What type of collector are you?

[goatdan]

I was going through my GameCube and Xbox collections last night playing stuff, and I was thinking about what type of collector I was in the gaming world and I realized that I really wasn't a "completionist" all that much. I do have two complete collections, but I do not intend on going for any more complete collections out there. I am sort of working on Playstation long boxes now, but it definitely isn't anything that I'm really actively seeking out. I noticed however that my GameCube and Xbox collections were filled with games from the same four or five companies... as is most of the rest of my collection. It was surprising for me to realize this, but I'm probably now more of a "Developer / Publisher" collector than anything else...

I have a feeling that a lot of people that collect aren't only completionists, and I am also guessing that even those who are going for complete sets have something else to it. Most of us are probalby "hybrid" collectors (for instance: I get every Capcom game that is released, but I am going for a complete set of NES games), but what is your main collection?

If you could only pick one type, what ONE type of collector best describes you?

[Jed]

Random all the way.. I just grab whatever looks good, and if I don't have it, yay.

[Cmosfm]

Must have it all, everything, every last game that I do not own.

Completist.

[The_EniGma]

Umm im more of a rarityist, ill buy games based on rarity :)

[goatdan]

Umm im more of a rarityist, ill buy games based on rarity :)

I'll add that option. That's probably a decently common one too.

EDIT: Okay, anyone know how to edit a Poll? Or am I too late?

EDIT 2: Aha. I am too late. Can a Mod / Admin please add this to the poll:

Rarityist - If I think a game is rare or is going to be rare, I snap it up.

[tholly]

Must have it all, everything, every last game that I do not own.

Completist.


exactly....anything that i dont have...or have that variation of...i buy it

i want every game for every system

[pacmanhat]

I buy games based on whether or not they're good. I guess that falls under random.

[GrandAmChandler]

Totally Random, and I like it that way. It gets me involved to hunt down stuff for other systems. I.E. I never would have even looked at Sega CD games if I never found The Space Adventure at goodwill and took a chance on it. You will find some of the most random (and randumb) items ever in my collection.

[fishsandwich]

I tend to stick to either a genre, a platform, or something I will actually enjoy.

For instance, I collect shooters for all platforms. You have no idea how much time and money I have spent on Saturn imports.

I have all the shooters and all the Capcom fighters for the Dreamcast

I am slowing getting a complete N64 collection.

That sort of thing... organized randomness.

[Aussie2B]

I go for quality, but since I can't look up every game in existence (and it's not like I trust my opinions on a game to match the majority), I probably base most of my purchasing on developer/publisher. If it's from tri-Ace, Wolf Team, Nintendo, Sega, Capcom, Namco, Konami, SNK, Rare, Natsume, Taito, Square, Enix, etc., etc., it'll be a much more likely purchase than something from Acclaim, EA, 3DO, Rockstar, etc. Of course, I get some stinkers, like TailSpin from Capcom, but I'm smart enough not to drop big bucks on a game without knowing more about it than who published it.

[bargora]

I'm a genre collector in two different ways.

1) I collect the hell out of (and research heavily) certain genres--shmups, arcade compilations, mech shooters and space shooters/combat flight sims. To a lesser degree I collect puzzle games and miscellaneous vehicle-based shooters (which I consider to be the larger category comprising mech shooters, space shooters, submarine shooters, hydrofoil shooters, automotive shooters, motorized llama shooters, etc.) I also have a weakness for Miscellaneous Japanese Weirdness (e.g., Incredible Crisis), but it's hard to say what's in that class. Hence, "Miscellaneous".

2) I like to have at least one representative from most major genres in my collection for each system. So even though I don't play RPGs (or survival horror) that much, I like to have an RPG and a RE/Silent Hill or two on hand for a system. Lord only knows why, because it's unlikely that I'm going to get around to playing it this year. But then, I guess I don't have to explain myself on that point at a collectors' site!

