How do YOU collect?

[Starcade]

I am asking to see your "way" of collecting. I only see there as 2 ways.

1. Buy any and every game and or peripherial(sp?) you can, as long as its cheap, your "Gameroom" gets larger faster, but most of these titles you never play. This is how I currently am :( . I am about to become a number 2.

2. Only buy the games that you think are fun and good games to play. Your gameroom is usually smaller in numbers, but you know in your heart that all of your games, though they may cost more than #1's options, kick ass to play.

I have become tired of storing things in my room which I never play, I am getting rid of all of them soon, and buying a gaming computer, buying Everquest 2, won't be buying many games, just goign to buy any good games which I see fit. How do you guys collect?

[sniperCCJVQ]

#2 his the good answer for me.

[Sylentwulf]

#1. I collect for collecting sake. All of my cartridge based console games I rarely ever play.

But, I'm not collecting post Saturn games (Maybe not even saturn games) so those, I buy ONLY to play. If I don't enjoy it, I don't buy it. If I DO buy it and I think it sucks, I'll sell it.

[Ikari Warrior]

I guess #2, I try to have the top of the line, critically acclaimed best games for each system, as well as games I enjoyed in my youth,(I'm 26) on NES, SNES, Genesis, and Saturn. I have about 800 games at the moment, I try to buy old stuff when I see it as it's getting harder to find. I get what are considered the top 50-100 games for the system (as long as I like the genre and have interest in the title), as well as any series or character games I like. For the older systems I'm more likely to pick someting up if it's really cheap and take a chance, but I usually check out gamefaqs review and try to avoid the junk.

[JLukas]

#2

[hezeuschrist]

I have a wanted list of RPG's that I would someday like to play through. Since I collect pretty much ONLY RPG's, there's pretty much no way I will ever make it through all of the games I have, but I'm gonna keep collecting until I feel there aren't any more games that I'd actually like to play on that system, wich is probably never. I'll take big breaks in hunting to take time to play (like now... 30 hours into Xenogears in a week).

[Gamereviewgod]

A bit of both I guess. If I see something that I know I'll never play, I won't pay a bunch for it, only to make everything look better. If it's something I want to play, I'm willing to shell out more for it. I'll never pay more than say $5 for something I know I won't play unless there's resale attached.

[nesman85]

i guess i'm more of a #1 than a #2, but i think there are more types than those two. what about people who pay $200+ per game for games that they won't play or will rarely play, but don't buy too many commons? i'm sure there's other types also that don't fit in those categories.

[Mr-E_MaN]

I buy games so I can have a complete NES collection. I guess I fit into #1. I buy everything I can. If it's cheap that is. I rarely spend over $5 Canadian for a NES game.

[kainemaxwell]

#2 for me except when it come sto specific collections I'm aiming for.

[Anonymous]

I'm closest to Sylentwulf's description. I'll grab anything that's cheap that I don't have pre Saturn, post-Saturn I'll buy it if I want to play it, but I never sell anything unless I have a duplicate.

[Starcade]

Good responses so far, just giving this topic a little bump to hear other board members opinions. :)

[petewhitley]

This is an interesting post! I've actually never purchased a game that I didn't intend to play extensively or through. So I guess I'm a collector of only that which appeals to me. So #2. I actually sort of envy those who collect everything like madmen, as it makes for a more impressive looking collection. It just drives me nuts to do it myself...

[ventrra]

I am asking to see your "way" of collecting. I only see there as 2 ways.

1. Buy any and every game and or peripherial(sp?) you can, as long as its cheap, your "Gameroom" gets larger faster, but most of these titles you never play. This is how I currently am :( . I am about to become a number 2.

2. Only buy the games that you think are fun and good games to play. Your gameroom is usually smaller in numbers, but you know in your heart that all of your games, though they may cost more than #1's options, kick ass to play.
Hmmm.... My way really isn't either way. I buy a lot of the cheap stuff (well, I get given a lot of it, too), but I play pretty much everything that I have unless I'm missing something that I need to be able to play it. (i.e.: I haven't played my World Heroes cart for the MVS because I don't yet own an MVS machine.)

