'Collecting' - The Great Debate

[SharkSkin-Man]

But if you can pick up a copy from a different region for the price of a pint, then you've gotta be seriously unhinged to waste your money.

Or maybe rather than unhinged they are just a different person with a different way of looking at the value of these games?

I'm not a collector of r@re games, and I don't really get it either - but labeling other people as unhinged because they do not share your opinion is quite frightning.

[SuperDanX]

I suspect duddy's of playing devil's advocate for much of this debate, someone who runs a mean machines archive must recognise the value of collecting? People who think collecting is all about the money are mistaken. If that were true collectors wouldnt collect any games that they knew to be worthless, and always would be worthless(in monetrey terms), and thats not the case.

[Tirian]

*raises handbag*

It was a joke! Didn't you see the yellow grinny thing at the end?! Get a grip fella!

Tirian

[Duddyroar]

I'm not a collector of r@re games, and I don't really get it either - but labeling other people as unhinged because they do not share your opinion is quite frightning

Right, let's get down to the basics here.

Imagine this situation:

'GAME A' is available in both Japanese and English form.

The Japanese version is worth ?100.

The English version is worth ?1.

Both versions are exactly the same.

Which one would YOU choose? Take some time to think about it.

[wheelaa]

@ TA and Duddy..no personal offence taken mates. All I am trying to say is that, whilst being a collector might not be your cup of tea, it is for many others. They shouldn't be held out to be some sort of freak, or seriously unhinged to pay over the odds for different region of the same game. If you can't understand that people are happy to do that, don't post up saying "I can't understand why people....", just accept that they do and repsect their decisions.

(Plus I note how you both avoided addressing what I mentioned about how collectors (save the odd exception md) don't criticise people who don't collect region pricey or sealed games. If someone only has 100 cart only games I give them full respect for choosing to do so. Similarly if someone has 100 sealed games, respect to them too.)

Edit..in answer to Duddy's q..certainly if it was a game on a platform where I collected primarily jp games then jp all the way. I'd prolly buy the ?1 copy too if language was going to be an issue. Oh my god..2 copies of the same game...well its my decision.

And in the spirit of playing devil's advocate (as well as going against what i have previously said)..if you are not a collector (in the sense of this thread) how can you really be in a position to comment about the motivations of collectors?

[SuperDanX]

There not exactly the same though are they? A jpn game in a pal collection would stick out like a sore thumb and visa versa.

[Tirian]

*sigh* if you're going try and slant the argument in your favour from the start, of course you're going to get more people to agree with you. Pretty much a given anyway, since more people seem to agree with you without any discussion ...

But ... the point is that they are not the same, no matter how hard you insist otherwise, because as you have already identified, one is English and one is Japanese. They are not exactly the same. Yeah, it's anal. But that's what collecting is all about ...

And in the case of 99% of games, the differences go further than this - even if the gameplay is the same, the cover art, manual, title screen, production runs will all be different. And in fact, the latter factor is what mostly determines the values in a collector's market. No matter that WWF Raw is a crap game, there are a mere handful of copies around therefore it is expensive.

But sure, run your irrelevant pretend scenario if you feel that backing yourself up on that basis will make you feel better, or more 'right' ...

Tirian

P.S. Oh .. I almost forgot. ""

[SharkSkin-Man]

Right, let's get down to the basics here.

Imagine this situation:

'GAME A' is available in both Japanese and English form.

The Japanese version is worth ?100.

The English version is worth ?1.

Both versions are exactly the same.

Which one would YOU choose? Take some time to think about it.

I would have to buy another machine or chip one, because I've don't own any UK or US consoles. If we pretend I did have a console to play it, I would buy the English one because the price difference is so huge...but I'm not a collector kid.

But if someone else decided to buy the ?100 one because they prefered to have a JPN version - who am I to call them unhinged? It is their money, their choice to make...that is my point.

[Baseley09]

It's funny, if i was rich i'd probably only have an X360 & a Neo cab.....but being poor i like snooping out bargain jewish priced games and have a truck load of em.

[wheelaa]

Not selling enough sperm then?

[Baseley09]

Not selling enough sperm then?

I can box up some Japanese version for you. Be warned it's the same product, but in comes in a nice box. ?150 to you matey

[Duddyroar]

*sigh* if you're going try and slant the argument in your favour from the start, of course you're going to get more people to agree with you. Pretty much a given anyway, since more people seem to agree with you without any discussion ...

