before.
>
> Stephane
>
> Marco Thorek wrote:
>
> >Look at this,
> >
>
>http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3773&item=3677785326
&rd=1
> >
> >and note the "Sophisticated Database..." cover only over the lower left
> >of the box.
> >
> >Wasn't there a slipcase that went entirely over the plastic box?
> >
> >Marco
> >
> >--
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> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> --
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Re: [SWCollect] Ouch

[C.E. Forman]

Man am I glad work was busy today and I missed this one.  Christ.  B-)

Since this thread's died down as of about 6:00 today I won't help jump-start
it again, except to say I'm glad to hear people find my ratings of my sale
items accurate and useful.  I've always tried to err toward "F(S)" rather
than "MS", just because it's better to have a buyer pleasantly surprised by
the condition than disappointed with it.

As for reshrinks... well, that's a whole other subject we've also brought up
lots before.  B-)

- Original Message - 
From: "Freddie Bingham" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, May 10, 2004 4:46 PM
Subject: RE: [SWCollect] Ouch


> Again .. I still disagree for the simple fact that a game can
> re-shrinkwrapped and one can obtain the same quality of wrap that most
games
> were shipped in (the softer, more pliable wrap).  Take a hole punch to it
> and you will fool most people.  Add to that all of the games that are
> floating about that were re-shrinwrapped after being returned to a
software
> store. I, as well, know about this having worked at Babbage's and Egghead.
> A LOT more re-wrapping went on at Babbage's though as we had pretty low
> standards when it came to quality, you had to have written on the box to
get
> it defected (generalization).
>
> How do you guys use this scale anyway? I've had games quoted to me a few
> times based on this, and in my experience, the grades are always
over-blown
> unless it is something from Chris' store. A shrinkwrapped game that has
> bowing on the side or a crease on the flap is not MS (just something I've
> been told and sold before).  There is a valley between F(S) and MS, yet
many
> people have no problem liberally throwing MS about when it does not apply.
> Personally, I don't grade games as my perspective will be different than
> yours so I just send pictures.
>
> Freddie
>
> Lucasarts Museum - http://lucasarts.vintagegaming.org


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Re: [SWCollect] I don't like this at all...

[C.E. Forman]

> > In any case though, I propose we start an investigation, and over time,
> > formulate a ever-growing list of these people and "black list" them so
>
> That's a bad idea.  Many of them simply collect this way, or do so
> intentionally so that they can raise money to buy the software they've
> always wanted for their collection.

Agreed.  The only people we should blacklist are those who try to pass off
their self-printed crap as genuine originals.

I snatch up and resell bargains all the time, but I'm also willing to drop
money for the big ticket items when they show up.


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Re: [SWCollect] I don't like this at all...

[C.E. Forman]

> When the high-enders get their own copies of given titles
> will they leave those alone in next time appearings or do they
> gather everything they can get, even multiple times?

I think once the high rollers are out of the way the prices will come down.
Depends on the bidders though...  I know Peter seems to stop once he has his
personal copy (sorry to single you out, bud, but you've spent a LOT lately
B-).  On the other hand, for Starcross saucers, Suspended masks, just about
anything Apple II, you see Bryron bidding on it even if he already has
several.

Personally, I've still had some luck.  One of the members on this list
outbid me on a lot that had one rare game that I really wanted.  There was
an auction for a loose one which I got for about 75% of my max bid
(apologies to the other list member who got outsniped).

> The prices will probably begin to tempt forgers to come
> out too at any time now (not to sound pessimistic ;).

I've seen that day ever since Eyal reared his ugly head.  It may have
already begun, if he's started selling stuff privately.  Need to finish that
column on who & where he is now.


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Re: [SWCollect] YEAH-HA-HAAAAA!

[C.E. Forman]

It's a rare graphic adventure game, saw very limited release here.  One of
the ones I see on a lot of people's want-lists.

Heh, just realized, God I hope it's in English.  B-)

- Original Message - 
From: "Marco Thorek" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2004 4:20 PM
Subject: Re: [SWCollect] YEAH-HA-HA!


> Indeed, what is it?
>
> Marco
>
>
>
> Hugh Falk schrieb:
> >
> > Never heard of it...is there a story behind it?
> >
> > Hugh
> >
> > -Original Message-
> > From: C.E. Forman [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2004 1:22 PM
> > To: Software Collectibles Mailing List
> > Subject: [SWCollect] YEAH-HA-HA!
> >
> > http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8103582942
> >
> > Last one sold in the U.S., $300+!  I've got a guy who's going to pay and
> > reship for me, should come to about $35 - $40 total.
> >
> > --
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[SWCollect] YEAH-HA-HAAAAA!

[C.E. Forman]

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8103582942

Last one sold in the U.S., $300+!  I've got a guy who's going to pay and
reship for me, should come to about $35 - $40 total.


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Re: [SWCollect] Talk about boneheads...

[C.E. Forman]

I should still have the original article about 
them.  For awhile they were getting a bunch of older software from another 
source, some of it reshrinked by said source.  (They have never done 
reshrinks of their own.)  At first they were selling without a whole lot of 
understanding of the collector's market, so they got some disappointed buyers 
with the rewraps.  Nowadays they are pretty good at opening it if they 
aren't sure, and they've even opened a few that turned out to have been 
originals.
 

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Friday, May 07, 2004 10:02 PM
  Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Talk about 
  boneheads...
  In a message dated 05/07/2004 3:22:37 PM Central 
  Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  writes:
  I've purchased a few items from them in the past. While the 
items were generally fairly nice, the service was pretty poor. Minimal 
communication, no answer to questions, high shipping cost. I stay away from 
their auctions unless it's something I really want. 
  They've got a "history" as Chris and I could tell you 
  but they are doing better now, I think I have finally forgiven them. 
  If we are talking about Software and More I've never noticed bad shipping 
  costs though, a buck or two for handling is it.Tom 

Re: [SWCollect] Change to feedback ratings?

[C.E. Forman]

Huh.  Guess they must have revamped the FB page as they don't show a count
for neutrals anymore, though they did as recently as 6 months ago (maybe
more recent).  Under the old system it would have said "0 neutrals" even if
you had none.  This could have been changed to curb the "edge" a neutral
used to have: Originally it was a good way of stating your displeasure with
a seller but without the harshness of a flat-out negative (they didn't merit
a negative, but weren't good enough to get a positive either).  It also
doesn't show up in your "recent ratings" section, which does include
neutrals, because it happened so long ago.

P.S. Looks like your seller is something of a loser... 81.7% positive??
That's pathetic!  Check out some of the other comments left about him.  My
favorite is "His mother should have bought a rubber so we would not be
dealing with him now."  B-)

- Original Message - 
From: "Dan Chisarick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, May 07, 2004 5:43 PM
Subject: [SWCollect] Change to feedback ratings?


> In my otherwise pristine ratings on ebay I won a single neutral comment
> when I backhanded someone for not being responsive (30 days no answer,
> and for that I was called 'impatient').  At the bottom of what had to
> be a 4-page auction description was a blurb that he's "sometimes out of
> town".  This was about... 2 years ago.
>
> Today I noticed that this neutral has "disappeared", and my feedback
> score is at 100% positive.  Huh?  Compound that with another counter I
> never noticed "0 feedbacks mutually removed".  Granted I live in
> ignorance of the world around me and all, but did I miss an overhaul of
> the feedback system?
>
> I looked at my history, and sure enough 5/11/01, there is my single
> neutral comment.  But it doesn't score in my summary.  I read the link
> below the feedback summary and nowhere in there did it mention an
> expiration date for scores.  The person who left me the neutral is
> still active, so that's not it either.  How odd.
>
> http://cgi2.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?
> ViewFeedback&userid=danc256&items=200&page=2&frompage=-1&item=-1&de=off
>
> Mercifully the list doesn't keep a feedback score on my comments :)
> (How brutal would that be if every mail message came with a voting
> link).
>
>
> --
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Re: [SWCollect] Talk about boneheads...

[C.E. Forman]

> Unfortunately this bidder didn't do his/her homework and paid $100 for a
> disk that is probably worth less than $5 by itself.

Um, not to criticize, Josh?  But i'n't that you who bid $99 on it?


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Re: [SWCollect] Zork question

[C.E. Forman]

> To my knowledge "Zork" was a word used by computer geeks at MIT for just
> about everything, as in "give me that zork over there."

That's what I've read in every article about the original mainframe Zork
(Dungeon).  It's possible the MIT term derived from the Brunner novel.


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[SWCollect] FYI

[C.E. Forman]

Just in case any of you were thinking of bidding on this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8103195577&rd=1

.be aware that it's not an original advertisement flyer, but a page cut out
of a magazine and framed by the seller (which I suspected after seeing this
one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4315&item=8103195600.

(Note how the other side of the page shows through.)

The seller has confirmed this to me, but hasn't mentioned it in his auctions
so I wanted to pass along the word.


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Re: [SWCollect] Origin Museum email address

[C.E. Forman]

[EMAIL PROTECTED]

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  Feldhamer, Stuart 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2004 10:16 
  AM
  Subject: [SWCollect] Origin Museum email 
  address
  
  Someone help me 
  out with Joe's current email address. Joe, you should update the address on 
  your site, unless you're purposely doing it to avoid spam... BTW, A search on 
  google turned up this:
   
  
  


  
03-13-2004, 01:35 
  

  

  
  

  Unregistered 
  Guest
  
  Posts: n/a 
  
  
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 



I tried to e-mail that address earlier tonight to contact the site 
admins, and my mail got returned with the following error:retry 
time not reached for any host after a long failure periodIf the 
site admin could contact me at [EMAIL PROTECTED], it would be appreciated. I 
have a question or two to ask. 
   
  Hope the HTML mail 
  doesn't bother someone.
   
  Stuart

Re: [SWCollect] Even marginally ethical?

[C.E. Forman]

> Despite the amount of thought I put into it, I do not plan (nor do I
> advocate) doing this.  Bad idea.  Very wrong.  Don't do it.

I have to agree.  Pretending to sell something you don't actually have is
dishonest, regardless of whether you take any money for it in the end.  If
anyone got word of it, it could sow a lot of distrust in our community.
(Eyal Katz and that T-shirt asshole have done far too much damage already.)

> Now something that would be more on the level is an "ebay want list"
> where people list items they're interested in and how much they're
> willing to pay.

The problems with these are (1) eBay will can "wanted" auctions if they see
them, and (2) morons who don't read the listings will bid on it thinking
it's an actual item for sale, meaning final value fees and possible negative
feedback when they realize you don't have it.

> It just seems that the game collecting sites that have
> 'want lists' don't really seem that effective.

I assume YOIS's waiting list falls into this category?  The problem is that
most people who run collecting sites are themselves collectors, so if they
find something good, they're going to keep a personal copy before they start
offerring it to others who've asked for it.  And because of the nature of
rare items, spare copies are very few and far-between.  So you get lots of
entries but most of them never get filled.  Unfortunately, once you've
started up a list in your early days, if you just drop everyone who's
already signed up on it, you get those people upset at you because you sold
to someone else when they had asked first.  That's where I am right now.

On the other hand, I usually have somebody write me once every few weeks
with something they have that's on my own personal want-list (the great big
huge monstrosity that has its own page).  So people do seem to notice.


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Re: [SWCollect] Retro PC game collecting officially became big business

[C.E. Forman]

What I'd like to know is how people (the same 
people all the time) are finding the rare items.  Granted, I'm aware 
of a few sellers putting a ton of stuff up, so people watch their 
auctions.  Everyone searches on Infocom, Drash, etc.  But I've also 
seen some really obscure stuff by an atypical seller go for a lot, stuff I 
didn't think anybody else would have found, especially since eBay has screwed 
around with the categories to the point where everything is essentially 
buried.
 
It's pretty much 
public knowledge that I wrote my own automated eBay search tool, but if a few of 
you don't mind sharing how you find your stuff, I'd be interested to hear 
it.  Do you rely on eBay's saved searches and automatic notifies?  Do 
you save the URLs for the results of a bunch of your own searches?  Do you 
spy on other known collectors and see what they've come across?  About how 
many searches do you do, and how often?
 
C'mon, don't be shy.
 

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  Stephane Racle 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Sunday, April 25, 2004 5:39 
PM
  Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Retro PC game 
  collecting officially became big business
  I was actually thinking along the same lines, and I'm sure I 
  wasn't the only other one. Some of the prices make it seem like $100 for a 
  game is nothing... I don't know, but to me, $100 is a lot of cash! The other 
  thing I've noticed too is that there's at least a couple of bidders who seem 
  to be doing more than just collecting. I think Bryron, for one, would still be 
  ready to pay big bucks for a game even if he already had ten copies of it - 
  perhaps an investment? I believe C.E. made a similar statement not too long 
  ago regarding Starcross saucers and Suspended masks. I found this one 
  particularly interesting since I got a copy off eBay only three or four months 
  ago and I was the only bidder. Now all of a sudden, there's 10 bids:http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4315&item=3091242158&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVWI 
  think the fact that knowing people are bidding high is driving more people to 
  bid even higher.While I'm glad my collection is worth more, I wouldn't 
  be overly thrilled if this hobby became a business. I'm not exactly sure it 
  would be a good thing if every game sold for $100+. On the other hand, I'm 
  almost tempted to sell some of my stuff at these prices. 
  :-)StephaneHugh Falk wrote: 
  



I was waiting for things to die 
down a bit before bringing this topic up, but the last few weeks have 
brought an extraordinary amount of activity on eBay…both in the number of 
good, old PC games for sale and the prices being paid.  My watch list 
has never been so full.  In fact, I’d say my watch list over the last 
few weeks was as long as the previous six months (maybe a year).  At 
least 3 individual sellers had lots to offer:
 
Hopey
Rbgamehunter
Carol!yahoo
 
Combined with lots of one-off 
sellers.
 
