Is there really any point to collecting?

[JadeETC]

I've been collecting for the VCS for some time now, and during that time my collection has grown quite large.

 

Yesterday I was looking at my boxes of games and asked myself, 'Is there really any point to collecting?' So I got a few rares from eBay, cool. Did I end world hunger? No. Why buy these games anyways? So they can sit on a shelf forever? 'cause let me tell ya, I won't be playing Eli's Ladder anytime soon.

[+Gemintronic]

It takes all kinds. Personally, I chastise myself when I start to collect for collectings sake. Games are meant to be played.

[gooner73]

I have always wanted to play games, i have never seen the point of "looking " at games on a shelf??

 

whatever floats your boat i suppose!

 

 

I don't like the pettiness that can sometimes surround "collecting" , i always think it should be about fun, some people can be tooooooo precious about collecting.

[Ransom]

All shall return to dust, and all that...

 

But still, yes, the point of owning anything is because it makes your life better in some way. I try to avoid things that don't, but no one's perfect.

 

As for curing world hunger and all that, well, you could argue against most aspects of my life if that was your basis.

[RetroFiends]

When I was a kid I would collect but nowadays with budgets, bills, and all that poop stuff I tend to only buy games when I explicitly intend to play them.

 

Which is still too damn often and too damn expensive. But it gives me stuff to write about. If I don't like a game enough to keep playing it, I'll usually sell it if it's worth anything or give it away to someone who will appreciate it.

 

Another concern is that I just don't have the shelf space like I used to. I recently acquired just under a hundred atari games and they completely took over a shelf. :S

 

If I had the finances to seriously collect, though, I would. Collecting soothes an urge that I have for one reason or another.

[PFL]

It's in the genes to hunt and gather. It's a bit like a dog playing with a rubber bone. Is there any point? No but it's in its nature...

 

I sometimes go overboard and it's got me into trouble. That's not good. Those are my demons I suppose. But for the average, healthy human being? I think it's fine.

[RetroFiends]

When I was younger and had expendable income it was pretty bad. We're talking like several hundreds of dollars on games every couple of weeks. My friends were all saving up for cars and whatnot, but not me. It took a long time to train myself to show some sort of restraint.

[DesertJets]

There is no point. What I buy for the 2600 I mostly intend to play a bit, whether or not I play it a lot is another question. I did somewhat recently pick up most of the Sesame Street titles, but they are currently unplayable as I don't have a keyboard/Star Raiders/Children's controller -- so that would be an exception to my own rule.

 

We had a 2600 in our family growing up, but never had a lot of games for it. So for me part of it is exploring the good, the bad and the ugly of the 2600 library. That is the fun part for me, along with the playing of course.

[fiddlepaddle]

In the beginning (of my evolution), there just weren't enough games available, and you really had no way to know if games were any good without buying them first. So I just bought, for example, (almost) every Colecovision game when it came out.

 

Later, I discovered there were so many games available dirt cheap at flea markets, yard sales, etc that I began ACCUMULATING games with the idea that I'd try them and probably find some good ones to keep playing.

 

Though the game systems changed over the years, that phase lasted until about 2000 or so. That's when I realized someone might label me a HOARDER. So I had to organize my games into boxes and lists.

 

Now, I am a dignified COLLECTOR.

 

 

Sometimes, like art, the point is in the process.

[Emehr]

I collect to play. I'm not interested in preserving the entire library of a console because I know there are others out there who have that covered and are doing a much better job than I could do (and who have deeper pockets). So I collect the games I want or always wanted but didn't get or couldn't afford. Sometimes I'll grab a boxed Atari Video Cube for the VCS, a Misadventures of Tron Bonne for PS1, or a Racermate for NES if it's a great deal, but those are the few exceptions to the rule.

[Zwackery]

I've been collecting for the VCS for some time now, and during that time my collection has grown quite large.

