As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

Gaming Librarian - A New Class of Gamer?

h8b1llg8tsh8b1llg8ts Registered User regular
edited November 2008 in Games and Technology
For the past three and a half years my role of a gamer has truly changed. With the birth of my daughter my gaming lifestyle has evolved from a social to almost a gaming librarian.

I've been a kind of collector all my life. I inherited my fathers 2600 and from the NES on I've kept all my games in pretty prestige condition. But with the passing of the PS1, Sega Saturn, and Dreamcast I seemed to have missed all the good sales and low pricing that come with the next gen systems. Now with the end of the PS2, Xbox, and GameCube I find myself able to procure 3-5 games for about $40 a week. The same price I would spend at Starbucks a week on a coffee.

My living room has transformed from a soothing gathering place to a mail room/stock room. There is a sort of conformity and organization there, don't get me wrong. But I would say out of all my recent acquisitions about 15 - 20% of the games have actually been played beyond the Title Screen.

And it doesn't look like I'm alone http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/28/11-of-gamers-have-unopened-games-survey-shows/. Though I do open my games just to make sure my Ebay transaction is truly complete and I get what I pay for though my question is am I a new class of gamer?

Coolest Guy I Know
h8b1llg8ts.gif
sig.gif
MAX: Liz I really, really wish that this could be something, you know, more. But it can't. We're just...

LIZ: Different.

VOICE-OVER: It's September 24th, I'm Liz Parker and five days ago I died. But then the really amazing thing happened. I came to life.
h8b1llg8ts on

Posts

  • SageinaRageSageinaRage Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    No, 'Dork with too much money' has always been there.

    edit:: Not saying I don't also fall into this category.

    SageinaRage on
    sig.gif
  • skarsolskarsol Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I'm gonna have to say if you don't actually *play* games, you're no longer a gamer. :)

    skarsol on
    why are you smelling it?
  • h8b1llg8tsh8b1llg8ts Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    skarsol wrote: »
    I'm gonna have to say if you don't actually *play* games, you're no longer a gamer. :)

    I'm just not playing every single game I collect. Though I am purchasing games that I eventually do want to play and know I will enjoy.

    h8b1llg8ts on
    Coolest Guy I Know
    h8b1llg8ts.gif
    sig.gif
    MAX: Liz I really, really wish that this could be something, you know, more. But it can't. We're just...

    LIZ: Different.

    VOICE-OVER: It's September 24th, I'm Liz Parker and five days ago I died. But then the really amazing thing happened. I came to life.
  • slash000slash000 Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I don't have a lot of time in my life to play through tons and tons of games, so I have to be selective in what games I spend my time playing. However, it doesn't stop me from buying up older games, and last gen games, that I missed, that are now cheap. I'm like the OP, I like having these great games, because while I may not have all the time to play all of them, I know that eventually I want to get around to playing and enjoying them. But there's something nice about having and collecting them, and having a "small library" of these things.

    Plus, and I assume the OP probably does something similar, all of my games from every generation are highly organized and shelved. (organized by generation, and then titles ordered alphabetically).

    slash000 on
  • GyralGyral Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I buy games I don't intend to play at that time, largely because I know I will want to play them some time in the future and I don't want to have to hunt them down (Atlus games).

    Gyral on
    25t9pjnmqicf.jpg
  • RedDawnRedDawn Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I would say game collecting has been around for a while. It is just a different part of the culture I would say. I know a few people that I wouldn't call gamers, however they are huge game collectors and their collections completely dwarf mine. Not that I really have that many.

    RedDawn on
  • descdesc Goretexing to death Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    How is being a librarian different from being a collector?

    desc on
  • RoshinRoshin My backlog can be seen from space SwedenRegistered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Unless you allow strangers to borrow your games, I'd say you're a collector, not a librarian. ;)

    Roshin on
    steam_sig.png
  • h8b1llg8tsh8b1llg8ts Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    RedDawn wrote: »
    I would say game collecting has been around for a while. It is just a different part of the culture I would say. I know a few people that I wouldn't call gamers, however they are huge game collectors and their collections completely dwarf mine. Not that I really have that many.

    I've seen some of those collections but I'm not at that point and don't see myself at that point ever. I think I'm more inbetween hence the 'librarian' reference and not a 'museum'.

    h8b1llg8ts on
    Coolest Guy I Know
    h8b1llg8ts.gif
    sig.gif
    MAX: Liz I really, really wish that this could be something, you know, more. But it can't. We're just...

    LIZ: Different.

    VOICE-OVER: It's September 24th, I'm Liz Parker and five days ago I died. But then the really amazing thing happened. I came to life.
  • Toxin01Toxin01 Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I feel like a loser sometimes because all my friends know I'll pick up the cool new game coming out (STALKER, Dead Space, Fallout 3, etc) and can just borrow it from me after I'm done.

