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General and Gaming => General => Topic started by: seether on March 15, 2019, 09:06:24 am

Title: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: seether on March 15, 2019, 09:06:24 am
It makes my sick crawl.

I’d only buy one if it were half the price of every boxed copy, the boxed copy was more than I wanted to pay, I really wanted to play the game and the seller said it were in very good condition.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: sworddude on March 15, 2019, 09:13:28 am
It makes my sick crawl.

I’d only buy one if it were half the price of every boxed copy, the boxed copy was more than I wanted to pay, I really wanted to play the game and the seller said it were in very good condition.

most lose dics copies are less than half the price of a boxed copy so I don't see your complaint as far as old stuff goes.

For current gen it's different since a large group just want to play a game even if it's only slightly cheaper. aka the reason why for example gamestop charges pretty much same prices for lose discs and cib copies.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: hoshichiri on March 15, 2019, 09:35:05 am
I don't do loose discs, full stop.

If you want to keep your disc in good, working condition, it needs to be in a case- why not the original? I'm actually pretty proud that my disc-based games are something like 99% complete... I don't have the map for Vay on Sega CD, and only one of my Turbo CD games has its outer cardboard box. But as far as the actual plastic CD case the disc sits in? I've got all of them. I've got nothing against those who prefer/are neutral to disc only- using a CD wallet, a spindle, or slim cases must save a lot of space. I'd just rather get some of that sweet, sweet box art to go with my game.

I went to a retro event last summer, and a friend bought a loose copy of Threads of Fate for PS1. He was saying he hoped it'd get home ok. I was confused: "I mean, it's in a plain case, right?" "no, it's disc only." "...so like a paper sleeve then?" "no, disc only"- and he proceeds to pull a disc out of his coat pocket. The guy sold it as literally disc only, no kind of protective cover at all. I was dumbfounded- I mean, you can get empty cases or paper sleeves for so cheap, who just sells a disc? Who BUYS it? I guess my friend! I immediately dug out the copy of Einhander I'd just picked up- "put that in here for now!" I don't like double-stacking discs in a case, but it beats just shoving the disc in your pocket. When they dropped me off after I gave him one of the empty jewel cases I keep on hand as replacements. That one really weirded me out.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: seether on March 15, 2019, 09:41:32 am
It makes my sick crawl.

I’d only buy one if it were half the price of every boxed copy, the boxed copy was more than I wanted to pay, I really wanted to play the game and the seller said it were in very good condition.

most lose dics copies are less than half the price of a boxed copy so I don't see your complaint as far as old stuff goes.

For current gen it's different since a large group just want to play a game even if it's only slightly cheaper. aka the reason why for example gamestop charges pretty much same prices for lose discs and cib copies.
I wasn’t complaining that they aren’t half price, I was giving four pieces of criteria that would need to be met for me to buy one.

Your reading comprehension skills are very poor.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: seether on March 15, 2019, 09:52:31 am
I don't have the map for Vay on Sega CD
May as well throw the whole collection out really then.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: afroyoshi on March 15, 2019, 10:02:27 am
I don't usually buy loose discs, but when i do I just find a case to put it in and use "thecoverproject" site to replace the cover art.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: kypherion on March 15, 2019, 11:06:46 am
Definitely a nope, I try to only buy CIB especially with discs
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: kashell on March 15, 2019, 11:10:13 am
Loose discs are a no-no.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: ferraroso on March 15, 2019, 12:20:24 pm
I consider myself a collector more than a gamer, so I’ve never bought a disc-only game.
I don’t refuse when people give me loose discs, but I never add them to my collection here...
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: telly on March 15, 2019, 12:37:44 pm
Sometimes if I come across a loose disc I'll try to find a case for it because I totally agree. It's just asking to get scratched if it's in one of those CD binders  :-[
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: sworddude on March 15, 2019, 01:00:49 pm
Sometimes if I come across a loose disc I'll try to find a case for it because I totally agree. It's just asking to get scratched if it's in one of those CD binders  :-[

