So I started making repros...

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

So I recently started making repro NES carts, both with new parts from Muramasa Entertainment as well as donors when necessary.  I'm only doing translations, unreleased games, and games that didn't come out in North America (unless someone wants a non-English translation), and am doing what I can to source everything myself.  I'm mostly just doing it cuz I enjoy making them, and am looking to sell some to fund my new hobby (and potentially some new additions to my collection as well).  The problem I'm having is this: Where do I actually go to SELL the damn things?  I don't wanna do eBay (can't compete with China, and the fees just aren't worth it anyway), and the local market is pretty dry for the most part.  Having not sold anywhere else, and not having made any kind of website since like 2001, I have no idea where to begin to sell.  Obviously selling on forums is an option, but it's also a limited market.  I also want to keep it small, and offer them on a to-order basis (I do have stock, but I don't want to rely on a static inventory).  So I guess my question is this: Where should I sell, and how should I set it up?  Any advice is appreciated.

[Sumez | 2,969]

Why not partner up with homebrewers or someone who are making legit products for the NES, rather than trying to pass off illegal bootlegs for profit?

Cartridge production is one of the biggest obstacles in making releases for the NES, so using those skills for mutual benefit sounds like a better solution to me than going for the black market.

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

1 minute ago, Sumez said:

Why not partner up with homebrewers or someone who are making legit products for the NES, rather than trying to pass off illegal bootlegs for profit?

Cartridge production is one of the biggest obstacles in making releases for the NES, so using those skills for mutual benefit sounds like a better solution to me than going for the black market.

I'm open to that as well, don't get me wrong.  I just have the stuff, enjoy the process, and want to allow people to play games they otherwise couldn't.  Like I said, I'm not making anything that has been released, and am using new parts whenever possible (some mappers require donors, and some games are incompatible with new boards). I'm not looking to get rich, just to recoup some of the costs I have incurred doing something I enjoy.  I'm not willing to add fakes to the marketplace, just to pursue a hobby I enjoy in a cost-effective manner.  If a homebrewer wishes to work with me to make physical copies of their games, I will happily work something out with them.

[LeatherRebel5150 | 1,056]

Having done this myself and was quite successful at it in 2012-2014ish, the simple answer is you dont have many good options. China/aliexpress has made it not worth the effort really. While it is easier than ever to sell them on ebay since they no longer delist them like they did on occasion back when I did it, theres just no point in trying to compete with the modern ones.

If you can find a store to partner with to sell them to (I also did this) it might work, but again they would have to be willing to ignore that they can get 5 for the cost of your one.

Your best bets are to either make ones that no one else does and cant, which could mean altering program to run in such a way that only you can make them or (and highest probability of success) is to use them for trading and avoid the money issue all together 

[DefaultGen | 5,414]

22 minutes ago, Sumez said:

Why not partner up with homebrewers or someone who are making legit products for the NES, rather than trying to pass off illegal bootlegs for profit?

Cartridge production is one of the biggest obstacles in making releases for the NES, so using those skills for mutual benefit sounds like a better solution to me than going for the black market.

There’s a bunch of weird games with little or no physical release. I couldn’t find the lovely “Saturn Smash Bootleg Edition” (which is actually made with permission), but did find @JamesRobot’s one of a kind work of art version of the game.

Stuff like that is very cool and very legal.

[Gloves | 11,800]

5 minutes ago, DefaultGen said:

There’s a bunch of weird games with little or no physical release. I couldn’t find the lovely “Saturn Smash Bootleg Edition” (which is actually made with permission), but did find @JamesRobot’s one of a kind work of art version of the game.

Stuff like that is very cool and very legal.

Ah yes, very legal. All strictly above the board. xD

[DefaultGen | 5,414]

Just now, Gloves said:

Ah yes, very legal. All strictly above the board. xD

Here in the states that’s just a saying now!

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

@LeatherRebel5150That's not a bad point either...the ability to trade them didn't even cross my mind tbh.  I briefly considered doing Metal Slader Glory repros because nobody else is, then I discovered WHY nobody else is (the cost is WAAAAY too high to sell at a price people would pay).  But to make a few for trade, that'd actually not be a bad idea.

@DefaultGen That's sweet!  I am personally avoiding homebrews unless I can get permission from the original creator, but I haven't had to cross that bridge yet.  Most people who want them either already have them or are seeking the "original" releases, and casual gamers are more likely to not know about them anyway.

[GPX | 1,370]

12 minutes ago, the_wizard_666 said:

@LeatherRebel5150That's not a bad point either...the ability to trade them didn't even cross my mind tbh.  I briefly considered doing Metal Slader Glory repros because nobody else is, then I discovered WHY nobody else is (the cost is WAAAAY too high to sell at a price people would pay).  But to make a few for trade, that'd actually not be a bad idea.

@DefaultGen That's sweet!  I am personally avoiding homebrews unless I can get permission from the original creator, but I haven't had to cross that bridge yet.  Most people who want them either already have them or are seeking the "original" releases, and casual gamers are more likely to not know about them anyway.

I think the trade option might be a worthwhile avenue to pursue. You can set up a sell/trade thread on here and list your wants of rough equivalent values. Might interest those with spares and wanting to own something different. Would be a good starting point IMO. 

