VGCollect Forum

General and Gaming => General => Topic started by: turf on August 01, 2012, 01:45:00 pm

Title: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: turf on August 01, 2012, 01:45:00 pm
How do you like to have your collection displayed?  Do you like the "wall of NES carts"?  Are you a glass cabinet guy?  What kind of tips do you have for making your stuff look nice?  Do you have carts in your boxes or do you take the carts out so you get to them?
One specific question I have is, how do you have your loose N64 carts stored?  With no end labels, it's hard to find the one you want.  Throw me some ideas.
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: scott on August 01, 2012, 01:53:15 pm
I'm running into the same problem with my Game Boy games. Since there are no end labels, it's hard to find what I want and as of now they are sitting in a cardboard box on my games shelf. When I have my own place, I'm thinking of having a wall 'o GB, which will be a shelf of all my Game Boy games facing outward, with three level tiers on each shelf, so I can see what's where.

As for most of my collection, I'm fine with displaying things in book/dvd shelves spine out and will eventually have a room with built in wall shelves. I may make up some glass cases for displaying other things, with out the need for dusting though.

I have big dreams for a future game room. haha
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: soera on August 01, 2012, 02:09:21 pm
I saw something on NA not that long ago ... going to find the pic and post it here. It should work for both N64 and the GB situation.
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: disgaeniac on August 01, 2012, 02:19:53 pm
"Gaming Display", you say...

*Googles both "Gaming" & "Display"* -

*Is Shocked* that some people have this level of organizational skills :)

Don't get me wrong - my games are all sorted alphabetically and by platform (*Unless* it's something like Demon's Souls & Dark Souls for my PS3)...which...after giving it *WAY* more time & thought than such a trivial thing ever warrants or deserves...I decide that - since they both start with a "D"...and since they're in the same 'series', *and*, since Demon's Souls preceded Dark Souls...Dark Souls comes right AFTER Demon's Souls on my shelf :P

Also...

...*FUCK* Roman numerals and how they fuck-up my alphabetical sorting & shelving systems  >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

Anyhow, my "display" is as follows:

Two top 'closet' shelves,
One Book-case,
Five BIG/DEEP dresser drawers, and
Two more small & thinner 'top' desk drawers,
and possibly other places that I've stuck gaming-related shit :)
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: kingrat101 on August 01, 2012, 02:48:49 pm
Mine are alphebetical by system, meaning that all my nintendo brand stuff is on one big bookcase, same with sony, and my sega one is kind of a miscellaneous with Neo Geo AES, obviously all the sega stuuf, jaguar and so on
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: jobocan on August 01, 2012, 07:44:46 pm
I have 2 homemade shelves. I put the games on them at sort of random as long as I can find/make space.

Those are "old" pictures (from back in april, I have more stuff now and it's a lot messier at the moment), but it should give a good idea. I do need to plan ahead though, I'm running out of space fast (I don't even know where to put all the Xbox games I got recently)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v290/jobocan/Game%20collection%20April%2016%202012/PICT0112.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v290/jobocan/Game%20collection%20April%2016%202012/PICT0111.jpg

For N64 games... I don't have a whole lot, but, as you can see, I have a couple facing forward, and a bunch of them behind those (each row is 8 games deep, other than Conker which is alone). Not the easiest way to find them (though I do have somewhat of a logic as to which games are where... like, bad games are behind Superman), but the lack of an end label is pretty annoying. I think the best solution for a complete collection of N64 games would be to have all boxed games.
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: byron on August 01, 2012, 07:47:38 pm
With no end labels, it's hard to find the one you want.  Throw me some ideas.

Easy. Just write the name of the game on the top edge of the cart in pencil. It rubs right off, so it doesn't do any damage and it's sort of hard to see so it doesn't even alter the aesthetics much.
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: jcalder8 on August 01, 2012, 08:09:25 pm
With no end labels, it's hard to find the one you want.  Throw me some ideas.

