Messages

76

General / Re: Do You Have A Hard Time Picking A Game To Play?

« on: February 06, 2020, 10:34:46 am »

Often yes- usually when coming off of playing a longer game. It's like the specific title works its way into my routine, and playing something else feels odd. To the point that I may bounce around a couple titles until something catches my imagination & I settle in.

Many years ago, when my collection was much smaller, I wrote down the name of all the games I hadn't beaten on lil' paper slips, which I kept in an old drawstring bag. I'd finish a game & a draw a new title from the bag. I had to give that up after a few months becuase it was taking away the enthusiasm tied to playing a game & making it more like a chore.

I learned something very important back then- it's perfectly OK to not play anything for a lil' while. No need to burn yourself out trying to complete titles you don't even feel like messing around it at that moment.

77

Hardware and Tech / Re: Can You Tell Me What Version Of the OG Xbox I Have (serial included)

« on: February 04, 2020, 11:06:41 pm »

Glad you saved your Xbox! I hope it runs for you for years to come!

78

Classic Video Games / Re: Your Top Ten Recommended Nintendo 64 Games (text)

« on: February 04, 2020, 08:52:57 am »

I got into the N64 at a bad time (the prices in my area where spiking around the time I got a deal on a deck, oddly enough), so my collection is small. I will be very interested in what people say in this thread!

I just have one recommendation- Mischief Makers. It flew under the radar back in the day, being basically a 2D platformer in the 3D era. But it's a fun lil' romp with some interesting mechanics. It's also not too expensive just yet, but it is starting to make the rounds in 'hidden gems' articles/videos, so if you wanna try it maybe sooner rather than later is a good idea!

79

Video Game Database Discussion / Re: Separate Steelbooks

« on: February 04, 2020, 08:45:06 am »

I would assume if the steelbook is given to you at the same time as the game, you could list it as a steelbook edition ("Best Buy Steelbook edition"?). It wouldn't be all that different than a collector's edition with additional tchotchkes. You'd have to note in the description that the steelbook was packaged separately, & when adding to collection, the honest thing would be to check the boxes for game/manual/other, since you are technically missing the original case. No idea what the photos should look like.

80

Hardware and Tech / Re: Genesis Model 1 AC Adapter

« on: February 03, 2020, 11:10:20 am »

here is one I think but it don't look exactly like my own but it has 4 stars in amazon reviews

This is an adapter for The NES and SNES And The Sega Genesis Model one only
https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Adapter-GENESIS-nintendo-entertainment-system/dp/B001S2VT6I

Hmmm... *clicks link* AGH!

My Master System came with one of those- I mean, it technically worked, I guess- but I was never, EVER comfortable with it. The thing weighs nothing- seriously, I'm 99% sure that big plug was a hollow shell to make it look like an old-school AC. It also felt very plasticy and cheap to boot. For the time I used it, I would keep a rubber balloon over the unused prong, becuase I just didn't trust it not to send power to the wrong end & start a fire or something. I have since picked up an official AC & feel a lot safer with it.

Also, as a note- when I got my Master System, it wasn't uncommon to turn it on, & have nothing happen- no picture. Just turn it off & on again, it's a finicky unit, right? Except it's all but stopped now that I've switched out the adapter. I'd say the plugs are fine as a temporary measure- if you need to see if the unit works, or it's all you've got available, they're ok. I do NOT recommend them for long-term use.

81

Classic Video Games / Re: 25th anniversary of SEGA Saturn

« on: February 02, 2020, 11:14:41 am »

These guys doing the hoarding are idiots. Don't they remember the Atari bubble? When I was in middle school, Atari nostalgia was a big deal- you could get all sorts of branded merch at Hot Topic & whatnot. Then it aged out of popularity & now hardly anyone gives a crap. Even the rarest of rare Atari games, like Pepsi Invaders, can't pull more than a 3 digit price.

These guys are just assuming the market will hold- but they're running on borrowed time. Eventually the kids of today will grow up, & they won't want most of our junk. You see it in the displays we show off in stores & magazines... minimalist trappings. Don't collect stuff. Just download/stream all your media & hide the boxes & cords that store & move your data. Eventually no one will come to see their piles of sealed games, even when they do intend to sell- and they'll be left alone, looking at their horde, & realizing all the potential gains they could have had & passed on for the sole purpose of being jerks to the only people who cared.

