I don't play games but I own almost every system...WHY ?

[jonjandran]

I used to play games...... A lot.....

But for the last 10 years I have found myself doing something that some might consider quite strange.

I buy every system. It seems I have to have them. I love to get them and check them out and even play a few of the more popular games on them. But then I just wind up putting them on the shelf and never touching them again.

And also I have to have every new handheld that is made, including the Imports. I get every one and then I don't wind up buying hardly any games for them. I just hack them and put emulators on them, mod them with fron-lights, etc.

And I also have to mod all my newst Nex-Gen systems. My Gamecube , Xbox, and PS2 (plus my Saturn, and PS1) , thay all have mod-chips and are modified to play copied games. But then I don't D-load or copy any games. I just like the fact that I can if I want to.

Well I guess just like anything else it's just a Hobby. But maybe I should seek some Professional help.

Just thought I'd share that with you guys. Been bothering me lately.

[Graham Mitchell]

Are you ENJOYING buying and collecting the machines and modding them? Or do you seriously feel that the amount of money and time you spend with this doesn't provide you with the satisfaction it would if it was spent in other ways?

I guess a lot of people who get satisfaction with seeing things organized in neat little rows and columns (like boxes of games, maybe?) are candidates for obsessive compulsive disorder or Asperger's syndrome. But it sounds like that's not going on with you.

If it's no longer fun for you, you should stop. If you enjoy what you're doing, and you don't find that you're unable to make social, occupational, sholastic, or financial obligations because of your hobby, then I don't see any reason for you to not continue doing what you enjoy.

[§ Gideon §]

Hey, thanks for putting that out in the open; it took balls. I hope that people will recognize that and be respectful.

Anyway, if it helps you feel better, what you describe isn't all that uncommon--and it's definitely not restricted to video games. People build cars and don't drive them. People hoard albums and don't listen to them. It happens with a lot of hobbies.

There is only one important question to ask yourself: Are you maladapted? In other words, do your habits of collecting impede your life more than they enhance it? This is a question only you can answer.

[sharp]

As your doctor I can only make one conclusion. Your obsessed with games. You need proffesianal help like all the members of this forum as they all are obessed with videogames.

The always drunk Doctor has spoken.

[jonjandran]

It really doesn't affect my life much.

I only get a new system once in a while. I buy the stuff for it online and wait for it to come in without obsessing about it.

Then I spend a couple of hours modding it and testing it. And then I update it once in a while.

But I don't really know if my hobby (habit ? ) enhances my life or not.

And it is Expensive but not at a detriment to myself or my family.

[Lemmy Kilmister]

Seems to me if you injoy modding and tinkering with your systems more then actually playing them then maybe you sould start selling your mods and turn your supposed problem into profit.

[jonjandran]

Seems to me if you injoy modding and tinkering with your systems more then actually playing them then maybe you sould start selling your mods and turn your supposed problem into profit.

But then it becomes more of a job and less fun.

And I don't need the money , I have a great job.

Does anyone else here do this sort of thing, or do most people here actually PLAY games and collect also ?

[max 330 mega]

sounds like me 6 months ago... i got to a point where i was buying games, just because it was an impulsive thing to do, and unlike most people here, who just continue to do so , i managed to break myself of it, and have sold almost my entire collection, from 400 games to 100 games, and now from 19 systems to around 5. its actually lot nicer to have a few good games, and not a library of shitty stuff youll never play. so , i sold it all, put the money to very good use, and have since been using it to fund my band, and its a hell of alot more satisfying than games on a shelf.

[Lemmy Kilmister]

[But then it becomes more of a job and less fun.

Well if it starts becoming more like work then fun, then yeah, I'd stop. I mean what's the point in buying systems for hundreds of dollars just to have them lined up on a shelf? Seems kind of pointless really.

The only reason I mentioned that maybe you start selling mods is because you could probably get all your money back be selling your modded systems and then buy more to screw around with.

[nate1749]

::shrug:: I do the same thing, although I normally don't buy the system until I can mod it (mod chips are never out immediately). I probably play 1% of what I've actually got, if even that.

Our hobby is just like other hobbies, except you can do more with them. What I mean is, if you collected say coins, you just collect coins, it's not like you're out playing quarters on the weekends with your favorite coin or something. So you collect games, it just happens that you can play them if you want - it's not required though.

Nate

[CreamSoda]

Hey man, it's your money. If you enjoy buying/collecting the systems then go ahead. I myself do find that pretty odd(no offense), but if you have fun with it, by all means go ahead.

[ozyr]

sounds like me 6 months ago... i got to a point where i was buying games, just because it was an impulsive thing to do, and unlike most people here, who just continue to do so , i managed to break myself of it, and have sold almost my entire collection, from 400 games to 100 games, and now from 19 systems to around 5. its actually lot nicer to have a few good games, and not a library of shitty stuff youll never play. so , i sold it all, put the money to very good use, and have since been using it to fund my band, and its a hell of alot more satisfying than games on a shelf.

