Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: What does collecting mean

Hybrid View

Previous Post Previous Post   Next Post Next Post
  1. #1
    Insert Coin (Level 0)
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    Lebanon, PA, USA
    Posts
    88
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    61
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    7
    Thanked in
    7 Posts
    Steam
    Maruko Tenada

    Default What does collecting mean

    I'm posting this here, because much of retro gaming is collecting.
    How record collectors find lost music and preserve our cultural heritage

    While the above link is about records, I think how he talks about collecting is interesting. He says that the resulting collection says a lot about the collector.

    I admire people who have 'full sets' for a system, but I know I'm not going to be one of them. There are just some games I won't be able to or won't want to pick up. But what I do get will mean something to me.

    I also like the thought of preserving the art. Game development is seriously an art. It involves music, imagery, story telling, and more. So it's nice to think I'm helping to preserve a little bit of history.

    What are your thoughts?

  2. #2
    ServBot (Level 11) Custom rank graphic
    Cornelius's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Wrong Place, Wrong Time
    Posts
    3,778
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    72
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    25
    Thanked in
    24 Posts

    Default

    As a recent thread on here demonstrated, collecting means a lot of different things to different people. I think lines can be drawn somewhere at the ends, though. On one end I don't really know how to describe it more than just calling it hoarding. Components of that would be little respect for the material such that significant damage occurs immediately or over time, little or no organisation, stuff like that. Trying to describe the other end, I realize I'd probably include the same criteria; we've all seen the games and consoles that have just been abused by people that are only gamers and sell their stuff to buy the next big thing. Where to draw those lines short of the extremes on each end could certainly be argued.

    But I don't really care about where those lines are drawn. It doesn't matter to me who considers themselves a collector, though I do wish everyone took good care of their games and consoles.

    As for what my collection says about me? Lots, I'm sure, but mostly about me when I was actively looking for stuff, which I'm just not anymore because the cheap sources have dried up. So I guess it says that I am a cheapskate. It probably says that I didn't have a focus in my collecting (other than NES, maybe) because I have a smattering of all kinds of stuff, but not too deep on anything. Which makes sense, I only really have bought what I found locally, and I missed a lot before I got into collecting, so it all was interesting and exciting for me. I've been updating my catalogue recently and putting it into GameValuesNow, and the average value of a game in my collection is $18, so I've got a lot of low $$ games I guess? Mostly a lot of cheap stuff just never seemed worth getting rid of, because I only ever had a few full-set aspirations, and all but one I gave up on a long time ago. So I could have ditched all the junk in other collections, but just not worth the bother.

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to Cornelius For This Useful Post:

    mkenyon2 (03-06-2019)

  4. #3
    Super Moderator Moderator
    Custom rank graphic
    Aussie2B's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    9,277
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    35
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    133
    Thanked in
    111 Posts

    Default

    I guess collecting, at its core, is holding on to items long-term, or at least the intention of long-term. If you sell off games when you're done playing them, you're obviously not collecting them. I mean, here's the Merriam-Webster definition of collecting: "to gather an accumulation of (objects) especially as a hobby"

    So you need an accumulation of items. One single game isn't a collection. If you get rid of your accumulation, you no longer possess a collection.

    Collecting can be healthy or unhealthy. You can be a hoarder or you can be like a library curator.

    Me, I'll give most any game a shot if it's cheap enough, so a lot of my collection is stuff I randomly came across at a good price. I put more effort and money into collecting games in my favorite genres, and for my favorite games, I collect any and every official piece of merch related to them. I've never been much of a full set collector, but I have made that a goal for some systems with small libraries. I have every single US Neo Geo Pocket Color release (all but one of them CIB, not counting the two games that never got packaging to begin with). I've been aiming for a full PC-FX set and am roughly two/thirds of the way there (I have 40-some out of the 60-some total). And I've more or less been going for a full US Vita set, for which I also have roughly two/thirds. I probably wouldn't entertain a full set for that if I weren't collecting for it already, but I guess I sort of "got in too deep" with that one. I started collecting for it when it seemed like it wouldn't get more than 200 US releases, but now it's going to end up more around 300. Generally speaking, less than 200 is that sweet spot where I might consider a full set, if the games aren't stupidly expensive, but it's usually gotta be under 100 to really tempt me. Aiming for a full set for systems that have like 700+ releases is just out of the question for me.

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to Aussie2B For This Useful Post:

    mkenyon2 (03-06-2019)

  6. #4
    Insert Coin (Level 0)
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    Lebanon, PA, USA
    Posts
    88
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    61
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    7
    Thanked in
    7 Posts
    Steam
    Maruko Tenada

    Default

    Awesome. Yeah, having recently gotten back into retro stuff... I've been feeling out where I want to be as a collector. I've always liked collecting stuff, but want to keep it under control.

    I also think that I'd like to be the type that saves what I like. Keeping it well cared for, but something I'd want to play from time-to-time. I've been getting into fixing older systems, and really enjoy seeing older stuff restored.

    I also watched The Bits of Yesterday on Amazon Prime, which discussed the collecting/hoarding thing a bit.

    Really just wanted to have a nice discussion here, and so far, I'm enjoying it!

  7. #5
    Pac-Man (Level 10)
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    2,919
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    107
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    105
    Thanked in
    101 Posts

    Default

    Buying without the intention of playing

  8. The Following User Says Thank You to gbpxl For This Useful Post:

    mkenyon2 (03-11-2019)

  9. #6
    Great Puma (Level 12) Niku-Sama's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Deadford, OR
    Posts
    4,129
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    5
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    63
    Thanked in
    59 Posts

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 79
    Last Post: 03-21-2013, 04:48 AM
  2. Collecting Fullsets vs. Collecting Good Games
    By Rickstilwell1 in forum Classic Gaming
    Replies: 66
    Last Post: 08-07-2009, 04:01 AM
  3. will collecting video games surpass collecting comics and cards?
    By crom in forum Collector Guides and Rarity Database
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 03-29-2009, 12:51 PM
  4. Collecting Consoles vs. Collecting Arcade Machines
    By IntvGene in forum Classic Gaming
    Replies: 26
    Last Post: 10-05-2005, 11:45 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •