Do you sometimes think...

[TheRealist50]

do you sometimes think "why bother" collecting video games...ect...
I've been thinking that...NOT because I don't like to, I mean I love it. But this is my 3rd time starting my collection over. For example I've restarted my PS2 Collection twice...NES collection 3 times, Genesis Collection 3 times...Ps1 Collection twice...ect...Seems like whenever I get going something comes and just screws me up.

First time I had all my Genesis/NES games stolen. 2nd time we got flooded and everything got ruined...that was huge since I collect other things (not as seriously) like comics, action figures, sports cards...ect...THANK GOD that my rarest...most expensive sports cards and action figures got spared but I can't say the same for everything else.
I don't even know how all the insurance stuff got handled since we weren't covered for a flood or something...I don't even know honestly...just way to much legal mumbo jumbo. but long story short the money wasn't anywhere close to what we needed...I have pictures of our house...and you wouldn't be able to believe somebody lived in there...no walls...concrete floors...nothing was left we actually had to live in another house for roughly 3 months or more by the time they pretty much rebuilt the house.

years go by...I slowly rebuild my collection and I mean SLOWLY. The whole time in the back of my mind I really didn't want to put more money into it only to have it ruined. so I stopped...THEN my parents sold my stuff by accident at a garage sale (not everything. just the games in the basement collecting dust...which happened to be my NES and Gen games) now 2 years later I'm at where I am now...little over 100 games (I think 101) and that little voice in the back of my head is starting to bug me again.

I've had bad experiences with eBay, so much so that I refuse to deal with it anymore and besides...I don't have a credit card anymore.

But the more I try the harder I fall...I'm starting to doubt myself in this aspect.

Has this thought ever crossed anybody else's mind at one point or another?

[Dreamcast]

It's almost like telling someone "I'm going to stop doing my hobby." What you need to do, is rent a mini storage. And just keep your rare stuff there to make it safe. I'm not too much a collector myself. I just play the games, not see how much you can have. If it's something that you love to do, keep on doing it. It's a VERY expensive hobby, but just take it slowly.

[Sabz5150]

do you sometimes think "why bother" collecting video games...ect...

No. 8-)

[megasdkirby]

What I am about to say may anger some people, but please note that this is not it's purpose. The problem is that I feel this way, and sometimes... :(

Sometimes, it is a waste of time. I look at all the games I have, impressed with the amount I have and the titles therein.

However, there are times in which pride gets pushed aside, and desperation, depression, and worthlessness kicks in.

I look at all the stuff I have and sometimes (no, MANY times) think that I have wasted my money on games. ON ****ing games! Sometimes I want to cry, thinking of all the amount wasted and how I could have used that money for something much, MUCH important. Save for emergencies, for my future. Specially now, that I am in a kinda depressive state, things just get haywire most of the time.

I barely play with any of the games I have. In fact, I still have Earthbound untouched...purchased it around 10 years ago and it is still as the first day I purchased it. Same goes with other titles. I can say I have around 85% of games I have yet to play, or even TOUCH. Heck, around 40% is STILL SEALED.

Then why do I continue buying? I will admit that I don't know whether it's because it's impulse, but I will admit that having games makes me happy. Yet, it makes my life miserable. Instead of simply doing something to better myself, I feel I am stuck in a hole.

To be honest, I don't know what to think anymore. Why the hell do I want to continue buying games, knowing that I may never actually play or open them? For my collection? What's the use of collecting if I won't even play them? And when I die, what will happen to all this junk?

Sorry if my post angered anyone. I just don't know how to feel anymore. :(

[Sabz5150]

What I am about to say may anger some people, but please note that this is not it's purpose. The problem is that I feel this way, and sometimes... :(

Sometimes, it is a waste of time. I look at all the games I have, impressed with the amount I have and the titles therein.

However, there are times in which pride gets pushed aside, and desperation, depression, and worthlessness kicks in.

I look at all the stuff I have and sometimes (no, MANY times) think that I have wasted my money on games. ON ****ing games! Sometimes I want to cry, thinking of all the amount wasted and how I could have used that money for something much, MUCH important. Save for emergencies, for my future. Specially now, that I am in a kinda depressive state, things just get haywire most of the time.

I barely play with any of the games I have. In fact, I still have Earthbound untouched...purchased it around 10 years ago and it is still as the first day I purchased it. Same goes with other titles. I can say I have around 85% of games I have yet to play, or even TOUCH. Heck, around 40% is STILL SEALED.

Then why do I continue buying? I will admit that I don't know whether it's because it's impulse, but I will admit that having games makes me happy. Yet, it makes my life miserable. Instead of simply doing something to better myself, I feel I am stuck in a hole.

To be honest, I don't know what to think anymore. Why the hell do I want to continue buying games, knowing that I may never actually play or open them? For my collection? What's the use of collecting if I won't even play them? And when I die, what will happen to all this junk?

Sorry if my post angered anyone. I just don't know how to feel anymore. :(

Remember...

A 1909 S-VDB is just a penny. An 'upside down airplane' is just a stamp. A 1990 NWC cartridge is just a video game.

Worry not. I'm sure that some of us could put our children through college with little sacrifice to our collections.

[TheRealist50]

What I am about to say may anger some people, but please note that this is not it's purpose. The problem is that I feel this way, and sometimes... :(

Sometimes, it is a waste of time. I look at all the games I have, impressed with the amount I have and the titles therein.

However, there are times in which pride gets pushed aside, and desperation, depression, and worthlessness kicks in.

I look at all the stuff I have and sometimes (no, MANY times) think that I have wasted my money on games. ON ****ing games! Sometimes I want to cry, thinking of all the amount wasted and how I could have used that money for something much, MUCH important. Save for emergencies, for my future. Specially now, that I am in a kinda depressive state, things just get haywire most of the time.

I barely play with any of the games I have. In fact, I still have Earthbound untouched...purchased it around 10 years ago and it is still as the first day I purchased it. Same goes with other titles. I can say I have around 85% of games I have yet to play, or even TOUCH. Heck, around 40% is STILL SEALED.

Then why do I continue buying? I will admit that I don't know whether it's because it's impulse, but I will admit that having games makes me happy. Yet, it makes my life miserable. Instead of simply doing something to better myself, I feel I am stuck in a hole.

To be honest, I don't know what to think anymore. Why the hell do I want to continue buying games, knowing that I may never actually play or open them? For my collection? What's the use of collecting if I won't even play them? And when I die, what will happen to all this junk?

Sorry if my post angered anyone. I just don't know how to feel anymore. :(

I also sometimes think what will happen to this when I die...you spend your whole life gathering everything but in the end whats gonna happen?

I have all these sports cards I spent a lot of money on...some cards there is only 10 of em in the whole world. I have cards valued at $200, $400, some you can't put a price on since there is so little copies of em...but damn it dude all it is is just cardboard.
Ken Griffey Jr autographs...Wayne Gretzky rookie card (hockey fans know whats up with that card)

but then there are times when I'm just so excited to have it, then there are times where I just don't know what I'm doing. This could be due to the depression I'm going through in my life and I just look down on everything. I don't know...Its all over the place.