[Kim Possible]

If its for the VCS and I don't have it, I'll usually buy it, but otherwise I'm pretty much a #2 kind of guy.

[Sega Hitman]

I'm definitely a #1. Not only do I buy games I know I won't play, but I buy games I already have that I know I won't play. I plan on starting my own business at some point, so I spend most of my spare cash on whatever good deals I can find. Rarely do I splurge and buy something I actually want to play. I bought Shining Force 3 recently, thats the first game I've paid more than $30 since Mario Sunshine came out.

I think I get more of a thrill "in the hunt" then I actually get playing the games. I've been known to buy 30 or 40 games in a day, and only play them for 10 or 15 minutes. I'm definitely a weird one. :)

-Hitman-

[Achika]

I used to buy everything in site that was cheap, even if I would never play it. Lately my collection habits have drastically changed. I'll usually only buy things I plan on playing and rarely go flea marketing or thrifting anymore. So now, I'm buying things I'll play, but I won't pass up a good deal when I see one. However, I won't be selling off that which I have aquired.

[IGotTheDot]

With a gillnet. (hey I'll take the Dolphin games too.)

Anything
Everything

[orrimarrko]

I buy whatever I can that's in mint condition, complete. Any system - doesn't matter.

While I have no intention to sell in the near future, I have learned that there is no substitute for quality items.

I collect to collect, like Sylentwulf. There simply isn't time to play every game, even if I wanted to.

I typically play games when I have time, and they gravitate to the newest stuff.

It doesn't necessarily have to be cheap for me to get it, it just has to be in mint condition, preferably complete. Once I find such items, I try to get them at the lowest price I can, but that's just common sense.

[AB Positive]

Unless I'm fanatical about the system itself, I'm a #2. I like to buy either stuff I'll play or stuff I know I can trade to get the stuff I'll play. Except.... the Turbo-Grafix 16! (you knew that was coming). I want a complete on that more than anything.

But I do prefer getting stuff I'll play. A recent trade for Dark Wizard has kept me gaming for quite a bit, hopefully I can finish it before I get a copy of PSIV, which I know will be my ONE game to play for a while.

-AG

[dreamcaster]

I'm definitely number 2. I could easily expand my collection just by buying cheap games.

But I collect games to play them, and I would much rather have a collection of quality, not quantity.

My 117 games are all ones that I like to play. It's a small collection, but it's a nice one.

[Videogamerdaryll]

I collect like a mad man with a mix of 1 and 2..I buy everything I can find Video Game..related....
I buy good/new system games to play..I have to have several new games sitting on the shelf to playat all times..and I buy older/rare/Good games..spending the extra cash it might cost to obtain them...and play them..
I also will buy games for a system I don't own yet..

[Arqueologia_Digital]

I´m a number 1 collector, but here it´s very difficult to find good and cheap games...so i don´t buy frequently like every collector in USA and...when i buy, i have the oportunity to test the carts/cd´s/machines...

[Goblin]

I started off collecting in stages, first as (1) scarfing up everything in sight. After 6 months of that mentality I shifted gears, and now consider myself closer to (2).

I don't even consider going to yard sales or flea markets anymore becuase it's not worth my effort. Are there still great deals to be found in the wild? Yeah probably, but after a few trips when I found nothing I looked at the time and effort involved and figured over time it just wasn't worth it. When you shift stages, you actually have time to enjoy your collection, which is great. And you really have more money because your not buying another system just because. If you buy it it's probably becuase you really want it and plan to use it.

Sort of off topic, but I also notice newbies in stage 1 posts non- stop during the first 6 months then all of a sudden drop off to a more normal level. I won't mention names, but look the the last few pages of posts and see how many were started by the same person whose handle you didn't know a few weeks ago. Or else the guys who get excited and feel they need to post EVERY single new game they buy. After the first few months, they suddenly realize it only matters and most people only care if you get NWC-Gold for $2, not that you bought GTA3 at EB and got 10% off using your player card.

