Collecting: Is less = more?

[Serious]

I've noticed that I'm spending more time lately organizing my collection than I am actually playing the games that are in it. Sometimes, I can't even remember what I actually have.

 

This has me wondering.. Is less = more? (Meaning would I enjoy a smaller, less complete collection than the one I currently have?)

 

This wasn't really an issue until I started replacing my loose 2600 carts with boxed copies. Loose carts and manuals didn't really take up any space at all.

 

If I were going to scale back on the number of boxed games in my collection, I'm not sure where I would want to draw the line.

Plus, when I've sold off parts of my collection before, I've usually had regrets.

 

Am I having a moment of temporary insanity, or temporary clarity??

[+save2600]

Clarity for sure!

[fiddlepaddle]

If you're having fun organizing, have fun organizing. Once it starts to feel like warehousing, it's time to make some changes.

[Hatta]

Depends on what you enjoy doing. If you like curating more than gaming, then by all means a huge collection is a great thing. If you like gaming, there's little reason to collect at all, because of emulators and flash carts. If you like the thrill of the hunt and finding things in the wild, you can go game hunting and then sell your finds to fund further hunts. It takes all kinds really.

 

Just make sure if you're a collector who collects for collecting's sake that you can really take care of your collection. Nothing worse than putting in all that work, and losing it because of hard times.

[+Gemintronic]

It's your toys. Buy what makes you happy. Keep what makes you happy. If organizing gets you happy by all means organize. If you don't play with it and don't derive joy from organizing then slim down.

 

..not that I listen to my own advice (or obvious statements in general).

[Serious]

I enjoy the collecting as much as I enjoy playing the games.

 

And I think I take pretty good care of my collection:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think my challenge is that my collection has outgrown the space I have allocated for it. I used to keep my boxed games displayed on bookshelves, but I ran out of shelf space.

 

I moved to using these long boxes (shown above) for the items that I don't have shelf space for, but I don't actually have anywhere good to keep those boxes. (They are too long to fit on shelves.) I haven't been able to find another box size that works.

[raskar42]

Imo With a smaller collection, the individual pieces feel more valuable then if you have a warehouse full of game that are never played.

[Serious]

Imo With a smaller collection, the individual pieces feel more valuable then if you have a warehouse full of game that are never played.

 

That's kind of what I'm considering. For example, if a game doesn't make the cut when I'm deciding what to display on a shelf (versus keep in a box), should I keep a boxed copy of it?

[+boxpressed]

I have a fairly small space to store and display my collection, a 12' x 12' room and an adjacent small storage closet, so this is an interesting topic to me.

 

I know that this doesn't apply to the OP and many others, but a key decision I made early on was not to collect for the 2600. (I collect pre-Crash only, so the 2600 has the largest library of that subset.) That decision (and a multicart) has made my collection more manageable. I'm collecting for Vectrex (almost done!), ColecoVision, and Intellivision (kind of).

 

I agree with raskar42's point about the perils of getting every game for a system. I'm even thinking of getting rid of most of my CV games except for homebrews because of my Atarimax multicart. As for Intellivision, I'm transitioning to sealed games (makes space less of an issue, and I hate ratty Intellivision boxes).

[Seob]

I like the hunt, as much as playing the games as organizing my stuff. I try to avoid buying online since that makes it way to easy to spend way to much money. And run out of space even quicker. Also i don't buy imports.

When i go to a swapmeeting i bring a fixed amount of money with me and make a list with stuff i want, making it easier not to buy just everthing.

I don't try to complete a collection, i just want the games that where important for a system.

[Gabriel]

I think it's whatever brings you joy. If having the boxes makes you happy, then it's a valid collection.

 

My recommendation is to never collect for completionism. It seems to me that the completist path will inevitably lead to collecting things you didn't want in the first place. If you don't at least look at it and think "I'm so happy I have that" then it's something that shouldn't be in your collection.

 

So my answer is that less is more. It's a case where quality is more important than quantity. Of course, even though my video game collection is small compared to many people here, it's huge compared to anyone I know in the offline world, so maybe I'm far from a position of wisdom on this point.

 

I do know a few years ago that when I purged huge numbers of RPG books from my pen and paper RPG library, I felt so much better about myself and that hobby. I trimmed down to things I had genuine appreciation for, rather than keeping tons of books which I had purchased as a completionist or to keep up to date with other BS going on in the hobby.

