jhd

Are retail stores obliged to sell at the MSRP? What mechanism is there to stop retaliers from charging whatever the market will bear?

I'm not sure where I stand in this discussion. Despite my age (40-ish), I never played any of the classic computer or console RPG games growing up. In terms of hardware, I went from an Atari 2600 (1981) to a Coco (1983) to a PC (1988) to a PlayStation (2003) and now a PS 2 (2008). (I played AD&D a little bit in high school, but only very casually.) Virtually nothing mainstream was ported to the Coco; I cannot think of a single RPG title (possibly excluding Dungeons of Daggorath). Consequently, I have only experienced some of the famous NES/Genesis titles (e.g. Dragon Warrior, Pool of Radiance, Phantasy Star II) rather recently and through emulation. I really like the gameplay of many of these titles, but I also find them painfully slow. I have also been spoiled by the superior graphics of newer titles. Having played, for example, Baldur's Gate, it's really hard to get excited over any NES "Gold Box" SSI game. Probably I would feel differently if I had some positive memories of these games from my childhood, but it is hard to get into them "fresh" at this point.

Speaking as someone with limited vision in one eye, it is simply not possible to see 3D even "in real life". Stereoscopic vision is required for depth perception. Need proof? Ask you friend to catch a football that you throw towards him.

I've only ever seen a lonely 2600 Pac-Man cartridge in an antique shop. I don't recall the specific price, but I found it funny at the time. There is one shop around here that sells books and some old advertising material, but most just stick to funriture, glassware, china, and the like.

I began collecting around 1989 or 1990. My main interest then was the Atari 2600. Garage sales and charity/church/rummage sales were a great source -- the going rate for a 2600 and a big box of games was usually only $25. EB Games did not arrive until the mid-90s and there were only a few small independent game stores. It was still possible to find a few 2600 games new at retail, usually forgotten stock in clearance bins. I also picked-up two Pong systems for $1 each. I did not see much in terms of Colecovision, Intellivision, etc. hardware or games. Then, as now, I had no interest in old computers. Remember to that there were no rarity guides so games were often priced as commodities -- Pac-Man would be priced the same as Waterworld.

Which system pioneered the release of "annual" sports games, and when? The 2600, for example, had Football (1979), Realsports Football (1982), Super Challenge Football (also 1982), and Super Football (1988), but these were really seperate games rather than part of a continuing series. As far as I can determine, the trend of annual releases started on the Genesis around 1992 or 1993. Are there any other/earlier examples?

I went to a local thrift shop yesterday and all I found was a single PlayStation game (albeit one that I wanted); the usual pile of bare PSX and Genesis consoles was missing. I'd guess that much of this stuff was bought by people looking for cheap Christmas gifts. Remember that we game collectors are not the main demographic that thrift stores are going after -- somebody is buying that old, used clothing and battered kitchenware and presumably a $10 game console appeals to the same crowd. Other than the few few random cartridges and a Sears Telegames console (uncommon in Canada, BTW) I found in July, I have not seen any Classic-era game hardware at thrift shops in a few years, and I don't expect to. This stuff is now approaching 25 years old; the people who still have it now are either collectors or vendors/resellers. There may be the odd forgotten cache remaining undiscovered in someone's attic or basement, but the chances that a particular thrift shop will suddenly receive a major donation of old games are so very small as to be meaningless.

I once found a (2600) Donkey Kong Jr. cart and a joystick. Not quite game related, but on another occasion, I found a big pile of printer cables, etc. -- I passed on the Zip drive. One evening, I left an old computer desk out by the same bin and it was gone within a few hours.

I have seen a few of these muti-game systems turn-up in obscure locations (e.g. the local Greyhound Bus Depot). Indeed, the operator's contact information was prominently displayed on the front of the machine. I understand that these are technically illegal (in terms of copyright law); presumably this operator was willing to take the risk in return for the amount of revenue the machine would rake-in. How much enforcement is there, realistically? Does Namco, Midway, etc. have operatives searching for these machines? Is there a posted reward for turning-in rogue operators?

I've never found anything really great that was game-related at a thrift shop. I've had a few memorable finds: Daggerfall, complete in box -- probably only $1 or so (this was about 10 years ago) ROB, no accessories -- about $5 in the toy section River Raid II, Space Shuttle and a few other R6 cartridges -- about $4-5 each I've done far better in terms of finding books, and I've even found a few pieces of original art that currently adorn my walls.

This seems to be universal. A former co-worker of mine worked P/T at Goodwill a few years ago, and she was shocked how much valuable stuff never made it to the sales floor. Indeed, much of it apparently to management before even the regular staff could get their pick. Alas, no interesting video game hardware passed through the store during her short tenure there.