But what really struck me was 
that even with all the supply, the ending prices were just so much higher 
than I’ve ever seen before.  I would have expected prices to drop with 
so much stuff on the market, but it didn’t happen.  Things I’ve seen go 
recently in the $10 - $30 range were going for over $100.  Many of the 
usual suspects were bidding, but the most noticeable was Peter (sorry to 
call you out Peter), who by my rough calculations has dropped AT LEAST 10 
grand in the last 2 months.
 
In some ways it is really great 
to see games appreciating in value so much.  Maybe we’ll remember March 
and April 2004 as the months that Retro PC game collecting officially became 
big business.
 
Hugh
 

Re: [SWCollect] New Article from The Origin Museum

[C.E. Forman]

> If I can add to this:  I believe that the MEDIUM you write about isn't
complete
> without the actual gameplay experience:  Loading the game, looking at the
title
> screen with anticipation, gameplay mechanics, looking at maps, consulting
> add-ins/feelies.  I feel that it is imperative that the game be
experienced
> before it can be considered truly preserved.
>
> So just collect two of everything ;-)

AND the original hardware to play it on, right Jim?  If you want the full
experience, you can't settle for < 1 second load time on an emulator when
you could have 45 seconds on the original Apple.  B-)


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[SWCollect] Gothos

[C.E. Forman]

Anybody else heard of this game?  I picked up a copy this weekend in a
thrift for a couple of bucks.  No entry on MobyGames, and no active or
completed auctions on eBay.

It's a vampire/horror adventure by Microforum, 1997.  M for Mature.  Graphic
adventure with icon interface.  There's an "attitude adjuster" that you use
in conversations to express yourself toward the other characters, instead of
clicking from a list of possible responses.  (Sometimes the results of this
are unintentionally funny.)  Also it has instructions on how you could take
a digital picture of yourself and they would send you versions of the
appropriate game files so your player-character would have your face.


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Re: [SWCollect] CURIOUS Guide

[C.E. Forman]

Hugh,
 
Very nice, and remarkably fast.  Sorting and 
searching both worked great.  I did find one 
glitch, though: If I:
 
1. Search on a keyword2. Then hit my browser's 
back button from the results page3. Then click the scroll bar on the left 
side (in the previous page)
 
...Instead of scrolling down it takes me back to 
the same search results, and I get the following PHP error at the top of the 
page:
 
Warning: mysql_data_seek(): Offset 25 is invalid 
for MySQL result index 7 (or the query data is unbuffered) in 
/home/gotcha/cgi-bin/PHP/datalist.php on line 648
 
Other than that, looks great!
 
Adventure International list is still 
in-progress.  Going is slow because some platform and release date info is 
hard to track down, and there are a HUGE number of package variants.  For 
the time being I'm going to confine myself to adventure only, since I don't have 
a complete list of their arcade titles.

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  Hugh 
  Falk 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2004 12:06 
  AM
  Subject: [SWCollect] CURIOUS Guide
  
  
  After weeks of frustration and 
  experimentation, I finally have a DB solution for the CUROIUS Guide up and 
  running.  You can get to it from my site (http://www.classicgaming.com/gotcha/) 
  through the menu, but here is a direct link to the DB page: http://dynamic3.gamespy.com/~gotcha/PHP/curious_view.php. 
  
   
  There are some nice features like 
  sorting, filtering and a printable view, but there is still some more 
  functionality I want to add (like alphabetical tabs).  For now I think it 
  is very usable.
   
  I’d really appreciate some 
  feedback…specifically if it works since so many people had problems with the 
  last version.
   
  Keep in mind that this is only the 
  beginning.  There are likely many errors and obviously there are many 
  many games/box variations still to add.
   
  Thanks,
  Hugh
   

Re: [SWCollect] So obviously Mt. Drash is no longer rare....

[C.E. Forman]

 

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2004 6:43 
  AM
  Subject: Re: [SWCollect] So obviously Mt. 
  Drash is no longer rare
  In a message dated 04/21/2004 6:34:43 AM Central 
  Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  writes:
  Can you list the owners of the seven Drashes (owner, 
complete-or-cassette, etc?).  Also, this box looks...familiar.  
Could it be one of the ones that has already been sold?Hmm, I'd rather not do that, 
  heck I might be able to buy some of them from the owners someday. But you know 
  pretty much anywayYouMe (2)Another fellow in this group 
  :)And another fellow in this group (Edward's)Unknown, winner of first 
  cassetteThis new one.Actually that is it, all 7. I know of a few 
  more possible but those I'm DEFINITELY not telling ;)
  Also--you have TWO?!  WOW!  Tell us about 
them--please!Not much to say, you know the 
  story on the first one, second one cassette only, private purchase. Both in 
  safe deposit box :) Both work too, both sides of cassette.TomVisit 
  my web page for many games for sale/trade and screen shots of Ultima Escape 
  from Mt. Drash,  Tom's Ultima, 
  Infocom and RPG page 

Re: [SWCollect] eBay -ve feedback

[C.E. Forman]

> Is there a way to deal with retaliatory -ve feedback?

Request their contact info from eBay and call them.  If the phone number is
false, report it to eBay and they will take down the negative comment (and
suspend them until they correct it).  This policy is buried pretty deep, but
it is there and they enforce it.

Also any deadbeats you (or anyone on this list) send to me will be added to
my page on YOIS.  I know people look at it cuz I've received both lists from
other frustrated eBayers and demands from deadbeats to take their names off.


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Re: [SWCollect] Esoteric Question #274

[C.E. Forman]

> #1 has a registration card
> #2 has a registration card but it is filled out with the previous owners
> details (he just never sent it in)
> #3 has no registration card

I'd number them the same way you do, Jim.  Prefer to have a reg card, but
it's minor.  Would rather have it written on than missing completely
(whether it's a reg card, manual, box, etc.)  Also if you have a filled-out
reg card, you can write the person to see if they have any of their other
old games to sell to you.  B-)


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Re: [SWCollect] Adventure Construction Set

[C.E. Forman]

> I have very vague memories of that.  I *think* I beat the  
> mini-adventures as well as ROL but to be honest, I don't remember.   
> Possible I didn't.  I searched Google for hours (figuring you've  
> probably already tried that) and the only reference I found was someone  
> asking that very same question back in '96 (and guess who that was).

Yep.  8 years later, still looking for the solution.

> Now I've got to light it up and see if I can't find out myself.  BTW,  
> what platform did you play on?  Where did you get the game from?

Apple II.  Got it as either a birthday or Christmas present.


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Re: [SWCollect] Adventure Construction Set

[C.E. Forman]

Dan,

I too spent a large portion of my childhood with ACS.  Could you possibly
tell me how to find the mouth in Rivers of Light (the one you're supposed to
give to the ghost in the pyramid)?  I edited the game and searched EVERY
SQUARE for it, to no avail.

- Original Message - 
From: "Dan Chisarick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "swcollect Mailing List" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, April 03, 2004 6:14 PM
Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Adventure Construction Set


> Two people who had the same urge at the same time.  I know I had a
> little trouble finding a reference card for the Apple II version, but
> I've since found one and seen about 3-4 of them afterwards.  I did
> spend buckets of time playing with this, though.
>
>
> On Apr 3, 2004, at 10:33 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
> > Nothing particularly different about this version as far as I can see.
> >  Just typical eBay craziness.
> >
> > Hugh
> >
> > -Original Message-
> > From: Per-Olof Karlsson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > Sent: Apr 3, 2004 6:44 AM
> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Subject: RE: [SWCollect] Adventure Construction Set
> >
> > I noticed this too.. I'd call that a mental blackout if anything!
> > Somebody
> > wanted it badly, and bid way too high, I think. It's not particularly
> > rare,
> > in my opinion.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Peo
> >
> > -Original Message-
> > From: Tomas Buteler [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Sent: den 3 april 2004 15:18
> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Subject: [SWCollect] Adventure Construction Set
> >
> > I know it doesn't compare to the amounts the Drashes and the PS Zorks
> > have
> > been gathering, but this got me
> > puzzled:
> >
> > http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?
> > ViewItem&item=3085478069&category=4315
> >
> > No newbies... big bids, for what I'm used to seeing of flat-boxes. Am I
> > missing something here?
> >
> > Best regards,
> >
> > Tomas
> >
> > __
> > Do you Yahoo!?
> > Yahoo! Small Business $15K Web Design Giveaway
> > http://promotions.yahoo.com/design_giveaway/
> >
> > --
> > This message was sent to you because you are currently subscribed to
> > the
> > swcollect mailing list.  To unsubscribe, send mail to
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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> >
> >
> >
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> >
> >
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Re: [SWCollect] Personal Software Zork

[C.E. Forman]

Yep, that's definitely the Apple II manual.  I saw one auction a long time
ago that had it in an open-faced box.  Scan is attached, I saved it.

- Original Message - 
From: "Freddie Bingham" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 5:52 PM
Subject: RE: [SWCollect] Personal Software Zork


> The small book looks like the manual from the Apple ][ version.
>
> Freddie
>
> Lucasarts Museum - http://lucasarts.vintagegaming.org
>
>
> > -Original Message-
> > From: Stuart Feldhamer [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 3:48 PM
> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Subject: [SWCollect] Personal Software Zork
> >
> > Someone who knows about Infocom take a look at this:
> >
> > http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3669906360&;
> > category=182
> >
> > Notice that in the picture there are two booklets...what's the deal?
> >
> > Stuart
> >
> >
> > --
> > This message was sent to you because you are currently
> > subscribed to the swcollect mailing list.  To unsubscribe,
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> > Archives are available at:
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> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --
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<>

Re: [SWCollect] And then one day, the Holy Grail is found

[C.E. Forman]

My initial thoughts on this...
 
Were the two sealeds on eBay in Q4 2003 from the 
same seller?  Watch the ID(s) to see if they list more.
 
Silver-base CD or green/red/blue (obvious 
CD-R)?  If there's a back insert, probably no way to tell w/o cracking the 
wrap.  Silver doesn't mean it's not a fake, though, could be someone w/ 
access to better burning equipment.
 
If few were sold, could indicate a lot were unsold 
(i.e. kept in storage, still sealed).
 
Printing on liner notes and disc itself, same as 
the one you know is an original?
 
Not sure I'd be worried at this point, until some 
of these questions get answered.  We've had 4 Drashes sold in the last 6 
months (3 on eBay), so they seem to be popping up everywhere as well.  
B-)
 

  - Original Message - I too have 
  found another 'sealed' copy of 'Origin Audio CD-Volume 1' (I bought it off of 
  Ebay in Q4 of 2003).  I now have two.  I also know someone else (Ben 
  Lesnick) who got a 'sealed' copy as well (he got it from Ebay in Q4 of 
  2003).  I also saw someone else who has one from a few years ago 
  (Lancelot Du Lake).  They seem to now be popping up everywhere...perhaps 
  I'm paranoid, but C.E. has taught us all to be 'ever vigilant'. Could 
  these be forgeries, or was there a box of them uncovered recently?  We 
  need to find out.  I know that my original copy is probably real, but I 
  never checked it closely against the shrinkwrapped one.  I will compare 
  them this week, and give you all a report.  I'll also try to review my 
  emails from that period, and find out who I bought it from.  This could 
  be the first 'Origin Forgery', or the luckiest day in Pedro's LIFE!  Like 
  I said, I'm probably wrong, but I think we have enough knowledge and resources 
  to find out."...Preserving Worlds..."Joe GarrityCurator of The 
  Origin Museum
  
  
  

Re: [SWCollect] Roadtrip to Washington, D.C?

[C.E. Forman]

I would love to, provided I can afford airfare.  Trying to save up for the
expo we're working on in October, though.

- Original Message - 
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, March 29, 2004 12:18 PM
Subject: [SWCollect] Roadtrip to Washington, D.C?


> Hi all.
>
> just thought I'd open an invitation to a historic event, that officially
justifies our hobby.  The Smithsonian Institution is now having a seminar on
'An exploration on the art and science of electronic game design',
appropriately called "Games People Play".  It's scheduled for Sunday, May
16th.  Here's a link to the details:
>
> http://residentassociates.org/com/games.asp
>
> The Origin Museum will be there (after all, Doug Church, lead programmer
of Ultima Underworld 1 and 2 will be featured!), and it would be a fun
reason to come and see our great Capitol city.  Paula and I would certainly
show you all the town on Saturday, and perhaps even have a 'round table' at
The Museum on Saturday night for anything related to collecting!  The first
round of drinks would be on us!  :)
>
> Please reply and let us know if there'd be any interest in a get-together
in May.
>
> (John--two words--Shigeru Miyamoto!)
>
> Joe Garrity
> Origin Museum
>
>
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Re: [SWCollect] Chris?

