Arc the Lad collection is out!
 

Working Designs has finally released the Arc the Lad Collection, four "old school" RPGs. If you're a fan of the older 2D RPGs, this is a great collection to get.

Details here:
http://www.workingdesigns.com/games/...ion/story.html

I preordered the collection direct from Working Designs so I could guarantee I'd get the watch, given that a lot of places like Electronics Boutique will "run out" (employees take them) of the extras.

The watch is made of metal and has a substantial feel to it, the finish is like brushed aluminum or pewter.

Here's pictures of the whole shebang:

Gamebox, Mousepad, & Pocket Watch case
http://member.newsguy.com/~zaxxon/im...llthestuff.jpg

Opened Pocket Watch case
http://member.newsguy.com/~zaxxon/im...ase_opened.jpg

Closeup of Pocket Watch
http://member.newsguy.com/~zaxxon/im...ch_closeup.jpg

Opened cover of game box
http://member.newsguy.com/~zaxxon/im..._box_cover.jpg

Contents of game box. Game case at top (5 discs), Omake (bonus) box lower left, hardcover game manual (lower right)
http://member.newsguy.com/~zaxxon/im...x_contents.jpg

Opened Omake (bonus) box. The four top round things have pictures of the game characters and game logo, lower left hand is some stand up figures, and lower right is a case to hold a memory card.
http://member.newsguy.com/~zaxxon/im...omake_open.jpg

I really wanted this but the incredible delays finally made me back out on my preorder. Now there are too many other games I want more. Looks like a nice package from Working Designs.

i can't believe it either! man, it took a while... i saw it at Gamestop today and even though it was $70, i bought it anyway... i got the watch, but no mousepad.

I've been playing the first game, and it reminds me of Shining Force, as all the battles are strategic, turn based. There are maps, but only to move the story along. So far, I haven't encountered a town to upgrade equipment.

Like Shining Force, though you can interact with people between battles, the meat of the game is the battles.

One difference is a character can die during battle and will still get battle experience up to the point that character died.

Is this for the xbox? :-)

Ah cool! Looks great! I actually have Arc the Land I in japanese but I didn't get very far because I had trouble reading japanese back then. Thanks for the update!

BTW happypants, what kind of digital camera did you use on those shots, they are really nice! :) I remember you posting pictures of shenmue II and they were also really high quality.

what i don't get is what's w/ the little things you get. except for the book, everything else is kinda stupid imho.

what are you supposed to do w/ the little cardboard standees? do people actually use the thumb button covers? etc.

it just seems like they could have just left those things out and reduced the price.

4 complete games for $70 isn't really that bad - Working Designs loves to throw in extras to please/entice the diehard fans, coz really, how many "regular" gamers would have picked up the set, even at a lower MSRP?

I used a Kodak DX3500, 2.2 megapixel camera. I took the pictures at 1800x1200, opened them up in Paint Shop Pro 7, then reduced the size 50% before posting.

For the closeups I used the macro mode of the camera.

The one thing that really helps with photos is lighting. I found that taking pictures with light that looks normal to me is actually too dark for photos. So, I either take pics during the day with natural light or use one of those desktop halogen lamps to add some light. Even with a lot of ambient light sometimes the camera uses the flash.

I'll be honest, I didn't even remember that the omake box was part of the offer!

I look at it as a collectable that will eventually be auctioned on ebay ;)

Actually the price isn't bad when you consider the set is four games which were originally released at full price, and never released in English.

Plus the translation is the usual high Working Designs standard. So far there hasn't been any of the "jarring" references to current day pop culture which make you lose your sense of being in the game world, like in some of the past Working Designs translations.

ok, i know that some people collect the strangest things, but this stuff? and the implication is that it is freely added w/out raising the overall price of the set seems hard to believe. well, at least i got a watch... which i'd never actually use. you say it will sell on ebay???

you are right though; $70 for 4 games is good. and, since i bought the lunars' for similar prices, at least i'm a sucker 3 times... ;)

I think this will answer your question about selling the watch (closed auctions):

$42.00 - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=1722090408

$32.00 - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=1346028759

$125.00 collection w/watch & mousepad - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=1347333508

The faces are different on the watches, mine has Arc on it. That auction above has some girls picture.

Working Designs normally doesn't offer the pack in merchandise after the preorders are sold out.

holey cow! $125 for a watch/mousepad? that's amazing.

thanks for the links. i, too, got the arc watch.

Working Designs was nice enough to send me a watch months ago and it has actually become very useful. Since my other watch broke, I keep this in my backpack since classes are the only time I need to keep track off out of the house. Of course, my wife snatched the clip for her keys. :P

finally, been waiting for this game to come out... now if it would only appear at my door

:up: Nice job with the pics! Pardon me while I wipe the drool from my keyboard.... ;)

Some interesting info here:
my copy is different from yours
1. different mousepad design (1 guy with sword, 1 guy with gun, and another guy)
2. different thumb button collection: 1 ATC, 1 Alec, 1 ElC, 1 Arc (unlike yours which has instead 2 ATC buttons; your missing Alec)
3. memory card has Alec instead of Elc

I was reading through the newsgroups about Arc the Lad and Victor Ireland (pres. of Working Designs) said there will be an auction on ebay for the whole watch collection, with the proceeds going to one of the fansites.

I think I saw there are 14 watches that make up the collection.

here's pictures of the full set of watches

http://www.workingdesigns.com/news/2...rc_watch_1.jpg

http://www.workingdesigns.com/news/2...rc_watch_2.jpg