Desperate request: GBA (possibly also N64 and GBC) - Various games - Euro/PAL

[groovemeister]

I do have all of the original boxes for these games.  My scanner has a scan res of 600 x 2400 dpi - I don't know how that compares with other scanners used for this, but TBH if someone can make me these slips I'd QUITE HAPPILY send them the boxes to do with as they wish, and hopefully this would expand the PAL territory scans a fair old bit, but if mine is good enough then that saves a lot of hassle.

OK, let me start of by saying that cardboard game boxes have caused me years of frustration, anxiety... and almost a nervous breakdown (in combination with other things).  I've got an obsessive disorder (although I'm no fruitloop - apart from that I'm a pretty well rounded guy :p ) and gaming to me is such an integral part of my life and the packaging for these games means so much to me.

I have spent weeks trying to organise just which boxes I need to replace by sending GBA games back to retailers as there was a dent or a bash on a box, we're talking up to 5 times for just 1 game here.  I'm still going through this with a few of the games I have  - I STILL haven't managed to perfect all of my game boxes after years of mucking around.  To show my gratitude I'd also be dumping quite hefty sum of cash towards the project, which is obviously only fair considering the workload and would still probably be cheaper than  the amount of money I spend sending things off, buying new copies, trying to eBay them to get some of the money back, etc.

On another gaming forum I heard of this place and rushed here - sadly, the majority of GBA covers are NTSC and I want a perfect match for my games which are Euro/PAL.  The GBA games are:

-Astro Boy: Omega Factor
-Legend Of Zelda: A Link to the Past
-Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga
-Mario vs Donkey Kong
-Metroid Fusion
-Metroid Zero Mission
-Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island

I'm looking at Getting Kirby and the Amazing Mirror and Klonoa also, obviously boxes would be sent/scanned for this.  Also, anyone know of a good, cheap place to buy official DS cases for all of these?

I've also seen 'universal game cases' mentioned.  I'm wondering if there are cases capable of holding N64 carts and books and also GBC carts and books nice and snug that are perfectly sized for putting some of these covers in... in which case I would also be requesting a few N64 cases: Banjo Kazooie, Banjo Tooie, Paper Mario, Perfect Dark, Conker's BFD) and GBC covers (Link's Awakening and both Oracle games).  Again, I have all cases for these games which are mostly perfect and those that aren't are near as dammit.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to anyone that can help me - it really would change my life, as bonkers as it sounds.

[wshbrngr]

Sorry I cannot help you with the PAL scans as I live in the U.S.

Metroid Fusion has a PAL cover available. I checked the upload cue, but I did not see any of the games you requested as being uploaded. If you have the boxes for the games you requested, all you have to do is scan them and either create the cover yourself, or upload the raw scans and someone here will create the covers for you. Scanning info is available in the 'guides' section, the scanner you have will be fine. All the covers on this site are 300 dpi.

The universal game cases hold N64/SNES/Genesis carts and also have a place to put a CD (although I am not sure why you would want to do this) They can also be modified to hold NES carts. I use them for the N64 and they will also hold the manual for the game.

You requested a source for the DS cases, if you tell us what country you are located in, I am sure someone can point you in the right direction. There is some information in the 'guides' section about this.
Obtaining universal game cases may be a problem for you.
Probably your only choice for GBC/GB games is to modify a DS case to hold them. They will not look so pretty on the inside when you do this, but the outside on the shelf they look great. (and they will hold the manual as well).

Hope this helps, welcome to the site.

[TheValeman]

If you have a look around you'll find we have PAL versions of Perfect Dark and the two Banjo games already .... although they're AUS versions. If you're after the bland EUR versions with black borders then you're probably out of luck. I have provided probably the bulk of PAL covers on the site but I sold off PAL and am importing USA games now so there's not much chance of seeing many new PAL games at this stage sorry ......

[groovemeister]

Thank you for the warm welcome.

Metroid Fusion has a PAL cover available.

Sadly, I already checked that out - it's definitely not the actual PAL cover; it's a mock up of sorts.

The universal game cases hold N64/SNES/Genesis carts and also have a place to put a CD (although I am not sure why you would want to do this) They can also be modified to hold NES carts. I use them for the N64 and they will also hold the manual for the game.

Can I ask, do you think they might scratch the cart at all or be perfect, snug fits like the DS cases are?

You requested a source for the DS cases, if you tell us what country you are located in, I am sure someone can point you in the right direction. There is some information in the 'guides' section about this.
Obtaining universal game cases may be a problem for you.
Probably your only choice for GBC/GB games is to modify a DS case to hold them. They will not look so pretty on the inside when you do this, but the outside on the shelf they look great. (and they will hold the manual as well).

I'm in the UK, I looked at the guides section and all I found was a link to Nintendo Germany and that was pretty sparse.  Nintendo seems to hate all Europeans and as it is it appears you have to speak German to order. :/  I'm sure you can order stuff from Nintendo UK once you finally get through after 15 mins of waiting on the phone although I'll have to pay through the nose, hence my asking of a cheaper place.

I'm sure the universal cases can be sent over by a US member if I transfer the funds... I need to check I can get this all done first.

