pinball22 Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 eBay Auction -- Item Number: 390032221419 I bid, but not nearly that much! I hope somebody here ended up with all those lovely protos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirage Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 (edited) I guess they're probably protos, but is it possible to tell from that small photo that they're not just re-labelled regular carts, maybe put in different shells? Just wondering... maybe someone knowing a lot more about protos can help. BTW, I suspect this is the sort of thing that leads people with garage sales or thrift stores, craigslist sellers and the like, to think their system with 6 common games is worth a fortune. They of course don't know what's rare or valuable from Combat. Too bad. Edited February 26, 2009 by Mirage1972 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 All I can say is WOOOOOOW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinball22 Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 I asked our cromulent proto expert Tempest before I bid, and he said those all look just right to be US Games and Fox protos. I didn't notice at the time, but I think that Bermuda Triangle is one too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirage Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 I asked our cromulent proto expert Tempest before I bid, and he said those all look just right to be US Games and Fox protos. I didn't notice at the time, but I think that Bermuda Triangle is one too. Okay, cool! I was just wondering. I hardly know anything about protos. If I ever saw anything like that in the wild that "looked" authentic to me, I'd just have to buy it then ask someone. I think the person running the auction had no clue what they may be, or he would have researched it first to provide more clear information and would have put much better photos in the auction. Still, he got more than I'll bet he expected to get! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinball22 Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 (edited) Okay, cool! I was just wondering. I hardly know anything about protos. If I ever saw anything like that in the wild that "looked" authentic to me, I'd just have to buy it then ask someone. I think the person running the auction had no clue what they may be, or he would have researched it first to provide more clear information and would have put much better photos in the auction. Still, he got more than I'll bet he expected to get! Yeah, I wasn't sure either -- I thought from the pic they looked pretty likely, but I didn't know enough without asking to be sure. If I'd met them in the wild for cheap I would have bought first and asked questions later. And yeah, I'm guessing the seller is thoroughly surprised that he's just made $569. Edited February 26, 2009 by pinball22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitshabba Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 That auction went for way more than I anticipated, thats for damn sure. But it isn't everyday you get such a beautiful auction lot, and if you didn't win it you'll never have another chance at these games. I'd say it beats the Pac Man lab loaner, Maze Craze / Championship Soccer / Head On (aka Dodge Em) protos and Frankenstein's Monster lab loaner (with lab loaner manual) lot I won a couple of years ago. And that lot closed for about half of what this one closed for. It was the Bermuda Triangle lab loaner that caught my eye, as its identical to the Frank's except Frank is hunter orange. Once I took time to read the auction description, I realized what the label-less games were and realized this auction must not pass without a fight. And much to my dismay, a fight was had. What I'm most curious about is what the game is that only loads to the demo screen. I'm betting that is a game that was never finished (or started, perhaps.) And I can guarantee at least two things about this auction and willing to bet on a third: neither the winner nor the seller expected the auction to go that high and the second-place bidder is furious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frostbite Bailey Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Okay, cool! I was just wondering. I hardly know anything about protos. If I ever saw anything like that in the wild that "looked" authentic to me, I'd just have to buy it then ask someone. I think the person running the auction had no clue what they may be, or he would have researched it first to provide more clear information and would have put much better photos in the auction. Still, he got more than I'll bet he expected to get! Yeah, I wasn't sure either -- I thought from the pic they looked pretty likely, but I didn't know enough without asking to be sure. If I'd met them in the wild for cheap I would have bought first and asked questions later. And yeah, I'm guessing the seller is thoroughly surprised that he's just made $569. I would be happy too if I was just selling it and did not know that they were protos Yes, the Bermuda Triangle is also a proto, so 6 protos at that price is about $95.00 a pop, not a bad score at all. What do you think they would have gone for if they had been listed individually and had close up pics? Wish they were mine. Cheers, FB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frostbite Bailey Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 The one that is not working sounds like eggomania? