Commander Keen for Collectors

[MrBlackCat]

Hello Command Keen and Apogee fans... this one is more for the collectors probably...
I included the term collector in the title to help make the distinction between people who enjoy just playing a game and people who enjoy gaming as a total experience (e.g. Box Art, Poster, Figures, game and developer History, variants etc.) The reason for attempting to make this distinction is to help prevent this thread from turning into mostly posts of myself and others trying to explain to gamers why collectors or persons who like total game experiences as described above, will sometime pay a great deal for what they enjoy.

Sorry about that intro to those who don’t care for it... but since you have suffered through it to this point...

CHECK THIS OUT! A Commander Keen Collection...

***Link Removed by MrBlackCat***

(I do not know, know of, and have never typed with etc the seller... not a plug, just a heads up for something really rare and unusual in my opinion)

MrBlackCat

[DOSGuy]

I don't like the precedent this post could set. Whether you're the seller or not, this post advertises an eBay auction, which is using 3D Realms' forum to promote an external business. It's one thing for Joe, as a 3DR employee, to post about a 3DR-related item he found in his office at 3DR, and quite another to link to some unaffiliated person's auction. If it's okay this time, others could decide to sell stuff and use 3DR's forums to attract bidders.

[Nukkus]

either way, that's a really ridiculous price :P

[MrBlackCat]

Originally Posted by DOSGuy

I don't like the precedent this post could set. Whether you're the seller or not, this post advertises an eBay auction, which is using 3D Realms' forum to promote an external business. It's one thing for Joe, as a 3DR employee, to post about a 3DR-related item he found in his office at 3DR, and quite another to link to some unaffiliated person's auction. If it's okay this time, others could decide to sell stuff and use 3DR's forums to attract bidders.

Hmmm... I see your point. I really don't understand why there isn't a thread for Auctions already unless there is there a rule against this I am not aware of. I have seen others post links to auctions before without any known problems... maybe a mod will clear it up. Until then I will remove the link as I don’t want any problems.

If this is so, the links to external sites that generate income and or have advertisements would also need to be removed from many persons signatures to be fair. Fair is totally at the option of 3D Realms of course.

Link removed...

Originally Posted by Nukkus

either way, that's a really ridiculous price :P

I knew some people would say that! No price is ridiculous if you seller and buyer are happy with it in my opinion. I don’t know a value of these games myself but I have never seen them available in such great condition. One of several possibilities that come to mind… the seller might just put a super high price for the Buy It Now to keep it from selling and give him more control over who he sells something to through the Best Offer function. I have seen gotten Second Chance Offers in the case of multiple items and not been the high bidder probably a dozen times. I have done it as well as have been the recipient of such sales. Not every sale is all about money. I try to trade for most of the games I move, or if I do sell only for money it will be to someone I know to be (or at least believe) is a serious fan not someone into one-upmanship for instance.

Anyway, I won’t be buying these games at this price. I am not a big Keen fan but I know there are many on these forums. Just wanted to share such a find with them.


MrBlackCat

[Superczar]

Ah people have linked to eBay auctions before, don't recall Joe saying anything about it.

[DOSGuy]

Maybe I'm wrong then. I know that I hate it when people use my forum to advertise eBay auctions. Usually, of course, they create an account specifically for that purpose -- unlike the author of this thread -- but I figured if one person "gets away with it", others might try. I wouldn't want the forum to turn into a marketplace unless, like MrBlackCat said, there was a forum or thread specifically for auctions.

Anyway, I'd like to meet the sucker who will pay $1700 for that stuff.

[Joe Siegler]

$1700 is a bit out whack, dude. They're not *THAT* valuable.

AND you appear to be selling Keen 6 twice, a piece of paper, and Keen Dreams, which admittedly is the more rare of the bunch, but no way are you going to get that much.

Edit: Whoops, I thought the auction WAS yours. Still, my points are valid about the prices and all that.

[MrBlackCat]

Originally Posted by Joe Siegler

$1700 is a bit out whack, dude. They're not *THAT* valuable.

AND you appear to be selling Keen 6 twice, a piece of paper, and Keen Dreams, which admittedly is the more rare of the bunch, but no way are you going to get that much.

Edit: Whoops, I thought the auction WAS yours. Still, my points are valid about the prices and all that.