82

General / Re: Any tips on collecting pc games?

« on: February 02, 2020, 10:57:40 am »

I cannot help on the PC collecting front, since I don't play on PC- and my understanding is 'if it's modern, use Steam & GoG, if it's retro you gotta decide what & how many rigs you're gonna keep around first.'

I will add this though- if you don't wanna come off as sexist, don't bring up gender unnecessarily. What does the existence of Barbie & Monster High themed games have to do with PC collecting, at all? All you've done by mentioning it is imply 'these are the games girls play'- no, they are not. Of all the fellow girl gamers I know, only one ever even owned one of these games- and she didn't want it, it was a gift from a well-meaning relative who wanted the little sister to have her own game. There's a difference between a 'gendered' game and licensed drivel designed for a quick sale from confused family. Not trying to rag on you, I'm sure you mean well & just expressed yourself poorly. Consider this friendly advice to avoid more hostile interactions elsewhere on the 'net.

83

General / Re: Switch exceeds Xbox One console sales - thoughts?

« on: February 01, 2020, 10:56:44 pm »

I'm not the least bit surprised. Xbox has chosen to market at the 'core gamer' stereotype. A Mountain Dew drinkin', pizza eating bro looking to shoot monster or play football with his dorm buddies. The kind who want the sickest setup with the best TV/monitor so they can rag on the guy stuck at a measly 60 FPS. The kind who chuck their games straight into the trash as soon as the newer, 'better' version comes out.

Then this generation they tried to make it all but impossible to share or sell games, then backpedaled when people got mad, but THEN announced anything they put on Xbox would also be on PC- which can be made a far more powerful machine than an Xbox One. Basically, they went out of their way to make their machine the inferior option to the kinds of people who bought it in the past. If you don't do PC gaming, there's enough to make it worth having if you can land a sale or really need the most powerful console. If you do? The number of true console exclusives is so low, there's no reason to bother.

As for the Switch- its 'gimmick' isn't especially novel- it's utilitarian. Hate having to put a game away & hop on an hour bus ride to work? Stuck out of town & the TV gets crap channels? No problem! Just bring your console with you! Getting together with friends, but can't get to a TV for a multiplayer run? Hand everybody a joycon & huddle around the lil' screen! Basically, the Switch looks at the modern lifestyle of constantly being on the go, and adapts to fit it. Whether you're trying to keep playing a game but need to keep the volume/light down to avoid disturbing the household, or you're having lunch & just found out your buddy hasn't seen that cool new game, the switch can come with you. It doesn't surprise me that it's taken off.

84

Modern Video Games / Re: Are there any games this gen that you keep coming back to?

« on: January 31, 2020, 08:58:38 am »

Monster Hunter World would be the biggest one for me, I have about 400 hours in it which is probably the most I've put into a game since Team Fortress 2.

Same- I just crossed 600 hours at the beginning of the grand appreciation fest.

I mean, there's so much to do, even if I do get bored & stop awhile, something new gets announced or I go back to try something I haven't done yet, and viola- sucked right back in.

85

General / Re: Do you love every game in your collection?

« on: January 29, 2020, 11:03:00 pm »

No, I own Sonic 06' sealed and only because it was a gift.

Mine was also a gift- but opened and a 'get-this-thing-out-of-my-house' gift.

As for why I KEEP it:
- more eco-friendly by not putting it in a landfill
- socially conscious by not dumping it on a thrift shop
- excellent choice for Crappy Game Night
- teaching tool in not blindly following a franchise
- great choice for console testing (no loss if damaged)

86

General / Re: Do you love every game in your collection?

« on: January 29, 2020, 08:36:41 am »

https://youtu.be/D2h4PhgobI8

87

Off Topic / Re: What are your thoughts on Reddit?

« on: January 28, 2020, 09:08:29 am »

I like the Atariage take on 'rep', although I'm quite sure it's not something in this forum's setup- each post has a button at the bottom allowing you to choose from 5 symbols: Like, Thanks, Haha, Confused, Sad. It allows for someone to comment on a post without having to quote it & add a short reply that ultimately doesn't contribute to the conversation. The actual 'reputation' number is only viewable on a person's profile, can't go down, & has no bearing on anything else on the site- so it really doesn't come into play.