[winniethepujols]

I think it's human nature to want to collect. I'd say that most people probably collect something.

I do sometimes wonder why I collect all these games, but it doesn't take long before I figure out why I do it: I have tremendous memories of playing games as a child going up. Now that I'm an adult and I've got to put up with bills and the stress of reality, it's nice to know that you can preserve a part of the happier times through collection. That's part of how I feel, anyway.

For the record, I'm not depressed and I'm very content with my life as it is now.

[Sudo]

It's a hobby, just like any other. You could just as easily say "why bother?" to anything. Why bother getting out of bed in the morning? Why bother going to work? Why bother doing anything when you're just going to die eventually anyway. If you just think of things in that light, you'll never enjoy anything.

[murdoc rose]

I've thought about it but I soon realize I'll just buy it back or something to take its place, so why quite now

[James8BitStar]

There's been two things holding me back:

First is money. Right now I don't have a lot of it, and I would hate to be one of those people who builds up a handsome or even a complete archive and then has to sell it all to pay bills once he hits hard times. Ergo I've prioritized and decided I want to become a millionaire before I start collecting seriously. How I intend to become a millionaire, I have no idea (and I'm open to suggestions), but once I get the millions I'm going to put them in a savings account and use the interest to fund my collecting.

Second is sometimes the little voice in my head tells me that most of the games I buy are gonna be crap, that I'll get bored of them or I'll wonder why I'm wasting my money. Actually I've had this happen before, with anime and 80s cartoons and comic books, in which after an initial infatuation I came back and said "You know, this is crap why am I even bothering with this?" But I think games are a different matter on the whole, both from a personal and a practical perspective.

Right now I'm kinda stand-offish. If there's a game I REALLY want to play, or if something really hard to find comes up on eBay or somewhere, or someone has a mint and complete Last Half of Darkness game, I'll buy it (or at least have it reserved in my name). But I'll save the serious "gotta catch 'em all" instinct until I've won the Publisher's Clearing House contest.

[brykasch]

Well IMHO there are two types of collectors, those that colelct for any system, and will buy games irregardless if they will be played. I sued to be one of those. But I soon realized at least for me it was a waste, so I have been paring it down to games and systems I will play, and merchandise I like. Its all about the niche you find.

[suckerpunch5]

What I am about to say may anger some people, but please note that this is not it's purpose. The problem is that I feel this way, and sometimes... :(

Sometimes, it is a waste of time. I look at all the games I have, impressed with the amount I have and the titles therein.

However, there are times in which pride gets pushed aside, and desperation, depression, and worthlessness kicks in.

I look at all the stuff I have and sometimes (no, MANY times) think that I have wasted my money on games. ON ****ing games! Sometimes I want to cry, thinking of all the amount wasted and how I could have used that money for something much, MUCH important. Save for emergencies, for my future. Specially now, that I am in a kinda depressive state, things just get haywire most of the time.

I barely play with any of the games I have. In fact, I still have Earthbound untouched...purchased it around 10 years ago and it is still as the first day I purchased it. Same goes with other titles. I can say I have around 85% of games I have yet to play, or even TOUCH. Heck, around 40% is STILL SEALED.

Then why do I continue buying? I will admit that I don't know whether it's because it's impulse, but I will admit that having games makes me happy. Yet, it makes my life miserable. Instead of simply doing something to better myself, I feel I am stuck in a hole.

To be honest, I don't know what to think anymore. Why the hell do I want to continue buying games, knowing that I may never actually play or open them? For my collection? What's the use of collecting if I won't even play them? And when I die, what will happen to all this junk?

Sorry if my post angered anyone. I just don't know how to feel anymore. :(

Dude, it really sounds like you may be suffering from depression. Buying stuff just for happiness is a real red flag. What I mean is, buying to feel good then realizing when that feeling wears off that it it wrecking you. That is a red flag. Anyway, maybe see a counselor, or go talk with your pastor, or contact local health & human services.

[Smashed Brother]

For a long time, I've contemplated this exact question. I have a little story to tell, but I apoligize ahead of time if it comes off as long-winded and slightly fragmented.

Up until recently, I had seriously collected video games for many years. I have about 600, which is paltry compared to what I've seen on here, but I've also sold/traded off around that amount, too. Out of those 600, I would say that I've only played through maybe 30% of them all the way to the end, but yet I would always keep buying and buying. Yeah, I know that it's a 'hobby', but collecting was also an addiction. I believe it was because video games have defined a huge part of my life. Sure, I've gone to new places, seen and tried new things, and I have made many great friends over the years. But, even then, the majority of my best memories sadly revolve around video games.... going to the arcades, getting excited over those 'hot new games' coming out, the look of a game, the music from certain games, etc. I can't even recall some of my closer friends' bdays, but I can recite lines from 'Star Ocean' on the Playstation! Sometimes, I can't help but think that I've wasted a majority of my life on this 'hobby'.

A lot of the friends I made in my youth were because of video games. It's almost like the games were more popular than I was. This 'hobby' had such a hold over me, that I couldn't go to an area without searching for an arcade or a game store. I didn't even have to spend money; just looking was all the entertainment that I needed. At my worst, I've lied, cheated and stolen from those close to me just to get another video game... I would put that much devotion into it, but I could never be bothered to devote that kind of time into something else that was important. If I was with other people, they might be off doing things that were fun and/or entertaining, but I would just sit by those precious games. There would be times where I couldn't even wait to get home from somewhere just so I could sit in front of the tv and play something. Every amount of money that I would receive -whether it be from a job or as a gift- would go towards video games, rather than saving it or spending it on something that was actually beneficial. But, as long as my bills were paid and basic needs taken care of, the rest of the money would be earmarked for that 'hot new game'.

So, I still have a large collection of games, but within the past few years I have ceased dedicating my whole life to filling out their ranks. I haven't moved on to the newer generation of consoles and I don't plan on it. That addiction is no longer there, as I've looked beyond my controller. When I do purchase a game now, which is rare, I always buy either used or clearanced out titles... and only titles that I plan on playing, and nowadays I play very little. Even though, whenever I buy a game, no matter how cheap it is, I still feel pangs of guilt and remorse, mostly because of how I used to be.

Collecting can be fun and the excitement that you feel when buying a new title is almost euphoric. I can't do it anymore, though, because there is always that voice of reason in the back of my head, urging me to cut those last few ties that hold me to these games, sell them off and do something meaningful in life. And as I get older, that voice seems to get louder.

[Damaramu]

Everything in moderation, my friends. Sometimes, I go months without buying anything.

It's all for fun and I always I make sure to get the important stuff out of the way: bills, savings, necessities, et al. Whatever I have leftover goes to gaming. Prioritize is the keyword here.

Plus, it doesn't hurt that I fall in the cheap ass gamer category. I RARELY buy new games. So what if I'm behind? It's not a race. There are scores of games I have yet to play and it doesn't bother me one bit. I'll get to them eventually and when I do, they'll be cheaper (hello used games!).

