Ever felt "finished" collecting?

[pacmanhat]

When I started vintage game collecting almost a year ago, I made myself as big of a wishlist as I could; giving me a lot of things to look after. Included in that was a short list of sought-after but attainable titles that I felt would be centerpieces (things like Gunstar Heroes, TJ&E, Chrono Trigger, etc).

Now that a year or so has passed, I've accumulated every one of the 'big names' on my original list, and have drastically dwindled the entire list down to a small fraction of what it was when I started. This is especially true when it comes to the older systems - I'm simply running out of things to look for. It almost feels as though my collection, at least in my original terms, is nearing 'completion'. I almost feel a bit let down by this, if for no other reason than that the excitement of 'the hunt' seems to be dying down (seeing as how I pretty much NEVER find anything I'm looking for anymore).

These days, I pretty much just pick up newer stuff, and then usually only when it's cheap. Things weren't quite what they used to be when I started collecting, and while it isn't BAD by any means, I fear it could be heading in that direction.

So...has this ever happened to anyone else? If so, how did you cope/deal with it? How do you all keep things interesting when it comes to game collecting?

[Jumpman Jr.]

When I first started collecting, I was like you in that I had a list of games that I wanted to get. The games were for random consoles that I knew I liked and had played as a kid. Once I had all of those, I didn't quite know what to look for anymore.
What you need to do is try to complete a collection for a certain console. It keeps you looking for game all the time ;)

[anagrama]

Simple solution: make a new list :)

Surely after a year of collecting, there's got to be loads of stuff you didn't know about before but fancy a look at now, no?

[Speedy_NES]

I would also set a goal to get every game for a particular system. As soon as that goal is complete, or it becomes boring, start collecting controllers/accessories for that system....that's how I keep it interesting :)

-Speedy

[boatofcar]

I feel like as soon as I have a complete set of black box NES games (90% there), a complete set of Activision 2600 games (75% there), and a every US Colecovision cart (long way to go), I will be done :)

[Pantechnicon]

For me it depends on the system. For a good number of my systems I am (or will be) content to simply have a decent cross-section of titles that are either "killer aps" or provide a unique gameplay experience on said machine. I'm also very interested in hardware and accessories, so once the game list is completed I try and complement this with some peripherals and then I feel like I can say "that's enough."

My Lynx and Dreamcast collections are the best examples of this. Lynx is one of my favorite systems but I've only got 25 out of the 80 or so released titles. Trust me, I've got the ones I want to play and I see no point in pursuing the others. Ditto for DC: 35 titles out of (I think) 250 is enough. I'm much more interested in DC's hardware (luckily all very cheap in my nexk of the woods) and emiulation capabilities and that keeps me going.

This is not to say, however, that I don't peruse Lynx or DC titles when I find them in the wild. But there's no burning desire to get more and more games for either one. Between the two I believe I have bought a total of only four titles in the last two years and it's not like they were grails or anything. I'm just content with those two where they are. That's it.

[Slimedog]

Yeah, you just need a bigger list. My list is 43 pages with about 92 entries per page. Maybe complete collections isn't your thing. I could never get would up about collecting sports games, so they aren't on the list. Think about collecting entire generes. Do you like shumps? Fighting games? Its your list, so collect what interests you. Also, you might want to go for more than just the famous ones. Finding diamonds in the rough is more fun to me than playing a masterpiece that I was expecting to be good. But as far as collecting goes, its more about the hunt than the completion.

[goatdan]

Honestly, I'm getting there. I'm a huge psycho collector when something really catches my interest, thus my Jaguar and Dreamcast collections are probably some of the most complete for anyone here.

But... nothing else has caught my attention. I may do Neo Geo Pocket because I have about 90% of the collection already just from stuff I like to play, but it isn't that high up there. Other than that, I have a meager selection of 2600, NES, SNES and N64 games from when I had those systems when I was younger, but I don't actively add to them. I also have a very small Lynx, Colecovision and 3DO collection, but I have all that I'm looking for for these systems.

So when my Dreamcast collection is finished -- when I don't have any more European releases to get (I don't think I'm going to try to get anything more than the 50 or so Japanese imports I already have), I think I'm just a gamer. Yes, I have an Xbox and GameCube with a bunch of games, but when I'm done with them unless I have loved them, I don't mind parting with them.

It all comes down to what I'm interested in. Will my collection ever truly be "finished"? Not if I include the fact I expect I'll be gaming for a long, long time... but as for actively looking for things to add... I think I've got about a year or two left.

[pacmanhat]

Simple solution: make a new list :)

Surely after a year of collecting, there's got to be loads of stuff you didn't know about before but fancy a look at now, no?

Definitely, yeah...though not as much as I'd like. Then again...maybe I'm not looking hard enough...:P

[captain nintendo]

Are you ever truley finished collecting ?
I guess maybe if you are just a collector. But am a gamer as well. Therefore my collecting will probably go on and on.

I do "collect" games and am looking to have a CIB NES collection when I am all said and done with the NES part of my collection. But playing the games is half the fun for me.

After I am done with NES I will probably move to SNES and my side projects (SMS , ATARI , Virtual boy)

I have many , many , many years of collecting to do , and I plan on taking my time :)

[s1lence]

I go in and out of collecting phases. Sometimes I'm all over whatever. Other times I don't even look. I understand losing interest in collecting things though as I gave up collecting baseball cards. Sometimes things loose the appeal.

[EndlessChris]

Lately I've been feeling like my collecting status is dwindling down. There is finally absolutely no more room on my shelves for new games, and there's only about 50 various titles I'm interested in picking up, something I plan to do slowly over the next few years.

