Zombie Posted December 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2015 It's been a while, but I haven't forgotten about my collection. Everyday I go through my emails from eBay showing any new items for sale (yes, emails as in plural, I have about 4 saved searches pertaining to X-Com/XCOM). I've been collecting for just over 9 years now (how time flies, eh?), so for the most part I hardy ever run across anything I don't have. But every once and a while I'll get a tiny nibble, and then it always seems like I find more items around the same timeframe. It's odd how that happens. Anyhow, I purchased an Italian big box version of UFO:Enemy Unknown the other day. It was freakishly expensive, but I got some monetary help from a nameless benefactor so it kinda worked out in the end. I've never seen this version so it's undoubtedly rare. I also purchased a "tips book" from PC Gamer which has tips for Civ 2 as well as TFTD. Hera again, I've never seen this yet, so it'll be a great addition to my X-COM literary collection. Both of these items will be arriving later this month or sometime in January 2016. We shall see which comes first. - Zombie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silencer_pl Posted December 11, 2015 Report Share Posted December 11, 2015 Today I found on my local eBay equivalent this t-shirt: https://swiatkoszulek.net/image/data/gracz/xcom/koszulkaxcom12.jpg I don't know it's origins though. There are few more designs too: https://allegro.pl/31-wzorow-koszulka-ufo-enemy-unknown-2-xcom-104-cm-i5801461539.html Something for Sunflash: https://swiatkoszulek.net/image/data/gracz/xcom/koszulkaxcom15.jpg 39 PLN is something equivalent to ~9 EUR or ~10 USD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombie Posted December 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2015 Those are probably aftermarket creations. The American eBay has similar XCOM designs on it every once and a while. There are even X-COM t-shirts too, so you have to watch it to make sure they are original creations and not ripoffs. - Zombie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silencer_pl Posted December 11, 2015 Report Share Posted December 11, 2015 Yeah I know they clearly are ripoffs, but hey some look cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ros Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Don't know if hasn't been posted already but unfortunately I haven't got time to read all of 23 pages in this topic. So anyway, here's my polite request to You Zombie Could You check Your PSX version of Terror From The Deep for music tracks in Audio CD format? Because in every TFTD PSX CD image I've found on various websites there are only couple of Battlescape ambient sounds. Probably those are some pirated (=bad ripped) versions but I'm thinking about buying a copy and I want to be sure that those files are there.Here's a screenshot how TFTD CD image looks like in Alcohol 52%:As You can see there are in order of appearance:1) Track 01 - game files ("Ścieżka" = Track)2) Track 02 to Track 06 - audio files but it's not music only Battlescape ambient sounds. Moreover Track 06 is only silence - there's no sound at all.The image size is only 517.2 MB. In comparison UFO Defense PSX image file size is 625.5 MB but there are 12 audio files (almost 62 minutes of music), not only 6. Thanks in advance for an answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombie Posted January 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 Sorry for the late reply, but I shall endeavor to check out the TFTD PSX version for audio cd tracks this weekend. I have a feeling the music and audio are not in that format though. - Zombie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ros Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 Sorry for the late reply, but I shall endeavor to check out the TFTD PSX version for audio cd tracks this weekend. I have a feeling the music and audio are not in that format though. - Zombie No problemo :-) Maybe You're right about the other music & audio format but on the other hand UFO PSX version had over an hour of CD Audio music just ready to rip with the right software. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombie Posted January 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Here's the deal: For audio files, the TFTD disc contains ABOVESEQ, BELOWSEQ, FLIC, GEOSEQ & XCOMPAL. All are paired files containing a CAT and a DAT file (I think the CAT is a header or something, and the playable audio is the DAT file, but someone knows more about this than me). Beyond that, there's a GEOSCAPE &TACTICAL.EXE, a SLES_000.77 file (think this is for regional encoding and such if my memory serves), a SYSTEM file (no idea here, it's 1kb) and a WARNING.TIM file (no idea on this either, but it's smallish at 321kb). This leaves (with what I'm guessing is) the audio files such as music - all are .STR file extensions. INTRO_6 - 38,816kbL_SLOW - 5,744kbTWEENY_6 - 4,272kbWIN_6 - 13,616kb That's all I see. I viewed all of this on my WinXP machine to be sure. - Zombie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bomb Bloke Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 The tunes Ros are interested in won't show up anywhere in the folder structure, if they're there. With a typical data disc, a single "track" is written, containing all the files and folders clumped together. With an audio disc, multiple tracks are written, none of them containing any files - each track contains the wave-form data for a single track of music. Many older game discs (eg PSX games) make use of a mixture of the two techniques: first a data track is written containing all the game files, and then the following tracks are written as on any audio CD. In short, you can take such a disc, stick it in a ye-olde CD player, and it'll be able to play everything but the first track (which isn't music). Ripped copies of games are notorious for replacing the audio tracks with much shorter (or empty) versions. These compress down for easy online distribution. The practise is much less common in the modern age where pretty