Collecting: change of behavior?

[fiddlepaddle]

I started collecting by browsing thrift stores, garage sales, and mostly by spending every Saturday morning at a big flea market. At the time, I was only interested in Colecovision and Vectrex cartridges and accessories, since those were the systems I had at home. After a short while, I wasn't finding anything. To keep it interesting, I got a 5200 and a 2600 and started collecting for those systems as well. Over the years, I broadened my search to the point where I basically collected for every game system I ran across.

 

My rule was I would pick up any cart that I could get for a quarter, though sometimes I'd pay more. "It's a good thing to have a back-up or two", I would say. I'm the guy who bought that Genesis-2-that-might-or-might-not-work-and-came-with-no-cords-or-games. I'm the one who sorted through a box of tangled up power bricks looking for the occasional Sega and Nintendo packs. I would pass up controllers with frayed cords or missing buttons and other stuff obviously not functional, but everything else was fair game.

 

I pretty much stayed with cartridges, though. I never got into the cassette tapes (Supercharger, Adam), or computer games much, since I'm too impatient to wait for them to start up. Never really moved to CD/DVD systems either, for the same reason (although many PS1, PS2, Dreamcast, Sega CD, Saturn, and even Gamecube games have somehow found their way into my stack of cardboard boxes).

 

I've moved too many times with too many boxes; I've begun looking at my collection with an eye towards keeping "the best of the best" and downsizing the number of hand-truck trips into the moving van I'll need the next time around, with a corresponding reduction in monthly storage-unit expenses and hand-truck wheel replacement costs. I even find myself passing up really good deals because, of all the silly reasons, "I already have one of those". You couldn't GIVE me a Sonic the Hedgehog 2 these days, even shrink-wrapped.

 

My collecting behavior has definitely changed over the years. How has yours changed?

[Reaperman]

well I didn't have many systems growing up (just an atari 8-bit) so when I got my first job I went nuts. Bought every system I could get my hands on. I leaned mainly toward newer systems, but with older ones I only really collected system hardware--unless there were some *REALLY* cheap games too. I also only wanted one of each. Then one of each revision... Now it's everything that's a 'deal'. Then I got worse software-wise, collecting *every* game I wanted for a system. And even worse I *SWORE* to myself I'd never become a freak who cares about boxes...and now I save boxes and even keep a sizable collection of unopened box hardware/software.

 

Oh I've gotten much, much worse.

[homerwannabee]

Well, as long as I am not married I have no reason to change my behavior. And since I don't even have a girlfriend at this time I'll be set in my ways for a long time to come.

[Lemmi]

i started collecting when Funcoland opened up here around jan 1997, but before that i still had everything i bought and i would pick up a game or to from the trade center from time to time before 1997.

i had the 7800/2600, Genesis, SNES, NES, TG16, and 2 pong systems

 

i collected anything that was of reasonable cost, i would pick up anything i didnt already have, and even pass on games i had already on a similar systems (like Dragons Lair, DOOM... etc), but i hardly ever went for doubles unless i forgot i already had it. after i got tired of getting up early (6am because of other collectors) to hit the fleamarkets, i moved to ebay

 

then i just quit collecting altogether around 2005, and started selling off some stuff this year. i havent even made a dent in my collection selling stuff. i also have atleast 2 or more of every system like the Gen 1/2, sega CDX, Nomad, 3 atari 7800's/2600's each, 2 saturns, 2 jaguars.. etc

 

since 2005 these are the things i can remember getting

Xbox with 7 games

GBAsp with 13 games -- i got this, this year and i havent stopped playing it

GB color with 25 games

7800 beef drop

GEN beggar prince

3DO decathalon

Vectrex -- now sold

 

i think thats about it,

[kevincal]

When I discovered the joys and excitement of bidding on eBay years ago, I bought up tons of systems and games that interested me. The thing is, I came to find out that I really only care about systems and games that have nostalgic value to me. So all these systems and games that I bought on eBay, and didn't previously own when I was a kid, got put back on eBay months or maybe a year or 2 later... Of course it doesn't help when I'm a lazy ass who doesn't work enough.

 

So sometimes I miss my huge collection I once had. At the same time when I think back, It was overwhelming having so many games and systems. I always felt obligated to play my games which took up a lot of time. I felt like I was playing them just to justify my reasons for buying the stuff in the first place... Not so much because I actually cared about playing the particular game.

 

So ya, there is definitely something to be said for just keeping the stuff you actually care about. That's what I did. I pared my collection down in the last couple years by probably 75% And I still feel a bit overwhelmed with what I still have even! And of course, I find myself scouring eBay again for some stuff I bought, and then sold. It's a sickness, this videogame collecting business... Oh well, could have worse hobbies, like heroin...lol.

