Freeloader Help Requested!!

[commandliger]

KAndrw: Um...the one have is the first one you posted a link to,the one with three flags on it.
At the time I ordered mine, about 5 months ago, that's the only one they had on their website. I will just keep an eye on their website in the hopes that the U.S. version will be restocked, then order that one.... I think that's all I can do. If it IS region free, then why isn't it working? I have tried everything I know to do...Any ideas?
ShadowLiger:Thanks for the picture! Mine is very very similar to yours, but it will not play on my Gamecube. I think what mine says,"Compatible with PAL televisions and game systems only" IS true. I know I have a NTSC U.S. Gamecube, and everytime I put this into my Gamecube, right after the GC logo, a red bar appears across my TV screen saying," THE DISC COULD NOT BE READ." Mine also says, "Version 1.0 European Version," in the instruction booklet. I think I actually have a PAL Freeloader that they put into the wrong package, or else something is wrong with my GC, which I don't think there is.
So, any other ideas/ suggestions, guys?
I should have mentioned earlier that the dics itself had several smudges on the bottom side, like someone had touched it even though it hadn't been opened. It also has a strange residue/ stain around the center 'hole.' I tried cleaning the disc with lense cleaner... But it is still there.

[Vig]

ohh,, clean it for sure... I heard gamecube games are quite sensitive to any damage on the shiny side

[KAndrw]

Weird - that is a version that SHOULD definitely work on any region gamecube, including yours. I totally misinterpreted stuff

I tested what happens on my GC when i have the switch in the wrong position and attempt to boot wrong-region disks - it specifically tells you you have the wrong region.

Your GC is telling you it cannot read the disk. Coupled with the fact that you say (and said in your second post, but we all forgot!) the disk looks to be in pretty bad shape, my money would now be on you having a faulty disk.

So this is what I would do if I were you - write an email to Play-Asia saying the following things, possibly in a more or less polite way depending on how you feel:

"Dear Play-Asia,
I recently received Zoids Full Metal Challenge and a Freeloader that I bought from you. When it arrived, I was concerned that the Freeloader appeared not to be new - there was a strange residue on the disk, and the disk looked quite scratched. However, I gave you the benefit of the doubt and assumed that you would not have sent me second hand/damaged product when I paid for new.

I have spent a lot of time trying to get the Freeloader to boot so that I can play Zoids FMC, to no avail. When I try to boot it, it displays "Disc cannot be read". At first, I thought I might be doing something wrong, but after trawling the internet for answers I am now positive I am doing it properly.

I then thought you might have sent me a Freeloader that is not compatible with my US Gamecube, since at the back of the manual there is a mention that it is a European 1.0 release, but the front cover very clearly states that it should work on any gamecube.

I am forced to conclude that the disk is faulty. Since the disk arrived in a state of obvious damage, I am very upset about the prospect of having to pay to return it to you in order to get a replacement (in NEW condition - the condition I paid for!) I propose that you send me a replacement Freeloader (either the region-free version I ordered, or one of the US-region version you currently have in stock) and, if you want the faulty one returned, you give me a partial refund to cover the return postage.

I will of course be happy to provide photographs to demonstrate the obvious damage to the Freeloader that you sent to me. There is no way that something this obviously NOT new should ever have been dispatched.

Kind regards,
CommandLiger, or whatever my real name is."

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ALSO - if you paid with credit card, you might want to mention that you are looking into a credit card chargeback - which is when you dispute a credit card charge because the vendor did not send what they agreed to - in this case a new Freeloader.

If I were you, I'd be fairly annoyed.

[commandliger]

Thanks a lot KAndrw. Unfortunately I do not have a digital camera to take photos, I have never sent anything overseas before(This was my first attempt and probably the last at BUYING something from an overseas seller.), and I placed the order on Dec.5, 06. I doubt the store would do anything because it has been a long time since I placed the order...That was a nice example e-mail you wrote, though. You are darn right about my being annoyed.
So, do you think I should keep an eye on their website in the hopes the U.S. Freeloader will be restocked, then (begrudgingly) order one?
Thanks so much to everyone for all your comments, pictures, etc., in case I forgot to thank you.

[KAndrw]

I still think you should offer Play-asia the opportunity to make things right. The amount of time that has elapsed just demonstrates the degree to which you trusted that they hadn't sent you faulty merchandise, and doesn't change the fact that they *did*, in fact, send you faulty merchandise!

You don't need to be able to take photos in order to promise them! Burn that bridge if it comes to that, but it probably won't - Play-asia would probably either write the loss off without wasting time looking at the photos or insist that you return it.

Sending internationally is easy - just parcel it up as you would if sending it within the US, then take it to the post office and ask them how you send it overseas. Use puppy-dog eyes if you need to.