much anything can be thrown over the internet in next to no time. Although Windows Explorer won't show you this extra audio content, odds are if you right click the disc there you'll get a Play option on the context menu. iTunes or whatever should be able to handle it, if you're really not sure you're looking in the right place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoXTheRoXStaR Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 OR you could just download the TFTD remaster soundtrack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombie Posted February 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 The tunes Ros are interested in won't show up anywhere in the folder structure, if they're there. With a typical data disc, a single "track" is written, containing all the files and folders clumped together. With an audio disc, multiple tracks are written, none of them containing any files - each track contains the wave-form data for a single track of music. Many older game discs (eg PSX games) make use of a mixture of the two techniques: first a data track is written containing all the game files, and then the following tracks are written as on any audio CD. In short, you can take such a disc, stick it in a ye-olde CD player, and it'll be able to play everything but the first track (which isn't music). Ripped copies of games are notorious for replacing the audio tracks with much shorter (or empty) versions. These compress down for easy online distribution. The practise is much less common in the modern age where pretty much anything can be thrown over the internet in next to no time. Although Windows Explorer won't show you this extra audio content, odds are if you right click the disc there you'll get a Play option on the context menu. iTunes or whatever should be able to handle it, if you're really not sure you're looking in the right place. I'd just like to note that autoplay will start playing the audio on the TFTD PSX disc, but the files played are the ones I mentioned in my previous post: ABOVESEQ, BELOWSEQ, FLIC, GEOSEQ & XCOMPAL. The music isn't. I did look up STR and it seems those are PSX video files, not music. - Zombie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombie Posted February 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 Some new additions to my collection... Thanks to some nagging from Thorondor , I picked up some items from the Take-Two store recently. First up was the XCOM2 Resurrection novel. I haven't read this beast yet as I was busy at work and this novel is 240 pages long, but I did glance at the first chapter and it's pretty good (aside from it being a war story). I also picked up a stainless steel mug with the Vigilo Confido logo on it. After a little sleuthing on my part, I determined it is a dual-walled mug so your hot liquids stay hot and your cold liquids, cold. Nicely constructed with a sturdy handle all for only $15. Won a The Bureau X-Com Declassified keychain from a German eBay seller today for under $7 including shipping. Also picked up The Art Of XCOM2 from Amazon for $15 off the full $39.99 pricetag at Take-Two so I'm happy about that. - Zombie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silencer_pl Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 Is that Mug not on sale anymore? I can only see this shotglass on 2K store: https://store.2k.com/store/Tk22k/en_IE/pd/productID.330055000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombie Posted February 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 It's still for sale, just hover your pointer over Games and click on XCOM in the menu. Direct link. Hope that works, otherwise just search for XCOM and it shows up there too. Kinda an unrelated update: but head on over to David Ellis's website and check out the latest group of pictures from his garage arcade. Clicky. He downgraded his classic arcade collection (I'll let you read why for yourself) so some things got shifted around - including the huge 12x8 foot X-COM: Interceptor poster. Also of interest is his wall of games picture which shows all of the games he worked on, plus the MicroProse Pirates! skull and crossbones flag which (I assume) flew outside of MicroProse's Chapel Hill HQ at one time. - Zombie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silencer_pl Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 Strange, I looked at ALL even, but oh well thanks. Now I will have a dillema, from what mug should I drink. My SolForce mug, my PC Master Race mug, or XCOM mug... One thing that I hate is such expensive delivery costs. Almost 20 EUR for delivery. Eh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombie Posted February 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 Now I will have a dillema, from what mug should I drink. My SolForce mug, my PC Master Race mug, or XCOM mug... Don't know what the other mugs are made of, but I'm really impressed with the quality of the XCOM mug - should be pretty durable for everyday use seeing it's made of stainless, and the logo is only on one side so there shouldn't be much wear to it (this is assuming you are right handed, with lefties the logo will face to you). One thing that I hate is such expensive delivery costs. Almost 20 EUR for delivery. Eh. Shipping is dirt cheap for me: $4.99, though if you order a few items you don't get a price break on subsequent items which sucks a little (free shipping with $60 in your cart though). Doesn't look like they offer shipping to Poland from the drop down menu, how did you arrive at that figure? - Zombie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silencer_pl Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 I can see Poland perfectly From the suggestion I would need to order 68,02 EUR worth of merchandise for free shipping. This is ludicrous. https://i64.tinypic.com/1q34g5.jpg As for the others: 1. PC Master Race Mug 2 SolForce Mug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombie Posted February 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2016 Interesting, I don't see very many shipping locations in the drop-down menu. So