[PixelSmasher]

Collecting in and of itself, is not a way to be happy in life. It's all about balancing it with everything else. I have something like 2000 music CDs, but I never bought them with the intention of collecting that many, and never really looked at it as "collecting." It just happened over time, as I picked up more CDs by artists I like. And I DJ, so they serve a practical purpose. I feel the same way about games; don't buy lots of crap just for the sake of having piles of -stuff-. Buy what you want to play, play what you buy, and don't make it your life.

[megasdkirby]

It's a hobby, just like any other. You could just as easily say "why bother?" to anything. Why bother getting out of bed in the morning? Why bother going to work? Why bother doing anything when you're just going to die eventually anyway. If you just think of things in that light, you'll never enjoy anything.

That is a very interesting way of thinking about it. Then yes, I could say it's my hobby.

Many criticize me for not being social. In other words, they want me to go with them to strip joints, drink till my liver explodes, waste my money on "naughty girls" (you all know what I mean). But I don't. Others say that those are negative influences and that video games help me prevent them. I rather be hooked on video games than be hooked on destructive things.

But like I mentioned, depending on the time, I start to question everything. It really depends on how I feel. SOmetimes I feel thrilled having an awesome collection. Hell, I wanna mount walls (remember that topic?) to show off my stuff. But when I feel down, I question everything, even my own life.

[megasdkirby]

Collecting can be fun and the excitement that you feel when buying a new title is almost euphoric. I can't do it anymore, though, because there is always that voice of reason in the back of my head, urging me to cut those last few ties that hold me to these games, sell them off and do something meaningful in life. And as I get older, that voice seems to get louder.

That is exactly what I am going through. I see that I am simply wasting my life collecting video games. Wasting my money on things that I don't need. I could save that money spent on more important things.

I remember when I used to get a brand new game, I would go ecstatic. Now I can buy like 50 at one shot and always "toss them to a corner", most of the time they remain sealed.

It isn't like before. I have slowly drifted away from gaming, even though I still buy "en mass". Don't know how to explain it...maybe it's an impulse. Heck, I purchased a Wii out of pure impulse and I regret doing so: I barely play it and when I do use it, it's for web browsing. It is because of this and other factors that I've decided against a PS3 and X360. I just think if I want to continue buying games, I should concentrate on what I already have. Have fun with what I already purchased. I have enough games (not played) that can last me a life time.

[PixelSmasher]

Kirby, it sounds like you know what you need to do. Now you just need to act on it. Start purging the stuff from your collection that you won't miss and start broadening your interests. Being social doesn't have to mean strippers and booze, and if it does then it's time to get some different friends. I mean, there's ton of stuff. Have you ever went Go-Karting? Paintballing? Are there any cool museums? Any interest in stuff like photography or painting, or even stuff like BMXing or skateboarding? I'm just throwing out suggestions that have broad appeal. The world's pretty big. Much bigger than video games. Don't let yourself get to be like 45 or so, and all you have to show for it is a game collection.

[Sudo]

That is a very interesting way of thinking about it. Then yes, I could say it's my hobby.

Many criticize me for not being social. In other words, they want me to go with them to strip joints, drink till my liver explodes, waste my money on "naughty girls" (you all know what I mean). But I don't. Others say that those are negative influences and that video games help me prevent them. I rather be hooked on video games than be hooked on destructive things.

But like I mentioned, depending on the time, I start to question everything. It really depends on how I feel. SOmetimes I feel thrilled having an awesome collection. Hell, I wanna mount walls (remember that topic?) to show off my stuff. But when I feel down, I question everything, even my own life.

I'm a very anti-social and reclusive person myself, so I totally get where you're coming from. I never really made good friends or had a girlfriend as a kid because I was fat and spoiled, so videogames were all I had pretty much. Even after I lost the weight (at my heaviest I was 320 pounds at age 21, now 145 at 23), I never bothered making friends. I felt that if people didn't like me because of my looks before, then I didn't want anything to do with people who would befriend me just because I was now "normal".

[megasdkirby]

I'm a very anti-social and reclusive person myself, so I totally get where you're coming from. I never really made good friends or had a girlfriend as a kid because I was fat and spoiled, so videogames were all I had pretty much. Even after I lost the weight (at my heaviest I was 320 pounds at age 21, now 145 at 23), I never bothered making friends. I felt that if people didn't like me because of my looks before, then I didn't want anything to do with people who would befriend me just because I was now "normal".

You are now my role model! :)

I'm pretty much on the same boat. Need to loose weight, but feel depressed and worthless most of the time. I want to cry almost every instant. It's hell for me. So video games help me. But at the same time, they destroy me.

Why? Because they hold me back to what I need to do: improve myself.

What is weird is the fact that I know this. I am full aware of my problem yet I don't feel I am that important to do something about it.

Games are an addiction for me. I can't deny it.

[PixelSmasher]

Kirby, it just sounds like you need to see a therapist. No offense. I have for similar reasons. Obviously you have internal stuff that's bothering you, and it doesn't seem like you've been able to properly manage it yourself. It's okay to get help from someone else, and that's what I suggest you do.

Otherwise you can just keep wallowing in all this on a message board, looking for sympathy and not get anywhere after the thread dies down. You're going to have to make the first move to getting your life in order and it's not gonna happen here.

[Cornelius]

If it seems like a waste to you, maybe you are going about your collecting 'wrong'. Not everyone has time for the way I collect, but since I've been collecting, I've made money. Not big money by any means, but I'm definitely up. It also helps that I'm not hung up on having the latest and greatest game systems/releases (although, I've kept my eye out for deals long enough that I do have some of the current gen stuff).

The only time I feel overwhelmed by my collection is when it comes to space. I can usually just organize things in the basement better and clear that up though. Part of that is because I have a large inventory of stuff I need to sell...

[megasdkirby]

Kirby, it just sounds like you need to see a therapist. No offense. I have for similar reasons. Obviously you have internal stuff that's bothering you, and it doesn't seem like you've been able to properly manage it yourself. It's okay to get help from someone else, and that's what I suggest you do.

Otherwise you can just keep wallowing in all this on a message board, looking for sympathy and not get anywhere after the thread dies down. You're going to have to make the first move to getting your life in order and it's not gonna happen here.

Don't worry, no offense taken.

In fact, I have thought about this myself. I'm seriously thinking about going to one, to see if that helps any. To see if I can manage my feelings better.

I'm not worried about the message boards...I'm more worried about my immediate family and friends. :(

[PixelSmasher]

Don't worry, no offense taken.

In fact, I have thought about this myself. I'm seriously thinking about going to one, to see if that helps any. To see if I can manage my feelings better.

I'm not worried about the message boards...I'm more worried about my immediate family and friends. :(

I really would encourage you to do so. That first step is going to be the most difficult. From there, you'll have the support from someone with an unbiased opinion that should be able to help. At the least, I'm sure local colleges have a counselor you can speak with for free. There's a lot of resources, it just takes you actually acting on it and making that first step.

[megasdkirby]

I really would encourage you to do so. That first step is going to be the most difficult. From there, you'll have the support from someone with an unbiased opinion that should be able to help. At the least, I'm sure local colleges have a counselor you can speak with for free. There's a lot of resources, it just takes you actually acting on it and making that first step.

Thanks man. Will do. :)

[PixelSmasher]

Best of luck, buddy.

