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Thread: "Collecting" Hang-Ups

  1. #1

    "Collecting" Hang-Ups

    Just wanted to run something by you guys.

    If it isn't obvious, I generally dislike people who collect video games. That might seem contradictory seeing as how I have a butt-ton of them, but the difference is I've never thought about them as a collection. If anything it's more like a curated library of games. There are threads on GAF that are like, here's my PS4 or my Wii U collection and it's like, Jesus, those consoles are current still. Why is that a collection? Aren't those just the games you're playing now? The point is, I look down on blind collecting as opposed to making purchases based on your own personal taste and actually playing the games. Should I?

    Another thing, for me a "collection" isn't just a pile of something. It's not just numbers, right? It's also emotional. Why did you buy it? Remember when or where? Remember playing it? There's a reason why I own everything I do and there's a lot that doesn't stay because it wasn't good enough. Does the rate at which you acquire your "collection" matter? I have a ton of stuff because I've been getting it for birthdays and whatnot and eventually buying them on my own since I was 6 years old. If someone jumps into the hobby and buys everything deemed important by everyone else but very, very obviously has not put any time into any of it, should they be accepted by the community? It matters to me, but is that wrong?

    Should that stuff matter? Am I just the guy on the dog fucking forum saying he's better than the other guy on the dog fucking forum because he actually loves his dog?

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by Mzo View Post
    I look down on blind collecting as opposed to making purchases based on your own personal taste and actually playing the games. Should I?
    Yes. The absolute worst are people who collect an entire system's library, when roughly half of it is garbage on almost any system.

    Another thing, for me a "collection" isn't just a pile of something. It's not just numbers, right? It's also emotional. Why did you buy it? Remember when or where? Remember playing it? There's a reason why I own everything I do and there's a lot that doesn't stay because it wasn't good enough.
    I agree with needing a reason, but I don't typically recall how or where I acquired stuff. Most of my more interesting acquisitions came from some random guy on the internet.

    Does the rate at which you acquire your "collection" matter? If someone jumps into the hobby and buys everything deemed important by everyone else but very, very obviously has not put any time into any of it, should they be accepted by the community? It matters to me, but is that wrong?
    Speaking solely for myself, the faster I acquire it, the less I tend to care about it.

    Should that stuff matter? Am I just the guy on the dog fucking forum saying he's better than the other guy on the dog fucking forum because he actually loves his dog?
    You are that guy, but that doesn't make you wrong.

    edit: Another thought came to me on this general topic. I highly recommend having a wish list before you start buying for a new phase of your collection. It keeps you from making spur of the moment purchases that may keep you from being able to buy something you wanted more. Of course, that wish list can be expanded if you learn about something new, but try to stick to it. For example, I had a list of the arcade PCBs I wanted before I even bought the cabinet, and I've stuck to it. Granted, it helps that they are $100+ each in almost all cases.
    Last edited by Yoshi; 30 May 2015 at 11:22 AM.

  3. I have a list of all the games I want to get spread out over the various systems. Keeps it rather focused. Speed isn't a factor, as I'm mostly a collector of convenience: if I run across a good deal, I'll go for it. If not, that's cool.

    I set my goals rather lofty as I've only been buying CIB retro games as of late. Don't know why I set that goal, but there you have it. Some of the stuff on my list is rather expensive to get that way.
    I'm not a devious man by nature... but when you're unarmed, your tactics might gonna be downright Archimedean.

  4. #4
    It's been deconstructed before, but I think the collector that TNL has the most disdain for is the "completionist" That guy that needs to own every version of every game, come hell or high water. In very few situations does anyone need to own every release for a system with the exceptions being either the person writes about gaming for a living or is writing an authoritative book on the console.

    On the flipside of that, if I could do it cheaply I would like to own a boxed complete collection of geneses games. But that was the system I grew up with and I still get the good vibes when I pick up a case, hear that little click on the case as I open it, hear the click as you pull the game out, then hear that last click as you put it in the model 1 gensis. The process makes me happy. And trying a new game that I had only dreamed of as a child makes me happy. Like the inner child was in the back of my head, asleep, and he actually woke up and came to front "holy shit, you got that game we saw in 1995. Omg its got those robots!"