Easy. Just write the name of the game on the top edge of the cart in pencil. It rubs right off, so it doesn't do any damage and it's sort of hard to see so it doesn't even alter the aesthetics much.
I have seen this done with a label maker and I haven't had any problem removing the label after buying them.
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: clanhuntercrio on August 02, 2012, 12:05:59 am
New to the site so I hope I don't sound like a collector noob, but I have in my game room several IKEA billy bookcase (the black big ones) in between I spaced them with the smaller black billy book case. Have them lining the left and right sides of the room. I only have 14 systems that I separate between 2 glass 6 shelf media towers starting with my oldest system (Atari 2600) top left side to the newest (onlive) on the bottom right. I mention this became the left side book case I store games for the systems on the left side in the room. There alphabetical per system I like collector edition games so I put the statues/ toys/ helmets etc on the right of collectors editions it gives the shelves a little depth I think not just game game game. Now I mentioned the smaller shelves  before because I have several video games signed from game directors, writers, voice actors, actors etc that I meet I prop these up face out to see the signatures on the cover art with little A frame (I think that's what there called, there used to prop pic's etc). On top of the wall of shelves I hold larger than normal controllers (arcade sticks, dk bongo drums, tony hawk shred skate board etc) and larger items like the gears of war retro lancer. I have just about 500 if y games I know its not as impressive as some of yours but I love my collection if not more than you love yours :)
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: ffxik on August 02, 2012, 02:29:00 am
How do you like to have your collection displayed?  Do you like the "wall of NES carts"?  Are you a glass cabinet guy?  What kind of tips do you have for making your stuff look nice?  Do you have carts in your boxes or do you take the carts out so you get to them?
One specific question I have is, how do you have your loose N64 carts stored?  With no end labels, it's hard to find the one you want.  Throw me some ideas.

I just have a homemade shelf I store games on and a couple of Wal-Mart special 3 shelf bookcases I keep systems in.  As far as displaying carts I plan on  using the UGC and DS cases with printed covers.  A few of my games are boxed, but I would prefer a more uniform look.  I am very anal about things being uniform. :-[

New to the site so I hope I don't sound like a collector noob, but I have in my game room several IKEA billy bookcase (the black big ones) in between I spaced them with the smaller black billy book case. Have them lining the left and right sides of the room. I only have 14 systems that I separate between 2 glass 6 shelf media towers starting with my oldest system (Atari 2600) top left side to the newest (onlive) on the bottom right. I mention this became the left side book case I store games for the systems on the left side in the room. There alphabetical per system I like collector edition games so I put the statues/ toys/ helmets etc on the right of collectors editions it gives the shelves a little depth I think not just game game game. Now I mentioned the smaller shelves  before because I have several video games signed from game directors, writers, voice actors, actors etc that I meet I prop these up face out to see the signatures on the cover art with little A frame (I think that's what there called, there used to prop pic's etc). On top of the wall of shelves I hold larger than normal controllers (arcade sticks, dk bongo drums, tony hawk shred skate board etc) and larger items like the gears of war retro lancer. I have just about 500 if y games I know its not as impressive as some of yours but I love my collection if not more than you love yours :)

So it isn't as big as some of our other patrons.  It still sounds very tidy and awesome.  Perhaps you could post some pics in the game room forum to show it off.  You may even give some us some ideas.   :D
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: clanhuntercrio on August 03, 2012, 12:24:22 am
Done!
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: topspot123 on August 04, 2012, 07:46:13 pm
I love talking about this stuff, so I'll try to be brief.   ;D

My current/previous generation stuff is in the living room.  I use a dresser as my entertainment system, so I can utilize the drawers.  Flanked on either side of the dresser I have over sized standard media shelves (similar to http://www.amazon.com/Prepac-Black-Triple-Barrister-Storage/dp/B001KW0BGK/ref=pd_sim_sbs_etk_hg_fd__5 ).  Left side FULL of games, right side FULL of DVD's. 

As new systems come out, the older stuff is forced into storage due to lack of room.  I try to keep my collection safe, secure, and available.  To this end I have a 'tower of power' in my office. 
Full view:  http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/575/1001297g.jpg
Detail:  http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/3999/1001298g.jpg

In the labeled boxes are systems, accessories and games

NES Detail:  http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/1112/1001304.jpg

And finally N64 Detail:
(http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/2892/n64tz.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/836/n64tz.jpg/)

I have the rest stashed in closets and the garage.  I need to assemble another rack just like this one, but the wife isn't happy that this rack isn't in the garage, so we'll see.  I eventually want custom storage but I'm afraid I'm going to need movable library stacks. 