I'll give the GBC stuff a miss then, it's the GBA stuff I really need doing although the N64 stuff is also a VERY happy bonus.

If you have a look around you'll find we have PAL versions of Perfect Dark and the two Banjo games already .... although they're AUS versions. If you're after the bland EUR versions with black borders then you're probably out of luck.

Yes, it is the Euro covers I'm after, as the boxes are all different as with the US ones.

So, I was thinking abut changing the raw scans myself (guides section is pretty sparse on that) - what skills are needed for this exactly, to make them perfect replicas of the original boxes?  If anyone can help with this one, it means I myself could make a lot of stuff for the site as I do my own covers and also buy second hand games and make spangly new books and boxes out of the old, imperfect bits that come with them. Being as obsessive as I am I've never been able to just pick up something 2nd hand up from the shops like others have.

Thank you both for your help so far.

[wshbrngr]

Metroid Fusion has a PAL cover available.

Sadly, I already checked that out - it's definitely not the actual PAL cover; it's a mock up of sorts.

You may have to make all the covers yourself if you have the boxes. Apparently the European PAL boxes are not the same as the Australian PAL boxes. (I know nothing of this)

The universal game cases hold N64/SNES/Genesis carts and also have a place to put a CD (although I am not sure why you would want to do this) They can also be modified to hold NES carts. I use them for the N64 and they will also hold the manual for the game.

Can I ask, do you think they might scratch the cart at all or be perfect, snug fits like the DS cases are?

I don't know for sure, I have never done it. I would think the carts get scratched more when you insert them into the NES than they would get scratched from being in a plastic case. However, you may want to give the Videoshopper site a look. They have a security box which uses inserts for game carts... they have nes inserts. I am not sure if the case has a sleeve for the covers, though. The universal cases are not made to hold an NES cart, so I am not sure how tight it holds them.
(Videoshopper will ship internationally)

If you have a look around you'll find we have PAL versions of Perfect Dark and the two Banjo games already .... although they're AUS versions. If you're after the bland EUR versions with black borders then you're probably out of luck.

Yes, it is the Euro covers I'm after, as the boxes are all different as with the US ones.

So, I was thinking abut changing the raw scans myself (guides section is pretty sparse on that) - what skills are needed for this exactly, to make them perfect replicas of the original boxes?  If anyone can help with this one, it means I myself could make a lot of stuff for the site as I do my own covers and also buy second hand games and make spangly new books and boxes out of the old, imperfect bits that come with them. Being as obsessive as I am I've never been able to just pick up something 2nd hand up from the shops like others have.

This will require you to create your own covers, as this was never the intent of our covers here.
For instance, our N64 covers are NOT exact replicas of the original boxes. The original boxes do not have that N64 logo on the bottom of the spine like the one we use. The person who started the N64 covers wanted them all to look nice/match on the shelf.
The skills needed are basically a scanner, a photo editing program and the determination to work at it till you get a cover you like.

I don't believe the GBA/GBC/GB covers are exact replicas, either.
Most of us are game players, not museum curators.    We simply want a nice place to store our carts.

In the case of the newer systems, some people want covers for games they purchased with no covers, some want their PSX games to match the PS2 games and some want to create custom covers which look completely different than the originals. (or in the case of the gameboy player or wii sports, create a cover which never existed.

[groovemeister]

RE game boxes, it's N64 cart only - no NES carts or anything.

As for the scans, I noticed a few differences but as they would either be custom made (as they don't exist already), surely someone would just give me the scans without the custom spine art, etc?

Surely it's not just a question of scanning and printing if you want an exact copy?  I mean, how do you get them on a perfect horizontal (as things can shift a tiny touch in the scanner), and surely not all boxes were 100% immaculate when copied? ...Yet the scans look like Nintendo slips in terms of quality - how do you colour match if all you can use is MS paint?  An example of this is my Yoshi's Island box has a bash on the corner - how could I edit that out myself?

[TheValeman]

The N64 covers are identical front and rear to the original boxes. The spine is the only thing that has been adjusted ... as wshbrngr stated ... to include a N64 logo that is rotated so it is horizontal when the case is vertical on a shelf.
The problem with PAL .... unlike US game boxes .... is the lack of consistency not just between PAL regions like Australia and Europe but differences in region as well. By that I mean ....

1. Some games were released in the EUR region identical to the US or Aus boxes with red on right side.
2. A lot of games were released in EUR with black on right front side as opposed to red
3. Many games were re-released with black boxes with smaller picture of original front picture with red front.
4. Later games were ONLY released as per 3. above

This makes for one messy and inconsistent look for PAL cases. Personally, I am really only interested in the boxes as they were originally released. In other words I am not going to take an original box and "butcher" it to make it look like the black boxed games .... but thats just me. There's nothing to stop anyone taking a cover and converting it. Look at the DVD thread where people have been doing just that.

