Wizard Tilting Lible: The Last Odyssey for Last Odysseys

TonK said:

I'll bite.

If this was such a slam dunk, why not provide the settlement documents?

I mean, you guys walked away unscathed, be a badass and post that shit up.

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chrisr said:

What you call "badass" is what I call a breach of the settlement, which despite what you have said, it is confidential and contains language that protects Playmore from disclosure at our financial peril. This is real life stuff we are talking about, yea it is video games, but to sum it up in language you might understand better:

You don't fuck with a federal judge.

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TonK said:

I'll bite.

If this was such a slam dunk, why not provide the settlement documents?

I mean, you guys walked away unscathed, be a badass and post that shit up.

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Xander Crews said:

The court documents can't be shown without proving that Chris R got shamed by the federal judge throughout. The lawsuit ended his connection with SNK altogether. Imagine that - a self proclaimed big tymer fan, shunned by the very company that made the system he professes to love.

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Abasuto said:

Thanks for wording it in a summary.

Given that as truth, there had to be some point where you're just thinking "fuck it, this isn't even worth it". I mean, it's not like the Neo Geo in the US was a money cow, plus the fact everyone had to know arcades were dying, which was going to kill money in the MVS market.

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chrisr said:

That is the thing, as crazy as it sounds, it was NEVER about the money. You have to realize both Dion and I were neo geo fans at the extreme, even before we met. We both had the system at release, and were just the right ages to develop in to people with the resources to take the collecting thing to the next level.

I am telling you, I was a real freak, I used to call the stores every week, maintain detailed lists of the games I did not have, order every game and play the hell out of it. etc etc.

Again, I could write a book about the entire story. But, I will say this, I was always a fan first, and I did have disdain for the people that jumped on to the Neo Geo bandwagon more out of the pseudo-prestige that came with owning a neo geo. I always said I never cared for shawn for the simple fact he was not a neo geo fan, but someone with a personality that lent itself to wanting to be the best, or at least best known, and whatever could provide him that, he attached himself to. This is a person that posted pictures of his watch, dog, and girlfriend, (in that order) in the very same list on the left of this original page. That should say something right there. He was the Magic card kid when I first spoke to him, and right off the bat he wanted to trade his corvette and some salvador dali paintings to me for my neo geo collection. He had NEVER even owned the system, and knew nothing about it, but he wanted wanted wanted.

But, in the years before the lawsuit, we had so much fun going to Japan and being a part of all the shows, NGW opening/closing, etc. and in general just being total neo geo super fans, but at the same time not allowing our fan desire cloud business judgement. And even though I would have loved to be the one to have brought out those other games, it did not make financial sense.

The passion really did end with the lawsuit. It forced me to think about the neo geo in true business only mode. I really do not have the passion about the new information, releases, etc. I always maintained I spent as much as I made on the neo geo in the pre lawsuit days. After that was over, it was just a pile of money like any other pile of money, and I used it fuel my other interests.

I have sold pretty much all the AES carts I had years and years ago, and really maintain the stuff I have enjoyed, which has to do with the history of SNK and the games, such as artworks, books, proofs, etc. I could count my neo geo related transactions on one hand over the course of a year these days. Not because I couldn't sell stuff every day, but mostly because I just do not have the time or interest in selling. Once in a while I get a bug and purge some stuff.

But in answer to your question, yes, I do think this isnt even worth it and have felt that way for years, hence not really being involved.

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chrisr said:

I do not understand how or why it would be an issue on the actual verification materials were printed?

Where would you expect them to come from? The verification process is a courtesy to owners of the KOF 2000 due to the recent development of full blown counterfeits of the product.

We originally utilized the stickers and the stamp to provide a level of comfort to the customer that the games originated from NGF stock. We have seen many reproductions, which are just photocopied NGF inserts in the past, but the KOF 2000 reproduction was full blown, including fake stamp, sticker, manual, insert, and insert. Pretty amazing, but considering people are now selling offset printed art packs for metal slug, ninja masters, turf master, stakes winner, and who knows how many other games right on ebay, it is pretty much a huge gamble to buy any game worth over a couple hundred bucks without being able to inspect it in person IMO.

What we came up with was similar to what PCGS or NGC use for coins, which is a true registry so even if someone were to reproduce the matching serial number stickers, certificates, etc. they can never reproduce the registry entry which matches the serial number, and changes every time the cartridge may change hands, along with the double signed certificates.

You can call it whatever you want, but debating value of the game is moot. If it is worth $50 or $5000, the important thing to us is for the owner to feel confident they have a true original release from 2000.

We provide this service to protect the owners.

If you own one and choose not to participate, what do we lose or gain? Nothing.

If you own one and choose to participate, what do we lose or gain? Nothing.

The bottom line is nothing about the neo geo makes me "mad" or "angry", I really just do not spend much time on the hobby, as there really is nothing left to do. I enjoy participating in a thread here now and again, and keeping up on recent events every few weeks, but all in all, that is it for me. The counterfeiting of the KOF 2000 US though for me was upsetting, because it is in my opinion our greatest legacy. A truly unique product that came about for no other reason that our hard work to convince SNK to produce the game for us alone. I will not waste the time rehashing the arguements, but just like I said earlier, if the game is worth $50 or $5000, I really do not care, it is important to me that the people that wanted the game at the time, and paid the $500 for it, at least will not have to fight with people about the authenticity of the game being the original year 1999 release.

I have seen the fake first hand, and if you owned the original it would be obvious, because even though it is professionally printed, it is still a scan of the original, and not anywhere near as clean and clear. Also, the sticker and stamp are not exact as well. The real shame though is people that will not know they have a fake until they might try to sell it and end up with something worth nothing.

