Today’s trip to my favorite thrift shop yielded a crop of well-known and beloved (I’m told) computer role playing games. Ordinarily, I don’t collect more common material unless it’s cheap enough and no one else seems to want it. But it seems like every time I collect something “common”, I discover something unique about my copy that reveals that it’s different than anything currently in the database, or at least that I still have plenty of scanning to do.
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- Neverwinter Nights Gold by Bioware
- Icewind Dale by Black Isle
- Crusaders of Might and Magic by 3DO
- Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor (install disc only) by 3DO
The curious thing in this batch is Icewind Dale: Notice that it has an “RP” ESRB badge, indicating that a final rating is still pending. It this is a release, then why does it have no final rating? If could be a review copy, but I suspect such a copy would have REVIEW COPY: NOT FOR RESALE plastered all over the media and manual. Also odd is the print in the manual. For example:
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It’s extremely difficult to read and almost looks like a bad photocopy job. Perhaps someone with a proper T-rated copy of Icewind Dale can inform me whether this is what the final manual looked like.
Next batch:
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- Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator— companies mentioned include Interplay, TopWare Interactive, Valkyrie Studios, and Monolith
- The Settlers II: Veni, Vidi, Vici by Blue Byte; if MobyGames’ scans are anything to go by, the series is big in Europe; this will be this title’s first scan on record for a U.S. release
- Sid Meier’s Civilization III: Bonus CD by Infogrames– this is a bit puzzling as I can’t figure out which version of Civ3 this CD (or its jewel case backing) goes with
Ever try to photograph a holographic picture?
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- Space Colony by Firefly with a pretty/frustrating holographic box
- MayaQuest: The Mystery Trail by MECC (the Trail people)– I learned I already have a copy of this; however, this copy is v1.0 while my other copy is v1.12; let’s hear it for completeness!
- Bob the Builder: Can We Fix it? by THQ– I’m a little surprised that the credits in the manual don’t list any programmers; plenty of testers, producers, VPs and marketers; but no one slinging code
Jim Leonard says:
I believe that Icewind Dale is actually a pirated copy. The Rating Pending covers are usually taken from websites to print before the bits are ready. Does the cover of the insert look shoddily printed?
Multimedia Mike says:
Thanks, Jim– the pirated explanation makes some sense. I have found obviously pirated material at this shop before (just never purchased it before).