Ignorama Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Today my Fathom arrived and I was very happy about the condition at first, but then I looked a bit closer to the manual and found something disappointing: Look at the dolphins mouth. May I am too picky, but I paid 160 Dollar + 36 Dollar shipping + around 40 Dollar fees for that, it really pisses me off. No word about that in the description, no picture which shows this flaw, collecting stops beeing funny with that kind of sellers. If anybody is not as picky as I am: I would trade this manual with another Fathom manual without writings. I offer to take the shipping costs and add 20 Dollar. I also can offer some other videogames, if someone may want to trade please contact me, I think we'll can make a deal. Also if someone is selling is loose manual: I am your man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 If thats the only writing in the manual consider yourself lucky. I personally think its kind of neat to see old scores in manuals, which this looks like some score? It could of been alot worse. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxpressed Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 That would disappoint me, too. It is possible that the seller wasn't aware of it. Even if the seller does give you a partial refund, he/she may not estimate the "damage" as highly as collectors do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignorama Posted April 5, 2013 Author Share Posted April 5, 2013 No refunds, the only way is to send it back, which is really senseless for me because the amount I had to pay for shipping and fees. I hope to find a new manual some day, but I wont buy anything again from that seller. It could of been alot worse. Of course it could be worse, but its really not the kind of business reputable sellers should do. Maybe I can trade it in that condition, if somebody needs a Fathom and has rare titles to offer, let me know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maximebeauvais Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Wow..... I have sold a lot of videogame and i never went throught the manual page to see something was written on it. Picky? Well next time just ask the selle r to go over every pages before bidding. Good luck 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickR Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Wow..... I have sold a lot of videogame and i never went throught the manual page to see something was written on it. Picky? Well next time just ask the selle r to go over every pages before bidding. Good luck Disagree. If something is that expensive, you go through it and make sure it is perfect first. It isn't a novel, it's a manual with just a few pages. I agree that no one bothers for something that is common... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maximebeauvais Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 In this case, it is only 4 digit #. If it was missing pages or someone has written long sentence.... yeah maybe but Anyway, if i had received this manual, i will not be pist off. That's me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignorama Posted April 5, 2013 Author Share Posted April 5, 2013 (edited) My problem is: The seller isnt a normal person who sells his stuff, its a seller who is specialized on Intellivision games. If it were a privat auction I would agree with you, but in this case I cant. He take NINE Pictures to show every detail and three of them showed the manual. Its no accident that not even one showed the flaw. Three picturs of a 4 page manual and not even one which give me the chance to see the flaw by myself. The box looked beautiful, I wondered why he called it just "good", but my assumption was that he is very critical with the condition. That was a mistake, he isnt very critical, he just hides flaws, which I call major flaws. I skipped the River Raid last night, because this seller has shown the writing on the last page. I wished I had bought this, because he was honest and earned the high price more than this seller. Well, I cant change anything and I have to find a nice trade or replacement manual to be happy, but I cant be happy which a total Payment of 230 Dollar for that, knowing that it will cost at least 50 Dollar to upgrade the condition to my standards. Edit: By the way: Its no different for me if there is a whole novel or just one letter in the manual. Its the same like writing in books, I'll would never do things like that. I really hope that at least Congo Bongo comes as descriped, if that has also hidden flaws I'll have to kill some Asteroids in Astrosmash Edited April 5, 2013 by Ignorama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari_Bill Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Hmmmm, as a buyer OR a seller I'd never even consider that honestly. If the cart/box/manual were tear/wrinkle free that would be all I would look at it if it sold for $10 or $500. Maybe if the whole manual were mucked up with writing I'd have a beef, but one number? Doesn't change the grade to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sqoon Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Perhaps a cotton swab soaked in hair spray and a fine touch could fix that marked-up manual page? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+JasonlikesINTV Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 I have a modest collection of Astrosmash manuals that I kept specifically because of the scores written in the back. Since it's such a cheap and common game and there are actually pages in the back for high scores, I keep them as sort of a snapshot of the times. They tell stories....a kid obsessively trying for higher scores, siblings battling it out, a husband and wife enjoying some friendly competition. I love my minty untainted games, but I also appreciate all of the character locked up in these! I suppose I'm glad it's in my Astrosmash instead of my Fathom, but the four digit number isn't terrible. If you keep an eye out, you can find a reasonable upgrade and probably still this one for a decent amount....just be sure to disclose the secret code 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oscar G. Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 (edited) I have a modest collection of Astrosmash manuals that I kept specifically because of the scores written in the back. Since it's such a cheap and common game and there are actually pages in the back for high scores, I keep them as sort of a snapshot of the times. They tell stories....a kid obsessively trying for higher scores, siblings battling it out, a husband and wife enjoying some friendly competition. I love my minty untainted games, but I also appreciate all of the character locked up in these! I suppose I'm glad it's in my Astrosmash instead of my Fathom, but the four digit number isn't terrible. If you keep an eye out, you can find a reasonable upgrade and probably still this one for a decent amount....just be sure to disclose the secret code I totally agree with Jason. I find extremely cute that notes from the past appear on manuals. After all, these are items that are not new. They are all used and because of that they carry a story with them. I also have found magazine clippings with hints attached to manuals. Another cool thing to find is hand written maps. I have treasured some of these extra findings inside games. The notes on the manual tell that somebody at least actually played and perhaps enjoyed the game. I am pretty sure that many collectors (for many reasons) don't play the game at all. A game is meant to be played and enjoyed and a used game may carry the evidence of that. Perhaps Ignorama should not worry about the notes too much and see the item with different eyes. Cheers, Oscar PS I loved Ignorama's note about playing Astrosmash to deal with the frustration. That's the spirit! Did you manage to get a good score? Playing is therapeutic. Edited April 6, 2013 by Oscar G. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roberto Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Did you manage to get a good score? Playing is therapeutic. And don't forget to write it down in the manual!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignorama Posted April 6, 2013 Author Share Posted April 6, 2013 And don't forget to write it down in the manual!! I guess my Tutankham manual would be a nice place for that Astrosmash score But it seems I found a trade for the manual, so my mode is much better then yesterday 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DZ-Jay Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 I totally agree with Jason. I find extremely cute that notes from the past appear on manuals. And dear old Emily takes the cake! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxpressed Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 A pic to make you feel a little better! (Don't worry about me -- I got this one for a song and have a minty spare!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+JasonlikesINTV Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 A pic to make you feel a little better! (Don't worry about me -- I got this one for a song and have a minty spare!) I'll give you a song for this one! Heck, make it an entire CD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignorama Posted April 9, 2013 Author Share Posted April 9, 2013 I found a trade here on AA and a new manual is on the way home. @ boxpressed This dont make me any happier, I never get why people write on boxes or manuals. Sure, some manuals have special pages for some notes, thats something I dont accept in my collection, but I can understand, but for havens sake: Why use the manual as a sheet of paper? Isnt there anything else to write the stupid high scores down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari_Bill Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 I found a trade here on AA and a new manual is on the way home. @ boxpressed This dont make me any happier, I never get why people write on boxes or manuals. Sure, some manuals have special pages for some notes, thats something I dont accept in my collection, but I can understand, but for havens sake: Why use the manual as a sheet of paper? Isnt there anything else to write the stupid high scores down? It's because inherently video games are not designed to be a collectible. They were meant to be played with not kept factory fresh. When they are played with, they will take some amount of wear (depending on the person, some more than others). That's why I don't stress over condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignorama Posted April 10, 2013 Author Share Posted April 10, 2013 It's because inherently video games are not designed to be a collectible. I agree so far, but I have to add that neighter boxes nor manuals were designed to be notepads Serious, in every household are countless pieces of papers, so there is no need to write on a box or a manual, which is pretty senseless because the space is limited. But I am happy that there are people who think different about that, because it was the only chance for me to get a new manual without paying a new Fathom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slab0meat Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 I agree so far, but I have to add that neighter boxes nor manuals were designed to be notepads Serious, in every household are countless pieces of papers, so there is no need to write on a box or a manual, which is pretty senseless because the space is limited. But I am happy that there are people who think different about that, because it was the only chance for me to get a new manual without paying a new Fathom Some manuals WERE designed to be notepads, like it or not. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B0B 1ob1aw Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 I have a CIB Intellivoice that is mint, other than minor shelf wear on the box. On the front of the box it has the price written in Pen. And as the price went lower because it was on lcearance, they crossed out the old price and wrote a new one. I thought it was funny, because they got it at such a low price, because it looks like it was only used 1-2 times (and one of the games was still sealed). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignorama Posted April 10, 2013 Author Share Posted April 10, 2013 Some manuals WERE designed to be notepads, like it or not. But not Fathom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rik Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 (edited) Something like this happened to me at ebay a while back. I bought a cartridge that had a label in perfect cond in picture, but arrived with "Stan" written on it in black magic marker. I stopped buying from eBay since. I mean, i have enough headaches with people "offline" i didn't make too much a fuss, it was pretty cheap, but still B.S. Edited April 18, 2013 by Rik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.