Most Neurotic Collecting Habits?

[tubeway]

I keep hearing collectors here claim to be OCD about their game collecting / organization / storing habits, usually without giving particularly impressive examples of their behavior.

What's the most neurotic collecting habit or behavior you have or know of an acquaintance having?

Mine is saving the barcode stickers from new games and delicately peeling them off and putting them on the rear or inside of their case.

The most neurotic collecting habit I've heard of from an acquaintance is someone that individually sleeves every item inside of his boxed NES games. Even the foam brick and registration cards.

How about you guys?

[Family Computer]

sealed game collectors

[mobiusclimber]

Didn't we have a topic asking which way Master System and Genesis carts were originally facing in their cases (the implication being so the OP could turn all the games in that direction)? I would say that, definitely.

[VACRMH]

Probably my dislike of greatest hits games. I only buy them if it's absolutely necessary (like added content or a game only released in that format) Out of 1600 or so games, I think I own...3?

My friend is very picky about condition. It's funny because he's the only one I'll lend games to and vice versa. I remember when there was a PS3 promotion that you could get 5 free Blu-Ray movies by mailing in your receipt and the barcode from the back of the system box, he wouldn't do it because he'd have to mess up the box.

I'm sure I have other little habits, but none that are too bad. Oh, I do have to own the game in some format before playing it. Like I buy imports that have a translation patch just to either play them on an emulator or burn. I have so many unfinished games that it seems counter productive to play a game I don't own.

But then I buy the import...and don't get around to finishing it. Adding another game to my unfinished list... *sigh*

[Smashed Brother]

sealed game collectors

Heh...this.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Anything that involves mutilating box or artwork? I won't do it. Even if it's a free game.

[buzz_n64]

I think there's a step beyond sealed collectors. Collectors who must own every single variant of a game, no matter how insignificant. Text italicized, different seal of quality, different box, different manual...

[Emuaust]

Anything to do with grading and slabbing games along with sealed game collecting

[Emperor Megas]

I keep hearing collectors here claim to be OCD about their game collecting / organization / storing habits, usually without giving particularly impressive examples of their behavior.

What's the most neurotic collecting habit or behavior you have or know of an acquaintance having?

Mine is saving the barcode stickers from new games and delicately peeling them off and putting them on the rear or inside of their case.I do that. I peel off the security sticker and stick it to the inside of the case. Of course I have to get it off in one piece, and I never mar the outer plastic of the DVD cases when I remove it. also save every receipt and usually store them inside the game cases as a time stamp of sorts.

I also use a seam ripper to open the sealed games cleanly.

http://www.enasco.com/prod/images/products/9A/AC048946l.jpg


Didn't we have a topic asking which way Master System and Genesis carts were originally facing in their cases (the implication being so the OP could turn all the games in that direction)? I would say that, definitely.Yeah, that was me. :|

I also alphabetize all of my media, and try to separate/arrange my consoles by brand and generation.

[cynicalhat]

I have 2 piles of cart based games. Those that have been cleaned and those that have not. Those that have not, are not allowed to be put in a console untill they have been opened, polished and cleaned. I also hate when people leave the games in the system when they are done playing.

[buzz_n64]

I also hate when people leave the games in the system when they are done playing.

I do it to help keep dust out of the console connectors, not because I'm lazy, or want to play that game later. I actually don't like doing it, as it takes it off the shelf, but I think it's necessary.

[allyourblood]

I do it to help keep dust out of the console connectors, not because I'm lazy, or want to play that game later. I actually don't like doing it, as it takes it off the shelf, but I think it's necessary.

I only see this being an issue with the Jaguar or older Atari systems. Every other console I can think of has some sort of dust door/cover.

[cynicalhat]

I don't like it cause it keeps the consoles connectors in a bent/engaged state.

[cynicalhat]

Also if the connector on the system and the one on the cart are different, you get bi-metals.

[Big Papa Husker]

Probably my dislike of greatest hits games. I only buy them if it's absolutely necessary (like added content or a game only released in that format) Out of 1600 or so games, I think I own...3?
I'm the same way. I HATE Greatest Hits/Players Choice/Platinum Hits. I especially hate the PS1 Green ones. I think I have 9 or 10, but that's only because they were $1-3 during the "Great TRU Clearance Sale of 2004/2005" where all clearance stuff was 90% off.

[calistarwind]

Alphabetizing is a must and all games must go back in their cases.

[Cryomancer]

I save the barcode sticker off my 360 games and stick them into the box the system came in. I also save points cards / live cards in the box, and saved a few preorder receipts and such too. I actually kind of wanted to make a scrapbook for it, because of all the little "spent" items you get like this for the 360. And then you could write down when you finished achievments and stuff in it too. But I didn't as I am too lazy. I still totally keep the little things though.

[Richter Belmount]

I save the barcode sticker off my 360 games and stick them into the box the system came in. I also save points cards / live cards in the box, and saved a few preorder receipts and such too. I actually kind of wanted to make a scrapbook for it, because of all the little "spent" items you get like this for the 360. And then you could write down when you finished achievments and stuff in it too. But I didn't as I am too lazy. I still totally keep the little things though.

