Complete Working Designs Collections? [Archive]

Nz17

06-06-2011, 09:58 PM

Any DP'ers have the whole collection of Working Design games? What about all the games' label variants? The official strategy guides? Punching puppet Ghaleon?

Personally I have a good amount of their games including all the SEGA CD releases (Lunar: The Silver Star, Lunar: Eternal Blue, Popful Mail, Vay), and many of the PSX games (Alundra, Arc the Lad Collection, Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete, Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete, Silhouette Mirage). Plus all the premiums for those games, including punching puppet Ghaleon. However I am remiss as I have not the hardcover strategy guides for the PlayStation LUNAR games, a sad sore point for me to this day.

What are in your guys' WD collections?

TonyTheTiger

06-06-2011, 10:07 PM

I'm getting there. A couple TG-16/CD games and Popful Mail are my primary focuses at the moment. Got most of what I needed previously.

What really stopped me in my tracks was Victor Ireland's Ebay auctions for some autographed stuff. Got a nice shadow box with a sealed/signed copy of Lunar: SSSC Fan Edition, a signed/sealed Lunar: SSSC demo, a sealed Lunar: SSSC strategy guide, a brand new counter card, and a handful of lapel pins for other WD games. That unexpected appearance on Ebay prompted me to put the other stuff on hold.

I fully admit that WD has a dubious reputation for their often embellished localizations but, frankly, they did a lot more right then they ever did wrong with their games. Hell, if not for the script, Albert Odyssey would have been damn near unbearable.

Aussie2B

06-06-2011, 11:42 PM

Hell, if not for the script, Albert Odyssey would have been damn near unbearable.

If that's the case, wouldn't it have been a lot more logical to release a game that's fun regardless, rather than a game that's not entertaining without its goofy, rewritten script? They could've just as well released a great game AND gave it a goofy, rewritten script if they wanted to. I don't know if Working Designs had trouble getting the licenses to games, but there was definitely plenty of great stuff that never left Japan in that time period.

Sorry for diverting the topic here, though. My WD collection is still fairly small. I think I actually have more of their action games than their RPGs.

Dangerboy

06-07-2011, 12:11 AM

Innocent whistle.

http://www.game-rave.com/psx/playstation_perfect_guide/workingdesigns/index.htm

Breetai

06-07-2011, 12:17 AM

I know one guy, who if not all of them, has nearly every one of them. I don't think that counts variations of discs such as Lunar:TSS.

swlovinist

06-07-2011, 01:18 AM

TonyTheTiger

06-07-2011, 01:31 AM

If that's the case, wouldn't it have been a lot more logical to release a game that's fun regardless, rather than a game that's not entertaining without its goofy, rewritten script? They could've just as well released a great game AND gave it a goofy, rewritten script if they wanted to. I don't know if Working Designs had trouble getting the licenses to games, but there was definitely plenty of great stuff that never left Japan in that time period.

Sorry for diverting the topic here, though. My WD collection is still fairly small. I think I actually have more of their action games than their RPGs.

I'm not sure they had a choice. It's not like they could just demand games to localize and pick from the cream of the crop. I'm guessing Vay was probably one of those times, too. Although, story has it that Victor Ireland did supposedly regret the decision to grab Albert Odyssey. He had originally pursued it due to Toshiyuki Kubooka, who had worked on Lunar, doing the art for the game. He didn't know at the time that it was not an especially good game and that Kubooka disliked the project.

swlovinist

06-07-2011, 01:43 AM

From what I have heard, WD did pursue what they could get their hands on. What people forget is how small of an operation they were. Again, they were small fish compared to other companies out there. It was totally awesome to have them in my home town. In the later years, WD tried to pursue more mainstream games...only to not have it turn out so great. I have a Goemon Plush that is proof of it.

Wiki listing:
The now-defunct company Working Designs attempted to bring the game to English audiences as Mystical Ninja Goemon beginning in 2002. Motivated to promote a series "that's never quite received the recognition it deserves here [in the United States],"[1] Working Designs displayed the game in its booth at E3 the same year.[2] Mystical Ninja Goemon remained on the studio's release list until its closing in 2005;[3] it is rumored that Sony squashed the game's release due to subpar graphics.[4]

Aussie2B

06-07-2011, 02:29 AM

Heh, I don't know if I'd call Goemon mainstream. As much as I love the franchise, I don't think it was the brightest move on their part to pursue the PS2 Goemon. Even back then it was pretty widely regarded as a poor entry in the franchise. If they were trying to release a Goemon game, they would've been better off with the GBC platformer from roughly the same time period, or maybe one of the PS1 games.

bcks007

06-07-2011, 08:32 AM

I have at least version Working Designs game, but I dont collect variants. On top of that, I have several promo items that were not for sale. I also am friends with the voice of Nall, Jackie Powers, who kindly signed my copies of Lunar 1 and 2 for both SCD and PSX. She also did additional work for them till the bitter end. Pins, Polo shirts, etc, WD was a cool company that really did some amazing fan service.

