How important is The Box

[+Cafeman]

In researching costs for Koffi: Yellow Kopter, it seems that the most expensive item is the creation and printing of a box.

 

It very well could add $10 to the price of each cart! Well, there is more than one way to make and print a box and the $10 option is the best quality one that I've found.

 

It also takes effort to fold the cardboard correctly for each individual box.

 

So my question is -- just how important is having a nice Box to your wanting to buy a homebrew game? Do the 2600 games all come with nice boxes, or what is the situation there? I'm still pondering many things and haven't decided either way yet, but if making a box does nothing but drive up the cost and cause hours of extra labor and pain&suffering , then I'd rather not bother.

 

What are your thoughts?

[+Cafeman]

I should also mention that Koffi:Yellow Kopter would have admittedly EXCELLENT art & design on it's box, its done by Dave G who also drew the label art. See the Koffi dev page to refresh your memory & see the label.

[Skatepunk60]

Hey man .. count me in for a Koffi .. as long as it has a manual .. im set

[+Cafeman]

"As long as it has a manual" -- is that because you want to know how to play it, or as a collector you simply MUST have a manual?

 

BTW, there has GOT to be instructions, I noticed at Philly nobody had the patience to beat the demo's first level. I shoulda made it easier, but hey, I've been playing it for 4 months.

[Skatepunk60]

Its a little of both .. why would it be more expensve to come w/ a manual?

[Skatepunk60]

How much .. estimate is it cart alone .. cart w/ manual and CIB?

[+Cafeman]

There will be a manual. It's the BOX that is the expensive item.

[Skatepunk60]

Then dont include it ... Just get a bag and put the manual in front

[atari70s]

BOX BOX BOX i must get a box. what you shoudl do is spend the money on boxes but then do a limited limited release on boxes

 

 

like 50 cart only # to 50

and 25 boxed one s # to 25

 

i want one with a box. please ill pay the extra money

[+Cafeman]

http://cafeman.www9.50megs.com/atari/5200d...structions.html

 

By the way, I've been keeping online instructions there. They will continue to change as the gameplay gets more refined.

[CosmicJoke]

Cafeman

quote

So my question is -- just how important is having a nice Box to your wanting to buy a homebrew game? Do the 2600 games all come with nice boxes, or what is the situation there? I'm still pondering many things and haven't decided either way yet, but if making a box does nothing but drive up the cost and cause hours of extra labor and pain&suffering

 

If I remember a previous thread correctly, you are from the North Huntingdon/Irwin area? I could probably volunteer my help with assembling some boxes My mother lives in your area still and I visit occasionally. I could probably coordinate a visit with helping you assemble the boxes. I don't think I would be much help with anything else though.

[+Cafeman]

Thanks for the offer, CK ... I'll let you know when the time comes!

 

I also meant to ask (because I don't know) -- do the 2600 homebrews typically come with a box, or not?

 

Speaking more of the Box, I like my Bugs Bunny box too. But I scoffed a bit at Bugs' $45 price! An 8K 2600 game costing that much! But having a nice box and manual adds to the base costs, I'm learning that.

 

Well, it seems of the 2 or 3 folks who responded, the box seems desirable. Of course, I plan on making about 100 Koffi's! Anybody else want to comment on this?

 

If it seems that folks don't mind forking out the extra $10 or so for a box, I'd feel better about going through the effort and cost.

[eric_ruck]

Given a choice I probably wouldn't want to pay extra for a box so long as no one was getting a box. Basically, as a collector I want all the pieces, but if there never was a box, I'm fine with that. I might even put somewhere in the instructions that the original didn't come with a box.

 

Eric

[Skatepunk60]

Eric said it .. Took the words right out of my mouth .. thanks

[TunnelRunner]

Okay, my opinion on boxes....

If you just collect to play or fill in holes in your library, you don't have to sweat the box (and in most cases the manual, too).

But if you want to get those prized carts out of shoeboxes and up onto a shelf so you can let the world know you finally got BBSB, then boxes are the completion of your collection. I happen to prefer my vintage games in their boxes because that's half the presentation. I'm a graphic artist and tech writer, so I appreciate the value a box with exciting artwork gives to a video game. In most cases the artwork was much more exciting than the game itself!

I feel Ron's game, Koffi: Yellow Kopter, should have at least the option of a box to house it in. The artwork generated for his box and label is first-rate, and would really add to a complete CIB 5200 library. I've been building Atari-style boxes for my reproduction prototypes, and have made myself available to help Ron and a couple others with their projects. So sure, make Koffi available with and without the box. I am working on a way to bring the cost down, but as most of you know there's no real interest in making a profit on any venture concerning old video games. It's for the love of the hobby we do this, hopefully we won't lose our shirts in the process. Say, what do you think of a generic box for lab loaners?

TunnelRunner

[ATARIPITBULL]

I for one sure hope you make the boxes!, a great looking box for your fun game is what you need and don't worry about it jacking up the price another $10, people will pay it.

I just love the box my copy of Bugs Bunny has, it just has that old Atari look and feel to it and the same goes for Elevator Action. It may be a pain in the ass to put the boxes together but in the end it would all be worth it for your game, I know I for one would buy two copies of it.