you can easily get your selves a blanco cd jewel case so that should not really be an issue at all if the lose discs is in nice shape when you get it
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: justin8301 on March 15, 2019, 01:23:41 pm
Right now the only system that i'm willing to collect loose discs for is the Saturn, its just way too hard/expensive to find Saturn games complete in good condition.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: turf on March 15, 2019, 01:38:00 pm
Negative, Ghost Rider
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: mark1982 on March 15, 2019, 02:48:05 pm
I don't even consider buying loose discs, even if I really wanted said game, I'll just give it a pass.

I even stay away from cracked cases or damaged box arts unless I can get a replacement. So that's a no from me.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: ignition365 on March 15, 2019, 02:53:51 pm
I've done it from time to time.

It's usually either a) I have the case and manual already (acquired for next to nothing), or b) I find a loose disc for cheap and this disc alone is worth some money so even if I can't find the case and manual for next to nothing, I can sell the disc and help subsidize the cost of a complete copy down the line.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: retromangia on March 15, 2019, 03:08:08 pm
If I can find a $100 game that's disc only for $2, then why the hell not?  Don't let OCD get the best of you  ;)
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: kamikazekeeg on March 15, 2019, 03:10:28 pm
Nothing wrong with them as long as they aren't scratched to hell.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: oldgamerz on March 15, 2019, 03:22:09 pm
As someone already said you can always buy a whole pack of empty CD or DVD or even a Blu-ray cases to store your lose discs. yes I do buy loose discs if the price is decent and Blu-rays don't scratch, unless you do it on purpose. However it is annoying to get a Disc in the mail without a case or just inside a paper sleeve. JJ games website sometimes does this
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: ignition365 on March 15, 2019, 03:43:43 pm
As someone already said you can always buy a whole pack of empty CD or DVD or even a Blu-ray cases to store your lose discs. yes I do buy loose discs if the price is decent and Blu-rays don't scratch, unless you do it on purpose. However it is annoying to get a Disc in the mail without a case or just inside a paper sleeve. JJ games website sometimes does this
With JJGames what you see is what you get.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: kam1kaz3nl77 on March 15, 2019, 04:03:41 pm
Blasphemy.

I always get a full and complete game (with all the tidbits) even if it costs a bit more, but no loose sh***t. Period
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: NickAwesome on March 15, 2019, 05:20:02 pm
Nope, won't do it.  I am sometimes okay with no manual on boxed games, but for cd based games- i need disc, instruction, art, case- minimum
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: baileykun on March 15, 2019, 05:44:42 pm
Not often, but I have a couple times to save money. I think way back when I was in school I wanted ff7 and loose was all I could afford lol. I can't think of too much I bought loose otherwise. Well, not a disc but I got p4 golden discounted cause the case was lost. I also have loose games from my childhood, who knows where those cases went. *shrugs* I'm not the hardest core collector for all series I guess is the thing. I just prefer physical media.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: hoshichiri on March 15, 2019, 06:20:08 pm
I don't have the map for Vay on Sega CD
May as well throw the whole collection out really then.


I SIT ON A THRONE OF LIES! *sob*
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: seether on March 15, 2019, 06:33:19 pm
I don't have the map for Vay on Sega CD
May as well throw the whole collection out really then.


I SIT ON A THRONE OF LIES! *sob*
I have set up a humanitarian aid crisis GoFundMe campaign to get you the map for Vay on Sega CD.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: Warmsignal on March 15, 2019, 07:22:18 pm
Usually, I'll pass. If it's a rare game, and it's cheap then I'll buy just to resell it. I found Silent Hill disc only for $1, no reason to pass that up.

It's funny that we look at disc only with such disdain, but loose cartridge is seen as okay. Cartridges don't really display much better than discs, and they're quite unpleasant to look at as well. I suppose they're more secure, and more rugged. Disc art though, can sometimes be bland, or difficult to read.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: sworddude on March 15, 2019, 09:24:09 pm
I don't have the map for Vay on Sega CD
May as well throw the whole collection out really then.