It helps that I lived near Redding, CA for nearly 30 years :)

Redding is my home town too, or was till I moved up to oregon awhile back. I was born in Red Bluff, not sure If i would ever want to move back, I think the heat would kill me, and I heard that Redding went to hell, drug's wise.

Jimmy Yakapucci

06-07-2011, 08:34 AM

In the later years, WD tried to pursue more mainstream games...only to not have it turn out so great. I have a Goemon Plush that is proof of it.

I have the Goemon plush as well. IIRC, I picked up off eBay from Kelly Knight.

JY

RPG_Fanatic

06-07-2011, 09:21 AM

However I am remiss as I have not the hardcover strategy guides for the PlayStation LUNAR games, a sad sore point for me to this day.

I didn't know Working Designs released Lunar SSC guide in hardback. Does anyone have this? If so pics please.

VACRMH

06-07-2011, 09:22 AM

I have the Goemon plush as well. IIRC, I picked up off eBay from Kelly Knight.

JY

Ditto. Bought quite a few items from her. A Vay poster, Arc the Lad mousepad and a Vanguard Bandits Counter Card.

I've always been a big Working Desgins fan, so I've got a pretty good collection going. But I haven't tried to add to it for some time. I'm only missing 3 games now, Vasteel, Cadash and Iron Storm.

I have a fair share of extras (Puppet, Strategy Guides, ect), but I've yet to dig into variant's. Tis a scary world. I do want to track down the Growlanser inflatable sword (easy) and the Nall plush (ugh).

By the way, does anyone ever see the mini deck of cards and 2 pins that were given away to people who preordered Growlanser Generations straight from Working Designs? I've checked eBay a few times and never see it pop up.

Edit: Duh, should have checked eBay this time before posting. http://cgi.ebay.com/PS2-Growlanser-Generations-Promo-Cards-Pins-NEW-/130523174321?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item1e63c995b1 But yikes...

VACRMH

06-07-2011, 09:26 AM

I didn't know Working Designs released the guides in hardback. Does anyone have these? If so pics please.

Here's one for Arc the Lad Collection (Sadly it only covers 1 & 2, they never made a guide for the 3rd game).

http://cgi.ebay.com/Arc-Lad-Official-Strategy-Guide-PSX-Hardcover-New-/310180181378?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item48382df582

On top of that, there's hardback guides for Vanguard Bandits and Lunar 2 (Eternal Blue Complete).

Jimmy Yakapucci

06-07-2011, 09:28 AM

I do want to track down the Growlanser inflatable sword (easy)

I picked that up from someone else on eBay. The other stuff that I got from Kelly was a couple of Arc The Lad Collection posters. I had a manual for Albert Odyssey that was signed by her, but I lost it when I moved. I do have some other stuff signed by either her or Vic. I just can't remember what off the top of my head.

JY

Jimmy Yakapucci

06-07-2011, 09:31 AM

Here's one for Arc the Lad Collection (Sadly it only covers 1 & 2, they never made a guide for the 3rd game).

http://cgi.ebay.com/Arc-Lad-Official-Strategy-Guide-PSX-Hardcover-New-/310180181378?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item48382df582

On top of that, there's hardback guides for Alundra, Vanguard Bandits and Lunar 2 (Eternal Blue Complete).

I have the Arc the Lad one that I picked up in a game store for cover price a while back. Some guy in my office building must have been a WD fan since he was selling a bunch of stuff. I got the sealed hardback Vanguard Bandits guide and the sealed paperback Silver Star PS guide. Of course I opened that one.

Collecting the games is actually the easy part. It is all the other goodies that are a pain. I grabbed one of the Dragon Force watches a couple of years ago, but haven't seen any other ones since.

