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I'm getting sick of the used games from EB Games where the discs are badly scratched, why don't they resurface them before selling them? Also what are people doing with their game discs? Are they using them as coasters because a lot of the used PS2 games I buy from EB Games are dirty and scratched to hell.
Solution: Don't buy from EB games/Gamestop. I have only had maybe three games I bought used that where really fucked up. And that's outta 200+ games.
Ask to see the disks before you buy, if they present you with a scratched one ask if they have another, if they don't then just leave it.
because that takes time and time=money and if the game only sells for $6 its not worth it to them. Besides, they usually test to see if they work (or maybe that's just play n trade...) and if it works, who cares. As far as collecting is concerned, a resurfaced disc is no different from a scratched disc, both have been altered from its initial pressing. I think they may offer a resurface if it doesn't work and they don't have another copy, that may vary by store though (or price, a $40 game is more likely to get you better service than a $5 one since they don't want to give up $40). If you want nice collector quality games, eBay is pretty much the only way to go unless you can just get lucky and find a nice condition game locally. People that sell on eBay are usually somewhat collectors themselves (unless its a store, but even then they usually care more) whereas all the games at gamestop are trade ins from frat boys, rhino ass kids, and other dumbasses that are willing to give up their $60 new PS3 game for $5 cash instead of putting a little effort into taking care of it and selling it on eBay for $40+Quote:
Originally Posted by Psy
And who's fault is that? GameStop/EB is mostly the one that is driving prices of PS2 games down so soon it is like GameStop/EB doesn't know if it should flush its PS2 stock or not, while they sell even new PS2 games for dirt cheap PS2 games still takes up over half of the shelf space of a GameStop/EB store and that doesn't include their bargain bins that are usually jam packed with XBox and PS2 games (and even then most of the PS2 titles at GameStop are less known titles are the popular titles are quickly snatched up at those prices.Quote:
Originally Posted by 17daysolderthannes
Because it might only work because the games hasn't access the damaged part.Quote:
Originally Posted by 17daysolderthannes
Except a professional resurfacing looks just like a originally pressed disc so you can't tell without professional equipment to measure the width of the CD.Quote:
Originally Posted by 17daysolderthannes
I had bad experience buying hardware on E-Bay, getting semi-functional systems the lister posted as in good working order.Quote:
Originally Posted by 17daysolderthannes
This.Quote:
Originally Posted by playgen
You can tell. Just look at the disc at an agle and you can see the rings from where it was resurfaced. It's noticeable from a glance.Quote:
Originally Posted by Psy
There's only so much material you can take off a disc. It's not uncommon for someone to buy a used game, keep it for a while, then sell it back. That means the disc might have at a minimum two times the material cut off. EB games used to re-cut discs for $2 no problem. Now they only do it if you *really* complain about the game not working (and it being the last in stock). Otherwise they manager tells customers that the machine (which is out in open) is broken - which it's not. At least this is true for the EB games near me. Maybe there was a class action law-suit against EB games or Gamestop at one time. Dunno. I do know that the machines are almost all but gone from the stores.
You do know professionals can also buff the resurfaced disc flat, I had it done with a Saturn disc and it is now completely flat on the surface and looks brand new.Quote:
Originally Posted by Melf
I've never seen a refurbished disc at EB or Gamestop done that well. I doubt their employees would take the time to do it.
I wasn't talking about EB/GameStop I was talking about independent CD repair shops.Quote:
Originally Posted by Melf
Well, since the thread is discussing EB Games, I assumed you were referring to them. :p
An independent shop has more of a reason to make their games look "not refurbished." EB adn GS really don't care enough to make the effort. That's why I always ask to look at the discs before buying. If they don't like it or don't have a clean disc, no sale.
Game Stop/EB (same damn place now) are both on my growing list of evil corporations that I will never set foot into. Bad quality, bad customer service, total collapse in terms of selection (EB used to be AWESOME, what the F happened?).
Game Stop is going to surpass Ikea as my most hated of all places soon.
I think one trick people tend to underestimate is a simple cleaning of the CD surface with rubbing alcohol and a lint free cloth. I have bought god knows how many used CD games (well over 100, possibly as many as 300 or more), many of them scratched to hell, and rarely if ever have had the game freeze or glitch after cleaning them. The part that is scratched is just a layer of polycarbonate plastic, the scratch has to be very deep and angled just right that it obstructs the laser to mess up gameplay. Keep in mind also that all data CDs use sophisticated data correction techniques so even several scratches doesn't necessarily mean there will be problems. Usually things like dirty fingerprints and general floor sludge is the culprit rather than the scratches.
I have only bought one used game, ever, that glitched to the point it was unplayable (obviously music skips or FMV skips don't make a game unplayable, and those are extremely infrequent as well) and I could tell almost certainly that it wouldn't work before I bought it based on the severity of the scratches (and EB took it back no questions asked as well). Also, I didn't know I could clean games with rubbing alcohol back then so maybe a simple cleaning would've done the trick.
I think game resurfacing should only be used as an absolute last resort because, as mentioned before, A.) usually its half assed and leaves buff marks and B.) it can only be done a finite amount of times before nothing can be done. I have a copy of Contra Shattered Soldier for PS2 that has been resurfaced and it has a hard time being recognized by my PS2. I sometimes have to insert and remove it 5 or more times to get it to work. Once it boots it plays no problem, but before that it can be a chore. It may just be that CD (blue bottom) PS2 games are just finicky since I have another game I bought new that requires multiple tries to be recognized, so its hard to say which is at fault.
as long as I can get PS2 games for pennies, they are OK with me. I guess part of that is because I almost exclusively buy games and very rarely sell them (in fact I've only sold games once, and that was technically a trade, and I always intended to trade them anyway). If I had my way, every game would cost 25¢ complete/shipped because exclusivity and resale value mean nothing to me.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tanegashima
That can happen anywhere. I was going to buy a Sega CD from play n trade once and when I opened it up I noticed the spindle that sits in the lid was completely out (in other words, broken). Did the eBay seller make an attempt to refund or replace your system(s)? I bought a dreamcast before on eBay and it came exactly as described, in much better shape than any I've ever seen for sale at a video game store. Systems that sit at video game stores take lots of abuse from kids picking up and dropping them or just general shelf shuffling, at least eBay systems are usually being sold by the original owner so there's a chance its still in good shape. If both had a warranty/guarantee I'd rather buy from an eBay seller in most cases to be honest.Quote:
Originally Posted by Psy