Reduced Price Guides-Discussion Thread

[quote name='ragingst0rm6']I think official GS store policy on pennied guides is for the DM to personally oversee the "destruction" (which usually means tearing the cover off and then tossing them in the trash) of the guides, but it is YMMV on how strict the DMs enforce this policy. Some DMs are much more lax and allow store employees to give them out; some DMs are very strict.

You might just have a strict DM, or the employees are just using that as an excuse to grab it for themselves after their shift (it's entirely probable, especially with Collector Edition giudes). *shrug* In any case, there's not much you can do about it -- just please don't call GS corporate and raise a fuss.[/QUOTE]

Don't worry. I will not raise a fuss. I'm just :cry: that I can't get any guides anymore.
 
I've never used it. But frankly, there are seven gamestops within miles of where I live. And I commute quite a bit to school and work, so I don't mind stopping on the way half of the time.

I just read about the Fable III CE price drop, and went over to a GS with a friend. They had two of them, but he didn't want one, and I figured one would be enough for me. The manager was there, and was happy to give it to me (since I've bought quite a few things through him). I just opened it up and saw that the hardcover was different than what it looked like on the outside, and that there are four different versions of it x__x.

I really regret not picking up that second one. I'd like the New Hero cover, but I ended up with the Reaver Industries cover instead.

 
I just got an Uncharted: Drake's Fortune guide for a few buck.....my question, what's the big deal about this guide? Why is it ebaying for so much money?
 
[quote name='Readthepost']I just got an Uncharted: Drake's Fortune guide for a few buck.....my question, what's the big deal about this guide? Why is it ebaying for so much money?[/QUOTE]

I think it's just rare/hard to find. Do you want to sell it to me for a few bucks? :D

lol, from the Amazon reviews I read a while back, it doesn't sound like the guide is super well-written or anything. What are your thoughts?
 
Oh man, I have at least 2 of those guides, and I think I gave a few away when I got them. Too bad I'm too much of a pack-rat to actually flip them. Maybe they will just keep increasing in value and my less insane more reasonable offspring can sell them at a high price.
 
[quote name='ragingst0rm6']I think it's just rare/hard to find. Do you want to sell it to me for a few bucks? :D

lol, from the Amazon reviews I read a while back, it doesn't sound like the guide is super well-written or anything. What are your thoughts?[/QUOTE]

Just another crazy inflation caused by folks/ebay etc.
There's nothing done particularly well done for this guide. And definitely not worth the crazy prices that you're seeing.
 
[quote name='ragingst0rm6']I think it's just rare/hard to find. Do you want to sell it to me for a few bucks? :D

lol, from the Amazon reviews I read a while back, it doesn't sound like the guide is super well-written or anything. What are your thoughts?[/QUOTE]
I'm not selling it yet...if I find another one, I might. ;)

The guide looks good...there are a lot of pics and easy to read location maps.

But the guide isn't done well (reading-wise)....I had a hard time following the paragraphs (meaning I didn't know where to go to read the next paragraph on some pages). Also, I didn't like the font they used (for the side stories, etc)...it's very hard to read.

[quote name='dragonjud']Just another crazy inflation caused by folks/ebay etc.
There's nothing done particularly well done for this guide. And definitely not worth the crazy prices that you're seeing.[/QUOTE]
I agree.
 
[quote name='dragonjud']Just another crazy inflation caused by folks/ebay etc.
There's nothing done particularly well done for this guide. And definitely not worth the crazy prices that you're seeing.[/QUOTE]I'd have to second this opinion about the Uncharted guide. It's an OK guide, though there certainly are better ones out there. It seemed to have a limited print run, and any time you have a "OMG! LIMITED RAREZ!" for a guide's print run, the price of the guide shoots up.
 
