reproduction / custom labels

[mkiker2089]

I have some classic games with bad labels. I'd like to restore them with new labels. I can't seem to find a source though. I've asked around and people either accuse me of being a pirate or have no leads. Any idea where to find them? I could try printing some myself but I'm no good with photoshop. I downloaded a few free versions and after a few hours have only a splitting headache to show for it.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[sqoon]

I have said before that a label scan database needs created. Purists argue that fakes can be pushed upon unsuspecting game buyers, but I have need to repair a few in my collection as well. Maybe gamefaqs? I think they have an annoying watermark though.

[mkiker2089]

I've been trying to use a few programs to make them and I get annoying close. Gimp for some reason won''t let me paste a color photo on the template, paint.net can't turn text upside down, and Irfanview is too simple

[+pboland]

Repro labels can be a little difficult to do if you are not use to doing them. The key is getting a good enough scan that at least can be cleaned up in Photoshop to look like new. Then you need to print from a really good printer with the right kind of label stock and laminate the label (if you are wanting to do it right). I sometimes do repro/customs for some collectors, but I will not (as a rule of thumb) reproduce very rare cart labels (at least not without a visible print date on the label). Of course all my labels will have a mark or print date on them somewhere, so they are not confused as original. I've made labels and overlays for a couple classic game publishers. Here are a couple links to topics of some of the work I've done:

 

ColecoVision Mr. DO! Poster & Maybe More...

 

Colecovision Labels Thread

 

Interest Check for Reproduction Cart Labels

 

ColecoVision Overlays Available (Reproduction)

 

I'm currently working on an Intellivision project which includes both labels and overlays:

 

Sears TELE-GAMES INTV (new) Overlay set

 

If interested, PM me for quote.

[theironmango]

There are some people on ebay that do them such as http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fsch%2Fyugotek%2Fm.html%3Fitem%3D171096022976%26ssPageName%3DSTRK%253AMEWAX%253AIT%26rt%3Dnc%26_trksid%3Dp2047675.l2562

 

he can do any label just ask him and give him about a 24-48 hour period to work

[+pboland]

There are some people on ebay that do them such as http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fsch%2Fyugotek%2Fm.html%3Fitem%3D171096022976%26ssPageName%3DSTRK%253AMEWAX%253AIT%26rt%3Dnc%26_trksid%3Dp2047675.l2562

 

he can do any label just ask him and give him about a 24-48 hour period to work

Quite frankly, his printing is not that great. His images look a little washed out and you can see a grain in his prints. This is from the type of printer/print settings that he is using. Also he states this in his auction:

 

"The lamination process can sometimes leave minute bubbles and/or little lines. They are slightly noticeable when looking up close. Since I still do everything by hand, sometimes they are unavoidable."

 

My process is by hand as well, but I do not have small bubbles or little lines in my lamination. When I can, I die cut rounded corners. It would come out a lot more accurate than hand cutting with scissors. That's just my two cents. I hope that helps.

Edited September 7, 2013 by pboland

[AtariBrian]

Im thinking I may need to get some labels for some of my coleco games in the future .

[Dr Manhattan]

I have said before that a label scan database needs created. Purists argue that fakes can be pushed upon unsuspecting game buyers, but I have need to repair a few in my collection as well. Maybe gamefaqs? I think they have an annoying watermark though.

 

I would like to see someone recreate the labels for every Activision 2600 game, and to satisfy the legitimate concerns of the purists we could somehow mark the label in a small way so it would be obvious it was a reproduction.

[+pboland]

 

I would like to see someone recreate the labels for every Activision 2600 game, and to satisfy the legitimate concerns of the purists we could somehow mark the label in a small way so it would be obvious it was a reproduction.

Again, I don't have a problem doing something like this as a custom job (and definitely there would be some kind reproduction mark and/or text), but it would need to be on a job by job basis. If you are really interest in this PM me.

[mkiker2089]

Just in case anyone is interested there's a thread at Nintendoage about custom painting a cartridge. http://nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?StartRow=1&catid=7&threadid=105987

 

I've painted Truxton and it came out pretty well. The other cart was purchased that way.

[+pboland]

 

I would like to see someone recreate the labels for every Activision 2600 game, and to satisfy the legitimate concerns of the purists we could somehow mark the label in a small way so it would be obvious it was a reproduction.

 

Okay, I put together a test Activision label. Here are some of the differences I used so it would be obvious that it is a reproduction, but not so in your face to detract for the original feel of the label.