 

Yesterday I was looking at my boxes of games and asked myself, 'Is there really any point to collecting?' So I got a few rares from eBay, cool. Did I end world hunger? No. Why buy these games anyways? So they can sit on a shelf forever? 'cause let me tell ya, I won't be playing Eli's Ladder anytime soon.

Nope, no point, I will take all your pointless games off your hands. I'll even pay for postage! And make a donation for world hunger.

[JadeETC]

Nope, no point, I will take all your pointless games off your hands. I'll even pay for postage! And make a donation for world hunger.

$350.

[atari181]

$350.

Pics?

[JadeETC]

Pics?

I'm a dirty liar. I could never part with my baby.

[Godzilla]

Yes, I agree, no point whatsoever... Except to donate them to the International Museum of Art in Games and Interactive Creations and immortalize yourself as a contributor to the I.M.A.G.I.C. Arc that will be remembered forever...

 

www.theimagic.com

 

[raskar42]

I collect for posterity. And to pass the love of simple fun to the next generation.

 

That being said I often ins myself looking at an acquisition and saying, 'why did I buy this terrible game.'

[Fixitguy74]

For me it's the thrill of the hunt and thrill of the bargain. I have been to a few used game stores that knew what they had and priced their games accordingly, not crazy high, but fairly priced. I did not buy much, if anything from them. To me it's about finding an R4 or higher for a few bucks or less at a thrift or used game store that gets me my collecting fix. Sure for a price one could complete or near complete (if some games are uber rare) a collection for most any system, but to me flashing that much cash just to complete something isn't as thrilling. It's almost like paying someone to put together a 1000 piece puzzle and saying "Look at the this complete puzzle I now own". Now I know some games can't be had with out some serious greenbacks due to rarity but a guy can still dream of finding an Air Raid for $.99 at the local Goodwill.

[atari181]

I'm a dirty liar. I could never part with my baby.

I think you found your "point"

[JadeETC]

I think you found your "point"

Don't get me wrong, I love playing my VCS. But I just don't know why so many people including me put thousands of dollars into old consoles when they could put it toward home improvement, a new car, college funds, etc.

[Brian R.]

I'll buy any game I don't have, good or bad.

 

I don't care about boxes, label variations, rarity ratings, any of that stuff. All I care about is that it works.

 

I don't want to play any of the games on an emulator. I was intrigued by but never bought any of the Flashback systems.

 

For me, it's the combination of playing the games on the hardware. I grew up with Atari, it was my first game system. Having all this stuff, that's 30+ years old, and it still works is a big part of the pleasure for me.

 

For me, that's the point. I certainly don't plan or intend to retire on it, it's not an investment. It's just enjoyable - even if I go long stretches without playing.

[Serious]

Don't get me wrong, I love playing my VCS. But I just don't know why so many people including me put thousands of dollars into old consoles when they could put it toward home improvement, a new car, college funds, etc.

Because its fun.

 

If it isn't fun anymore, then there is no point, and you should stop or take a break. Spend your time doing something else for a while.

 

Don't let it get in the way of something else in your life that you deem more important.

[Atari2600Lives]

I've been collecting for the VCS for some time now, and during that time my collection has grown quite large.

Yesterday I was looking at my boxes of games and asked myself, 'Is there really any point to collecting?' So I got a few rares from eBay, cool. Did I end world hunger? No. Why buy these games anyways? So they can sit on a shelf forever? 'cause let me tell ya, I won't be playing Eli's Ladder anytime soon.

I think it's all about the hunt and the connections.

 

I've been at it my entire life and quite frankly have put together a world lass collection but if not for my focus on finishing it ( highly unlikely no matter how much money is thrown at it , its more of an idea than a potential reality) I might not check in with the community as much or do research, meet fellow collectors etc it's about those connections with fellow collectors as well as it is about the hunt .

 

And as far as the hunt there is definitely a satisfaction when I track something real cool down or find something worthwhile in the wild , I've always played the games , collecting just adds another layer of coolness .

Edited August 28, 2013 by Atari2600Lives