**Link removed**
Unnecessary Youtube is unnecessary.

[Rogue]

Alphabetizing is a must and all games must go back in their cases.

I use release date instead. I like.

[Gooch3008]

sealed game collectors

It's like buying a sports/muscle car and keeping it wrapped in plastic. Like I tell my wife, take it out and play with it!

[Atariguy]

I don't like it cause it keeps the consoles connectors in a bent/engaged state.

I know that with springs, what wears them out is the change from compressed to decompressed state and vice versa, not simply compression, so I would think that leaving the connectors in a system in one state is actually better than changing that state when it isn't necessary.

[PapaStu]

Other than the graded-sealed route. What buzz64 said.

The variant collector is a scary monster. I know that Dangerboy and I are bad w/ PS stuff (i'm startin to get there with DS stuff too after having already done that with NGPC and DC), but i've seen a few NES guys who are hunting down all the various -REV versions of games and all the weird offshoots that those have made themselves to be.

[mobiusclimber]

Yeah, first time I heard about five screw and three screw I just went "people CARE about that crap?!"

[Aussie2B]

I alphabetize, and I save those stickers too when an opportunity to do so arises. Never got into the whole receipt-saving thing, although I do find it neat when one pops out of a used game I've purchased. Sometimes I save the outer plastic on games if it comes off really neatly, and I like to keep system packaging as close to its original state as possible (keeping twisty ties in the bags they came from and remembering what went in each bag). With handhelds, I wouldn't even use the batteries, even though I realize it's pretty stupid to keep them because they'll probably leak sooner or later.

Overall, I don't think I'm too terribly obsessive or anal, though, not compared to a lot of nutjob collectors out there. I'll joke about myself being OCD and others do too, but I think the people joking about it are probably the same people that are the least picky. Those who are super anal retentive about this stuff take it deathly seriously, and I'm sure in their minds they have very valid reasons that make any other action seem like a terrible decision.

[Icarus Moonsight]

How about paying more for 'free' stuff? Always found that interesting, in a WTF way.

[megasdkirby]

For me it's"

-Sealed Game Collectors
-Variant Collectors
-2nd Set of the Same System Collectors

[cheesystick]

Sealed collectors and minor variant collectors are a given. However, I met a guy online who would only buy a SNES game if it came with the original white Nintendo safety leaflet and Nintendo power advertisement. He said replacements from other games weren't okay.

Okay, maybe if you are founding a museum, I can see this, but how is this adding to your enjoyment of the game overall? I can sort of see where he is coming from, but a huge part of me sees this as way overboard.

As far as the "leaving the cart in" part of this discussion goes, how many of you actually take out the N64 expansion cart when you are not using it? How about detaching the model 2 Sega CD? How about taking out the Sega Saturn RAM cart or Pro Action Replay? I for one leave that stuff attached and I haven't had a problem in 15 years.

As far as carts go, I can't see it doing too much damage unless it is a toaster NES. Hell, as stated before, it might even help you with a Jaguar, Atari system, or just about any Gameboy system. You gotta keep that dust out of there.

[Icarus Moonsight]

Or completely dismantle their PCs every power-off.
Daughterboards are compressing pins... Can't sleep...

[Emperor Megas]

Someone mentioned not using the batteries that come with things; I do that as well. I never use (standard) the batteries that come shrink wrapped with things. Handheld systems, remotes, wireless controllers, etc., I always keep them wrapped up and with the original packaging.

They're often weird 'brand named' batteries that you can't purchase separately (batteries that say SONY for example). Even if they're a common market brand of battery like Duracell packed in with a device, I like to preserve them with the original box and packaging.

[NayusDante]

When I can, I keep the shrinkwrap. For nice collector's edition games, it's usually easier to do because there's a box flap to cut around, so the wrapper never really gets taken off completely.

[Emperor Megas]

I always leave the shrink wrap on GBA games that have it. I just make a slit along the opening.

[Aussie2B]

I forgot about that one. I do that too. I remember I picked that up by reading about it online. It's pretty clever. Nice, easy way to keep boxes clean and mint. I just wish I had started earlier than when games in cardboard boxes started to get phased out (not that that's a bad thing). I have a few N64 games like that, a few GBC, most of my GBA, and every special edition PS2 or PSP game I've bought new.

[Dobie]

The variant collector is a scary monster. I know that Dangerboy and I are bad w/ PS stuff (i'm startin to get there with DS stuff too after having already done that with NGPC and DC), but i've seen a few NES guys who are hunting down all the various -REV versions of games and all the weird offshoots that those have made themselves to be.

I had a guy ask me about a Gyromite NES cart I had posted for sale on ebay--the one with the famicom adapter in it. He wanted to know WHICH VERSION the adapter was, because he was trying to get all carts with different REV adapters inside. I helped him out, and he eventually bought it, but initially I was like, :-/. That was when I decided never to get into variants ever, for any system.

[cynicalhat]

having said that. i do like to keep CDs in the systems so that the dust hopeully collects on top of the CD and not the lens.