 

[Tempest]

It's not insane at all. In fact I'm in the process of doing the same thing (notice all my sale threads lately?). I came to the conclusion that I spend more time trying to reorganize my game room in an attempt to cram yet another system in than I do actually playing games. So now I'm in the process of organizing my game room one last time to only keep out the systems that I really want to play and putting the rest in storage with the knowledge that I can always swap systems out if needed. This way my game room isn't so crowded and I don't spend all my free time moving stuff around.

 

The hard part was being honest with myself. Yes I love my PCjr and all, but am I really going to play with that over, say, my Apple IIe? Doubtful. SV-328 over the Amiga? Not happening. There just isn't enough room and even if there was I just don't have the time to get to them all. I can honestly say I haven't missed anything I've sold or put away. Most of the time I haven't even noticed.

 

Of course there are some 'useless' things that I'll never give up just because they have some sentimental value. My boxed Apple II and Atari 8-bit stuff isn't going anywhere.

[MrMaddog]

Yes, I do noticed I've spent more time organzing my collection than actually playing them. But then again, it feels like a game to me doing all of that. They don't call it a hobby for nothing...

[Bill Loguidice]

I have long since passed the point of having a collection that's too large, with 450+ platforms and tens of thousands of pieces of related software, accessories, and other materials. I agree having focus on just a handful of platforms is far better than enjoying and collecting for everything. I'm already too far down the rabbit hole, though, so I guess I'll just keep pressing on. Despite how I use my collection for professional purposes, I definitely fantasize about the possiblity of selling the whole lot for big bucks one day. Sadly, doing such a thing is highly unlikely.

[Jess Ragan]

I look at it this way... you don't have to own EVERYTHING. Just get the games and systems that interest you, and leave the rest for everyone else. For 95% of game consoles, you could spend a lifetime trying to assemble a complete collection, and most of those games are going to be cack anyway.

[desiv]

I was at a point, years ago, where I was considering the large scale collecting path..

I already had 20 some odd systems, and was looking at expanding...

 

Then I stopped and started looking at how much time I was actually using some of those systems..

 

I decided to concentrate on fewer systems that I actually use...

So I traded off some of the systems for items to enhance the systems I have...

 

I think it was the right choice for me...

Decided I wasn't a collector for being a collector, but a collector for the systems that are right for me...

 

When I look at the spare time I have, and time spent on this hobby, I'm glad I did...

 

desiv

Edited November 12, 2013 by desiv

[+Gemintronic]

Or, instead of my advice on focusing on systems you actually use.. why not collect for systems nobody should use? Throw that Neo Geo aside and start collecting Game.com and R-Zone

[ledzep]

I think it's whatever brings you joy. If having the boxes makes you happy, then it's a valid collection.

 

My recommendation is to never collect for completionism. It seems to me that the completist path will inevitably lead to collecting things you didn't want in the first place. If you don't at least look at it and think "I'm so happy I have that" then it's something that shouldn't be in your collection.

 

So my answer is that less is more. It's a case where quality is more important than quantity. Of course, even though my video game collection is small compared to many people here, it's huge compared to anyone I know in the offline world, so maybe I'm far from a position of wisdom on this point.

 

I do know a few years ago that when I purged huge numbers of RPG books from my pen and paper RPG library, I felt so much better about myself and that hobby. I trimmed down to things I had genuine appreciation for, rather than keeping tons of books which I had purchased as a completionist or to keep up to date with other BS going on in the hobby.

 

 

That's kind of where I'm at, too. I only collect for the Atari 2600, the Atari 5200 and the Vectrex. And while I insist on getting boxed complete versions of the games (they can be worn, just not mashed) I've been pretty good at not trying to round up games that I think suck just to get closer to a complete collection. For the 2600 I've made it a slight bit harder by wanting to concentrate on the Sears Tele-Games version of the games I want, too. But I won't complete any of those collections because some of the games on each system I just hate. I do try to get most homebrews, though, since those tend to be better games (too much effort to make a boxed homebrew game to waste on it being shitty, it seems) so it's worth it. Now, if I were to stumble upon a Sears version of the blue boxed Superman game, even though I never liked it as a kid, I'll get it if it's a reasonable price. But I'm not looking for it.

