Hiya !

If you had the choice between owning 'Flight of the Amazon Queen' and 'The Residents : Bad Day on the Midway', and didn't wish to keep either of them, which would you think would be the biggest asset in a game swop deal if you were hoping to swop for a rare (-ish) game ?

Which is most sought after in other words ?

Any thoughts please ? Both are boxed and complete.

Gelert. <img border="0" alt="[kiss]" title="" src="graemlins/kiss.gif" />

wasn't Flight of the Amazon Queen written previously to The Tex Murphy series??? I think that's the one I'd use.
Inferno

Hmmm, that's a toughie. I believe both games are similar in terms of "hard to findness". Flight of the Amazon might be a little bit more desirable. There was a thread of Just Adventure saying there were some copies of Bad Day at an online vendor.

So, it sounds like it's not really worth the hassle doing what I was thinking of then. That is swopping my 'Flight of . . . . ' for a 'Bad Day on the Midway', in order to have a more useful trading 'weapon'. I've just got to be patient perhaps ? Am I right ?

Gelert. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="confused.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="confused.gif" />

I'd say that's pretty accurate, Gelert. If I can make one generalization, I'd say that Amazon Queen seems to be a little more common in the UK, while more BD in the Midway's are floating around North America.

Jack

People seem to have a lot of trouble getting Flight of the Amazon Queen to run on a non-DOS computer. So though it might be rarer, it might not be as desirable for a gamer. Of course if your Amazon Queen is in mint condition, a collector won't care if the game plays or not.

For selling purposes I might stick with Amazon Quenn - just because it is worth 100.00 plus according to the few places that have it for sale or prices it has gotten on EBay. But for trading - maybe Bad Day. It loads and plays on at least W98. It also is valuable - but not as pricy as Amazon. SO you would get a more even exchange on a swap. However if you are trading Amazon for Bad Day - That seems like not a good deal. Maybe you should sell Amazon and then just buy Bad Day and some other games.

Laura

Thankyou everyone for your advice. I'm going to hang on to Amazon Queen for now and sell it in the distant future if no cracking trade offers appear. I've got one Bad Day already which I'll keep after playing, so it's not as if I needed it to play too. It was just that I'd believed that Bad Day was far more valuable for trading purposes and I'm still trying to attract a boxed Neverhood, Toltecs and others. It seems there isn't much difference except for system spec needs. I'll hang on and see what happens. It only cost me 7 quid so I'm not out of pocket. I'm in no rush with all the games I've got waiting and snarling with impatience for their turns.

Bye, and thanks, Gelert

If you are stuck, I'd look into selling Flight of the Amazon Queen to Playing Games Interactive (an online store). They are selling an english copy for $160. Who knows how much they would pay for another copy. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="tongue.gif" />

You can click here to see that they do in fact sell this item for such an outrageous price. The French version is going for $29.95 on the same website.


fanatic

You might get a boxed Neverhood, but I wouldn't count on getting a boxed 3 Skulls of the Toltecs. I saw that Reah was at PGI for $230, but isn't there anymore. Did they sell it?

Reah... They very well could have sold it. If they did, I feel sorry for the individual that bought it. Else, PGI might have seen the posts made on Gameboomers about the game and realised they were trying to rip people off and removed it from the website. I don't know. heh

PGI does charge the occasional high price but they have also have distributed hard to find games like Gene Machine and Mystery of the Orangery in the past and when they were in stock they were going for around 35.00. I'd say that was a pretty good deal for an in stock item.

Actually, I am familiar with the circumstances of the sale of the game REAH that you refer to, and the fact is that it didn't sell for that listed price at all. You may also recall that a copy of Celtica was similiarly priced on PGI recently and, again, sold for substantially less than the original listed price.

I agree that some of the PGI listed prices seem high, but I don't think it is fair to say that they are trying to rip people off. The value of some of these adventure games are in a state of flux right now and some of these games are selling on Ebay for amounts that might surprise you. The fact is that PGI caters to collectors so any collector who pays more than the game is worth has only himself/herself to blame. As a retail outfit, PGI can't afford to let collector items go for a bargain price; also, they are likely going to set the initial asking price based on factors that don't appy to regular games.

I, for one, am glad they're around. Oh, and I have no relationship (other than as a customer) with PGI whatsoever!

I 110% agree with Scout and SirDave regarding PGI. Alan runs a very good online shop and I've gotten some otherwise very hard to find titles for a reasonable price from PGI. I also bought a couple of very rare games off him for probably higher than market value. Does that make me stupid? I guess to fanatic it does. Bottom line is I got the money to spend, and I could waste days of my time searching for a better price for said game, or I can settle on a price with PGI and get it within days. I'm glad that there are cyber-shops around that will actively look for titles for you.