[den68]

I'm a #1 for sure. I buy anything I can get my hands on thats cheap and video game related. I don't intend to sell anything I've collected and have not ever played quite a bit of it. I will spend a bit more if there is something I really want to play but that's not often.

I too think I'm more into the thrill of the hunt than actually playing the games.

[FrankLee]

Im working on a sega genesis game collection so ive bought a bunch of games i havent played or i know i wont play. I just bought Art Alive, Zaxxon 3-d (master system) and Mutant League Football 3 dollars each I know art alive and mutant league football are like R5 and R4 but they were 3 dollars each so i bought them. Ive also bought Math Blaster Episode 1 for 4 bucks and i knew id never play it but it was an R6 so i figured id buy it.

So Im a number 1 i guess

[liquidmetal]

1 and 2 for me. I always try to buy good games, but i also try to add to my nes collection etc.

[l_lamb]

I'm more of a #1 than a #2 right now. I pick up anything I see that's new and cheap even if I don't intend to play it now. If it's classic, I'll pick it up if I don't already have it. I do intend to get around to playing more of my acquisitions in the future, but part of my purpose is to have a large collection that I can pass down.

[Charlesaway]

I'm a type 1, and have been for over 2 years.

I don't specifically buy duplicate games, unless it's in a lot with some games I don't have, but I buy way more than I'll ever play. Though to be fair, I make a point of trying every game I buy, at least to say I've played it.

For modern systems, I'm much more picky about what I'll pay for the games, but I'm still a type 1. I have quite a few ps1 games that are utter and total garbage, but I just can't bear to part with them.

I guess it has a lot to do wih the fact that I was raised as a pack rat. It's in the blood you know.

[wberdan]

hmmm... neither one really works.. i dont buy just cheap stuff, and i rarely play anything anymore- even if its something i like... short attention span i guess.
havnt been going at it as hard lately, but i collect all systems and try to get the rarest stuff for the systems i have the most interest in, and loads of whatever else i can get

willie

[o2william]

I'm a "Sylentwulf-style" #1 collector -- if it's 16-bit or older and cheap, I'll usually buy it. But for the Playstation and beyond, I won't buy anything unless it's a game I specifically want to play.

I'm not collecting just to collect however... I know eventually I'll get the urge and the time to play my older carts. I hardly play ANYTHING nowadays though due to lack of time... :(

[TRM]

Uh..I do #1 for NES peripherals. For games themselves, I do #2. Unless it is dirt cheap, like $2 a game.

[Shadysmurf]

Im a mix of 1 and 2, I will buy any rare carts for my collection, but occasionly I buy games that I like, if I see a rare game and a game I like i more liekly to buy the rare game, because I play almost everygame I have, and it's just nice to add to the collection

[Funk Buddy]

I am more #1. I try not to buy cheap just because it's cheap, if it's in poor condition I'll pass. I have tons of games I'll never play all the way through. Here's a fine example, I've had PDS for the Saturn for 3 + years and still have not played it once.

I tend to not buy every game for the new systems, just ones I want (or if the price is right, who knows?).

Now when it comes to the JPN Saturn... I'll buy almost anything if it's in good shape! :embarrassed:

I just started on the Nintendo consoles and just have average games, mostly loose. I'm not super picky when it comes to them, just need to be in good to very good condition. I am picky when it comes to my Saturn and DC stuff. I'll never buy junk just to have the title, it must be very good to NM at the least.

Sorry this post is all over the road... must get some more sleep! -_-

[Darth Vader]

Without a doubt #1. The more I have the better. If the price is right, I will buy it even if I have it, that way I have some quality games to trade.

Danny

[miles]

I started as a type 1-guy, but then i turned into type 2. Currently I´m buying a lot of good and rare games for the Mega Drive (Genesis), but as I have acquired much of the rarer games, I´m slightly going back to type 1. Well, but I think a completist is a different type of collector as type 1. So make it type 3 for me - the completist.