Reclaim the legacy that was Turbo Zone Direct

VestCunt · 04/02/2011, 07:20 PM

Quote from: RR1980 on 04/02/2011, 06:07 PMhaha so in some police station in America somewhere there are boxes of brand new sealed US Magical Chase?

No, I think Steve gave the last one to Aaron in return for redesigning the site a year or so before it was sold to Red Frog. The most valuable title Red Frog got was one sealed copy of Dynastic Hero which was sold on ebay for $800. (I offered Steve $150 for it in 2007 and he turned me down.)

Long story short, there may be fifty sealed copies of Buster Brothers sitting in a cop shop and, maybe, one or two copies of Cotton, but probably not Magical Chase.

OldRover · 04/02/2011, 09:20 PM

I found the lawsuit a couple of days ago... pretty interesting stuff. More information was on another site... it appears this isn't the first time this "Redfrog" has been in trouble with the law.

SignOfZeta · 04/02/2011, 10:17 PM

Quote from: guest on 04/02/2011, 07:20 PM
Quote from: RR1980 on 04/02/2011, 06:07 PMhaha so in some police station in America somewhere there are boxes of brand new sealed US Magical Chase?
No, I think Steve gave the last one to Aaron in return for redesigning the site a year or so before it was sold to Red Frog. The most valuable title Red Frog got was one sealed copy of Dynastic Hero which was sold on ebay for $800. (I offered Steve $150 for it in 2007 and he turned me down.)

Long story short, there may be fifty sealed copies of Buster Brothers sitting in a cop shop and, maybe, one or two copies of Cotton, but probably not Magical Chase.

Yeah, I don't recall TZD ever having copies of MC.

MotherGunner · 04/02/2011, 10:47 PM

Okay, NOW its working for me... weird, but thanks.

blueraven · 04/02/2011, 11:53 PM

Quote from: nat on 04/01/2011, 05:46 PMI actually agree. The more you pester him, the more he perceives the domain must be worth to you.

As far as the link that blueraven posted.... Wow. Am I the only one that read that? I guess that finally explains what happened to the whole RedFrog-era TZD. I didn't think TZD's legacy could be marred any further after what happened with those guys, but this really beats it all.

From what I get from that document, apparently the TZD stock was used (by RedFrog) as a bargaining chip in a fraud to scam investors out of almost a million dollars. I wondered what happened to the remaining inventory when RedFrog suddenly stopped operating, I assumed it had all been sold off. It looks like it's far more likely that it was probably been seized by law enforcement. A shame. A damn shame.

nat, I read the brief over in full and it just seemed appropriate to post and clear the air on this issue. He's getting his pants sued off.

The $816,000 fraud charge is the largest of their many alleged infractions brought by the plantiff(s), and it is possible that the assets have been seized. The brief has been filed and requests a Jury Trial, which means that there was probably just a preliminary hearing and it doesn't look like the issue has been resolved, so I'm guessing it's been delayed a few times. Does anyone know if the case has been settled or has come to trial?

Everything I have said here is just theory as I am not a lawyer, but my bet is that the domain is the cash-cow to pay the legal fees.

DragonmasterDan · 04/03/2011, 12:04 AM

Quote from: SignOfZeta on 04/02/2011, 10:17 PMYeah, I don't recall TZD ever having copies of MC.

They did a LONG LONG time ago. But they had at least an extra of everything, regardless of whether or not they had it for sale or listed on their site.

SignOfZeta · 04/03/2011, 02:57 AM

Quote from: DragonmasterDan on 04/03/2011, 12:04 AM
Quote from: SignOfZeta on 04/02/2011, 10:17 PMYeah, I don't recall TZD ever having copies of MC.
They did a LONG LONG time ago. But they had at least an extra of everything, regardless of whether or not they had it for sale or listed on their site.

Yeah, that's what I mean. They never had one for sale.

For the most part, what that had when they started was what they had 10 years later. Along the way they added a few things from the secret stash (like when the service contract expired and they sold off all the systems) and for a few years they had a small selection of new imports they got straight from Hudson (I think) like the Yuna 1 reprint, Card Angels, etc.

TZD was a very useful site, but not a particularly exciting one, inventory-wise.

esteban · 04/03/2011, 11:47 AM

I recall MC available when I still received mailings from TZD... which would be in the late 90's.

If only I had known then that BRAVOMAN and HERO TONMA wouldn't skyrocket in value like certain other titles... yes, I purchased goddamned titles like BRAVOMAN instead of Bonk 3. What the heck was I thinking?

VestCunt · 04/03/2011, 03:10 PM

Magical Chase was off the website in '96. Henrysrc used the wayback machine to make a list of when games sold out here:
https://www.pcengine-fx.com/forums/index.php?topic=8497.msg143642#msg143642

Neither is it on my earliest TZD mailing, dated August '97.

