2 Dreamcast variant questions

[PapaStu]

Here's what I don't understand about this particular variation -- if it was big enough for Sega or whomever it was published the game to create a new sticker for, shouldn't we have seen a lot more of these with the sticker on it? The companies that generally have the power to strong arm a publisher into potentially changing a game's cover art would be major chains in my mind -- WalMart, Target, GameStop, Blockbuster, etc. I don't think that Sega was making brand new cover images and stickering them on the games for the 50 games that was going to some small store somewhere.

However, some small store somewhere could have very easily taken these stickers after they received the game and put them on it themselves so as to not potentially offend their customers.

The fact is, if only three of these have been found, I really want to know the story of their origins, and finding a brand new one would go a long way to either clearing it up... or making it more confusing. Without one, is there a way to confirm that it is truly a factor variation, or an aftermarket one?

I'm not saying that it shouldn't matter to those people who want it to matter -- it's like the Toys R Us sports 3-Pack -- I don't personally believe that it is a variation because it is three standard games shrinkwrapped together with a sticker on them noting them as a special Toys R Us deal, but others do believe that they are a variation that deserves collecting. I just like to know where stuff like that comes from. To me, the story is often the most interesting part of short run variations like that.

We don't know any additional story, besides that two came out of Utah. All second hand and as things currently sit, there is not illustrious story behind it.
Thats because the TRU bundle isn't a variant. It's the three individual games with some additional sealing by TRU.

Oh, agreed -- but to me a lot of those are pretty easy things to overlook (including the screenies for Marvel Vs. Capcom). Chu Chu just seems so blatantly obvious that it should have been caught if anyone even glanced at the proofs for the game art.

I know you've put out games, but people are lazy, don't realize that they have a shitty rez version and countless other issues. Go hunt down the PS classic, Gundum Battle Assault 2. Big oopsie there. Beyblade for the PSX. Screen shots are ones from the Japanese version. All game text in those pics are in Japanese. It's easy for one or two people to glance over something like the Chu Chu mess up, toss some initials on there that they reviewed it and pass it along.

[goatdan]

We don't know any additional story, besides that two came out of Utah. All second hand and as things currently sit, there is not illustrious story behind it.

Then in all seriousness, is there a way to determine it to be official right now?

Thats because the TRU bundle isn't a variant. It's the three individual games with some additional sealing by TRU.

I agree with that, however I have had other people tell me that it is a variant because it has that sticker on there.

I guess that is where I'm sitting with the Speed Devils thing and just wondering -- if someone slaps a new sticker on the case of a game, it isn't a variant. If they decide to stick a "Best Game of 2011!" sticker on Uncharted 3, then to *my own* thinking, it isn't a variant. Some people think that it is. That's all that I'm getting at -- and the sticker on the instruction right now without much of a background seems less like a variant that I would collect, and more like an "after the fact sticker".

I've said this countless times, a collection is complete when the collector determines that the collection is complete. I'm curious about the story because it would help me determine if it is something that I would want to seek out for my collection.

I know you've put out games, but people are lazy, don't realize that they have a shitty rez version and countless other issues. Go hunt down the PS classic, Gundum Battle Assault 2. Big oopsie there. Beyblade for the PSX. Screen shots are ones from the Japanese version. All game text in those pics are in Japanese. It's easy for one or two people to glance over something like the Chu Chu mess up, toss some initials on there that they reviewed it and pass it along.

I was thinking about this more, and the thing that I guess makes me wonder how it got by is because at least the place that I have used, it is an automatic rejection if any graphic is less than the 300dpi standard for printing. Things like spelling a game title wrong, or screen shots being wrong are something that the automatic DPI catcher thingie should have caught.

Obviously, it didn't. It's just the most surprising modern game production error that I've seen, I think.

[Dangerboy]

Figured I'd jump in on this one, since variant hunting is my Raison D'etre.

I agree with that, however I have had other people tell me that it is a variant because it has that sticker on there.

For those that think the 2K1 bundle sticker makes the variant, and having just got it myself completely unintentionally, here's your argument for why it isn't a variant.

1. The TRU sticker, is quite literally an Avery-like label with low-res clip-art and default font choice for the text.
2. The games are not NFR versions, they are standard retail editions with their retail skus covered.
3. They are held together by two EB Games / Game Stop security seal stickers. That's not even real packaging. Also, the stickers are never uniform - they're all over the place. A sign they were hand assembled.
4. The Retail Bar Code isn't uniform; I've seen 4 different alignments and two different colors. A true variant would have had the exact same sticker style. This shows that the barcodes were printed at the store level (or very least distribution warehouse) and slapped together with the EB seal stickers by hand.
5. The Actual Barcode isn't Sega's - it's Toys R Us. If it were a variant it would be Sega's ID number.
6. NBA 2K1 isn't consistent. I've seen it as an all SAS bundle, and where NBA 2K1 was it's regular release. A true variant release would have a inform packaging and version selection. Another nod to the just grabbing what they had on hand.

