i keep having doubts about collecting

[RetroRich]

i wouldn't really call myself a collector. I only get the games that i have always wanted to play, etc. I own a NES, SNES, Genesis, N64, PS1, Dreamcast, Gamecube, XBox.

space is not really an issue right now, and i like having the actual cartridges. I have acquired a lot in a short amount of time. However i keep having periodic doubts about what i am doing. I keep thinking i could have saved a lot of money by just getting a Wii, and modding it to play the classics. It would have took up a lot less space as well.

I don't even know if its worth going that route now since i jumped in deep by buying all these systems.

what do you guys think about this?

Modded Wii w/ classic controller and all the retro stuff on an external hardrive, or actual consoles?

[cynicalhat]

You could have gotten an emulator and played all your games on the computer you posted this on and spent no money at all never mind a Wii and all the garbage that is involved with modding it. If you get enjoyment out of playing on original hardware fantastic. If you don't, oh well.

edit: You could always collect bubblegum or drumsticks or nothing at all. That decision is up to you. If you collect something it's usually not even a decision.

[Aussie2B]

If you don't want the stuff around anymore, then sell it. If you do, then don't. It's as simple as that. No one can tell you what to do.

[RPG_Fanatic]

i wouldn't really call myself a collector. I only get the games that i have always wanted to play, etc. I own a NES, SNES, Genesis, N64, PS1, Dreamcast, Gamecube, XBox.

space is not really an issue right now, and i like having the actual cartridges. I have acquired a lot in a short amount of time. However i keep having periodic doubts about what i am doing. I keep thinking i could have saved a lot of money by just getting a Wii, and modding it to play the classics. It would have took up a lot less space as well.

I don't even know if its worth going that route now since i jumped in deep by buying all these systems.

what do you guys think about this?

Modded Wii w/ classic controller and all the retro stuff on an external hardrive, or actual consoles?


I got my Wii modded with around 3000 retro games (atari, Game Boy, NES, SNES, Genesis) for $45 from someone around here. I have all those old systems and it's a lot easier to have one system then 5-10 to play them on.

[MachineGex]

Just slow down with the buying. Play the games you have and when you catch up, buy a few more. Until then, stop buying games to just have them. That should help.....I went thru the same thing with comics and with games.

[HappehLemons]

Only buy games you want to play, right now. If you dont have plans on playing within next week just dont waste your time buying it, because chances are it will just sit on your shelf. Sure, it's fun to have a big collection on your shelf.. but for me it just wasnt worth it in the end.

I've gone thru collecting phases so many times, so if your having doubts before you even start "collecting" then don't even start unless you've got tons of money to burn. I'm sure many members will tell you the same thing. I've always felt like collecting was a empty hobby. The enjoyment I just get from spending my time spending playing a game I like is far beyond the happyness I ever got from collecting.


But that's just me :)

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

Just put your collecting on pause and enjoy what you have. When you resume, just get the games you cherish.

We all have regrets about spending money on things, but since you are buying after market games for commonplace systems, I wouldn't exactly call it splurging. Plus, if the collector's market remains stable, you can always sell the games and systems later.

[StealthLurker]

Stick to the roms. If you find that the rom for game X just doesn't cut it after some time, then maybe get the actual hardware. Most people I know are perfectly satisfied by the roms.

.

[exit]

Focus on the stuff you want and not only will you find yourself spending a lot less money, you'll also find yourself enjoying things a bit more. Just because you see a game or console doesn't mean you have to grab it, just ask yourself if you're actually going to use the console or play the game before you jump into it.

[Icarus Moonsight]

FULL STOP! Figure out your desires and motivations before doing anything else. Chronic impulse behavior snowballs like a bitch. Examine what you are doing and then redirect. It sounds like you're not doing what you would want right now...

I've angled myself toward rom/emu along with original hardware and flash carts, back-up solutions and saving spending money for the highest order wants of original games only. I'm considering letting things go that I wouldn't have 2-3 years ago.

Wii modding: SD cards, how do they work?

[jonebone]

Yeah I'm in the bored with collecting phase too right now. Just have been busy with life and have more important priorities than playing or buying lots of games right now.

My advice is to just take a breather as people have mentioned. I still resell / buy some things here and there, but it's at a snail's pace. Don't make any rash decisions to sell out because you may regret it in the future.

If you stop for a few months and then continue to think "What the hell am I doing with these games?", then selling out could be your solution. But don't make that decision overnight...

[Blanka789]

I think we all go through something like this at one pint or another. As has already been said, don't make any rash decisions. Think about what you want to play, what you want your collection to be, and what you really don't have interest in anymore.