Now this is what I've been thinking of doing for some time now. I don't have all the systems (newer ones), but I've spent enough on games in the last few years that is really just too much. And as has been discussed here, I really don't play much of it. I've been wanting to sell off what I just don't play anymore, but am finding it really hard to part with the stuff. Why? I really don't know, I just feel attached to the systems and games for some reason... If I could narrow it down, I'd clear up a lot of space, make some money (so-to-speak), and probably be better off in the long run.

[VACRMH]

Does anyone else here do this sort of thing, or do most people here actually PLAY games and collect also ?

I know plenty of people who do what you do. Personally it bugs the hell out of me. But oh well.

For me, I see no reason to buy something if i'm not going to play it eventually. When I finally play it for awhile, I can say "Yeah, I got my money's worth out of this"

After throwing so much cash into this hobby, I better do something with it

But I had the same problem you had, I would buy buy buy... and then never touch it. I started wondering why I should even bother buying it if i'm not going to use the item for what it was intended for.

If it bugs you that you don't play them more often, just try sitting down with a game you've always wanted to play. Don't think too much about it, or you'll be overwhelmed (Happens to me when I'm trying to find something new to play, too many choices)

I had to get this off of my chest actually, good topic to rant

[suppafly]

For most collectors it isnt about the having, its about the getting...

[Kamino]

Does anyone else here do this sort of thing, or do most people here actually PLAY games and collect also ?

I know plenty of people who do what you do. Personally it bugs the hell out of me. But oh well.

For me, I see no reason to buy something if i'm not going to play it eventually. When I finally play it for awhile, I can say "Yeah, I got my money's worth out of this"

After throwing so much cash into this hobby, I better do something with it

But I had the same problem you had, I would buy buy buy... and then never touch it. I started wondering why I should even bother buying it if i'm not going to use the item for what it was intended for.

If it bugs you that you don't play them more often, just try sitting down with a game you've always wanted to play. Don't think too much about it, or you'll be overwhelmed (Happens to me when I'm trying to find something new to play, too many choices)

I had to get this off of my chest actually, good topic to rant

It also bugs the hell out of me. I'm trying to get these carts to play them! YOU'RE ON MY TURF!!!!
It's your money, do what you want...
But On a personal note, I dove into my cart bins today, and played 5 games i'd never played before. It was pretty damn cool. I swear I'll work thru this pile.....

[AlexKidd]

I seem to have a similar problem with both my video game and music collections. I buy and collect way more than I actually play. I do enjoy playing video games and listening to music but I'm very into acquiring more stuff. If I'm playing a good game on my cube or listening to a good pink floyd cd i'm enjoying it but at the same time i'm thinking about the next 5 cube games/floyd cds I want to buy. I continue to do what I do because I enjoy it but I am considering selling my non-nintendo systems and games with the exception of maybe my turbo and my 2600. I could also sell about 100 of my cds.

[Bluteg]

I know what your saying Jonjandran, I go through the same thing. I spend many more hours hunting, searching ebay and talking about games than I do playing them. It seems I have to almost force myself to actually sit down and play a game. Usually when I do find a game I am totally absorbed in it but they are few and far between. Last three games I did this with were Tales of Symphonia, Star Wars: KOTOR and Dues Ex 2... all shortly after their respective release.

I also play games and get marginally interested in them enough to get right before the ending and then quit... so many RPGS and current gen games I cannot even attempt to count them. I have probably loged in at 6 hours of game play in May and June so far... I am far more interested in the gaming society than the damn games themselves...

[max 330 mega]

sounds like me 6 months ago... i got to a point where i was buying games, just because it was an impulsive thing to do, and unlike most people here, who just continue to do so , i managed to break myself of it, and have sold almost my entire collection, from 400 games to 100 games, and now from 19 systems to around 5. its actually lot nicer to have a few good games, and not a library of shitty stuff youll never play. so , i sold it all, put the money to very good use, and have since been using it to fund my band, and its a hell of alot more satisfying than games on a shelf.

Now this is what I've been thinking of doing for some time now. I don't have all the systems (newer ones), but I've spent enough on games in the last few years that is really just too much. And as has been discussed here, I really don't play much of it. I've been wanting to sell off what I just don't play anymore, but am finding it really hard to part with the stuff. Why? I really don't know, I just feel attached to the systems and games for some reason... If I could narrow it down, I'd clear up a lot of space, make some money (so-to-speak), and probably be better off in the long run.

it was pretty hard for me at first, i would kind of mope around, and see that empty patch on my shelf where 5 or 10 games used to be, but then i started getting the money, and as the collection got smaller, i got to keep reorganizing my games into a smaller and smaller area, and now i just have one glass case entertainment center with my games in it, and its soo nice to have the money, and the TONS of extra room not occupied by bookshelfs and other things.

[SkiDragon]

I guess a lot of people who get satisfaction with seeing things organized in neat little rows and columns (like boxes of games, maybe?) are candidates for obsessive compulsive disorder

Thats me.

[nate1749]

I am far more interested in the gaming society than the damn games themselves...

I never thought of that before, but I'm the same way. I read gaming magazines, visit 2 gaming message boards, read various other stuff on games and systems... in fact for every hour I spend dealing with the gaming society (shopping, reading, whatever) I probably only play a few minutes.