Before I begin, I just want to say that I am entering this discussion for the mere purpose of explaining and reinforcing my comments. I am not here to argue.

Yes, I too have purchased from PGI in the past. For you, asking $230 for a single, out-of-print game may appear to be fair. For me, I still find this to be an outrageous sum of money to ask. Regardless of the games selling for less, in my opinion, the mere fact that they asked such an outrageous sum makes me question their ethics.

My experiences buying from PGI have been positive. I do not question their good service one bit. They run a good business as far as that is concerned. Ethically, I see things a bit different on selected items they offer/have offered.

And I agree that they should not let items go for "bargain" prices, but $230!? Reah, in my opinion, might be reasonably priced at $75-$85 at most. To me, the attempt to get $230 for this game is a rip off.


Well, most of PGI's games are listed at very fair prices. If they weren't, I would not have bought from them. It's just the collector's section that has some of the outrageous prices.

I consider myself to be a game collector... a thrifty one. For me, no game is worth more than $80. This pertains to me alone. I have brought the PGI out-of-print section to the attention of fellow collectors I know outside of Gameboomers. All have agreed with me... and no, they are not friends, but mere acquaintances.

For me, some of PGI's prices go beyond the scope of acceptable ethics. I still think they run a fine business, and I am not here to get people to voice negative opinions of PGI, nor not buy from them. Their pricing scheme, for selected items, made me feel, at the time, like stating my views. I do not regret doing so.

Well, that is all from me for now. I apologize if anyone sees this as flaming.


fanatic

lakerz: I find that comment insulting.

fanatic:

I'll try one last time: I understand your premise, but there is a difference between saying a game is not worth such-and-such and saying that a vendor like PGI is charging 'outrageous sums' and going 'beyond the scope of acceptable ethics'.

First of all, you're making an assumption that any buyer is forced, or is necessarily going to pay $240 for a game like REAH and secondly, the fact is, that a retail software outfit can charge anything they want. If PGI were to charge, say, $150 for a copy of Syberia, you would likely (I hope) consider that far to high and you would go elsewhere; PGI would lose your sale, but they couldn't be accused of being unethical (just unwise). Likewise, especially if you are a collector, it is you, not the vendor that determines what is fair by buying the game or not! Also, I might add, you describe yourself as a thrifty collector- that doesn't obligate PGI to price at your level.

By the way, FWIW, contrary to what has been said, the excellent-condition copy of REAH, PGI was selling was worth more than you might think. The red DVD REAH that was mentioned elsewhere sold for $90 or more on Ebay a few days ago. The fact is that most DVD copies of any adventure game are ordinarily worth less than the comparable CDROM version.

P.S. Not meaning to bang you over the head, just think that being a collector requires a special perspective.

Whew - it's geting a little hot in here

I know it can be annoying to see collectors and EBay bidders drive up the prices on old games. I have to admit that I have been shocked by the extent people have been willing to drive the price up for some games.

But it's a market driven system for any thing for sale. The value of any given object is always the price someone is willing to pay.

As for whether I would pay that price - probably not. But - if someone else is - hey it's their money. Bottom line is if someone really wants to sell an item and it's priced so high - no one will buy it - they'll either not sell it or drop the price til someone buys it.

I doubt that Playing games would have any price on any game, that wouldn't be dropped if it weren't selling. The other reason for maintaining a high price is that maybe the seller doesn't really want to sell it - unless they can get a certain amount of money for it.

Regardless, collectors generally are set on getting a specific title and will pay what ever they must pay to get that particular game.

Laura

This is getting rediculous, but I hope this is the last time I have to do this (defend MY opinion).


The quotes I pulled above are from what I have said earlier. I do this to show that everything I have said is my opinion, or what pertains to me and me alone. I find that PGI overcharges on certain items. You and others find their pricing scheme for out-of-print titles to be fair for those interested in buying them.

I never argued against your opinions. We are each entitled to our own views.


Try what, to change my opinion on PGI's pricing scheme? I relayed my opinion and apparently I have to defend it. I am not sure why though.

And as I said before, I am not trying to get people to boycott PGI. I have bought from them in the past, and I will do so again if I get the desire to do so.

PGI is running a good, online business. For me, I just happen to see their fees for out-of-print games to be way too high. Again, this is an opinion call. No harm meant toward PGI. I assume you interpreted my opinions as attacks against PGI. I can assure you though, that I never intended to do so.

And I am not sure what you meant by banging me over the head. Does it matter what opinions towards things people have that do not coincide with yours?


gatorlaw: Yes, it is getting a bit hot in here. Hopefully this "discussion" will end very soon.