I've spent a lot of time figuring out the best solutions for my own collection and I could go on and on, but that's probably enough today.  If anyone has any questions or comments, shoot!
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: rachel on August 05, 2012, 05:16:25 am
I am in the process of redoing my displays, so I've been thinking on these issues a lot lately. Here are my long-winded thoughts! :D

I used to use cheapy freestanding cubes (the kind they sell for college dorm storage) because I had them hanging around. The problem with these and most other types of shelving is that they're around 12" deep, while most game boxes are less than 6" wide. You get that annoying thing where you try to keep all the games near the edge of the shelf but then it's impossible to actually remove a game without messing up the whole system. Plus, having a too-deep shelf is a waste of space in the room.

I finally decided to redo my displays with elfa shelves from The Container Store. I used to think CS just made wire racks for the kitchen or garage, but they have melamine shelves that look more like wood, too. They make an 8"-deep shelf that is much more compact and great for games. There is still a "dead space" problem, but it's much improved from the 12" shelves. You can adjust the heights on these shelves to match the height of your games, too. (Aside from being too deep, most shelving is also too tall for video games, resulting in more wasted space.) They have snap-on bookends, sliding baskets, etc. if you want to get fancy. BUT tl;dr: Short and adjustable shelves mean less wasted space, more games per square foot.

I have my games split up so that all the loose carts are in one set of shelves while all the in-box games are in another set of shelves. Within these categories, they're then organized by console date order. The result looks tidy because the NES, SMS, Genesis, and SNES boxes all pair together and are about the same height. I put the NES carts up on their sides, while SNES and Genesis carts get stacked up because those don't like to go on their sides. I don't have many N64 carts, so I don't have to worry too much about the end label issue.

Whenever there's a weird spot in the collection (transition from boxes to jewel cases, ugly bracket that needs to be covered, etc.), I reach for something from my game goodies pile such as a Nintendo plush or figurine to act as a bookend or decor item. Let those items serve a good purpose while being on display!

OK, I have more to say, but I think I'll stop there for now.  ;D Hope this helps!
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: rachel on August 05, 2012, 05:32:39 am

Don't get me wrong - my games are all sorted alphabetically and by platform (*Unless* it's something like Demon's Souls & Dark Souls for my PS3)...which...after giving it *WAY* more time & thought than such a trivial thing ever warrants or deserves...I decide that - since they both start with a "D"...and since they're in the same 'series', *and*, since Demon's Souls preceded Dark Souls...Dark Souls comes right AFTER Demon's Souls on my shelf :P


"Which comes first: 1943 or 3-D Worldrunner?"
"Is it L for The Little Mermaid or D for Disney's The Little Mermaid?"
"Does Zelda II really have to go under Z? What about Zoda's Revenge?"
O__O
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: disgaeniac on August 05, 2012, 08:59:20 am

Don't get me wrong - my games are all sorted alphabetically and by platform (*Unless* it's something like Demon's Souls & Dark Souls for my PS3)...which...after giving it *WAY* more time & thought than such a trivial thing ever warrants or deserves...I decide that - since they both start with a "D"...and since they're in the same 'series', *and*, since Demon's Souls preceded Dark Souls...Dark Souls comes right AFTER Demon's Souls on my shelf :P


"Which comes first: 1943 or 3-D Worldrunner?"
"Is it L for The Little Mermaid or D for Disney's The Little Mermaid?"
"Does Zelda II really have to go under Z? What about Zoda's Revenge?"
O__O

1).  1943 because "1" comes before "3" :)
2).  Always "L"...game name always takes precedence over company name :P
3).  Not sure about the last one because I'm not familiar enough w/ the exact titles on those...
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: disgaeniac on August 05, 2012, 09:04:14 am

Don't get me wrong - my games are all sorted alphabetically and by platform (*Unless* it's something like Demon's Souls & Dark Souls for my PS3)...which...after giving it *WAY* more time & thought than such a trivial thing ever warrants or deserves...I decide that - since they both start with a "D"...and since they're in the same 'series', *and*, since Demon's Souls preceded Dark Souls...Dark Souls comes right AFTER Demon's Souls on my shelf :P


"Which comes first: 1943 or 3-D Worldrunner?"
"Is it L for The Little Mermaid or D for Disney's The Little Mermaid?"
"Does Zelda II really have to go under Z? What about Zoda's Revenge?"
O__O

HEY!!!

I know you, don't I?!