 

1) I used standard Ariel font for the smaller text. (the original was different)

2) I used a Futura Black text for the main title. (the original was different)

3) I used a real screen shot of the game instead of the stylized image that the original used.

4) The black outline around the screen shot is more square than the original.

5) Finally I added the text "This is a reproduction label. Printed 2013 in the U.S.A." right under the disclaimer text in the same size font as the disclaimer text.

 

I feel none of these changes take away from the feel of the original label, but at the same time are obvious markers to show it is a reproduction label. Let me know what you guys think.

 

[Rex Dart]

Hey pboland, any chance of you printing some snes, n64, or megadrive labels? Not repros, just custom art for everdrives / flash carts.

[mkiker2089]

I like the activision label. My only thought is rather to use gameplay or leave it with the sylized art. The other changes are good as they are either transparent or improve the label. I've been trying to find a few Activision games but label rot has kept me away. Now I'm thinking of buying the ones with the worst rot so I can save money and restore them.

[+pboland]

Hey pboland, any chance of you printing some snes, n64, or megadrive labels? Not repros, just custom art for everdrives / flash carts.

Yes, I do those on a job by job basis. Here is a topic from Yurkie (member here on AA) showing his Everdrive carts that he made and I printed up the labels for (he of course cut labels to fit).

 

Everdrive MD board only made in cart with label

[Greg2600]

pboland does excellent labels! I had him do a Super Everdrive label I designed, and a new glossy one for the Indy Heat Sega Genesis proto/repro I bought.

Edited September 9, 2013 by Greg2600

[sqoon]

I like everything about that Crackpots label, except the different fonts and repro date on the bottom. My repros are all original looking. No subtle differences necessary.

[jaybird3rd]

Here's an idea for making reproduction labels that are identifiable as such without obvious cosmetic changes or watermarks: just round the corners differently than the originals (use a slightly wider radius, for example). This would allow collectors to spot a repro label even in pictures that are not clear enough or close enough to show fine details.

[mkiker2089]

It's probably going to be difficult to get a consensus on this. I think

 

1- marking them as repros isn't needed as anyone who's going to scam buyers will make the labels themselves

 

2- markings should be subtle. Perhaps instead of a full line of text just add the 2013 date after the original

 

3- I'm fine with anything that I personally consider an improvement but I realize that also will most like never be agreed on. I think changing the font looks good for example. I also like the square image in a round border as it looks more authentic to older televisions.

 

Again, just my thoughts.

[+pboland]

I like everything about that Crackpots label, except the different fonts and repro date on the bottom. My repros are all original looking. No subtle differences necessary.

If no differences are necessary how is one suppose to recognize it as a reproduction? Unless you are purposely trying to fool people into thinking it's original. If you don't mind me asking, what fonts are you using for the text on your labels?

 

 

Here's an idea for making reproduction labels that are identifiable as such without obvious cosmetic changes or watermarks: just round the corners differently than the originals (use a slightly wider radius, for example). This would allow collectors to spot a repro label even in pictures that are not clear enough or close enough to show fine details.

If the idea is to put such subtle differences that no one notices unless I point it out, then what's the purpose in the that?

 

 

It's probably going to be difficult to get a consensus on this. I think

 

1- marking them as repros isn't needed as anyone who's going to scam buyers will make the labels themselves

 

2- markings should be subtle. Perhaps instead of a full line of text just add the 2013 date after the original

 

3- I'm fine with anything that I personally consider an improvement but I realize that also will most like never be agreed on. I think changing the font looks good for example. I also like the square image in a round border as it looks more authentic to older televisions.

 

Again, just my thoughts.

 

1) Not true, I had someone try to pass my labels off as originals. The main reason that I do put difference in my repro labels.

 

2) If the mark is subtle how does anyone know its there. The purpose of the 2013 is to indicate a print date. Putting the 2013 next to the original date suggests the copyright is for 2013, not a print date.

 

 

Additional thoughts:

 

I think this is going to be a very difficult task because the truth is, everyone wants it to look 100% original and yet at the same time want some kind of super secret way of determining it is a repro at a glance that only they and they along know the secret. Why? Because we are all collectors and we don't want other collectors to notice it isn't original. Not that we want to purposely rip people off. We just want to be able to say it is "restored". Restored is much more legitimate than "reproduction" and "reproduction" suggests pirated carts.

