SNES game source + dev paperwork price check.

Hi fellow members,

I have some doubt about a price.
I have the full source of a big SNES game (Tintin), complete with Binaries/master, all data (anim, sprite, sound, code, ICE debug, etc...) and all the paperwork, planning and such who goes around from the development.
I even have the official SNES Nintendo driver hand tailored to make it stand (it was rough when given by Nintendo). The archive is exhaustive.

So my question is: seeing the usual prices of a proto or sample cartridge and given its only a time-framed version of the game, how much is worth a full SNES game source (who's compile righlty and given the fact there is only two SNES game sources released and it was two poor games) ?

beside are two litlle shots of only two folder and the directory.





Thanks for your answers.

 

I think source code of old games should be shared to everybody, and not sold, but that's only my point of view
Besides, you shouldn't compare it to prototypes, which cannot be «cloned» (you can dump the rom, but the cartidg is still unique). Source code can be copied multiple times, and hasn't the same value for a collector.

 

I think it's the exact opposit: proto can be cloned... if you have the source ! The source is the seed of all proto or unreleased componments of a game.
And about "Source code can be copied multiple times, and hasn't the same value for a collector": I agree if (and only if) the source was released. But we are talking about a unreleased game. You cannot have it anywhere.
Until it will be released there's just one version of the source beside the one which is in company archive.
SNES game source (and a relatively big one) is way rarer then proto (quantitatively wise and by essence), there's only 2 SNES sources publicly released yet and none of a big game (a space invader and Blob if I remember correctly).

May be I make a mistake but I was thinking about proto collectors looking for proto to got unreleased code, by side to have a nice object (cartridge) to add the physical collection. But the finality and the value is depending of the code inside the ROM socketed on the proto.

Anyway thank you for your reply.

 

Collectors always want to know the differents to final, sourcecode or build rom. I dont know what the files include.
So a possible solution is to build a rom of the source and show them.
On the tintin source you offer, i think about a price under 500€ is realistic.

 

In my opinion, most people won't be very technical so I think Jackhead got it right. Looking at/possessing source code won't really sway people as an incentive to buy, since they won't even know what to do with it. People want instant gratification, so they just wanna plug in a cartridge, play the game, and see whats unique about the build. Only the most technical or die-hard fan would care about the source code.

 

@ Trenton' & Jackhead: Got it. It make better sens to me.
in short, the stuff worth it but as few people realize what's the true valor of a source, it's only worth the price fixed by the Offer & Demand.
Got my mind more peacefull now... Thanks guys.

edit: @ Jackhead: The archive had some Master Binaries (one rom in Two parts) arleady built.
I will not go to mess with old files (if I even could) to compile an old version based on the different state of the work present to show the possible differences. sorry.

 

I should say, there are people who would be VERY interested in the source from a technical point of view. For example, for people trying to do homebrew development on the system, these source releases can be a goldmine, especially when they include system-specific development headers, tools and compilers that weren't previously available. Unfortunately from your point of view, you'll find those people are also the ones very practical minded, and won't buy this stuff from an emotional/collector's point of view, and so they won't pay a lot of money for it. For example, I might pay $50 for this source bundle, but not more than that, even though if this was released, I'd probably spend a lot of hours digging through it, and I don't even develop on the SNES.

All that said, there are exceptions. Get your hands on the source for a Sonic, Mario, or Donkey Kong game for example, and you can probably name your price. I'd drop $1000 on the source for a classic Mega Drive Sonic game for example, easily. Get a community interested, and they'll pool funds to hit even higher targets.

 

As per the rules, you need a photo of the actual item with your forum name on a piece of paper. Whilst a screenshot is great, it can be faked so doesn't constitute a validation photo (hence the validation being on paper). Which Tintin game?

As for the question, the difficulty with source code is that it is more usable than a 20 year old cartridge to developers. As such, you might have the IP holders chasing you more readily if you attempt to sell it. Not saying you will, but it's something to consider. Of course, you need a licence to release Tintin games, so it probably wouldn't be an issue. The other issue would be that, to a collector, it's just files. Once they're out there, they're pretty much worthless. If, however, you have an original disk with credible source proof (Infogrames printed label for example), then that has value in itself and would probably escalate the value over 'just' the source code on a TDK disk.

 

How can he get a photo of something which is only data ?

 

Read the title again.

 

Well, the second pic has a "DOC" folder open. Maybe it's a misunderstanding and the "paper"work is also just files?

 

A screenshot is still unacceptable. It's possible to put a piece of paper in front of your monitor and photograph it, you know. And it's highly unlikely that files from the Nineties didn't come on some form of backup media. We want to see the media. Again, there's a whole heap of difference between a Sega silk screened GD-ROM and a file you downloaded off the Internet (just an example)... which would also affect price.

 

That was my guess too, as he didn't have any problem by taking pictures on his other thread.

He opened Notepad to write his own nickname, how can a photo of his screen with a paper be better ?
But we don't really know if the «paperwork» is files or real paper, which will indeed change the value of this.

 

I get where you're coming from, retro.

A piece of paper makes it (ever-so-slightly) harder to photoshop your own name into the pic, if you decide to be an a-hole and try to sell the same goods without actually having them.

 

The rules clearly state:

It CLEARLY says on paper. Not Notepad. The reason, as rso said, is that Notepad can be faked (much more easily).

Furthermore, the rules also state:

I suggest if you feel the need to argue with staff in future, take a deep breath, count to 10... and then refrain from making that post.

Thread closed.