Did I buy a fake!? Help!

[TheAlphaOmegaX3]

Hello community. I need your help. I ordered Cosmic Fantasy 2 for TG16 and as soon as I open the box today, a red flag went off. The disc was not in the case, but laying on top. After a wth moment and a quick glance something felt off. I turned the disc over and it plainly reads JVC. Please help. Thank you.

[sirhcman]

You've been bamboozled. Sorry

[TheAlphaOmegaX3]

You've been bamboozled. Sorry

What should the bottom read? Manufacturers / numbers? That is what I was afraid of. Web site or pics that I can use for proof before attempting to vet my money back?

[Gredler]

What should the bottom read? Manufacturers / numbers? That is what I was afraid of. Web site or pics that I can use for proof before attempting to vet my money back?

[CrackTiger]

You've been bamboozled. Sorry

What should the bottom read? Manufacturers / numbers? That is what I was afraid of. Web site or pics that I can use for proof before attempting to vet my money back?

Doesn't matter. If it's a cdr it's fake.

Where did you buy it from?

[NecroPhile]

I vote that you give us pics, including pics of the disc and paper goods.

If you want to see what a real one looks like, there's no shortage of 'em on ebay.

[TheAlphaOmegaX3]

Ebay.    Yeah. USA seller.

[SignOfZeta]

Is it actually a CD-R and you're asking if it's a fake?

You apparently aren't old enough to to remember 1991. There were no CD-Rs.

[TheAlphaOmegaX3]

Is it actually a CD-R and you're asking if it's a fake?

You apparently aren't old enough to to remember 1991. There were no CD-Rs.

LOL! I was 11 years old then. I remember some stuff lol. I guess Im not on the up and up on cd manufacturing. Sorry about that. The disc "looks" legit but I do not know much beyond that. Hell JVC could have made all TG16 disc and I wouldn't know the difference. Hence why I'm asking. Sorry if its like a basic 101 question.

[Otaking]

Is it actually a CD-R and you're asking if it's a fake?

You apparently aren't old enough to to remember 1991. There were no CD-Rs.

LOL! I was 11 years old then. I remember some stuff lol. I guess Im not on the up and up on cd manufacturing. Sorry about that. The disc "looks" legit but I do not know much beyond that. Hell JVC could have made all TG16 disc and I wouldn't know the difference. Hence why I'm asking. Sorry if its like a basic 101 question.

Is the underside of the disc blue? that's the first sign of it's a CDR, normal pressed discs are silver.

[jtucci31]

To be fair the original CF2 US disc does kind of look fake anyway, the disc art looks really weird

[bob]

Ebay.    Yeah. USA seller.

are you saying you got it on ebay?  post link to the completed auction if so

[Sarumaru]

All these follow ups when he could have just posted a picture and be done with it.

[NecroPhile]

Where exactly does it say "JVC"?  I don't have mine in front of me to check, but if it's in the hub markings that just means that JVC pressed the discs.

[Keith Courage]

Just took a look at mine and it does indeed say JVC on the metal ring that is in the center of the disc. It is an original copy and yes the artwork on the CD does look a little grainy/blurry. They all look like that. case closed.

[TheAlphaOmegaX3]

All these follow ups when he could have just posted a picture and be done with it.

Rodger that tough guy. I'm working on it. Phone is having issues. I will post pic's and please do throw your two cents in.

[Sadler]

It was hard to get a good pic, but here's what my Cosmic Fantasy 2 looks like:

[bob]

if it says "CARE4DATA" then its legit

[Sarumaru]

All these follow ups when he could have just posted a picture and be done with it.

Rodger that tough guy. I'm working on it. Phone is having issues. I will post pic's and please do throw your two cents in.

[NecroPhile]

Ha!  Dis thread just got good!

[bob]

"dumb buyers"

[TheAlphaOmegaX3]

It's a huge pic, but at least you can see it.

/IMG_20160526_153704_695_1.jpg

[TheAlphaOmegaX3]

Sarumaru, lmao! Thanks Keith for the info. Then I guess I'm in the clear. The JVC thing and the blurry art did make my mind race with all things that are bad. I did put it in and fire it up and the first thing that popped on screen was Imagesoft logo. If that's the way it was design then so be it.

