Watson's 2007 - 2008 Price Guide for Vintage Electronic Game

[Linda]

I know, I know I'm posting this everywhere so you guys don't miss it.
Forgive me this one time. I'm excited!

Drum Roll Please.... Yes I finished! I officially released the book to the public today. You can purchase it at

http://www.lulu.com/content/568528

Here's a Preview

The twice re-worked cover



Previews of the format






Collector's Corner. I had no idea Jaro's picture would cause so many questions. Jaro I may need your number for one of my girlfriends.



Game Checklists - Example


http://www.lulu.com/content/568528

If you guys go there and buy it please let me know what you think. Your recommendations for the future etc... It's $44.68.

For those of you who want signed copies let me know via PM or email. I've bought several copies to sell to my friends and family who aren't computer saavy.

Thanks,
Linda

[Rik]

Gave ya a main-page ad...
http://www.handheldmuseum.com/

[Linda]

And THAT's why you are THE MAN. Thanks Rik.


Linda

[Panic Button]

Wow! This is just what i need... I started collecting about a month ago and have already accumulated some 20 games. I've also got 'Electronic Plastic' which is useful, but is more reminiscence eye candy than a collectors bible. My rarest finds so far is 'Fight of the Titans' and Onko's Super Space Jack. I'd say the most desirable game to have is Zaxxon, with it's dual VFDs and mirror to give the 3D effect.

Eagerly awaiting my copy through the mail. Well done!

[Linda]

Panic Button, I'm happy it's just what you need. I hope it lives up to your expectations, I think it will.

Welcome to the forum. 20 games in one month sounds like you are hooked. Welcome to our madness.


Linda

[LEDFreak]

Nicely done, Linda!!
Looking forward to getting my copy in Jan. or Feb.
Do you know off hand how many games are included in your book? Is it almost as exhaustive as Rik's data base?
Must've been a huge undertaking. Congrats and thanks for doing it.
Merry Christmas.

[Linda]

Do you know off hand how many games are included in your book?
I gathered information on several games that I didn't include in the book, but I had to put a limit on the ones included or I would still be working on the book. It includes about 300 different games. I wish it could have have been all, but that's what revision 2 if for.

Is it almost as exhaustive as Rik's data base?
Nothing is as exhaustive as Rik's database.
It does include a modified "exhaustive" games list very similar to Rik's (since his was the base), but there are some differences. I haven't checked Rik's list in a while and I think I have games not mentioned in his lists.

Must've been a huge undertaking. Congrats and thanks for doing it.

I like think of it as a labor in love.
It was truly an eye opening experience. I saw MIB games sell for a couple bucks with 1-2 bidders and the same unboxed game go for 10 times more with 6-7 bidders within 2 days of each other. I am half serious when I say welcome to our madness.

Merry Christmas.
Linda

[Panic Button]

Well having received my copy, I must say I'm rather disappointed. I was expecting something more complete. There were plenty of common games which didn't seem to make it into the guide including (if I remember correctly!) all the Galaxy Invaders variants, many of the CGL/Gakken games , and even Invaders From Space - which Linda uses as her avatar on this forum! Furthermore, there were 59 Game & Watch games released, but Linda only includes about 4 of them in the guide.

There didn't seem to be any logic to the order in which the games were presented - why not split into 3 sections: LED, VFD and LCD at least, and then present alphabetically.

As for the 2nd half of the guide, which is an extended form in to which you can log details of your collection, I thought was just an excuse to pad out what would otherwise be a pretty slim volume. If I wanted to be quite so anal, I'd knock something up in Word myself and print it out. Far cheaper!

If you really want to know the collectability of anything, the best thing to do is pay ebay a few dollars to access their data mining tools and go find out yourself.

[Linda]

Panic Button, I really appreciate the feedback. I'm sorry you were disappointed. I feel horrible. You were so excited. I guess all I can say is this was my first try and don't give up on me please.

From other comments I've recieved;

The theme seems to be:
1) 270 games is not nearly enough. Everyone is listing their favorite game that I forgot to mention. And I don't include many LCD games.

Gathering information for about 300 different games for two years is a lot of work. Would 500 have been better? Sure, but then I may have scrapped the project altogether and produced nothing. It was the number I thought I could manage. I would love to include all the games in one volume.