[C.E. Forman]

Tom,
 
I hope I didn't give you the impression that I 
don't care at all about stuff like this.  It bugs me too when people charge 
money for games that abandonware sites have for free download (which the sites 
themselves probably shouldn't, but that's a whole other discussion that I think 
we've had before).  But I prefer to reserve my major battles for people who 
are specifically trying to defraud collectors of old packaging.  Although 
what this guy is doing isn't legal, he's not fooling anyone (or even trying) 
about what he is offerring, and there are too many others doing the same 
thing.
 
However I will file a report with eBay and see if 
they do anything about it.  Power in numbers, so anybody else wanting to do 
the same, go here:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/contact_inline/index.html
 

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Friday, March 26, 2004 9:13 
AM
  Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Chris?
  In a message dated 03/26/2004 8:51:22 AM Central 
  Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  writes:
  
Hah, not true - did you look at his other items?  He has 
  about 10 of those auctions going at once, and some are as high as $10 
  bucks.A couple other things then 
  I'll let it go, for now. Even at .01 notice he charges $5 shipping. Costs 
  maybe a buck to ship a bare CD. And I'm betting he puts some sort of GRTech 
  "label" on the CD so people think it is legit when they get it. I'm starting 
  to get more annoyed the more I think about it, tons of auctions, up to $10 
  each for the CDs, $5 shipping each, possible further money to "download" the 
  other games, BIG money potentially...  Hope no "lurkers" 
  watching this discussion. Jim, just curious, is there a published list of 
  members of this group?TomVisit my web page for many games for 
  sale/trade and screen shots of Ultima Escape from Mt. Drash,  Tom's Ultima, 
  Infocom and RPG page 

Re: [SWCollect] Chris?

[C.E. Forman]

Yeah, I see these all the time, but just don't have 
the time or energy to fight CD compilations.  Prefer to stick to homemade 
packaging, where it's not obvious what the seller's doing.  If you feel 
like it, report 'em to eBay.  They seem to come down on this sort of thing 
fairly quick.  (And notice he doesn't have any bids yet, even at a 
penny.)
 

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Friday, March 26, 2004 6:09 
AM
  Subject: [SWCollect] Chris?
  I'm sure you have seen this, I'll leave it to you, 
  I have enough bonehead cheaters to work on right now ;) It is a nice CD, just 
  don't like to see people selling stuff that can be obtained for 
  free.eBay 
  item 3087194177 (Ends Mar-28-04 05:00:00 PST) - 1 CENT N/R! 99 Adventure Games 
  CD: GRtech Software Inc. Visit my web page for many games for 
  sale/trade and screen shots of Ultima Escape from Mt. Drash,  Tom's Ultima, 
  Infocom and RPG page 

Re: [SWCollect] I'll be the first to say..

[C.E. Forman]

> He is obviously a man of great means (and no wife! :-))

Somebody told me he's writing a book and wants to include every game ever
made in it.  Says Peter himself claimed he had "millions" to spend.  (Which
I doubt... I've outbid him before.  If he had "millions", why didn't he just
bid $1 on those auctions and always win?  Why would he bother to snipe
if his finances were endless?  Why risk eBay crapping its pants and him
missing the close when he could bid $10K every time and be confident no one
would ever go higher?)

Bryron seems to have a lot of money to burn too.  He has several saucers and
a stack of face masks by now.  I think he's saving them, hoping they'll be
worth even more in 10 - 20 years.  The investor type.

> Sorry about any nervousness caused by my hoax.  I hope C.E. doesn't write
an
> article about me :-)

I've been known to post my own share of hoaxes, so I'm hardly one to
criticize.  B-)


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Re: [SWCollect] Video Game Documentary tonight

[C.E. Forman]

I don't get Game Show Network.  If somebody could tape it for me, I'll pay
postage and the cost of the tape (unless you want it back).

- Original Message - 
From: "Marco Thorek" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, March 22, 2004 6:24 PM
Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Video Game Documentary tonight


> Jim Leonard schrieb:
> >
> > I'm at work!  Any chance this will come on any time again?  I have a
> > ReplayTV and I'd have no problem at all recording it and putting it on
> > the web for those who want to watch it.
>
> That would be pretty cool!
>
> Marco
>
> --
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Re: [SWCollect] Hint Books for Trade

[C.E. Forman]

Hugh,
 
LMK if I can trade you anything for the Black 
Cauldron, Gold Rush, or any of the KQ hint books.
 

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  Hugh 
  Falk 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2004 12:09 
  AM
  Subject: [SWCollect] Hint Books for 
  Trade
  
  
  Sorry for the 
  solicitation, but in my earlier list of items for trade, I neglected to list 
  hint books.  If you’re looking for any of these, please just contact me 
  directly.   I have:
   
   
  
  


  
Conquering Adventure Games 
(2 Copies)
  
Dilithium Press
  
F 
(VG)
  
1984

  
Gold Rush! Hint Book 
(2)
  
Sierra On-Line
  
MS
  
1989

  
Guide to the Video 
Arcade Games 
(2)
  
Creative Computing
  
F
  
1982

  
King's Quest Hint Book 
(3)
  
SierraOn-Line
  
F/MS
  
 

  
King's Quest IV Hint Book 
(3)
  
SierraOn-Line
  
F/MS
  
1987

  
The Black Cauldron 
(3)
  
Sierra On-Line
  
MS
  
 

  
The Official Guide To Sid 
Meier's Civilization (3)
  
Compute Publications
  
F 
(VG)
  
1992

  
The Secret Guide to The 
Magic Candle (2 copies)
  
Mindcraft
  
F 
(VG)
  
1989

  
Tony Severa's Hintdisk 
& Gaming Aids (Atari ST) -- 
 Arcade and Backdoors 1 (2), Heroes of the Lance 
(2) 
  
Tony Severa's Computer 
Service
  
MS
  
1988
   
   
   
  Thanks,
  Hugh
   
   

[SWCollect] Fw: Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash

[C.E. Forman]

Got this in my mail today, re: the availability of Drash images, just wanted
to pass along.

- Original Message - 
From: "Great Hierophant" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2004 3:08 AM
Subject: Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash


> I hope you are aware of a .d64 image floating around that purports to be
> that of Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash.  I have two U:EfMtD images, a tape
> image and a disk image.  Both images I got from the Vic-20 archive at
Funet
> before they took all the commercial games down.  The disk image is not
just
> some throw the tape image onto a disk thing, the disk image has a loader
> program and the program code is split into two files.  There are some
minor
> differences between the disk image and tape image.  The only differences I
> have noticed from the tape image to the disk image is that the ending tune
> plays at the welcome screen and there is a "please wait" black screen
> between the title and welcome screens.  Also, the disk image is not very
PAL
> compatible while the tape image is (if PAL Vic-20s were ever made.)
Finally
> I found this in a Hex Editor of the disk image: ESCAPE FROM MOUNT DRASH
> CONVERTED TO DISK IN 2002.  The ending may be screwed up too, which is why
I
> used the tape image to write my FAQ on the game.  This could be a source
of
> fraud if disks are easier to reproduce than tapes and a seller purports to
> offer the "even rarer disk version" of U:EfMtD.
>
> GH
>


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[SWCollect] Re: [SWCollect] What 'Path' are you currently on?

[C.E. Forman]

Well, one time we took a family trip to St Louis.  My dad and I drove around
to places looking for stuff.  (He thinks my hobby is neat and tries to keep
an eye out for stuff when he and my mom go places, but he's not 100% up on
what's collectible vs. what's crap.)  So anyway, he's driving, I'm
navigating, with a street map that's so tiny it's hard to read, and the next
thing we know, we're cruising through several blocks with boarded-up
buildings, newspapers on the windows, etc.  Two dorky-ass white guys,
cruising in broad daylight through the St Louis ghetto!  B-)  IIRC he cut a
couple of red lights close to get out of there.

And I certainly never expected to get into the whole background of how game
packaging is printed, etc, but had some exposure to that courtesy of Eyal
Katz.

- Original Message - 
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2004 1:59 PM
Subject: [SWCollect] What 'Path' are you currently on?


>
>
> I find it fascinating that our hobby takes us down many different paths,
far and away from software collecting.  Sometimes they've taken us deep into
unknown territory, hunting for that possible elusive copy, and we get a bit
of culture with our favorite dish.  Sometimes they're good, and sometimes
they're bad (See C.E. Forman's 'Detroit Suck City' review on his website),
but they take us to places and ideas that we never would've ventured
otherwise.  I'm currently involved in a few Museum projects that are showing
me new people, places, things, and ideas that I NEVER would've seen before.
My latest project is showing me Hollywood special effects, taxidermy, and
window display personnel-all on behalf of my gaming obsession!  I'll
surprise you all with pictures this week as the project 'gels', but I just
wanted to ask if everyone else on the boards has as much fun with these
diversions as I do?
>
> OPEN FORUM TIME:
> What unusual paths has your gaming obsession taken you to?
>
>
> ".Preserving Worlds."
> Joe Garrity
> Curator of The Origin Museum
> http://
>
>
>
>
> --
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Re: [SWCollect] Distributing Drash (and all old software)

[C.E. Forman]

> To arguments of fakes:  Yes, I agree that is a concern.  But since the
> image is already out there, as well as .JPGs of what the casette and box
> look like, that possibility already exists.

True, but you'd need a decent size image to be able to print a box from and
make it look halfway authentic.  I don't know of anyone who has one posted
with that much detail.


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Re: [SWCollect] How did you find your Drash?

[C.E. Forman]

> Or any of your most prized software posessions, for that matter?  Any
> good stories out there?

Marco (Infocom-IF) and I just bought a box of film, slides, etc., of some of
the late-term (early- to mid-1990s) Infocom package designs from a guy at
Activision.  Photos they took for the package, some of the LGoP2 girls, etc.
We're gonna split it down the middle once I have time to catalogue
everything that's in it.  That was kinda neat, we found out about it from
helping him get the manuals and PC code for some of their more obscure
releases.  (I loaned him my Cornerstone and Fooblitzky... Yeah, even after
Kitchen... God help the universe if I get f***ked over again.  B-)

The other great story is probably the PC Sentient Cyborg, which I found
completely unexpectedly in a warehouse owned by a guy who let me dig around
and help him organize it.


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Re: [SWCollect] Here we go.....

[C.E. Forman]

Also let me just say (and I'm sure TomMage agrees), VERY wise choice not to
take PayPal on this auction, Edward.  B-)


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Re: [SWCollect] Here we go.....

[C.E. Forman]

I'd just like to (as always) voice my concern about how widely these images
would get distributed.  Not that I'm against preserving it, I'm just worried
about it falling into the wrong hands and we get inundated with fakes being
sold as originals.

> Before actually sending the game to the high bidder, do you think you
could
> completely "preserve" it? There are so few copies that any image of the
> original tape is *very* important. Nobody knows where this tape will go
and
> if it can be properly preserved after you sell it. Also, the game will
have
> another trip to the high bidder, which can even more damage the game...
>
> What you would need to do is to scan *all* documentation, box, tape (both
> sides), etc. at 600 dpi.
> The most important is to record both sides of the tape at a very high rate
> (44100 Hz, 16 bit), with proper sound level adjustment. Do you have the
> hardware to do this?


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Re: [SWCollect] Scexpo

[C.E. Forman]

*Sigh*  I have changed the group name to 
"sc-expo" (Yahoo doesn't allow spaces).
 
Can we resume being grown-ups now?  
B-)

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 9:40 
  AM
  Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Scexpo
  In a message dated 03/10/2004 9:10:57 AM Central 
  Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  writes:
  Why are you reading about a sex expo???" Hehe, might have to change 
  the name, don't want to offend anyone due to misunderstanding. I'd consider 
  attending either type of "expo" I think, combo of both would be interesting!! 
  ;)TomVisit my web page for many games for sale/trade and screen 
  shots of Ultima Escape from Mt. Drash,  Tom's Ultima, 
  Infocom and RPG page 

Re: [SWCollect] Question about trading partner

[C.E. Forman]

Yeah, this is Jeremy Lechtzin.  He's completely trustworthy.

- Original Message - 
From: "Lee K. Seitz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 12:08 AM
Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Question about trading partner


> Marco Thorek stated:
> >
> >I'm trying to do a deal with the guy running this website,
> >
> >http://members.tripod.com/classic-videogames/
> >
> >Anybody have prior experiences with him? Can he be trusted?
>
> I've dealt with him via Usenet and eBay and had no problems with him
> either time.  The former was back in '99 and I was the buyer.  The
> latter was one year ago when he won an auction of mine.  I believe,
> from another e-mail I found, that C.E. may have dealt with him as
> well.
>
> -- 
> Lee K. Seitz
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> --
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[SWCollect] Software Collecting Expo

[C.E. Forman]

Hey gang,

Just a quick note to say we've finally got a discussion group for a
collecting expo.  Come on over if you'd like to help organize it, know some
possible guest speakers (John, looking at you here), or if you just want to
hear what we're talking about.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scexpo/


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Re: [SWCollect] Ok....melt wizard...

[C.E. Forman]

> I can't remember where I saw this question answered, but, yes, it
> was something designed specifically for the movie.  It was never a game
that
> was commercially released.

