VGCollect Forum
General and Gaming => General => Topic started by: oldgamerz on May 11, 2019, 03:39:56 pm
-
I thought there was a thread on this subject but I could not find it. :-\
When I was buying video games en mass, I was going for Quantity and not really much Quality. Of course a video games quality can be anyone's opinion good or bad.
I guess the question I have is do you save up your money for expensive or rare video games? or are like me and just bought any games that looks decent, or has a good deal.
-
This is something I consider every time I buy games, although my metric is quality relative to the game's cost. I do want to have some rare and relatively expensive games to boast about in my collection. That's why I have games like Suikoden 2 and Eternal Darkness, great games which are hard to find and harder to find cheap and in good condition. But at the same time, I only let myself spend $45 weekly on games, if that, so a lot of weeks I'll buy 2-3 games I know are good but have a low enough market value. Right now I haven't expanded my collection to "bad" games or quality-unknown games, I don't have that much to burn.
So it really depends on my mood each week, and what I find in stores. Generally speaking, if I think I can get the game for less if I wait a few months, then I don't buy it. That's why I rarely buy brand new releases or DLC. After that, I just get whatever strikes me, and maybe I'll splurge twice a year or so to buy a new console or a game as expensive as Suikoden 2.
This might not have answered the thread topic specifically, but it's just my personal rationale.
-
Quality. Quantity seems like it has strong hoarding tendencies.
-
I'm more of a quantity guy myself. I basically look at every game and assign a maximum value to it or "What's the most I would pay for this game?". If it falls under that, I'll likely buy it unless something else gets my attention.
Besides wanting a large collection, I find it's worth playing some of the lesser known, cheaper games as you might be able to discover a hidden gem or find something that's just great to riff on MST3K-style with some friends.
-
Quality. Quantity seems like it has strong hoarding tendencies.
I can see where your coming from, I care about other gamers which is why I stopped grabbing other games and now I only buy something if I really want it bad enough. I am satisfied to be honest (in spite of an earlier post I made). I generally care especially for people that have less than myself. pretty much all games are the same, just different storylines, controls and challenges or worlds and characters you sit and push buttons and make them or something move in a virtual world like an interactive movie anime or cartoon :-\
-
For me, it used to be a mix of quantity and quality until last year or so.
However, right now I feel that I already own most of the cheap games I'd like to have, so now I focus much more on the quality or on how much I want to own or play a game.
For example, nowadays, when I go out hunting for games, I'd rather pay ¥15,000 (like US$135.00 or so) for a copy of Radiant Silvergun than spending the same amount in two dozens or more of PlayStation or Famicom stuff that, although good enough in themselves, for the most part, I'd probably never play...
-
Quality ONLY. That's why I don't have 8,000 games in my collection as some people have. I literally created a Wishlist for only the consoles I want to play and the games that scored high, are the most popular, and hidden gems in a sense. I'm not someone to complete entire console libraries as I will never have the space or money for that. Over the years, my wishlists are pretty small now with just buying new games that come out and I've basically bought up all the common games that are cheap. I will also only buy CIB games and never loose ones including carts. If I stick to these golden rules I won't ever start hoarding. I'd rather spend $300 on a rare game that I will play than 30 cheap games that are $5 each because I just can and it makes my numbers grow. 2 months ago I bought Suikoden II for PS1 at a local game store and that was all I could buy that day instead of a bunch of cheap games just because I don't own them.
Someone stated quantity is hoarding and I agree. If I won't play the game I don't buy so I don't hoard. That's what sets collectors apart from hoarders is we collect, we have a list of items we specifically want, but some people aren't like that.
-
Quality over quantity for me. If it doesn't look like fun to me It's a no go. My collection would have been multiple times bigger if I went that road.
The only reason I would see for having filler titles having some value is if you would go for full sets otherwise the reason ain't good enough in my opinion.
-
Definitely Quality, and the meaning of quality for me is that I will play it. I only buy games that I’m gonna play, I won’t go out of my way to buy a game just to add into my collection. There are plenty of shovel ware games out there that I constantly see at thrift stores or the 2nd hand bin going for a couple of bucks, but I never pick those up. Rather save up those bucks and buy a quality game online that I know I’ll play and enjoy. ;D
-
Definitely Quality, and the meaning of quality for me is that I will play it. I only buy games that I’m gonna play, I won’t go out of my way to buy a game just to add into my collection. There are plenty of shovel ware games out there that I constantly see at thrift stores or the 2nd hand bin going for a couple of bucks, but I never pick those up. Rather save up those bucks and buy a quality game online that I know I’ll play and enjoy. ;D
I can second this. I could never house all that shovel-ware. It would take up so much space so fast. I only get games I want to play.