As far as the 'talking to a wall' thing... I'm actually SUPER OK with that. Maybe my situation is more unique, but in-depth discussion of gaming stuff, especially retro or collector issues, isn't something I can do 'in real life'. I can talk games with friends, sure, but it's limited mostly to Monster Hunter & whatever might be in the news currently. Nobody cares about, say, the Intellivision Amico or trying to find the perfect storage solution for handheld carts, or what-not. Forums like this one give me a chance to get those thoughts out without feeling like I'm bothering anybody. I probably worry too much about bothering people, so online posts mean I can relax- I'll be easy to ignore (and won't even know it's happening!) Maybe somebody reads it & cares. Maybe not. Either way, I feel a lot better getting stuff written out instead of letting it swirl around in my head.

88

Off Topic / Re: Were You Considered Cool Or Were You Bullied Growing Up (your stories)

« on: January 27, 2020, 12:21:14 pm »

I was on a military base until I was 12. There were a couple bullies, but nothing major becuase people moved around a lot- pretty much every new school year meant making new friends becuase most/all of them moved away during the year prior. New kids always got mobbed for a couple weeks while everyone figured out if they'd make a good friend.

Moving was jarring- it hadn't occurred to me until I started my new school that these kids had grown up with each other. They didn't need to talk to me. I think I made one friend during the half of 6th grade I had at that school- who quit talking to me by the beginning of 7th grade. Good LORD, was the first day of 7th grade hard- I won't get into everything, but no one in my class even went to the elementary school I'd done the half-year of 6th grade in. So I was starting from new kid square one, only nobody knew it. I made NO friends for months. I sat alone at lunch. I walked to the corner market my mom worked at, bought a magazine about horses with a pen pal section, and started writing a LOT of letters. Oddly enough, this is also when I got into gaming- a magazine my mom had won a subscription for & didn't update before we moved found us & finished the subscription. Mail was kinda my lifeline then, so the magazine worked its way into that. We couldn't afford new games, but I sure read about them every month!

Eventually things worked out- a girl I'd never seen before suddenly sat across from me at lunch. She had a horse backpack. I told her I liked it. We proceeded to eat lunch together everyday, without speaking, for weeks- until one multi-class PE session saw us sorted next to each other right before we were told to pick partners for something-or-other. We ended up proper friends after that. She got me into Star Wars & introduced me to the internet. Come high school we got put in different classes- but now I had the guts to try & talk to some people, and a gaming magazine I hauled around which helped start conversations. There were attempts at bullying, but nothing ever stuck- I don't think they knew what to do with someone who'd developed a completely different value system than they did. Popularity? Sports? Who cares about that- games & anime are better, and the people are nicer. Hard to bully someone who treats you like the 'nerd'.

You've got me thinking about that magazine again- I actually attribute a lot of how my life is today to that subscription. Those issues helped me make friends, which provided me new interests, which eventually put me in the right place to meet my fiancé. I don't know what any of those editors are doing nowadays, but if some retro con ever does a Game Players reunion and brings the 90s group together again, I NEED to be there. I have a lot to thank them for!

89

General / Re: Should I sell?

« on: January 27, 2020, 11:56:35 am »

Search on Ebay, then change the parameters to 'sold listings', sorted by 'recent first'. That'll give you a better idea of what you might get for them.

As for if you should- that's kind of up to you. Have you sold games in the past- and if so, did you miss them? If you didn't have them right in front of you, could you name them all off the top of your head? Do you need more space on your gaming shelves? If you do sell, what would the money go towards?

Don't let a big number trick you into a hasty decision. The best case scenario is: people quit caring about the Vita, so 5-10 years from now you can buy the games back for less than you sell them. Given the almost fanatical take a lot of Vita fans have, I find it more likely you'll end up selling too low. Far worse is the possibility that you regret the decision and can't afford to buy new copies. Unless you're in need of quick cash, take your time and think it over.

90

Off Topic / Re: What are your thoughts on Reddit?

« on: January 26, 2020, 10:04:23 pm »

I've never posted on Reddit. I read stuff from time to time, if it turns up in search results for something I'm trying to figure out. It's fine, I guess- I prefer more specialized communities for my forum content- just like this one. A lot smaller, a lot slower, makes it easier to keep up with everything- and, I think the smaller size & scope keeps people on a more even keel. If I want a flame war kinda situation, I'll do it on twitter where I can block/mute everything when I'm tired of it.