Cave PCB's - who's got the highest serial?

pixelcorps · Post by **pixelcorps** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 7:59 pm

I'm curious as to the run number of recent cave games.

I guess the best way to get a rough idea is to find out who's got the highest serial number.

so just as a rough figure, my espgaluda 2 board is # 0332

does anyone have any RECENT (futari, Esp2, deathsmiles etc) cave boards that are in the high 3 digits or even 4 digit figures? - older boards reflect a different gaming climate, so they're not much help.

I'm just curious as to how many units are manufactured in the present STG climate considering cave are the main player nowadays and that STG's are now more or less a niche market.

so, gimme numbers!!!
plz keep it to games of the last 2 years or so!

thx for your cooperation!

Geezer · Post by **Geezer** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:08 pm

Futari 1.5 with CA-51XXX

Somehow I doubt there were over 50,000 of these produced though

pixelcorps · Post by **pixelcorps** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:26 pm

hmm, so the serials aren't useful in working out a rough run number??? - or maybe this is specific to 1.5?

arrgghh, confusing

anyone else have any info?

moozooh · Post by **moozooh** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:33 pm

It might be that 1.5 starts with 5****, though, the rest being an actual production serial number.

Geezer · Post by **Geezer** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:35 pm

1) There is supposedly an element of randomness to the numbers, numbers aren't issued sequentially at the factories. I don't have a source for this, I remember reading this on a forum somewhere so it may not be true.

2) SH3 boards can be reprogrammed so Cave/AMI can convert boards. I know there are reprogrammed Mushi Tama boards etc floating about.
I'm pretty sure one forum member has an Ibara that was once an Ibara Black Label with an IBL-XXX serial

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:14 pm

Geezer wrote:1) There is supposedly an element of randomness to the numbers, numbers aren't issued sequentially at the factories. I don't have a source for this, I remember reading this on a forum somewhere so it may not be true.

No that's wrong. They are issued in sequence, because part of the reason things have serial numbers is so that the manufacturer can track back when something was made, and who made it, since all serials are logged for every shift.

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:46 pm

Recent Cave SH3 serials are all over the place. Could be sequential to some degree, but definitely not by increments of 1, unless they made 70,000 Pink Sweets boards (There is one on YAJ now that has a CA-70XXX serial - mine has CA-20202, my previous one was CA-6XXXX).

My futari 1.5 is CA-21009 (purchased at release). My MMP is MP-40404, my Ibara BL is CA-71801, etc. Looks rather random. Doesn't mean they can't track them just as well, of course. I'm sure they have all these numbers in a database with production info logged right next to them.

Mushi and Ibara may be different, as most of them are numbered between 1-4000. Espgaluda 2 looks to be numbered 1-2000. First print of Ibara BL is 1-200+.

My Mushi Futari Black Label is MMB-00007, while most of the other folks here who bought it got a random five digit number (CA-59042, etc).

Obviously, since many boards are reprogrammed into other games (my IBL is a reprogrammed Mushihime-tama board, for example), you can't say any of the games are truly "sequential" in their serial numbers.

Post by **Dave_K.** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:03 pm

You might remember that Neverland has number 00001 of Muchi Muchi Pork.

Neverland wrote: im very lucky...i have found a 00001 serial pcb and more extraitems in a kit... is incredible!

I think the older SH2 boards have a more realistic numbering scheme. I recently found out I have DDPDOJ #0014.

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:05 pm

Dave_K. wrote:You might remember that Neverland has number 00001 of Muchi Muchi Pork.

Right, and i have number 40,404.

pixelcorps · Post by **pixelcorps** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:47 pm

well, it seems like their numbering system has varied a bit, so I reckon the older more solid numbers are a better estimate..

2000 or so sounds like a realistic number i guess, anyone disagree?

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 6:59 pm

Dave_K. wrote:You might remember that Neverland has number 00001 of Muchi Muchi Pork.

Neverland wrote: im very lucky...i have found a 00001 serial pcb and more extraitems in a kit... is incredible!
I think the older SH2 boards have a more realistic numbering scheme. I recently found out I have DDPDOJ #0014.

For Dave K.,

Such a low number for your DDP-DOJ PCB...congrats!

I wonder who has the coveted DDP-DOJ #0001 PCB? Perhaps a current Cave employee has it in their personal PCB collection... ^_~

And come to think that they can print such DDP Campaign Version PCB at any time for such special Cave promotional events... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

zinger · Post by **zinger** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 7:39 pm

PC Engine Fan X! wrote:And come to think that they can print such DDP Campaign Version PCB at any time for such special Cave promotional events...

ROM swap?

Post by **spadgy** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:31 pm

Aside from maybe the first ten, would serial number really make a difference to worth? I guess it's silly really that the first has any status, but I myself feel the allure as I have a few low serial number ltd. edition records. And I can't wait to get back to my Ibara PCB and check out the number.

As far as I understood it, on retail consoles they have serial number dictated by an algorithm, to put a vale over where in the sequence it comes, but I don't know where I got that from. Maybe the same for PCBs?

SuperPang · Post by **SuperPang** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 3:43 pm

I seem to recall I have Uo Poko #3

Post by **spadgy** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:58 am

Well, if it helps any and we looking at older Cave games now as well, I have an Ibara with a rather unexciting IB-212 (The number on the small paper Cave sticker on the PCB). I guess if that's sequential they must have run a fair bit higher than that, but at the same time it isn't 0121 so maybe they do stop at IB-999

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 2:02 am

spadgy wrote:Well, if it helps any and we looking at older Cave games now as well, I have an Ibara with a rather unexciting IB-212 (The number on the small paper Cave sticker on the PCB).

