question for the old timers.

[final fight cd | 227]

3 hours ago, wongojack said:

I'm 48, so I think that makes me the oldest person to confess their age on the thread. 

Tabonga says hold my bear.

checkout page 1. 

[Tabonga | 2,533]

55 minutes ago, final fight cd said:

Tabonga says hold my bear.

checkout page 1. 

 It's lonely at the top.......

 

Edited July 27 by Tabonga

[fcgamer | 5,006]

6 hours ago, final fight cd said:

let me see if i can maybe better clarify my position.

i've been collecting since 2008ish; near 16 years.  i've probably been focused on the sega cd for 12ish years.  so i was a young buck in my mid 20s when i started out.  and at the point it was easy in my mind to project myself in the future and say things in my mind like, "wow, it'll be so cool if i finish a complete sealed sega cd set!" and 12 years later i am still projecting myself in the future and envisioning myself with a complete sealed set and i still saying those same things in my head: "how cool and awesome would it be to finish a sealed sega cd set!" but at the age of 40 it got me thinking: am i still going to be having these same thoughts in another 12 years? in another 24 years?

even if i would spend the money to purchase snatcher and keio and the 3rd unassuming game that i shall not mention actually pops up for sale and i would buy it who cares, right?.  i'll feel excited for maybe a couple days, i would make a post here about it, and i would 100% make a post on reddit so i can get the "you're stupid! you're not a real collector! i can actually play my games!" comments; i hate reddit. but at the end of the day i will still be the EXACT same person i was.  there will be no pre-sealed-set-final-fight-cd and no post-sealed-set-final-fight-cd; just normal-final-fight-cd.  which leads to the questions that Age-40 asked me: why am i doing it? 

im not saying 40 hit me hard, but it definitely got me thinking about things.

Oh okay, yeah I totally get these thoughts and feelings. I'd imagine something big like having kids would create a situation of pre-sealed-set-final-fight-cd and no post-sealed-set-final-fight-cd, but most general things wouldn't. Maybe there is a bid of midlife crisis tied up here?

[GPX | 1,403]

One thing I like to say about games is that I will never consider it a waste of time. There are so much more layers to their presence that to me, it’s incomparable to the feeling I get with other physical objects. Examples of what I mean:

- they’re a great display with some cool art covers

- they evoke strong nostalgic feelings of the past

- their presence feels like hanging around a friend rather than inanimate objects

- they can help relief stress or grief more than perhaps most humans can ever hope to do; at least they’re non-judgmental!

Others may consider it a waste of time, but stuff that! I’m cool with touching them and fiddling with controllers and doing crappy drawings of Nintendo characters and sticking them up as my forum avatar! Who’s gonna stop me? 

[Tabonga | 2,533]

16 minutes ago, GPX said:

Who’s gonna stop me? 

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,042]

9 hours ago, wongojack said:

Collecting video games (while expensive) is actually one of the cheaper hobbies "out there."  Depending on how you do it, it also takes up less space than pool, golf, cars, pinball etc.

This is a big point I think a lot of seasoned collectors oversee. The cost to get a really impressive collection, ungraded and play condition even if it's CIB, is the cost of one of those other hobbies for a year. 

Cars are insane. Racing even a couple times a year will drain your bank account faster than a sugar baby. Even maintaining classic weekend cruisers can set you back several grand every year. People don't appreciate how low the bar of entry is in video games collecting. 

I understand the bar gets as high as you can raise it but to get in, it's the cost of smoking or casually drinking. Maybe exchange the avocado toast and a latte everyday for a year and end up with a ton of dank games. 

[jonebone | 1,329]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned... "Residual Value".

Some hobbies are purely money consumers... like travel, golf, drinking, etc.  They can provide you lots of great memories or experiences but you spend money and get nothing back.

Then there's a ton of low cost hobbies that don't make anything but cost very minimal.  Hiking, running, fishing, etc.  They may have a small upfront cost (equipement / shoes / etc.) but for the most part it only cost time to enjoy.

Lastly there's hobbies with residual value.  Modding a car, boating or even collecting games.  Boats and cars can be money pits but at the end you can eventually sell it and get some money back.  You lose money, but you didn't get into boating / car modding to make it in the first place.  That was the cost of enjoying the hobby.

Video games have spoiled a lot of people because they basically were investments that paid off.  Even if you didn't sell, your stuff is likely way up the longer you've been collecting.  But regardless of making or losing money, the point is that they do have some value.

So in your case, let's say you shell out thousands to complete the set.  At the end of the day, they'll still have value when you decide to sell.  No guarantee it's up, but you'll still get something.  The point is that you'll still be able to salvage something if you do decide to leave the hobby unlike some other hobbies that will give you nothing in return.  Just some more food for thought.

[Startyde | 180]

When you're young, games are an interest.

When you're older, they're a hobby.

