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10-14
_______________________________________________________________________
Last night seen some small progress on clearing out the garage.
Before
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic025.jpg[/img]
After
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic002.jpg[/img]
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic004.jpg[/img]
This area had alot of wires, nuts, bolts, screws and junk laying in a pile. I pitched anything that wasn't useful and kept the rest.
Before
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic013.jpg[/img]
After
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic003.jpg[/img]
I managed to get the bumper on the dakota so it wasn't laying in the garage. The bumper is for a slightly newer dakota and doesn't fit mine the way I want it too. I'll probably sell it and pick up another one.
[img width=240 height=319]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic001.jpg[/img]
This cab was pulled into the center of the garage for someone to come and look at. They never showed up so it's still sitting there waiting for a new home. If you live anywhere near Terre Haute, Indiana this cab is for sale. I'm asking 150.00 for it.
Not much else in the way of progress. The wife managed to come home early yesterday and pulled all the yardsale stuff out of the garage. More than 20 bags/boxes of yardsale goodies. We plan on going through some more stuff in the garage tonight.
[img width=640 height=448]http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk189/Crabmaster2000/sonic.jpg[/img]
With an overwhelming majority of the votes Sonic the Hedgehog will be the next Off the Shelf title. Nothing else really stood a chance did it?
Continue reading Off The Shelf - November - Sonic the Hedgehog
Today officially starts the garage to gameroom transformation. I plan on sectioning off the garage into 4 different areas: Gameroom, Storage, Tool Shop, and Gardening Area. This will hopefully be a daily blog with pictures to show the progress of the garage overhaul. The garage clear out starts today after work. There is a ton of yardsale stuff located in the garage for the yardsale this friday. I plan on documenting any game related material that goes into the yardsale. I'll let you know what sells and for how much. The first pictures will be taken tonight 10-12 and posted tomorrow.
10-13
_______________________________________________________________________
Here are the pictures of the garage and the disorganization in it. About a 1/3 of the items are yardsale items. We cleared out 14 bags of yardsale items last night. Here are the pics before the removal of some of the yardsale stuff.
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic010.jpg[/img]
This is the entrance to the future ROD.
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic011.jpg[/img]
This is a picture of the overhead and the new fencing.
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic012.jpg[/img]
This couch will have a new home in the gameroom and was a gift from my employer.
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic013.jpg[/img]
Bumper and bench seat go in my 88 Dodge Dakota I just bought. The bumper and bench on it are really tore up. Picked up both of these from the local pick n pull for 80.00. The bench needs some cleaning but the bumper is ready to go.
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic014.jpg[/img]
My two working arcade cabs covered in dust. They haven't seen much action and I'm contemplating selling them.
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic015.jpg[/img]
The TV, VCR and Stand came from work and are going in the gameroom. The shelving also came from work and is about 4ft wide by 7ft tall and there is 8 of them total. 224sq ft of game storage. I plan on picking up a few more.
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic016.jpg[/img]
All this insulation was free from work. There is two skids of it and more than enough for my garage.
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic017.jpg[/img]
Junk arcade cabs that I plan on tearing down. I'll keep the buttons, joysticks, hinges, plexi, mechanisms and any good artwork. The rest is being thrown away.
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic018.jpg[/img]
The riding mower and the push mower. Also residing in the garage is my weed eater, chainsaw and various other yard tools. I plan on buying a small metal shed to put all this in.
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic019.jpg[/img]
There is a ton of game related stuff in this picture as well as some yard toys.
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic020.jpg[/img]
Another picture full of game clutter and various stuff.
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic021.jpg[/img]
Pulled back picture of the back of the garage.
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic022.jpg[/img]
Yard sale items except for one or two things. Mainly my dolly and my pachinko.
[img width=240 height=319]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic023.jpg[/img]
Cart full of game items that I've kept hidden from those who happen to pass by.
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic024.jpg[/img]
Mostly garage sale items. Except for my trains and the basketball game.
[img width=319 height=240]http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss53/Edstu234/pic025.jpg[/img]
Pile of yard tools, tools, and various wires.
That is the end of the tour for now. More pictures to come throughout the week.