Yeah, notice how fast his computer boots it up.  And when he types I don't
believe the text line has a cursor.  Nearly all computer movies seem to do
this, probably cuz actors can't type.  B-)


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[SWCollect] Per-Olof Karlsson

[C.E. Forman]

Hey gang,

Anybody here heard from Per-Olaf recently?  He bid on a bunch of my BidVille
auctions but seems to have disappeared, hasn't gotten back to me after
multiple e-mails.  I hate the thought of leaving negative feedback on a
member of this list, but it's been almost two months now.


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Re: [SWCollect] Newly subscribed, looking for KQ PCjr

[C.E. Forman]

Hi Vincent,

I've actually heard of 3 variations of the KQ PCjr package: One with 1983
dates, one with 1984, and one with pieces from both years.  The general
consensus seems to be that Sierra ran out of 1983 parts and had to have more
made, and changed the year to 1984.

Unfortunately the best advice I can give is to keep checking eBay and
collectors' sites.  (See my links page, www.yois.biz/links, for some places
to start.)  If you find someone who has one you might be able to trade one
of the more common 1984 versions plus a little cash for the 1983.

- Original Message - 
From: "Vincent Joguin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, March 06, 2004 10:40 AM
Subject: [SWCollect] Newly subscribed, looking for KQ PCjr


> Hi software collectors!
>
> I'm new to this group, but have followed some discussions on the
> mailing-list archive.
> To quickly present myself, I am the author of Tand-Em (a Tandy 1000 and
> someday PCjr emulator), FAST (an Atari ST and maybe someday Amiga
emulator)
> and Disk2FDI (the best software to preserve your original disks).
>
> Right now, I have discovered by way of vintage-sierra.com (whose webmaster
> I understand is part of this list as well) that there were actually 2
> different versions (at least for the packaging and the keyboard overlay)
of
> King's Quest released for the PCjr. I have the later version (I have 3
> copies in fact), dated 1984, and I would really, really like to find the
> first version, dated 1983, with the keyboard overlay.
> If anyone has one to sell, or knows how I could start searching, please
let
> me know. Thanks in advance.
>
> I have myself a small collection of old original PC and Amiga games. I'll
> image them with Disk2FDI as soon as I finish a stable "final" version of
> the FDI routines.
>
> Vincent Joguin.
>
>
> --
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Re: [SWCollect] here's the list

[C.E. Forman]

For auctions I recommend BidVille.  Nowhere near as much traffic as eBay,
but nowhere near as many asinine rules either.  You pay $5 to register for 6
months then listing is free (though I've heard rumors they're going to start
charging FVF's down the road).  Also you can have longer auctions, or relist
automatically as many as 20 times.  One screen of info to fill in too, as
opposed to eBay's five.

Let us know what your ID is and I'm sure we'll look at them.  You have
several items I already mentioned an interest in.

P.S.  The Infocom "Passport" catalog belongs in the Leather Goddesses
package.

- Original Message - 
From: "Matthew Sewell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, March 06, 2004 9:26 AM
Subject: [SWCollect] here's the list


> All,
>
> Thanks for all your replies. I spent some time compiling a list of what
> I've found, and I've pasted it below (sorry for the length, but I was
> trying to be complete). I should note that many of the exteriors of the
> boxes are banged up, but almost all of the manuals (etc.) are in great
> condition. It's mostly Apple II stuff with a few Apple IIGS items as
> well.
>
> I'm getting a feeling -- just a faint sense, you understand -- that eBay
> is not in favor on this list. That's fine by me, but please advise me
> how to go about selling these items otherwise. (Sorry I can't trade:
> this all started because I'm moving in a few months and I'm trying to
> *reduce* my stuff.)
>
> From my perspective the beauty of eBay is that it gets me out of having
> to referee among multiple interested parties -- just my inquiry about
> Microbe got several expressions of interest, plus offers of money. I'm
> an honest guy and not trying to rip anybody off, and multiple private
> offers puts me in the awkward position of coordinating an auction in
> which I'm the one who stands to profit. At the same time I'm not excited
> about all the work (and fees) associated with putting together a bunch
> of individual listings. I really think it's great that this community
> emphasizes trades and is reluctant to attach 'official' prices to
> collectibles -- look what that's done to the comic book community -- but
> it does make it hard for someone who's looking to sell for a fair price.
> So: advice?
>
> Matt
>
> Here's the list:
>
> APPLE II:
>
> A+ Disk Magazine Vol. 1 No. 3 with accompanying 5.25" disk
> Bard's Tale II (EA): box, manual, command summary, cluebook
> advertisement, 2 5.25" disks
> Bard's Tale III (EA): folder, manual, code wheel, command
> summary/addendum, 2 5.25" disks
> Enchanter (Infocom): Folder, scroll with seal, instruction manual,
> orange reference card, 5.25" disk
> HardBall! (Accolade): box, manual, registration card, catalog, 5.25"
> disk
> Hitchhiker's Guide (Infocom): box w/manual, button, sunglasses, 2
> destruct orders, fluff, space fleet, reference card, catalog/hint book
> advertisement, 5.25" disk and yes, no tea
> Leather Goddesses of Phobos (Infocom): folder, manual, reference card,
> registration card (filled out), t-shirt/poster advertisement, 5.25" disk
>
> Microbe (Synergistic):  1 page frontispiece (advertising), 4 manuals,
> errata/new features, troubleshooting, 5.25" disk
> Nine Princes in Amber (Telarium): box/tray, envelope with 5 instruction
> sheets, reference card, proof of purchase card, catalog/software club
> advertisement, 2 5.25" disks
> Strategic Conquest (PBI): folder, manual, 5.25" disk
> Ultima III: Exodus (Origin): Box, cloth map, 4 manuals, 2
> troubleshooting/reference sheets, 5.25" disk
> VisiCalc (VisiCorp): huge 3-ring binder manual, slipcase, 5.25" disk
> Wizardry: Proving Grounds (Sir-Tech): Box, manual, 5.25" disk, lots of
> maps I made (!)
> ZorkQuest 2 (Infocom): folder and 5.25" disk
>
> I also have a loose "Passport to the United Products of Infocom."
> Anybody know which game that goes with?
>
> APPLE IIGS:
>
> Hacker II (Activision): box/tray, manual in Top Secret envelope
> (opened), 2 catalogs, "Hacker on Board" sticker (folded but still on
> backing), 3.5" disk
> Music Studio (Activision): box, manual/update, reference card, 2
> catalogs, 3.5" disk
> Multiscribe GS (Styleware): box/styrofoam, manual, keyboard
> advertisement, 3.5" utilities disk (no application disk)
> Styleware Font Library (Styleware): folder, Stop! insert, 3.5" disk
> Thexder (Sierra): box/slipcase, manual, registration card, catalog,
> reference card, 3.5" disk
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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Re: [SWCollect] Fuck Ebay

[C.E. Forman]

He's already on my deadbeat list, I put him on the 
"my personal" one since he scammed someone I know.  Not sure how many 
people block those IDs but at least it's there for people to see it.  If 
you post your story on Vintage Sierra, like you did with Eyal, I'll link to 
it.
 
Unfortunately eBay does not care about this because 
eBay made money off it.  If we all wanted to 
send a message... It looks like this guy's got a LOT of items up for sale.  
A few dozen thousand-dollar bids from newbie accounts, and the final-value fees 
associated therewith, would wake him up.  All we need is one secondary 
account per person, created on a separate machine from your normal one, with a 
non-free e-mail address for each one.  Then just share the IDs, outbid each 
other at ridiculously high amounts, and watch him panic.  Preferably toward 
start-of-month as that's when eBay charges the fees to seller's credit 
cards.
 
I am such a bad-ass.  B-)

Re: [SWCollect] Red Crystal, the Seven Secrets of Life

[C.E. Forman]

Never heard of it, what kind of game is it?  
Know the publisher?

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2004 12:09 
  PM
  Subject: [SWCollect] Red Crystal, the 
  Seven Secrets of Life
  Anyone have this game, I am looking for 
  one?Thanks,Tom

Re: [SWCollect] Castle Wolfenstein

[C.E. Forman]

I've seen the same folder, for Atari, but never in the plastic pack.

- Original Message - 
From: "Dan Chisarick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Software Collectibles Mailing List" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2004 9:06 PM
Subject: [SWCollect] Castle Wolfenstein


> I think Castle Wolfenstein should win the "most package variants of any
> software title ever".  Not counting overseas packing and I don't think
> they had 'budget' packing, there's like 4-5 variants of the Apple II
> version perhaps?  I never saw this one before:
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?
> ViewItem&item=2791458202&category=4610
>
> Sheesh.
>
>
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Re: [SWCollect] Funny typo

[C.E. Forman]

Oh man, that is CLASSIC!  You see people selling games on "floppy dick" all
the time, but this is a new one.

- Original Message - 
From: "Dan Chisarick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, March 06, 2004 8:18 AM
Subject: [SWCollect] Funny typo


> Its a very long description, but the typo (about 2/3 of the way down)
> is priceless:
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?
> ViewItem&category=1183&item=3178965064
>
>
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Re: [SWCollect] Xenos

[C.E. Forman]

Yeah, I meant just the ones released by Radio 
Shack.  All bets are off on a PS Zork price these days.
 

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  Freddie 
  Bingham 
  To: 'C.E. Forman' ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2004 4:25 
  PM
  Subject: RE: [SWCollect] Xenos
  
  I assume the exception to this would be the large manual 
  Personal Zork.
   
  Freddie
   
  Vintage Gaming - http://www.vintagegaming.org
   
  


    From: C.E. Forman 
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2004 
2:16 PMTo: [EMAIL PROTECTED]Subject: 
Re: [SWCollect] Xenos

Most of these TRS-80 large manual adventures 
sell for around $15 - $20.  I see Xenos a lot less than the others, 
though.  (Pyramid 2000, Bedlam, Raaka-Tu, etc.)  I think when I 
got mine I traded what I considered to be a $30 item.
 

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  Freddie 
  Bingham 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2004 1:33 
  PM
  Subject: [SWCollect] Xenos
  
  Can someone 
  give me a general value of this game as I am not familiar with 
  it.
   
  http://www.figmentfly.com/xenos/
   
  Vintage Gaming - http://www.vintagegaming.org
   

Re: [SWCollect] Xenos

[C.E. Forman]

Yeah, I think I did get it from you.  Happen to remember what I traded, or
did I buy it outright?

- Original Message - 
From: "Howard Feldman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2004 4:37 PM
Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Xenos


> I think I gave that to you, right?  If I recall, I got that along with
> the Personal Software Zork for about $100 :)  So hard to say what it was
> worth alone.  It looked boring to me or I wouldnt have parted with it
> but maybe I was wrong?
>
> C.E. Forman wrote:
> > Most of these TRS-80 large manual adventures sell for around $15 - $20.
> > I see Xenos a lot less than the others, though.  (Pyramid 2000, Bedlam,
> > Raaka-Tu, etc.)  I think when I got mine I traded what I considered to
> > be a $30 item.
> >
> >
> > - Original Message -
> > *From:* Freddie Bingham <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > *To:* [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > *Sent:* Tuesday, March 02, 2004 1:33 PM
> > *Subject:* [SWCollect] Xenos
> >
> > Can someone give me a general value of this game as I am not
> > familiar with it.
> >
> > http://www.figmentfly.com/xenos/
> >
> > Vintage Gaming - http://www.vintagegaming.org
> >
>
> -- 
> 
> Howard Feldman
> Author of the Search for Freedom Computer Role-Playing Game
> Visit its homepage at:  http://deep.mshri.on.ca/people/feldman
>
>
> --
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Re: [SWCollect] Xenos

[C.E. Forman]

Most of these TRS-80 large manual adventures sell 
for around $15 - $20.  I see Xenos a lot less than the others, 
though.  (Pyramid 2000, Bedlam, Raaka-Tu, etc.)  I think when I got 
mine I traded what I considered to be a $30 item.
 

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  Freddie 
  Bingham 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2004 1:33 
  PM
  Subject: [SWCollect] Xenos
  
  Can someone give 
  me a general value of this game as I am not familiar with 
  it.
   
  http://www.figmentfly.com/xenos/
   
  Vintage Gaming - http://www.vintagegaming.org
   

Re: [SWCollect] Zork Trilogy

[C.E. Forman]

I've heard a couple of reports of them exceeding 
$100.  Never with 8 days still to go on the auction, though.  Be 
interesting to see if this gets any snipes.
 

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  Freddie 
  Bingham 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Friday, February 27, 2004 6:12 
  PM
  Subject: [SWCollect] Zork Trilogy
  
  I guess the Zork 
  Trilogy is as valuable as the Suspended Mask now 
:rolleyes:
   
  http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3081032440
   
  .. and to think I 
  only paid maybe $20 for a complete Zork Trilogy a few months ago on 
  eBay and this one had the Zorkmid still in a little 
baggie.
   
