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"

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...