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FujiSkunk

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Posts posted by FujiSkunk

  1. Posted

    This. This should not have been donated to a thrift store:

     

    post-6115-0-45206900-1511842061_thumb.jpg

     

    Not just a 3DS. Not even a mere 3DS XL. It's a New 3DS XL! With stylus! And Super Smash Bros.! I'm half expecting this to turn into another backsy, but A, it was donated to my store's sister location, which I don't visit as often and therefore stuff piles up for longer, and B, I've already paid for it and reformatted it, so nyah! Mine!! *cough* I mean, yeah, of course I'll give it back if that turns out to be the case, but in the meantime, fingers are crossed!

     

    The funny thing is, after seeing two on the shelf at a Best Buy after months of never seeing any, I decided I wanted a Switch after all. So just like that I have a Switch and a "New" 3DS XL, all in the same week! The glittery effect of the lower screen in the above picture is just me playing in Photoshop (GIMP, actually). Really the console is in fine shape. The only thing missing was a power cable, and I had that covered already.

     

    And now, behold! What just might possibly be the greatest song ever to emerge from the haze known as the 1970s:

     

    post-6115-0-28478700-1511842612.jpg

     

    Of course, it's also possible this isn't the greatest song of the 1970s, but really, can you argue that while listening?

     

    Okay, maybe you can. How about this for the greatest song of the 1970s, then?

     

    post-6115-0-12889700-1511842785.jpg

     

    Henson actually got onto the singles charts, thanks to this and "The Rainbow Connection".

     

    And now, I have something of a personal favor to ask. You see, my roommate claims he took a rather incriminating photo of me. Don't believe a word he says! It's fake news! I was set up! I... I...

     

    post-6115-0-25685000-1511843351.jpg

     

    ...I can explain!

     

    First of all, he put me up to it! Second of all, the dumpster was practically empty at the time! Third of all, it's at the church where I attend and my roommate works, so it wasn't just some random bin! And finally, it's why the dumpster wasn't completely empty that intrigued me and him. What I figured was, someone boxed and bagged a whole bunch of stuff to donate to a charity, and someone, probably a different someone and quite possibly a younger relative of the first someone, decided a nearby church dumpster made for a more convenient drop-off. There were boxes of books, a carefully packed bag full of clothes, and several other curios that made us both -- yes, HIM TOO! -- decide to go diving. Nothing in the way of video games, sadly (or not?) but still...

     

    post-6115-0-35274300-1511843968_thumb.jpg

     

    These are Western paperbacks from the 1950s. I'm no expert on books, but I do know people like to collect old ones, and I'm observant enough to notice somebody individually bagged these and somebody else paid $3 to $7.50 a pop for them.

     

    post-6115-0-71453300-1511844257_thumb.jpg

     

    I actually do know a thing or two about music books, enough that I would never throw away a guitar tablature book, not when even the least popular ones can still go for a few bucks on eBay.

     

    post-6115-0-75598400-1511844525.jpg

     

    Finally, this is what ultimately convinced me to take the plunge. This is the CD-ROM set of what was then every issue of National Geographic, all 108 years' worth digitized for browsing on your PC. Lawsuits and copyright controversy have pretty much guaranteed this set will never be rereleased, let alone updated, so these are getting pretty hard to find. The outer box is a little rough, but so far all the discs I've looked for were present. I'm keeping this one! And I'm not ashamed! Don't judge me! At least, not too harshly, please?

    • Like 5

  5. Posted · Edited by FujiSkunk

    Some of the more noteworthy bits to come into my store recently...

     

    post-6115-0-53340400-1509857012_thumb.jpg

     

    I suppose if you're going to find PlayStation games only three at a time, there are worse threes than this one.

     

    post-6115-0-83349500-1509857068_thumb.jpg

     

    There are worse Game Gear dozens than this one too. Quite honestly I didn't even know Tails had his own game before I saw this.

     

    Most of these are now up for grabs in the thrift store sale thread!

    • Like 1

  7. Posted · Edited by FujiSkunk

    The short answer for media mail is: Software yes, video games no.

     

    Productivity software (word processors, operating system discs, etc.) are fine. Educational software is fine. Edutainment software is probably fine, provided the focus is more on education than on entertainment: those Fisher Price math CDs with little games featuring that Frogger knock-off mascot probably wouldn't stir up any ire, but real-guitar game RockSmith would likely be frowned upon. Simulation games is where you really start hitting a gray area. Anything beyond that, forget it. Console discs are right out.

     

    Having said all that, a big box of random old computer disks, most of which are probably productivity and educational software or other "back-up" disks, I wouldn't lose too much sleep over sending it Media Mail. If you really want to keep your conscience clean, though, I'd suggest what others have already suggested, and compare USPS vs. FedEx and UPS rates.

     

    I'm curious what's in this box. I'll make a $70+shipping bid.

    • Like 1

  8. Posted

    Bump! There isn't a whole lot in the way of new items, but there are just enough that regulars will want to browse the first post to see what new opportunities there are to fill holes in the collection.