 

So, yes I can make these labels look damn near perfect and yes there would be some very subtle differences. Such as the text being a little bolder than the original which is necessary anyway because I use an inkjet printer and the ink tends to bleed to some degree, and yes I can make the rounded corners a touch larger and then not even put a print date on it. Nobody here would ever be able to tell if you saw a picture of that cart on an eBay pic. Which begs the question, If you are not going to see it then why do it. I can tell you that most subtle differences are only going to be noticed once the game is in your hands and you know what exactly it is you are looking for. Outside of that, no one would know. Its kind of late by that point for those subtle differences to matter now isn't it?...

Edited September 10, 2013 by pboland

[mkiker2089]

I think one point is that it doesn't matter if the label is a reprint or not. It's my game after all and it's only worth 1.00 with a good label and 50 cents without it. We worry about someone selling and ripping off others but anyone who buys River Raid is buying it to have a game. Sure there are exceptions, like Air Raid, Waterworld, and whatever is hot. If someone asks for those then chances are they may have something in mind.

 

I'm good with improving the label sure. Make the font nicer, make the colors crisper etc.. Whatever you can. I just don't want things messed up either. Let me go one record and say that I'm not saying pboland has. I like the label above as it. I think it fits my criteria as improved. There's a poster on Nintendoage that puts a larger personal logo on his labels, and I'm cool with that as well. I like his logo. I just also understand why some don't.

 

Being purely hypothetical here also, this is a tough area to understand also. If I have a vintage coke machine I have to restore it to make it valuable, the same goes for cars. Games however are seen more like Civil War era guns that lose value when restored. I'm not sure why or who makes those decisions though. I've said it before and I still say I'd rather have a game with a new label regardless of history than a game with a ratty original. That's why I started the thread after all. If a new label ruins the value to someone else then I don't really need them anyway.

[+pboland]

Being purely hypothetical here also, this is a tough area to understand also. If I have a vintage coke machine I have to restore it to make it valuable, the same goes for cars. Games however are seen more like Civil War era guns that lose value when restored. I'm not sure why or who makes those decisions though. I've said it before and I still say I'd rather have a game with a new label regardless of history than a game with a ratty original. That's why I started the thread after all. If a new label ruins the value to someone else then I don't really need them anyway.

 

I kind of agree with you. The issue is that the video game collecting "thing" hasn't come to the point of collectors wanting their games restored yet. Part of the reason is, there is no standard for restoring this stuff. So the fear is, it will not be done correctly. Also, there are still many games out there that have good labels. Once it gets to the point that all the good label games are in the hands of collectors that don't want to sell them (because, now they are really worth something) then I think newer collectors will be open to restoring/replacing those labels. Video game collecting just isn't to the point of the Coke machine example that you talked about yet.

 

With that said here is my new test label:

 

 

This newer label is much closer to the original. Does this work better than the last one?

[sqoon]

Video games are not fine art. If I want to have games in my personal collection that have exact replica labels of the originals, then so what? No crime has been committed. I generally try to get a hi res scan and then do photoshop editing to take care of any speckles, actiplaque, rips, tears, etc. After editing, print them out onto matte photo stock and trim carefully. Elmer's contact cement works great for securing them in place, and to the untrained eye they look like they came direct from the factory. If, by some chance, some collector gets one of my repaired cartridges in his/her hands after I am dead and gone, then so be it. I won't lose sleep over such trivial stuff.

[+pboland]

Video games are not fine art. If I want to have games in my personal collection that have exact replica labels of the originals, then so what? No crime has been committed.

 

I agree with you. I just used your early statement to set-up my "Additional Thoughts" portion of my post. I was not accusing anyone of any kind of nefarious actions. I was just trying to illustrate that some (like yourself) would prefer as close to perfection with any type of reproduced label.

 

I generally try to get a hi res scan and then do photoshop editing to take care of any speckles, actiplaque, rips, tears, etc. After editing, print them out onto matte photo stock and trim carefully. Elmer's contact cement works great for securing them in place, and to the untrained eye they look like they came direct from the factory.

 

I originally did labels that way as well, but moved to recreating the label as that allows me to not only tell if it is one of my labels, but also I can create labels I don't actually have in my possession. Do you have any links to pictures of some of your label work? I wouldn't mind seeing them.

[sqoon]

Unfortunately, no pictures atm. I can take some and post. I have found the hardest ones to reproduce are the silvery Imagic and Atari labels. Just no good way to print out foil reflectiveness from an inkjet printer.

[mkiker2089]

Pboland made the Truxton label for me. I painted the cartridges so no one can even come close to saying that I'm passing them off as original.