After what seems like an eternity, Lucas (my shelving friend) and I got together after conflicting schedules over the last few weeks and started work on the shelving. We finalized the plans, did a lot of measuring and marking, cut a few boards and put up a solid frame to start with. Heres some pics of what we did so far:
[img width=700 height=525]http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk189/Crabmaster2000/IMG_1591.jpg[/img]
[img width=700 height=525]http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk189/Crabmaster2000/IMG_1592.jpg[/img]
[img width=700 height=525]http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk189/Crabmaster2000/IMG_1593.jpg[/img]
[img width=700 height=933]http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk189/Crabmaster2000/IMG_1594.jpg[/img]
The plan is to finish building and mounting the shelves on wednesday evening. After that I'll probably take a day or two to paint it and then I'll finally be able to start filling it!!
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBa...;ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
I got my game on Monday and it was far from "pristine" which is how it was described. The seller hadnt given me feedback yet even though I paid minutes after the auction ended so I was leary to bring it up (he's got 4 times the feedback I do so it would make a difference to me and not so much to him getting negative). I sent him a message thanking him for the quick shipping and then described all the flaws with the games cosmetic appearance. He was surprisingly sympathetic and offered a full refund (and I send the game back) or a partial refund (and I keep the game). I asked him what he was offering for a partial refund and he responded with $30. I kinda told myself before hand that if he offered $20 I'd be happy so $30 was great.
So I get to keep one of my most sought after games for much less than I originally was willing to spend. The cosmetic stuff is all minor and I'm still very pleased with my purchase, it just wasnt "pristine".
I told you this was going to be a monthly thing, and I wasn't lying. I may lie to my grandmother, but never to RFGen members. So here is another RFG Thanks, this time for September of course.
In September we had 3 members submit over 100 entries, those members are ga5ket, ApolloBoy, and TigerHandheld1989. A huge thanks goes out to these members. But we can't forget all the members that made less submissions that are just as important to the database. Rounding out the top ten submitters for September 2009 we have Duke.Togo, NES_Rules, itatton, Sirgin, Donkey Kong Kid, OatBob, and Darth Sidious.
Of course, without a very dedicated approval team, all those submissions would just sit in queue forever, so I'd also like to thank the staff members that approved the most submissions last month. With 100+ approvals we have ga5ket, NES_Rules, and ApolloBoy.
Thanks again for all the contributions everyone has made in the past, each one is truly appreciated. Now let's try to get even more this month!
 | Best Time
For Gaming |
Firing up a cherished classic or the latest next-gen release is always a pleasure, regardless of when we can set aside free time to indulge in our passion. That is a given. But what are truly are the best conditions that we enjoy for gaming?
The following lists a few of my favorites.
| |
During a Storm
|
Who doesn't love firing up the console when the heavens open up and Mother Nature unleashes her fury? Whether it be a darkened sky caused by a May rain squall or a complete white-out during a December blizzard, there is just something that screams out "Let the Games Begin!" to even the least passionate of players. Hearing your windows being repeatedly pelted by the outside elements is like a mating call from your favorite system - you just can't deny 'her'. Adverse weather conditions also offer the perfect gaming environment. The cave-like feeling that is created is optimum for hunkering down in front of the big screen and setting your warrior loose to wreck some havoc. The games, for whatever reason, seem to almost look better during a storm! Granted the darkened exterior has a great deal to do with this, but there is something more to this phenomenon that I can not fully place my finger upon. The best part of gaming during a storm is the multitude of excuses that are Express Mailed directly to you. During these turbulent times gamers do not have to strictly rely upon their creativity in generating reasons to their loved ones for game time allotment - bad weather gives us the grounds we need and all are defensible. Exterior\yard responsibilities? Covered (for obvious reasons). Interior\house projects? Covered (would you really make me go out in this weather to get paint?). The only catch here is to ensure that you plan ahead and have your gaming food and beverage rations on hand prior to the storm hitting. They will be mad as hell if you are man enough to brave the elements to hunt and gather for some Slim Jims and Power Ade but balk at going shopping with them.
