"Stephen S. Lee" wrote:
>
> I'm one of those People Who Only Collects IBM Games. (The IBM PC is what
> I started with -- my father works at IBM, and he got one for home use
> shortly after the PC got introduced.) Eventually, I might branch out to
> non-IBM games and packages that flat-out don't exist for IBM, but I still
> have my hands full getting stuff for IBM (and probably will for at least a
> couple more years).
Take heart; I'm the same way. I also collect PCjr-specific and Tandy-specific
games (PC, but use and/or require the special 16-color graphics and 3-voice
sound on those platforms). I can help answer your PC-specific questions for
you.
> There is a poster that comes with the game, but I was under the impression
> that it only came with the Commodore versions (both C64 and Amiga). Now
> I've heard of an IBM version that also comes with it, and mentions the
> presence of the poster via a sticker on the box. How easy is this one to
> come by?
I can't verify it's rarity for sure, but I know that I bought Pools of Radiance
RIGHT when it was delivered to stores in 1988 and I did not get a poster. It
might have been a promotional add-in to help sell extra copies of the game at a
later point in time.
> (2) Might & Magic I
>
> Tangent from (1): now I wonder whether there exists an IBM version of the
> original Might & Magic with the large spiral-bound manual.
I have seen M&M1 for the PC with a spiral-bound manual, although my memory says
it's a 5x7" manual, not "large". My memory could be wrong... but it was
definitely spiral-bound.
> (3) Acquiring semi-recent games
>
> I realize this is somewhat like asking to predict the performance of an
> arbitrary stock, but I'll ask anyway.
>
> Regarding games like I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream and The Neverhood
> (games that aren't old, but are out of print, aren't likely to be
> re-released, and are sought after by serious adventure-gaming fans): do
> you think these will get easier or harder to acquire as time passes? I'm
> wondering whether to buy now or to wait.
Buy now if the price is $9 or less. You can always sell later. That's what I
do, but I'm not everyone.
> I'm also wondering whether the price of Wing Commander Kilrathi Saga will
> ever come down to earth. With my Killer Retrogaming Rig, I don't need
> this to play, like many of the people who shell out big bucks for this do.
> I'd love to complete a Wing Commander collection, though -- just not for
> $200+ if I can help it.
The price of Kilrathi Saga just blows my mind. People who are paying those
prices (I've seen as high as $500) are incredibly stupid. It's just not worth
that much. The "film can" release of Wing Commander 3 is a hell of a lot more
rare and worth a thousand dollars at least (came in an actual film can, with
extra materials including a t-shirt).
> (4) Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders
>
> Another IBM-specific question. Other than the program itself, what's the
> difference in packaging between the original version and the
> enhanced-graphics version?
I've never seen both to compare, sorry... anyone?
> (5) Wasteland
>
> Yes, another IBM question ... does the IBM version of this only come in
> the "book" package? I've run into a couple people who want an IBM square
> flat folder, and want to be able to say with certainty that it doesn't
> exist.
The IBM version only game in the "book" package. You can say with certainty
that the IBM version of Wasteland never came out in folio form.
> (6) Truly ancient IBM games
>
> There are four IBM games I know of that come in a small flat gray
> plastic folder (this is how the very first IBM games came packaged):
>
> Adventure in Serenia
> Microsoft Adventure
> Microsoft Decathlon (which I'm still looking for; three copies showed up
> on eBay in rapid succession several months ago, but none have shown up
> since -- sigh)
> Strategy Games (yes, extremely generic, though there wasn't exactly a ton
> of competition at the time)
>
> Do any others exist? I remember an IBM catalog that listed every single
> piece of commercial software available for the recently-introduced IBM PC,
> but I don't have that any more. I do remember that the "entertainment"
> section was relatively paltry.
Wow, you're definitely hard-core IBM. :-) Warms my heart to see that. Yes,
these were the first four entertainment titles for the IBM PC Model 5150. I
don't see any more in my catalogs until the later "plastic clam-shell"
packaging.
You might be interested to know that there were third-party games for the IBM
available very closely after the 5150's release (ie. the above 4 you list
weren't the only "first games available"). Check www.mobygames.com for
"funtastic" games, for example.
--
http://www.MobyGames.com/
The world's most comprehensive gaming database project.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This message was sent to you because you are currently subscribed to
the swcollect mailing list. To unsubscribe, send mail to
[EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of 'unsubscribe swcollect'
Archives are available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/swcollect@oldskool.org/