[cynicalhat]

[QUOTE=cheesystick;1802504}
As far as the "leaving the cart in" part of this discussion goes, how many of you actually take out the N64 expansion cart when you are not using it? How about detaching the model 2 Sega CD? How about taking out the Sega Saturn RAM cart or Pro Action Replay? I for one leave that stuff attached and I haven't had a problem in 15 years.

[/QUOTE]

this is why this thread is about neurotic behavior:popcorn:

[Smashed Brother]

Jesus. There's VGA-graded game collecting (as already mentioned earlier), and then.......there's this nonsense http://www.nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=6&threadid=47993

Current-gen slabbed games that are 'uncirculated' (straight out of the delivery box and never stocked on shelves). These actually do sell, which shouldn't surprise us jaded gamers. Let me just say this; if you are explicitly looking for games in this kind of condition, you're sick in your head. Yeah, I'm judging you. People who pay premiums for this kind of stuff should just buy a horse and ride off into the mountains, far removed from civilization. Please.

[Dangerboy]

I think there's a step beyond sealed collectors. Collectors who must own every single variant of a game, no matter how insignificant. Text italicized, different seal of quality, different box, different manual...

For the record, I have 8 copies of Alundra, and 8 copies of Tomb Raider 1 (well...9 if you count the PSN Download), and I personally think the NES variant hunters are the psychotic ones. :)

As fer neurotic, variants aside, about the only thing I have left is the spine card with mah import neo geo cd games. No spine / obi? No sale.

[PentiumMMX]

As I've mentioned in the past, I'll never understand sealed collectors (Especially the ones who want them VGA-graded); after all, isn't the point of a game to be played, not sit on a shelf and collect dust on it's vintage shrinkwrap or hard plastic VGA case?

However, I do have one odd collecting quirk, although not from a gaming perspective; the fact that I own almost every version of Windows from 3.0 to 7. in fact, I find myself wanting a complete-in-box retail copy of Windows 2000, seeing as it's still my favorite version, and the only one in that group that I don't already own a legit copy of.

[Aussie2B]

Jesus. There's VGA-graded game collecting (as already mentioned earlier), and then.......there's this nonsense http://www.nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=6&threadid=47993

Current-gen slabbed games that are 'uncirculated' (straight out of the delivery box and never stocked on shelves). These actually do sell, which shouldn't surprise us jaded gamers. Let me just say this; if you are explicitly looking for games in this kind of condition, you're sick in your head. Yeah, I'm judging you. People who pay premiums for this kind of stuff should just buy a horse and ride off into the mountains, far removed from civilization. Please.

What's bugging me is that, while I don't know much about VGA grading, shouldn't those score 100? How the heck is a game going to get any more mint than that?

[Smashed Brother]

What's bugging me is that, while I don't know much about VGA grading, shouldn't those score 100? How the heck is a game going to get any more mint than that?

I know absolutely nothing about the process either. I've never seen a game with a '100' score, but if one ever pops up, we both know that some misguided fool will empty their bank account to get that game into their collection to be perfectly angled up on a shelf or curio.

[Icarus Moonsight]

Top scale grades should be difficult to acquire, even in those cases where you are getting it as direct as possible with minimal distribution and handling into a clear plastic crypt. There is always a chance for some imperfection. It's meaningless really. You can have a game that has transfered hands 5 times come out of grading better than a fresh from the case copy. All it takes is a little carelessness with a case knife.

The only value I could possibly get out of buying a slabbed game is the third party verification that it is what it is claimed to be. Fortunately, most the people I have dealt with have been honest in representing the items they sell and there is always a means to correct in the few times it has gone bad. So, third party verification isn't worth the expense. Maybe if something being bought was a unique item and very expensive, then the extra cost is negligible. Like say a sealed Stadium Events... I can understand slabbing that sucker.

[SegaAges]

Graded newer games. I think this is beyond sealed collectors. Why would you grade a game you can go buy for $50 from Best Buy right now? I don't know, it is not me.

As for the sealed collectors thing, I don't have a problem at all with it since I do it with action figures, so who would I be to judge?

[FxMercenary]

This may seem odd, but I refuse to let anyone into my collection room unless they wash their hands first. Quite a few of my friends work in Automotive, and always seem to have stained black hands.

I even purchased a gallon of Gojo for when they come over, and make them scrub down first.

I can imagine Oil stains on my NES carts.


I also open up every ebay game i buy and use the cleaning kit i bought off ebay to clean every cart before putting it in my system. In retrospect, I have never had to replace my pin connectors after I first replaced them when buying the system off of ebay.

It really is amazing to see how much filth gets on those cart pins that I get in the mail, its disgusting.

I have probably spent over 50 hours cleaning all of my cart games and restoring them to mint playing condition.

[Zebbe]

I know absolutely nothing about the process either. I've never seen a game with a '100' score, but if one ever pops up, we both know that some misguided fool will empty their bank account to get that game into their collection to be perfectly angled up on a shelf or curio.

But then it will get a visible scratch when it gets shipped from VGA to the fool, making it only 80+ (in reality).

[SpaceHarrier]

This may seem odd, but I refuse to let anyone into my collection room unless they wash their hands first.