[quote name='shrike4242']I'd have to second this opinion about the Uncharted guide. It's an OK guide, though there certainly are better ones out there. It seemed to have a limited print run, and any time you have a "OMG! LIMITED RAREZ!" for a guide's print run, the price of the guide shoots up.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I am pretty sure I have 10-13 of that guide. It was my first major guide drop so I told my dad to pick up whatever was on the list (I also bought whatever I could find). I remember thinking: "This looks like a Tomb Raider Rip off" and I left a few. My Dad came home with 5 or 6 of them and I thought "I will never be able to get rid of these."

I put it on my trade list and sent a perfect condition copy for $5 to another CAG. At the time they were selling for $9 each online.
 
Yeah, I was lucky enough to buy one off a CAG before the demand became really high. I guess it really just depends on what people are willing to pay anything. I know I've kicked myself in the butt a few times when I pass on guides and then they get pennied and I have no luck getting one, since then I buy more guides if I know they are going to be HTF later on.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
[quote name='skiizim']Yeah, I was lucky enough to buy one off a CAG before the demand became really guide. I guess it really just depends on what people are willing to pay anything. I know I've kicked myself in the butt a few times when I pass on guides and then they get pennied and I have no luck getting one, since then I buy more guides if I know they are going to be HTF later on.[/QUOTE]
I think I sold/traded a couple Uncharted guides soon after they pennied everywhere for other guides that aren't worth bupkiss by comparison. Yet some guides/books that I thought would be worth something(Gran Turismo: Driving The Game, for example) is worth jack shit. I had about TEN of those from when GS got rid of them. I was in full on hoarding mode then though.:cry:

Now I'm lucky if I can even get guides when they drop without being given the third degree by some managers when they see me, cuz I didn't stay under the radar there either.:whistle2:#
 
-sigh-

On my way to work, I stopped by three Game Stops today. Not one had the Fable 3 CE. I wish I had known about its multiple covers before hand.
 
Went ahead and asked about penny guides at another Gamestop I don't usually go to and was presented with a sealed Fable 3 Collector's Edition. He didn't even make me pay. He just handed it over. Made my day.
 
[quote name='Tsel']Went ahead and asked about penny guides at another Gamestop I don't usually go to and was presented with a sealed Fable 3 Collector's Edition. He didn't even make me pay. He just handed it over. Made my day.[/QUOTE]

Did you open it up?

What cover did you get?
 
[quote name='RabbitSuit']Did you open it up?

What cover did you get?[/QUOTE]

I have not opened it yet, but the curiosity of which cover I got is killing me. :drool:
 
Yeah, I've been checking bestbuy's website waiting for anything to drop off it. Last time there was a drop lox had already posted a list by now, wonder if he didn't work today or if he didn't hear anything. Still have my hopes up for tomorrow though.
 
[quote name='TheWooz']So are We back to the old way of deleteing post then reposting in the guide trading thread?[/QUOTE]

I'm pretty sure Pookymeister (or another mod) said it was ok to repost as long as you dont abuse it.
 
[quote name='ragingst0rm6']I'm pretty sure Pookymeister (or another mod) said it was ok to repost as long as you dont abuse it.[/QUOTE]

Thanks
 
A lot of chatter going on in the official thread when there hasn't even been a drop. In side news, looks like Homefront Collectors Edition has dropped off the Gamestop website. I can check on it tomorrow in the late afternoon and see if it dropped, if anyone wants to check on it might be a possible drop for yesterday.

830440 Homefront Collectors Edition


Also Saints Row the Third CE is no longer listed now as well, was that guide canceled?
 
Homefront CE was still on the racks on Monday night when I was there. I'll look it up tomorrow too (West Coast here, so someone else might beat me to it)
 
Went to the Half Price Books Clearance Sale at the state fair grounds. I spent $43 in an hour and a half. That was skimming exclusively for guides or I would have been in there for 10 hours.

My biggest score was a Super Metroid guide by Nintendo in very nice condition for $1. Not that I'm complaining, but what was someone thinking?
 
Hm, did Final Fantasy 8 have two guide versions for NA or something?