    But like you, I find people that have a room full of $25 wall mart shelves, full of expensive games for every system, dubious. It is unlikely that a person would get the good vibes from playing games on every system.


    There is also the display of games that is bothersome. With the exception of boxed gen games, that kind of look like paper back books with their size and thickness, a lot of collections are actually ugly. I keep all of my games in boxes and out of the way in a corner. If the room had a walk in closet, I would put them in there.

  5. I'm just glad I out from under buying every CE that came along. I got a Halo 3 helmet (although I "worked" on that game so w/e), a Gears chainsaw and other junk taking up space.

    Now I don't even want the discs, steelbook or no.

  6. I know the youtube collecting brag thing has been going on for quite a while, but I was only recently introduced to it.
    I FUCKING HATE ALL THESE ASSHOLES!

    I have an extensive (post 32 bit) collection. I'm not against other people having extensive collections. And while, much like Mzo, I'd prefer everyone only buy what they intend to play (believe it not, I do make every purchase with that intention. I may also purchase a 2nd or 3rd to not play, but there is nothing in my collection I bought only because it was something to add to it), the fact that people buy shit just to hoard it annoys me but whatever.
    But these fucking videos are PONDEROUS.
    There is no entertainment or information value. They sit in front of their ridiculous shelves full of shit they don't care about (ridiculous because EVERYONE does it now. It's not impressive or interesting), and run off a list.
    "Hey guys, I went to the grocery store and I bought this bread,"
    Holds up package of bread to camera
    "as you can see it's a little smooshed so I made the manager give me a 20% discount. I also grabbed this bottle of water"
    Holds up bottle of water to camera
    " I had a coupon and I was thirsty. Then I was walking down the cereal aisle and they had a buy 1 get 2 free on Oat Bran. I don't even like Oat Bran, but it was cheap so I couldn't pass it up."
    Holds up three boxes of oatbran
    "Well, that's all I got this trip. Thanks for watching and please leave me comments about what you picked up on your grocery run!"

  7. I don't even like Oat Bran, but it was cheap so I couldn't pass it up
    I believe this though

    Speaking solely for myself, the faster I acquire it, the less I tend to care about it.
    This is so true and it sucks honestly...and it's hard to go back. I've already done the accumulation. It's stupid for me to reverse it but I bet if I cut the library down to 15 games, I'd have a better time. I've said this before and I just couldn't do it.

  8. Quote Originally Posted by BerringerX View Post
    I set my goals rather lofty as I've only been buying CIB retro games as of late. Don't know why I set that goal, but there you have it. Some of the stuff on my list is rather expensive to get that way.
    I did that when I started to gather NES stuff again. Partially because I've always preferred CIB, but also because my goal was to play the games. I could take 100 nes carts home and throw them on a shelf and call it a day. But by limiting myself to only what I found outside the store and to only CIB, I acquired stuff slowly enough that I actually played what I bought. Cost me more, but instead of spending $40 on 10 games I wouldn't do anything with I spent $40 on something I enjoyed.

  9. #9
    I think part of the disdain for the completitionist, that everyone hints at it, is the Bourgeoisieness of paying over $60 for a horrible game. For people grounded in reality, games, regardless of rarity are not worth above $160. The 200-1000 priced games are disgusting.

    We find it offensive to our sense of worth, to that value drilled into us by our parents, "do not waste money on dumb shit"

    But TNL does not care about rarity, for the most part it cares about enjoyment and historical significance. We wouldn't look down on someone that paid a lot for an original pong cab, his favorite arcade cab, or a box of his favorite console games.

  10. #10
    Collecting just to collect instead of to play seems stupid to me. I have to laugh at someone buying Sonic for the SMS for $1000 because it has a US barcode sticker on it when they can get the exact same game and box minus a useless sticker for $20.

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