     

    The Houston Arcade Expo was this weekend, and a number of CIB games were sold at the Saturday swap meet. I've dropped several prices among the games that didn't sell, so also double-check any CIBs that you might have been thinking about.

     

    Thanks always for looking and buying!

  10. Posted

    Hi guys, I programmed the NES version of this that was referenced a few pages back by a few people and I just wanted to pop in here and comment on a few things:

     

    I am a huge arcade enthusiast, having already ported Frogger over to the NES, and Scramble was a game that I've had in the back of my head for years as a game that I had wanted to port over to the NES...

     

    Oh, you ported Frogger to the NES? That means the Parker Brothers trilogy (Q*Bert, Frogger, Popeye) is complete on yet another system! Now somebody just needs to get crackin' on Popeye for the Atari 7800.

     

    Anyway, excellent job with Scramble. I have yet to buy any NES homebrews, but I think I know what my first and possibly second will be.

    • Like 1

  11. Posted

    picked up these bad boys today - not games - but interesting nonetheless!

     

    Anybody else read these back in the day?

     

    attachicon.gif100_4469.JPG

     

    Oh yeah, I was all over CYOA books back when they were new. I got a gift set of four or five of them one Christmas, and was hooked on them for years afterward. I eventually sold mine off when I became fascinated with other shiny things. Once in a while I'll see them in the thrift stores and have half a mind to start collecting them again, but then I remind myself I don't have enough room for the collections I have already.

    • Like 2

  14. Posted

    Nope, That's what I mentioned in the last post. There's no kiosk.

     

    Ah, I missed that bit. Sorry about that. Obviously I take for granted the conveniences that come with living in the shadow of a big city like Houston, even as I'm also griping about that shadow.

     

    You may still have some options, depending on how much time and effort you want to devote to making sure you're paying the cheapest way possible. If you're fairly confident a box weighs well under a pound -- and a box with a single cartridge almost certainly will, for example -- you can try asking for First Class at the counter. The worst they can tell you is that it weighs too much and you'll have to go Priority instead. If you'd rather not ask and you have access to a library, you might just have access to a public-use scale, and maybe even a computer and printer as well. Using the printer may not be worth it depending on how much the library would charge per print-out, but at the very least the scale would let you look up rates and then be more confident about what shipping service to ask for.

     

    Whatever you decide, I would recommend at least doing some research on the Post Office's website. There are several services that seem like they're the same thing but aren't, and so it's easy for devious post office employees to trip people up if they wanted to. For example, tracking is free, but Signature Confirmation costs extra. The difference is you get a signature from the recipient when a package is delivered. Sometimes that's good to have, but other times it's probably not worth the nearly three bucks they charge at the counter.

  16. Posted

    Trust me, I always ask what the cheapest method is and the answer for anything in a box, no matter the size or weight, has been Priority. Being totally honest, I think the post office closest to me (Afton) has been ripping people off for years.

     

    Do they have a self-service kiosk? If so, use the self-service kiosk, even if the post office itself is open. Not only is the line often shorter, you'll get a straight answer on what's the cheapest way to ship for every package.

    • Like 1

  17. Posted

    I understand not being able to use the online services, and yeah, I wouldn't try to persuade you to buy a printer or scale if you don't plan on using them that much. However, even without online discounts and the like, Priority Mail isn't always the cheapest way to go. Frequently, but not always. For manuals and loose cartridges that can be mailed in boxes 13 ounces of less, First Class will likely be the cheaper method. Tracking is actually free across all USPS shipping methods now, including First Class. Personally I wouldn't bother insuring something you're only selling for a few bucks anyway, but if you decide to insure a First Class package, $2.10 will get you insurance up to $50. That will put a lot of FIrst Class packages in the neighborhood of $6, which is still cheaper than shipping that same box via Priority Mail ($6.65 to $7.75, depending on distance). Admittedly sometimes the difference between Priority Mail and insured First Class is pennies, but other times it can save you over a buck.

     

    This won't really matter for manuals and cartridges, but larger packages, around five pounds and heavier, can usually be shipped cheaper by Parcel Select or Retail Ground. The post office can't seem to make up its mind what to call it's non-Priority service). Whether Parcel Select is cheaper will depend on the weight, size and where you're shipping to, and again will only really matter for heavier boxes. In any case, though, it's still a good idea to check all the possibilities, and the self-service kiosks at the post office will help you do that. The only shipping service you can't buy at a kiosk is Media Mail, and the Post Office has been adamant about disallowing Media Mail for video games and game-related stuff anyway.

    • Like 1

  18. Posted

    Great news. I'll have to buy a batch when they come out.

     

     

    Is it going to be a sticking point if a game has a vintage or a repro jewel case?

    If it does matter, how do we distinguish? And if it doesn't, why does the game need a case to be "complete"?