[Steven]

As others have said, moderation is key.

Also, for me, I'm lucky in the sense that I am pretty much done BUYING. That means my to-play pile is either stagnant, or decreasing by the weeks. It's not getting higher, which is lovely because sometimes it can be daunting when the to-play pile just grows and grows.

Also, I have every game I have ever wanted during my childhood years, so there's a lot of sentimental value there.

So to answer the question, these days no, I don't think "Why do I have all this crap?" as to me every single gaming item I own I own with a purpose, memory or otherwise. I am totally at peace with this hobby and glad to be out of the 'rat race' so to speak. I'm happily retired and enjoying what I have. Peace of mind with this hobby is very nice :)

[megasdkirby]

Hmm, moderation seems to be the key factor, at least for me.

Perhaps part of my problem stems from the fact that I've been "burnt out": so much in so little time, but I lost the urge. Or at least the "flame" of before.

I know I can regain this, by diminishing the amount of games purchased.

I will begin to do this, which in turn will help me save money. I hope that it will help me achieve this "flame" again.

[TheRealist50]

You don't have to be "fat" or "ugly" to be anti social or picked on.

I am by no means fat (6'1 about 170-175) I'm athletic I BMX I play the guitar i play hockey ect...so whats the problem? No damn idea, I was picked on in school and I guess since I stood up for myself and I fought back...I pissed of the wrong people and bam, I'm in the situation I'm in now. I barely have any friends because nobody wants to be near me when those guys come along. I didn't go to my prom because those guys told me it would be the last time I ever walked...Its fine an dandy when its 1 person, but a group? sorry but Ill pass.

Its been a horrible high school life. Parties? forget it. Girlfriends? I'm not ugly but who wants to be with someone who is always in the threat of being beat within an inch of his life. All those beatings I took in those horrid years. But those beatings weren't just a one way road...at that point I was telling myself "I got nothing to lose" so I fought back.

what do I have to turn to? sure Video games were good but you can't keep turning to them for every situation. I don't sit at home playing video games all day. but whenever I go out I always have to look behind my back...what kind of life is that? I don't feel safe anywhere.

I'm not overweight, I don't have horrible acne, I'm not ugly but yet I'm still in the same boat as all those overweight kids...no...I'm worse, they don't have this kind of threat.

Video games kind of just...make me forget about my troubles. But there are times that get so bad that I don't feel like playing those games...so I think to myself "why bother" or "what am I doing collecting this junk" I love games but at the same time I hate them.

at night I don't want to go to sleep and in the morning I don't want to wake up...even after high school it still goes on. not as much but it still happens.

[PixelSmasher]

I hope things have improved. Being persecuted for four years of high school must have been rough, especially when you felt in actual danger. And I'm sure it's hard to get past those feelings outside of high school.

If this is still happening, you have the law on your side. If you know who these exact people are, file restraining orders against them. There are solutions outside of feeling you have to look over your shoulder.

[James8BitStar]

I've got some things to say, and I'm coming at this from a slightly different perspective, one that might be just a little offensive. If so, I apologize in advance.

Also, I'd like to note ahead of time that I used to have depression myself, and I cured it without ever once seeing a therapist. Specifically, I used to have periods where I would go into these deep funks. Several got so bad that I even attempted suicide, which fortunately never worked. This, by the way, is the first I've ever told anyone--not even my family or my best friend knows, and I have never ever visited a therapist. I'm telling it to you guys so you'll better understand where I'm coming from.

First, all this crap about it being a "waste" and wanting to "improve yourself." You know what, I used to think that exact same thing, but its bullshit. Bull. Shit. I mean really, what the hell isn't a waste? Is buying a set of the Encyclopedia Britannica and then reading it cover to cover not a waste? I say it is, because even though its "educational" you ultimately forget everything that isn't immediately relevant to your life and your occupation.

What does "waste" mean anyhow? Some people have this bizarre and fucking stupid idea that the only things they "need" are the food on the table and the means to get it there. Sorry, but human condition is that you don't get the most out of such a barebones existence. And anyway if that's all there is to life, then we're just a bunch of unhappy cogs in a machine and we should all just kill ourselves right now and get it over with, because there is no higher purpose.

Fuck that.

This whole idea that "video games are a waste" is social conditioning. Period. I mean, you probably wouldn't feel the same way if you spent money on the Encyclopedia Britannica even though it is, in the long run, just as costly and almost as "pointless." Why? Because society teaches you that books (especially textbooks) are "practical" and video games aren't. Fuck society. Take society and kick it in the fucking crotch. I know that's a hard concept to wrap your mind around since we're bombarded from birth with messages that society is ultimately good and that "the outsider is always wrong" but, ultimately what's most important is to choose the path that makes you feel full inside, and if you have to break some long-standing beliefs and convictions to do it, so be it.

For that matter, "improving yourself" is social conditioning too. Think of all the things that are supposedly "Self-improvement" and you'll see that most of them are just ego-stroking social trophies. They aren't what YOU want to do. They're things you THINK you want to do because everyone else tells you its what you should do!

Video games are not a waste. Like all art forms (and please let's just agree that they are an art form and not argue definitions), their goal is to give you a form of inner satisfaction and restore your spiritual sense of purpose, to inform your thought and give your mind a direction to develop in. Or if not that, at least to give you something to enjoy inbetween the time you spend crunching daily at the office or whatever you work at. Anyone who says this is a "waste" probably also thinks the goal of raising a daughter is to marry her to a rich husband so you can reap the rewards (a tradition I find sickening, personally).

Which reminds me of another angle nobody has looked at: The problem might simply be money. In most people, depression is caused by financial issues. Give them more money and suddenly they're happy and the problem's gone away. The few times my problems recur, its because I'm low on cash.

Money is given way too much priority in today's society. People tend to want to horde it, and some people are so bad that they view every indulgent purchase they make as a "waste." Now, I'll admit that makes sense, but come on... you worked for it, you earned it, shouldn't you have the God-given right to excess with it, at least just a little? Because you know, that's the whole fucking point of the search for wealth. Not to mention the mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits that come from those so-called "wasteful" things.

Now, its true you should generally hold onto your money until you're in a financially secure position, and you should probably try to set it up so that you can always get more as needed. But there's no point in going all corperate and hording and hording until its no longer clear what the hell all that money is actually for, and you're just hording it for the sake of hording it. If you can't spend it on something that'll make you a better (read: happier) person (and yes, video games CAN, I will brook no arguement on that point) then there's no point in even having it or even bothering to acquire it.

The bottom line is, you should do whatever satisfies you. Forget bizarre concepts like "wastes" and "self-improvement" and "what I should be doing with my life." All that matters is YOU and what YOU think and feel. You are God. You are the only person who can make the world right. It has to start with you. Forget every belief, every preach you've ever heard from anyone else, and replace them totally with your own thoughts and ideas.

Just some things to think about. And again I apologize for whoever I may have offended in the above post.

[Fear The Turtle]

A-MEN, James. A-men. Could not have said it better myself.

I have been depressed for most of my teenage years and now adult years (24 now), but video games make me happy. And you know what? So be it. If they make me happy, isn't that a good thing?