I SIT ON A THRONE OF LIES! *sob*
I have set up a humanitarian aid crisis GoFundMe campaign to get you the map for Vay on Sega CD.

would love to see a screen shot or link to this go fund me page. I might even consider to donate a dollar or two  ::)
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: bikingjahuty on March 16, 2019, 12:30:57 am
Unless it's a pretty rare and/or expensive game I never buy disc only games. I'd rather wait and find the game complete, even if I am getting a better deal on it because it's disc only.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: hoshichiri on March 16, 2019, 12:03:57 pm
It's funny that we look at disc only with such disdain, but loose cartridge is seen as okay. Cartridges don't really display much better than discs, and they're quite unpleasant to look at as well. I suppose they're more secure, and more rugged. Disc art though, can sometimes be bland, or difficult to read.

I think there's a cost vs. benefit thing going on here. Discs are best kept in cases, regardless of if it's original or not. Carts typically hold up fine stored loose- I mean, could you imagine digging through a bin of loose discs to find a specific game? But I see Game Boy carts stored like that all the time. Plus, cases/boxes are expensive when bought separately- I've seen empty boxes (both for carts & discs) sell for more than a complete copy of a game before! Couple that with cart boxes usually being carboard, therefore requiring special consideration to prevent damage to them, & it just makes more sense to want disc cases. Better to put your money toward a rigid box that protects your game than a cardboard one that only looks nice & that you'll have to take special care of.

would love to see a screen shot or link to this go fund me page. I might even consider to donate a dollar or two  ::)

So would I- then I'd know if I need to work on one of those 'generosity of strangers' spiels if it raises more than $5. :P
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: spac316 on March 17, 2019, 12:32:07 am
I prefer to have disc based games complete. However, if it's a really rare and expensive game that goes fore cheap loose, I may consider it. But otherwise, I can't see me buying loose discs.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: pzeke on March 17, 2019, 09:29:08 pm
I don’t like them. I avoid them, but if I come across one for a rare/expensive game for cheap then I’ll definitely get it...and then resell it. Unfortunately for me, my area is devoid of flea markets or Goodwill, so that’s not an option.

I once found a loose copy of Taito Legends 2 at a GameStop for $1 and some change. The disc was in great shape so I couldn’t pass that up. Years later I found a complete copy on eBay far cheap, so I kept the case and manual and completed my loose disc, and sold the other. I also got a “loose” copy of R-Type Delta, which I got in a lot from eBay years ago. I say “loose” because it has the manual but not the inlay (although the manual has seen better days). Had I known that it wasn’t complete AND was an ex-rental, I wouldn’t have bothered, but that’s what happens when you stumble with a listing that’s ending and has little to no traffic and spot a rare game among commons. To this day I’m still trying to remove the sticker residue off the disc’s face. Reselling it has crossed my mind once or thrice.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: megasilverx1 on March 18, 2019, 12:57:05 am
I prefer having the disc be complete or at least include the case. However, as long as the disc is in great to decent condition, I don't really care since I can just find an empty DVD or CD case and print out the game's cover.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: azure on March 20, 2019, 12:58:41 am
Prefer games to be CIB, and they will be eventually once their added to my collection. That being said a good deal, is a good deal and I wouldn't pass up one that was a loose disc.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: droaa on March 20, 2019, 01:57:18 am
While having CIB is ideal, sometimes you I cant pass up a good deal on a loose disc or in my case at times, I decide to get a disc only copy of a game I already have on another system
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: turf on March 20, 2019, 09:19:17 am
Loose carts are fine. Loose discs are a big no-no. I don’t even buy games without cover art.
It’s a personal preference. I just don’t do it.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: hoshichiri on March 20, 2019, 10:03:37 am
Loose carts are fine. Loose discs are a big no-no. I don’t even buy games without cover art.
It’s a personal preference. I just don’t do it.