If you want to laugh at the game and complain about it having the NGF backbox, complain to SNK for letting it happen. We paid for SNK to produce the ENTIRE run of 100, hence my feeling was at the time, and still is, they really did not care what we requested was put on the insert and manual.

If you want to call it tainted, ruined, fake, whatever, that is completely irrelevant to the people that choose otherwise. I could believe an Acura is a fake Honda, but in the end, I am just another consumer who chose not to buy an Acura, the reason really does not matter.

The fact remains it was the game produced and released in 1999 by SNK Japan to us for distribution. And, on the cartridge side of things, that is our biggest accomplishment IMO.

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chrisr said:

That is the thing, as crazy as it sounds, it was NEVER about the money. You have to realize both Dion and I were neo geo fans at the extreme, even before we met. We both had the system at release, and were just the right ages to develop in to people with the resources to take the collecting thing to the next level.

I am telling you, I was a real freak, I used to call the stores every week, maintain detailed lists of the games I did not have, order every game and play the hell out of it. etc etc.

Again, I could write a book about the entire story. But, I will say this, I was always a fan first, and I did have disdain for the people that jumped on to the Neo Geo bandwagon more out of the pseudo-prestige that came with owning a neo geo. I always said I never cared for shawn for the simple fact he was not a neo geo fan, but someone with a personality that lent itself to wanting to be the best, or at least best known, and whatever could provide him that, he attached himself to. This is a person that posted pictures of his watch, dog, and girlfriend, (in that order) in the very same list on the left of this original page. That should say something right there. He was the Magic card kid when I first spoke to him, and right off the bat he wanted to trade his corvette and some salvador dali paintings to me for my neo geo collection. He had NEVER even owned the system, and knew nothing about it, but he wanted wanted wanted.

But, in the years before the lawsuit, we had so much fun going to Japan and being a part of all the shows, NGW opening/closing, etc. and in general just being total neo geo super fans, but at the same time not allowing our fan desire cloud business judgement. And even though I would have loved to be the one to have brought out those other games, it did not make financial sense.

The passion really did end with the lawsuit. It forced me to think about the neo geo in true business only mode. I really do not have the passion about the new information, releases, etc. I always maintained I spent as much as I made on the neo geo in the pre lawsuit days. After that was over, it was just a pile of money like any other pile of money, and I used it fuel my other interests.

I have sold pretty much all the AES carts I had years and years ago, and really maintain the stuff I have enjoyed, which has to do with the history of SNK and the games, such as artworks, books, proofs, etc. I could count my neo geo related transactions on one hand over the course of a year these days. Not because I couldn't sell stuff every day, but mostly because I just do not have the time or interest in selling. Once in a while I get a bug and purge some stuff.

But in answer to your question, yes, I do think this isnt even worth it and have felt that way for years, hence not really being involved.

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Soilwork said:

You aren't a real Neo Geo fan. You're more worried about image than actually enjoying the system itself.

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chrisr said:

That is the thing, as crazy as it sounds, it was NEVER about the money. You have to realize both Dion and I were neo geo fans at the extreme, even before we met. We both had the system at release, and were just the right ages to develop in to people with the resources to take the collecting thing to the next level.

I am telling you, I was a real freak, I used to call the stores every week, maintain detailed lists of the games I did not have, order every game and play the hell out of it. etc etc.

Again, I could write a book about the entire story. But, I will say this, I was always a fan first, and I did have disdain for the people that jumped on to the Neo Geo bandwagon more out of the pseudo-prestige that came with owning a neo geo. I always said I never cared for shawn for the simple fact he was not a neo geo fan, but someone with a personality that lent itself to wanting to be the best, or at least best known, and whatever could provide him that, he attached himself to. This is a person that posted pictures of his watch, dog, and girlfriend, (in that order) in the very same list on the left of this original page. That should say something right there. He was the Magic card kid when I first spoke to him, and right off the bat he wanted to trade his corvette and some salvador dali paintings to me for my neo geo collection. He had NEVER even owned the system, and knew nothing about it, but he wanted wanted wanted.

But, in the years before the lawsuit, we had so much fun going to Japan and being a part of all the shows, NGW opening/closing, etc. and in general just being total neo geo super fans, but at the same time not allowing our fan desire cloud business judgement. And even though I would have loved to be the one to have brought out those other games, it did not make financial sense.

The passion really did end with the lawsuit. It forced me to think about the neo geo in true business only mode. I really do not have the passion about the new information, releases, etc. I always maintained I spent as much as I made on the neo geo in the pre lawsuit days. After that was over, it was just a pile of money like any other pile of money, and I used it fuel my other interests.

I have sold pretty much all the AES carts I had years and years ago, and really maintain the stuff I have enjoyed, which has to do with the history of SNK and the games, such as artworks, books, proofs, etc. I could count my neo geo related transactions on one hand over the course of a year these days. Not because I couldn't sell stuff every day, but mostly because I just do not have the time or interest in selling. Once in a while I get a bug and purge some stuff.

But in answer to your question, yes, I do think this isnt even worth it and have felt that way for years, hence not really being involved.

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NeoSneth said:

I don't see how a superfan would stamp manuals, shred inserts, and make unofficial conversions.

Even as a kid I didn't write on my games or label them.

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NeoSneth said:

I don't see how a superfan would stamp manuals, shred inserts, and make unofficial conversions.

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Xander Crews said:

Flying Power Disc, starring Chris R.

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Abasuto said:

Exactly. And to do so while purposely trying to gather mass attention while doing it.

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chrisr said:

CUT.

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Setsuna1982 said:

Tonk's surprise:

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Zinji said:

You mean Samurai Shodown 6?

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Setsuna1982 said:

actually I meant this: http://fresa.tripod.com/proto/games/karate.htm

But linking images from that page doesn't seem to work

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