(Recognized your sig) :P

We're friends on PSN already; right?!

-That would explain why you're messin' w/ me so early on a Sunday morning...

 ;)
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: soera on August 05, 2012, 09:44:46 am
I do alpha on NES according to the label itself. The only exception I have is the stupid Jaleco games (City Connection, Bases Loaded) that have Jaleco itself on the label.
So I have Zelda II filed as Adventure of Link, Flight of the Intruder is filed as Intruder, Adventure of Lolo is just Lolo, Star Tropics 2 is Zoda's Revenge, etc. I do ignore stuff like "The" and periods (MUSCLE and MULE for example).
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: disgaeniac on August 05, 2012, 09:49:40 am
I do alpha on NES according to the label itself. The only exception I have is the stupid Jaleco games (City Connection, Bases Loaded) that have Jaleco itself on the label.
So I have Zelda II filed as Adventure of Link, Flight of the Intruder is filed as Intruder, Adventure of Lolo is just Lolo, Star Tropics 2 is Zoda's Revenge, etc. I do ignore stuff like "The" and periods (MUSCLE and MULE for example).

Oh yeah - I forgot to mention that...I also ignore any "The" that comes before the actual title.
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: faltain on August 05, 2012, 11:06:35 am
Right now I can't really "display" much as we're living in a condo (and my girlfriend is already very antsy about the gaming stuff anyways haha), so space is limited.

Thanks to UGC's, things like the previously linked prepac media storage unit make a ton of sense, and depending on how our spare room shapes up, (she wants to put a spare bed in there and all that stuff women wanna do naturally first), I may or may not have room in there to fiddle with. :)

One day though.... ONE DAY... I shall have a proper game room! :D
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: rachel on August 05, 2012, 01:26:06 pm

HEY!!!

I know you, don't I?!

(Recognized your sig) :P

We're friends on PSN already; right?!

-That would explain why you're messin' w/ me so early on a Sunday morning...

 ;)

Haha, not that I know of. I don't think I ever tried adding people on PSN. I have a few PS3 games, but the console is mostly a Netflix box at the moment. :D I used to be an editor, so I definitely overthink the alphabetization thing. Just staring at that MLB label like... ML? Or MA? Terrifying.

I decided to paint the walls of my game room and put in a new ceiling fan, so I'll need to uninstall and reinstall all the shelving, move out the arcade cabinet, etc. Starting over should be scary but fun! I was thinking about doing some photographic documentation of the process. Nerdy, I know...
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: madmax on August 08, 2012, 02:54:56 am
I'm a glass cabinet kind of guy but I would need UV protected glass and I don't really have the funds or space for that right now.

So for now, my collection is under my bed in a rolling shelf compartment. Keeping away from dust and sun.
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: scott on August 10, 2012, 11:33:55 am
Eventually, I'll have a game room, designed like a study. With in wall wooden shelving and some glass cabinets. Personally, I don't think the sun is huge deal, unless it's direct sunlight. Indirect light and household lighting doesn't bother me, I've had all my games out on shelving my entire gaming life and I don't see anything that looks faded, unless I wasn't the original owner.
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: soera on August 10, 2012, 11:40:22 am
I dont think normal lighting could do any noticable damage unless you simply never turned the light off and it was close enough to actually burn/bleach the items. I like the way my game room is set up now other than the case my DQ/DW collection is in. But thats a future change.
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: madmax on August 10, 2012, 09:58:36 pm
Does anyone know where I could get uv resistant display cabinets?

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10011055/

Something like that but UV resistant.
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: scott on August 10, 2012, 10:50:04 pm
Does anyone know where I could get uv resistant display cabinets?

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10011055/

Something like that but UV resistant.

Oh that cabinet is sexy.
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: madmax on August 11, 2012, 03:26:51 am
Yeah I may buy that one. I have blackout curtains that are never opened. I'm still super afraid of UV damage *paranoid*

Edit; After some research you can buy transparent films that you apply yourself. They are for house windows but I just need to get a clear UV protective film, apply it before I put the cabinet together and then I have a pretty fancy display case
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: jcalder8 on August 11, 2012, 12:42:54 pm

Don't get me wrong - my games are all sorted alphabetically and by platform (*Unless* it's something like Demon's Souls & Dark Souls for my PS3)...which...after giving it *WAY* more time & thought than such a trivial thing ever warrants or deserves...I decide that - since they both start with a "D"...and since they're in the same 'series', *and*, since Demon's Souls preceded Dark Souls...Dark Souls comes right AFTER Demon's Souls on my shelf :P