[SignOfZeta]

Hey uh...you should probably learn the difference between a CD-R and a factory pressed disc if you're going to be buying this stuff.


I mean...at the absolute *minimum*.


Cosmic Fantasy is a pretty shitty release. The cardboard outer box is probably the ugliest TG-16 art there is. The disc art is at least a reproduction of a good picture; but it's printed in that thick gloppy WD style so it ends up just being a dark overly saturated smear. The book just has a logo on it. It totally sucks, which is too bad since it's not like they didn't have terrific art already.

[ginoscope]

if it says "CARE4DATA" then its legit

LOL nice that is the Hudson seal of approval.

[bob]

who would fake probably the most common turbo game in exisistence?  people think KC is way too common, but at least it intentionally sold 1:1 with console. 
didnt working designs print like 3x as many copies of CF2 as there were CD systems sold?

[Sarumaru]

who would fake probably the most common turbo game in exisistence?  people think KC is way too common, but at least it intentionally sold 1:1 with console. 
didnt working designs print like 3x as many copies of CF2 as there were CD systems sold?

Indeed. They felt their first CD release was quite ambitious and figured it would get folks to buy more consoles. Funny how that all worked out.

[TheAlphaOmegaX3]

Hey uh...you should probably learn the difference between a CD-R and a factory pressed disc if you're going to be buying this stuff.


I mean...at the absolute *minimum*.


Cosmic Fantasy is a pretty shitty release. The cardboard outer box is probably the ugliest TG-16 art there is. The disc art is at least a reproduction of a good picture; but it's printed in that thick gloppy WD style so it ends up just being a dark overly saturated smear. The book just has a logo on it. It totally sucks, which is too bad since it's not like they didn't have terrific art already.

Sir yes sir! I'll admit since these games are highly collectable and in demand I need more knowledge. Never worried before since most of my classic purchasing was cart based and I know what to look for on them. As always thanks everyone who post a comment, pics, and opinions. All is welcome. Even sarcasm lol.

[SignOfZeta]

who would fake probably the most common turbo game in exisistence?  people think KC is way too common, but at least it intentionally sold 1:1 with console. 
didnt working designs print like 3x as many copies of CF2 as there were CD systems sold?

Indeed. They felt their first CD release was quite ambitious and figured it would get folks to buy more consoles. Funny how that all worked out.

I can't speak for anyone else but CF2 was in fact one of the reasons I bought a Duo. Of course, this was because of magazine coverage, not because of their garbage packaging.

[johnnykonami]

I can't speak for anyone else but CF2 was in fact one of the reasons I bought a Duo. Of course, this was because of magazine coverage, not because of their garbage packaging.

I had already had my Duo for a while when I got it, but I definitely remember the glut of magazine ads.  Between that, my interest in anime at the time, and having owned all the Working Designs turbochip releases on my TG16 previously, I probably would have bought anything they released.

It's funny you mention the packaging, the box is one of the only boxes I managed to hang onto in Turbo Collection and it's easily some of the worst art out there.  Never understood why they couldn't just request some Japanese promotional art.  Same drawing was used in the magazine ads.

Now I am blurry on the time line, but I remember the magazine ads for Cotton sticking out to me.  There's another case where it was a pretty weeaboo-centric game artwork-wise and they just went with what was probably the official Japanese artwork in the ads.  I picked up Cotton because of the ad for sure.  Didn't really like it that much though.  I traded it away over usenet for another game at some point.  I think CF2 is a lousy RPG but it has some charm mainly in the cinematics and music.  Still have it though!  I made some poor fiscal decisions related to my Turbo collection over the years.

[xcrement5x]

Yeah, Working Designs never really liked games that were just silver with silkscreened text.  They would eventually go on to get much better at doing full disc art, as the variants on Lunar (excluding the Sega press) are quite well done, and many of their other Sega CD titles as well. 

[martinine]

who would fake probably the most common turbo game in exisistence?  people think KC is way too common, but at least it intentionally sold 1:1 with console. 
didnt working designs print like 3x as many copies of CF2 as there were CD systems sold?