 

I swear though, I wish I was rich and could just scour eBay all day and buy anything I wanted and play videogames all damn day. LOL... I would literally attempt to own every videogame ever made! Maybe one day, it will happen...

Edited November 15, 2008 by kevincal

[darthkur]

I have gotten exponentially worse in my obsessive gathering. I was bad enough when I was a youngin' having received a VCS for x-mass I had to get all the games I could find. Sadly I never got any of the uber rare ones. Then again I never really had a large amount of them since the $20 - $30 each was a lot to me. (Still is sometimes) But that wasn't enough. I had to get an INTV , CV and even begged a Fairchild Channel F off a friend that was tired of it. My folks bought me a TI99/4A, which I sadly didn't do much with back then. And a few years later got a NES as a Yuletide offering. I never got more than a handful of games for any of those other systems back then. Through the 90's I picked up a few here and there at yard sales for each of them. It wasn't until the new millennium that I went "overboard" and focused my OCD enhanced attention to all things vintage and electronic. It started out innocently enough being given a slightly defective Genesis with a few games. That rekindled my nostalgia for all of my old systems so I started grabbing everything I could find for those. After that I figured I'd get a SNES, then a Game Gear, then Some 8-bit computers, Astrocade, TG16 , pong units, Famicom, Sega 3000, and so on and so on, ad infinitum. Presently......it's about all I do.

[kevincal]

It is a good and fun hobby though. I see no harm at all in it. And you can always sell your games for about what you bought them for. So really it's a win win situation.

[shadow460]

I learned fast that I have to set goals and stick to them.

My goals are to re purchased every game I've ever owned in my lifetime. with roughly 750 games, I am about 80% of the way to that one. I also have specific systems in mind that I want to collect all the US releases for. They are the 7800, N64, the Game Gear (including the Master System library), and the PSP (both movies and games). For the PSP and the 7800, I aim to have a CIB collection, the SMS library is easy enough to get that there's no excuse to not have it all CIB, and the others I'd like to have carts/discs and instructions.

 

I've gotten narcisstic about my games and systems, though. It's got to be in good working order, and if it's not, I make it so that it is.

[liveinabin]

I've stopped collecting pretty much completely. I just buy what I want to play now. I've spent way too much hoarding stuff over the years, without any clear idea of why I was doing it. After all, the net worth of it all wasn't worth the effort and it's unlikely that anyone else would be impressed with it all.

As Jerome K Jerome so rightly wrote, "Throw the lumber over, man! Let your boat of life be light, packed with only what you need — a homely home and simple pleasures, one or two friends, worth the name, someone to love and someone to love you, a cat, a dog, and a pipe or two, enough to eat and enough to wear, and a little more than enough to drink; for thirst is a dangerous thing."

[jboypacman]

When i started getting back into classic gaming i was going to only collect Atari 2600 then it was only all Atari stuff(5200,Lynx,ect).

 

Then i got a Colecovision and Intellivision then it was a Vectrex as well as me getting into the import side of gaming with the Sega Saturn and PC Engine.

 

Nowadays i have gone from wanting everything to wanting to reduce the amount of gaming stuff i have to collecting just Atari 2600 and PC Engine.

[Seob]

Well i set my goal to collect every gamesystem that was released in my country, with a few must have games for every system.

Now i just need

atari 7800

3do

amiga cd32

neogeo cd

game cube

 

So i'm pretty much ready. Al tough sometime i think about selling my 8bit stuff since i mostly play my current gen systems, but never can.

I'm at least selling of my home computer collection so that gives me a bit more space.

[Noelio]

It started with strictly Atari. My goal was to build a large curio cabinet to display 1 of each atari system put out and in all their variations all lined up chronologically and not even to use them, so broken gear was ok.

 

When the Atari gear started to dry up around here, that evolved into era systems of any brand. Now I go for Intellivision/Coleco/Commodore/Apple etc.

It started with 4 stackable underbed plastic containers which quickly grew to 8 of em + 16 banker boxes full of stuff as well as systems in their boxes. Handhelds (merlin etc) and plug n plays accidentally caught my fancy too.

Also X86 systems became an addiction. I limited myself to Toshiba laptops & all in ones like the AST Advantage 4066d & Compaq presario 5536. I almost allowed an IBM XT in but stopped as I knew that would lead to having to have them all and that would require a new house. I'm in the process now of trying to curb my buying. Very hard to do but with the outdoor flea markets & garage sales slowing down for the season it's getting easier hehe.

 

N64 stuff is tempting to get into but I won't let myself. Same with Super NES, TG16 & even PS1. Got to draw the line somewhere!!!