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

6 minutes ago, GPX said:

I think the trade option might be a worthwhile avenue to pursue. You can set up a sell/trade thread on here and list your wants of rough equivalent values. Might interest those with spares and wanting to own something different. Would be a good starting point IMO. 

Well, I'd probably need to have wants of equivalent values With NES, the cheapest game I don't have is likely gonna be one of the Panesians (not sure what they're going for loose these days, but they're not gonna be ~$30-70 ).  That said, it's not hard to peruse peoples' trade lists either.  I suppose it's as good a place to start as anywhere, and if enough people like it I can always expand out from there.

[Foochie776 | 1,056]

I’d love a California raisin  

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

3 minutes ago, Foochie776 said:

I’d love a California raisin  

I'll have to get the ROM to figure out what materials I need, but it shouldn't be a problem.  I'll PM you shortly.

[Code Monkey | 2,011]

I would also probably buy a California Raisins to hold me over until I actually get the original. That's assuming it's new parts and I can get a box for it somewhere.

You may have luck with making 100 cartridges of various games and getting a booth at a convention or flea market. I know Calgary Comic And Entertainment Expo is in 80 days and they haven't cancelled it yet.

[LeatherRebel5150 | 1,056]

28 minutes ago, the_wizard_666 said:

I'll have to get the ROM to figure out what materials I need, but it shouldn't be a problem.  I'll PM you shortly.

Unrom mapper, only need 1 27c1001 eprom

edit if using a donor

Edited May 11, 2021 by LeatherRebel5150

[Dr. Morbis | 2,091]

14 minutes ago, Code Monkey said:

I know Calgary Comic And Entertainment Expo is in 80 days and they haven't cancelled it yet.

They don't have to "officially" cancel it for the probability to stay at exactly 0%.....

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

I have UNROM boards, so it's doable with all new parts.  That said, it's more than one chip because of that.  Additionally, there are two ROMs available for the game, so I'm not sure which is the more "complete" version.  But I can definitely make it.

@Code Monkey Uncle Tusk sells the box and manual: https://uncletusk.com/products/california-raisins-box-and-manual-combo-for-nintendo-nes?_pos=1&_sid=ee5266f36&_ss=r

I have all the parts on hand.  PMs will be forthcoming.

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

7 minutes ago, Dr. Morbis said:

They don't have to "officially" cancel it for the probability to stay at exactly 0%.....

I also have no interest in giving them business anymore.  Ever since they got bought out, it's gone to shit, and I'll have no part in dealing with them.

[captmorgandrinker | 1,649]

Is there a translated Law of the West?   Loved that game on the Commodore.

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

30 minutes ago, captmorgandrinker said:

Is there a translated Law of the West?   Loved that game on the Commodore.

There is.  I'll have to get the patch to test it out before I can estimate the cost (Romhacking isn't loading for some reason right now), but it should be doable unless the patch expands the ROM past the mapper's capabilities.

EDIT: Site back up, ROM patched, PM sent.

Edited May 12, 2021 by the_wizard_666

[Code Monkey | 2,011]

1 hour ago, the_wizard_666 said:

I also have no interest in giving them business anymore.  Ever since they got bought out, it's gone to shit, and I'll have no part in dealing with them.

Yes it has.

[Murray | 2,449]

4 hours ago, DefaultGen said:

There’s a bunch of weird games with little or no physical release. I couldn’t find the lovely “Saturn Smash Bootleg Edition” (which is actually made with permission), but did find @JamesRobot’s one of a kind work of art version of the game.

Stuff like that is very cool and very legal.

He got two copies that Christmas. What were the odds that The Swiss Hammer would be his secret santa that year 

Edited May 12, 2021 by Murray

[ConfusedCollector | 36]

Try etsy

[a3quit4s | 4,108]

Your communication with @Foochie776 and @captmorgandrinker are your new business plan. You can't compete with the east based on what they are already selling. You can however take requests for what people can't find and satisfy that need. I'm not sure about the legality of what you are doing here but I'm not the repro police so have at it. 

[Tanooki | 4,940]

That's a fair statement.

Like take for instance, I can't seemingly figure out how to build a recent IPS patch that takes prBoom (Doom source port) and applies it on top of the JagDoom limited port of Doom 1 on GBA and makes it like the PC game.  it's not a simple IPS patch and you're off, and so far just one canadian on ebay sells it and for a little more than i'd like with the padded out shipping so I ignore it.  I'd take that.  Another example of a unique one, perhaps a modern english translation of a cool niche game say like Wonder Project J2 for N64 by Enix, awesome little thing it is, sadly never came to the US.

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

9 hours ago, a3quit4s said:

Your communication with @Foochie776 and @captmorgandrinker are your new business plan. You can't compete with the east based on what they are already selling. You can however take requests for what people can't find and satisfy that need. I'm not sure about the legality of what you are doing here but I'm not the repro police so have at it. 

It also doesn't hurt that I'm using all new parts whenever possible, which makes even the common stuff attractive to some. But yeah, I'm mostly gonna be taking requests.  Anything I've already built will be available for sale, but I like the idea of doing them by request as well.  Also, by offering to translate languages other than English, I feel like that opens the door to a niche that isn't really being catered to either.