-
I don't have anything against people who go for quantity, specifically people who go for full sets of relatively large console libraries, however I believe in collecting everything you really diminish the quality and value of your collection. I don't necessarily mean value in the sense of what your collection is worth, but value as in someone whose collection has 100 good games mixed in 900 crap/mediocre games is going to have a less impressive collection that someone with just 150 really good games. I've seen very large collections and it's always sobering to see how much shovelware, sports, and crap games there are for any rather large console library, hence why I don't collect this way.
On that note, I collect to play. Yes, it is highly unlikely I'll ever play every game that I own, but every game I own is there because I genuinely would like to play it someday. That is my metric for deciding whether or not I will buy a game; does this game look interesting to me and is there a chance I might play and enjoy it? If the answer is yes I buy it, if no then I don't. Obviously there are a lot of games that look interesting to me given the size of my collection and its continual growth, but every game I have isn't there by accident.
-
A little of both, but with a definite focus on quality.
First off- never buy any game I won't play, for any price. I don't like sports games, ultra-gory stuff, most racing games, & licensed things. No matter how cheap they are, I won't bother.
After that, there's a sort of price-to-personal value ratio that must be met for me to buy a game. For example: Babysitting Mama is not a good name, but it IS a very novel game with its plush baby controller accessory. I wouldn't pay full price. I wouldn't pay half price. But a dollar for a copy complete with plush baby? That I'll do. Most titles I have a vague interest in I'll buy at 5 bucks or less, more than that requires a greater interest in the title.
Like most people here, I've reached a point where most of the titles I'd want that are cheap I've already acquired. Given a choice between a couple titles of middling interest, or one expensive game of great interest, I'll usually get the expensive game. Funnily enough, space plays a role in this too- I'm a fair bit more picky about my PS4 games these days, becuase I have less space left on the PS4 shelf than the others. Same for NES/SNES. I've still got room for Switch, Xbox One, & Genesis though, so I'm a lot more likely to impulse buy those.
-
Quality, for sure. And, by quality I mean something I'll play and (hopefully) enjoy.
-
It's all about the quantify! ;D
-
About a year ago I was going for quantity, but now I'm not spending as much money on games at the moment. I'm going to save for a better laptop so I can do schoolwork/games/whatever on a better processor and ram.
Now I'm mainly focused on games I want like Castlevania Anniversary Collection, Bloodstained, DOOM Eternal etc...
-
Quantity... but I'm trying to right that by getting rid of games.
-
For me its both im always looking for a good deal I find lots of games I'll give a shot at a $5.00 price tag mostly wii,ps2,ps1,xbox,xbox 360,ps3 I can find games at that price for these systems all the time.I've bought many games for 5 or less that now cost 20,30,or more if you only go after more expensive games your limiting yourself.Sometimes you can find really good games for cheep that aren't sought after yet. For example I bought Mary Skelter for the vita for 8 dollars a couple month's back now it going for about 70 dollars. Some time games stay cheep and abundant for years then become popular and rise in value. Better to get it for cheep and as long as it's a good game I get my money's worth either way. Now some games im probably never going to find cheep these games I've missed my opportunity to aquire without dropping some coin so you either put up or pass up these I won't aquire as often.
-
I'm, pretty sure people also pick cheap games if they are good these days.
Look at ps3 xbox 360 for example almost the whole library is cheap and people love to collect for it above other systems simply because it is cheap.
Personally I don't ignore cheap games plenty of good ones such as tom & jerry war of whiskers jak & daxter, ratchet and clank etc etc
Not to mention personally I picked up titles such as tengai samurai western kingsley's adventure and countless more when they where dirt cheap couple $ simply because the gameplay was excellent. Everyone ignored them never tried them out. It's always a blast when you stumble on gold when you don't expect it.
them cheap hidden gems getting fewer by the day at least for the older systems, I could see ps3 ps4 having allot more hidden gems in the future since those lrg or super rare games tanking in price being available for other people aswell since demand is lower or massive reprints.