Though if you know what games are extremely valuable for other systems keep an eye out. I've bought and sold a few rarities & oddities just to keep the rest of my OCD collection going.

Edited November 16, 2008 by Noelio

[108 Stars]

Actually I can´t really say how I started. It just happened that I was always careful with my stuff and never sold any games or systems; except for one occasion, when I got a ridiculously high price for my old Atari 2600 with games (about 80 Dollars, while the system was just barely out of the stores and virtually worthless). Save for that I never sold my games...I traded some as a kid, but not much.

 

So I just ended up owning quite a lot (not compared to serious collectors, but for an average guy. Then came the days of eBay and I started buying games for older systems again as well. And it is just fan getting the games I never had as a kid but was always curious about....or finding obscure games that I never knew to exist.

[bah]

As Jerome K Jerome so rightly wrote, "Throw the lumber over, man! Let your boat of life be light, packed with only what you need — a homely home and simple pleasures, one or two friends, worth the name, someone to love and someone to love you, a cat, a dog, and a pipe or two, enough to eat and enough to wear, and a little more than enough to drink; for thirst is a dangerous thing."

Nice sentiment but I have to counter with a quote from my hero, Daffy Duck who said "its mine...all mine I tell you...I'm a happy miser"

BAH

[Shannon]

When I discovered the joys and excitement of bidding on eBay years ago, I bought up tons of systems and games that interested me.

 

Steeling a line since that is where it started for me. This lasted about a year. Then it was the gamezone when blockbuster started that. Picked up alot of N64 and PSX stuff. Then I switched to picking up modern console stuff on clearance sales.

 

Since a job loss last year and less income my collection frenzy has pretty much ended.

[monzamess]

I started collecting as a kid in the late 80s, when you could pick up tons of cheap 2600 stuff.

 

Then I gave up video games and starting working and playing with computers. The 2600 (not even my original one, which I sold) went in the closet.

 

Then on a whim I picked up a SNES and Genesis when they were still fairly new and got back into gaming. I started collecting just about everything, obsessing over flea markets, online auctions (pre-eBay), and thrift stores.

 

A few years ago I sold all but my Atari stuff on eBay. Then I sold all but my 2600 stuff; I remember my 7800 and XE auctions created a stir here.

 

So as far as classic systems go, now I just have my 2600 stuff, and even then I've sold off my Pepsi Invaders cartridge. Plus I still have a PCjr and Timex/Sinclair 1000 in a box in the closet (my first computers). I'll keep it around for nostalgic purposes.

 

I don't miss MOST of the old games, but I wish I'd have kept my XE system; I had quite a few great games on cart and didn't even need a disk drive. Plus I have a super-duper emulator cabinet set up to play just about anything, when I feel like powering it on.

[BassGuitari]

When I was young, dumb, and stupid, I collected only for what I had. Needless to say, I [stupidly] passed on a lot of amazing deals.

 

Now, if it's cheap enough, I'll grab it even if I can't use it, with the intent of eventually procuring its compatible console or software. I've got some TI99/4a, Vic-20, and TRS-80 cartridges, but no systems. I've had a Dreamcast for a while with no games. And thanks to my packrat tendancies, I rarely ever sell or trade stuff. I've probably got enough spare consoles, controllers, and software to start a small store.

 

Further, my collection has gotten to point where there aren't too many games left for me to acquire unless I start shelling out for the $100+ rarities. Particularly with my Atari 2600, 5200, Odyssey 2, and Intellivision. Although there are plenty of gaps to be filled there, it usually means resorting to ebay. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but prices are often artificially inflated by bidding wars and bogus shipping charges, especially on individual games. I generally only use ebay to buy consoles or the occasional rare/rarish item.

 

And now I kind of have the dilemma of, "do I spend this $30 or $40 or whatever on this one Atari game I've wanted for a while, or do I spend it on some common Astrocade or Colecovision titles or TS-1000 tapes, or some other part of my collection that is lacking or has been ignored?" My collection has exceeded my capacity to sustain it, in terms of growth. Too many systems! But it's a good problem to have, I suppose.

 

I don't go thrifting as much anymore for a variety of reasons, but I've had some incredible finds over the last couple years, however infrequent. For example, in the last two years, I've gotten a complete JVC X'Eye, heavy sixer joysticks and paddles, an Atari 2600 with one of those 8-game ejector-lever game libraries and a couple of quasi-rare Sears titles (Slots and Dare Diver), at least 20 NES titles, a gaggle of different controllers for various systems, and watched some guy and his kid walk out with a boxed Nintendo Action Set, all at the same Goodwill. The last 8 or 9 months have been pretty much bone-dry though, unless you're into Genesis sports games. (I think I must be the only person in the history of Sega console owners whose collection "back in the day" was without any single sports game of any kind. Judging by the thrifts, you'd think Sega owners played sports games exclusively!)