I can understand this one to a degree.

For me, it's the 'pizza-grease' mentality of alot of my gamer friends, who, figuratively, always seem to have some drippy fast food in one hand and a controller in the other. It always grosses me out when we are playing a fighting game, switching off the slime-laden controller.

Oh, and when they switch out a (cd/dvd-based) game, the other gets sat data-side-down on the table.

Because of this, I never bring the original case over when I bring a game to their place (always use an old cd jewel case) and only I handle my game.
_________________

I've brought this up in another thread here, but I used to have a penchant for buying older sealed games.. just to open them! Let me explain: I used to work at a Blockbuster video and saw all sorts of .. life forms coming through. I saw how filthily our rental items were treated and the clientele who handled them. It kinda grossed me out sometimes.

Because of that, I wanted to avoid previously owned ANYTHING. I remember paying an outrageous amount for a sealed black label copy of Final Fantasy Tactics and I didn't even regret it.. until the GREATEST HITS version came out 3 months later :roll: There was also a certain joy to be had from being one to 'de-virginize' the game, as it were LOL .. tearing off the cellophane, breaking that PSX seal..

I've given up on that for the most part, the $$ is just too much of a waste, it literally makes no sense, but was my most neurotic gaming tendency.

[NayusDante]

I have purchased ONE sealed game for the sake of keeping sealed, and that's Mega Man X Collection (PS2). I already own at least one edition of all the games aside from Battle & Chase, but I wanted it for my personal collection. I wouldn't say it's neurotic if it means something to you personally. Sealed Stadium Events, on the other hand...

[Rev. Link]

I will admit, when I get an import game I like for it to have the spine card. But it's not necessarily a deal breaker if it doesn't have it.

If I had a ton of money to waste, I'd like to buy some really expensive graded game, then make a Youtube video of me opening it up. LOL

[Collector_Gaming]

Yeah, first time I heard about five screw and three screw I just went "people CARE about that crap?!"

i was going through making my collection database on RFGeneration.com and i was going through the NES games and was like wtf!

For instance Metroid
i got both the original Cartridge and the Classic series cartridge as pictured here
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1425/1215166664_54c8073578.jpg
Now
The classic series is all by itself with variant and thats it
the original has
5 screw
3 screw (round label)
3 screw (oval label)

....... really?

[MrNelson]

What exactly are these VGA rating I keep hearing about?

[Ninjamohawk]

I do it to help keep dust out of the console connectors, not because I'm lazy, or want to play that game later. I actually don't like doing it, as it takes it off the shelf, but I think it's necessary.

I do this too but I have dupes for this purpose so that I can still have a full shelf.

Man we're all weird. :P

I also do the variants thing but only for games that I really love, like Zelda, Mario or Final Fantasy.

[Snappaccino]

What exactly are these VGA rating I keep hearing about?

Its when people spend money to have someone lock their already sealed games into another layer of plastic with a meaningless number attached to it.

[WelcomeToTheNextLevel]

I organize my collection by CONSOLE release date. For example, I keep my Genesis games before my Game Gear games and after my Turbo Grafx 16 games, as the Genesis release date (9/15/1989) is before the Game Gear release date (4/26/1991) and after the TG16 release date (8/29/1989).

Here is my order (Release dates from giantbomb.com or Wikipedia)
1. Fairchild Channel F - (8/??/1976)
2. Atari 2600 / VCS - (10/14/1977)
3. Magnavox Odyssey 2 - (12/2/1978)
4. Mattel Intellivision - (01/08/1980)
5. Coleco ColecoVision - (08/05/1982)
6. Atari 5200 - (11/??/1982)
7. Vectrex - (11/03/1982)
8. Atari 7800 - (06/??/1984)
9. Nintendo NES - (10/18/1985)
10. Sega Master System - (10/16/1986)
11. TurboGrafx 16 - (08/29/1989)
12. Sega Genesis - (09/15/1989)
13. Sega Game Gear - (04/26/1991)
14. Super Nintendo - (09/21/1991)
15. Sega CD - (10/15/1992)
16. Panasonic 3DO - (08/27/1993)
17. Sega Saturn - (05/11/1995)
18. Nintendo Virtual Boy - (07/21/1995)
19. Sony Play Station - (09/09/1995)
20. Nintendo 64 - (09/29/1996)
21. Neo Geo Pocket Color - (03/16/1999) - NEO GEO HOME CONSOLE TO BE ACQUIRED IN JULY
22. Sega Dreamcast - (09/09/1999) Who could forget that?
23. Sony Play Station 2 - (10/26/2000)
24. Game Boy Advance - (06/11/2001)
25. Nintendo Game Cube - (11/18/2001)
26. Nintendo DS - (11/21/2004)
27. Sony PSP - (03/24/2005)
28. Xbox 360 - (11/22/2005)
29. Sony Play Station 3 - (11/17/2006)
30. Nintendo Wii - (11/19/2006)

16.5 - I also have an Atari Jaguar (11/18/1993) - games coming APRIL/MAY 2011

In total, 31 video game consoles (32 from July 2011), meticulously organized. Loose games come before boxed games for every console - e.g. loose Genesis games come right before boxed Genesis games.