I can only assume this is aimed at me...I'm not sure how I can 'slant' the argument in my favour to be honest, all I've done is state my opinion, which just like yourself and every other person on this forum, I'm fully entitled to do. And as for people agreeing with me - I'd say that thus far this thread has been divided down the middle, hence the heated debate. I assume you're trying to insinuate that people agree with me because I had 'Mod' under my name...that's a pretty low blow and I sincerely doubt this is the case anyway. So...

But ... the point is that they are not the same, no matter how hard you insist otherwise, because as you have already identified, one is English and one is Japanese. They are not exactly the same. Yeah, it's anal. But that's what collecting is all about ...And in the case of 99% of games, the differences go further than this - even if the gameplay is the same, the cover art, manual, title screen, production runs will all be different

And here lies the key point of the argument, I feel - a collector will see a game for its rarity, coverart, spinecard, registration card, condition...whereas someone who is interested in using the game for what it was created to do - be played - is interested in what is contained within. If there's a case where both versions are identical in terms of content then a sensible person would pick the cheaper option, surely?

If the UK version differs from the Japanese version in a big way (censorship, missing scenes, etc) then you'd be justified in trying to seek out the 'best' version of that game.

No matter that WWF Raw is a crap game, there are a mere handful of copies around therefore it is expensive

A turd is a turd, no matter how rare it is, surely?

But sure, run your irrelevant pretend scenario if you feel that backing yourself up on that basis will make you feel better, or more 'right' ...

Ha! And you accuse me a fabricating things to push my point of view across...how exactly is my scenario irrelevant? Could you please explain, rather than just making snide remarks?

Look, I'm not completely blameless in this, I have a weakness for Japanese Megadrive games, but I've not (as yet) spent over the odds to get them. In fact most of my Japanese Megadrive stuff costs a couple of quid a pop. If I was faced with a situation where the Japanese version is going to cost me more, I pick the English version (as I did with Castlevania: The New Generation/Vampire Killer).

[moonwhistle]

Not a point necessarily about collectors, but I reckon that from a gaming perspective it is counter productive to own only uber mint games.

Any game that I play alot of will inevitabley get messed up sooner or later, so for games like this I prefer to buy cheap nasty copies so I can throw them around without worrying about devalueing them.

Case in point, I picked up a really cheap Sam Sho 4 AES, it had a totally sunfaded insert, the box was cracked and was the wrong type plus the cartridge looked like it had been through a mincer. But oh god it had character, it looked like it had been loved and played to death by any number of people before it reached me. Later on, as I liked the game so much, I bought an expensive and really mint copy, and assuming it was the better one to hold on to, I sold the messed up one. Since then, I regretted the descision as I hardly play the game anymore for fear of messing up the cartridge and manual and ruining any chance of getting my money back if I decide to flog it. I prefer something I can throw around, maul with greasy fingers or dance on should the mood take me.

So my point is, if you are planning to play alot of any particular game do yourself a favour and buy a cheap, messed up copy, you'll enjoy it alot more. Mint games are goddam liability as far as I'm concerned, plus they've got no character.

[Duddyroar]

Not a point necessarily about collectors, but I reckon that from a gaming perspective it is counter productive to own only uber mint games.

Any game that I play alot of will inevitabley get messed up sooner or later, so for games like this I prefer to buy cheap nasty copies so I can throw them around without worrying about devalueing them.

Case in point, I picked up a really cheap Sam Sho 4 AES, it had a totally sunfaded insert, the box was cracked and was the wrong type plus the cartridge looked like it had been through a mincer. But oh god it had character, it looked like it had been loved and played to death by any number of people before it reached me. Later on, as I liked the game so much, I bought an expensive and really mint copy, and assuming it was the better one to hold on to, I sold the messed up one. Since then, I regretted the descision as I hardly play the game anymore for fear of messing up the cartridge and manual and ruining any chance of getting my money back if I decide to flog it. I prefer something I can throw around, maul with greasy fingers or dance on should the mood take me.

So my point is, if you are planning to play alot of any particular game do yourself a favour and buy a cheap, messed up copy, you'll enjoy it alot more. Mint games are goddam liability as far as I'm concerned, plus they've got no character

An excellent point!

I purchased a fairly tatty copy of Dracula X (PCE) for ?50 (which is below the usual price) and enjoyed the hell outta of it. At no point was I worried about marking it or spoiling the manual with my fingerprints...I just played it. Which is what it was created for.

[wheelaa]

I can box up some Japanese version for you. Be warned it's the same product, but in comes in a nice box. ?150 to you matey

If its sealed I'll take it8)