   

Re: [SWCollect] Sierra/Lucas/Tolkien/Ultima/AD&D/SSI - info and questions

[C.E. Forman]

> Reminds me of when Mindscape used to be here in town (used to be in
> Northbrook, IL).  I rode there on my bicycle in 1987 when I was stuck in
The
> Mist and needed hints.  The receptionist was surprised when she learned I
just
> got on my bike and rode about 7 miles to ask questions.  It was my turn to
be
> surprised when she told me that hints to The Mist were $5.  I paid, and
got
> two xerox'd sheets of paper with questions and answers.  I still have this
> somewhere and could probably dig it up if there is massive demand for it,
but
> I highly doubt it :)  Anyway, that was the "official clue book" for The
Mist,
> and I know because I got it directly, hand to hand, from Mindscape.

I got something like this from ICOM.  May have a Mindscape one too, I can't
remember.


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Re: [SWCollect] Sierra/Lucas/Tolkien/Ultima/AD&D/SSI - info and questions

[C.E. Forman]

> BTW, I noticed you had a pic of the LOTR limited edition Nazgul hologram
> - any idea how rare this is?  Did you pick it up somewhere or are you
> the original owner?  These things were expensive so I cant imagine they
> sold many??

Is that the one offerred in the Melbourne House game?  Can you send me the
link, Jukka?  I don't believe I've seen it yet.

If they didn't sell many they may have had a bunch leftover.  I keep hoping
to find someone who may have kept a bunch.



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Re: [SWCollect] spam?

[C.E. Forman]

> It's not, but I am getting spam attempted to be sent to the list and
> then getting bounced to me.  The headers are mangled and I couldn't tell
> if everyone was getting it or just me.  I'm glad to say it's just me.

If you get anything for discount Viagra, safe but effective penis
enlargement, or a Nigerian guy looking to transfer money into an American
bank account, please forward to me.  B-)


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[SWCollect] HD Info for Retro Rig

[C.E. Forman]

Hey gang, hoping somebody here with hardware knowledge could help me out.

Awhile back the battery in my retro rig died and my CMOS info was lost.  I
need to re-enter the basic info about my master hard drive (cylinders,
heads, write precomp, etc.) but I opened the case and the drive does not
have this info on the label (my slave drive does but it's a different
maker).  Already tried Google and the manufacturer's page but came up empty.
Anybody know how I might get this information, or is there a way to
calculate it based on drive size, etc.?  I will provide the full tech specs
through private e-mail.

Thanks in advance.


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Re: RE: [SWCollect] New topic--Collectors UNITE!

[C.E. Forman]

>From what I recall the interest sort of tapered off, so I never asked my
cousin about it.  For the moment I'm just using comic bags as they're thin
and don't take up a lot of space, plus they keep the dust off the games.

- Original Message - 
From: "Hugh Falk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2004 11:44 PM
Subject: RE: RE: [SWCollect] New topic--Collectors UNITE!


> Digging through old e-mails now that my collection is out again.  This
> one is over a year old :-)  Did anything ever come of it, Joe?
>
> Hugh
>
> -Original Message-
> From: Origin Museum [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: Thursday, January 23, 2003 7:26 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: RE: [SWCollect] New topic--Collectors UNITE!
>
> On plastic cases:
>
> So far, the tally is as follows:
>
> Museum-200
> Dan-100
> Brad-100
> Hugh-100
>
> Current imaginary total=500
>
> Of course, I won't hold anyone to these numbers until I could get a more
> detailed idea of cost--but I don't want to call any vendors until I can
> assure that there's enough interest.  I assume that we'll need about a
> minimum run of 1000 to 1500 to make this happen...keep those imaginary
> bids coming!
>
> As to size, Hugh writes:
>
> Oh and I'd definitely buy a few hundred cases at that price.  I'd
> want SSI big box sizes and the more standard SSI gold box sizes.<
>
> For now, I believe that we'd only stick to ONE case size, and see how
> that goes.  My idea is that we have cases made that would accomodate
> *MOST* box sizes, and the smaller ones would fit as well.  With that in
> mind, could anyone measure an SSI big box for me(Hieght, Width, Depth),
> and we'll start with something a bit bigger as a standard to work with.
> (...so that it'll fit, of course)
>
> Or, better yet, could a few of you measure your biggest titles (after
> discarding the Ultima9, Ultima2, and other 'oversizes'), and post them
> here, so that we can get an idea of AVERAGE size?
>
>
>
>
> "Preserving Worlds"
> Joe Garrity
> Curator of the Origin Museum
> Protector of the Ultima Crossbow
> http://originmuseum.solsector.net
>
> -
> Express yourself with a super cool email address from BigMailBox.com.
> Hundreds of choices. It's free!
> http://www.bigmailbox.com
> -
>
> --
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>
>
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[SWCollect] Expo Update

[C.E. Forman]

Okay, here's the latest on my SCExpo efforts...

Exchanged e-mails with the Philly and CGE staffers, which led to a phone
conversation earlier this week with Evan Koblentz, who volunteers for
Vintage Computer Festival on the east coast.  Now I know we'd talked about
CA being best for getting the maximum number of classic authors, and Evan
was able to put me in touch with Sellam Ismail, who started the whole
operation (www.vintage.org).

Their annual show is scheduled for this October, 2 days over a weekend, so
I've e-mailed Sellam and explained where we are, asked if he'd mind us
sharing some of VCF's showroom space in exchange for paying some of the
expenses.  He seems interested, and he's definitely had experience at
setting up a decent-sized expo, and I figure if we can join forces and learn
the ropes let's do it, rather than trying to learn everything while doing it
for the first time all by ourselves.  Plus they have a showroom already, the
Vintage Computer Museum in Mountain View, CA (though that would mean not
doing it in San Diego as we'd talked about), so LMK your thoughts on this,
is SD a must?)

I figure, 8 months is probably too soon for us to set up everything by
ourselves.  But with the help of someone who's done it before, we could
recruit our vendors and guest speakers, publicize our piece of the show, and
be ready to go come October.  Probably plan on the same prices for lodging
our guest speakers but it'd cut down the other costs if we're able to share
with VCF.

At any rate, I'm going to throw together a separate mailing list for
discussing / planning the expo in the next couple of days, and invite Sellam
and whoever else is interested.  (That way we don't clutter up SWCollect for
everyone else.)  Send me a private e-mail if you'd like to be added to it.


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[SWCollect] Ex-Origin Employee Selling on eBay

[C.E. Forman]

I'm sure some of you have already found these, but this guy's a former
Origin employee and is selling a ton of stuff on eBay:

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=rshelley&completed=0&sort=3&since=-1

Lots of mint items (including a shrinked Kilrathi Saga), hint books and
strategy guides, and a few things I'd never heard of before.


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[SWCollect] SWCollect Expo

[C.E. Forman]

Hey gang,

REALLY sorry it took me so long to get to this.  But I have some basic
advice from Mark Wolfe of CGE, and a contact with an Evan Koblentz, who's
got some experience with Vintage Computer Festival.  I hope to have a phone
chat with him this coming week.

The one recommendation that really stands out is allowing a year to plan
this for the first time.  Granted, if Evan is willing and able to combine
forces with us, he could probably handle a lot of the big questions we have
about how to set all this up.  We'd still have to get the software vendors
and our guest speakers, but that could easily be done by October (which is
when his show is held).

Keep everyone posted.  LMK if you think of anything specific you'd like me
to ask him.  (I also invited him to join SWCollect.)

- Original Message - 
From: "Mark Wolfe" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "C.E. Forman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 1:59 PM
Subject: Re: Starting Our Own Expo, Need Your Advice


> Greetings,
>
> Let me start off by saying that one of the most powerful things you can
> do to put on an event like the one your planning is to make alliances.
> That is why I have CCd Evan Koblentz who represents VFC on the East
> Coast http://www.vintage.org/
>
> You both seem interested in the same area and I think it might behoove
> both of you to discuss the idea of joining forces.
>
> The whole idea behind that is simple: 1+1=3
>
> power in numbers. ;)
>
> below are my answers to Mr. Forman's questions which I think will also
> answer some of the questions Evan had for me.
>
> C.E. Forman wrote:
>
> >Greetings,
> >
> >A bunch of us disk-based software (as opposed to cartridge) collectors
are
> >looking at setting up a vintage computer show along the lines of CGE or
> >PhillyClassic, and Were hoping you could give us some tips based on your
> >experience.
> >
> >1.) How did you go about budgeting, gathering attendance estimates, and
> >selecting a location?
> >
> >
>
> There is no easy answer to this one. We started out small with maybe
> 100-200 attendees and found a venue that was suitably priced. You really
> have to call around to get pricing as it fluctuates monthly. determine
> how many people you can reasonably expect to show and search for a venue
> that will hold them and give you the things you need to do your show.
> [tables, power, security, etc]
>
>
> >2.) What sort of legal crap is involved -- Sales tax for vendors and on
> >ticket sales, any permits or insurance needed to put on a show like this?
> >Did you set up a small corporation to manage the funds and keep them
> >separate from everyone's personal money?
> >
> >
>
> PhillyClassic is it's own entity and has it's own bank account. It's
> very easy to set this up. The best thing to do if you're starting out is
> to simply appoint someone you trust as treasurer to open their own
> private checking account where all the funds will flow through. No sense
> in setting up an LLC or something on your first time out. Permits and
> tax is handled through the venue. it will vary depending on where you do
> it. Use PayPal to take in sales.
>
> >3.) Did you hire your own security to make sure only paying customers go
in
> >and to keep out troublemakers, or did the hotel / conference center
provide
> >those?
> >
> >
> We rely on the Valley Forge Convention center security but it's always
> wise to have a backup. as for trouble makers, there don't seem to be any
> in our hobby, or at least we have not met them if they exist.
>
> >4.) How extensive was your advertising?  Did you stick mainly to free
> >adverts and word-of-mouth, or did you take out ads in major gaming
> >publications?  Any other tips?
> >
> >
> Again, this is dependent on your success and track record. For starting
> out I wouldn't sink major dollars into ads. The best thing you can do is
> rely on friends and create a street team in the town you hold the show.
> People who will spread the word and hand out flyers and such.
>
> >5.) How much lead time does it take to put something like this together?
> >How far in advance do you typically get started?  Any specific order your
> >tasks follow?
> >
>
> I would say at least a year. The first thing you have to do is find a
> venue and set a date. it's crazy to try to set something closer than say
> 9 months. The more time you have to prepare and have tickets available
> for advance purchase the better off you'll be.
>
>
> Philly Classic would be nowhere without friends. You have t

Re: [SWCollect] LF website host for a classic gaming site

[C.E. Forman]

Hi Stephane,

If your site is interactive fiction-related, you might try Stephen Meier and
Manuel Schulz at IF-Legends (their emails are on the if-legends.org main
page).

If you decide to rent webspace, just don't go with Aim1Hosting...  that's
T-shirt Jerk's current venture!  B-)

Once it's ready, LMK where and when and I'll post a link to it from YOIS.

- Original Message - 
From: "Stephane Racle" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "swcollect" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2004 6:07 PM
Subject: [SWCollect] LF website host for a classic gaming site


> Hello everyone,
>
> I'm looking for someone to host a website related to classic gaming.
> Yes, I know... yet another one? I'd prefer not to reveal too many
> details in public right now, but I can say that the information included
> on the site is, to my knowledge, not readily available anywhere else on
> the web, if it is available at all. It needs about half a gig of space.
> It's sitting on my hard drive right now, not quite finished, but nearly
> ready to go... If you have space available somewhere, or know someone
> who may be able to help, please send me an e-mail - I'll give you all
> the details.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Stephane
>
>
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Re: [SWCollect] Microsoft Adventure

[C.E. Forman]

Stuart,

I was only aware of the version I have, but it's possible there could be a
slightly different one.

If you could send me some scans (outer folder, manual cover, inside page or
two, and the disk sleeve) I'll take a closer look, maybe ask my printing
consultant.

- Original Message - 
From: "Hugh Falk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2004 12:20 AM
Subject: RE: [SWCollect] Microsoft Adventure


> Mine looks like the one on YOIS.  I haven't seen the one you describe.
>
> However, I remember the one you won said it was the 'First Edition'
> Maybe you have a package variation, but I also remember he didn't show
> the vinyl cover in the picture, which was weird.
>
> Hugh
>
> -Original Message-
> From: Stuart Feldhamer [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 7:05 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: [SWCollect] Microsoft Adventure
>
> OK, somebody help me shed some light on this.
>
> I have a copy of Microsoft Adventure that looks just like this one:
>
> http://www.if-legends.org/~yois/vault.php?id=637
>
> I recently bought another copy on Ebay, expecting it to be identical.
> However, it was not. The contents are basically the same, although the
> disk
> sleeve is not of the same quality, and based on all the counterfeiting
> discussions I would almost think it was a fake. The outer folder,
> however,
> is very different than what I was expecting. Instead of "Microsoft
> Adventure", it says "Adventure", and then on the next line, "by
> Microsoft".
> Adventure looks like the same font as my other copy, but the letters are
> closer together. Ditto for Microsoft, although the word Microsoft is
> maybe
> half the size of the word Microsoft on my other copy.
>
> Anyone?
>
> Stuart
>
>
>
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Re: [SWCollect] Hotel info

[C.E. Forman]

If it's March-May, we may want to consider doing it next year.  This year
seems like an awfully short time to throw everything together.

I'll try and get those e-mails from the CGE/PC people answered this week.