[jordandavid]

I have 2 piles of cart based games. Those that have been cleaned and those that have not. Those that have not, are not allowed to be put in a console untill they have been opened, polished and cleaned.

THIS.

why would I gunk up the connector on my consoles by putting a cartridge with 20-25+ years of crud into the system without cleaning it. HAVE YOU SEEN the condition of the contacts on some of these games from flea markets/thrift stores? I think some people store their games in the chimney of their coal stove or their toilet tanks or something...

I do tend to leave games in my 64 though, because it's my most played system. I feel like I'd be allowing more dust into the connector if I took out a game every time I turned the console off for a couple hours and then put it back in and turned it back on every single day. Either way, I understand why someone might have a minor problem with someone who leaves games in a console for months. However, the Expansion Pack (I know you were joking) is an entirely different thing. The springs would never weaken enough in your lifetime to cause a problem. (Staying on the expansion pack though, 1. When I bought my expansion pack used I took it apart and cleaned it like a cartridge. 2. I would NEVER put a 3rd party expansion pack (the ones with the slits in the red part instead of the holes) in my 64, just not something I would do.)

[tubeway]

What's most amusing about sealed game collecting is that shrinkwrap isn't meant to hold up over time. I'm betting the cellophane will eventually brittle and yellow, staining and sticking to the boxes. I see old comic sleeves and pre-nes sealed games like this. Heck, the formuula for today's cellophane plastic may be even worse.

[Family Computer]

Well, as far as buying and keeping a sealed game, I can see it in a limited fashion. I guess something with a really "artistic" and relatively big box used for display could make sense. Like, lets say you have a huge Mario collection, I could see wanted to own something like a sealed NES Mario3 to display.

But with newer CD jewel case games or DVDs? I mean there is little charm to the packaging to begin with so who cares between sealed or not.

So if someone wants 5 of their favorite sealed games to display thats great.

The OCD idea that I am referring to are people that literally just collect tons and tons of sealed games. Straight up mental illness.

And I don't think it relates that well to things like figures. Honestly, action figures usually look the best when displayed with their packaging. It also has the type of package where opening ruins the actual package. You can buy a PSX game and be extremely careful about opening it, and keep it completely mint—and buy used games in this condition without resorting to hoarding sealed games.

[Jorpho]

The one comment I really choked on was when someone said they didn't like recombining their loose carts with "orphaned" boxes and manuals purchased separately, since it's mixing two elements of a set. Gah?


What exactly are these VGA rating I keep hearing about?http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=115443

[Aussie2B]

How about when people can't handle a case or a piece of a jewel case being replaced even when they're completely generic and the replacement matches exactly?

[MrNelson]

Ugh, why bother paying a premium for a sealed game, let alone one that has been "graded". Games are meant to be PLAYED, not kept in shrinkwrap on a shelf.

[allyourblood]

Ugh, why bother paying a premium for a sealed game, let alone one that has been "graded". Games are meant to be PLAYED, not kept in shrinkwrap on a shelf.

Don't worry. That guy who keeps a sealed SMB3 on his shelf isn't depriving anyone. Life will go on.

[fergojisan]

I am a proud variant collector, but only for the 2600, and only for Atari-produced carts (although I have a few Imagic variants). I will also save boxes if I get a dupe and they have different backs.

One thing I was thinking about doing was collecting the variations of the numbers stamped on the end labels of some of the 2600 picture labels. I was going to pick one game and try to find as many different stamped numbers as possible (the theory on those numbers is a production code, the year and the week if I remember right). I haven't actually done this yet, but I'm sure I will. :)

[SparTonberry]

What's bugging me is that, while I don't know much about VGA grading, shouldn't those score 100? How the heck is a game going to get any more mint than that?

Break into the factory and slab it right off the assembly line? :D

[Swamperon]

I only get mildly neurotic about my games. Games on the shelves are organised by console, and those games are then organised alphabetically. Unless they're in a series which means they are organised chronologically, followed by spin-offs.

I also tend to ignore the usual prefixes such as 'The' but I also ignore 'Super' for Mario so they go in M, 'Legend' in Zelda so they go in Z etc.

These days I also reject cart only games, unless they are given to me for free or come as part of a bundle.

And I hate slabbing. It's just so rage inducing. It's why I tend to avoid the Racketboy forums as there is a good number of people there who positively salivate over them.

[Aussie2B]

I also tend to ignore the usual prefixes such as 'The' but I also ignore 'Super' for Mario so they go in M, 'Legend' in Zelda so they go in Z etc.

I'm the opposite. Even though I know proper alphabetizing would ignore "The" and such (I even once worked as a library shelver), there's so much silliness going on with many game titles that I alphabetize exactly as they are, including putting all the "The" games under "T".

[Bojay1997]

Well, as far as buying and keeping a sealed game, I can see it in a limited fashion. I guess something with a really "artistic" and relatively big box used for display could make sense. Like, lets say you have a huge Mario collection, I could see wanted to own something like a sealed NES Mario3 to display.