I just got mine from Gohastings, and it's a lot smaller than I remember back when I was a kid and reading it at the bookstore in the mall. It seems like the storyline pages were condensed.
 
This is the bragging thread so here it goes::D:D:D

I got 2 unbelievable deals at 2 locations on guides. I have been hunting for these guides for a long time.

The first deal, I paid $3 total (he wanted $2 each). But CAG in me made me haggle.
Both are in very good condition. The white lines near the spines are much less than in the picture, the camera's flash exaggerated the lines.
IMG_0083.jpg

The second deal, I negotiated 10 guides for $10 total. Each guide was priced between $1 to $5 so I picked all 10 of them and told him "10 for 10", he didn't even hesitate....sold.:lol: I think I picked up 2 common guides in order to get this deal. If I picked and chose each guide, he would have charged me more.

They are in very good condition with minor shelf ware. See the top and bottom of the spines. I think Fable and Alone in the Dark: The new Nightmare are 2 common guides, I'm not sure though.
IMG_0101-1.jpg

IMG_0100.jpg
I have no idea how he got Batman Arkham City mixed up with these older guides, but he was sell it.

They are all going into my collection.
Thanks for reading.
 
[quote name='Readthepost']This is the bragging thread so here it goes::D:D:D

I got 2 unbelievable deals at 2 locations on guides. I have been hunting for these guides for a long time.

The first deal, I paid $3 total (he wanted $2 each). But CAG in me made me haggle.
Both are in very good condition. The white lines near the spines are much less than in the picture, the camera's flash exaggerated the lines.
IMG_0083.jpg

The second deal, I negotiated 10 guides for $10 total. Each guide was priced between $1 to $5 so I picked all 10 of them and told him "10 for 10", he didn't even hesitate....sold.:lol: I think I picked up 2 common guides in order to get this deal. If I picked and chose each guide, he would have charged me more.

They are in very good condition with minor shelf ware. See the top and bottom of the spines. I think Fable and Alone in the Dark: The new Nightmare are 2 common guides, I'm not sure though.
IMG_0101-1.jpg

IMG_0100.jpg
I have no idea how he got Batman Arkham City mixed up with these older guides, but he was sell it.

They are all going into my collection.
Thanks for reading.[/QUOTE]

Holy shit! Was this at a yard sale or something?
 
[quote name='ragingst0rm6']Holy shit! Was this at a yard sale or something?[/QUOTE]
That's what I was saying the whole time. (in my head)
Looking back, I can't believe I had the balls to say "10 for 10".

1 was a flea market.....with other normal books. I found Rogue Galaxy first then search thru 90 or more books and found Persona 3.
2 was a yard sale 10 mins away. They were sitting on a table. I asked if he had/sold any video games, he said no.
 
I sure hope Amazon does not fuck around with my trade ins due to many of us taking advantage of some outrageous offers. $450 for 7 guides is amazing.
 
[quote name='PapaSmerf']I sure hope Amazon does not fuck around with my trade ins due to many of us taking advantage of some outrageous offers. $450 for 7 guides is amazing.[/QUOTE]

What guides did you send in?

I sent in Dragon Age CE, Half-Life 2 Raising The Bar, Assassin's Creed LE Artbook for: 180.98 :D
 
I sent in Resident Evil Archives, 2 x Star Ocean Last Hope Int., Harvest Moon Animal Parade, 2 x Harvest Moon Tree of Tranquility and Fallout 3 GOTY Collector.

$449.37
 
[quote name='PapaSmerf']I sent in Resident Evil Archives, 2 x Star Ocean Last Hope Int., Harvest Moon Animal Parade, 2 x Harvest Moon Tree of Tranquility and Fallout 3 GOTY Collector.

$449.37[/QUOTE]


Very very nice :D
 
[quote name='Pookymeister']damn - just saw i had another AC artbook in my trade pile....now its down to $25 from 50.[/QUOTE]

You should look at the actual ISBN as the one from Best Buy only trades in at $8.
 
