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[danteIL]

Nice analysis.

So one question is, how far can we keep playing if we don't buy any of the card packs??? According to this FAQ each card has a unique one-time-use code, so these aren't really 'trading' cards. But clearly, the cards will unlock information that is necessary for the game, so without the cards, it seems you're kinda stuck.

And finally, I wonder if this game is really like a McDonald's promotion, in that the key to winning the grand prize will be that one Ultra-Rare card in that one card pack in the final set that will be released only in Dubuque, Iowa and nowhere else. Thus, you can have all the Clues and cards you want until then, but only the person getting that one special card will have a shot of winning.

EDIT: this website seems to have gotten (tiny) pictures of most of the cards released so far: http://www.39cluesworld.com/

EDIT2: Okay, I've been reading the information here: http://www.the39clues.com/info/rules

This all has to be taken with the big caveat that only participants between the ages of 6 and 14 are eligible, but I discovered that you don't have to actually purchase anything in order to get codes/cards (this is for US/Canada):

[TheGMan]

39 Clues World

[thebruce]

GMan! Welcome!
Instead of emailing, I can point you to my little wiki page documenting anything I can find... it's almost done being populated, but yup, got ye linked on there too

[danteIL]

Something else I found:

If you go to the Amazon page for Maze of Bones, there is a link to "Ian Kabra's Blog."

Just seems to be flavor/background, but interesting that it's there...

[kergas923]

Natalie Kabras card from Amazon is
g69d22369t its a sharable code

[ommmm]

Audio Version

[TheRealPip]

So... these shared codes....

[danteIL]

Re: So... these shared codes....

[TheGMan]

thanks for the link

[thebruce]

thanks. I'm going to walmart today to pick up another pack.
*hooked*
and the next original set won't come out until book 4. heh.

The thing is, these can easily be trading cards. Once you've got them all, you can decide not to activate any of them, then trade them with other people. Or you could just value collecting them, whether or not they've been activated, and still trade towards full sets.

I'll bet there will be some who will aim to collect a full unactivated set, not just an activated full set. It's like collecting mint cards a real collector wouldn't sell a full unactivated set to someone who will use them - it would devalue the cards

[danteIL]

[thebruce]

yesyes, I know, but depending on how many cards people collect, eventually they may feel that having so many duplicates is pointless (especially with the common cards), or they may not feel they really want to play 'the game', and just focus on the cards... point being, there's definitely potential for tradeability here

[danteIL]

Well there are already a few auctions for cards up on Ebay. If you just want to collect, that works -- otherwise you have to hope that the code is still valid...

[ommmmm]

Okay, finally broke open the audio book and it is very well read and produced. If anyone else is considering it--I recommend. Haven't heard any extra surveillance tapes yet, but only a third of the way through so far. My son, the young Lucian, is really enjoying it.

The set of cards that came with the book and the audio all had the same two codes. When we entered the first one, the cards in that set appeared but we were unable to enter the same code again. Same thing with the audio (which were all duplicates of the book btw, just different code). Is that the way it is supposed to work?

[thebruce]

yeah that's how it sounds. Each book's 6 cards have the same single code. So each book will have different codes to each other, but the 6 cards will have the same code.
The same 6 cards come with Book 1 (audiobook included) and in the faq they even say that you can buy multiple books, but you'll get the same 6 cards, and basically end up duplicating those same cards, so it's not necessary.
unless you like duplicates of course