Author Topic: Reassurance requested :-D (Read 1343 times)

chris6507 · « **on:** June 30, 2023, 02:57:39 AM »

Can any clever chookies who really know their stuff possibly reassure me that I haven't bought a dud? Lol. Jumped on this pre-owned set last night on ebay for $28aud. From what I can see, I think it is a 2012 copy of the Winter Edition. From what i've seen online, the more recent version seems to be the one with clone copies and such, but does anyone know for sure whether this is the 2012 edition and is there any history of bootlegs of this version or can you just potentially tell from the pics whether you think this is legit? Thanks a bunch! :-D Really need a home for my gingerbread man.

Linkback: https://www.carcassonnecentral.com/community/index.php?topic=6402.0

NGC 54 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 30, 2023, 03:35:50 AM »

This is the first Winter Edition (WE1) – the one from 2012: this is suggested by the box logo, the back cover of the box (it even mentions "©2013"), the lack of The River (that is contained in WE2 and WE3) and The Abbot (that is contained in WE3) expansions, the artwork of the tiles and the scoreboard. Check these WICA URLs: https://wikicarpedia.com/car/Collections_and_Expansions#DiceGame, https://wikicarpedia.com/car/Winter_Edition, and https://wikicarpedia.com/index.php/Winter_Edition_Base_Game#Tile%20Reference.

However, I cannot say for sure whether this is a fake or not. Do you see any quality issues? You could compare with https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/131014/carcassonne-winter-edition/images?pageid=1&tag=.

Willem · « **Reply #2 on:** June 30, 2023, 03:49:55 AM »

Unfortunately, there are some pretty decent fake versions out there of the Winter Edition. Not too many, but they do exist.
With the C2 base game it's easier to spot, as the box has darker, oversaturated colours, and the tiles are darker too.

For the fake Winter Edition, i'm not sure. I believe the box is also fairly dark in colour for the fake ones. This one looks ok, but it could be the lighting on the pictures.
I do seem to remember once seeing/hearing that the fake one doesn't have tiles in frames, but as yours was second hand anyway, that can't be checked.

How to the tiles look? Any print quality that stands out?

chris6507 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 30, 2023, 04:05:27 AM »

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately can't compare much more than the photos just yet, as these are the photos from ebay. Probably a week before I have it in hand. I'll let y'all know the result when I receive it. Just going through that phase where I hope it is what it is. :-D Most of the fakes i've seen online have Hans Im Gluck logos on them rather than Z-man Games, plus they have seemed like they were based on the more recent run. Was hoping there hadn't been clones done of W1 or something like that! :-)
Hoping it's all good. The seller was selling a bunch of other games than never in a million years would have been bootleg ones. So holding out hopes. :-D

totor66 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 30, 2023, 05:14:02 AM »

I mean the meeple shape token to indicate 50 points definitely don't exist normally, either that part was fan made, but seems weird

overall, doesn't matter much if you enjoy playng hat version

Decar · « **Reply #5 on:** July 01, 2023, 06:29:04 PM »

Good luck Chris, let us know how it is when it arrives. Fingers_crossed it's a good one

Scott · « **Reply #6 on:** July 08, 2023, 08:14:29 AM »

My 2012 Winter Edition is an HiG, but in comparing the two I see that both have the date of manufacture stamped on the inside of the box, so I think you're getting a genuine version.

Those 50-point meeple-shaped tokens appear to be 3D printed. It's a used copy, so clearly the previous owner has upgraded it slightly. If I were ever to sell a game, people can expect the same from me.

jacky1st2016 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 08, 2023, 09:22:02 AM »

This is a bootleg and your scoreboard is too thin. Someone once showed me a comparison chart of genuine and pirated copies.

jacky1st2016 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 08, 2023, 09:24:07 AM »

There are many versions of this box of ZMAN in China, and this pirated product is being sold.The box is still of poor quality. Only the outer box is really similar.

chris6507 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 11, 2023, 10:11:31 PM »

Jacky Wins! Could tell before I even opened the lid that it was fake. But once opened, it was very, very obvious. Tiles were flat and glossy, meeple were misshapen and as pointed out (still don't know how you could tell from that picture) the scoreboard was a thick as a cereal box. What a bummer, but i've been refunded already. Seller was just clueless.

chris6507 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 04, 2024, 04:15:03 AM »

I'm dredging this back up as i'm looking at another copy of this game on Facebook Marketplace. Just wondering if anyone has a moment, could you take a look at the third photo I originally posted and look at the number next to the barcode that ends in 14Q2. Does anyone know by either looking at their own box or just from personal experience if that number would be identical or different on every genuine printing (Barcode is identical too)?

Every single detail on the back of the box of the fake copy I bought are identical to the photo the person just sent me of the one i'm enquiring about. Feels like a bit or a red flag to me, but maybe everything is identical on the back and i'm just reading into it.

Any help would be appreciated prior to making my final decision. Really appreciate it.

Here's the new pictures for reference. The tiny picture is of the original listing where it looks like there a lot of excess plastic on the packaging. Plus the back of the new one i'm looking at.

Scott · « **Reply #11 on:** January 04, 2024, 12:09:45 PM »

I don't have that particular release in English (I bought the German version), but I checked Willem's collection and he has an exact match to that one. He also has one of the Chinese fakes, and it is also an exact match, so unfortunately the back of the box isn't a good indicator of authenticity.

Willem · « **Reply #12 on:** January 04, 2024, 01:01:02 PM »

I was going to check mine, but this works great!
Thanks for checking, Scott!

The main difference to see is how saturated the colours are on the box. The front is easier to distinguish than the back though, so you might want to ask for a better picture of the front.
You can also look at the tiles themselves. Unfortunately my fake copy is sealed, so i dont have pictures for direct comparison, but i believe you should be able to tell from the thickness for example.
From the small picture of the front, it doesn't look too saturated or darker, compared to the Safari box next to it, which is a good sign, but the picture is very small unfortunately

chris6507 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 05, 2024, 04:10:45 AM »

Thank you both for your investigation. It was very helpful to know that the numbers matching wasn't defining of being a fake. I'm trusting the person i'm buying it from that it's genuine and from a reputable games store in Melbourne. So now i'm just going to wait with baited breathe again hoping i'm not stung a second time.