Ended up sending in the following:
Half-Life 2: Raising The Bar - $79
Resident Evil Archives - $106.29
Assassin's Creed Artbook - $50.15
Star Ocean: Last Hope International - $78.15

$313.55 with an investment of about $30 or so, including trades, as the SO guide was the only one I outright bought. Not a bad ROI, if I do say so myself.

I've been tempted with the F3 GOTY CE, DA: O CE and Oblivion GOTY CE guides at their current prices, though I know I'd use the F3 GOTY and Oblivion GOTY guides, and like the DA: O guide. If they were double their current numbers, then that's another story.
 
Im torn... I kinda want to keep my "Final fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions" Guide... I love that game, have played it 5 times, but never opened the guide. But amazon gives me 23$ for it.

Decisions Decisions :(

Also, how do you guys "know" what guides are gonna be high value? Sounds like its predictable... but I dont see how.
 
[quote name='reicaden']Im torn... I kinda want to keep my "Final fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions" Guide... I love that game, have played it 5 times, but never opened the guide. But amazon gives me 23$ for it.

Decisions Decisions :(

Also, how do you guys "know" what guides are gonna be high value? Sounds like its predictable... but I dont see how.[/QUOTE]Any other ones of worth that you ran across?
 
[quote name='shrike4242']Any other ones of worth that you ran across?[/QUOTE]

Only the Super Mario Bros Wii guide... seems to be doing well at 23$ or so? i think it was. Nothing else that I could find.

Is there a way to predict though which guides I should get? Cause I dont know what to do with my other 40 guides that only get 3$ each, lol. (and like 15 force unleashed 2 collectors editions.... I thought it would be worth a damn.).
 
[quote name='shrike4242']
I've been tempted with the F3 GOTY CE, DA: O CE and Oblivion GOTY CE guides at their current prices, though I know I'd use the F3 GOTY and Oblivion GOTY guides, and like the DA: O guide. If they were double their current numbers, then that's another story.[/QUOTE]
It was a bit easier to part with my guides since I had multiples of each that I sent in. I'll have to use the vanilla Star Ocean LH but I have the 360 version anyway.
 
I did a quick check on some guides I thought might be worth something for Amazon trade-in. There is probably no surprises here and I think you can do better on ebay for some of these:

Tales of the Abyss $41.xx
Tales of Vesperia $31.xx
Persona 3 $19.xx
Lego Star Wars Complete Saga $42.xx
Art of Oddworld Inabitants $12 (more on ebay)
Valkyria Chronicles $17.xx
 
Anyone have any tips or tricks for getting their guides at Gamestop? I've only tried a couple times, but each time, the clerk seems to be annoyed with me, and will take as long as possible to help me (probably on to what I'm doing though, right?). If I find a guide on the drop list, I will casually ask him the price, and if I can politely get him to get past pointing at the sticker price to just scanning it, it's full price. I figure the best way to do this at Gamestop is to be friends with, or at least pretty close to an employee at this point.
 
[quote name='reicaden']Im torn... I kinda want to keep my "Final fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions" Guide... I love that game, have played it 5 times, but never opened the guide. But amazon gives me 23$ for it.

Decisions Decisions :(

Also, how do you guys "know" what guides are gonna be high value? Sounds like its predictable... but I dont see how.[/QUOTE]

If it's anything like the other FFT guides, I'd snag the $24 now and look to pick it up on the cheap later on. Plus I'm pretty sure the Prima guide for ps1 covers most of the character customization tricks.
 
Not that any of you would have this laying around, but it popped up while I was checking guide TIVs:

http://www.amazon.com/Hacking-Video...&s=textbooks-trade-in&qid=1324059853&sr=1-351

More relevant TIVs:

Art of Halo 3 - $52.75
Art of World of Warcraft - $38.00

I believe the WoW book came with the original CE, so I don't think many of you would have it laying around - but I feel like the Halo 3 book is something you guys might have.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top