INWO: a remark, a rant, a request

[EtherDais]

Fellow gamers, discordians, subgenii, and fans of INWO and Illuminati,

As someone who would to keep playing INWO with his friends (it turns out there are some of us out there who still try to play this game when we can, in preference to the Illuminati box set), it's bad enough to be scrounging for cards that are OOP, but the situation for we weird INWO players has gotten worse. It's just strange and big enough that perhaps SJG should consider exploiting it, but at the very least, I'd like to bring it to your attention.

What do I mean?
The cost of INWO cards has gone through the roof. A booster POP box is now in the ~$270 range. Don't believe me? Check it.

I'm not sure where this first started (maybe with Icke), but this page has some documentation of the phenomena. I think I've found one of the earlier instances of this meme in 2005 (http://www.rinf.com/news/jun-05/16b.html) however I suspect that it's from somewhere else at first. It's gotten worse that that, in that the meme keeps propagating, and seems to have jacked up the value of INWO cards across the board. Where you could once get a $20 POP box in 1998 ($84 retail)

As a pretty big fan of Illuminatus! (and RAW more generally), I'm amused to see these ideas taking root in the collective mind. As a collector/player of INWO, im sad to see that now i'm going to get hosed because any conspiracy noob amateur who thinks he's 'seeing the truth' is going to want a set of INWO cards to let him READ THE FUTURE OF WORLD HISTORY.... (or something) The rationale for this meme is terrible, and nobody seems to have read any of the development notes Steve put at the beginning of the INWO book (now ~$60-90, my copy was $3). Collaborative effort and thoughtful construction couldn't be the reason for why the INWO cards describe reality that well! Instead, JACKSON MUST HAVE KNOWN they'd use the earthquake projector to give Japan a SUPER earthquake and nuclear disaster combined, just as those clues were hidden regarding the pentagon and the twin towers! In this sense, INWO cards are really great for a hindsight-powered nostradamus-ing, like a tarot deck which allows one to see past events!

Just so you know, lots of people are onto you!.(wink) Remember those damages awarded for being raided by the S.S. for no good reason 22 years ago? A simple donation to SJGames would have been showing their hand, so they had to RAID you in order to give you the money to deliver the INWO designs they wanted! (I'm looking at you, Smith, Ryan, and Kovalic!) I must say, it's a brilliant scheme, and I can only hope that we all get so lucky as to be raided and then compensated as we are inducted into the dark order, hopefully in the near future!

There seems to be lots of copy-pasta about the topic, but it keeps evolving enough that several someones must believe it.

So now, this kind of thing is why I can't buy any more INWO cards without taking out a damn loan.


It's also the reason why SJG should humorously(seriously) consider making a new INWO expansion to work with the old cards. Think about it, there's interest and money to be made by boldly admitting/announcing that, yes, these cards contain little taunting messages from THE CONSPIRACY about future terrorism, natural disasters, and other weird **** -- That's why you should buy more!

Empower your friends by 'playing' just like the 'big kids' do!

"After 20 years in the waiting, from the official game-designers of the Secret Masters, the meagerly awaited new expansion to INWO, INWO: Millennium! Prepare for the next 1000 Years of conspiracies!"

You could write another book about the cards then, which includes Assassins, Subgenius and (fill name here) card descriptions, along with a fun history of internet accusations and speculative rumors about SJGames!

I know better than to REALLY expect more INWO to come out, but the time is ripe for fantasy about exploiting its indoctrination into 'conspiracy lit'. You know you're doing something right when you've been accused of being 'in with them', instead of just asserting that you're 'in with them'. It would give you a chance to go Meta on it. Steve Jackson Games would be one of the cards, now.

Anyone out there to be as amused by this as I am? (Or as upset that you can't get INWO cards without selling a kidney?)

[RevBob]

Actually, those prices look like algorithmic pricing at work. Notice how the three used copies are two cents apart?

If that IS what's going on, it's more accurate to call it a sign of anti-demand. True popularity would've seen the copies get snatched up earlier, before the algorithms had time to escalate so far.

[MIB 9966]

Case in point: a Limited Edition booster box sold for $120 on April 6 2012 on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Illuminati-N...-/130662969423

Likely a bump in price due to the 9/11 stories showing up here and there in recent months, and completionists trying to finish sets, but from a practical point of view, it took over a decade to sell through the stock of boosters at the company.