Older still, they're an art. 

When you're even older, they're an investment, whether that is financial, mental health or just an appreciation of advancing technology. 

The world grows with you. I've personally never understood someone who would look down on Tetris but play word puzzles, someone who would think less of sophisticated GPU's simulating reality in real time, but go and turn on HBO to watch dragons duke it out. 

[GPX | 1,403]

On 7/31/2024 at 9:15 AM, Startyde said:

When you're young, games are an interest.

When you're older, they're a hobby.

Older still, they're an art. 

When you're even older, they're an investment, whether that is financial, mental health or just an appreciation of advancing technology. 

The world grows with you. I've personally never understood someone who would look down on Tetris but play word puzzles, someone who would think less of sophisticated GPU's simulating reality in real time, but go and turn on HBO to watch dragons duke it out. 

I agree with the general thinking here. Although I would like to say the best part about games is that you can treat them in various modes depending on your life circumstances and interests. It doesn’t have to be a linear trajectory. 

Myself, games were an escape session when young and a main form of entertainment. When older, they were great display pieces and grailz achievements. Then somewhere along the way, I liked the term “market value” and investing felt like a worthy diversion.   As of now, I enjoy doing a bit of everything that games have to offer. 

[Hammerfestus | 4,100]

Calling buying video games investments sounds like a thing a 10 year old tries to get his mom to buy him the new Nintendo.  

Edited August 1 by Hammerfestus

[GPX | 1,403]

5 minutes ago, Hammerfestus said:

Calling buying video games investments sounds like a thing a 10 year old tries to get his mom to buy him the new Nintendo.  

Anything antique or retro, you can technically invest on. It isn’t anything outrageously new of a concept. The issue is that some are bad eggs and with too much greed, making the scene appear like everyone involved are bad eggs. 

[Hammerfestus | 4,100]

4 minutes ago, GPX said:

Anything antique or retro, you can technically invest on. It isn’t anything outrageously new of a concept. The issue is that some are bad eggs and with too much greed, making the scene appear like everyone involved are bad eggs. 

It’s fine.  I’m not really one of the one’s that gets that upset about bourgeoisie’s game buying habits.  That stuff’s never been my world and was never going to be.  That does not mean that I’m not going to mock the absolute absurdities that arise.  
It’s very Cartman-esque.

[RH | 5,206]

1 hour ago, GPX said:

Anything antique or retro, you can technically invest on. It isn’t anything outrageously new of a concept. The issue is that some are bad eggs and with too much greed, making the scene appear like everyone involved are bad eggs. 

 

1 hour ago, Hammerfestus said:

It’s fine.  I’m not really one of the one’s that gets that upset about bourgeoisie’s game buying habits.  That stuff’s never been my world and was never going to be.  That does not mean that I’m not going to mock the absolute absurdities that arise.  
It’s very Cartman-esque.

I think there's something in the middle. I got my start seriously collecting because it's something I'd semi-wanted to do for decades, I came into a small windfall, and I was at a place in my family life where it seemed feasible.

Regardless, when you own something, collectively speaking, that's worth multiple tens of thousands of dollars, largely because the stuff you've bought has gone up in value, you have to partly treat it like an "investment" if you consider what's going to happen to this stuff in the long term.

I do enjoy playing some of my games but I also like the "trophy" aspect of having a complete. NTSC US set of GB games, I enjoy the continued thrill (though much more slowly) of working toward a Game Gear set, plus there's the walls of other games I've collected for various consoles, where the games are the single-copies I own from lots, or they were games I rebought from my childhood or, there are few items, where I gauged the maturity of the collector market of a given system and picked up a few "trade fodder" items.

I don't do this to strictly invest, but I do I pay attention to pricing trends of my items because I'm going to treat a $10 game differently than I will a $50, $100, or even $500+ game.  When a game reaches that higher point, it pretty much remains untouched. Or, if it's sealed, I'll consider selling it and buying a CIB copy just so I can have a bit more time playing before I see it as something I'd rather not take the chance of breaking.

But why does value matter? Well, I know at some point I might sell this stuff, and I'd rather not undercut future potential by not caring. But, even if I never desire to sell, and I might not, my kids are going to inherit this stuff and they likely will sell. The least I can do is keep documentation of the stuff that's most expensive so they can sell it on eBay (or wherever) and list the expensive stuff, separate from the moderately priced items they can throw in lots, while trying to maintain a generally high quality of this stuff so it has a better chance of selling well.

I also intend to be very pro-active with talking to them about their desires and needs for these items.  If they want to keep them, that's cool.  But when I get to be 70 and they are in their 40s, if they have no interest in my games, I'll probably start selling them as a retirement project. And if I'm going to be selling the stuff I own and buy today at some distant point tomorrow, I'm definitely going treat it with respect. I'm not saying I won't use it. But I won't "use and abuse" it. I'll take care of it when it's on the shelf, take care of it if/when I play it.