| |
After the Speakeasy 
|
My 'party like a rock star' days are definitely behind me, but that doesn't mean that I don't enjoy a tall cold one every now and again with my buds. Friday night is usually our 'Boys are Back in Town' evening when this occurs since Saturday is designated as 'date night' with our respective honey. After catching up on real life activities (a.k.a. round table venting session), we move on to more interesting subject matter - video games! The usual course of reminiscing, chest-beating and other caveman talk ensues and we are finally ready to blow out of our local watering hole and get to some gaming. They know the routine well and love it - my icebox will be stockpiled with "personality juice", late night munchies aplenty and at least four classic systems hooked up and ready to go. Once back at my 'crib' (yes - old guy here trying to be 'fly'), we bust out the crowd favorites and begin the controller assault. Previously consumed cocktails are not helping our technical prowess - this is mediocre at best to start with and this statistic decreases by at least 5% per the hour (remember - full ammo in the fridge). To be honest this just adds to the experience when we make some dumb move or have to eat some crow after a misfired bit of trash talk. The laughter just doesn't stop until we all just dead tired and have no other option to crash for the night. Side Note: Our lady friends are cool with this monthly "Gamers Night" (sleepover) at my house. Heck, we even get breakfast made in the morning for all of us! All of this does come at a price though - primping sessions for all of them at the local salon (we are making out on this deal I think).
| |
Waking Up at 2 AM
|
Ever try to sneak in a power nap after a long day and end up waking up in the middle of the night? Wide eyed and wired after your 6 hour hibernation, there is always the comfort of your system to work off some energy. You more than likely have the entire gaming room to yourself, no worries about friends calling and pretty much free of all responsibilities (no one can expect you to be truly productive at 2 AM, can they??). Regardless if I have to work the next day or not, I feel pumped at the fact that I will have approximately 4 hours of uninterrupted gaming before the world begins to awaken. This is a conscious choice. I know at the end of the 'real' day that I will probably be pretty wiped out after having this ultra-early gaming session. Nonetheless, once I hear that whir of my console firing up and after my eyes adjust to the artificial light of my television, I know it will be well worth it. Side note: Having your favorite gaming 'blankie' during this time is a must. Let's be honest - most of us have retained this dependency from infancy. For those who have not, you don't know what you are missing.
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On 'Sick' Days 
|
Isn't odd that when you feel under the weather and are not able to go to school or work, you can somehow muster the inner strength for a good, long gaming session? Nuff said.
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These are a few of my favorite gaming times - what are yours?
| A special thanks to Dave and his community at the Video Game Critic for the inspiration for this article. |
 Over the years I've dabbled on and off with emulation of one sort or another, but I've always found it a bit unsatisfying, I much prefer the real thing. With this in mind I decided that I'd like to try my hand at a MAME cabinet. The first obstacle I had to overcome was my better half. I though about sounding her out about it, getting her playing some of the games and seeing how it went, but I decided that the direct approach was best so I just blurted it out one night. The reception I got was a bit lukewarm, so I thought I'd leave it for a while and try again in a few weeks. The next day I was working at home and I got a call from my wife - the local Stock & Cheques store had a cheap 17 inch LCD monitor in, and was it what I wanted? Bargain! So off I went and brought it home. With that blessing I was able to formulate some kind of a plan for what I wanted. A full upright cabinet was way too much to go for, we simply don't have space, but a cocktail style one could replace the table in the games room.
Initial Construction
The first thing to do was decide how big I wanted the cabinet to be. I knew where it needed to fit within the games room, so that gave me the maximum width, the depth came from the height of the monitor plus a bit to make the proportions of the top look decent. The basic cutting and screwing took me about 4 hours. It's built from 12mm MDF in a bid to keep costs and weight down. |
 | Monitor Mount
The plan was to have the top rest on the sides of the cabinet, so it could be simply lifted off for access to the monitor and other electronics within the cabinet. I built a frame to hold the monitor which could be slid around on the X & Y axes to allow me to position the monitor correctly within its window. |
 | Games - in action!