This so much. Right before WD was closing shop. My buddy and I were trying to buy copies of any old stock they had left. He ordered CF2 and I ordered Lunar 2. They sent him 2 copies of CF2 and told him to give one to a friend. I only got 1 copy of Lunar 2 haha. Wish I had ordered Parasol Stars or Cadash as well, but I was consumed with Lunar back then, and I really only had enough cash for one game. He gave me the other copy.

I still have both games. I never got to play CF2 until last year because I never had a cd drive for my Turbo. Bought my Duo and was quickly a little disappointed with CF2. The battle system grates me a little, but I had a good time finishing a game I had sitting new in the box for almost 15 years! It's also the only box I kept around too. I bought almost all my HuCards used back in the day. My parents were displeased that I had purchased "yet another" gaming system, so I didn't get handed many new Turbo games.

[SignOfZeta]

The battle system in the US CF2 is probably the worst of any RPG I've ever played. It sucked to begin with, then WD made it slightly worse.

[jlued686]

Yeah, CF2 is crazy common. When I was rebuilding my Turbo library, I bought one off of WD's website for like $20. Brand-spanking new.

I have a soft-spot for the game, though. When I was a kid, it was the first RPG I ever finished. I absolutely loved it.

[johnnykonami]

I bought Lunar 2 the same way, off the WD website.  Wish I had bought more stuff from them but I couldn't have afforded it at the time.

[geise]

In case you want Exile it says the same shit.  MFD BY JVC , So... don't freak out when you get it.

[NightWolve]

That's weird, so you read out the JVC in reverse and that's what set off a "red flag" to you even though it was a pressed disc with factory labeling. I figured the front was somehow rubbed off from poor handling/care or something given the unusual material the CD was coated with and you read it from that side - wonder if that would show through.

But anyway, no, Cosmic Fantasy 2 was never targeted for bootlegging/unlicensed reprinting. Not yet anyway and the attempts to fake originals were really limited to Sapphire - Tobias' other stuff was CD-R which is obvious (Space Fantasy Zone) and taking Bonknuts' NES2PCE fan "hackulation" work for Rockman/Megaman and pressing factory CDs with it. Most of his future pressed stuff thereafter was branded with "PCE Works" using custom labeling/artwork with no attempts to deceive/fake originality/authenticity.

In short, you only mainly have to worry about the fakeness of a Sapphire CD.

I bought Lunar 2 the same way, off the WD website.  Wish I had bought more stuff from them but I couldn't have afforded it at the time.

I called them up to buy Parasol Stars for $9.99. They still had new copies of CF2 at the time for $29.99, but I had already bought a used copy for less (as I'm OCD and take care of my stuff, I regret not getting it new though). It's too bad, I remember she told me localization work on CF4 started, I had asked about new projects, but they had to quit given the Turbo Duo was dying in the US right about then. Can't remember where I bought Cadash, but I got that used also, likely from the ads in the back of gaming magazines. Exile 1 & 2 I know I bought from Turbo Zone Direct nice and new!

[SignOfZeta]

I guess the generation that doesn't pay for CDs anymore never even learned the difference between a CDR and a CD.

Which, I guess, dates us more than anything. We remember when CDR came out because it was revolutionary. Nevermind the games, just being able to make your own audio CDs was a paradigm shift in home recording. Since we were alive during the reletively brief period where only massive facilities could made CDs he sounds like a total moron but we're basically splitting hairs over the technological history of the buggy whip at this point.

That being said, it's not exactly an ancient lost science...

[ClodBusted]

I know the time back then in the late 90s, when some guy in my class sold lots of brand new PC games burned on CD-R to practically the whole school. Or at least it felt like the whole school to me. For 10 DM a piece, he made a good deal, I think. I once went to his place and saw his room stacked with two or three of those pop-out CD-R shelves that were made to maximize available space.

Amazing times.


About those disc polishing machines, when I bought a used DOA2 for PS2, the shop owner put the disc through a small machine first. You know it had a rough past, since a small sticker on the top said it was once prison stock. Came out afterwards pretty nice and plays like a champ still today.