[Blanka789]

What I am about to say may anger some people, but please note that this is not it's purpose. The problem is that I feel this way, and sometimes... :(

Sometimes, it is a waste of time. I look at all the games I have, impressed with the amount I have and the titles therein.

However, there are times in which pride gets pushed aside, and desperation, depression, and worthlessness kicks in.

I look at all the stuff I have and sometimes (no, MANY times) think that I have wasted my money on games. ON ****ing games! Sometimes I want to cry, thinking of all the amount wasted and how I could have used that money for something much, MUCH important. Save for emergencies, for my future. Specially now, that I am in a kinda depressive state, things just get haywire most of the time.

I barely play with any of the games I have. In fact, I still have Earthbound untouched...purchased it around 10 years ago and it is still as the first day I purchased it. Same goes with other titles. I can say I have around 85% of games I have yet to play, or even TOUCH. Heck, around 40% is STILL SEALED.

Then why do I continue buying? I will admit that I don't know whether it's because it's impulse, but I will admit that having games makes me happy. Yet, it makes my life miserable. Instead of simply doing something to better myself, I feel I am stuck in a hole.

To be honest, I don't know what to think anymore. Why the hell do I want to continue buying games, knowing that I may never actually play or open them? For my collection? What's the use of collecting if I won't even play them? And when I die, what will happen to all this junk?

Sorry if my post angered anyone. I just don't know how to feel anymore. :(

Play them. Bust open a factory sealed R9 if you have to, but don't let your collection become something you (in a way) resent. I got to that point in my collection. I was trying to get every game for The PS1, Genesis, Sega CD, 32X, and to a lesser extent the SNES. Then I looked around one day and realized how many sports games, crap games, and games that I just personally didn't enjoy playing were sitting around my house. So I sold them and now I only buy/keep games that I actually play.

It may sound crazy, but I love it.

[Sanriostar]

I've gone through this before, and the short of it is that I found out that getting into a 4-year college was so easy, and I had devoted the last 6 years of my life to game collecting (this was in 2002), I got mad at this hobby. Moved off to college and didn't play a video game for 6 months. Picked up my collection, and the time apart was good. I still collect now, and I'm still good friends with those whom I met through this, but I'm now doing it at a much reduced rate.

I say turn off the hobby for a time you think is right. Come back, and then say yeay or nay.

P.S. Megasdkirby: your Avatar rocks!

[MachineGex]

Everything in moderation, my friends.

This is my father's advice for life. I wish I would have learned it 25 years ago, but it has finally sunk in. This advice works on so many things in life. Think about it.

I know when I collected comics, it became a fulltime job. I starting collecting them instead of reading them. Soon, it was no longer fun. It finally burnt me out. I have reached that point a few times with games, but I just remembered why I buy them, "for fun". If is stops being fun, whats the point. I now just try and buy what I will play. That can be difficult and I am always stuggling to remember my Dad's advice.

[PixelSmasher]

I've got some things to say, and I'm coming at this from a slightly different perspective, one that might be just a little offensive. If so, I apologize in advance.

Also, I'd like to note ahead of time that I used to have depression myself, and I cured it without ever once seeing a therapist. Specifically, I used to have periods where I would go into these deep funks. Several got so bad that I even attempted suicide, which fortunately never worked. This, by the way, is the first I've ever told anyone--not even my family or my best friend knows, and I have never ever visited a therapist. I'm telling it to you guys so you'll better understand where I'm coming from.

That's great that you were able to get past that, and I'm sorry you went through all of that, but not everyone suffers depression of the same level, and if yours was so bad that it drove you to committing suicide on several occassions, then I doubt that you "cured yourself." Odds are it will just take a catastrophic event in your life to drive you to that point again unless you genuinely did something drastic to alter the way you live. You can't always "logic" your way out of depression. Often it's a chemical imbalance. I also find it odd that after repeated suicide attempts your family was never contacted, but I guess you weren't a minor when you did so.










First, all this crap about it being a "waste" and wanting to "improve yourself." You know what, I used to think that exact same thing, but its bullshit. Bull. Shit. I mean really, what the hell isn't a waste? Is buying a set of the Encyclopedia Britannica and then reading it cover to cover not a waste? I say it is, because even though its "educational" you ultimately forget everything that isn't immediately relevant to your life and your occupation.

The difference is that reading an encyclopedia brittanica cover to cover would give you a far greater understanding of yourself and the world than video games ever could, and would probably pique your interests in different areas that you might pursue learning more about. I find your idea that you'd forget everything immediately to be arguable at best. I understand your point about society's perception, but a lot of people use video games as escapist, antisocial activities if they're suffering from depression.






What does "waste" mean anyhow? Some people have this bizarre and fucking stupid idea that the only things they "need" are the food on the table and the means to get it there. Sorry, but human condition is that you don't get the most out of such a barebones existence. And anyway if that's all there is to life, then we're just a bunch of unhappy cogs in a machine and we should all just kill ourselves right now and get it over with, because there is no higher purpose.

This is all getting kind of outside the point. Kirby here obviously has issues that go further than simply being upset about spending time on games. Life is about experiencing things, not sitting in front of a TV.



Fuck that.

This whole idea that "video games are a waste" is social conditioning. Period. I mean, you probably wouldn't feel the same way if you spent money on the Encyclopedia Britannica even though it is, in the long run, just as costly and almost as "pointless." Why? Because society teaches you that books (especially textbooks) are "practical" and video games aren't. Fuck society. Take society and kick it in the fucking crotch. I know that's a hard concept to wrap your mind around since we're bombarded from birth with messages that society is ultimately good and that "the outsider is always wrong" but, ultimately what's most important is to choose the path that makes you feel full inside, and if you have to break some long-standing beliefs and convictions to do it, so be it.

Yeah, you're kind of just... really driving the point home. I get it. But once again, it isn't even really so much about PLAYING games. This situation has more to do with amassing large quantities of stuff that's never used.





For that matter, "improving yourself" is social conditioning too. Think of all the things that are supposedly "Self-improvement" and you'll see that most of them are just ego-stroking social trophies. They aren't what YOU want to do. They're things you THINK you want to do because everyone else tells you its what you should do!

Video games are not a waste. Like all art forms (and please let's just agree that they are an art form and not argue definitions), their goal is to give you a form of inner satisfaction and restore your spiritual sense of purpose, to inform your thought and give your mind a direction to develop in. Or if not that, at least to give you something to enjoy inbetween the time you spend crunching daily at the office or whatever you work at.
I'd ashamed to claim that video games restored my spiritual sense of purpose, but to each their own.


Anyone who says this is a "waste" probably also thinks the goal of raising a daughter is to marry her to a rich husband so you can reap the rewards (a tradition I find sickening, personally).
Geez, where did that one come from?





Which reminds me of another angle nobody has looked at: The problem might simply be money. You're just projecting, I think.



In most people, depression is caused by financial issues. Give them more money and suddenly they're happy and the problem's gone away. The few times my problems recur, its because I'm low on cash. I find your claim highly suspect. Financial issues lead to most divorces, in some direct or indirect way, but depression is caused by a myriad of reasons, or nothing really at all, just a chemical imbalance.