But with newer CD jewel case games or DVDs? I mean there is little charm to the packaging to begin with so who cares between sealed or not.

So if someone wants 5 of their favorite sealed games to display thats great.

The OCD idea that I am referring to are people that literally just collect tons and tons of sealed games. Straight up mental illness.

And I don't think it relates that well to things like figures. Honestly, action figures usually look the best when displayed with their packaging. It also has the type of package where opening ruins the actual package. You can buy a PSX game and be extremely careful about opening it, and keep it completely mint—and buy used games in this condition without resorting to hoarding sealed games.

I'm sorry, but that's a completely absurd argument. Action figures are made to be played with. In fact, they are meant to be played with by small children. That doesn't change the fact that many adults have large sealed action figure collections. Sealed games are no different. If you take your argument to its logical conclusion, everyone here should be collecting loose games only since apparently the packaging has no value to you. Sealed collectors just appreciate the appearance of the packaging more than other collectors. It has zero impact on anyone else's ability to collect whatever they choose to collect. It's certainly not any more or less neurotic than collectors who only collect complete games or collect Japanese games despite the fact that they can't read or speak Japanese. To each their own.

[Swamperon]

I'm the opposite. Even though I know proper alphabetizing would ignore "The" and such (I even once worked as a library shelver), there's so much silliness going on with many game titles that I alphabetize exactly as they are, including putting all the "The" games under "T".

Ohhh but doesn't that really annoy you? :-P With my system I can automatically locate any given game, or tell someone where one is without looking when they ask. I think something would really grate me. All Mario games belong under 'M' dammit! ;)

I suppose you would just get used to it though!

[Aussie2B]

I'm sorry, but that's a completely absurd argument. Action figures are made to be played with. In fact, they are meant to be played with by small children. That doesn't change the fact that many adults have large sealed action figure collections. Sealed games are no different. If you take your argument to its logical conclusion, everyone here should be collecting loose games only since apparently the packaging has no value to you. Sealed collectors just appreciate the appearance of the packaging more than other collectors. It has zero impact on anyone else's ability to collect whatever they choose to collect. It's certainly not any more or less neurotic than collectors who only collect complete games or collect Japanese games despite the fact that they can't read or speak Japanese. To each their own.

Wait, what does collecting sealed games and collecting complete games only have to do with people who import Japanese games? How is collecting imports in order to simply play games not available elsewhere neurotic in the slightest? If you're collecting sealed/complete games, you're being picky about condition, which could go along with having some kind of emotion/anxiety/phobia/whatever driving you to do so, hence neurosis. Someone can be neurotic about imports in some way, sure, like being obsessive about having spinecards or importing everything the second it comes out in Japan out of a need to have every game as early as feasibly possible, but simply importing a game because you'd like to give it a try, even if that means tolerating Japanese text without understanding it, isn't neurotic. That would be like labeling people neurotic for liking music from other countries even when they can't understand the lyrics. If if there's a language barrier, it doesn't mean that there isn't something still left to be enjoyed.

I also have to agree that action figures can't be compared to video games. Even if a sealed figure isn't being used as intended, it's still a lot closer to its purpose than a video game. With a figure, what you see it what you get. It's just a lump of plastic. It's not storing electronic data meant to be played or anything like that. All that a sealed figure is missing is a hand wrapped around it, which is what the outside world can offer it, rather than what else it itself has to offer. Also, with a lot of figures, I'm not so convinced that they're meant to be played with. There are plenty of figures out there that are fragile and can't take much normal childhood playing and plenty of others that seem to be marketed more to an audience in its late teens or adulthood. I doubt that audience is much inclined to play with a figure and imagination stories for it. Some of those figures very well may be most intended to stay in their plastic, or at least just sit on a display shelf, and the difference between being displayed in clear plastic or being displayed outside of said plastic is negligible.


Ohhh but doesn't that really annoy you? With my system I can automatically locate any given game, or tell someone where one is without looking when they ask. I think something would really grate me. All Mario games belong under 'M' dammit!

I suppose you would just get used to it though!

Nope, doesn't bother me at all, never has. It's just the way I've always done it, and I can find everything with ease.

[Bojay1997]

Wait, what does collecting sealed games and collecting complete games only have to do with people who import Japanese games? How is collecting imports in order to simply play games not available elsewhere neurotic in the slightest? If you're collecting sealed/complete games, you're being picky about condition, which could go along with having some kind of emotion/anxiety/phobia/whatever driving you to do so, hence neurosis. Someone can be neurotic about imports in some way, sure, like being obsessive about having spinecards or importing everything the second it comes out in Japan out of a need to have every game as early as feasibly possible, but simply importing a game because you'd like to give it a try, even if that means tolerating Japanese text without understanding it, isn't neurotic. That would be like labeling people neurotic for liking music from other countries even when they can't understand the lyrics. If if there's a language barrier, it doesn't mean that there isn't something still left to be enjoyed.