By their own definition, any game that had a retailer's price tag on it would be a variant. That's insane.

I was thinking about this more, and the thing that I guess makes me wonder how it got by is because at least the place that I have used, it is an automatic rejection if any graphic is less than the 300dpi standard for printing

The insert *was* in 300dpi - the *screenshots and cat graphic* weren't. Since computer monitors lie, and most layout programs don't show the true resolution by default, could have been an easy mistake. My girlfriend works at a local newspaper, and she gets whole documents at 72dpi that SHOULD have been 300dpi *from the actual graphic design firms* all the time.

. Things like spelling a game title wrong, or screen shots being wrong are something that the automatic DPI catcher thingie should have caught.

Obviously, it didn't. It's just the most surprising modern game production error that I've seen, I think.

If DPI resolution issues are the most surprising, you need to work retail more. I've had whole shipments of games have no games in the factory sealed cases, no inserts in FS games, the wrong system in the manual (Area 51 i think, had Saturn in the PSX manual or vice versa), Dark Soul's Guide had text from Deus Ex on the back insert (lazy design for the win!), and more. The fun ones are where the retail barcode on the back of a game is for another game.

[goatdan]

For those that think the 2K1 bundle sticker makes the variant, and having just got it myself completely unintentionally, here's your argument for why it isn't a variant.

1. The TRU sticker, is quite literally an Avery-like label with low-res clip-art and default font choice for the text.
2. The games are not NFR versions, they are standard retail editions with their retail skus covered.
3. They are held together by two EB Games / Game Stop security seal stickers. That's not even real packaging. Also, the stickers are never uniform - they're all over the place. A sign they were hand assembled.
4. The Retail Bar Code isn't uniform; I've seen 4 different alignments and two different colors. A true variant would have had the exact same sticker style. This shows that the barcodes were printed at the store level (or very least distribution warehouse) and slapped together with the EB seal stickers by hand.
5. The Actual Barcode isn't Sega's - it's Toys R Us. If it were a variant it would be Sega's ID number.
6. NBA 2K1 isn't consistent. I've seen it as an all SAS bundle, and where NBA 2K1 was it's regular release. A true variant release would have a inform packaging and version selection. Another nod to the just grabbing what they had on hand.

By their own definition, any game that had a retailer's price tag on it would be a variant. That's insane.

Oh, I agree with all of this. I have a whole stack of the TRU bundles, and I break them apart and sell the games individually on the GOAT Store. Two times, people have seen that I am doing this and complained to me that I was ruining a really rare variation. I told them I would be happy to sell them the variation for the same price as the three games together, and they took me up on it.

I also have (or had) ones in stock where the NFL 2K1 wasn't consistent, being both All Stars and standard. It's the case of someone taking and slapping three of whatever they had on hand together and selling them for a cheaper price.

Having said that, if they want to consider it a variation, then that's cool by me and it is a variation for their collection.

Having said that, for now, that is how I'm personally thinking of the Speed Devils release. Without it being sealed, and with it being so rare, to me it creates a lot of questions. If people want to consider it a variation, that's cool too.

The insert *was* in 300dpi - the *screenshots and cat graphic* weren't. Since computer monitors lie, and most layout programs don't show the true resolution by default, could have been an easy mistake. My girlfriend works at a local newspaper, and she gets whole documents at 72dpi that SHOULD have been 300dpi *from the actual graphic design firms* all the time.

Yeah -- but for us, when we have submitted accidentally even part of the graphic that is in 72dpi, the printer catches it and sends it back to us. If they were using a similar place, the person would have had to have converted the 72 dpi graphic into a 300 dpi graphic, although that is entirely possible.

If DPI resolution issues are the most surprising, you need to work retail more. I've had whole shipments of games have no games in the factory sealed cases, no inserts in FS games, the wrong system in the manual (Area 51 i think, had Saturn in the PSX manual or vice versa), Dark Soul's Guide had text from Deus Ex on the back insert (lazy design for the win!), and more. The fun ones are where the retail barcode on the back of a game is for another game.

To me though, none of those are that surprising. Games are put in by machines that can make errors, insert errors happen in printing of stuff because again, it's machines assembling them (I like to keep the insert errors that we have from our Dreamcast titles we've done, and there are always a couple of them, from missing inserts to backwards and upside down ones), and the other things, with the exception of the Dark Soul guide, I think you could just overlook pretty easily because who is double checking that those things are right?

So, I don't know -- again, to *me*, it's the most surprising error that I've seen because of my experiences working with graphics and them being so picky about it, but hey -- to you it may be no big deal. Doesn't make either of us wrong

[dr101z]

In reference to the number of copies of the Speed Devils sticker label variants out there, make that four are known to exist. I picked up the sticker label variant at Game Over Videogames in Austin, TX back in 2010.