it must be on a country-by-country basis. Shipping is crazy expensive. Don't know why they would want to rake you over the coals for it, but meh. If you want the shotglass and mug but haven't ordered yet, drop me a PM, and maybe we could work something out. I'd imagine I could ship it to you a lot cheaper. I want a shotglass and a couple t-shirts, so if I get your stuff with it I should get to the $60 minimum for free shipping. Then it's just a matter of repackaging your items and ship it out. - Zombie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombie Posted February 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 Just purchased a XCOM Declassified banner which was probably used for advertising the XBox 360 version in stores. It's dimensions are a gigantic 6x3feet and has metal grommets along the edges for hanging it up. A pretty sweet find! Speaking of consoles, I was searching the net for X-COM: Terror From the Deep and ran across a topic called The Biggest Moments In "XCOM" History and noticed this: Terror From the Deep was also ported to PlayStation and the now forgotten 3DO console. Was it? I've been collecting X-COM games and memorabilia for almost a decade and never saw TFTD for 3DO. The 3DO is mentioned in the TFTD Draft Publishing Plan on page 10 where it also mentions Saturn, Ultra 64, Phillips CD-i, Mac and Amiga. I've never seen these other versions either. Amiga would seem like a possibility for TFTD, but I've never seen this either. My guess is that none of them exist. Does anyone have any clues? - Zombie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silencer_pl Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 I think I saw screenshot from Amiga of TFTD, what stuck in my mind is that Soldiers had helmets on during terror mission. Also you are now missing big Neon sign X-COM to put on your house Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ros Posted March 5, 2016 Report Share Posted March 5, 2016 I'd just like to note that autoplay will start playing the audio on the TFTD PSX disc, but the files played are the ones I mentioned in my previous post: ABOVESEQ, BELOWSEQ, FLIC, GEOSEQ & XCOMPAL. The music isn't. I did look up STR and it seems those are PSX video files, not music. - Zombie Zombie, sorry it took me so long but thanks for checking it for me. It seems that structure of TFTD PSX CD is different from that of UFO Defense. Anyway I've got the music from OpenXcom mod so I putting my plans for buying PSX version on hold. Maybe someday... when I'll figure out how to tell my wife that I've just spent 40 euro on some collectible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombie Posted March 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2016 Maybe someday... when I'll figure out how to tell my wife that I've just spent 40 euro on some collectible You might be able to pick up a copy for a lot cheaper than that. I know that I have a couple TFTD PSX games which cost me less than 20 euro, shipping was really expensive, though it may be better for you. I think I saw screenshot from Amiga of TFTD, what stuck in my mind is that Soldiers had helmets on during terror mission. Also you are now missing big Neon sign X-COM to put on your house I'm keeping an eye out for an Amiga TFTD version, but it might take a while to find. Sadly, there isn't an "official" neon X-COM/XCOM sign, that would be cool. I suppose I could have one blown up, but something like that is gonna cost in the middle hundreds of dollars well into the thousands depending on how big. Neon signs are really expensive these days, that's why LEDs are taking over. Well, I got my Vigilo Confido green t-shirt in the mail today from the Take-Two store. Not terribly impressed with the quality of it, seems to be rather thin material and I was hoping for something along the lines of a Hanes beefy-t type of material. Oh well. I also got my shotglass. If there's one thing I know (other than X-COM), it's glass (I deal with glassware of all types for my job everyday). The shotglass is about normal size and thickness. On the bottom was USA (I was happy to see that) as well as a number 24 and a script L. My first thought was that the L stood for Libbey, so I took a peek at their website and sure enough, I found some shotglasses with the script L on them. I'll dump a pic here. So Libbey is a company that produces glassware. It's not the highest quality glass out there, but I've always found it to be an above-average quality for a decent price. For a somewhat identical shotglass, Libbey is selling them for $18.72/6 or $3.12 each. This is their retail. Now, a company like Take-Two which probably buys hundreds will probably get them for a lot cheaper than that (think eBay or Amazon or bulk quantity from the manufacturer). So let's say for the sake of argument, one will cost $2. Not sure how much the silk screening label would cost, but it wouldn't be any more than a dollar or two. $4 cost selling for $10 is a 2.5 markup which is a totally acceptable profit margin. - Zombie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombie Posted May 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 Purchased yet another Silver/red center Microprose Wings pin today. Not sure where this seller finds his stuff, but I'm glad he puts them on eBay. - Zombie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted May 27, 2016 Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 Perhaps he makes them... https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b348/SpaceVoyager/Smiley/evil4.gif On the bright side - if he does, you'll be able to purchase many more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombie Posted May 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2016 I really doubt he has them made as the auction is always for a "used" item. Besides, MicroProse made another wings pin so it would stand to reason that they contracted with the same manufacturer to make a different type. So I'm pretty confident these are original. - Zombie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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