You & me both. While Retromangia does make a good point:

If I can find a $100 game that's disc only for $2, then why the hell not?  Don't let OCD get the best of you  ;)

Even then, I think I'd buy it to flip more than anything. See, I've done this in the past- I got lucky years ago and found a disc only Suikoden 2 for $5. However- becuase all my games are CIB, I decided to find the case & manual for it. It took YEARS to finally complete that set! I think when all was said & done, I spent $60 total, so it was still a deal- but also a lot of friggin' work. This is putting aside finding a case for my disc+manual copy of Lunar on Sega CD. That quite literally took a decade of hunting. I don't have that kind of time anymore. I'd rather just pay a lil' more to have a complete copy & be done with it.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: sworddude on March 20, 2019, 07:31:17 pm
If I find a spare discs of for example symphony of the night for dirt cheap raiden project or some other games that I really like I'll keep it as a spare copy just in case. I don't mind a lose disc in such cases. Plays just as well and a jewel case is not the hardest thing in the world to get if you dont have some spare ones laying around already.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: vivigamer on March 21, 2019, 08:07:34 am
The only time I have ever bought loose discs is when HMV went into administration and they had stock without front covers on - I got some great deals like Xenoblade Chronicles, World Ends with You, Lightning Returns, Pikmin (Wii) and more for £2 a pop! All the discs were mint too - I did ask and check at the counter, something I always do when it comes to buying Pre-Owned content.

I must admit though, whenever I see loose discs on eBay I cringe, I wonder about the circumstance on how it managed to be separated and how it would have been looked after while loose and it puts me off the sale immediately. I'd never buy Loose disc online, it's hard enough dealing with dishonest sellers with complete sets as it is.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: hoshichiri on March 21, 2019, 10:06:41 pm
I must admit though, whenever I see loose discs on eBay I cringe, I wonder about the circumstance on how it managed to be separated...

From personal experience with friends:

1) Someone threw out their cases to keep the games in a binder as a space-saving measure
2) Someone was so ridiculously implusive they literally dropped the case on the floor walking from wherever the game was to the console, and it eventually got lost amongst similarly discarded cases.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: pzeke on March 21, 2019, 10:29:11 pm
1) Someone threw out their cases to keep the games in a binder as a space-saving measure

I used to do this with my music CDs, but thankfully kept the cases safely stored away. I actually had the tendency of changing cases between my music CDs and PS1 games trying to make the games look as spiffy as possible.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: betelgeuse on April 02, 2019, 06:53:30 pm
I’ll buy a lone disc if I don’t want to open a sealed game that’s years old.
Obviously, it’s gotta be priced much less than a complete copy though.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: zappman on May 02, 2019, 02:27:53 am
I must admit though, whenever I see loose discs on eBay I cringe, I wonder about the circumstance on how it managed to be separated...

From personal experience with friends:

1) Someone threw out their cases to keep the games in a binder as a space-saving measure
2)......

Loose discs are OK with me. I just bought a bunch of games in a binder at a thrift store.

For my $10.99, I got the binder, 10 "PlayStation" games, 19 "PlayStation 2" games, 1 "PlayStation 2" magazine demo disc, and a "PlayStation 3" game. Also, included were a few movie DVDs. Most of the discs seem to be in "fair to good" condition or "better".

I will most likely place the"PlayStation 1" in brand new jewel cases (which I all ready have), I will use my ink-jet printer to print the titles on paper case inserts. This will allow me to insert these acquired games into the other "PlayStation 1" games in my collection.

I will most likely place the "PlayStation 2" games into a binder, but some may be put into a new "DVD case" or a used "PlayStation 2"case, with covers that I print, so that they can be displayed.
Title: Re: What are your thoughts on buying loose discs?
Post by: PaleManInBlack on May 09, 2019, 11:20:39 pm
Nope, can't do it. I have to have the case and inserts. The only time I've ever bought disk only is when I'm replacing a disk, such as it being defective.