-
Quantity... but I'm trying to right that by getting rid of games.
Ditto
-
Mine switches depending on where I am with the collection. Last year I was closing in on 5000 games so I was buying for quantity as I wanted to hit 5000 by Xmas. Once I hit that # I immediately flipped back to quality and have been focusing on NES/SNES boxes, TG16 games(CIC) and a few major items I feel I should have already owned(Sonic Adventure 2 on DC, Contra III SNES and Final Fantasy on NES being some of my first post 5000 purchases). I'm probably going to continue to focus on boxes for loose games and adding more non-sports NES/SNES and Sega items until I get close to 7500, then I'm sure it'll be a quick transition into grabbing everything I don't own already mode.
-
A little of both for me. I still mainly shop at brick and mortar stores. It’s rare for me to keep track of new release dates these days, or even look at game reviews.
I’ve been purchasing stuff old school lately. I look at the back of the package and decide if it’s good LOL.
Some say collecting is glorified hoarding. If you enjoy collecting and you’re not sacrificing living a normal lifestyle, go for it.
-
It took me some time but I had gotten myself to stop buying games for systems that I do not care about and would never play. I still have some of those in my collection, but basically I ended up having to slim down what I end up going for. This doesn't work out as well as you'd expect, since I still will buy PC games, or just software in general. A sucker for anything with a Microsoft logo on it.
But I do not extend that to Xbox or Xbox 360. When I had started to collect games, I would just get everything. Since I don't allot any space beyond 1 room, my collection can only be limited by that one room. The exception is Transformers related games, which are kept in a different room, and I would get games from that series even for consoles I do not own or would never play.
-
Have to say it was always a little of both for me. I always focused on quality, but I wanted there to be lots of it because of the collector in me. So I would research the heck out of different console libraries and find every title that seemed worthwhile to have. In retrospect, I over did it.
-
I think I've answered this elsewhere, but quality over quantity always, no question about it.
-
To be honest I guess, I'm still more of a quantity person more than quality, and I have not been disappointed. for example I'd rather pay $50 USD for an official NES Classic Mini with 30 classic games with an added bonus of save states for saving your progress. then try to obtain all those older games individually, because I save space, saved money and it's a win win for me.
I don't buy games that are for a younger audience, for example I'm a Nintendo 64 collector but I will not be getting something like "Elmo's Number Adventure" or Elmo's Letter Adventure.
Another example Most 2D and 3D platform video game. are often pricey and devilishly difficulty to play, I would never buy an original Mega Man game for the NES yet I bought both "Mega Man Anniversary Collection PS2"
(10 games in 1) and Mega Man X (7 games in 1)collection on PS2.
and since I got the re-released PS2 versions, of all the NES and SNES Mega Man games I can save my progress, and both turn down or raise the difficulty. and one of the games comes with an added bonus of 2 Mega Man games only released in Japan on the disc. on one of them
-
To be honest I guess, I'm still more of a quantity person more than quality, and I have not been disappointed. for example I'd rather pay $50 USD for an official NES Classic Mini with 30 classic games with an added bonus of save states for saving your progress. then try to obtain all those older games individually, because I save space, saved money and it's a win win for me.
To be fair if where talking nes mini
They picked the most popular overall considered best games on the system
You don't really get any filler all games are quality there so your not really going for quantity there.
these aren't 128 in 1 carts with tons of trash on them, all games are considered good some of the more popular titles at the time picked based on popularity.
-
To be honest I guess, I'm still more of a quantity person more than quality, and I have not been disappointed. for example I'd rather pay $50 USD for an official NES Classic Mini with 30 classic games with an added bonus of save states for saving your progress. then try to obtain all those older games individually, because I save space, saved money and it's a win win for me.
To be fair if where talking nes mini
They picked the most popular overall considered best games on the system
You don't really get any filler all games are quality there so your not really going for quantity there.
these aren't 128 in 1 carts with tons of trash on them, all games are considered good some of the more popular titles at the time picked based on popularity.
To be honest with everyone, I also own one 500 in 1 cartridge, and another console with 860 games on it, and they are vary responsive and playable games, I only bought them because they were cheap, I also own most of the official mini consoles as well.
All the games on both the 500 in 1 and 860 built in are fun 8-bit games.