 

I'm a big Traveller fan so I've kept all my original RPG stuff for that game, too. And there's lots of that crap and I don't think I'll complete that collection, either. Back in the day dozens of companies sprang up making supplements and adventures and magazines for Traveller. I hate the Judge's Guild stuff, they always seem so cheaply made, I can't even look at them so I don't collect them. I have most of the FASA stuff for Traveller, though. I bought it all back in the day when there were lots of RPG stores that had that stuff new. No sense getting rid of it.

[goldenegg]

I have some very specific rules about what goes in my collection (this only applies to retro consoles, being Playstation and earlier).

 

As far as consoles go, I'll buy any console I'm interested in as long as a flash cart is available (for cart based systems) or it can read recordable media (for CD based systems.

 

For games, I only add games to my collection for the following reasons:

 

1 - The games came part of a larger lot. These may have been bundled with the system or a game lot which was purchase for reason #2.

 

2 - Any game I actively search out to buy must have nostalgic/sentimental attachment from my childhood.

 

This allows me to keep my collection under control. I'm also very close to having my collection be 100% complete.

[Tempest]

I've pretty much sold off all my games at this point. I'm all about the multicarts now. Saves room and money.

[+GoldenWheels]

My rule has always been if I have no interest in playing it for more than say, 20 minutes then I don't buy it. And Every once in a while I cull the weak sisters of the collection out if I know I won't play them any more.

 

Saw a very decent deal on a Jaguar system locally a week ago...almost scooped it in "gotta have'em all" mode...then said..."am I really going to play this?"

 

The answer being a resounding NO!, I moved on and bought more NES games I would play.

Edited November 13, 2013 by GoldenWheels

[akator]

My collection crossed the line when we started talking about opening a museum. There's nothing wrong with a museum, only that I personally didn't want to run a museum. And I definitely didn't want to live in a museum.

 

By trimming my collection I've managed to free up 2 rooms in our house over 4 years. The consoles we still have get used more often and we enjoy them more. I spend much more time gaming now even though we own maybe 5% or less than what we did 4 years ago. For us, "culling the herd" has been a good thing.

 

Rather than being sad that I don't own all of the wonderful things I used to, I am happy that I had the opportunity to experience all of those wonderful things.

[Reaperman]

I notice that when I first get a system, and only have a couple games for it, I seem to enjoy it more. Then, while I'm enjoying it, I also enjoy tracking down more games online to buy (games that fit my playstyle)--but by the time they get here, I'm totally in the 'buy more' phase rather than the 'play games' phase.

Edited November 13, 2013 by Reaperman

[CatPix]

Or, instead of my advice on focusing on systems you actually use.. why not collect for systems nobody should use? Throw that Neo Geo aside and start collecting Game.com and R-Zone

That's what I do.

Well to be more specific, I try to do a fullset of rare/obscure systems.

I actually own a Watara Supervision and like 25 games for it (of which easily 20 are worthless crap), a BitCorp Gamate and 6 games for it (boy, there are expensive! Tho, they are far better than the Supervision ones), and a Mega Duck plus a Microvision in the handheld range.

On the home console range, I collect for the Interton VC 4000 and sister system the Radofin Advanced Programmable Video System, Saba Videoplay/Nordmende Teleplay/Fairchild Channel F, Advision Home Arcade/Emerson Arcadia 2001, and the Hanimex HMG 7400.

Plus I look for all the Pong SD-050 cart series. Only one missing

 

It's way harder than what you'd think. Or not. Read about people trying to get RCA Studio II complete sets.

[TheGameCollector]

Wow I Imagine getting a full RCA Studio II set would require buying and selling many system lots and reselling the extra systems.

 

I have 3 sets of games in my collection:

 

My true collection is made up of games I have been able to complete.

 

My sub collection is made up of multi-game compilations and endless arcade or puzzle games that I like so much I go back to play them again and again. These take second priority in collecting as the requirement to add them to the collection is less demanding and if they took the front seat I would spend too much money on them.

 

My backlog collection is made up of games I bought on impulse, received in lots or found cheap at thrift and never played or never finished all of the way. Apart from rare exceptions, these will be the first to take a hit if I end up in financial trouble. I've got great condition Dreamcast, Xbox, Gamecube, PS2, PS3, Wii and Xbox 360 games I've never even played and I now have an urge to play the ones I think I will like the most so I can add them to my true collection before they end up on the chopping block. Sometimes I still add new games to this set if they belong to a genre or series I like or if they really look like I would like them.