With all the basic connected up it was time for a first test. All worked well, although the lack of a proper control panel was quite a disappointment. This is it playing Space Invaders, which seemed fitting for a first game. |
 | Top Cover
At this point I added a nice trim to the inner and outer edges of the top, and fitted a plastic top. The lack of the latter was beginning to worry me as it left the monitor face up and exposed. |
 | Parts
I ordered all the control parts from the nice people at Gremlin Solutions. They had an eBay shop, and good photos and descriptions of all the things I needed, which made the whole ordering a breeze. I'd love to order some of their arcade cabs too, they look soooo nice, alas the money they want is out of my league. And I'd have to explain to the wife where we're going to put them, because just one would look stupid wouldn't it? |
 | Control Panel
The width of the cabinet determined the size of the control panel I'd be able to have. I didn't want controls at each end because it's much more fun actually being side by side with your opponent. The basic framework and installation of the buttons was pretty straightforward; unfortunately I made a mistake with the P2 Start button and I couldn't fit it where I'd originally planned as it's blocked by the P2 joystick, so I needed to cut a new front section and re-drill it. That problem aside the controls looked and felt great. |
 | Control Electronics
I'd got no end of PSX-USB adaptors kicking around, and with the extreme cheapness of third party PS1 controllers I thought they'd be ideal to use as the basis for each of the controller boards that I needed to build. The first thing that I had to do was lightly remove some of the protective cover from each of the PCBs, which was easily done with a small file. Each of the buttons would require 2 wires, so these were soldered directly to the exposed copper. |
 | Wiring
The other end I crimped spade connector fittings to, which makes for a good fit to the controls without being permanent. It also allows me to unclip everything from the controls later, to make painting an easier task. |
 | Assembly
At this point I decided to make some modifications to the top. I wasn't happy about the viewable angle of the LCD screen I was using, so I fitted some mounting brackets to the underside of the top, added hinges and props, and now the whole thing is angled so that it's much easier to see what's on screen. Lowering the props allows me to level the top and use it as a table again when I'm not playing games on it |
 | Paint
I'd decided some months ago about the colour scheme I was going to use, and I'd settled on gloss black with pale blue trim. It needed to be easy on the eye, and as the games room isn't huge, not too garish. It took 3 coats of the black to get it to the level of finish that I wanted, but the end result was certainly worth it. The picture here shows it with the top folded flat. |
 | Ready to Play
And here it is with the top in position and ready to go. |
 |
To get to this stage took me a little under 10 months, which is way too long, and I could have cut the time down tremendously if I'd not lost motivation part way through the project. It took a pending visit from one of my friends to actually get me to get my ass in gear, and since then I've cracked on a-pace.
I've still got more to do; I want to build some add-on controls for games that don't support a joystick directly, such as Temptest which needs a spinner, and Marble Madness which uses a trackball. Both of these have arcade parts that are readily available, but they're very expensive, so I've built prototypes from mice and pc trackballs that I've got in the spares bin. Next up is to get them into matching boxes and add paint.
Last week I said that I would be making this a bi-weekly thing unless I had an amazing weekend for the rest of the season. And this was an amazing weekend, so here it is just one week after the last installment.
Continue reading Treasure Hunt Chronicles '09 - #23
It seems weird highlighting a game that had a Player's Choice release and is based off of a hugely popular Nintendo character, but many people seem to look past this game. While Wario World definitely doesn't live up to the high standards of the 3D Mario Platforming games (which it would no doubt be compared to), it rightly deserves its own spotlight.
[img width=256 height=359]http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk189/Crabmaster2000/g.jpg[/img]
The graphics really aren't anything to write home about, but the overall art style makes up for that. The levels and characters are all brightly colored and vibrant (Carnival theme, jungle theme) or dark and gloomy (Ancient Egypt theme) when appropriate. Everything has a rounded slightly cartoonish look to it which suits Wario as a character. Sure he is a villain, but his reputation is as a comical villain so it works nicely.
The game is played almost in a 2D fashion. The camera is fixed on the side so it has a side-scroller feel to it, but at the same time you have some 3D depth to move around in. And the level design it really great! Along with your standard "reach the finish" goal of most platformers there is an excellent mix of fighting, exploring and puzzle solving. And it wouldn't be a true Wario title with out a little treasure hunting and mini-gaming thrown in for good measure. If you're one that finds typical platformers too repetitive you may enjoy this title more as it breaks up the platforming with the other styles of gameplay, although they are still very platforming based.
Now my (and many others) main gripe with this game is the length. Even if you're going for the perfect file with all treasures you probably won't spend more than 10-12 hours on this game. Just a straight ol' run through will probably net you around 7 hours of game time for a first playthrough.
[img width=400 height=300]http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk189/Crabmaster2000/g1.jpg[/img]
If you're looking for a slightly unusual platformer with many little quirks thrown in this is probably the title for you. Or if you're just looking for a fun, cheap game to kill an afternoon or two with this would definitely do the trick. Looking for something with a lot of depth that you can really sink your teeth into... keep looking. For everything Wario World is it is wonderful.