I could have added more Nintendo G&W's, but I saw a nintendo game watch price guide on sale on ebay so I thought most collectors would already have the information for the nintendo G&W's. That was a mistake on my part .


2) The lack of order.
I agree. No excuses. Well just one...

I started this out as a way to document my games not as a book for publishing and I wasn't concerned with structure. Then it became a huge project to restructure once I decided other people might be interested in. Towards the end when I had friend proofread it I realized other people did not know where the games were. It seems I memorized the game location so it didn't hit me at first.) I tried to do more of a theme type structure at the end, but it all needs restructuring.

I was think for rev 2 it would be better if it was by genre. For instance, sports, character games, space games, etc... Then break those up by football, basketball, hockey, soccer, etc.. This would help people who remember a game from their childhood to look it up without having know the manufacter or the type.

3) The game list is up in the air. Half the people love it and said leave it in the other half said take it out and reduce the price of the book. I keep going back and forth on this. I like it because I keep track of everything and forget if a game is 100% complete with instructions or if it's just boxed. To me things like that matter, but to most collectors, maybe not.
The list is pretty much online at Rik's site, but then people said they rather have a hard copy at their finger tips rather than having to login to get it. I honestly went back and forth on including it or not.

Here's what I've been thinking about.

1. I thought about releasing a quick second revision without the list.
2. Remove the list and Make the list a free download if you buy the book. (Have not been able to get this to work)


Panic Button, thanks again for your feedback. This is my first attempt at anything like this so I'm still excited. Please be patient with me. I think we can get to a pricing guide that will be beneficial to all collectors. I know it only has 270 games, but I hope it will help you.

Regards,
Linda

[Rik]

[hiparco]

Hi, i receive the watson’s guide today!!! Great. Now I wanna tell us my opinion about them: (excuse me about my English first)

I was expecting something more complete like Panic Button, more pictures of games, and the pictures with more quality, some of them are blur. I think the pictures will be bigger , because I think the people want to see the games better .
The order maybe could be by manufacturers, or LED, VFD, LCD… but not mixed.
The second part of the book, the game list, I think it’s the worst, I don’t like to write a book and I think these list you can send it by email (Rik) , or in the web store, or in another little book separately. I think it’s more important the games, and not the games list. Everybody have a database, or similar, to know how many games have..

I think in a second revision you can add more information about collectors, these will be more funny, I don’t know….

Finally I want to say you that these book it’s a great idea, it’s the first edition, and of course, it’s a lot of time and hard work (the firsts steps aren’t easy). I hope you can read all our comments and make a better book and I think you can do!!!

Congratulations for your work and keep working!

[Eggie]

Hi,

My book also received.

It's great that someone work so hard on it to make a book. It's a lot of work and takes a lot of time to make the pictures etc.

I like the collectors corner, i hope more collectors will send pictures and give some little stories. Nice to see all this games in a book.

Here a few comments to make it better for the next time:

- More, bigger and sharper pictures.
- Order by manufactors and a register (i search myself ragged).
- More LCD games like Game & Watch, to make it not to big you can place the most wanted games from the most wanted manufactors like Nintendo G&W, V-Tech, Gakken, Bandai ans so on.
- Skip the list.
- I found a few little mistakes (like Tandy Football wich is called Basketball), they can be taken out for the next time.
- By very rare games wich are bought by cheap BIN's (like Tiger TT - Space Invaders) you can give a comment that the price normal must be higher.
- If more people send pictures and stories you can make the Collectors Corner bigger
- My name in the book is spelled wrong, its: Egbert Metz and not Egbert's Metz... if you want to change it the next time

I know it is maby to much work to look for prices for every game, you can ask other collectors on the forum to give a price indication. Make a list for the games you want to place and when 3-5 people give a price you know enough. Most collectors look every day and know th prices.


Keep on working for the next book.

Greetings, Eggie

[Linda]

Eggie, Hiparco, Thanks for the feedback you guys. I truly believe the first step is the hardest. It can only get better from here.
Your feedback will help me get it right. I appreciate it.



Linda

[R.O.B.]

Can you get this book at a book store?

[Linda]

No, it's only available online.

Regards,
Linda