Re: Video Game "Finds of the Day"
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 5:45 pm
Weird Blue PSX Controller - $3.99 Goodwill
Another game collecting rant, hope you like the story.
This is a strange controller. When I saw it on the shelf it had no price tag. I asked the employee who was stocking merchandise for a price, he then took it to the back room. A few minutes later he came back out to continue stocking the shelves.
CRTGAMER: "How much is that controller?"
Employee: "It will be put out tomorrow."
CRTGAMER: "What time should I be here? I really want to buy it."
Employee: "Not sure, come back tomorrow."
Okay I now am going explosive nuts inside, a rare controller found that might slip out of my hands! I asked for a manager and got the I think Storeroom Supervisor. She stated that the item is not priced yet, could not be sold. I then proceeded to explain that I had the merchandise in my hands and want to buy it now and did not want to come back the next day. I showed her samples of other game controllers sitting on the shelf priced from $2.99 to $4.99. She went back slapped a tag on it for $3.99 and let me buy it.
I then asked if she might have any Exercise Bikes in the back at which she stated no. The reason for the seeming unrelated question? The controller has a label stating Gamebike, I remember reading a post on Racketboy about an Exercise Bike hooked up to a game console. Happy I got the controller, unhappy there was no bike. I was at a delima if pushed too hard maybe I might not get the controller, if it was supposed to be sold with a missing exercise bike. Went home and searched Racketboy for the older Bike game post, also a Goodwill purchase.
SNES Bike: viewtopic.php?f=47&p=383259#p383259
Wait a minute. That post was for a SNES bike and required specific games for it to work. But the controller I just bought was for a Playstation! Googling produced an interesting find. The Gamebike was designed for the PS2 and has adaptors to work in a Gamecube, XBox or PC. The adaptors are simple controller conversions which i already own. This means I already have the potential of using this on various consoles! More importantly, ANY racing game can be tailored to work! Okay now I am real desperate to own this, images of the Arcade game Prop Cycle popped in my head.
The Goodwill store that I bought the controller from seemed small. Maybe their distribution center sends larger exercise equipment to another store. I called the Goodwill District Manger the next day to get information. He stated that donations are not separated, but sent together at one store. He surmised perhaps the donation was incomplete which happens a lot. Okay so a return trip to Goodwill the following day just in case it does turned up.
I wanted to be sure the employess knew what to look for, so brought along a printout I made from a few Google images.
This time I asked for the Goodwill Store Manager, she recognized the pictures and stated that they sold the Black one yesterday! Crap! Crap! Crap! To add to my pain the Black one is the commercial version! I then asked if it was a regular customer and if she could forward my cell number to the customer who bought it. She said she would try to watch for the customer, although I know there is very little chance of getting this. The manager also stated that the customer convinced the store to sell it for half price at $39.00. Okay maybe this customer might show up on 1st Saturday half off Goodwill sales? I'll see if the manager will let me post a flyer the day before two weeks from now. I kept waking up last night kept thinking what if, what if, what if.
I already have the Flyer made up
A closer inspection of the controller shows some strange features. The first thing that caught my eye was the slot at the bottom. What it is for, a vibration pack? No, a clamp to secure the controller to the bike. There are three mini jacks in the cable end, one for a brake, one for sensors to read the pedal movement and one to read the handlebar direction. So its a digital button for brake, analog for the turns and maybe a magnetic pulse sensor for "tapping button" movement? The slide controls for speed and turn sensing at the top have a motorized feel to them, akin to pushing a friction motor toy car. At least the controller works on its own as a programmable unit. If I don't get the bike, maybe a mod to utilize the features?
In a touch of Irony I spotted a gaming Smart Cycle for kids at the Swap meet the very next day. It also has a hookup for watching a game while pedaling. Not the right one I want.
The sad thing is the person who bought the bike does not know the potential, thinks its just a workout bike. How do exercise equipment usually occupy a house?
First month - Massive workouts.
2nd month - Workout less and less.
3rd to tenth month - Expensive Coat rack.
Year later - Donation to Goodwill.
Problem is catching it when it does return to Goodwill.
