Geddon_jt
09-07-2004, 09:30 AM
This has been on my mind the past few weeks.
I don't intend to open up the collector vs. gamer debate here. Let me just preface by saying I am about 50/50. I think there are a lot of people in my shoes on the board - people with tons of games that you INTEND to play, and probably will get to one day, but maybe haven't had the time to yet. Because you are too busy finding new games to buy. :)
Anyway, there has been a problem plaguing my local thrifting/fleaing exploits lately. I think I give off some sort of scent that gives my "collecting" habits away to these independent game dealers. I walk in and start browsing the racks, and almost instantly, I can tell - the jig is up.
This can manifest itself a number of ways.
STORY 1
I was in a store the other day and I asked specifically if they had VALKYRIE PROFILE for PSX. This happens to be a game I've wanted to play for some time, but it also happens to be a pretty hot collectible PSX game at the moment. The guy said yeah, I have it at home, and I'll get it again eventually, so I'll bring it in and sell it to you for $20. Of course, I said great!
I gave him a week or so to bring it in from home and I asked him about it, and he told me "geez man, I was pulling it off my shelf, and I just said to myself, I don't know - I haven't played this one yet, but then again, I have a lot of games I haven't gotten to playing yet. I just don't know." Wishy washiness aside, I felt like he was pressing me to tell him something along the lines of, "gee sir, if you sell it to me, I'm going right home and I'm going to play it all day and all night! It has a good home with me, someone who will really appreciate it!" Which certainly wouldn't be true. I want to play it, but who knows when that will actually happen. So, I ended up saying "It's up to you, whatever you want." I'm going back this week, but I'm not holding my breath.
STORY 2
There is a local store around me which is run by a pretty unfriendly guy who operates his store in a massive state of denial. He has a personal slogan that he loves to expunge at any opportunity: "games are for playing." (Yeah, that's true. In the meantime, I will buy every single $15 Harvest Moon you put on your shelf.)
Anyway, If you pick up a super low-priced rare game but it happens to be crappy, watch out - he just won't understand what you are doing. He's a gabby guy, so I prepare myself when I walk into his store to justify whatever I purchase based on how long I have wanted to "play" it and what a "fun" game it is, which may or may not be true. It's ridiculous for me to feel this way, but if my only reason for buying a game is because its way underpriced, he probably wouldn't sell it to me!
STORY 3
I once found a CIB NES Peek A Boo Poker at a local flea market under a box of Genesis carts. It was $20. After I purchased it and began walking away, the sweet old lady working there said "I hope you make a lot of money off it on ebay," which is, in fact, exactly what I did.
I have since come to know these dealers well, and they have a long list of things I am looking for and are glad to chat it up and help me out when I stop by. They make no bones about my collecting habits, and they don't interrogate me on WHY I want a game if I am asking them for it. Perfect.
These are just a few examples. I guess my point is, I often feel pressured these days to act like I'm 100% ignorant of game value and my only intent is to play these games when I walk into these places. Otherwise, they put me through the ringer. This post may be a bit ridiculous, but I thought I would post all this up and open it for discussion.
I don't intend to open up the collector vs. gamer debate here. Let me just preface by saying I am about 50/50. I think there are a lot of people in my shoes on the board - people with tons of games that you INTEND to play, and probably will get to one day, but maybe haven't had the time to yet. Because you are too busy finding new games to buy. :)
Anyway, there has been a problem plaguing my local thrifting/fleaing exploits lately. I think I give off some sort of scent that gives my "collecting" habits away to these independent game dealers. I walk in and start browsing the racks, and almost instantly, I can tell - the jig is up.
This can manifest itself a number of ways.
STORY 1
I was in a store the other day and I asked specifically if they had VALKYRIE PROFILE for PSX. This happens to be a game I've wanted to play for some time, but it also happens to be a pretty hot collectible PSX game at the moment. The guy said yeah, I have it at home, and I'll get it again eventually, so I'll bring it in and sell it to you for $20. Of course, I said great!
I gave him a week or so to bring it in from home and I asked him about it, and he told me "geez man, I was pulling it off my shelf, and I just said to myself, I don't know - I haven't played this one yet, but then again, I have a lot of games I haven't gotten to playing yet. I just don't know." Wishy washiness aside, I felt like he was pressing me to tell him something along the lines of, "gee sir, if you sell it to me, I'm going right home and I'm going to play it all day and all night! It has a good home with me, someone who will really appreciate it!" Which certainly wouldn't be true. I want to play it, but who knows when that will actually happen. So, I ended up saying "It's up to you, whatever you want." I'm going back this week, but I'm not holding my breath.
STORY 2
There is a local store around me which is run by a pretty unfriendly guy who operates his store in a massive state of denial. He has a personal slogan that he loves to expunge at any opportunity: "games are for playing." (Yeah, that's true. In the meantime, I will buy every single $15 Harvest Moon you put on your shelf.)
Anyway, If you pick up a super low-priced rare game but it happens to be crappy, watch out - he just won't understand what you are doing. He's a gabby guy, so I prepare myself when I walk into his store to justify whatever I purchase based on how long I have wanted to "play" it and what a "fun" game it is, which may or may not be true. It's ridiculous for me to feel this way, but if my only reason for buying a game is because its way underpriced, he probably wouldn't sell it to me!
STORY 3
I once found a CIB NES Peek A Boo Poker at a local flea market under a box of Genesis carts. It was $20. After I purchased it and began walking away, the sweet old lady working there said "I hope you make a lot of money off it on ebay," which is, in fact, exactly what I did.
I have since come to know these dealers well, and they have a long list of things I am looking for and are glad to chat it up and help me out when I stop by. They make no bones about my collecting habits, and they don't interrogate me on WHY I want a game if I am asking them for it. Perfect.
These are just a few examples. I guess my point is, I often feel pressured these days to act like I'm 100% ignorant of game value and my only intent is to play these games when I walk into these places. Otherwise, they put me through the ringer. This post may be a bit ridiculous, but I thought I would post all this up and open it for discussion.