6/10
 | Top 5 Annoyances For
The Video Game Collector |
Every video game enthusiast absolutely loves adding a new title or system to their collection. Whether it be a treasure that has been extremely elusive or simply an anticipated release for a current gen system. We love them all and experience a certain rush with any new addition to our respective "Hero's Chest". On the flipside, a boatload of irritants accompany your new conquests of war. Some of these are akin to mosquito bites while others can truly suck the life right out of your soul. The following lists a few of my 'favorites'.
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Storing Boxes
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I am definitely a CIB fanatic when it comes to video game hardware collecting. That being said, I absolutely hate going through the arduous task of storing system boxes once they are displayed in my collection. First there is the simple fact that 90% of us do not have unlimited space to devote to our hobby. When I first began collecting, I thought that it would be cool to be able to present every original box with its respective system as a part of my presentation (hence basically relieving myself of this storage issue). This was great in theory but not so much when my collection began to quickly outgrow the physical constraints of my Room of Doom. A secondary space needed to be allocated, but not just any closet to toss the boxes in and forget about them. I need room to maneuver for my biggest annoyance - box rotation. Even with the Star Trek Deflector Shield activated (aka monster bubble wrap), the pure combined weight of mounded system cartons will eventually crush even the sturdiest of these retail packagings. In lieu of using the 'box-in-a-box' method for preservation (thus requiring even MORE storage space), the only way to protect them is a solid rotational program - a time that I have come to dread every month without exception. What a pain!
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Being "Out-Sniped" 
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You have the sought-after mint Atari Lynx system with 19 games in your crosshairs. The auction ends on a Wednesday evening at 4:00 AM (not exactly the Friday closing bell time of the NYSE - perfect!!). You set your alarm clock for 3:45 AM to ensure that the 'morning' duties (microwave a cup of yesterday's leftover coffee; hit the bathroom while your cup of Joe "brews") do not interfere with your upcoming focused bidding efforts. Now positioned in front of your PC (3:57 AM), you see that the opening 'feeler' bid of $9.99 is still all that has been placed. Yahtzee!! you say to yourself. You increase your maximum bid to $75 (better to be safe than sorry you say to yourself). Time ticks down and you can almost taste victory.... I don't have to finish this personal recollection - obviously I lost this auction to a sniper (which I was coincidentally trying to do) for $75.50. This defeated feeling we all know too well - missing out on a good deal. I also feel this way when I am 'asleep at the wheel' and view "Sold" items that I missed out on that went for a great price.
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Cleaning the Wares
|
I'll keep this section short and sweet since this is pretty obvious - we all hate this. I find this so tedious that I actually farm out this chore (albeit to my lady friend). It costs me a gift certificate to Michael's Salon for her every month, but this is well worth it for me to get out of doing this necessary task (also ensures she looks good and maintains her eye candy appeal). UPDATE : As with most of my articles, I chose to share this writing with the aforementioned "her" prior to publishing. What a mistake! She took one look at this section and began to blackmail me wanting an additional $20 gift cert to said salon for, of all things, a pedicure!!. I don't know about you, but feet don't do a whole lot for me. Well groomed or not, they should stay stay firmly planted in their 'sock house' and only be allowed out once a day max (for the morning shower). I ended up reluctantly agreeing to her new terms, but only after I had successfully negotiated moving another despised duty off of my list and onto hers - laundry.
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Shuffling the Display 
|
I feel safe in saying that most video game collectors have a fierce sense of organization and require their spoils of war to be displayed just so. It is pretty easy to incorporate one game into your presentation - quite another when dealing with bulk software purchases or adding a new system. Besides the obvious space issues, many times items need to be rearranged to properly incorporate your new acquisition. For hardware, I have everything displayed by the year of its release (yes - I admit to having a bit of an OCD issue). Adding a console released in the 1970s requires me to move the rest of the systems 'up one' in my main shelving unit to accommodate this new hardware. I know I may go a bit overboard in this regard, but I am sure you can relate in your own way based on your own Room of Doom. You develop a style\feel within it and anything new has to be properly 'integrated'.