I do agree that a some of these multi carts and consoles do have unplayable trash on them. or break easy. I have 1 as a gift and it does not even play any of the games without crashing, an old friend had another one that broke entirely after barley any usage.
and there are also some official video games that are trash as well. I would defiantly not want to play Superman 64 for the Nintendo 64 unless it was not the same.
But If you get some of these online i would read the reviews first. then make your decision.
-
For me, it's a bit of both.
You wouldn't see me pick up sports games but I'm really after a lot of obscure whacky ps2 games only localised for Europe.
They are quality-wise not the best but they are fun for a quick 30-minute play.
-
I don't want to own a bunch of crap I'll never play. I think you're wasting your time and money if you go out and buy any game you can get your hands on just because it's a game. At that level, you might as well be collecting Funko Pops (no offense to those who do) because if the game itself doesn't matter, it's just a hunk of plastic to you.
Still... I have to admit that a shelf with 500 cartridges or boxes on it is an enviably nice thing to have...
I will not be getting something like "Elmo's Number Adventure" or Elmo's Letter Adventure.
Don't sell yourself short. Elmo's Letter Adventure is a pretty solid game. I mean, I see where the criticisms come from. The skill tree is a little confusing and the crafting system is total trash. And it does alienate hard core fans of the show by retconning canon (their whole characterization of Baby Bear is just off) But, for those who don't mind a little bit of grind, it has a really good storyline. Elmo's adventure isn't just about letters. It becomes clear early on that there is so much more going on. The theme of redemption is pervasive, particularly in Big Bird's phoenix-like rebirth in the third act. I won't be giving away any major spoilers, since you see it coming for a while, when I say that Grover's death is one of the most profound and moving moments in a video game. I don't know anyone who didn't cry.
-
Another rule I follow is I don't try to pick up the same exact game more than once unless the one I have is somehow defective. However sometimes games with the same title are different games entirely on another device or console
Especially a handheld version like The Sims 2 Pets, for GameBoy Advance, that game is nothing like either the PC or the PlayStation 2 version, I don't have the GBA one anymore, it was not as good in my opinion.
(I know I said this a lot on here)
One example is The Tiger Woods Series for PS2 and PS3. The 2007-2010 on PlayStation 2 is entirely different and even has some different golf courses and graphics than the 2007-2010 releases on the PlayStation 3 I got both because I love that series.
The story goes one day I bought Tiger Woods PGA tour 2002 for $2-3 USD, went home and played it than I was hooked than I eventually bought out the rest of them I could find at the same exact store. I bought one of each
-
Definitely quality. I have no interest in (or room for) a crapload of $1 Madden games I’ll never play anyway, or other garbage just to pad my collection numbers.
-
While I'd have to put myself in the quantity category. I usually only spend higher prices on quality games. I personally don't like many sport games and only buy them at garage sale prices or when I'm ready to complete a systems library. But I also love just buying a game I have no idea if I'll like it and discovering the game for the first time like when most of us when we where kids. I'll see a game (old or new) and buy it just because I liked the cover art or liked the style of game it is. Which is why I'm really getting into imports, so much stuff I never knew existed. Some games I know I'll never play but buy them for the story behind them or the shock value.
I'm telling you all right now a large game collection is not for everyone. If you have limited space and it looks like clutter then a collection then you need to limit your collection to what you love to play. If you walked into my house you would never know there was a giant game collection downstairs. Many people I've had over had no idea unless I told them.
When new collectors want to have a collection like mine and ask where to start, I say just collect what you like.
-
While I'd have to put myself in the quantity category. I usually only spend higher prices on quality games. I personally don't like many sport games and only buy them at garage sale prices or when I'm ready to complete a systems library. But I also love just buying a game I have no idea if I'll like it and discovering the game for the first time like when most of us when we where kids. I'll see a game (old or new) and buy it just because I liked the cover art or liked the style of game it is. Which is why I'm really getting into imports, so much stuff I never knew existed. Some games I know I'll never play but buy them for the story behind them or the shock value.
I'm telling you all right now a large game collection is not for everyone. If you have limited space and it looks like clutter then a collection then you need to limit your collection to what you love to play. If you walked into my house you would never know there was a giant game collection downstairs. Many people I've had over had no idea unless I told them.
When new collectors want to have a collection like mine and ask where to start, I say just collect what you like.