     

    This is my personal opinion, so YMMV. Personally I don't think it matters where the case came from, and I've frequently swapped out broken small-box PS1, Dreamcast, etc. jewel cases with better cases snarfed from discarded music CD's. Except for different hub designs, and maybe different hinge designs if I were to look closely enough, I can't tell a difference. Even then I suspect the same game was often packaged with different jewel case variations, especially games popular enough to have gone through several pressings. I can't say this for sure, it's just a feeling. If true, that means those different hubs and hinges don't really matter anyway.

     

    Having said that, I believe a game disc should have a case, even if it's not the case, to be considered complete. Cases are still the best way to store discs, especially those you play regularly. Even the softest, easiest CD books and such can scratch discs as they're frequently pulled in an out of the sleeves. Cases are also the best way to preserve and display the jewel case inserts, even if they're not always the friendliest to the actual manuals.

    • Like 1

  19. Posted

    FYI, if you have your own boxes or envelopes, you can ship lighter stuff by First Class. A couple of manuals or even a single cartridge should weigh less than 13 or 16 ounces (13 is the cut-off regular rates, 16 is the cut-off for discounted rates like those offered by eBay or PayPal). That'll usually knock the shipping cost down to between three and four dollars.

     

    Priority Mail boxes have to be shipped Priority Mail, so that's your only option if you're using the free boxes. Nothing against using the free boxes, just be aware of the restrictions since the Post Office really doesn't like it when people try to cheat with the freebies.

  20. Posted

    Indie band Wintergreen's video for "When I Wake Up" tells the fable of the millions of buried E.T. cartridges and the band's quest to find them (this was before the Alamagordo excavation).

     

     

    It's a bit of a stretch, but Tom Petty's video for "Jammin' Me" has a brief clip of Atari Games' Marble Madness, and has a nice proto-CGI look to it in general:

     

     

    And then there's Joe Walsh's ode to video games, written and released during the heyday of video arcades. Most of the games featured aren't Atari, but they're still heavily associated with Atari (Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, etc.).

     

  24. Posted

    1989 TMNT kiddie bowl:

     

    attachicon.gifIMG_3218.JPG

     

    With that grin and that pose, he sure looks like he's trying to, shall we say, show you something...

     

    Anyway, here are some of my recent thrifting spoils.

     

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    Most of the PS2 karaoke games came from a single donation batch. I have a soft spot for video game company Harmonix, so I figured I'd snag all their old titles when given the chance. Reportedly the vocal scoring engine they built for the "Karaoke Revolution" series became the foundation for the vocal engine in the "Rock Band" series. Since Harmonix also built the original "Guitar Hero" engine, it seems inevitable not only that a "full band" game like Rock Band would come about, but that Harmonix would be the company to do it first and best.

     

    post-6115-0-67166200-1506921761_thumb.jpg

     

    Another couple of plug-and-plays to add to the ever-growing collection. The Super Pac-Man stick comes from Jakks and was first released in 2006. It's typical Jakks quality -- not great but not bad -- but it's particularly notable for having what I believe is the first official, Namco-sanctioned home release of Pac-Man Plus. The Pac-Man shaped plug-and-play is the one Namco Bandai distributed themselves in 2015. It too has Pac-Man Plus, but it's more notable for being an actual Namco Bandai product, and not a licensed Jakks product. The video quality is much better than what came before, with full 640x480 (or maybe 720x480) NTSC resolution and a higher quality emulation engine, even if this one still has some amusing quirks. The sound quality is better as well, though it has its share of quirks as well, particularly in how different sounds and music clips are played with different sample rates, frequently leading to an odd muddle of muffled music with crystal clear laser shots. Oh well, the controller is still a nice culmination of what plug-and-plays have offered so far.

    .

    And just to pile even more onto the plug-and-play stack...

     

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    My first Flashback 5. It even came with everything originally in the box, except for the manual. No big loss.

     

    You know, I like how different sides of the box have different box shots for games like Centipede and Jungle Hunt that came in multiple box variations, but I sure hope someone eventually got the memo that that one Tempest box wasn't actually meant for the Atari 2600!

     

    And finally, the piece of resistance that I probably should have resisted, but in the end just couldn't resist.

     

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    A Samsung CRT HDTV, released in 2006, boasting a nice assortment of inputs including 2 HDMIs, 2 components and even a genuine S-video port. It'll do all HD resolutions except 1080p, and while the lower resolutions are upscaled (no multiple "native" resolutions like old CRT computer monitors), they still look absolutely beautiful compared to upscaled images on LCD HDTV's. And that contrast... sigh. One day when OLED HDTV's are actually affordable, everyone will have good contrast again. But until then, I'm in love with this thing. The only problem is, this wasn't a thrift store find, but an abandonment, found next to my church's dumpster. I suspect the reason for its dumping is some minor discoloration along the sides (visible particularly on the right side of the screen in the picture, though I think the camera exaggerated it a bit) combined with some geometry issues I wasn't able to iron out completely with the service menu. I also cringe to think how much electricity this thing guzzles compared to same-sized LCD TV's. But, for what I paid, and for the picture quality I'm getting beyond the quibbles, I'm happy and I'm keeping it!

    • Like 2
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