[Super Mario Fan]

I was stuck between Character/Liscense and random. (Couldn't be more different, right?) If it's for a system I own and it's the right price, or it just looks cool, I'll get it. However, I lke to collect everything Nintendo. So if I ever see something Nintendo related, I'll usually grab it.

[Mythik]

Nostalgic/random/completionist...in that order.

[Kejoriv]

Completist. Currently I collect for 4 systems: Nes, Snes, Game gear and Gamecube. Im trying to get all the Nes, Snes, and game gear games ever made in the US. The systems I dont collect for, I usually trade away or sell for money to buy the games I need.

[starchildskiss78]

Most of what I have been getting is nostalgic but if I see something that catches my eye I'll get it. So:

Nostalgic...then random (Though I voted Nostalgic)

[digitalpress]

No question I'm a completionist. I know this because reading the other categories makes me feel like "something is missing" LOL

Per your request I added "Rarityist" to your poll.

[Aussie2B]

I like to have at least one representative from most major genres in my collection for each system. So even though I don't play RPGs (or survival horror) that much, I like to have an RPG and a RE/Silent Hill or two on hand for a system. Lord only knows why, because it's unlikely that I'm going to get around to playing it this year. But then, I guess I don't have to explain myself on that point at a collectors' site!

Makes perfect sense to me. Just a few days ago I was complaining that I don't have a single puzzle game for PlayStation, even though I very rarely play puzzle games and have a few for other consoles. But when the mood strikes, it's nice to have something there. Sometimes it's as specific as wanting to play a certain kind of game on a particular console, so it's good to have every genre represented on every console with at least one or two games.

[imanerd0011]

Well, I am a different collector, depending on what System we are talking about.
I am a completist when it comes to NES. Someday I will have a complete set. With all the other systems I own, I only buy games that I like (and want to play).

[The_EniGma]

For me its more a mix of playability and rarity, if the games uber rare but shit to play i wont get it.

[RetroYoungen]

I'm more of the nostalgic gamer, I love playing the games that I grew up with. A lot of them I've still got, and I think I've picked up close to everyone I loved playing back then (mid-1980s through early 1990s and beyond).

Though I've always loved playing puzzle games, so I pick those up when I can and have the system to play them on. Dammit, now I just need a PSP and Lumines...

[Nesmaster]

Nostalgic/random/completionist...in that order.

Thats me exactly also :)

[squidblatt]

I marked myself as a chronological collector, but what I do is something a little different.

I try to represent generations. I start by choosing one system for which to build a complete (or reasonably complete) collection and then collect the more unique titles for the other systems. That way I get a snapshot of each generation. My collection is too small right now for any method to be apparent, but that's what I'm up to.

For the current generation, I chose to build a complete Xbox collection since it's usually the best for multi-platform titles. I'm building a respectable collection of Gamecube and Dreamcast titles, and eventually I'll start in on the more noteworthy PS2 titles.

I'll probably never be able to do it for each generation, but it's the way I'm going to go about it.

[classicb]

Developer/ Publisher

I was tempted by Random but I'm a huge Tecmo fan and even when I slow my collecting habits down I still will pick up a new Tecmo game. I have to say that I started my first complete collection with the N-Gage and I see how people go the complete route because it is kind of fun to look at a shlef and know that you're looking at every game made for that system. I think it's really kind of a neat time capsule. Unfortunetly I don't have the funds to do too many complete collections so I'll stick to collecting for my favorite publishers.

[DTJAAAAMJSLM]

I guess I'm a random collector since I make a lot of bizarre impulse buys. However, large portion of my collection was obtained for nostalgic reasons.

[anagrama]

Sega collector.

8-)

[BIGMIKE]

whatever i can find for the amount of change in my little manpurse :D

[slip81]

I'm a completeist right now, but that's costing me a ton of money, so I think I'm gonna switch to subset or oddties collecting untill I get a real job.