My first VCS was a 4-switch and I'm fairly certain that I got it in Spring 1982. It came with Combat and Asteroids as pack-ins. I expect that it came from the local Consumer's Distributing store -- a now defunct Canadian chain akin to Service Merchandise. The Vader model came out a little bit later; I remember that a classmate of mine had that model.

What is he buying them at? Even if it is $80, you would come out money ahead.

I'd certainly consider getting one, where it available in Canada. Sure, it does nothing that existing hardware won't, but the idea of having a turnkey, in-one-box solution appeals to me, not to mention the space saved in my living room.

The only two systems I am currently collecting for are the PS 2 and, to a much lesster extent, the Atari 2600. In theory I also collect for the PS 1, but I have not bought any games in a few years now. Not really. I don't hit the thrift shops as frequently as I did before I moved to my current city. This is mainly because they are far less conveniently located (and I don't have a car). Ditto the specialist game shops. I do not use Ebay, and I have bought only a very few titles from other online vendors. I do check out the discount bins at Gamestop and/or department stores whenever I am in the mall. Very occasionally I will visit a pawn shop if the neighbourhood is not too dodgy. My primary goal for the PS 2 was to acquire all of the retro/classic game compliations released in NA. This I have accomplished I will buy almost any Atari 2600 game that I don't already have. The main criteria is that the game must be fun to play -- so I will never buy, for example, Basic Math or Madden 2K7. With rare exceptions (e.g. some PS 2 RPGs), I will not pay more than $25 for a game. I will never pay more than $50 for a game, regardless. I accept that this means that I will never have some rare and/or desirable titles. I have averaged about 1 Atari 2600 game per 18 months over the past decade. There are a few PS 2 titles I would like, but I am willing to wait until I can get them at my price point. For PS 2 games, condition is obviously an issue. I have passed on several because they were badly scratched, etc. I also like to have the manual and original case insert. For Atari games, condition is not an issue.

As opposed to at night when they are asleep and so not bothered by the noise?

In some ways that is a cause for concern. These people will, eventually, die and then what happens to the collection? Does it get sold (as a lot or dispersed), trashed, or just forgotten in storage somewhere? How many of us have loved ones who appreciate the value (monetary and otherwise) of what we collect? Not game related, but, for example I have amassed a large and significant collection of books on Canadian history and politics. I have already made plans for it to go to a University or College library when I am no longer around to enjoy it myself as I wish to see it kept together as a single collection.

This is how it is handled in the Midway Arcade Treasures collection (Volume 2) on the PS 2, at least -- the shoulder buttons are used to rotate. It makes the game nearly unplayable.

So, is there anything especially obscure/rare/imported/homebrew/etc., or does it just include mainstream titles?

Perhaps this is a a bit O/T, but I don't understand the obsession some people have with wanting copies of prototypes and unreleased games (by which I mean the ROMS, not the actual physical items). I very much enjoy reading Tempest's reviews -- especially in those cases where there are multiple versions of a game and it is possible to see how the game evolved over time. (Cabbage Patch Kids is a really great example of this idea because there exist so many WIP versions from different stages.) That said, from what I've read the vast majority of these games are not especially fun to play -- they are either unfinished or they went unreleased for a good reason. There are some exceptions, of course, I happen to rather like Aquaventure and that never made it to release, but I have no burning desire to play some unfinished WIP. For me, if the game is not fun, I have no interest in acquiring (or playing) it -- in any format. If I did, however, somehow find a prototype or lab loaner at my local thrift shop for under $5, I would very probably buy it. But unless it was fun to play, it would very quickly be put up for sale. [Edited to fix spelling mistakes.]

The University of Calgary Library has recently begun collecting video games (including classic games): Games and Related Media Collection Pac-Man gets new respect as U of C research tool Is this unique, or do any other libraries maintain a similar collection? I know that the local public library collects (some) strategy guides and books on video games in general, but not the games themselves.

I'm not a member either, but some public libraries do provide free access (usually requiring a library card), e.g. Ancestry at the Calgary Public Library

I remember that the Model II used 8" floppy disks; did it even have a hard drive? I suppose it would be possible to play an older version of Nethack (and similar early ASCII character-based games), but overall this is machine is not exactly a gaming powerhouse.

I'm just curious how someone managed to jam a ColecoVision cartidge into a Gemini... (At least the screen shot is for the 2600 version.)

I don't buy on Ebay (for reasons like this), but many year ago I bought a huge lot of 2600 titles at a garage sale for about $20. Mixed in with the 2600 cartridges was an Xonox Robin Hoot-Sir Lancelot for the CV. I was initially disappointed until I traded it online for several 2600 titles I badly wanted. I suspect that this happens very often.