Money is given way too much priority in today's society. People tend to want to horde it, and some people are so bad that they view every indulgent purchase they make as a "waste." Now, I'll admit that makes sense, but come on... you worked for it, you earned it, shouldn't you have the God-given right to excess with it, at least just a little? Because you know, that's the whole fucking point of the search for wealth. Not to mention the mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits that come from those so-called "wasteful" things.
Sheesh.




Now, its true you should generally hold onto your money until you're in a financially secure position, and you should probably try to set it up so that you can always get more as needed. But there's no point in going all corperate and hording and hording until its no longer clear what the hell all that money is actually for, and you're just hording it for the sake of hording it. If you can't spend it on something that'll make you a better (read: happier) person (and yes, video games CAN, I will brook no arguement on that point) then there's no point in even having it or even bothering to acquire it.
And the whole hoarding situation is what we're talking about. But with VIDEO GAMES. Video games don't make you a happier person. Happiness makes you a happier person.





The bottom line is, you should do whatever satisfies you. Sure, but at the core, it doesn't seem like hoarding games is truly satisfying a lot of people unless the rest of their life is very stable.




Forget bizarre concepts like "wastes" and "self-improvement" and "what I should be doing with my life." All that matters is YOU and what YOU think and feel. You are God. You are the only person who can make the world right. It has to start with you. Forget every belief, every preach you've ever heard from anyone else, and replace them totally with your own thoughts and ideas.
Well hey, if you really want to justify a life involving just games, okay.



Just some things to think about. And again I apologize for whoever I may have offended in the above post. You didn't offend me. You just made me read a lot of the same thing, written numerous ways.

[PixelSmasher]

My apologies to the administrators and readers of this forum. I was trying to be helpful, but I seem to have turned this into some kind of self-help forum.

[James8BitStar]

Well hey, if you really want to justify a life involving just games, okay.

No offense, but if that's all you got out of my (admittedly repetitive) post, then I don't think you really understood.

[PixelSmasher]

No offense, but if that's all you got out of my (admittedly repetitive) post, then I don't think you really understood.

Oh, I understood completely.

[digitalpress]

I've probably said this a million times, but in case you missed it or I said it somewhere you wouldn't have looked...

Collecting itself is a hobby. It's outside of the video gaming world entirely. Your struggle, while highly influenced by disaster, really isn't any different in philosophy from those who simply don't know if they want to collect any longer.

My advice as always is to collect what you want to PLAY. If you're looking for more at that point, collect for systems or genres you love. The rest will come easy.

[James8BitStar]

Oh, I understood completely.

I really don't think you did. You seemed to think I was saying "sit on your butt and play video games until you feel better," which I wasn't.

[PixelSmasher]

I really don't think you did. You seemed to think I was saying "sit on your butt and play video games until you feel better," which I wasn't.

No, I understood.

[James8BitStar]

I don't really feel up to a game of "uh-huh/nuh-uh" right now.

So, anyone have any suggestions for becoming a millionaire? ;)

[PixelSmasher]

I don't really feel up to a game of "uh-huh/nuh-uh" right now.

So, anyone have any suggestions for becoming a millionaire? ;)

Figure out a way to get massive quantities of semen, then sell it to a sperm bank.

But I guess that just creates another problem: Find a distributor carrying such a product at a price that actually leaves a profit margin after taking into account the overhead of running the operation and compensating staff.

So, no.

[EX-Soldier]

truthfully i've thought on this many many times & to be honest i always arrive at the same conclusion...bragging rights...

i consider myself a gamer at heart but my collection is upwards of 200 games, i fear i'm going to die never having played more than a 3rd of them, my backlog just increases exponentially

i dont know why i do it anymor, i waste all my time hunting a game down, but once the adrenaline thins out & the excitement is done washing over me, im left with a "what now?" feelin, toss the game next to the pile of other games & and make myself a promise that one day i'll get around to playing it, a promise i know i cant keep

its gotten so bad that when i do have the time to play im left with the daunting task of having to choose which game im finally going to play, this is usually followed with a mini panic attack as i have no clue where to start & the frustration of my indecision leads me to just say fuck this and walk away...its kinda depressing actually when i stop & think about it

[PixelSmasher]

truthfully i've thought on this many many times & to be honest i always arrive at the same conclusion...bragging rights...

i consider myself a gamer at heart but my collection is upwards of 200 games, i fear i'm going to die never having played more than a 3rd of them, my backlog just increases exponentially

i dont know why i do it anymor, i waste all my time hunting a game down, but once the adrenaline thins out & the excitement is done washing over me, im left with a "what now?" feelin, toss the game next to the pile of other games & and make myself a promise that one day i'll get around to playing it, a promise i know i cant keep

its gotten so bad that when i do have the time to play im left with the daunting task of having to choose which game im finally going to play, this is usually followed with a mini panic attack as i have no clue where to start & the frustration of my indecision leads me to just say fuck this and walk away...its kinda depressing actually when i stop & think about it

I would say tackle the games chronologically. So at least the games won't sit there too long before being played. It's great that you're actually hunting down specific titles you have a desire to play, rather than just amassing games for the sake of having lots of them. Or so I infer from your post.

[EX-Soldier]

I would say tackle the games chronologically. So at least the games won't sit there too long before being played. It's great that you're actually hunting down specific titles you have a desire to play, rather than just amassing games for the sake of having lots of them. Or so I infer from your post.

your inference would be correct with the exception of my ps1 rpg collection that i hope to one day see thru to completion but thats just a personal goal of mine

anyway i think i may just bite the bullet & try it your way, most of my anxiety comes from the aforementioned rpgs, i usually dont know where to begin as that genre more than any requires a significant amount of time investment, that commitment alone is enough to give me 2nd thoughts

[PixelSmasher]

Ex, that's totally understandable. RPGs are a huge time investment. It might also help if you just focus on the shorter, maybe more action-oriented games, as you could clear those out more quickly. You could leave RPGs for like three day weekends or holidays when I'd assume you'd have a larger chunk of free time. Then you could probably get through an RPG each time and not be interrupted.

[PixelSmasher]

Also, ya know... remember that just because you buy a game doesn't necessarily mean that you've formally taken on the responsibility of having to play it to completion. That's way too much stress. Games should be fun, man. I doubt anyone here is going to catch up with all of the games they've bought unless they simply stop buying them. It's a heck of a lot easier to pick up a game than it is to play through one.

[James8BitStar]

Also, ya know... remember that just because you buy a game doesn't necessarily mean that you've formally taken on the responsibility of having to play it to completion. That's way too much stress. Games should be fun, man. I doubt anyone here is going to catch up with all of the games they've bought unless they simply stop buying them. It's a heck of a lot easier to pick up a game than it is to play through one.

I second that motion.

I tend to play RPGs (and other time-consumers like adventure games) in spurts. Start a new game, get bored and ignore it for a few days, then when I'm in the mood I pick it up again. In the meantime I do whatever else I want. It works and keeps games from getting boring.

Any way you want it, that's the way you need it...