 

These days, at least half of my yearly gaming intake comes from one single weekend of the year: Midwest Gaming Classic.

 

One thing about my collecting habit has remained more or less constant; I don't go out of my way for boxed games and consoles. I have many boxed games and systems, but it's largely incidental.

[RJ]

I've collected numerous systems over time but w/ the arrival of my twin boys (now 7 1/2 mos. old) I have little time to collect or play. I packed up most of my systems/games into storage & only left the Atari 2600, NES Yobo, 2 PS2s, & Wii available (the last 3 are always out). I gave my PS1 to my niece in college. I havent had the urge to play any of those systems & the VCS is keeping me busy, Im building my collection back up for when my boys can play/appreciate its simple, easy to get into yet still fun games. Then each yr at Xmas I plan to introduce the next system to them, they should be done by age 13 or so (when they'll prob. lose interest).

 

I have around 400+ gaming magazines incl. a 15-yr run of EGM, & near complete runs of PSM & OPM, & Game Informer dating back to 1994. I offered these for sale for very low prices & not many people seemed interested so now I'm giving them away to a freind bit by bit, afterwhich he's recycling them. I put a fair amt of time/effort/$$$ into obtaining them but now Im done w/ them; I wont miss them a bit.

 

There was a stretch where I admittedly went overboard buying PS2 games, I have way too many of them right now, but I figure I can trade them in toward the VCS games/access. I need

Edited November 18, 2008 by RJ

[Mirage]

The last 8 or 9 months have been pretty much bone-dry though, unless you're into Genesis sports games. (I think I must be the only person in the history of Sega console owners whose collection "back in the day" was without any single sports game of any kind. Judging by the thrifts, you'd think Sega owners played sports games exclusively!)

 

We're probably both turning over the same Sega sports titles and scowling at them. I haven't seen a good Sega game at a thrift around here in a long time either. There's a mint CIB Clue at the West Bend St. Vincent De Paul as of a few days ago, but that's about it.

 

BTW, I never had any Sega sports games BITD either (or now for that matter). You have to remember this is Wisconsin though... there's probably a higher ratio of sports games here than about anywhere else in the world.

[fiddlepaddle]

The last 8 or 9 months have been pretty much bone-dry though, unless you're into Genesis sports games. (I think I must be the only person in the history of Sega console owners whose collection "back in the day" was without any single sports game of any kind. Judging by the thrifts, you'd think Sega owners played sports games exclusively!)

 

We're probably both turning over the same Sega sports titles and scowling at them. I haven't seen a good Sega game at a thrift around here in a long time either. There's a mint CIB Clue at the West Bend St. Vincent De Paul as of a few days ago, but that's about it.

 

BTW, I never had any Sega sports games BITD either (or now for that matter). You have to remember this is Wisconsin though... there's probably a higher ratio of sports games here than about anywhere else in the world.

Genesis Sports games seem to be unwanted just about everywhere. I don't play them, but they're fun to collect, since the same titles often came out several years in a row. Also, there were special editions, revisions to the manuals and boxes, cardboard vs. plastic boxes, etc. The first Madden is kind of hard to find. PGA Tour Golf II came out in a 6 and a 7 course version.

[Emehr]

My collecting has pretty much slowed to a crawl. It started about 7 or 8 years ago. I already had a healthy collection of consoles from what I got growing up and bought as a teenager. My philosophy was simple: buy only the games I wanted to play. If I happen across something interesting that has value for cheap, all the better! Now that I've reached my goal of having the stuff I had always wanted, I find I don't really have the time to play 'em all! So now I find myself leaning out my collection. My philosophy now is: if I'm not going to play it, it's just taking up space. If I buy anything anymore it's homebrews (specifically 2600 and 7800) or game manuals.

[Mirage]

Genesis Sports games seem to be unwanted just about everywhere.

 

Yeah, I know... I was just making sort of a joke about living in Wisconsin. Everywhere I've lived or travelled I've seen Sega (and SNES) sports titles everywhere I go. Even starting back around the Genesis/SNES era, I was always amazed by how many people would buy each and every new year's version (or just new entry to the genre) and pretty much discard the year or six month old one. As easy and cheap as it would be to collect a bunch of them, I still won't do it. The only sports titles I'll own are for the 2600 or earlier (and can those really be considered sports titles?!!?)

 

What might have been fun would be to try to collect as many different Sega/SNES sports titles as possible without spending any money at all!