Collecting : Playing Ratios...

[Skull Commander]

Strange this thread should crop up today. Over the last few days I'v been looking at my games and have come to the decision that some of them must go. I don't set out to gather games, but I can never resist a bargain and am always loathe to part with my goods. It's getting out of hand now though, and there are games which I have played and I know I will never go back to, like 40 hour RPGs, and games which I have played to completion. I will never get rid of my favorite fighters, or shooters as you can just play them for a short period of time then stick them back onto the shelf till you fancy another shot, but with some games that just isn't practical.

[kernow]

I have close to 40 MVS carts but as you said they are all quick-fire games I can put on for 10 minutes or whatever, its good to have a library to choose from, plus they are so cheap nowadays it seems silly to sell them for next to nothing, They do however, all get played. I did have a library of homecarts too but they weren't getting played, so they went.

[prinnysquad]

If you're buying games and not playing them then you're retarded basically. Its like buying a car and not being able to drive.

What the point?

That's a bit of a flawed analogy. It's more like buying a car and not bothering to drive it, rather than not being able to drive full stop.

I intend to play every game I get, and I'm getting through them a lot quicker these days. If I see a bargain and I've got an interest in the game, then there's no harm in keeping it on the back burner for a while.

[teddymeow]

I will never get rid of my favorite fighters or shooters as you can just play them for a short period of time then stick them back onto the shelf till you fancy another shot, but with some games that just isn't practical.

This is exactly what I feel. If I buy a game with a long narrative / big single player campaign then I'll attempt to play it to completion and then trade it in unless it is truly special (like Super Mario Galaxy). Recently, I haven't had the time to sit down and put concerted effort into one game so I have been dipping in and out of short burst games like Everybody's Golf 5 and Gradius V which are easy to have a 15 minute play of and then go and do something else.

I used to have 2 huge 6 shelf bookcases full of games but after a severe culling I now have the one. The second is rapidly filling with Blu-ray though

[MattyD]

I've always said if you're going to spend money collecting things for the sake of it you should collect something designed purely to be collectable like special edition stamps, ornaments etc etc. Things like comic, games etc are meant to be enjoyed and by holding them there on your shelf you're denying them to someone who might really want to enjoy them. Collecting also distorts the pricing of items beyond the pale. It's not fair IMO.

[superstarbeejay]

I always bite off more than I can chew. I very rarely buy anything for the collection but a lot of it does go unplayed.

[buster_broon]

I've always said if you're going to spend money collecting things for the sake of it you should collect something designed purely to be collectable like special edition stamps, ornaments etc etc. Things like comic, games etc are meant to be enjoyed and by holding them there on your shelf you're denying them to someone who might really want to enjoy them. Collecting also distorts the pricing of items beyond the pale. It's not fair IMO.

I'm sure on an ormament website there post similar to that with different views

[Welrain]

I like the idea of having a collection but also hate having money tied up in stuff I'm not playing. For example in the past I've had between 30 - 50 games for the following consoles - Megadrive, Xbox, Dreamcast, Xbox 360, DS, PSP and had over 100 for the GC at one point. Then I've sold up (thankfully in most cases breaking even or profiting from the sale).

At the moment I've got around 6 games for my Xbox 360, around 13 or the wii, 4 for the DS and 13 for the GC. All of which I fully intend to or already have completed.

[ezee ryder]

I've always said if you're going to spend money collecting things for the sake of it you should collect something designed purely to be collectable like special edition stamps, ornaments etc etc. Things like comic, games etc are meant to be enjoyed and by holding them there on your shelf you're denying them to someone who might really want to enjoy them. Collecting also distorts the pricing of items beyond the pale. It's not fair IMO.

Whatever the item is, if you legally purchased it and want to keep it for collection purposes or whatever I personally don't see the issue. If someone really wants to enjoy the same item then they can go out and purchase it themselves, I don't see where fairness comes into it.

[Welrain]

I've always said if you're going to spend money collecting things for the sake of it you should collect something designed purely to be collectable like special edition stamps, ornaments etc etc. Things like comic, games etc are meant to be enjoyed and by holding them there on your shelf you're denying them to someone who might really want to enjoy them. Collecting also distorts the pricing of items beyond the pale. It's not fair IMO.

Every hobby has collectors. I don't have any issue with it. In a way they are the people that ensure that in years to come games from the past will survive. They should be thanked not despised.

[12-51-00]

I've known people to have issues with stuff like this. A collecting /hoarding mentality isn't unusual in this consumer orientated, everything-you-want-right-now society. Rampant consumerism.

I know I used to "collect" DVDs, but stopped before it got too silly and as rehab, sold 90% of them, only keeping the films I'd really watch again.

I was the same with DVDs too but now I limit myself to just owning Criterions. I think my problem is I really do have more money than sense. Even after I pay my mortgage, bills and, an extortionate, £7,000 worth of car insurance premiums I'm still left with over 60% of my income. I just think what's the point of it sitting there. Plus I work from home, and I use the term "work" very loosely, so what else can I do with my time but bargain hunt?

My "Collection" is getting a bit out of hand though. I think I'll sell the NAOMI GD-ROMs since I never wanted them anyway. I just took them in a trade that was too good to refuse but I did receive an offer for them recently so if that's still on the table I'll take the cash for a tidy little profit.

I also think I'll narrow down my Dreamcast collection to the 40 games I consider essential. In my defense I did always intend to buy a Dreamcast console, I had my eye on the Black Special Edition but that's been eluding me for so long now I'll probably just settle for any cheap non-off-white model...

Besides that I only have a Wii and 3 Games* so I could be worse, at least I didn't just spend £750 on that crappy 16-Bit Football Game...

Edit: * = The DS Lites were gifts and at least she uses those to co-ordinate her handbags with the contents (gold things in gold bags, yellow things in yellow bags etc... )

[kernow]

uhm..

[teddymeow]

so what else can I do with my time but bargain hunt?

You could spend it writing out cheques to all us lovely folks on the forum if you're having trouble spending it yourself

[charlesr]

Start collecting NeoGeo stuff? Your money will soon disappear then.

[12-51-00]

Start collecting NeoGeo stuff? Your money will soon disappear then.

I'm not 'that' crazy, I spent too much time as an impoverished/aspiring writer to do anything that improvident. Although saying that I did recently try to run a 'classic car'. My bank balance looked like a stopwatch...