[The 1 2 P]

The only times I question my collecting habit....er, I mean hobby, is when I realize how many games I've played compared to how many games I have. So I looked at my 500 plus games the other day(probably closer to 600 or 700) and realized that atleast 100 of them are factory sealed. So why do I have them if I'm not going to play them? I think about that all the time, but then I realize those sealed games will come in handy if I ever lose my job again. I was unemployed for a month and a half earlier this year and a part of my video game collection made sure I didn't get evicted. So maybe thats why I collect---for peace of mind and because I love video games. Well, that and the fact that I'm obsessive compulsive when it comes to collecting:)

[PixelSmasher]

Some games appreciate in value more than a lot of stocks do. Unfortunately, it's just as impossible to know which ones to buy without a significant amount of research.

[James8BitStar]

I actually kinda like having more games than I've actually played. In these days where rentals no longer deal in the kind of games I'm interested in, a personal library kind of fills the void. Twice in the last year I've found myself turning to one of those unplayed games in a moment of boredom and discovering a treasure.

Moral is, just because you haven't played it yet doesn't mean you're not ever gonna play it.

[otaku]

I (90% of the time anyway) only buy stuff I want to play and try not to buy to much at once so I can enjoy each game without getting distracted.

[SpaceHarrier]

I buy games for that "rainy day" when I think I might want to break them out and play them. The rainy day seldom comes but I continue building up a backlog, as my buying begets more buying. I make lists, telling myself, "when this list is finished, I have enough games." But when it's completed, I feel an urge to start a new one. Yet, I don't consider myself a collector. As was stated above, collecting is a separate hobby from gaming. I consider myself a gamer, and as such, am already concerned about my collection of 250 or so games. I don't want to hoarde or collect videogames. I simply want viable entertainment options. I find clutter to be depressing in and of itself. So yes, I do share the OP sentiment, and I believe that a collection can become overwhelming.

Of course, coming here and viewing the rooms of doom always helps quell that somewhat..

[cosmicpsycho]

I'm not really sure where to start here or if I should bother saying anything at all. I might piss people off but what the hell. I'm not overweight or ugly "as far as I know", and even though I was anti-social in HS most of those people found me amusing, so I never really got picked on.

I do suffer from pretty severe depression and anxiety/panic attacks quite often though. I had a pretty rough childhood, but so have alot of people. I have never seen a therapist or counselor and don't plan on it. Nor have I been on any medication for these problems.

Don't get me wrong, if these things help you I'm all for it, but when I'm having an anxiety attack or I'm really depressed some Dr. Mario or "insert game title" helps me more than anything else.

This is what I do to relieve stress, don't let anyone else tell you what works for you, as long as your happy and not hurting yourself or anyone else. Just find what works for you and go with it.

P.S
Dr. Mario really works...

[Haoie]

Yeah, I do.

But then I think, I'd have so few other hobbies!!

[Flack]

I buy games for that "rainy day" when I think I might want to break them out and play them. The rainy day seldom comes but I continue building up a backlog, as my buying begets more buying. I make lists, telling myself, "when this list is finished, I have enough games." But when it's completed, I feel an urge to start a new one. Yet, I don't consider myself a collector. As was stated above, collecting is a separate hobby from gaming. I consider myself a gamer, and as such, am already concerned about my collection of 250 or so games. I don't want to hoarde or collect videogames. I simply want viable entertainment options. I find clutter to be depressing in and of itself. So yes, I do share the OP sentiment, and I believe that a collection can become overwhelming.

A lot of that sounds familiar. I have a horde of games I'm saving for a rainy day ... then it rains and I find something else to do. I have dreams of things like playing through all the King's Quest games again or all the Bard's Tale games, but unfortunately it always seems like there is something else to do when the madness quiets down.

[G-Boobie]

A lot of that sounds familiar. I have a horde of games I'm saving for a rainy day ... then it rains and I find something else to do. I have dreams of things like playing through all the King's Quest games again or all the Bard's Tale games, but unfortunately it always seems like there is something else to do when the madness quiets down.

Word.

I work full time and go to school full time. I have a girlfriend and a close family. I don't often have time to game(thank god for the DS and PSP). As a result, I have probably fifty games I haven't even touched yet. I always plan on spending a full weekend gaming, but real life always intrudes. Maybe some day...

[Steven]

A lot of that sounds familiar. I have a horde of games I'm saving for a rainy day ... then it rains and I find something else to do. I have dreams of things like playing through all the King's Quest games again or all the Bard's Tale games, but unfortunately it always seems like there is something else to do when the madness quiets down.


Heh, yeah, but it's funny. Sometimes it just takes popping the game in and giving it a go for 10 minutes. Suddenly 10 minutes becomes 30 and 30 becomes 60. Before you know it, you're halfway through the game after a week or two.

Well, maybe not, but like the saying goes... a thousand mile journey begins with one step.

[James8BitStar]

I almost beat the Bard's Tale. Then I mismapped one dungeon and when I realized the error, I got bored of the game. Granted, at that time I was having trouble staying into it anyway.

Anyway, as I said don't make playing what you have that much of a priority, and don't be upset just cuz you don't use it.

I mean, I once bought a box of kleenex that I had never opened. Ten years later, I really needed to blow my nose but we had just used up the last box that we knew of... and by chance, I discovered that one unopened box. It was like a miracle. It leads me to believe that excess happens for a reason.

The above is a metaphorical story, though equivalents have happened to me dozens of times.

[megasdkirby]

I've probably said this a million times, but in case you missed it or I said it somewhere you wouldn't have looked...

Collecting itself is a hobby. It's outside of the video gaming world entirely. Your struggle, while highly influenced by disaster, really isn't any different in philosophy from those who simply don't know if they want to collect any longer.

My advice as always is to collect what you want to PLAY. If you're looking for more at that point, collect for systems or genres you love. The rest will come easy.

Joe, that is exactly what I do. I could buy any crap I see, but I only buy those games I want. I will NEVER buy dozens and dozens of worthless sports titles. Why? Because I despise sports.

I will admit that if I see a game that is dead cheap, I will definitely consider picking it up. Can't beat the occasional $3 game. But in the most part, I only get what I truly want. I feel awesome when I pick up a game I've been after for a very long time over a game I just for $3 but never actually thought about getting. When that happens, I feel thrilled and proud of my collection.

Also, James8BitStar,

Your post was simply awesome. Direct, and a tad harsh, but with a dose of tough love reality check. You are right. Fuck society. I do what I wanna do. I have work buddies tell me I should do this and that, for what, to become as fucked up as they are? No way.

But nevertheless, your post really made me think. It was great man. :)

[The 1 2 P]

Well, maybe not, but like the saying goes... a thousand mile journey begins with one step.

Yeah but man is that first step hard to take sometimes. I just played thru the first Max Payne game earlier this year. I had it in my game collection for atleast 2 years and finally decided to play it on that proverbial rainey day. I got so into that game and enjoyed the week or so it took to finish it. Then I became all gunho to play thru another game I had yet to touch. Unfortunatly by that time, I didn't have any more rainey days. So now I'm pretty much hit or miss with when I play a new game. That first step for me is always a motivational one and I need to stop making excuses and start getting more motivated.