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CincYnoTi Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 The one that is not working sounds like eggomania? It's not working because you have to use the paddle controllers for Eggomania. It will probably work fine once someone tries it with paddles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frostbite Bailey Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 The one that is not working sounds like eggomania? It's not working because you have to use the paddle controllers for Eggomania. It will probably work fine once someone tries it with paddles. Could very well be the case. The auction had paddle controllers included with it, but if there was no label to indicate that you had to use paddle controllers the seller may have only tried to test the game using the joysticks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitshabba Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 The way the seller phrased it... "..and one that seems to not be working... I can only get the demo screen." ...suggests the lot includes Raft Rider, Entombed, Name this Game and Eggomania as well as some additional game that isn't included. The auction description sounds like the seller played all the games given the description of each game. Since there isn't any other strange carts pictured, I have to assume the seller meant one of the US Games didn't work, although the "demo screen" line keeps me from fully believing anything. Is it a self-playing demo? Was it a game in progress that never made market? Why call it a "demo screen" without a description after describing all the other games? My attempts to extrapolate the true meaning of the words using strict logic has left my mind a warm meat pudding. I know nothing about this lot except its expensive as hell and I'll have to wait to find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinball22 Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 Wait, did I misunderstand your first post, zeit, and you're the winner, not the runner-up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitshabba Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Wait, did I misunderstand your first post, zeit, and you're the winner, not the runner-up? That is correct, pinball22. I'm still recovering from paying that much, but opportunity only passes once before being lost into someone else's history. I had to have them and glad the 2nd place person didn't force me as high as I was semi-prepared to pay. Anyone need a kidney? I got two in good condition with low mileage and only need one. Taking bids now...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinball22 Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 Oh, well then, congrats!!! I'm glad to see them go to someone here, and I'll be very interested to find out what's on that one, and whether the others are finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Oh, well then, congrats!!! I'm glad to see them go to someone here, and I'll be very interested to find out what's on that one, and whether the others are finished. Ditto! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitshabba Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Oh, well then, congrats!!! I'm glad to see them go to someone here, and I'll be very interested to find out what's on that one, and whether the others are finished. With this new batch of historical carts, I need to meet up with one of y'all who can do ROM dumps and do all the proper code-matching to see how far along they were. Anyone near Boston? Pittsburgh? Punxsutawney? Philadelphia? Boston is home, but I have a trip planned in a couple weeks that'll take me all across the Keystone State. Perhaps I'll hit Paradise and Parkesburg, Phillipsburgh and Pymatuning if I need unnecessary alliteration. And, funny enough, this trip is the last one necessary to finish up my 4.5 year-and-counting project with Atari carts. Sure, it's a long haul between Pittsburgh and Boston, but its worth it for a quality machine shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirage Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 And, funny enough, this trip is the last one necessary to finish up my 4.5 year-and-counting project with Atari carts. Sure, it's a long haul between Pittsburgh and Boston, but its worth it for a quality machine shop. I had never seen that thread before... I hope we get to find out soon what the project is. That was an awful lot of buildup to not find out what it was in two days as previously promised. Looking forward to finding out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitshabba Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 And, funny enough, this trip is the last one necessary to finish up my 4.5 year-and-counting project with Atari carts. Sure, it's a long haul between Pittsburgh and Boston, but its worth it for a quality machine shop. I had never seen that thread before... I hope we get to find out soon what the project is. That was an awful lot of buildup to not find out what it was in two days as previously promised. Looking forward to finding out! Unfortunately, for the past 4.5 years, I thought I was 6 months from being finished... But after a marketing friend saw what I was doing, he insisted on a few design changes that created a virtually unending string of engineering problems. We met up again after Thanksgiving, and again he has thrown a new twist. The marketing of my "product" is being done as a project by a group of college students via social networking / media. I'm receiving the first dozen or so "final" samples for approval this weekend for the work to be completed over the next two weeks, with the hopes of having the first batch of ~1000 released by taxtime. I'll keep ya updated when things are ramping up, as there are two or three folks from this site that I would like to thank