TZD pulled web and catalog listings off when they were down to the last 5-10 copies of any given game (the reason I always made my orders by phone!). Judging by the way Aaron was talking when he posted his (now deleted) pictures of sealed MC, I'm certain he got the last one.

What I want to know is who got the loose copy from the tip line binder. I was placing multiple orders hoping to get it, but they ended the free, alphabetical, Turbochip offer before they even got through "D."

nat · 04/03/2011, 04:27 PM

I'm assuming all the remaining "tip line binder" games probably went to the buyer of the rest of the stock: RedFrog aka Tennessee Criminal Syndicate, Inc.

OldRover · 04/04/2011, 04:48 PM

Still no response from them, so I'm to assume they have no interest in dealing anymore. Oh well. It was an idea anyways... I guess tzd.com will simply be a stain on the TG16's legacy.

Mishran · 04/04/2011, 05:22 PM

Quote from: OldRover on 04/04/2011, 04:48 PMStill no response from them, so I'm to assume they have no interest in dealing anymore. Oh well. It was an idea anyways... I guess tzd.com will simply be a stain on the TG16's legacy.

Probably best to let it die its slow painful death and let the Turbo live on without it. Try a different domain and let google do the rest. Advertising the new domain on all the PCE related sites will help too.

Bernie · 04/04/2011, 05:39 PM

I say go with the .net one man. I love the idea, and it will work.

OldRover · 04/04/2011, 07:04 PM

tzd.net and tzd.org are squatted.

guyjin · 04/05/2011, 08:23 PM

at the 5 digit figure request.

Unfortunately, he will insist. it's costing him more than $100 each year to maintain it; selling it for that or less is a loss for him. He thinks he can sell it someday for that 5 digit figure, and he'll make a profit doing that so long as he sells it in the next century.

barring one of us winning the lottery, TZD is gone for good.

BEERS AND VIDEOS · 04/12/2011, 11:59 AM

I registered pushrunbutton.com for a PC Engine / Turbo blog I'm planning. I think it's a pretty cool domain name and would be open to working with everyone and making it more than just a blog. Just throwing it out there.

Mathius · 04/12/2011, 12:04 PM

Quote from: BEERS AND VIDEOS on 04/12/2011, 11:59 AMI registered pushrunbutton.com for PC Engine / Turbo a blog I'm planning. I think it's a pretty cool domain name and would be open to working with everyone and making it more than just a blog. Just throwing it out there.

Good name definitely!

You should make your own thread regarding this to alleviate any confusion.

16-bit · 04/12/2011, 12:32 PM

Quote from: BEERS AND VIDEOS on 04/12/2011, 11:59 AMI registered pushrunbutton.com for PC Engine / Turbo a blog I'm planning. I think it's a pretty cool domain name and would be open to working with everyone and making it more than just a blog. Just throwing it out there.

Excellent URL!

OldRover · 04/12/2011, 04:35 PM

Yeah, that's a cool URL.

blueraven · 04/13/2011, 03:15 AM

wikked.

BEERS AND VIDEOS · 04/13/2011, 07:08 AM

Sweet - I'm glad everyone digs the URL. Pretty much every game flashes "Push Run Button!" on its title screen, so I thought it would be a unique and relevant domain name.

I'm pretty new here so I don't know the entire backstory, but from what I understand, the idea is to set up a reliable source for people trying to buy PC Engine and Turbo related stuff, as well repairs from guys here on the board? Would there be any content developed for the site as well?

geise · 04/13/2011, 08:14 PM

Quote from: BEERS AND VIDEOS on 04/13/2011, 07:08 AMSweet - I'm glad everyone digs the URL. Pretty much every game flashes "Push Run Button!" on its title screen, so I thought it would be a unique and relevant domain name.

I'm pretty new here so I don't know the entire backstory, but from what I understand, the idea is to set up a reliable source for people trying to buy PC Engine and Turbo related stuff, as well repairs from guys here on the board? Would there be any content developed for the site as well?

That is one of the best freaking ideas I've heard in a long time! Welcome to the boards and let us know if there's any help you might need setting up your site. There's a lot of people here that would probably love to help in any way. Me included!

BEERS AND VIDEOS · 04/14/2011, 08:47 AM

Heck, it's not my idea. I thought that was the whole point of getting the tzd.com domain name. I'm definitely up for working with whoever wants to do something like this and incorporate it into the pushrunbutton.com URL.

Mathius · 04/14/2011, 11:30 AM

Quote from: BEERS AND VIDEOS on 04/14/2011, 08:47 AMHeck, it's not my idea. I thought that was the whole point of getting the tzd.com domain name. I'm definitely up for working with whoever wants to do something like this and incorporate it into the pushrunbutton.com URL.

Ah, OK! I see what you are trying to do now!