[megasdkirby]

Yeah but man is that first step hard to take sometimes. I just played thru the first Max Payne game earlier this year. I had it in my game collection for atleast 2 years and finally decided to play it on that proverbial rainey day. I got so into that game and enjoyed the week or so it took to finish it. Then I became all gunho to play thru another game I had yet to touch. Unfortunatly by that time, I didn't have any more rainey days. So now I'm pretty much hit or miss with when I play a new game. That first step for me is always a motivational one and I need to stop making excuses and start getting more motivated.

That situation I also face. I remember picking up Shenmue. I played it immediately only to find it boring...REALLY boring.

Then on a certain day, I decided to give it another go. Let's just say one thing...if they make Shenmue 3, I will pay even $1k for it.

Problem with me is that I can't decide what I want to play. I really love Silent Hill 3, but I barely play 10% of it before I stop playing because of "unexpected issues". Same goes with the majority of games I have.

If the game does not grab me immediately, it get's shelved...sometimes never to play again.

[Chuplayer]

If you think collecting games is not kosher for you, then decide what you really want to keep and get rid of the rest. For me, that would be games of sentimental value and really damn good games. For me, the sentimental ones are the Marios, Sonics, Excitebike, the Metal Gears, Micro Machines, etc. My really damn good games are like Gunstar Heroes, River City Ransom, Outrun 2 and 2006, Guardian Heroes, F-Zero X, etc. I didn't grow up with them, but they're good enough to keep because I'd enjoy playing them.

Everything else is probably crap or at best average. Stuff like that for me is Adventures of Bayou Billy, Dead or Alive 4, the Dragon Ball Z games, Golgo 13, etc. There's this one game on the NES that I have, and it's kind of good, but I can't even remember its name. If I sold it without playing it first, I would feel no regret. I know I have it, but it's so unimportant to me that it doesn't matter.

I've been thinking about doing this in order to fuel other more recent hobbies I've gotten into and to help speed up the paying off of student loan debt, and I'm feeling good about it. I haven't done it yet, but I have done a trial run. I got rid of a bunch of games solely in order to get a 360 a couple years ago, and I only regret getting rid of a small fraction of them. Granted, I kind of regret getting the 360 at all now, but that's for reasons beyond my control. RROD and all. It was only becoming an issue when I got the console. But there's always a gamble you've got to take. Maybe selling off your stuff or giving up on it won't lead to something that'll make you happier, but maybe it will. And if it doesn't, trade that for something else and see what happens.

Oh, and sorry about the flood, but perhaps your games could have been saved. Boxes and manuals are write-offs, but CDs themselves were probably unscathed. Cart labels were likely lost, too, but if you got a lot of rice, you could have tossed the carts in with the rice as soon as possible, left them there for a few days, and found yourself with a lot of playable carts.

[TheRealist50]

Joe, that is exactly what I do. I could buy any crap I see, but I only buy those games I want. I will NEVER buy dozens and dozens of worthless sports titles. Why? Because I despise sports.

I will admit that if I see a game that is dead cheap, I will definitely consider picking it up. Can't beat the occasional $3 game. But in the most part, I only get what I truly want. I feel awesome when I pick up a game I've been after for a very long time over a game I just for $3 but never actually thought about getting. When that happens, I feel thrilled and proud of my collection.

Also, James8BitStar,

Your post was simply awesome. Direct, and a tad harsh, but with a dose of tough love reality check. You are right. Fuck society. I do what I wanna do. I have work buddies tell me I should do this and that, for what, to become as fucked up as they are? No way.

But nevertheless, your post really made me think. It was great man. :)

it really does feel good when you find a game you have been after for awhile. Sadly I NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER find the game I'm looking for...ebay is the easy way out and costs alot...its cool to head out with a friend from place to place hunting for a game you know you prolly wont find.

The game I'm talking about is the Fatal Frame games...I've been hunting for so long you wouldn't believe me if I told you. I'm so desperate I'm about to buy it off ebay, but It doesn't give that same feeling when you find it in the wild.
Every game I have, I found in the Wild...thats probably why I don't have any "rare" or "sought after" titles.



also, Can Someone help me out with something? I don't want to make another thread so I figured I'd just drop it in here...I'm going to buy a Sega saturn soon (I've wanted one ever since it first came out) the problem is I REALLY want to play X-Men vs. Street Fighter and Marvel Superheros vs. Street Fighter...but those are Japan games. How do I go about playing them without buying a Japan Saturn or modding my system? I don't see the point in dropping a good amount of money to mod a system where I only want to play 2 games from Japan...especially since those games aren't cheap either.

I heard people talking about some "cart" but everyone has a different opinions on it...I don't even know what this cart is. I'm a retard when it comes to a Saturn, I never even saw one in person before. I didn't even know it has a cart slot...lol.

[Chuplayer]

also, Can Someone help me out with something? I don't want to make another thread so I figured I'd just drop it in here...I'm going to buy a Sega saturn soon (I've wanted one ever since it first came out) the problem is I REALLY want to play X-Men vs. Street Fighter and Marvel Superheros vs. Street Fighter...but those are Japan games. How do I go about playing them without buying a Japan Saturn or modding my system? I don't see the point in dropping a good amount of money to mod a system where I only want to play 2 games from Japan...especially since those games aren't cheap either.

I heard people talking about some "cart" but everyone has a different opinions on it...I don't even know what this cart is. I'm a retard when it comes to a Saturn, I never even saw one in person before. I didn't even know it has a cart slot...lol.

There's this cart that has Action Replay functionality, 1M and 4M expansion cart functionality, region neutralizer, and I think room for saves. If you just want to play those two games, you're going to need some form of the 4M cart. Only official SEGA carts don't completely screw over the cart port in the Saturn (but they do slowly damage it the more you insert and remove the cart, all carts do), but if you're just going to be leaving the third party cart I'm talking about in there until the end of time, you might as well get that.

[EX-Soldier]

I actually kinda like having more games than I've actually played. In these days where rentals no longer deal in the kind of games I'm interested in, a personal library kind of fills the void. Twice in the last year I've found myself turning to one of those unplayed games in a moment of boredom and discovering a treasure.

Moral is, just because you haven't played it yet doesn't mean you're not ever gonna play it.

this actually has happened to me, one of these moments cancels out 10 of my "why the fuck am i doing this" moments

[Famidrive-16]

Everything in moderation, my friends. Sometimes, I go months without buying anything.

It's all for fun and I always I make sure to get the important stuff out of the way: bills, savings, necessities, et al. Whatever I have leftover goes to gaming. Prioritize is the keyword here.

Plus, it doesn't hurt that I fall in the cheap ass gamer category. I RARELY buy new games. So what if I'm behind? It's not a race. There are scores of games I have yet to play and it doesn't bother me one bit. I'll get to them eventually and when I do, they'll be cheaper (hello used games!).

Yeah, this post pretty much sums everything up for me.

Aside from a couple new games I haven't bought much in the past year or so. I mean, I don't think I've even slightly played about 10% of my collection. I really need to go through some stuff I haven't played yet before anything new.

Although I gotta say, I think I gave up on a complete 64 collection goal.

[Eric Dude]

Yes, I do sometimes think.

Often.