- Original Message - 
From: "Hugh Falk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, February 07, 2004 5:23 PM
Subject: RE: [SWCollect] Hotel info


> Figure $100 a night for room rates, but it could be a little more or
> less depending on negotiations.
>
> I'd like to avoid July/August so we're not stepping on the toes of CGE.
> How about October, March, April or May -- very nice here in SD.
>
>
> One of my hopes is to recreate the original EA "We See Farther" poster:
>
> http://www.classicgaming.com/gotcha/ea.htm
>
>
> I think that between John and I, we know most of these folks.  Mike
> Abbott is here in San Diego as well.
>
> Hugh
>
> -Original Message-
> From: Brian the Fist [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: Saturday, February 07, 2004 1:56 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Hotel info
>
> Thanks for checking it out Hugh.  So that doesn't sound all that bad
> really.  Like I said before, probably electricity, and a security guard
> would be extra too.  How much are hotel rates (most offer special
> conference rates) in these 3 hotel, say in the July-aug period?  If we
> could get for $100/ngt say and had say max 10 speakers staying 2 nights
> each, the whole thing might cost under $5000 it seems?  So if we charged
> $50 admission and had paying 100 attendees, it would pay for itself!
> The extra cash from vendors renting tables could cover th other little
> costs.  Anyways, it sounds reasonable.  We'd still have to find out if
> there's any necessary permits needed to hold a conference and stuff like
> that - the hotel may know, or else a quick call to the local government
> office there should tell you.  Chris was also going to ask the CGExpo
> guys for any info that may help us, so we can see where that gets us.
> Also once we have a bit more info, I'll see if I can find out the
> advantages/disadvantages of incorporating a dummy company to manage the
> expenses.
>
> Looks like it might be feasible after all though, yay!  If that's the
> case, we can start brainstorming for a list of possible guest speakers
> and come up with a short list..
>
> Aside from the obvious - Richard Garriott, Andrew Greenberg/Robert
> Woodhead, Roberta/Ken Williams, Scott Adams, Infocom guys, John Romero
> :) etc., a few people I would suggest are: Don Worth, Stuart Smith, the
> Austin brothers, Jon freeman/Anne Westfall, Michael Cranford, "Burger"
> Bill Heineman, "The Fatman", Al Lowe, Jon van Canegham, Douglas Wood
>
> Those would be my top picks anyways - someone writing this down? ;)  (I
> don't expect them all to show up, obviously we'll make a list, sort it,
> and then invite people from the top, moving our way down the list as
> people turn us down...)
>
> Hugh Falk wrote:
> >
> > I've only gotten info from 3 local hotels so far.  Keep in mind that
> > these are nice places.  I'm assuming 200+ people and two rooms.  One
> > that can sit ~200 people theatre style for lectures and another
> (smaller
> > room) for tables and vendors.
> >
> > Prices ranged from $1500 to $2500 per day.  This does not include any
> > food or PA equipment.  Just the rooms and chairs/tables.
> >
> > However, I did no haggling and there are a lot more hotels to look at.
> > Also, if we book hotel rooms along with the conference rooms, that can
> > lower prices.  Bottom line is that I think $1000 per day is a fair
> > estimate.  Ideally this should include PA equipment.
>
> --
> Howard Feldman, Author of The Search for Freedom
> A Computer Fantasy Role-Playing Game
> Visit its Homepage at http://home.golden.net/~feldman/SearchForFreedom/
>
>
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>
>
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Re: [SWCollect] Oh my G*d!!!!

[C.E. Forman]

Quite possibly...

"Leather Goddesses of Phobos 2: Gas Pump Girls Meet the Pulsating
Inconvenience from Planet X".

- Original Message - 
From: "BL" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 8:15 PM
Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Oh my G*d


> I wonder what the most valuable game of all time is with this new perfect
> system? :)
>
> Brad
>
> - Original Message - 
> From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 6:47 PM
> Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Oh my G*d
>
>
> > Lee,
> >
> > Thanks for pointing out a couple of flaws in my otherwise perfect
system.
> So here are a couple of changes:
> >
> > Numbers (and punctuation) do not count as "letters."
> >
> > Subtitle letters do count, but are only worth 10% of the title letters.
> >
> > Subtract (the value of 1 letter) x (sequel #) for sequels.
> >
> > So for example, Ultima II:  Revenge of the Enchantress is worth:
> >
> > $600 + $230 - $200 = $630
> >
> > Note:  Regardless of how many sequels a game has, a game can never be
> worth less than $0.
> >
> > With those modifications, I think the system is ready to roll out.
Enjoy.
> >
> > Hugh
> >
> > -Original Message-
> > From: "Lee K. Seitz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > Sent: Feb 4, 2004 12:02 PM
> > To: Software Collecting <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Oh my G*d
> >
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] stated:
> > >
> > >This is really shameless.  I suggest a standard for classic =
> > >game prices as follows:
> > >
> > >1994 - Present:
> > >Price = (number of letters in game name) x $10
> > >1986 - 93:
> > >Price = (number of letters in game name) x $20
> > >1977 - 85:
> > >Price = (number of letters in game name) x $100
> > >
> > >I think this is much more reasonable.  Feel free to use this method
> > >on your sites.  No need to mention me as the source (please).
> >
> > Makes me glad I'm not an Ultima collector.
> >
> >Ultima (1981) = $600
> >Ultima II (1982) = $800
> >Ultima III (1983) = $900
> >Ultima IV (1985) = $800
> >Ultima V (1988) = $140
> >
> > Especially if we add subtitles!
> >
> >Ultima (1981) = $600
> >Ultima II: Revenge of the Enchantress (1982) = $3100
> >Ultima III: Exodus (1983) = $1500
> >Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar (1985) = $2400
> >Ultima V:  Warriors of Destiny (1988) = $480
> >
> > (I was nice and didn't count the colons.)
> >
> > I might actually part with my original Infocoms at some of these
> > prices:
> >
> >Zork (1980) = $400
> >Zork II (1981) = $600
> >Zork III (1982) = $700
> >Starcross (1982) = $900
> >Suspended (1983) = $900
> >Planetfall (1983) = $1000
> >The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1984) = $3000
> >Leather Goddesses of Phobos (1986) = $480
> >Stationfall (1987) = $220
> >
> > And again, you don't want to collect Zork and count subtitles.
> >
> >Zork: The Great Underground Empire (1980) = $2900
> >Zork II: The Wizard of Frobozz (1981) = $2400
> >Zork III: The Dungeon Master (1982) = $2300
> >
> > -- 
> > Lee K. Seitz
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> > --
> > This message was sent to you because you are currently subscribed to
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> >
> >
> >
> > --
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>
>
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Re: [SWCollect] Speaking of EA, got me thinking of Ali Baba..

[C.E. Forman]

Yes, it was published separately.  I just saw an auction for it not that
long ago:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3072600726&category=3528&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWA%3AIT&rd=1

- Original Message - 
From: "Per-Olof Karlsson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, February 02, 2004 2:21 AM
Subject: [SWCollect] Speaking of EA, got me thinking of Ali Baba..


> Hugh Falk wrote:
>
> When we were at EA .. 
>
> This reminds me of an old question I've never really got a good answer on.
> You know, one of the games in Age of Adventure, the Ali Baba one - I
> remember I heard a long time ago that this game was published separately
> sometime in 1982-83, but I've never been able to confirm or deny that. Do
> you or anybody on this list know anything about this? It would be nice to
> finally close the lid on that rumour, if possible..
>
> - Peo
>
>
> --
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Re: [SWCollect] Weird Ultima auction on eBay

[C.E. Forman]

Dan, if you do bid, let us know how they compare with a known original.

- Original Message - 
From: "Dan Chisarick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, February 01, 2004 7:55 PM
Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Weird Ultima auction on eBay


> Member since '99, no activity for years, then has 10 of these fine
> items.  Hell, even if they ARE fake, I don't mind a spare map to play
> with.  I think I'll send some questions...
>
>
> On Feb 1, 2004, at 8:40 PM, Per-Olof Karlsson wrote:
>
> > Did anyone see this auction?
> > http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?
> > ViewItem&category=11050&item=3075606212
> >
> > Seems pretty peculiar to me.. Why would somebody have 10 copies of
> > these
> > thingies?? Apparently he's had more of these auctions out as well,
> > suggesting he's got at least 10, possibly more. Smells fake all over
> > if you
> > ask me, eh?? I'm no Ultima expert so I can't see if the pic looks
> > suspicious
> > or not, perhaps somebody can?
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Peo
> >
> >
> > --
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> >
>
>
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[SWCollect] New Column Just Posted

[C.E. Forman]

Hey gang,

If you're subscribed to my YOIS mailing list, you already got my message
about the new column.  But I wanted to let everybody know I also have the
full details of my battle with the Infocom T-shirt faker from last year (the
asshole who caused me so much trouble).  The link is through the main
column, but you do have to be registered to access it.

Trust me, this one is SO worth the read.  B-)


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Re: [SWCollect] Rarity Scale

[C.E. Forman]

> Good luck parsing this auction correctly  
>  ViewItem&item=3074939557&category=3561>.  ;-)
> 
> Between the typos and the combined auction you're in trouble.

My favorite typo is the "Onk".  B-)


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Re: [SWCollect] Rarity Scale

[C.E. Forman]

The problem we'll run into here is, how do we differentiate between someone
selling a complete game and someone selling just a loose disk in a lot with
50 others?   I've got a script I run that does my automated eBay searches,
but it's really just opening a URL to eBay with the appropriate keyword
search parameters.  I get tons of false positives, but it's quick to glance
through them.  That wouldn't work so well with this.

- Original Message - 
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 9:09 PM
Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Rarity Scale


> If anyone can write an app to poll eBay for a given list of games and
track the numbers, our job is done.  This whole scale can be automated.
Game rankings can change in real-time based on actual eBay data.
>
> Hugh
>
> -Original Message-
> From: Marco Thorek <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Jan 28, 2004 9:39 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Rarity Scale
>
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] schrieb:
> >
> > That's the spirit, C.E.!
> >
> > I think we could at least start a running list and watch it grow over
> > time.  It has to start somewhere.  I'll host it on GOTCHA unless
> > somebody has a better suggestion.  I can start with about 100 games
> > I've searched for regularly on Ebay over the years.  I have a pretty
> > good feel for them in terms of availability.
> >
> > You guys could then go through and make comments where you think
> > they're wrong.  "I've seen 50 of those on eBay in the last
> > year...that's not rare."  You can also grow the list with your own
> > personal searches and experience.
>
> Do you think about using a CGI script?
>
> > I'd like to base the CURIOUS Scale solely on a game's availability on
> > on-line auctions.  This represents the general availability to the
> > buying public and is as good an indicator as I can think of.  It would
> > work like this:
> >
> > In the last 2 years, a complete (VG/VG or better) version of this game
> > has appeared on an on-line auction approximately:
> >
> > 20 times or less = Rare
> > 21 - 80 times = Uncommon
> > More than 80 = Common
>
> You could put condition into the formula as a modifier.
>
> > Imaginary, Unique and Oddity would have to be determined by the group.
>
> Hm,
>
> Imaginary - Not even a single appearance
> Unique - 5 times or less
> Oddity - Any game that was not a regular publication
>
> You could combine Oddity and the other gradings.
>
> > Obviously this is based on complete speculation, but who would be
> > better to speculate on it than us?  Honestly, I think auction
> > availability is a better indicator of availability than just about
> > anything else (including production runs).  Since it is an indicator
> > of how many are for sale on the open market.  Sure there may be a box
> > of Drash's in a warehouse somewhere, but how many of us will ever have
> > a chance to buy them?  We won't...unless they show up on eBay.
>
> Well, any grading will always be subjective. We as individuals choose
> certain factors in our grading and collectively we can arrive at a
> common denominator that represents us as a group. Others might choose
> other factors.
>
> Marco
>
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>
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Re: [SWCollect] Rarity Scale

[C.E. Forman]

> I love the idea. While a clever acronym 
I'm not sure what is more> rare than 'unique', let alone what word starts 
with 's' that embodies> that. I'd suggest just letting 's' stand for 
'scale'. Of course then> you run into usage like "ATM Machine" (where if 
you expand the acronym> the sentence sounds silly).
 
Someone (another collector I think) once told 
me the term for this is a "neoplasm".  Which to me always sounded like 
something that oozes out of Keanu Reaves in The Matrix.  B-)  
Personally it doesn't bother me, but we could always use the word "standard" 
instead of "scale".  Or "scarcity", etc.
 
> As for rarity assessment wouldn't 
production numbers be needed? I mean> there are loads of worthless games 
out there that you never see on ebay> because no one would buy them, not 
that they are uncommon. Also the> effect of one game selling well tends 
to 'scare' other copies up for> auction. Someone commented that its hard 
to find "Black Magic", but I> found it in the first 30 days of looking. 
But its possible that if one> or two of these sold that others may 
follow.
 
I'm sure we could talk to some of our authors 
and get estimates on production numbers.  Though in some cases, a lot of 
unsold copies were probably destroyed, especially around 1983-84.  We'd 
also have to take into account the ease of keeping the box all this time: The 
inner materials from the Starcross saucer turn up more than the outer packaging 
because a lot of players tossed it.
 