Interestingly Ubisoft included slightly different cover artwork for the interior back insert of the jewel case and an even more basic cover representation on their "Buy Two, Get One Free" promotional offer included on a separate folder out insert included with the game. The artwork used on the special offer card is most likely a very early or preliminary mock-up of the cover.

[PapaStu]

The fun ones are where the retail barcode on the back of a game is for another game.

Cause DC variants are fun.... and because DB knows I love him lots (MOAR bro love than most would be comfortable with) I am now adding to my DC list another column.... for retail SKU's because DB kindly pointed out a new variant tonight.


Go grab your copies of the epic Fighting Force 2. Check your SKU. If you've got one with the SKU 0 10086 51020 1 You've got the game with a SKU for Toy Commander. There is a corrected version out there. A few ebay sellers are showing ones with a proper Eidos SKU in their pictures. The correct SKU should start with 7 88687 XXXXX X.

[PapaStu]

My Fighting Force 2 came in today. This does have the 'proper' sku, however it is a factory stickered version of the incorrect 'Toy Commander' SKU'd insert. I am now on the hunt to see if a legit printed insert exists.



Also, another potential SKU variant discovered. Waiting on some additional confirmation before I call it.

[SpaceFlea]

I was lucky enough to find the stickered Fighting Force 2 variant in my box of duplicates to sell, though it's missing the manual. Since yours is sealed you can't check but are we assuming that the only difference is the sticker (like Speed Devils) and the manual and disc are identical. It would be nice if I can just pick up any manual, and perhaps a nicer disc, to complete the variant.

Also, did all copies of Rayman 2 come with a T-shirt? And, if not, are we considering it to be a variant, or would it fall into the same category as the games that came packed with light guns? They didn't give it a different SKU (the insert they put in behind the shirt matches the one in the back of the case), and the only other sealed Rayman 2 I've seen was in a retail store years ago and also came with the shirt.

[PapaStu]

Fighting Force 2 isn't sealed. The game/manual are the same as the standard release at first glance. There wouldn't be a real reason to have a new manual or game run done for a rear insert goof, especially because this is the original release, just with a corrected sticker.

To treat Rayman 2 as a variant is hard to say. If the game wasn't sealed, you'd never know that it came with a shirt. Now if the manual cover had the sticker on it than, no doubt it's a variant. This kind of discussion has come up in the past with sickers on shrink wrap. One advertises some thing, and if you didn't have a sealed version, you'd never know. The variant stuff I track (and buy) is stuff that doesn't need to be sealed to verify. Different SKU, alternate disc arts those you know. Two different stickers that are only on the shrink wrap. I'm not going down that path.

[PapaStu]

Another SKU variant for the fire. This time Monaco Grand Prix. The orignal SKU shows a 0.08888.26001.1 and the barcode itself doesn't look right. My copy that i've had for years had a sticker on it and I hadn't noticed it until I had done the great Dangerboy SKU scavenger hunt. Like with Fighting Force 2, this sticker is on the rear insert itself and not on the jewel case. I do not know if there is a corrected printed insert, but once again, i'm on the hunt for it.

[OatBob]

Hey guys, this seems to have become the official DP variant thread. Anyways, I think I discovered two new package variants, and I don't know whether to feel joy or annoyance. Either way, I thought I should share so I made a picture packed blog post at RF Generation.

http://www.rfgeneration.com/blogs/oa...finds-2738.php

I hope someone can help me out with the browser discs.

a) Are any more browser discs out there besides the four in the pictures? ( 1.0, 2.0, 2.62, 3.0 )
b) Did Web Browser 2.62 ever have a case or sleeve?
c) Does anyone else have the Sega/Net version of the Web Browser 2.0 sleeve? What is inside?

[PapaStu]

I'll have to pull out my browser discs. I have two different 2.0's listed in my collection list, but i'm about 95% sure it's just the jewel 2.0 and the red 2.0 SegaNet sleeve and not the 2.0 standard sleeve.

Thanks to an observant Vectoman and Drexel, we've stumbled into another DC variant! Once again, it's a UPC correction sticker on an insert. Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare has a mistaken insert.

This one is the 'flip' to Monaco and Fighting Force. There is a sticker on the error version and a correctly printed insert, compared to their error insert and corrected sticker on that insert error. I've yet to determine if there is an error SKU rear insert out there. In our looking after discovery a few weeks back it appeared that there was about a 50/50 split between the sticker and the correct insert when looking for copies online.

[PapaStu]

Suddenly forums are fixed and I can do carriage returns. Amazballs.

Look! Alone in the Dark variant. This sticker is on the insert and was placed there by the factory.