for being reasonable & respectful during an earlier ugly foray into these forums. I'm most excited about the promo video I plan on making. While the students would like me to be the pimp to a whore Ms. Pac Man or chasing down Q*Bert to violate him for cash, I envision a humorous invasion by space invaders that can easily span into a series of hysterical situations, all reinforcing my product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dino Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 And, funny enough, this trip is the last one necessary to finish up my 4.5 year-and-counting project with Atari carts. Sure, it's a long haul between Pittsburgh and Boston, but its worth it for a quality machine shop. I had never seen that thread before... I hope we get to find out soon what the project is. That was an awful lot of buildup to not find out what it was in two days as previously promised. Looking forward to finding out! I always wondered what happened to taht project. i thought you probably just gave up... good to see you are following through and cant wait until its revealed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickeycolumbus Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Nice score on the protos, zeitshabba! I would dump them for you, but I am in Michigan. Maybe you should make a topic in the prototype board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitshabba Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 (edited) Nice score on the protos, zeitshabba! I would dump them for you, but I am in Michigan. Maybe you should make a topic in the prototype board. Thanks for the suggestion Wickey - I just threw up a post asking just that. And double thanks to hailing from somewhere that makes me feel warm to be in Boston. I always wondered what happened to taht project. i thought you probably just gave up... good to see you are following through and cant wait until its revealed. Everyone I knew - friends and family - expected me to quit at one point or another, given the scale of a few challenges I faced along the way. The excitement I get from realizing a dream becoming a reality is something everyone should experience, and I recommend anyone with a good idea and the dedication of a champion to undertake the great challenge. I'm a better man in so many ways as a result of it all. Edited February 27, 2009 by zeitshabba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattG/Snyper2099 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade here but those us games protos are probably final releases. They do look legit as the labels on the end of the ones I purchased were all very similar. I purchased a lot of 6 of them about 4 years ago and they all turned out to be the final released versions. I suspect these will also be final versions. The Bermuda Triangle is a nice score though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frostbite Bailey Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 (edited) The way the seller phrased it... "..and one that seems to not be working... I can only get the demo screen." ...suggests the lot includes Raft Rider, Entombed, Name this Game and Eggomania as well as some additional game that isn't included. The auction description sounds like the seller played all the games given the description of each game. Since there isn't any other strange carts pictured, I have to assume the seller meant one of the US Games didn't work, although the "demo screen" line keeps me from fully believing anything. Is it a self-playing demo? Was it a game in progress that never made market? Why call it a "demo screen" without a description after describing all the other games? My attempts to extrapolate the true meaning of the words using strict logic has left my mind a warm meat pudding. I know nothing about this lot except its expensive as hell and I'll have to wait to find out. I think you misread the auction.. I went back to look at it and after the description of the one supposedly not working it says "and one has a chicken a the top of the screen, running back and forth and dropping eggs, and that one seems to not be working." Not as you had mentioned : .. and one that seems to not be working". Sorry to rain on your score. Edited February 27, 2009 by Frostbite Bailey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 (edited) Wait, did I misunderstand your first post, zeit, and you're the winner, not the runner-up? That is correct, pinball22. I'm still recovering from paying that much, but opportunity only passes once before being lost into someone else's history. I had to have them and glad the 2nd place person didn't force me as high as I was semi-prepared to pay. Anyone need a kidney? I got two in good condition with low mileage and only need one. Taking bids now...... Well I think you were paying a pretty penny regardless. I think people like I bid $500 as well but were outbid already. I know I was. I wonder how many others bid $501 and change as I did only to have the bid not counted because it was after yours and the 2nd bidders bid and to prove it, it was $67 or so with 8 secs left and my bid went in around 3 secs but didnt float. I thought I was going to get a steal as you were hoping for and I know that Bermuda was a Proto, the others was purely hope they were protos or the bid could have been higher. The pics sucked was the problem. Congrats but I wouldnt be worried about what you won it for. Im sure others that snipe as late as I do, got shut out as well so you were paying in the $500 range regardless. Cheers Edited February 27, 2009 by Phantom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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