JY

sisko

06-07-2011, 09:35 AM

My WD collection is almost complete across all systems....just missing a manual for Popful Mail (bought it from a lot, and it had black mold, so I had to toss it). BTW - If anyone has a loose manual, or a manual-disc copy - give me a hollar - I might buy it ;P

By the way, does anyone ever see the mini deck of cards and 2 pins that were given away to people who preordered Growlanser Generations straight from Working Designs? I've checked eBay a few times and never see it pop up.

I've got a set (sealed) when I preordered the game. Never really seen another.

I've also got a number of extras, like the strategy guides but am missing a few.

I've got the above mentioned Goemon plush - a gift from Zach Meston (super nice guy in person).

I've got several of the Ghaleon puppets (oh and fantastic tales of flaming puppets from my time working at Funcoland), but no Alex puppet.

I've got the coveted Naal plush.

I've also got an inflatable Growlanser Generations sword from E3.

VACRMH

06-07-2011, 09:38 AM

I have the Arc the Lad one that I picked up in a game store for cover price a while back. Some guy in my office building must have been a WD fan since he was selling a bunch of stuff. I got the sealed hardback Vanguard Bandits guide and the sealed paperback Silver Star PS guide. Of course I opened that one.

Collecting the games is actually the easy part. It is all the other goodies that are a pain. I grabbed one of the Dragon Force watches a couple of years ago, but haven't seen any other ones since.

JY

Indeed. Heck, while 7 discs for Lunar:TSS on Sega CD may sound bad, don't forget that the watches given away for Preordering Arc the Lad Collection had a total of 14 different ones!

RPG_Fanatic

06-07-2011, 09:55 AM

There's hardback guides for Alundra.

I think Alundra only came in paperback not in hardback.

VACRMH

06-07-2011, 10:03 AM

I think Alundra only came in paperback not in hardback.

Whoops! I stand corrected. Thanks :)

PapaStu

06-07-2011, 10:45 AM

I've got a set (sealed) when I preordered the game. Never really seen another.

I've got several of the Ghaleon puppets (oh and fantastic tales of flaming puppets from my time working at Funcoland), but no Alex puppet.

I've got the coveted Naal plush.

I've got the cards as well. Came w/ my pre-order set also.

Alex puppet never made it out of prototype phase. I think Vic said 5 were made, and i know one was auctioned off on eBay a few years ago.

I've got a Naal plush as well. Mine was the last Naal that Vic had.

BetaWolf47

06-07-2011, 11:17 AM

TonyTheTiger

06-07-2011, 11:40 AM

I don't hate it. I just think it's a poster child for wasted potential. Every step of the way it feels like it'll climb out of "RPGs for Dummies" mode but it never really does.

It doesn't do anything particularly wrong. But it doesn't exactly do anything especially right, either.

It's better than Vay, at least.

xelement5x

06-07-2011, 11:55 AM

I've got a full set of all the WD games, but my Vasteel is missing the cardboard slipcover that went around the game on initial release. Turbo games are ridiculously priced right now but I'm still keeping an eye out for a copy.

I've got all the variants for Sega CD and Saturn games (Lunar:TSS, Albert Odyssey, Dragon Force and stickers, Rayearth), a couple Grownlanswer sets because of the rings and almost all the variants for the PSX games (thanks Dangerboy) except for Alundra because really, 7 versions?

There was some really cool stuff Vic and Kelly were auctioning off last year like a full set of game pins and a Nall plush, but $500 minimum for the plush was too rich for my blood. The pins were split though so I got a majority of the ones I wanted. I've also got some interesting promo stuff, but the games are kind of my main interest.

VACRMH

06-07-2011, 02:50 PM

Hold up. Am I the only person who genuinely likes Albert Odyssey: Legend of Eldean as a game? The US version actually features better loading times. The random pop culture references do add to it a bit, but I like the game itself.

Both my wife and I played through it and enjoyed the game. Problem is it was so forgettable that we forgot anything about the story or characters mere days after finishing.

goatdan

06-07-2011, 03:09 PM

I've got the above mentioned Goemon plush - a gift from Zach Meston (super nice guy in person).

Yeah, Zach is awesome. We used to debate things back and forth on here and really enjoyed it, but a lot of other people thought we hated each other and were fighting. It was kind of funny, we both were threatened at one time to be banned if we didn't calm down, but we would send each other emails back and forth from time to time, and there was never any ill will between us.