> Still, I don't think that stops us from 
taking a swing at it. Start> with a list, and amend it over time. Its 
bound to be a little off until> it gets some feedback into 
it.
 
Yeah, it'd definitely be a continuous 
project.  If somebody found a whole pallet of something once considered 
uncommon, it'd crash-dive the scarcity and probably the value too.  I like 
the idea of a bunch of us contributing our own personal observations and 
averaging them out.
 
> I'd humbly suggest the original Akalabeth 
and Mt. Drash would be> "Oddity". Stuff like Starcross and Suspended 
would probably be> "Imaginary".
 
Hmm, I was thinking Imaginary could be 
reserved for rumor-mill items, things that were either unreleased or exist only 
in prototype form (Activision's "Leather Goddesses 3", the unreleased Electronic 
Novels "House of Changes" and "Deadly Summer" from Br0derbund, etc.)  Or 
things that were believed to possibly exist but hadn't been discovered yet, i.e. 
Drash for 10+ years.
 
So, from most common to least, would the 
ratings go: Common, Uncommon, Oddity, Rare, Unique, Imaginary?  Or would 
they be in the order of the letters in the word?
 
> What'd be *incredibly* cool would be to 
get the grading scale and the> rarity scale integrated into ebay :) They 
have drop-downs for lots of> other things, why not this?
 
eBay would never go for it, it makes too much 
sense.  B-)  What might be good is an online repository that could be 
easily queried from a scripting language; that'd let a bunch of people's 
websites easily integrate it, while only having to update at one 
point.
 

Re: [SWCollect] Deal on the side???

[C.E. Forman]

In situations like this I like to e-mail the buyer with something like,
"Hey, why did you end this auction early?  I was planning to snipe for $50."
>From several eBay accounts, if you have multiples.  Make 'em think they're
losing money, next time they won't do it.

- Original Message - 
From: "Dan Chisarick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Software Collectibles Mailing List" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2004 7:18 PM
Subject: [SWCollect] Deal on the side???


> While certainly it could be for legitimate reasons, when all of a
> sudden a cluster of desirable, related items is ended early, I can't
> help but wonder if there was a little backroom negotiation.  I've only
> done it a few times myself (usually the seller declines) but in all
> cases is was because there was a bundle with only one real prize in it.
>   All's fair in love and war?
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3073130126
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3073156032
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3073168547
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3073161520
>
>
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Re: [SWCollect] Adventure in Serenia

[C.E. Forman]

This is another one that I overpaid on, believing 
at the time that it was rarer than it actually is.  Jim's "somewhat rare" 
still applies, and definitely more so than the On-Line f olders, but I see 
several on eBay each year.  They've almost consistently dropped below the 
$100 mark, though.  I'd guess the high rollers all have theirs, or a lot of 
people don't know about the title variation, OTOH Josh did include it in his 
description (maybe everyone's searching on title only?)
 
The Robin Hood, holy CRAP.  I mean, I see 
outrageous newbie wars all the time, but the winner was a Power 
Seller.
 

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  Josh 
  Lulewicz 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Monday, January 26, 2004 11:22 
  AM
  Subject: RE: [SWCollect] Adventure in 
  Serenia
  
  
  I will never 
  understand ebay….I probably should have set a 
  reserve.
   
  I would have thought 
  for sure this would have gone higher…(maybe because I 
  wasn’t bidding J)
   
  I would consider this 
  to be rarer than the Apple/Atari Wizard and the Princess that I see go for 
  $100+ all the time.  Perhaps 
  people just don’t know about it, so it doesn’t get searched 
  for??
   
  On the other hand 
  (speaking of the mystery of ebay)….
  http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3072779720&category=11047&sspagename=STRK%3AMESSO%3AIT&rd=1
   
  What the 
  heck???
   
  I mean I am glad 
  but….
   
  Josh
   
  -Original 
  Message-From: Feldhamer, 
  Stuart [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, January 26, 2004 9:39 
  AMTo: 
  '[EMAIL PROTECTED]'Subject: [SWCollect] Adventure in 
  Serenia
   
  
  How rare is this game, 
  anyway:
  
   
  
  http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3072790380
  
   
  
  The first time I saw it on ebay I 
  think it went for $1000. It's popped up quite a few more times since then, 
  though.
  
   
  
  Stuart
  


  Information in this message reflects current market conditions and is subject to change without notice.
It is believed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed for accuracy or completeness. Details provided do
not supersede your normal trade confirmations or statements. Any product is subject to prior sale.
CIBC World Markets Corp, its affiliated companies, and their officers or employees, may have a position
in or make a market in any security described above, and may act as an investment banker or advisor to such. 
Although CIBC World Markets Corp. is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce ("CIBC"),
it is solely responsible for its contractual obligations. Any securities products recommended, purchased, or sold in
any client accounts
(i) will not be insured by the FDIC,
(ii)will not be deposits or obligations of CIBC,
(iii) will not be endorsed or guaranteed by CIBC, and
(iv) will be subject to risks, including possible loss of principal invested.

Re: [SWCollect] A game called "Whiz Kid"

[C.E. Forman]

I've heard of it somewhere, but it's possible you may have mentioned it
before.  Any accompanying docs, or just the disk?

- Original Message - 
From: "Stephane Racle" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 11:19 PM
Subject: [SWCollect] A game called "Whiz Kid"


> Talking about preserving games... I have an old Apple II diskette with a
> graphic adventure game called "Whiz Kid". It's in the style of the early
> Sierra Hi-Res Adventures, with graphics on the top and text on the
> bottom of the screen. The following information is given at bootup:
>
> Venturwiz (tm)
> Graphic Adventure Series #2
> Softdisk - Rich 'n Famous Series
> "Copyright 1984 Gary Bond"
>
> As well, it mentions later on that the author has also written:
>
> "Graphics and Sound Wizard"
> "The Princess and the Valley of Fire"
>
> Searching the web and the newsgroups doesn't bring up a single match.
> Neither does it show up with anything related to Softdisk. Has anybody
> else heard of this game or know of any other games in the "Graphic
> Adventure Series"? It actually seems like a decent adventure although
> the parser is not exactly of Infocom caliber.
>
> Stephane
>
>
> --
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Re: [SWCollect] Ethical question

[C.E. Forman]

Not all that sure.  Unlike some sites (*cough-eBay-cough*) I don't monitor
everything my visitors do.  Generally the price ends up somewhere
in-between, though, it's only occasionally at the max.

- Original Message - 
From: "Dan Chisarick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Software Collectibles Mailing List" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 11:29 PM
Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Ethical question


> Ok, you win that.  Just curious, how often does that particular piece
> of code see instruction pointer (the one that lowers bids)?
>
>
> On Jan 21, 2004, at 6:36 PM, C.E. Forman wrote:
>
> >> How many sellers would tell a buyer they are paying too much?
> >
> > Yo.  B-)
> >
> > The Shoppe, anyway.  If the person uses the Shoppe's offer button and
> > goes
> > way too high, it's coded to cut the price down to a more reasonable
> > level
> > (albeit the maximum "reasonable" price I have entered in the database).
> >
> >
> > --
> > 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/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
> >
>
>
> --
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Re: [SWCollect] Bah, ebay/paypal

[C.E. Forman]

DO-IT!
DO-IT!
DO-IT!
B-)
 
Seriously, if eBay is saying Western Union is 
unsafe (or even less safe than PayPal), that is a total lie and hurts WU's 
reputation.  They *should* sue 'em.
 

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 5:41 
  AM
  Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Bah, 
  ebay/paypal
  In a message dated 01/21/2004 10:15:16 PM Central 
  Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  writes:
  And yes, I agree with Tom, it really isa shitty thing to do, 
Western Union should sue them.Hmm perhaps Stefan, or at 
  least make them remove it. It is bad for another reason too, as we have 
  discussed accepting paypal from an overseas buyer is never safe for the 
  seller, any transaction can be reversed. So by posting this statement telling 
  buyers NEVER to pay with Western Union they are basically encouraging the 
  buyer to back out if the seller does not accept paypal, only WU auction 
  payments (heck same thing with sales within the US but at least the seller can 
  cover themselves using paypal in US). It SHOULD be illegal to say this. I am 
  almost tempted to report this to WU, will have to think about it 
  though.TomVisit my web page for many games for sale/trade and 
  screen shots of Ultima Escape from Mt. Drash,  Tom's Ultima, 
  Infocom and RPG page 

Re: [SWCollect] Article on Slashdot

[C.E. Forman]

The Starcross saucer pictured in the article is my own.  B-)

- Original Message - 
From: "Marco Thorek" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 9:17 PM
Subject: [SWCollect] Article on Slashdot


> Slashdot had a short article on early game packagings here,
>
>
http://games.slashdot.org/games/04/01/18/0515254.shtml?tid=127&tid=186&tid=202
>
> referencing this article here,
>
> http://www.armchairarcade.com/aamain/article.php?20.0
>
> and, heh, at the very end, the site of yours truly :-)
>
> The author at Armchair Arcade writes that (in the 80s) "there seemed to
> be an abundance of real thought and care behind the customer's
> experience beyond the software itself."
>
> Yup, I can sign that.
>
> Marco
>
> --
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Re: [SWCollect] 5.25s vs. 3.5s

[C.E. Forman]

> Seriously, I do seem to remember there was a difference between the CD
> version and the floppy version.  Though given RTZ's lack of appeal I
> would agree that the floppy version is of interest to collectors and
> RTZ fanatics.  Which is a bit of a shame.  I liked the way they did the
> user interface.  You had actual choices in what you did.  I like that
> even if it did lead to the infamous bonding plant puzzle.

A lot of people didn't realize that this wasn't an unsolveable state: If you
eat or burn the plant, then go back to the very beginning (which you need to
do anyway) you can get another.

And yeah, now that you mention it, I remember there were some subtle
differences between the disk and CD verisons.


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Re: [SWCollect] 5.25s vs. 3.5s

[C.E. Forman]

Then you leave it in my capable hands.  B-)

- Original Message - 
From: "Stuart Feldhamer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 6:22 PM
Subject: RE: [SWCollect] 5.25s vs. 3.5s


> I refuse to accept responsibility for this decision. : )
>
> Stuart
>
> -----Original Message-
> From: C.E. Forman [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 6:25 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: [SWCollect] 5.25s vs. 3.5s
>
>
> Yep, I found him right away.  His eBay ID too.  LMK if you want him on my
> jerk-list, he definitely qualifies.  >B-}
>
> - Original Message -
> From: "Feldhamer, Stuart" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2004 3:53 PM
> Subject: RE: [SWCollect] 5.25s vs. 3.5s
>
>
> >
> > Actually, I realized that I accidentally already gave out enough info to
> > figure out who I'm talking about. The person is a fairly high profile
> trader
> > on gametz, but he deals mostly in CD-ROM games. The game in question was
> > (don't cringe, C.E.) Leather Goddesses of Phobos 2.
> >
> > Stuart
> >
> > -Original Message-
> > From: Jim Leonard [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2004 4:42 PM
> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Subject: Re: [SWCollect] 5.25s vs. 3.5s
> >
> >
> > Lee K. Seitz wrote:
> > > I would hope anyone interested in vintage games would be knowledgable
> > > enough about the item(s) they want to know what format(s) it was
> > > available on and ask if they knew it came on more than one.  It was
> > > very rude for them to give you negative feedback without e-mailing you
> > > first.
> >
> > Agreed.  If I promise not to look up who the person was, can I ask just
> > what title it was that you traded to him?  If it was made at any point
> > before 1986, the dude was just clueless to think it came on 3.5...
> > --
> > Jim Leonard ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
> > World's largest electronic gaming project:http://www.MobyGames.com/
> > A delicious slice of the demoscene:http://www.MindCandyDVD.com/
> > Various oldskool PC rants and ramblings:   http://www.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/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
> >
> > Information in this message reflects current market conditions and is
> subject to change without notice.
> > It is believed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed for accuracy or
> completeness. Details provided do
> > not supersede your normal trade confirmations or statements. Any product
> is subject to prior sale.
> > CIBC World Markets Corp, its affiliated companies, and their officers or
> employees, may have a position
> > in or make a market in any security described above, and may act as an
> investment banker or advisor to such.
> > Although CIBC World Markets Corp. is an indirect, wholly owned
subsidiary
> of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce ("CIBC"),
> > it is solely responsible for its contractual obligations. Any securities
> products recommended, purchased, or sold in
> > any client accounts
> > (i) will not be insured by the FDIC,
> > (ii)will not be deposits or obligations of CIBC,
> > (iii) will not be endorsed or guaranteed by CIBC, and
> > (iv) will be subject to risks, including possible loss of principal
> invested.
> >
> > --
> > 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/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
> >
>
>
> --
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> [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of 'unsubscribe swcollect'
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>
>
>
>
> --
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Re: [SWCollect] Would YOU bid on this?

[C.E. Forman]

> Breakers, PC:

I'd go maybe $20 max.  More, $30 or so if I didn't have one already.  But
that's me.

> My question to the list:  How many of you hold shrinkwrapping so highly
> that a badly crushed wrapped is worth more than a good condition
unwrapped?

Amazingly, NOT me!  The game package itself is the cake, shrinkwrap is just
the icing.  Or, in MobyScale terms, F/NM is better than G(C,S).