I would not post my own auctions here unless this site had a thread or area which was created just for such. I would like to see one myself. I buy, sell and trade constantly.
Actually I would not even list auctions of anyone I am in contact with just so it can't be said there is a conflict of interest or kickbacks etc... unless in a PM to someone I know here on the forums to be looking for something specifically and then all other activity is handled through email off site.

I agree the Buy It Now is really high, but I think the reason for that is to keep it from selling maybe to get more exposure with intentions of selling to a Best Offer buyer of choice.

I don't know what these Keen games are worth, or more accurately, I don't know what someone is happy to pay for them... but $1700 would be higher than anything I have ever heard of as far as game sales... but an example...

In my listings, a Perfect (graded C-10) sealed, New In Box etc copy of DooM goes for $1000 instantly. I have two collectors in my list waiting now for this... They would be HAPPY to pay this for them. I just can't locate them anymore like so many of the Duke Nukem 3D related items I have sold over the years. Duke the Apocalypse 2 NIB I have several offers for from $250 to $400... but I have none NIB to sell and have not found but two of them in that condtion over the years. So many of these old games are going nowhere but up in price/rarity it seems. When the bottom falls out, I will be right there collecting what I like anyway. Because price/cost/what I can sell for/ etc has little to do with value to something like Duke Nukem 3D items to me. Great game, great history, from a great company.

I hope someone who really wants these Commander Keen games gets them though...

MrBlackCat

[Superczar]

$1000?! Wow, and people look at me funny for shelling out $150 for a CD...

[MrBlackCat]

Originally Posted by Superczar

$1000?! Wow, and people look at me funny for shelling out $150 for a CD...

<looks at you funny for shelling out $150 for a CD...>
LOL! Just kidding...

Sounds as though you have experienced some people who just don't understand the value of getting something that you really REALLY want sometimes. If you have the money, great! If you don't, then it is too expensive. I know some financially wealthy persons who would not blink at $1000 for something like they want... it is all perspective. I am not financially wealthy and would blink a lot.
To me, it isn't really the value of a "game" or something, but has more to do with what the game "costs" you. I have to work a lot for $1000, some people don't. When I want something, I tend to think in terms of how long I worked (or must work) to obtain a certain amount of money to get said object. I budget my game collection. If I wanted something for $1000 I would not be buying it for a LONG time.

Another expensive example I just thought of would be the Towers of Darkness collection (Heretic HeXen and Deathkings in a really interesting box) New In Box in C10 condition I could sell (and have) sold for $350 or so. Just try to find that bad boy these days.

Anyway, these are just examples. Most of my personal collection is not really financially valuable... but to me is priceless. Prices just don't shock me really... as I believe I understand why someone would pay "any" amount for what they really want. (Unless they can't afford it, then it is obsession or addiction and a negative thing)

The price of this Commander Keen collection seems high to me, yes, but maybe that is simply because I can't afford it.

MrBlackCat

[Superczar]

Yeah I hear ya, I've had to pass on a few Iron Maiden rarities, b/c of price, and that sucks b/c I have the collector mentality...

[pjohnsonjr]

I have a piece of a Dorito imprinted with the likeness of Wayne Newton, who wants to pay me 5 figures for it? [/sigh]

It kills me to see the game collector market. Ratios for rarity/item value seems to be off kilter. Some I can understand, but games are like music, not museum pieces. They're meant to be enjoyed and to pay $1k+ for a cd or plastic cartridge just to stare at it, is a waste.

I digress...$1700??! wow.

[MrBlackCat]

Originally Posted by pjohnsonjr

I have a piece of a Dorito imprinted with the likeness of Wayne Newton, who wants to pay me 5 figures for it? [/sigh]

It kills me to see the game collector market. Ratios for rarity/item value seems to be off kilter. Some I can understand, but games are like music, not museum pieces. They're meant to be enjoyed and to pay $1k+ for a cd or plastic cartridge just to stare at it, is a waste.

I digress...$1700??! wow.

I really don't care how others enjoy spending their money. Just to be clear, I open and play EVERY one of the games in my personal collection. I sell the "perfect" ones to people who want them for reasons that don't concern me.
I agree with you about something just to stare at being a waste... for me. I have a large collection of Star Wars figures for instance, but I don't just leave them captive in their boxes. I build extensive scenery for them to be displayed in... ok OK! I play with them too... often.