This in particular resonated with me as the last few days I have been considering downsizing my collection because I dont have the room that I would like for what I have. I dont own nor have my own place to allow anything of such high magnitude. In a case like this, I would rather have less and for those games I dont want I would rather sell it off, give a good home for someone who can really appreciate it. The clutter is getting me is what I have been feeling over the past week to put it simply.
-
For some systems I got for quantity- PS1, DC, Saturn, Jaguar, 3DO- One day I want full cib NA sets of all these consoles. Why? because it's fun.
But otherwise I just collect for quality for other systems. Don't need every game ever- I can't turn into John Hancock.
-
Both.
You didn't specify good/high quality. I do specifically aim for high and low quality games. There is a certain entertainment factor to playing absolutely atrocious games.
-
Personal choice of course.
But for me, quality in the console space. Quantity in the arcade and pinball space.
Games are meant to be played.
In that vein and in both cases I focus first and foremost on games I hope to someday pull out of the backlog and give a try.
That said, as I’ve built my arcade, it really takes up a lot of space so I have had to think very carefully about how I fill it. I want more pins and cabs than I can physically fit.
Pins and cabs can also be ridiculously expensive and/or a lot of work to restore.
So I kind of cheat.
I have a VPin (pinball cab with a PC and Visual pinmame). While NOT the same thing as my physical tables, it allows me to have more tables than my house could ever hold and scratches the itch for tables I’m not committed to, just want to try, or can’t find/fit. I can also play some great tables that may never exist in real life... including a table design of my own that I am fiddling around with off and on.
For most of my arcade cabs, I bought cabs that have common control panel layouts (a gun cab, a 4p 2 button cab, a dual stick cab, a racing cab, a Sega Mega Play, and a Play Choice 10.
Then I worked with a guy that does high end custom jamma switchers and put as many boards in those cabs as could reasonably be supported. Even my Punch Out!! Cab is multi jamma switchable to Super Punch Out!!.
Effectively making the arcade much more populated than it appears.
I know I could technically get away with just the vpin and a mame cab.
But I like the feeling of a fully populated arcade with all my favorite games and life’s too short to settle for less than what you really want (in general, not just gaming).
Ones that have a special significance in my life got dedicated cabs/tables. Ones I enjoy but don’t really have a good personal story to go with them got slotted into an existing cab.
-
Looking at my what I have I realize I collet for quantity and quality at the same time, Every single game I have means something to me, My collecting strategy is to pick up low priced games for consoles I have. and I think I'll enjoy first, than spend the often more expensive games, I personally think it is a good strategy, because prices can go both up and down at random both online and in an actual stores.
Going for more games for less, does have it sacrifices for example. I'll miss out on all SEGA Saturn and Sega Dreamcast games. Since those games don't come in compilations and they a lot of them cost as much as an entire console does. I will not pick up a game that I will not enjoy at some point.
I am glad to have a game like Earthbound on my SNES/classic mini which came with a lot of other good games that often run $20 a piece or more. all for $65 like new. I see no point in getting an Earthbound cartridge Or Panzer Dragoon Sega
-
I am open to buy and play everything except most licensed games and sports while the price is cheap.
I consider 5$ games like a combo from McDonald.
It's cheap, it works and it last like 20 minutes.
So a cheap game is at least a fun entertaining or burn timer.
-
Quantity only for systems I'm the most passionate about (PS2, PS1, Wii). For everything else only things I'll want to play (good or bad) or any other valuable finds in the wild.
-
Depending on what your standard of quality is, it can be possible to have both.
I've never wanted to focus on only just the games that everyone hypes up as the best. There's a built-in bias with video games where it just so happens that everyone's favorite games were the ones with the biggest marketing behind them when they came out. Are we to believe that only the games with the biggest budgets and the most hype are actually worth playing? I don't think so. Some of the most fun I've had has been playing games no one else seems to care about. Games by small studios, with small budgets, and no marketing. That doesn't automatically make them filler titles.
One of the first games I ever played as a kid was Boulder Dash on the NES. You know, that legendary must-have game that all the magazines of the day adored... What, no one remembers that one? Still it was a good game, and I'm happy to have it in the collection.
-
Honestly I have enough games that it would impress most non collectors which is what I was going for before, now I'm pretty much just getting games that I want or games that other people tell me they like, I want people to be able to walk up to my shelf and pull their favorite game off no matter what it is.