Full version demo games. Whats different than actual games?

doodude · Post by **doodude** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:34 pm

As the title implies, is there a difference in a so called 'Full Version Demo' game for reviewers & such & a 'Full Version' game you would purchase?

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elfhentaifan · Post by **elfhentaifan** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:48 pm

what the heck is a full version demo game?

shoe-sama · Post by **shoe-sama** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:53 pm

give us context

It could mean anything lol

doodude · Post by **doodude** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:01 pm

Someone is selling a game.

This is the note that accompanies the description...

Condition: Good * Notes: This is a FULL version demo of the game that was released in 2000. It is not an IMPORT. No artwork included with this sale. It is a review version for Game magazine writers and columnists. All characters and levels are selectable like the official game.

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moozooh · Post by **moozooh** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:03 pm

I guess, the answer is either "no" or "it depends on the game".

shoe-sama · Post by **shoe-sama** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:05 pm

sounds like ebay

Necronom · Post by **Necronom** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:19 pm

@doodude

I'm not an ebay expert but it sounds like somebody selling a review copy, means no content should be missing (retail or at least gold status) but it could also be a CD-R declared as review copy. It would help if you could at least name the title...

doodude · Post by **doodude** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:26 pm

Necronom wrote:@doodude

I'm not an ebay expert but it sounds like somebody selling a review copy, means no content should be missing (retail or at least gold status) but it could also be a CD-R declared as review copy. It would help if you could at least name the title...

Sorry, Im not trying to hide anything...

It was Giga Wing 2 & it is ebay.

Now I never thought about a bootleg ( lil' o naive me ) but I know software companies, music companies etc etc send out full version demos for magazines etc to try & review. So I wondered if this happened in video games as well...

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shoe-sama · Post by **shoe-sama** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:29 pm

they do but ebay is bs

How else do nub sites like ign release gameplay videos way before the release date for the game

doodude · Post by **doodude** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:38 pm

shoe-sama wrote:they do but ebay is bs

How else do nub sites like ign release gameplay videos way before the release date for the game

OK, so you dont care for ebay. How does that change the question?

Im just trying to find out if these games are exact copies minus the artwork etc. Do they only contain a few levels? Are they limited in anyway?

Hentai · Post by **Hentai** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:56 pm

Don't bother buying it. Its just a CD copy you could get yourself for free.

genetik · Post by **genetik** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:24 am

Found the item...

http://product.half.ebay.com/Giga-Wing- ... Zvidetails

....and the seller's feedback

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d ... llFeedback

He has good feedback, but one of the buyer's feedback is ''Great Condition, expected only a Burned Cd but came labeled as well. Thanks''

So basically, he sells CDRs with nice labels on it.

Another proof is that a couple of previous buyers bought Half Life Dreamcast from him.

Here's another buyer's comment "H-L 4 DC, looks like the real thing. Good communication."

So it's 100% sure you will end up getting a burned CDR from him. And if you're still interested after that, I don't know why you would, but they're most likely full games. Pirated games, but most likely complete.

doodude · Post by **doodude** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:28 am

And at the top of the feedback is, " Everything turned out all right in the end -- thank you

"

Not sure what that means but thanks for pointing all this out. This is just what I was trying to deduce...

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Post by **spadgy** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:37 am

I work full time as a games journalist for loads of the bigger publications and while I've never heard that exact term, here's what I know, and what they call them in the UK a tleast. I review so many fuckin' games, and get so many through the post a week from game PRs, I guess I know my stuff (Which makes a change from the rest of my life!)...

'Retail code' is a boxed copy, with manual and packaging, like you buy in a shop.

'Review code' is the full game, in a box, but often in just a small music CD-style jewel case box, and rarely with a Manuel. Often the game box's printed paper cover isn't their, or is massively faded to save costs and deter resale. Might also have 'PROMO ONLY' stamped across the front.

Twice, out of perhaps 600 or more free games in around three years, I got a 'preview demo', which was about 4 hours of Tomb Raider Anniversary, and a small sample of Loco Roco PSP, but in all other cases they have been 100% full games, even a month or two before release in some cases.

So in general, reviewers copies are always complete. In fact most preview copies are so close to complete you can barely tell.

EDIT - So if the seller has good feedback, it might be worth getting, but you might not want to pay for a burned CD even if it's the full game.

Keade · Post by **Keade** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:35 am

If I got it right, this guy is openly *selling* copies of games, for his own profit ?
Shouldn't this kind of things be reported to Ebay ?

(edit : spelling)

doodude · Post by **doodude** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:34 pm

Thanks for the info spadgy...

Ive sent the seller a msg asking him to clarify what he is offering, more out of curiosity than anything else, but Im not holding my breath for a clear answer.

His feedback does seem to contradict his description, but then those old 'FULL VERSION DEMOs' or 'REVIEW CODED' or whatever theyre called, game disk have to be somewhere.
They might very well be wasting away in the National Trust, but something happened to 'em. Why couldnt they end up as fodder on that wicked, mean ol' Ebay!?

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Ceph · Post by **Ceph** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 3:51 pm

Jeez, doodude, you really aren't the sharpest tool in the box, are you? Which part of the feedback quoted above ("a Burned Cd") don't you understand?

Keade wrote:If I got it right, this guy is openly *selling* copies of games, for his own profit ?

Yes.

Keade wrote: Shouldn't this kind of things be reported to Ebay ?

Indeed. Please go ahead.

doodude · Post by **doodude** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 6:54 pm

You know cephy old boy, Im flattered ( & happy ) that you deem me worthy of your snide flames!

Sort of gives me that High Road feeling to see you taking the Low...

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