TurboGrafx-16 @Software Etc. (Stills from training video)

[esteban]

https://www.tg-16.com/TurboGrafx-16_Software_Etc.htm

I think Aaron might have recently acquired the TG-16 sign featured so prominently in the video.





HELP SOLVE THE MYSTERY:



Enigmatic TG-16 Sign



Watch the video.

AARON's sign:

[DragonmasterDan]

https://www.tg-16.com/TurboGrafx-16_Software_Etc.htm

I think Aaron might have recently acquired the TG-16 sign featured so prominently in the video.





HELP SOLVE THE MYSTERY:



Enigmatic TG-16 Sign



Watch the video.

Nice video, I haven't seen the old school Software Etc. logo in years.

[NightWolve]

Great work putting all that together so fast from that video! It was kind of boring at parts and I tried many times to close it down, but I couldn't resist some of the charm. ;)

[HailingTheThings]

Esty = besty. Visited the site, downloaded Dragon Spirit ost. Because Le Turbo Doodle episode put me in the mood. Also, I played the game.

:3

[cjameslv]

Wow i can't believe i watched that whole thing, it was so cheesy yet could't stop myself. 

[NecroPhile]

I couldn't handle more than 30 seconds of the video, but the screen caps are nice. 

It's crazy what companies will spend on making such training materials.

[DragonmasterDan]

I couldn't handle more than 30 seconds of the video, but the screen caps are nice. 

It's crazy what companies will spend on making such training materials.

I know right.
It's almost like they hired real non-union actors out of a classified ad in a local newspaper and used an actual software etc store location with a real video camera to record it outside of normal business hours!

[NecroPhile]

As cheesy as it is, I'm sure they spent at least $10,000 on that piece of crap, plus the cost of distributing it to each store and paying people to watch it.  And for what, so they can teach entry level employees what their manager should've been able to tell them in five minutes?

[DragonmasterDan]

As cheesy as it is, I'm sure they spent at least $10,000 on that piece of crap, plus the cost of distributing it to each store and paying people to watch it.  And for what, so they can teach entry level employees what their manager should've been able to tell them in five minutes?

I'd say counting the cost of distributing tapes and paying people to watch it sure. In the early 90s when I was old enough to do so with parental consent I started taking classes and producing cable access shows. Seriously just renting that equipment and getting free/dirt cheap actors out of a classified ad would be all that would be needed to produce that.

I'd imagine the actual production of the video context could have been done for well under 1,000.00. But yeah, actually distributing the tapes and paying people to watch that ridiculousness rather than handing out a pamphlet that says "Follow the Plan-O-Gram" obviously drove the total cost of it up.

[BlueBMW]

Man... that logo!  Takes me back for sure!

[Sarumaru]

So what's the mystery? What that sign reads? Simple, it says "Turbografx 16 system - Now Only $99.99". Now where's my hug and points??

[esteban]

So what's the mystery? What that sign reads? Simple, it says "Turbografx 16 system - Now Only $99.99". Now where's my hug and points??

I wish that it were that easy! Half a hug.

[Psycho Punch]

Nintendo Interactive Retail Store Displays

Why the Turbo never had these "cool" training videos...

[clackattack]

I studied anceint hierogliphics while I was getting my PhD at Harvard... pretty sure the lower portion of the sign is in sandscrit... Looks to read "Now Only" and I would assume the rest of it, i.e. the part we cant see, prolly is advertising a price drop.

[Sarumaru]

And what could possible come after that? THE PRICE OF 99.99 - still waiting for hugs.

[DragonmasterDan]

I read the sign as "Now Only"

It makes me wonder a bit about the timeline. I thought it was still 159.99 or so around 1991. And I thought the video was from 1991 as no sign or mention of Super NES was made.

[Sarumaru]

I read the sign as "Now Only"

It makes me wonder a bit about the timeline. I thought it was still 159.99 or so around 1991. And I thought the video was from 1991 as no sign or mention of Super NES was made.

It totally does. HUGS FOR EVERYONE

[esteban]

And what could possible come after that? THE PRICE OF 99.99 - still waiting for hugs.

Half a hug was a fair, I thought

I read the sign as "Now Only"

It makes me wonder a bit about the timeline. I thought it was still 159.99 or so around 1991. And I thought the video was from 1991 as no sign or mention of Super NES was made.

Yes, that was the next piece to tackle: the year the footage was shot:

https://archives.tg-16.com/magazine_database.htm?col=desc&val=$

(Make sure the "$" remains in there)

If you follow this link, it sorts by price. We know the TG-16 is $99.99.

August 1991 editorial lists this...but we can look to see if earlier ads/catalogs list an earlier moment for a $99.99 TG-16.

Edit: here is the same "news", but in a different magazine.

https://archives.tg-16.com/turbo_play_0008.htm#p14

Also, the video is clear enough to see Genesis games...identifying titles can help us get a ballpark guess.

[Sarumaru]

And what could possible come after that? THE PRICE OF 99.99 - still waiting for hugs.