I used to hit up game stores every week, but lately aside from going to the flea market - I'm kind of tired of hunting. I've been more focused on actually playing games as well as doing some other more personal things - like trying to write a book.

Collecting is fun, and the last few years of hunting down the big name titles will always be a big part of my life. I found some great deals. Suikoden II for $5 is probably my most memorable, and the time I found DBGT: Final Bout back when it was wicked rare for $5 and didn't have my money on me (I managed to get back before anyone got it though :) ). But I really think it's time for me to stop spending all my money and find a new hobby :P

I'll still be playing and discussing games online though, because isn't that the best part of gaming?

[ozyr]

LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL

It is never done. So much to collect, so little money!

[DocRamon]

i felt done with collecting immediately after seeing the ipod nano.

[YoshiM]

Even though it's been slim pickings lately I still go "on the hunt" and do sort of a "catch-and-release". If I see something I might like I'll appreciate it, examine it and will put it back on the table. I found a complete Macintosh SE...and I mean COMPLETE: boxes, manuals, printer, etc. etc. All for $10 and the system worked beautifully. I turned the computer off and walked away.

[njiska]

Let me put this very simply. Even though it's been slim pickin's on the hunt lately and even though i'm having cash flow problems, the day i die will be the day i'm finished collecting. Or when the robot's rise up and conquer their masters. Which ever happens first.

[MarkMan]

I gave up for awhile... felt I was done..

Started collecting shoes... ... but I'm back with my true love.. games.. :)

[Rogmeister]

I'm done collecting. Mind you, that doesn't mean I'll never buy another game but when it is, it'll just be to get something that looks like fun (might order Outlaw Tennis tomorrow). But to buy games just to fill a quota or get "X" amount of games for a specific system? Nah, will never happen. I'm no longer that kind of guy. In fact, I'm starting to thin out my collection...my 2600 collection will be the next to go and I already know a guy who wants all those games. I was never the kind of guy who felt he had to get every game for a certain system anyway.

[wrldstrman]

Main thing with collecting is being patcient..I rememeber not to long ago 2600 cart prices were going through the roof..now since most of the collectors with fat wallets have picked up most of the games the prices for some of the rare games has come down and with the prices down the resellers dont grab them up as much anymore.I t does get kind of boring when your not finding much but its that not knowing what youll find next that keeps me looking

[Jasoco]

I haven't collected in over a year. I had posted a thread a while ago about me being tired of collectiong. Saying the thrill was gone. So everyone said to take a year off and see if it comes back. Well, it's been over a year now and I still have no urge to buy every game in sight. In fact, I actually have an urge to dump all the games I really don't want. I have a lot of shovelware for the modern systems I bought cheap for some reason that I can't stand the sight of. I'd eBay it all, but don't want to go to the trouble. I'm actually considering trading it in to GameStop for the $2 or so they'd pay me for it. :(

But I'm happy. Because I buy games I want to play. Rather than games I want just to make people like me for all the games I have.

[Haoie]

I'm currently in a scare like that. Mostly because I haven't bought much in the last month [only 1 game].

It's strange not getting anything new.

[Roth]

I'm never done collecting NES or SMS games. Those are the two systems that I really love. I'm pretty sick of newer games, so I'm very selective of what I buy in that respect (newer games are considered collecting, right?). Right now the only newer games I really want are for the DS... besides that, NES/SMS all the way, and I haven't gotten sick of it yet.

[EricRyan34]

Same thing happened to me, I started collecting about a year ago, and for some reason...I stopped. I stopped around maybe March or April, maybe it was due to lack of $, but now I am more excited than ever and I have started it back up!

[zerohero]

I really just want a good SNES collection of all the games I enjoyed when I was younger + a few extra's.

[Jasoco]

I don't know why I suddenly lost the urge to collect, but I'm kinda glad I did as it let me spend my money on stuff I'd wanted for a long time. In the last almost two years I've spent thousands on stuff I just couldn't afford before when I was spending hundreds of dollars on old games...

TiVo
27" Flat TV
Mac mini
20" Cinema Display
FireWire HD (250GB)
iPod 10GB (eBay)
Laptop (iBook)
Wacom Tablet
Logitech MX1000 Laser Mouse
DVD Recorder
PSTwo
PSP
DS
GBA SP
Lots and lots of stuff.

If I didn't stop collecting I'd be stuck in the stone ages with my iMac G4 700 (15") and 24" TV (Not flat) with no DVD recorder and just an Xbox for DVD's, no laptop, I'd probably have scaped up enough to buy a PSP and DS, the TiVo kind of came before I stopped so I'd probably still have that. No PS2. So I'm kinda glad I stopped. Became more of a gamer.

[Goblin]

I've had the finished collecting feeling a number of times. The first time I had it, was at Philly Classic 4. The previous year I was like a kid in a candy shop, I bought a little of everything and had a great time. The following year I showed up and with a stack of money and ended up leaving disappointed with most of what I went with.

Don't get me wrong I managed to pick up a few select items, but went home largely unsatisifed. I collect games either I used to like, or else always wanted and never got a chance to own. I have no desire to collect every game for a system just to say I've done it. Maybe if I were in a different place and time, but that isn't practical for me.

Even right now I've got an extremely small want list. This sometimes makes it tough when going to trade meets and gaming events. But I can tell you the best part of stopping collecting, is getting the chance to actually play what you already own. Then as you work through playing your backlogged purchases, you slowly start to remember other things you want. You begin to collect again only on a smaller more selective scale. One other plus of not "collecting" anymore is the ability to drive past a yard sale or a game store and not stop.