Review http://www.gamergirlsunite.com/e107_plu ... content.39
The manual - http://www2.cateye.com/sites/cateye/upl ... er_Ev1.pdf
Another game collecting rant, hope you like the story.
This is a strange controller. When I saw it on the shelf it had no price tag. I asked the employee who was stocking merchandise for a price, he then took it to the back room. A few minutes later he came back out to continue stocking the shelves.
CRTGAMER: "How much is that controller?"
Employee: "It will be put out tomorrow."
CRTGAMER: "What time should I be here? I really want to buy it."
Employee: "Not sure, come back tomorrow."
Okay I now am going explosive nuts inside, a rare controller found that might slip out of my hands! I asked for a manager and got the I think Storeroom Supervisor. She stated that the item is not priced yet, could not be sold. I then proceeded to explain that I had the merchandise in my hands and want to buy it now and did not want to come back the next day. I showed her samples of other game controllers sitting on the shelf priced from $2.99 to $4.99. She went back slapped a tag on it for $3.99 and let me buy it.
- Gamebike Controller 01.jpg (169.17 KiB) Viewed 1216 times
I then asked if she might have any Exercise Bikes in the back at which she stated no. The reason for the seeming unrelated question? The controller has a label stating Gamebike, I remember reading a post on Racketboy about an Exercise Bike hooked up to a game console. Happy I got the controller, unhappy there was no bike. I was at a delima if pushed too hard maybe I might not get the controller, if it was supposed to be sold with a missing exercise bike. Went home and searched Racketboy for the older Bike game post, also a Goodwill purchase.
SNES Bike: viewtopic.php?f=47&p=383259#p383259
Wait a minute. That post was for a SNES bike and required specific games for it to work. But the controller I just bought was for a Playstation! Googling produced an interesting find. The Gamebike was designed for the PS2 and has adaptors to work in a Gamecube, XBox or PC. The adaptors are simple controller conversions which i already own. This means I already have the potential of using this on various consoles! More importantly, ANY racing game can be tailored to work! Okay now I am real desperate to own this, images of the Arcade game Prop Cycle popped in my head.
The Goodwill store that I bought the controller from seemed small. Maybe their distribution center sends larger exercise equipment to another store. I called the Goodwill District Manger the next day to get information. He stated that donations are not separated, but sent together at one store. He surmised perhaps the donation was incomplete which happens a lot. Okay so a return trip to Goodwill the following day just in case it does turned up.
I wanted to be sure the employess knew what to look for, so brought along a printout I made from a few Google images.
I already have the Flyer made up
A closer inspection of the controller shows some strange features. The first thing that caught my eye was the slot at the bottom. What it is for, a vibration pack? No, a clamp to secure the controller to the bike. There are three mini jacks in the cable end, one for a brake, one for sensors to read the pedal movement and one to read the handlebar direction. So its a digital button for brake, analog for the turns and maybe a magnetic pulse sensor for "tapping button" movement? The slide controls for speed and turn sensing at the top have a motorized feel to them, akin to pushing a friction motor toy car. At least the controller works on its own as a programmable unit. If I don't get the bike, maybe a mod to utilize the features?
- Gamebike Controller 02.jpg (155.76 KiB) Viewed 1216 times
CRTGAMER wrote:If I do get the Gamebike, I will definitely post a followup! I so want to ride the bike in San Andreas with real pedal power or drive the cars in Gran Turismo with Fred Flintstone feet.
In a touch of Irony I spotted a gaming Smart Cycle for kids at the Swap meet the very next day. It also has a hookup for watching a game while pedaling. Not the right one I want.
The sad thing is the person who bought the bike does not know the potential, thinks its just a workout bike. How do exercise equipment usually occupy a house?
First month - Massive workouts.
2nd month - Workout less and less.
3rd to tenth month - Expensive Coat rack.
Year later - Donation to Goodwill.
Problem is catching it when it does return to Goodwill.
Review http://www.gamergirlsunite.com/e107_plu ... content.39
The manual - http://www2.cateye.com/sites/cateye/upl ... er_Ev1.pdf