Actually that is a bit exciting, as you have an Ibara that is a re-programmed Ibara Black Label. Another member here also has one. Ibara Black label had IB-XXX serials from 001 up to a bit over 200, as far as anyone knows. I think yours is the highest number yet. Maybe it peaked at 250?

Original Ibara PCBs have a serial between 1-4000, with no IB- before the number.

Post by **spadgy** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 2:10 am

Well that will teach me to be pessimistic! I thought 212 was just a middling number.

So they made at least 212 Black Labels, and then some were re-programmed to be Ibara.

Or were there loads of Black Labels, and 212+ got reprogrammed?

Nice to have a bit of history of a board I own.

MJR · Post by **MJR** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 2:19 am

I can't believe I'm reading this thread :S

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 2:19 am

@spadgy:
It seems some of the IB-200+ serials were reprogrammed to regular Ibaras recently and sold off. "Why" is anyone's guess. One reason may be that it's a lot easier to sell an Ibara than an Ibara BL (even though you get much more money for the latter).

Another possibility is they made and serialized over 200 PCBs for the IBL pressing but only programmed the first 200 or so for IBL. Some of the leftovers (those numbered 200+) may have been used for Ibara instead, later on.

jpj · Post by **jpj** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 3:33 am

i think it's possible that despite cave releasing a batch of X amount, cave/AMI have more printed up for faulty replacements. perhaps 200 printed, and 12+ returned with faults, if you see what i mean. didn't bay have a glitchy board?

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 3:37 am

Yeah, but if so, why didn't they reserve the IB-XXX boards for Ibara Black Label? I have an IBL that is CA-XXXXX, not IB-XXX. So do a few other people.

jpj · Post by **jpj** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 3:51 am

good question... maybe dependant on what the fault is (ie faulty rom on the board, or faulty SH3 board itself)?

Post by **spadgy** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 12:01 pm

Very interesting. I assume my Ibara is a pretty late one, as it came with an A4 sized Muchi Muchi Pork card flyer in the box, and obviously MMP came out about two years afterwards.

Who else has the re-programmed board on his forum?

ResOGlas · Post by **ResOGlas** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 12:13 pm

My Progear board is like 999,999,999

Yeah, Capcom didn't really keep track.

Koma · Post by **Koma** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:49 pm

EOJ wrote:
spadgy wrote:Well, if it helps any and we looking at older Cave games now as well, I have an Ibara with a rather unexciting IB-212 (The number on the small paper Cave sticker on the PCB).
Actually that is a bit exciting, as you have an Ibara that is a re-programmed Ibara Black Label. Another member here also has one. Ibara Black label had IB-XXX serials from 001 up to a bit over 200, as far as anyone knows. I think yours is the highest number yet. Maybe it peaked at 250?

Original Ibara PCBs have a serial between 1-4000, with no IB- before the number.

Yes me.IB-202

Post by **spadgy** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:55 am

Two of us then!

Koma - did you get a Muchi Muchi Pork flyer in with yours?

sven666 · Post by **sven666** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:39 pm

there is an old thread with shitloads of cave serels around here somewhere..

freddiebamboo · Post by **freddiebamboo** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:39 pm

sven666 wrote:there is an old thread with shitloads of cave serels around here somewhere..

Here we are:

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... ave+serial

Koma · Post by **Koma** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:39 pm

spadgy wrote:Two of us then!

Koma - did you get a Muchi Muchi Pork flyer in with yours?

Yes i get it.

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:25 am

After digging up my Cave Ibara kit out of storage, the sticker says that it is:

Cave No. 1813 (1st sticker label)
No. 268771 (2nd sticker label)

Now for my Japanese version Dangun Feveron PCB, it reads:

DF0205 (1st sticker label)
No. 053442 (2nd label sticker)

Found the ol' DDP-DOJ PCB & it says upon opening the blue colored metallic case:

Cave No. 0406 (1st sticker label)
No. 245649 (2nd sticker label)

I'd have to do some more digging to find the serial numbers on an International Ver. DDP PCB and International ver. ESP.ra.de PCB. Shall report back soon with them. ^_~

Makes me wonder how many of the USA region Donpachi PCBs that Atlus USA made for the USA arcade market back in 1994-1995? Yes, I've got a USA region Donpachi PCB myself -- is a bit different compared to the original JPN version of the same name. Of course, most American arcade operators & arcade distributors threw away the USA region DP PCB kit contents as they saw no collectors's re-sale value in them anyways -- that was considered the "norm" back in the day to do so. I didn't see the USA region DP PCB at my local arcade until mid-1995 at about the same time Psikyo's Strikers 1945 PCB debuted in the USA. I do recall seeing Fabtek's USA region Raiden II PCB for the very first time at my local arcade back in February of 1994 -- it had a "New Game" placed on top of the arcade cabinet to indicate that it had just very recently came in.

The USA full sized Donpachi marquee is quite HTF these days...so if you've got one, consider it a very nice rare bonus indeed. Such a JPN region DP PCB kit never did come with USA spec. marquee signage anyways. ^_~

So why did Atlus USA not bring out the International Version of Dodonpachi stateside (despite having imported the first DP PCB with a slight Rom change in terms of gameplay)? Surely Atlus USA could've easily done so with the Int. ver. DDP PCB but it was never given the proper official USA release whatsoever. Could it have been possible lackluster sales of the USA region DP PCB kit that caused Atlus USA to not import DDP PCB kits to the USA? We'll never know the real story was to why that happened the way it did.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~