[TheValeman]

Surely it's not just a question of scanning and printing if you want an exact copy?  I mean, how do you get them on a perfect horizontal (as things can shift a tiny touch in the scanner), and surely not all boxes were 100% immaculate when copied? ...Yet the scans look like Nintendo slips in terms of quality - how do you colour match if all you can use is MS paint?  An example of this is my Yoshi's Island box has a bash on the corner - how could I edit that out myself?

Ahhh .... young Padawan .... you have much to learn 

Seriously .... some here use Photoshop ... I use Paintshop Pro ... and sometimes a lot of editing is required to get these cleaned up .... thanks to Nintendo's use of cardboard boxes. It's time consuming getting them to look like they do here believe me. But we like them to look as goods as possible. Saying that ... a few here aren't the greatest due to sticker damage ... but they'll do until we find a better original box.

[wshbrngr]

Well, what we do to make the N64 covers.... and there is a tutorial bouncing around somewhere...

Scan the front, rear and spine. (300 dpi minimum, 600 dpi is better) then using photoshop or some other editing software you have to edit out the imprefections. If the box is very clean, this is not difficult.
If the box is nasty (and some are) this requires a LOT of love. There are a few covers I have worked on that took several hours to get looking nice. The editing software has tools such as the clone tool (I use this a lot) and the brush tool, etc. You also will have to use the contrast/brightness and enhancing tools to get the colors more like the original. TheValeman is the expert on this.
Once you have edited/fixed the covers, you resize them to 300 dpi. (which is the resolution we use)

The original boxes are not exactly the correct size for the universal game cases. You have to resize each part to the correct dimensions, then connect them together and tadah..     you have a nice cover to print.

That is a quick overview of the process.

 

[groovemeister]

Why use 300 DPI as the standard if 600 DPI is commonplace enough and superior?

Like I say, most of my boxes are anatomically perfect.  Only a few have slight imperfections and these are the ones that I have problems with;
this would make corrections extremely easy for those that know how.  This means easy churning out of new covers which is a great improvement for the site... and for me.

Therefore if I upload everything (which would require me to damage my perfect boxes, therefore I'd need a guarantee), please, PLEASE could someone help me out here?  I can't tell you how much this would mean to me.

Failing that, a link to some articles if no-one's up for it and I'll have to try and teach myself Photoshop (no matter how long it takes).

[TheValeman]

300dpi is the preferred resolution for this site so we stick to it. There are issues uploading files greater than 6mb's and 600dpi yields file sizes too big without serious loss of fidelity to keep within that size.

I am happy to look at any N64 covers .... I tend to stick to those as they are my particular favorite .... but I'm sure others will happily take on SNES, NDS, GBA etc.

Just open the flaps and then fold the box so you see 1 spine and either front or rear at same time then scan the stuff at 300dpi. Good thing with this method is it sits flat on the scanner and only requires 2 scans for all sides. Upload them as raw scans and someone will look into getting them converted into covers.

[4tyGames]

I have never damaged my n64 boxes when I scanned them. If you take time and patience, which it sounds like you will  , you will have no problem.

The Universal Game Cases will protect your n64 games from the dust and the sun. They do a great job!

Welcome to the project!

[Lish]

I think there is a lot of missinformation put out by "technical" salespeople when they sell someone that superior scanner that can scan 2400x1200dpi.  The same missinformation as is fed by people selling bubblejets promising the same.

To put it simply, the best magazine prints are 200dpi, photographs from the local Kodak shop (ie, film) is only about 250dpi (although its actually an analogue print).  Most covers would at best be 250dpi.

In most cases, 300 DPI scanning will produce a very good replica.  when we use 600dpi, what we are doing is overscanning.  This makes sure that we capture every pixel (of the 250dpi), because it is possible for the light to shine between two pixels at 300dpi, and interprete the color as an average of both.  I know this all sound complicated, but scanning at 600dpi produces a 250dpi picture which appears to by 600 dpi because it interpolates pixels.  Raw scans that do not interpolation often are speckled, even on covers that do not appear to look like "Archie comics" pages.

Also, the human eye cannot detect greater than 300dpi (and even 150dpi cannot be detected at distance...say 2 feet) which is why it is most recognised for printing.

So all those people with 8 megapicxel cameras and an A4/Letter paper sized printer.  Your being dupped.

So, 600 dpi produces a more exact replica of what is a lower quality print, but only because it's impossible to line the pixels exactly for 300dpi printing. As most who scan 600dpi will process the image to "despeckle" it, the quality is in any case not better than 300dpi.

[groovemeister]

Valeman, THANK YOU.  I'll get them loaded up this evening (it's the morning here and I'm off to the gym).

Lish that's pretty interesting - all makes sense and I'm glad that it technically mean that the covers are the best that they can be.

4tyGames - the damage I'm referring to is the kind that only a headcase like me would notice, but if it means I'll get great prints at the end of iit then it's moot.

Now I just have to speak nicely to someone here with a Paypal account that can ship me a few of these universal game cases...

[tiktektak]

You can also try

https://secure.webmenu.com/shopperinc/shop.taf

The shopperinc ships international! But be warned they charge quite much on international shipments!

A yes to find the cases on the aforementioned page in the select category tab you have to select cases, game and then it's under universal game cases clear full sleeve....

Regards Seb