There's a point to where this holds true & a point where this line gets crossed. My opinion of course. And according to SirDave, PGI's prices on some items (including Reah) weren't met. I am interested to know how much Reah sold for. I will never know, but interesting to me regardless. So, PGI obviously overprices if they aren't getting what they originally quoted.

Anywho, I hope this opinion bashing ends. This is getting a bit out of hand now. We are all entitled to our opinions... at least I thought that was how things went.


fanatic

Well, I don't want to carry this on any further either except to say that this wasn't opinion bashing at all but rather a defense of a company that I respect and which can't respond themselves for obvious reasons. When all is said and done if any business or even an individual were told they went 'beyond the scope of acceptable ethics', I have a feeling either entity would consider it an attack on their integrity more than just some mild, benign opinion.

But that's just me. Case closed (for me anyway).

Enuff' already, guys.

Hail to liberty and differences of opinion, for sure. But lets let this one die of natural causes.

Thanks. Love, Witchen =O)

Hello everyone, Alan here from PGI.

A fellow Gameboomer alerted me to this topic and I certainly appreciate that and an opportunity to clear the air about an item or two.

First let me apologize to the membership here for finding my company in the middle of another heated discussion. It's never my intention to be the subject of such negative discussions. Certainly as company but mostly as a fellow gamer and consumer.

Let me start with the subject of the highly priced game REAH or any other highly priced games we currently have in our catalog for that matter.

The majority of the time the reason we must put such high prices on certain items stems from our willingness to find these games by customer request. All other times the price simply reflects what we paid to stock it for consumers & collectors.
Anyone who has frequented our website knows we do this finders service free of charge and enjoy doing so.

Most of the time when we find a game for someone we must purchase it as soon as possible in order to secure it or risk letting it get away. I’m quite sure anyone who knows about rare adventures will tell you how easy it is for one “to get away”. It’s happened to all of us collectors at one time or another.

Usually a customer request has a maximum dollar amount on what we can spend in order to secure it. When we find it we try and secure it somewhere under that amount and the customer is happy. End of story.
But on occasion we are victims of cancelled requests after securing such items. Thus we get stuck with the money spent. Sometimes this can be quite a lot of money such as the case of REAH & Flight of the Amazon Queen.
Did we spend too much on these games? For me personally, yes, absolutely, but only thinking it was doing what we were requested. People do have second thoughts when buying higher priced items and this is very understandable, but at the same time I am very glad this doesn't happen very often or I would not be in business very long.

When we do get stuck we try and get back as much of what we spent as we can. On some games we do recoup the money spent, but it some cases, if not most and especially in the case of the REAH game, we take a considerable loss in order to move the product out. This is a pretty normal practice in business. When some products do not sell, we clearance them out. Simple, yes?
Simply put, on some higher priced items, mainly rare collectables, we do sometimes negotiate to move them if they sit in inventory too long, but keep in mind it is usually at a loss for us and we try to avoid that for obvious reasons.

On all other inventory we simply use our percentage markup formula as most other companies do. That price directly reflects what we have to spend on the items. If they get discounted later it simply means we either clearance them at cost, near cost or at a loss. This is pretty normal business practice.

PGI does not practice ripping people off, period. That statement did indeed offend me, but I do understand why the statement was made even though I do not agree.

Sometimes a simple request for information will clear up questions such as why we charge what we charge for an item. I invite anyone to e-mail us with your questions anytime, as someone here will always gladly give you an answer. We answer all e-mails and do so as quickly as possible.

Thank you to Gameboomers for the time and space to respond to this debate. I hope this helps in some small way.

Good gaming everyone!

Alan
PGI

EEK !!!

Please note everyone that my contribution to this thread (which I now regret starting with my seemingly innocent question), ended with the posting copied below. Any subsequent escalation of emotions are nowt to do with lickle ol' me !

Love and smoochies,

Gelert. <img border="0" alt="[kiss]" title="" src="graemlins/kiss.gif" />

Without knowing the reason behind the pricing scheme of the out-of-print titles, I thought PGI was out to make a lot more than was invested. If this were the case, which it is not, I thought buyers were being taken advantage of.

Now knowing the reason behind the pricing scheme of said titles, I understand why they are priced as they are. It's a shame that you get stuck with products as you do. And taking a loss for the time, effort and money you invested per title is a terrible thing to experience.

So, I'd like to apologize for my earlier opinions, and I would like to thank you for taking the time to come here and explain. I'll be sure to spread the word if asked in the future, and to my acquaintances.

Good luck with your future endeavors.


fanatic

Thanks for the reply Alan.

I will have to say that I have dealt with PGI more than a couple of times and their contact person is the best. I do hope that Brittany is still answering the phone and taking care of customers there. I have never failed to get immediate answers and more importantly solutions to any problems, issues or just general info requests.

Hi Brittany!