In a related thing, for the PS1, were there just three of the oversized box sets -- Lunar, Lunar II and Arc the Lad? I am not really a Working Designs collector, but I quite like the look of those and got good deals on all three, so I've got them. I also have the two shiny colored PS2 Working Design releases, although those are pretty much worthless from what I know -- again, I just like their shiny covers ;)

PapaStu

06-07-2011, 05:27 PM

and almost all the variants for the PSX games (thanks Dangerboy) except for Alundra because really, 7 versions?
Actually 8. There was supposed to be 9, but it never made it out. Count yourself lucky.

I've got all of the PS stuff, save for one of the discs for RayStorm (damn you red ship).

I didn't bother to chase down the variants for the PS2 stuff.

xelement5x

06-07-2011, 06:31 PM

Actually 8. There was supposed to be 9, but it never made it out. Count yourself lucky.

I've got all of the PS stuff, save for one of the discs for RayStorm (damn you red ship).

I didn't bother to chase down the variants for the PS2 stuff.

My bad, I knew there were enough that it would take me awhile to find them all, and when the first copy I randomly bought was a mix and match (case inserts/disc) from multiple copies I just got frustrated. It's funny you mention that red ship version though, I randomly came across my copy one day with a super low BIN price and thought it was my luckiest find :). That and the Yellow Mech copy of Vanguard bandits are oddly uncommon.

RPG_Fanatic

06-07-2011, 07:27 PM

Yeah, Zach is awesome.

What ever happened to Zach Meston? I really liked he's strategy guides.

goatdan

06-07-2011, 07:34 PM

What ever happened to Zach Meston? I really liked he's strategy guides.

Last I heard, he was doing PR for a large video game company. He had shifted to Atlus, but moved on to another company, but I think part of the deal was that he wasn't supposed to talk about who he was working with. May be wrong on that, and if he pops up I'd love to hear an update, but that is what I seem to remember. I think I last talked with him about four years ago.

bcks007

06-07-2011, 09:53 PM

Actually 8. There was supposed to be 9, but it never made it out. Count yourself lucky.

I've got all of the PS stuff, save for one of the discs for RayStorm (damn you red ship).

I didn't bother to chase down the variants for the PS2 stuff.

I believe there are a total of 6 for the ps2.
Growlanser: Generations
Growlanser: Generations Deluxe Pack
Gungriffon Blaze (SLUS-20080A)
Gungriffon Blaze (SLUS-20080B)
Silpheed: The Lost Planet (SLUS-20085A)
Silpheed: The Lost Planet (SLUS-20085B)

For the 2 lesser games listed, I don't know if there are any more variants for those, I'm thinking there is only 2. I'm also pretty sure there is no way to know which version you'll get from a sealed one, as the outside artwork, doesn't mention the A or B version. I could be missing something, but I doubt it. Perhaps the original seal on the top gave it away? Anybody know?

Jimmy Yakapucci

06-07-2011, 09:55 PM

For anyone looking to add to their WD "swag" collection:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Promo-Polo-Shirt-Short-Sleeve-Silpheed-Lost-Planet-Rare-/230624397669?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35b2490965

JY

maxlords

06-07-2011, 10:57 PM

No WD collection is complete without all the different Arc the Lad pocketwatches available IMO....there were only 9 right? :P

It's odd that you say that the red ship variant of Raystorm is the rarest....I didn't even know there WAS a Raystorm variant. Bought mine new...and I've got the red ship disc...

Aussie2B

06-07-2011, 11:20 PM

Another red ship owner here.

One thing I kind of regret is that my fiance and I both had copies of Lunar so we sold one off, and we kept mine because it was in slightly better condition. Well, mine is the plain old "Regular Edition" with no additional letter, but his was either A or C, can't remember which. I'm guessing either is rarer than the first set.

swlovinist

06-08-2011, 12:01 AM

I used to talk to Zach year ago, hang out occasionally etc. He is the one that introduced me to these forums. I have not spoken to him in a couple of years. I dont know where he is currently at.

DDCecil

06-08-2011, 12:24 AM

I used to have a bunch of WD stuff. The only things I have now are Vay, the Ghaleon Puppet, and that giant Lunar:SSSC mail-in poster.

Nz17

06-08-2011, 04:04 AM

Wait, this is the same Zach Meston that had a falling out with Victor Ireland over Arc The Lad?

I used to have a bunch of WD stuff. The only things I have now are Vay, the Ghaleon Puppet, and that giant Lunar:SSSC mail-in poster.