Like I said though, as long as buyer and seller are happy with it, it should not be anyone elses concern. (think, 3 million for a single baseball... oh yeah!)

I still haven't found anyone that can even give me a value on this particular collection though... I still think the Buy It Now was only intended to prevent a sale through Buy It Now.
Another possibility is that he is testing the market to see what he could get for the collection through the Best Offer function of eBay without having to actually sell them.

I am anxious to see what it sells for though.
MrBlackCat

[CycoAbyss]

oops wrong thread

[Iggy]

The same seller also has a signed copy of Duke Nukem 3D that's still sealed. He claims to have bought it from a ex-3D Realms employee that got the game as a gift when he left. I'm interested in it and am considering sending the seller an offer.

Joe, you wouldn't happen to know who this ex-employee might be? The seller doesn't know this anymore (too long ago, lost e-mails, ect.).

And $350,- for a sealed Towers of Darkness? Tjeez, I bought a similar copy for 20 bucks and I've seen other boxed copies getting sold on eBay for equal amounts. I've seen plenty of rare games getting sold on eBay for not much money lately.

Edit;
The seller is no longer an eBay member and has therefore ended all of his auctions. Damn it.

[MrBlackCat]

Originally Posted by Iggy

The same seller also has a signed copy of Duke Nukem 3D that's still sealed. He claims to have bought it from a ex-3D Realms employee that got the game as a gift when he left. I'm interested in it and am considering sending the seller an offer.

Joe, you wouldn't happen to know who this ex-employee might be? The seller doesn't know this anymore (too long ago, lost e-mails, ect.).

And $350,- for a sealed Towers of Darkness? Tjeez, I bought a similar copy for 20 bucks and I've seen other boxed copies getting sold on eBay for equal amounts. I've seen plenty of rare games getting sold on eBay for not much money lately.

Edit;
The seller is no longer an eBay member and has therefore ended all of his auctions. Damn it.

I saw that too... the signed Duke 3D Box and that he just went away. wonder what happened to them. I was really interested to see who might buy such things. Maybe he woke up and realized he should not sell games from his collection! I would be a sad gamer if I sold anything from my own collection.

As far as Towers of Darkness and other high-end games mentioned above (and some not)... I saw the Towers of Darkness from the UK that sold for about $20 (USD) I see all of them on eBay and Amazon probably... part of the reason I am able to sell some games at this level is reputation for quality. I might buy a dozen of something before I get an actual C10 quality item. I take the chance that the mail system doesn't kill it even if it is perfect upon shipping... also, most that I sell to trust me specifically and the way I grade. Most are repeat buyers or buyers I have traded/exchanged with in the past at lower levels, so to speak.
I also have repaired boxes for a few serious collectors (4 actually) and have sold to three of them. This can be a risky and time consuming process. These persons trust my ability to grade and describe imperfections because of the precision required to make such repairs. Some collectors are really neurotic perfectionists. I don't want perfection, so when I get a perfect item or REALLY excellent condition item, I sell it to someone who is neurotic to help support my more rational level of collecting.

That is some of my view on "what something is worth and why".

I guess this threads point is gone now since the auction(s) are gone...

Goodnight All...
MrBlackCat

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by MrBlackCat

I saw that too... the signed Duke 3D Box and that he just went away. wonder what happened to them. I was really interested to see who might buy such things.

I would, I'm planning to make an offer to him. The seller also responded to my e-mail as of what has happened to him on eBay;

Originally Posted by **blood**

Hi,

sorry, sorry, sorry. 'All my items was suspended from ebay and myself my (membership) too.
The items was suspended because of the violence and so on. I dont know exactly why, but In germany i´m not allowed to put items into ebay, which is the age release over 18 years. I was suspended from ebay now and first in 14 days i can use ebay again. I hope so...shit!!!
At the moment there does not function my Internet at home, therefore at the moment I sit in the Internet cafe and write back to you
On monday my Internet at home will function again and then we can have contact again. Sorry for all!!!
On monday i will write an email to you. I hope i hear from you....

Bye, nice greetings and have a nice weekend!!!

Julian

[jayo]

I won't pay such a great deal. That's why I would rather use ebay express, so I could just get something at an affordable price. The prices they go to in such auctions, I feel are just unreasonable. I got that Keen combo CD here for $20. That's paying to feel good!