"Which comes first: 1943 or 3-D Worldrunner?"
"Is it L for The Little Mermaid or D for Disney's The Little Mermaid?"
"Does Zelda II really have to go under Z? What about Zoda's Revenge?"
O__O
1. 3 comes before 1943
2. Little mermaid because that's how it's listed in my collection
3. collector's choice :D
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: soera on August 11, 2012, 04:48:55 pm
I actually do the 1 in 1943 before the 3 in 3-D
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: pceslayer on August 11, 2012, 08:56:29 pm

Don't get me wrong - my games are all sorted alphabetically and by platform (*Unless* it's something like Demon's Souls & Dark Souls for my PS3)...which...after giving it *WAY* more time & thought than such a trivial thing ever warrants or deserves...I decide that - since they both start with a "D"...and since they're in the same 'series', *and*, since Demon's Souls preceded Dark Souls...Dark Souls comes right AFTER Demon's Souls on my shelf :P


"Which comes first: 1943 or 3-D Worldrunner?"
"Is it L for The Little Mermaid or D for Disney's The Little Mermaid?"
"Does Zelda II really have to go under Z? What about Zoda's Revenge?"
O__O
1)1943 first.. treat it just like you would anything else you are alphabetizing.
2)This one is a bit tougher to answer since technically it is Disney's The Little Mermaid. I personally go by whats in Nintendo's Official check list.
3)The titles aren't The Legend of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link or Star Tropics II: Zoda's Revenge... So based by alphabet, Yes Zelda II belongs in the Z's and so does Zoda's revenge.
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: persona420 on August 13, 2012, 05:41:05 pm
ah ive been thinking of making end labels for my n64 games like you have up there, but i want them all to be the same format as in the same size labels for all carts. ive searched a bunch and i see mrbigreddog made some labels a couple years back but hes out of business now appearently. i was hoping someone who bought the whole 296 set would scan them for other to print off but so far no luck...

as for alphabatizing stuff i exclude 'the' from titles so the little mermaid i would file under 'L'
i split my nes zelda games as zelda 1 is 'legend of zelda' (so under L) and zelda 2 under Z
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: turf on August 14, 2012, 09:07:49 am
ah ive been thinking of making end labels for my n64 games like you have up there, but i want them all to be the same format as in the same size labels for all carts. ive searched a bunch and i see mrbigreddog made some labels a couple years back but hes out of business now appearently. i was hoping someone who bought the whole 296 set would scan them for other to print off but so far no luck...

If you find something that looks good for the N64 carts, let me know.  I liked what he did.  Right now, I think I'll just alphabetize them and search for the one I want.  I even considered labeling the shelf where each game goes, but I don't think I would like the way that looks.
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: topspot123 on August 17, 2012, 10:17:21 pm
ah ive been thinking of making end labels for my n64 games like you have up there, but i want them all to be the same format as in the same size labels for all carts. ive searched a bunch and i see mrbigreddog made some labels a couple years back but hes out of business now appearently. i was hoping someone who bought the whole 296 set would scan them for other to print off but so far no luck...

as for alphabatizing stuff i exclude 'the' from titles so the little mermaid i would file under 'L'
i split my nes zelda games as zelda 1 is 'legend of zelda' (so under L) and zelda 2 under Z


Yeah, those are just printed on paper and scotch taped on.  That's all I had available during those years and they've all held up!  I never thought much about it until I pulled them out and snapped the picture.  If I had a cheap way to produce uniform, high quality glossy and/or vinyl stickers, printed through the edges (no white borders), I would redo all of them.  Something that would closely match or surpass the front label quality.  But what I have still works for me.  I'm more of a function over form kind of guy anyway. 
Title: Re: Displaying Your Collection
Post by: topspot123 on August 17, 2012, 10:24:06 pm
I just remembered, the reason for the different label sizes it that I simply isolated the logo in what ever aspect ratio it took and resized the height to fit the cartridge.  This makes certain logos longer or shorter, but they are uniform in height.  To do it properly you would have to edit the logos to each fit in an approximately uniform space.  I'm searching for mrbigreddog now to see what he did.


EDIT:   :o  Nice!