I also have to agree that action figures can't be compared to video games. Even if a sealed figure isn't being used as intended, it's still a lot closer to its purpose than a video game. With a figure, what you see it what you get. It's just a lump of plastic. It's not storing electronic data meant to be played or anything like that. All that a sealed figure is missing is a hand wrapped around it, which is what the outside world can offer it, rather than what else it itself has to offer. Also, with a lot of figures, I'm not so convinced that they're meant to be played with. There are plenty of figures out there that are fragile and can't take much normal childhood playing and plenty of others that seem to be marketed more to an audience in its late teens or adulthood. I doubt that audience is much inclined to play with a figure and imagination stories for it. Some of those figures very well may be most intended to stay in their plastic, or at least just sit on a display shelf, and the difference between being displayed in clear plastic or being displayed outside of said plastic is negligible.



Nope, doesn't bother me at all, never has. It's just the way I've always done it, and I can find everything with ease.

I suppose I could have been more clear. I know a number of collectors who can't speak or read Japanese and yet insist on importing RPGs and other Japanese games which have been translated and released in English in the United States. I support their decision to buy and collect whatever they want, but I don't see any point in those purchases personally and in at least a few cases, it is because they just want to have a complete subcollection of a particular game series from the original country of origin.

Frankly, collecting in general can be considered neurotic as you can't take any of this stuff with you someday when you die and yet many of us have rooms and closets and storage units full of video games. Collecting and hoarding are not that different from the psychological perspective and whether it's sealed collecting or complete game collecting or loose game collecting, there are neurotic aspects to all of it. I really don't understand why every one of these discussions turns into a sealed collector bashing session. People collect all sorts of things I will never understand, but I don't look down or criticize them for doing it. We're all collectors and we all have different reasons for what we collect. There really is no point in attacking each other and collecting one particular thing is not objectively better or superior to collecting anything else. Heck, I'll even go so far as to say I was wrong in the past for criticizing rom or download collectors. They collect just like the rest of us do despite some differences in what they can do with their collection.

[allyourblood]

Well spoken, Bojay. Couldn't have said it better myself. Unless people are stealing the sealed games from your personal collection, there's just no reason to be upset over it. Life is way too short for that kind of stuff. As long as we're all enjoying games in some form or other, that should be enough.

[Aussie2B]

I suppose I could have been more clear. I know a number of collectors who can't speak or read Japanese and yet insist on importing RPGs and other Japanese games which have been translated and released in English in the United States. I support their decision to buy and collect whatever they want, but I don't see any point in those purchases personally and in at least a few cases, it is because they just want to have a complete subcollection of a particular game series from the original country of origin.

I still don't see neurosis there. There are valid reasons to import Japanese games even in the presence of an official US release. The US version might be much more expensive (often the case with RPGs), the localization might be so bad that it ruins the experience (bad script changes or terrible dubbing), or the collector might simply like looking at the alternate packaging. There are definitely some neurotic importers out there, no argument there, but I think you have to go more into the specifics of what they're doing and why to pinpoint neurosis.

[Bojay1997]

I still don't see neurosis there. There are valid reasons to import Japanese games even in the presence of an official US release. The US version might be much more expensive (often the case with RPGs), the localization might be so bad that it ruins the experience (bad script changes or terrible dubbing), or the collector might simply like looking at the alternate packaging. There are definitely some neurotic importers out there, no argument there, but I think you have to go more into the specifics of what they're doing and why to pinpoint neurosis.

I think maybe none of us are using the term neurosis properly. It seems like this is just a thread of people complaining about other (mostly sealed) collectors who do things they don't do or dislike for some reason with a few examples of what could be borderline self-reported OCD thrown in.

A neurosis is a serious medical condition which can include behaviors or symptoms such as OCD, anxiety, anger, depression, etc..By its very definition, almost anyone, collector or not, could have a neurosis or the symptoms of neurosis whether they are collecting sealed games, rubber bands, Japanese games, piles of dirt, etc...Just because a person collects any particular thing or even a particular thing in a particular way doesn't make it a neurosis. It's when that collecting behavior crosses over into some type of uncontrollable symptoms that bring harm to the person or others that a neurosis exists. I haven't seen any examples of truly neurotic behavior in this thread other than the aforementioned self-reported obsession with organization and cleanliness, but again in and of themselves, those behaviors don't necessarily rise to the level of a neurosis.

On the other hand, I have personally met a collector (although admittedly not of video games, but of coins) who became addicted to Ebay and live auctions, ran up huge credit card debts and even when they were on the verge of losing everything including their home and family, still continued to buy things they couldn't afford. That is a neurosis and eventually it had to be treated with therapy and medication. As far as I know, nobody here is in that position and assuming that sealed collectors or any other video game collector does what they do because of some mental condition is ridiculous. There are lots of good reason to collect sealed games and lots of good reasons not to. Neurosis has nothing to do with it.

[Family Computer]

I'm sorry, but that's a completely absurd argument. Action figures are made to be played with. In fact, they are meant to be played with by small children. That doesn't change the fact that many adults have large sealed action figure collections. Sealed games are no different.