I could never bring myself to *cut* up the thing you needed to send in to get the poster. Whether it was Capcom's old Fighters' Edge program or any of those other clip-and-send promotions, I just couldn't deface my games' materials for them, even if it was just making a game "incomplete" by sending in a loose leaf of paper especially included for the promotion.

VACRMH

06-08-2011, 08:52 AM

No WD collection is complete without all the different Arc the Lad pocketwatches available IMO....there were only 9 right? :P

14 O.o

A little off topic, but I'm glad that Atlus and other companies stepped up and began offering some neat extras with games. Even if it's gotten to the point that I may start passing on the deluxe editions soon, they just take up so much space!

It was love/hate with what Working Designs used to do with their games, but I liked how they tried to fix up games when they brought them out here. Retooling difficulty, trying to fix load times, and I always went right to the translation notes when I bought a new game. I kinda felt like they were the "man on the inside" of the gaming world.

Aparently they screwed up when it came to Cadash's difficulty however ;)

But I couldn't really get into Shining Wisdom with the stupid "Unequip your sword to equip your shoes to get around this part, while enemies attack you and you can't defend yourself". According to the translation notes, they were trying to make it so you could have 2 items equiped, I think that would have made the game alot better.

TurboGenesis

06-11-2011, 04:21 PM

I haven't been on in a while, but I have a pretty decent WD collection�

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa231/Sonic__R/WD/WDturbo.jpg

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa231/Sonic__R/WD/WDscd.jpg

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa231/Sonic__R/WD/WDsaturn.jpg

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa231/Sonic__R/WD/WDpsx.jpg

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa231/Sonic__R/WD/WDps2.jpg

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa231/Sonic__R/WD/WDguide.jpg

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa231/Sonic__R/WD/WDmisc.jpg

kupomogli

06-11-2011, 05:45 PM

I have Alundra, Arc the Lad Collection, Elc Watch, AtL guide(sealed,) Lunar 1 and 2(SCD,) Growlanser Generations, and Vanguard Bandits. I don't own too many of their games.

Definitely one of the best publishers of past generations. The games they published were usually good, and the localization was excellent. I personally didn't mind them adding their own text into certain parts of the game to make it somewhat humorous. It never happened that often, but when it did it was clearly obvious. Just wanted to throw some praise out there for a company that I think is worth it.

Doesn't really count, but I also own Miami Law for the DS.

Press_Start

06-11-2011, 06:24 PM

Vlcice

06-11-2011, 07:27 PM

It was love/hate with what Working Designs used to do with their games, but I liked how they tried to fix up games when they brought them out here. Retooling difficulty, trying to fix load times, and I always went right to the translation notes when I bought a new game. I kinda felt like they were the "man on the inside" of the gaming world.

Aparently they screwed up when it came to Cadash's difficulty however ;)

Yeah, they were a bit mixed. Sometimes it was really nice - better loading times, extra bonus features, etc. On the other hand, their retooling in Silhouette Mirage totally ruined the game. :/

Baloo

06-11-2011, 07:38 PM

No WD collection thread's complete without the holy grail :D

http://www.game-rave.com/psx/playstation_perfect_guide/features/assassin_case/case_full.jpg

I knew a friend of a friend who has not one but two (lucky stiff!) of these gold mines in his possession. Unfortunately, by the time I could afford one, he has sold the extra copy to somebody else. Oh well...I'm content with having every games instead. ;)

What is that?

I've been wanting to get into Working Designs titles for a while now, but I've been only able to find a few. Had two REALLY beat up copies of Lunar I and II for Sega CD, ended up selling one and trading the other. I have Popful Mail and played that a while before my CDX went bust, very fun game! Just picked up Silhouette Mirage, I hope that's a good title. Loved the first Silpheed, would love to pick up the PS2 game. And passed up Iron Storm for something like $10. I really want to find a copy of Magical Knight Rayearth, but I doubt I'll be able to find a copy of that anytime soon.

I never understood why they needed to print 5-6 disc variants for most of their games though.

For anyone looking to add to their WD "swag" collection:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Promo-Polo-Shirt-Short-Sleeve-Silpheed-Lost-Planet-Rare-/230624397669?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35b2490965

JY

Damn, wish I had seen that sooner!

Oobgarm

06-11-2011, 08:10 PM

What is that?

That's the Elemental Gearbolt Assassin's Case. (http://www.game-rave.com/psx/playstation_perfect_guide/features/assassin_case/index.html)

I really kick myself for getting outbid on one of those for $150 on eBay when they first showed up.