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Selling
|
Need I say more? No one likes to sell anything when they have invested substantial time and effort in acquiring. Trading dupes is one thing: the win-win ratio is nearly 100%. Selling a holy grail from one's collection is a completely different animal and many times this truly has nothing to do with price\rarity of the item. For instance, I have a copy of King's Field for the Sony Playstation CIB in the original 'long box'. Nice - sure it is, but rare or pricey it is not. However, I love this game and it was\is one of my favorite titles to this day. Parting with it would be difficult. How many posts have you read where people wish they would have kept their original NES system and ended up having to purchase another one many years later? Regret, like the weather, can never be accurately forecasted.
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These are a few of my frustrations - What really "chaps your ass" about being a collector?
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 Hey you, yeah you, want some free DLC for LittleBigPlanet? Of course you do. All you gotta do is go to this website http://www.us.playstation...ywondergames/default.aspx, click the big green redeem button and you'll get a code that will net you a free download of the Nose Mythology Pack. The pack includes a few costumes and a bunch a bunch of create mode goodies. If the code doesn't work for you, try clearing your web browser's cookies and generating a new code, or just using a different browser. It took me two times to get a code that worked.
Enjoy your free DLC!
Hey everyone! I'm not feeling well and I've been exhausted from both Sixth Form and working cleaning job...good god I'm tired...
ANYWAY!!!! Got a new game today! Hooray!! That game is...
[img width=500 height=225]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3532/3948040197_be85400175.jpg[/img]
Ecco the Dolphin, it may be the same game as the Megadrive version but as an art form this game is epic, the newly animated intro and the soundtrack are just immense. I also got the spine card and let me say that this is the most mint spine card I've ever seen, no creases, no tears, no stains, it just looked like it was just taken out of a sealed copy.
Well I hope I get better, soon. Got another day ahead (a half day at school, go me)
Amount paid:
12.99
Total cost: 485.64
A little while back I purchased a bunch of NES games off of NES_Rules (a great seller by the way). He had to ship from the USA to Canada for me. When you do this the post office asks you to fill out a customs form declaring what the item is, why your are sending it and what the value of the item is. Anything declared at over $40 comes with a small chance of getting charged an extra customs fee on delivery. I've had dozens of things shipped from the states on only encountered this charge 3 times ever.
Now to avoid this fee I commonly request the seller to state the value at something under $40, such as $35 or less, even when the item may be worth more than that, and declare it as a gift (this also seems to lessen the chance of the customs fee). NES_Rules did just that and yet Canada Post didnt trust him for some reason. They opened the package and some jackass estimated its contents at a whopping $200, which was significantly higher than the actual value of the small bunch of common NES games I was getting.
Because of the large increase in value I was charged a large custom's fee when it was delivered to my house. It was only a few dollars less than I paid for the games!! It was like paying twice, plus shipping. More than a little peeved off I asked the delivery driver for information on how to avoid custom's fee (she wasnt able to tell me anything I didnt already know) and how to get this particular item re-valued and refunded, even if it was just partially. She wasnt sure about the re-value and refund part so I went to the closest Canada Post branch to inquire. I was given a phone number to call because like most places I need help they dont give the store clerks any real power. I called an unusually helpful man who walked me through their website to help find a form I was supposed to fill out and he gave me his extension number incase I needed assistance filling out the form. He also suggested that any form of "proof" I can send with the form would help my case.
Not being a retail sale I couldnt just send a copy of a receipt so I printed off a few of the PMs we had sent back and forth (I blanked out your screen name, email address and any other info I thought you may not want shared without permission NES_Rules). I wrote "PROOF" in huge letters across the top of each page and submitted the form along with print offs of our deal.
This all occured sometime in late June or early July. Just yesterday though I got a check in the mail from Canada Post refunding me for the exact amount I suggested they refund to reflect the actual value of the item. I got two-thirds of my money back from them!! Where not talking about a lot of money or anything, just getting a small wrong made slightly better. I obviously dont want to pay a custom's fee at all, but I'll take my small victory this time.
It's been a slow couple weeks, garage sales are getting few and far in between, and school has been getting in the way of getting of weekend treasure hunting. So, unless I come across some huge find this season, I'm going to be making this a bi-weekly blog until the season comes to an end. Hopefully, I can keep up the finds until the season ends and those posts are worth reading. Anyway, here's two weeks worth of treasure.
Continue reading Treasure Hunt Chronicles '09 - #22
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