[Damaramu]

Nostalgic/Genre/Random

Right now, I'm focusing on games and systems I had when I was younger and foolishly sold off.

But then I'm also picking up a lot of fighting games, shmups when I can find them, and RPG's/Strategy games.

Also, I just pick up stuff that looks cool/on clearance. Love TRU for their cheap bastard section. :D

[Videogamerdaryll]

Honetly..I'm all over..(Random)
................................................
Completist.....Like I'm currently working on all the Neo Geo MVS titles and Sega ST-V,Microvision...But I'm a gamer so I buy new games like crazy..for the Xbox,PS2,GC etc....

I work on getting certain systems to finish the collection...Though I try and stay focused on one thing I often get detoured to something else.

I collect sealed/boxed games,variants of any sort..... as I'd say most of my Atari 7800 Collection consist of sealed games..yet I have loose copies of the same game to play..

Anything video game related I can get my hands on,includes knick knacks,magazines etc.

If I find something cheap I snag it...

[rick weis]

Characters / Licenses - I like games based on certain characters or licenses, and try to collect them all regardless of platform -- i fit this on all Mario games



Completionist - I pick a system or systems and want all the games for it. =this is how i voted, and how i collect for the Atari 2600



Genre - I most like a certain type of game, and want all of them. =this fits me for most modern games.

Rick

[SKVermin]

I think I'd have to class my self as Random. I collect everything, but by no means am I willing to break the bank to complete a set. I just pick up things I don't have, but only if the price is right.

Part of the reason I collect is to reminisce about the "good old days" and play some of the games that I passed up back when they were the latest and greatest. But ultimately, I want my kids to understand how good they've got it. I want them to see the roots of this industry that is as common an element in their everyday life as breakfast.

If there's a system I don't have, I want it. If there's a game I don't have, I want it. But it all comes down to timing and price. So I have a Jaguar with no games, games with no system, and though it's nicely organized in a data file on my PC, I have yet to build a Room of Doom. So yes, I'd say that Random pretty much sums it up.

[THATinkjar]

I didn't vote as I couldn't pin it down.

In the long run, and this is the VERY big picture, I want every game for most systems. But in the short-term, I want the games that I enjoyed most as a kid, and then I want the games I know any self-respecting collector/gamer should own. And then I want the rare games. And none of it is in that order.

Too hard to narrow down I'm afraid.

[hydr0x]

nothing in the list fits my collecting habits 100%

i'm a mixture of some of those things, but i'm also something different, i'd call it the "Undecided" or the "Varying" or whatever

my basic problem is that my main interest changes a lot (not just in collecting, but also in general), i just can't focus on just one thing forever... all in all, i AM a completionist, i want everything, and i want everything boxed, and trust me, as soon as i earn some money to actually spend on games you will see my running around grabbing ANY bargain and good deal i will see, for whatever system , from Interton VC4000 to Gamecube, i KNOW it

but right now, i only have the money to do one thing at a time, and this focus changes a lot, it was Dreamcast for a long time (at 189 of 217 PAL Games) but the remaining games are mostly expensive or total crap and so i kinda lost interest in them, i pick up any missing game i see in the wild, but that's it basically. Right now the focus is SNES (for the 1389577 time) and i know this will be the collection i will be most proud of in 20 years, along with maybe 32X.

so, conclusion: i have no idea what i am (oh yeah, i forgot to mention, i pick up almost every game i see in the wild, no matter what system it's for, so also some random aspects here, i sometimes also go for subsets, series, character, publishers and designers if i get into the mood.... i'm totally crazy....)

[poopnes]

I collect Nintendo published games mainly. Though there's quite a bit of randomness thrown in if there's a game I want that's actually fun.

[ubikuberalles]

Nostalgic/Random for me. I would like to be a completist but I have neither the time or the money for that. Maybe, someday, when I win the lotterry...