Basically, I want to maintain a balance of play and respect for worth and value. I can't take these games with me, so if there's ever the need to get rid of them, I'd like to work to maintain what value I can.

[docile tapeworm | 4,268]

I’m 41 in September. When jr. (My 2nd) arrived 2 years ago I knew the time, money and space spent on my collection was going to go out the window. The guys/gals in the contest threads have noticed I’m sure.

i have a 2000 civic “little green” that I have been playing with…it seems to be replacing the video game hobby. Space wise it’s outside so…$ wise it’s about the same. The time spent seems more forgiving somehow…

been thinking of letting the collection go lately…..besides some sentimental pieces, stuff from some of you guys, childhood pieces….. it ain’t worth much I’ve been trimming the fat for years now. 

[Tyree_Cooper | 858]

Just skip 40, go from 39 to 41, problem solved.

[Mega Tank | 1,093]

3 hours ago, docile tapeworm said:

I’m 41 in September. When jr. (My 2nd) arrived 2 years ago I knew the time, money and space spent on my collection was going to go out the window. The guys/gals in the contest threads have noticed I’m sure.

i have a 2000 civic “little green” that I have been playing with…it seems to be replacing the video game hobby. Space wise it’s outside so…$ wise it’s about the same. The time spent seems more forgiving somehow…

been thinking of letting the collection go lately…..besides some sentimental pieces, stuff from some of you guys, childhood pieces….. it ain’t worth much I’ve been trimming the fat for years now. 

[spacepup | 2,482]

I have no idea what any of you are talking about, I feel young an hip.  Gonna go slide into my bestie's dms, she a basic bih with some CAKE and she got drip for days, I tell you what fam, I'm high key into it, nothing mid about her plus she thirsty.

 

 

disclaimer: I have no idea truly what most of the above means and I take no responsibility for them hah!

[Tabonga | 2,533]

18 minutes ago, spacepup said:

I have no idea what any of you are talking about, I feel young an hip.  Gonna go slide into my bestie's dms, she a basic bih with some CAKE and she got drip for days, I tell you what fam, I'm high key into it, nothing mid about her plus she thirsty.

 

 

disclaimer: I have no idea truly what most of the above means and I take no responsibility for them hah!

 

[a3quit4s | 4,344]

Wait am I an old timer at 39? Because I’m definitely in better shape than 27 year old me lol

[DefaultGen | 5,723]

I heard someone say yesterday "I had to install [software]. INSTALL it! It was so nostalgic."

We old.

[The Count | 596]

24 minutes ago, DefaultGen said:

I heard someone say yesterday "I had to install [software]. INSTALL it! It was so nostalgic."

We old.

Oh, man, what am I supposed to say now? Download? 

[DefaultGen | 5,723]

7 minutes ago, The Count said:

Oh, man, what am I supposed to say now? Download? 

I think you're supposed to use web apps for everything. Either that or downloading something from an app store doesn't count as "installing".

[Gloves | 12,251]

28 minutes ago, DefaultGen said:

I think you're supposed to use web apps for everything. Either that or downloading something from an app store doesn't count as "installing".

Sounds like the person in question is just tech illiterate lol. 

[Code Monkey | 2,129]

1 hour ago, DefaultGen said:

I heard someone say yesterday "I had to install [software]. INSTALL it! It was so nostalgic."

We old.

I spent the last 2 weeks converting VHS tapes to digital video. Halfway through it got fuzzy and I had to search Google for how to clean the VCR heads.

[xelement5x | 112]

Mid-40s here.  This sentiment about "why did I collect this stuff" has hit me a couple times over the years.  When I bought my first house, when each of my kids was born, when I've had to move (ugh, talk about cursing your collection), and right around the time I hit my 40s as well.

Ultimately each of those times was a point where I did some self-reflection about what the hobby is and what it means to me.  Whether what I'm collecting makes me happy, or feels like a burden.  Ultimately I would make decisions about what my long terms goals were at the time and if I still wanted that.  The self-reflection isn't always fun or easy but the benefits to your mental health are great.

I'm still grabbing things occasionally that I want for my long term goals, but stuff that doesn't fit that I feel great getting rid of.  Extra cash in my pocket for the important collecting items, or just throwing it into investments in another form that are like a lot more liquid than hunks of plastic and paper.

I still play modern games too, but I almost never buy at release. I gave up buying modern stuff to "collect as an investment", because I'd rather keep the cash in my pocket and just buy it later if I want it.  I'm much happier with the space and money saved, and since I buy so much less even splurging on something if the price has "skyrocketed" doesn't really matter in the big picture.  

I'll still probably continue to collect for the foreseeable future, but if I stop that'll be that.  Or I'll just be dead and I won't worry about it anyway at that point.