I am assuming an adult collector isn't buying action figures to play with any more than a coin collector would buy a mint condition graded coin to go out and spend. My point was that if you do decide to collect action figures, the very way they are packaged makes them extremely displayable. You have to actually destroy the package if you open them. It would be like if opening a boxed NES game meant ripping the box art—if this were the case then collecting sealed games for the box art wouldn't be a mental illness.

Games are not the same way. A sealed game is no better looking than a complete mint opened game. It is purely a neurotic collecting habit.


If you take your argument to its logical conclusion, everyone here should be collecting loose games only since apparently the packaging has no value to you.

This isn't logical because I never said that games don't have aesthetic value. I said that the difference between a game being sealed, and a game being mint makes no difference to is aesthetic value. In fact, it is less appealing because you cannot see the manual, the cartridges/discs or any other flyers or inserts.

And with modern games with standardized cases it makes even less sense. Hence, why I think being a sealed collector of cardboard boxed games makes slightly more sense.




Sealed collectors just appreciate the appearance of the packaging more than other collectors. It has zero impact on anyone else's ability to collect whatever they choose to collect.


Unfortunately they value a thin piece of plastic around the game, not the actual art. I agree that you are free to collect what you want no matter how neurotic it may be.


It's certainly not any more or less neurotic than collectors who only collect complete games or collect Japanese games despite the fact that they can't read or speak Japanese.

Of course it is. For one, sealed collectors pay this absurd OCD tax to buy a sealed game. If there was very little price difference, it wouldn't be so sick to be addicted to collecting sealed games. Not to mention the game can actually be played.




To each their own.


I agree, but this is a thread about neurotic game collecting behavior. Sorry but collecting sealed games is certainly one of the most neurotic video game habits.

[Baloo]

Has anyone mentioned spine cards yet?

Now that I really don't understand. What makes some card with a barcode on it any more complete than if that was the only thing missing from a game with box and manual?

[Family Computer]

Has anyone mentioned spine cards yet?

Now that I really don't understand. What makes some card with a barcode on it any more complete than if that was the only thing missing from a game with box and manual?

For one, having it increases the games value. So if you wanted to trade or sell the game later that's a reason.

Second of all it sometimes has specific artwork, subtitles etc. Kind of like a mini flyer.

Obviously, it's mostly just an obsessive collecting habit though :)

[Bojay1997]

I disagree with you on a number of levels. First, unless they are doing something new with action figures, none of them come in a 360 degree clear tube, so by not opening the box or card/bubble, you are never going to be able to see the entire figure. Indeed, I know many adult action figure collectors who build elaborate displays of their opened figures and could care less about the box. Moreover, there are indeed video game boxes that require at least partial destruction to open them. Any of the glue sealed Colecovision boxes would fit this description very well. Similarly, any cardboard box game which has been opened will start to bulge slightly and show tell-tale signs of whitening along the flap as it is opened and closed.

While you are certainly entitled to your opinion, I imagine that to many sealed collectors, a sealed NES game is better looking than an open NES box. You may disagree, but your opinion is no more or less valid than a sealed collector's opinion would be. You also have no basis for claiming it's a sickness. Some people just choose to collect different things than you do. There is zero basis for claiming that it's a neurosis. The truth is, you don't like it and you don't agree with it and instead of just accepting that others make different choices, you resort to name calling and judgment. It's fine, but it's just not a strong argument.


I am assuming an adult collector isn't buying action figures to play with any more than a coin collector would buy a mint condition graded coin to go out and spend. My point was that if you do decide to collect action figures, the very way they are packaged makes them extremely displayable. You have to actually destroy the package if you open them. It would be like if opening a boxed NES game meant ripping the box art—if this were the case then collecting sealed games for the box art wouldn't be a mental illness.

Games are not the same way. A sealed game is no better looking than a complete mint opened game. It is purely a neurotic collecting habit.



This isn't logical because I never said that games don't have aesthetic value. I said that the difference between a game being sealed, and a game being mint makes no difference to is aesthetic value. In fact, it is less appealing because you cannot see the manual, the cartridges/discs or any other flyers or inserts.

And with modern games with standardized cases it makes even less sense. Hence, why I think being a sealed collector of cardboard boxed games makes slightly more sense.



Unfortunately they value a thin piece of plastic around the game, not the actual art. I agree that you are free to collect what you want no matter how neurotic it may be.



Of course it is. For one, sealed collectors pay this absurd OCD tax to buy a sealed game. If there was very little price difference, it wouldn't be so sick to be addicted to collecting sealed games. Not to mention the game can actually be played.




I agree, but this is a thread about neurotic game collecting behavior. Sorry but collecting sealed games is certainly one of the most neurotic video game habits.

[StealthLurker]

Cleaning up any thing that I bought used. Sometimes it means breaking out the toothpicks to get inside crevices. Cleaning up the contacts of carts before use (not with toothpicks, but q-tips). Mr Clean magic erasers work great for the flat surfaces. Then remove residue with a water dampened cloth/paper towel.

Putting things in little plastic baggies or clear boxes when possible.


Over at neo-geo.com, the owner of the site (Shawn) was considering or actually had really expensive, specialized window tinting installed in his house to prevent sun fade/damage to his stuff.


.