[dystopian]

You could have gotten an emulator and played all your games on the computer you posted this on and spent no money at all never mind a Wii and all the garbage that is involved with modding it. If you get enjoyment out of playing on original hardware fantastic. If you don't, oh well.

edit: You could always collect bubblegum or drumsticks or nothing at all. That decision is up to you. If you collect something it's usually not even a decision.

The Wii is excellent modded, and it can be done for zero dollars or $20 if you have a techsavvy friend.

It will play every single game, it will EMU SNES, NES, 2600, SMS, and Genny, and it will easily (without farking around) connect to any television without any "screen lag" or messing around. Plus savestates.

Sure, a PC is a good option too, but a modded Wii can be had for ~$100 nowadays. Not exactly a giant investment for a huge library of free games and a really solid emulator (at least for NES / SNES).

[VertigoProcess]

i've had may reservations about my collecting also. It comes and goes, but even when i have these thoughts I still couldn't bare to sell off my collection. Instead I just stop buying, maybe store some things away for safe keeping until I get the feeling to start buying again.

without lack of room for storage of your collect id just hang on to things and if you still have the feeling of why do i have all this stuff is around for awhile then start to think about selling it off... also think about it this way if you hold on to things until the economy rebounds then it's gonna be worth more also... it's like owning stocks, haha

[portnoyd]

Just be careful and don't get to the point where I am. That point being where I want to crush up DS games and snort them.

[MrSmiley381]

I've been trying not to spend too much money on buying stuff. This, of course, fails every day or so. I have found a solution of sorts. I've been going back and buying games from one era at a time and have been trying to burn through them. I have a Power Base Converter and Phantasy Star on the way. My goal is to get through Phantasy Star, Kenseiden, Golvellius, and then Power Strike. After that I will move on to Phantasy Star II, Shining In The Darkness, and various other franchises along the way. If I feel like playing something modern I work on Phantasy Star Universe (almost done with this mess) or Phantasy Star Portable (still a lot of talking but much more bearable). My eventual goal is to have a complete US Dreamcast collection with a few awesome imports, but aside from that everything is disposable. The downside is that I like playing on original hardware. The solution? Buy the first game in a franchise and keep eating through them. Once I have played a series from start to finish, I sell the whole collection off as a lot. This is really easy to do with dead companies like Compile or series with multiple canons, like Phantasy Star or Shining Force. In the long run it costs some money because I will invariably lose on the lots, but I get the experience of playing on original hardware and flipping through the cases and manuals. I can't afford the space as much since I move around. After I become more successful, earn more money, and have a home, I could collect again. But I want the experience more than the damn carts.

[Edmond Dantes]

I've been trying not to spend too much money on buying stuff. This, of course, fails every day or so.

You too, eh?

Collecting is almost like an addiction. Each month I tell myself I'm going to set a spending limit, or simply not buy anything... and then I end up finding a rare RPG or something.

But in December, this time for SURE...

[kupomogli]

Start off by weeding out all the crap you don't like. Start playing through the games you own and if you are playing a game and you don't like it and there aren't any redeeming qualities in it that you do like, then put it in the for sale pile.

When you purchase a game, make sure it's something that you'll enjoy, or that you might enjoy. This will be more money saved and less you'll have to go back and sell again. This way, in the future, you'll have only games that you enjoy rather than games you'll never play.

[MrSmiley381]

You too, eh?

Collecting is almost like an addiction. Each month I tell myself I'm going to set a spending limit, or simply not buy anything... and then I end up finding a rare RPG or something.

But in December, this time for SURE...

On Saturday I found Shining the Holy Ark for forty bucks. Went to the franchise's next store and got Android Assault for ten, half of what the woman on Craigslist wanted. It's hard to pass up deals on stuff you're going to play (eventually), isn't it?

[leatherrebel5150]

You too, eh?

Collecting is almost like an addiction. Each month I tell myself I'm going to set a spending limit, or simply not buy anything... and then I end up finding a rare RPG or something.

But in December, this time for SURE...

It is not "almost" like an addiction it is an addiction...now if I could only get these carts to fit into a needle...

[Sunnyvale]

You too, eh?

Collecting is almost like an addiction. Each month I tell myself I'm going to set a spending limit, or simply not buy anything... and then I end up finding a rare RPG or something.

But in December, this time for SURE...

I just bought Texas Chainsaw Massacre for the 2600. I saw a chance to get a deal on it. So to hell with T Mobile, I'm killing Leatherface!

Is that unhealthy?

[Korppi]

I've been trying not to spend too much money on buying stuff.....

You make it sound like it's work, rather than having fun playing games. Oh well, I used to play MMORPG's and played them like second job, so I can't say much.