Half a hug was a fair, I thought

Half hugs don't work. How bout a tug?

[BlueBMW]

We need to get Sarumaru and HailingTheThings together... ;)

[DragonmasterDan]

Yes, that was the next piece to tackle: the year the footage was shot:

https://archives.tg-16.com/magazine_database.htm?col=desc&val=$

(Make sure the "$" remains in there)

If you follow this link, it sorts by price. We know the TG-16 is $99.99.

August 1991 editorial lists this...but we can look to see if earlier ads/catalogs list an earlier moment for a $99.99 TG-16.

Edit: here is the same "news", but in a different magazine.

https://archives.tg-16.com/turbo_play_0008.htm#p14

Also, the video is clear enough to see Genesis games...identifying titles can help us get a ballpark guess.

Yeah, I saw Sonic noted a few places so I figured this had to have been shot in 1991 in those Summer months after Sonic came out but prior to the Super Nintendo. I also noticed the Altered Beast model Genesis on the shelf which was phased out not too soon afterwards.

[esteban]

We need to get Sarumaru and HailingTheThings together... ;)

Seriously.

[Gentlegamer]

That video was too wahjah for me.

[Sarumaru]

We need to get Sarumaru and HailingTheThings together... ;)

I think I weird him out. He's such a normy

[esteban]

Yes, that was the next piece to tackle: the year the footage was shot:

https://archives.tg-16.com/magazine_database.htm?col=desc&val=$

(Make sure the "$" remains in there)

If you follow this link, it sorts by price. We know the TG-16 is $99.99.

August 1991 editorial lists this...but we can look to see if earlier ads/catalogs list an earlier moment for a $99.99 TG-16.

Edit: here is the same "news", but in a different magazine.

https://archives.tg-16.com/turbo_play_0008.htm#p14

Also, the video is clear enough to see Genesis games...identifying titles can help us get a ballpark guess.

Yeah, I saw Sonic noted a few places so I figured this had to have been shot in 1991 in those Summer months after Sonic came out but prior to the Super Nintendo. I also noticed the Altered Beast model Genesis on the shelf which was phased out not too soon afterwards.

So, am I safe if I note that this footage was shot in first half of 1991? I don't care when the training video was actually released...I just want to date the raw footage.

[Joe Redifer]

I want that big-ass TurboGrafx-16 sign.

Also, why are the screen caps tilted?

[NightWolve]

Also, why are the screen caps tilted?

Oh come on, it's an alternate style; esteban's trying to be flashy, stylish, produce atypical web presentations, etc.



In moderate use, it's cool. I guess it could get annoying if overused though.

It's not too different from these:



Why must everything be straight, Joe ?? Can't some things be crooked/tilted, some of the time ?? ;)

[HailingTheThings]

We need to get Sarumaru and HailingTheThings together... ;)

I think I weird him out. He's such a normy

I am?

[Sarumaru]

We need to get Sarumaru and HailingTheThings together... ;)

I think I weird him out. He's such a normy

I am?

Ok... I take that back 

[clackattack]

And what could possible come after that? THE PRICE OF 99.99 - still waiting for hugs.

X2 on the hugs! We got it figured out im pretty sure ;)

[DragonmasterDan]

So, am I safe if I note that this footage was shot in first half of 1991? I don't care when the training video was actually released...I just want to date the raw footage.

The fact that Sonic shows in a few places makes me think between May and August 1991.

[esteban]

So, am I safe if I note that this footage was shot in first half of 1991? I don't care when the training video was actually released...I just want to date the raw footage.

The fact that Sonic shows in a few places makes me think between May and August 1991.

Excellent, I will use that.

[esteban]

I want that big-ass TurboGrafx-16 sign.

Also, why are the screen caps tilted ?

Just click on the "tilted" thumbnail for a huge, non-tilted raw screen capture.

And NightWolve is correct—I wanted to try something fun....print and web design, most often, seems to be "too flashy" or "too bland"...

Plus, you can always look at the non-adulterated originals.

[Groover]

WoW, I just watched that whole thing. I was looking for years on the Sports games but they hadn't started that till later. Sonic is a big one also the absence of an SNES seems to be May or June. Sonic came out on June 23rd 1991 in the US.

Also old video game signage would be cool.

[esteban]

WoW, I just watched that whole thing. I was looking for years on the Sports games but they hadn't started that till later. Sonic is a big one also the absence of an SNES seems to be May or June. Sonic came out on June 23rd 1991 in the US.

Also old video game signage would be cool.

I liked Lemmings, but would I want a huge lemming cardboard sign like the one on the video.

No.

Or am I saying that because I really would want it but afraid to admit it? Hmmmm....



UPDATE: If Aaron wasn't busy working on 80 different projects, he'd be able to tell us if his sign resembles the one in the video.

LINK TO AARON's sign: https://www.pcengine-fx.com/forums/index.php?topic=17082.msg385611#msg385611

[Joe Redifer]

OK I thought you were tilting them just for the forum, I didn't see that you created an entire web page dedicated to this amazing training video.