Price-wise, there shows some demand, but IMHO, not enough from a player's market to show any useful demand. It just looks like the usual overpricing of anything that is labelled Out of Print from people trying to make a profit, and sales seem slow enough still that the conspiracy theorists and completionists are the only real market at the moment.

[EtherDais]

Okay, revise that thought. What they NEED to do is make a small reprint of the assassins release without telling anyone, and sloooowly leak the boxes onto EBAY through an unaffiliated account.

This auction is about to end (http://www.ebay.com/itm/320925921064...84.m1438.l2649) with the POP going for > $420....

Edit: Final price: $510.

[jcfiala]

Originally Posted by EtherDais

Okay, revise that thought. What they NEED to do is make a small reprint of the assassins release without telling anyone, and sloooowly leak the boxes onto EBAY through an unaffiliated account.

This auction is about to end (http://www.ebay.com/itm/320925921064...84.m1438.l2649) with the POP going for > $420....

Edit: Final price: $510.

I've got an unopened box of Assassins, and I'm willing to sell it for just $350! (Plus shipping.)

[seekhimfirst]

I know these questions have been asked a million times, so please forgive. But, I am confused about the cards for the Illuminati Game. If I am understanding right, the INWO Cards are supplements to the Game?? Also, I see that there are olders packs of cards that are OOP (Out-Of-Print); ie. basically, everything that is not currently for sale on the website. And, any packs currently for sale on the website are newer additions to the game (except for Y2K and Bavarian Fire Drill, which I believe are reprints of the older set of cards)?? My only question regarding the reprints is, are they the exact same cards.......basically, were there any cards taken out or new ones added?? It's a little confusing, (unless someone just wants an older collectible version), because why would they choose to pay hundreds of dollars for the same thing that they can purchase reprinted for $20?? I would appreciate someone clarifying this for me. I would call the store, but they are out for vacation currently. I appreciate your feedback.

[East Timor Green Lite]

Originally Posted by RevBob

Actually, those prices look like algorithmic pricing at work. Notice how the three used copies are two cents apart?

If that IS what's going on, it's more accurate to call it a sign of anti-demand. True popularity would've seen the copies get snatched up earlier, before the algorithms had time to escalate so far.

from the link:
"My preferred explanation for bordeebook’s pricing is that they do not actually possess the book."

I didn't deal with the algorithm, but I did deal with a company not having the product I ordered. I ordered a POP of Assassins from some online store at a decently listed price.
They, after quite some time, came back to me and said they didn't have it....

This is the short version, but they listed it and did NOT put up "out of stock" on their sight. I wound up having to use credit at their sight since I ordered via money order. Then they couldn't even get me all the books I wanted that they had listed. phhhh.

Like I said, this is the short version of this story. email me if you want the long version or the name of the online store I will never shop from again.


My guess is that either a worker swiped their last copy out of the warehouse long ago,
or they never had it and upon scrambling to fill the order could only find full cost POPs they weren't willing to lose over 30$ on.
end of story

[spotlight]

Dear Seekhimfirst:
Yeah, You pretty much have your facts correct about the 'Factory Set'. I purchased one myself many years ago. However, it does not contain the Assasin expansion set. I have yet to this day even seen the Assasin Illuminati Card.
I am not about to spend my slight gaming budget looking for one either. I did spend $45 a few months ago to purchase an unopened box of booster packs I found at a fave game store. He had had them for YEARS and was glad to get rid of them.
Keep your eyes open, and as my dear old Dad says; sometimes you just get lucky.

As for Illuminati, Y2K , and BFD. YES, they are more like the original set. I have one, including the expansions and the money chits. I use monopoly money now, even though it is bigger than the cards. I even still have the Brainwash board, which is why my grown kids still like to play it when they visit now and then.
For some reason they don't quite grasp the new sets ... or maybe they just aren't cleared for that yet!

[cthulhubunny]

Ok, where do I go to sign the petition to get INWO reprints back in flow or, even better, work on a new batch?

..and obviously, if a new bunch of cards are created they need to be compatible with the originals - The originals are perfect - Just need some new "modern" cards to express recent history and near futures.. (new plots, personalities, orgs, NWOs, etc).

This is such a ripe time to kick out some new cards it isn't even funny..

[theSlack]

I agree with the statement above.

1. Fresh it up with current politics and personalities
2. Make it still playable with the 90s era cards
3. profit