[Cthulhu]

I'm a fanboy of a few companies and I do enjoying buy rare stuff, but I mainly pick stuff up for my collection because it's good. I try to get the all of the really good games for all 8-bit and onward systems... which is a pretty tall order. No wonder I'm failing at it so miserably. LOL

[videogameking26]

I buy games for all the genres I love for the certain console. Mostly just a current- gen collector as I have a quite few of PS2,Xbox and GBA games and trying to get well over 200 games for each before I move on to next- gen consoles.

[AMG]

This is a real hard choice.

I'm big on collecting frachises I love to play like Resident Evil, Final Fantasy, Zelda, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter etc.

Then again, I also buy random games (from all generations) a lot too just to add them to the collection.

I guess I'm more of a genre, franchise, developer collector.

[kainemaxwell]

Mostly right now my collections are the FF games and the NES Tengen titles, and trying to get the last couple items for my Mega Man and DW ones.

[Jumpman Jr.]

Nintendo home based cartridge style games completist.



... its going to take a while.

[maxlords]

None of those describes me. I'm a "gamer/collector". I collect anything I think I'd want to play. If it doesn't look like I'd want to play it, I won't buy it. It's not at all random, but that's the closest selection.

[jdc]

Bit of everything, I guess....even though I picked Developer. I wouldn't call my habits wildly random.

If it's for the N64, I'll buy it. If it's by Sega, Nintendo, Capcom, Rare, BioWare, Working Designs and Namco, to name a few, and if it fits into a preferred genre, then I go for it.

Not counting my N64 collecting, I usually decide whether to buy a game based on both the genre and the developer.

[Jive3D]

I'm none of the above. I'll collect / buy what I think to be the essentials for a system - but those essentials are games that I plan on playing. - There just happen to be a hell of a lot of games that I want to play - somehow they just turned into a collection, I had not really planned on it getting as out of hand as it has :)

[FlufflePuff]

I would fall in the completionist category. I'm currently trying to finish my NES and 7800 collections. After that I'm moving on to the VB and the 32x. I do collect genres for other systems though. I have most of the PS1, SNES, and Genesis RPGs. Also have some nostalgic 2600 stuff in there, but it's never as cool as I remember.

[sharp]

I mainly collect games for sega-consoles. But it's a bit random on some points what I buy and what not. Sometimes I just buy games on rarity, sometimes just big packages. It depends on in which mood I am.

[TurboGenesis]

I don't know what kind of collector I am. I know that I am not a completionist. I don't desire to own 10 madden, nhl and nba games per console. I like to have stuff that would be deemed good, playable, and the occasional rare and obscure stuff. I go into tangents too. There was a time I wanted all the long box PSX games. Another time I wanted all the Genesis launch titles. NO I have not completed these goals as they are no longer. Do I really want Slam & Jam 96 and World Championship Soccer? Another thing I wanted was all the black lable NES games and I almost fulfilled that. Sometimes I want a whole series like all the Final Fantasy games. I got most of them except the gameboy ones and FFXI. I do like games in original form as in original packageing, NO greatest platnium players choice all stars hits. I also collect wierd stuff. I have 32 VIS games but no VIS console to use them on. I have a Pippin @world but no games to play on it. I have an acton max that I have never used as well as a sealed Captain Power Jet which all just sit in the basement collecting dust but hey I can just say "I have that".

[SuperNES]

Random. i get whatever i can afford, and everything i find in the wild.(which is not a whole lot at all) but i am trying to collect all the nintendo systems (not including color variations).

[Bronty-2]

started out as a raritylist, have gone over to the completionist dark side..

[ae.tc]

Sega collector.

8-)

Sega AM2 Div. ... of course! :love:

[Sotenga]

Definitely random here. I just get whatever looks/sounds/is good, though I don't collect for the sake of collecting. I collect to play the games, and boy, do I play them. A lot.

[vintagegamecrazy]

Hands down a completionist, but also a compulsive buyer I buy what I don't have for the right price, from the start of this week to the end of next week I will have added over 75 games to my library.