[Gentlegamer]

I would love to have these signs, I could build the most embarrassing nerd room ever

[ccovell]

Lemmings PC came out May 1991
MS-DOS 5.0, June 1991
Mario Andretti's Racing Challenge PC... 20 August 1991
Where in America's Past is Carmen Sandiego? PC... 15 Sept. 1991

Now, the last one might be a promotional box only, but all of the above were easy enough to see in the video.  So the filming date looks like it is August or September 1991.

(But where was the SNES?)

[DragonmasterDan]

Lemmings PC came out May 1991
MS-DOS 5.0, June 1991
Mario Andretti's Racing Challenge PC... 20 August 1991
Where in America's Past is Carmen Sandiego? PC... 15 Sept. 1991

Now, the last one might be a promotional box only, but all of the above were easy enough to see in the video.  So the filming date looks like it is August or September 1991.

(But where was the SNES?)

SNES came out August 22nd or so of 1991. Stores might have been a week or so late in actually stocking it. So August 1991 sounds right.

[PCEngineFX]

Yes, my sign IS the one in the video.

Crazy how the sign and the video have just now popped up!

[Bernie]

Yes, my sign IS the one in the video.

Crazy how the sign and the video have just now popped up!

He lives!    Good to see ya active there Aaron.

[esteban]

Yes, my sign IS the one in the video.

Crazy how the sign and the video have just now popped up!

Hahahahahshashs! I know, right?

And, I wasn't even looking for TG-16 stuff on YouTube when that video popped up. AND, I wasn't going to even watch it, but I said, "Just a few minutes..."

Thanks for confirming.

[Joe Redifer]

Like, the exact literal sign in the video? As in your sign, the one you have in your possession right now watched this video be made? Or do you have a sign exactly like it.

[esteban]

Like, the exact literal sign in the video? As in your sign, the one you have in your possession right now watched this video be made? Or do you have a sign exactly like it.

Via PM, we confirmed that it is actually the exact same sign. 5 pieces of evidence confirm it:

(1) on the back of the sign, a short note is written in a silver gray marker ("Keith wiz here '89")

(2) dried flan (visible in the video at 3:33) on the "G" of "Grafx"

(3) Undisclosed.

(4) Undisclosed.

(5) several threads of colorful silk were caught on the mounting bracket (behind the sign), consistent with a genie costume.

[PCEngineHell]

After watching this video I am now sure that I am fully prepared to manage a 1990s Software Etc. installed in one of the many Middle American malls. I shall now construct a time machine, and prepare myself for my new venture into the world of 1990s retail.

[esteban]

After watching this video I am now sure that I am fully prepared to manage a 1990s Software Etc. installed in one of the many Middle American malls. I shall now construct a time machine, and prepare myself for my new venture into the world of 1990s retail.

Hahahahahshashs. Just follow the marketing plan, and make sure your endcaps are appealing. You'll be fine.

[technozombie]

I used to work at Software Etc, started in Nov. of 1999. I later became the manager but that wasn't until around 2002 and it was Gamestop by then.

[PCEngineHell]

With all the phantasms that seem to have appeared over night in their stores to haunt the lowly but highly witty night shift guy, I'm surprised you managed to last that long. Surely every store they had was also haunted too.

[technozombie]

With all the phantasms that seem to have appeared over night in their stores to haunt the lowly but highly witty night shift guy, I'm surprised you managed to last that long. Surely every store they had was also haunted too.

When I worked there Playstation was the big system, Dreamcast was out but didn't command the shelf space of Ps1. Anyways, we always gutted a copy to put on the floor, just as they do now.  One day this little girl comes in and wants to buy the last copy Mary Kate and Ashley: Winners Circle.  Oddly enough the girl seems too young to be walking around the mall by herself but I think, "Oh well she's got money that's all that matters."  The next morning I open the store and I'm going about my routine alphabetizing games, and holy shit what do I find, Mary Kate and Ashley: Winners Circle. I know I sold the last one, so I think, "Well her parents must have made her return it," and I go about my business. So later that day the same little girl walks in, and proceeds to re-buy the game. I didn't ring her up but I saw that it was the same girl.  The next day I was off, then the following day I work the evening shift. So I was talking with my co-worker who opened the store that morning and jokingly told him about that girl buying the game and then coming back the next day and buying it again. He looks at me like WTF? "She came in yesterday while you were off and again this morning."  I begin furiously digging through the return log and looking up past transactions and it was never returned. Just bought over and over. The next day the same there it is, on the shelf waiting for the creepy girl to come back and buy it again, but this time I get it and I break the disc in half and mark it as defective in inventory. So later on, like clockwork she comes in and she picks up the case which I forgot take off the shelf. I then say,"You can't buy that the disc is broken." She then looks me dead in the eye and says, its ok I'll still pay Tree Fiddy.

[PCEngineHell]

I think the most important part of that story was that she wasn't vaccinated for measles.