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Re: [SWCollect] Ethical question

[C.E. Forman]

> How many sellers would tell a buyer they are paying too much?

Yo.  B-)

The Shoppe, anyway.  If the person uses the Shoppe's offer button and goes
way too high, it's coded to cut the price down to a more reasonable level
(albeit the maximum "reasonable" price I have entered in the database).


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Re: [SWCollect] Ethical question

[C.E. Forman]

When this one comes up, I always try to strike a 
balance between me and the seller.  If I can make the seller really happy 
with the amount he's getting, and me still really happy with the price I'm 
paying, great.  On the other hand, you definitely should get rewarded for 
knowing what other collectors would pay.  If I'm dealing with someone I 
know is a collector, I'll offer what I feel is a reasonable collector 
price.  For an obvious non-collector I'd offer somewhat lower, hopefully 
enough to make him happy (and me happy too), but realizing I could always go 
higher if necessary.
 
That's with individuals.  For thrifts, it's 
their own problem if they misprice it.
 

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 5:51 
  AM
  Subject: [SWCollect] Ethical 
  question
  Just curious, how do people here feel about buying 
  an item you know is valuable but the person selling does not? Such as 
  collectable software. Do you feel funny bargaining down a price when you know 
  it is worth a lot more than what you are paying? I kind of figured myself that 
  the knowledge of what is valuable justifies paying a low price, the person 
  selling does not have that knowledge, we do (when it comes to collectable 
  software at least). I just sold an item I've had since the early 80s (not 
  software). Got what I thought was a so so price, but turns out it was worth 
  about 4-5 times what I sold it for (not a cheap item either). Felt kind of bad 
  but learned something from the deal which will help me in the future. What do 
  you all think? Ever feel guilty buying a game for $5 that you know is worth 
  maybe $100 or more?TomVisit my web page for many games for 
  sale/trade and screen shots of Ultima Escape from Mt. Drash,  Tom's Ultima, 
  Infocom and RPG page 

Re: [SWCollect] 5.25s vs. 3.5s

[C.E. Forman]

> - The CDROM version of Return to Zork was produced in greater numbers
> than the floppy-disk version, so theoretically the diskette version is
> worth more.

Rarer, but not necessarily worth more, except maybe to a few collectors or
RTZ fanatics.  Who wants to actually play the floppy version, installing
from 12 disks?

> I'm sure others on the list can come up with some additional examples.
> But, to answer your question in a generic sense:  No, there is no major
> difference between 3.5" and 5.25" as to what is "worth" more.

I personally list 'em for the same price in the Shoppe, since I'll provide
3.5" copies to anyone who buys a 5.25" and can't play it.


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Re: [SWCollect] 5.25s vs. 3.5s

[C.E. Forman]

Yep, I found him right away.  His eBay ID too.  LMK if you want him on my
jerk-list, he definitely qualifies.  >B-}

- Original Message - 
From: "Feldhamer, Stuart" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2004 3:53 PM
Subject: RE: [SWCollect] 5.25s vs. 3.5s


>
> Actually, I realized that I accidentally already gave out enough info to
> figure out who I'm talking about. The person is a fairly high profile
trader
> on gametz, but he deals mostly in CD-ROM games. The game in question was
> (don't cringe, C.E.) Leather Goddesses of Phobos 2.
>
> Stuart
>
> -Original Message-
> From: Jim Leonard [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2004 4:42 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: [SWCollect] 5.25s vs. 3.5s
>
>
> Lee K. Seitz wrote:
> > I would hope anyone interested in vintage games would be knowledgable
> > enough about the item(s) they want to know what format(s) it was
> > available on and ask if they knew it came on more than one.  It was
> > very rude for them to give you negative feedback without e-mailing you
> > first.
>
> Agreed.  If I promise not to look up who the person was, can I ask just
> what title it was that you traded to him?  If it was made at any point
> before 1986, the dude was just clueless to think it came on 3.5...
> -- 
> Jim Leonard ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
> World's largest electronic gaming project:http://www.MobyGames.com/
> A delicious slice of the demoscene:http://www.MindCandyDVD.com/
> Various oldskool PC rants and ramblings:   http://www.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/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
>
> Information in this message reflects current market conditions and is
subject to change without notice.
> It is believed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed for accuracy or
completeness. Details provided do
> not supersede your normal trade confirmations or statements. Any product
is subject to prior sale.
> CIBC World Markets Corp, its affiliated companies, and their officers or
employees, may have a position
> in or make a market in any security described above, and may act as an
investment banker or advisor to such.
> Although CIBC World Markets Corp. is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary
of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce ("CIBC"),
> it is solely responsible for its contractual obligations. Any securities
products recommended, purchased, or sold in
> any client accounts
> (i) will not be insured by the FDIC,
> (ii)will not be deposits or obligations of CIBC,
> (iii) will not be endorsed or guaranteed by CIBC, and
> (iv) will be subject to risks, including possible loss of principal
invested.
>
> --
> 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/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
>


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Re: [SWCollect] Only opened slightly for pictures...

[C.E. Forman]

I've heard from one cartridge collector who bought a bunch of "sealed" SNES
games, only to find out the seller took the original, more valuable
cartridges out and replaced them with cheap-o titles before reshrinking, so
he could sell the same game twice, thinking no one would ever open the wrap.

- Original Message - 
From: "Feldhamer, Stuart" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2004 11:49 AM
Subject: RE: [SWCollect] Only opened slightly for pictures...


>
> A lot of times when they say that they are lying. I've bought items where
it
> supposedly was just opened to look inside or whatever, and stuff turned
out
> to be missing.
>
> Stuart
>
> -Original Message-
> From: Edward Franks [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2004 12:26 PM
> To: Software Collectibles Mailing List
> Subject: [SWCollect] Only opened slightly for pictures...
>
>
>
> Even I cringed when I read this description:
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?
> ViewItem&item=3069631145&category=11030
>
> Given the seller's handle, I was amused by the graded mint scale
> ('gem
> mint'), too.  Perhaps MobyScale 2.0 could add precious stones as
> qualifiers for each grade.  Diamond Mint.  Emerald Good.  Cubic
> Zirconium Poor.  ^_^
>
> -- 
>
> Edward Franks
>
>
> --
> 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/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
>
> Information in this message reflects current market conditions and is
subject to change without notice.
> It is believed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed for accuracy or
completeness. Details provided do
> not supersede your normal trade confirmations or statements. Any product
is subject to prior sale.
> CIBC World Markets Corp, its affiliated companies, and their officers or
employees, may have a position
> in or make a market in any security described above, and may act as an
investment banker or advisor to such.
> Although CIBC World Markets Corp. is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary
of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce ("CIBC"),
> it is solely responsible for its contractual obligations. Any securities
products recommended, purchased, or sold in
> any client accounts
> (i) will not be insured by the FDIC,
> (ii)will not be deposits or obligations of CIBC,
> (iii) will not be endorsed or guaranteed by CIBC, and
> (iv) will be subject to risks, including possible loss of principal
invested.
>
> --
> 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:
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Re: [SWCollect] Software Collecting Expo?

[C.E. Forman]

Good point...  So plan for maybe 200 - 300, then?  I do have a feeling that
a significant percentage of cartridge collectors are also computer gamers
and would come to something like this.

- Original Message - 
From: "Edward Franks" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Software Collectibles Mailing List" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2004 1:17 PM
Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Software Collecting Expo?


>
> Another reason to go small is that packed rooms give off the
> impression of a busy, successful convention.  Whereas large rooms
> partially filled give off the impression of a dying or dead convention.
>   (Savvy grassroots political groups use this concept all the time.
> ;-))
>
> -- 
>
> Edward Franks
>
>
> --
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> the swcollect mailing list.  To unsubscribe, send mail to
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Re: [SWCollect] Software Collecting Expo?

[C.E. Forman]

Heh, personally I don't wanna be the one to tell someone they can't go in.
You can be in charge of that part.  B-)

Which CGE were you at, Howard?  The first one?  I was there in 2K2 and it
was huge.

- Original Message - 
From: "Brian the Fist" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2004 11:39 AM
Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Software Collecting Expo?


> Like I said, I was at CGExpo and there were maybe 200 people tops
> (excluding exhibitors).  Remember, these people have to come from
> halfway across the country in many cases, and that is a big barrier.
> Not everyone lives in southern California :) Plan small for a first time
> conference, or there won't be a second..  You can always limit
> attendance if you get too many applicants, but you can't do the
> reverse..  In fact limited seats could encourage people to sign up and
> pay early..
>
> "C.E. Forman" wrote:
> >
> > Wow, I must REALLY be optimistic, then, I figured a few hundred would
show,
> > especially once they learn of the classic authors.  (The place could get
> > packed if the Woz shows up!)  I'd prefer to plan for a larger number,
just
> > in case.
> >
> -- 
> --
> Howard Feldman, Author of The Search for Freedom
> A Computer Fantasy Role-Playing Game
> Visit its Homepage at http://deep.mshri.on.ca/people/feldman/
>
>
> --
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Re: [SWCollect] Need advice regarding a Wasteland purchase

[C.E. Forman]

> I guess the only real solution is to make it a "closed" project, where you
> would have to apply to get access, and only "real" collectors would be
> admitted. But I fear that's just delaying the inevitable, really.

Unfortunately I don't believe there's much of a chance of stopping a
counterfeiter *before* he does it.  And if we were to say only "real"
collectors could join, someone's bound to get upset, probably rightly so.


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Re: [SWCollect] Need advice regarding a Wasteland purchase

[C.E. Forman]

This reminds me.  Awhile back Sarinee Achavanuntakul (of Underdogs) and I
were talking about setting up a site for cataloguing the exact contents of
game packages.  Gameprops.com, I believe it was to be called.  It was to be
something like a more specialized version of Moby, concentrating on package
variations and lists of what was in them.  Possibly scans too, though with
all the counterfeiting lately I'm nervous about an undertaking like that
now.  I did some fundamental database design, and we got as far as actually
registering the domain name, but it just never went anywhere from there.

- Original Message - 
From: "Per-Olof Karlsson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2004 6:12 AM
Subject: RE: [SWCollect] Need advice regarding a Wasteland purchase


> >Well, I kinda see it as preserving a legacy. How many originally
> >shrinked versions of a game will be around in fifty years?
>
> Yeah, of course I understand this view. :) I'd much rather "preserve" the
> whole package though. I like to make scans of the contents for instance,
> which is rather hard when it's shrinkwrapped. ;) I think one of the more
> important tasks we as collectors have is to document history.
>
> - Peo
>
>
> --
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Re: [SWCollect] Need advice regarding a Wasteland purchase

[C.E. Forman]

> Totally disagree here; having an item still in original shrinkwrap is a
> testament of time,
> and much rarer than an open box, of course.  Really though, it's just
> amazing to have an
> item after X years still in the condition and orginal packaging that it
> would have been in
> at the little ma & pa shop that originally sold it.

I've always felt unbroken shrinkwrap has a kind of "Schroedinger's Cat"
value to it.  Suppose you have the only currently known copy of a rare game
(long-time list people know which one I'm talking about B-).  Then suppose
you opened it to play, but found out the disk has deteriorated and is no
longer readable.  I imagine everyone here would agree you've devalued the
game, whether it's from opening the shrinkwrap, or from taking a game that
*could* still be playable and turning it into a game that definitely is not.


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Re: [SWCollect] Paranoid seller and tax evasion

[C.E. Forman]

> > Well, I *would* draw a distinction between *trading* games and
> > *buying* them.  I dislike the thought of being taxed for non-cash
> > transactions.
>
> I tried to argue the same to a customs officer. His reasoning was that I
> "paid" by sending my game. Can you argue with that?

Then your customs tax should consist of something like a cheap game, or a
loose manual, or a few disks!  B-)


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Re: [SWCollect] Software Collecting Expo?

[C.E. Forman]

Wow, I must REALLY be optimistic, then, I figured a few hundred would show,
especially once they learn of the classic authors.  (The place could get
packed if the Woz shows up!)  I'd prefer to plan for a larger number, just
in case.

- Original Message - 
From: "Hugh Falk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 10:53 PM
Subject: RE: [SWCollect] Software Collecting Expo?


> I think this was meant for the whole group (see bottom)...
>
> -Original Message-
> From: Brian the Fist [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 6:07 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: [SWCollect] Software Collecting Expo?
>
> Hugh Falk wrote:
> >
> > I don't mind scouting out some local places (I'm guessing hotels) for
> > prices.  We should have a ballpark idea of the size event we're
> looking
> > to put on.  I'm guessing it will be relatively small (smaller than
> > PhillyClassic) due to it being a first time and a pretty focused event
> > (compared to CGE and PhillyClassic).
> >
> > However, I'm slammed this week and out of town next week.  So give me
> a
> > couple of weeks to investigate.
> >
> > Thoughts on size?
>
> I'd say expecting 50 or so paying guests to show (ie. excluding the
> speakers and exhibitors) would be optimistic..
>
> -- 
> --
> Howard Feldman, Author of The Search for Freedom
> A Computer Fantasy Role-Playing Game
> Visit its Homepage at http://deep.mshri.on.ca/people/feldman/
>
>
>
>
> --
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> the swcollect mailing list.  To unsubscribe, send mail to
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