    I own over 300 games, and I'd say almost all of them have been lent out at least once.

    Toxin01 on
    Aiden Baail: Level 1 Swordmage: 19 AC 14 Fort 15 Ref 13 Will (Curse Of The Black Pearls)
    GM: Rusty Chains (DH Ongoing)
  • FreddyDFreddyD Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Gyral wrote: »
    I buy games I don't intend to play at that time, largely because I know I will want to play them some time in the future and I don't want to have to hunt them down (Atlus games).
    I do this too. Although it's starting to make my backlog really embarrassing.

    The problem is that if you pass a game up there's no guarantee that you can go back and find it later. I had to chance to buy Guardian Heroes for less than $10 back when the Saturn was on it's way out (but I never did : ( ). Same for Marvel vs Capcom 2. I bought Team Buddies for a tenner way back when and now it's some kind of collector's item.

    FreddyD on
  • EvilBadmanEvilBadman DO NOT TRUST THIS MAN Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I figure when I'm 65 and retired, all the random PS1 RPGs I have collected can whittle down my sanity quicker than just senility alone.

    EvilBadman on
    FyreWulff wrote: »
    I should note that Badman is fucking awesome
    XBL- Evil Badman; Steam- EvilBadman; Twitter - EvilBadman
  • SkepTiKal KloWnSkepTiKal KloWn Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    It's good to know I'm not the only one. I've got a collection going all the way back to the NES, but I've only beaten about 1/3 of them completely. I know I like them all, and I want to play them all, but there's just so much, especially since I got a 360 a few months ago and I can actually get excited when I see a cool game ad on TV again. I'm trying work my way through it though, I'm trying to beat every game in my possession before I have any of my other systems shipped out from home, so now I only have my Xbox and PC libraries to worry about. That alone though, is quite a collection (70+ PC Games!).

    SkepTiKal KloWn on
    sig.gif
  • Kris_xKKris_xK Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Ever since I sold of my Dreamcast (which I regret to this day), I've become a bit of a hoarder in terms of games.

    The description of "Librarian" wouldn't be that far off for me as I do loan out a lot of my games. Hell, I even have a fucking sign up sheet for the popular ones. Of course, if I didnt live in an apartment where 9/10 of the people on my floor were gamers I doubt this would happen as frequently.

    Kris_xK on
    calvinhobbessleddingsig2.gif
  • SirUltimosSirUltimos Don't talk, Rusty. Just paint. Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I love collecting games, possibly more than I love playing them. I know that one day I'll get around to playing everything, and even if I don't I still get enjoyment out of just owning them and having a small, personal library of games.

    SirUltimos on
  • h8b1llg8tsh8b1llg8ts Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    It's good to know I'm not the only one. I've got a collection going all the way back to the NES, but I've only beaten about 1/3 of them completely. I know I like them all, and I want to play them all, but there's just so much, especially since I got a 360 a few months ago and I can actually get excited when I see a cool game ad on TV again. I'm trying work my way through it though, I'm trying to beat every game in my possession before I have any of my other systems shipped out from home, so now I only have my Xbox and PC libraries to worry about. That alone though, is quite a collection (70+ PC Games!).

    I'm glad to see I'm not the only one ...

    But am I the only one who collects games such as Street Fighter Alpha (Saturn), Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Saturn), Street Fighter Alpha 3 (PS1), Gem Fighters (PS1), then goes out and gets Street Fighter Alpha Anthology (PS2)which has all the games in one.

    This formula also works for Mario, Sonic, MKII, and many others ...

    h8b1llg8ts on
    Coolest Guy I Know
    h8b1llg8ts.gif
    sig.gif
    MAX: Liz I really, really wish that this could be something, you know, more. But it can't. We're just...

    LIZ: Different.

    VOICE-OVER: It's September 24th, I'm Liz Parker and five days ago I died. But then the really amazing thing happened. I came to life.
  • SkepTiKal KloWnSkepTiKal KloWn Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Well I did but Final Fantasy Chronicles even though I owned Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy IV on SNES. AND I own FFIV on the DS, AND I will be buying Chrono Trigger for the DS. So yeah, you're not alone.

    SkepTiKal KloWn on
    sig.gif
  • fodderboyfodderboy Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I'm in the same boat, cept i've reached the growing family stage (# 5 on the way).

    I have the nasty habit of buying new games and then not playing them. Zelda, Metriod, Mario Galaxy, Bioshock, GTA 4, i bought when they all got released, i've just finished galaxy last week and finally almost done with Bioshock.

    I doesn't help that I have WoW always pulling me back.

    Part of the problem I don't have time to play games, between work, school, family i have much more limited time. And with kids i can't play certain games in till they go to bed (i'm looking at you Deadspace), btw this is a self imposed limit - not a spousely thing.

    Besides new stuff, I collect old games and systems. I used to snap up every SNES, or NES w/ games i found at yard sales, um, just cause i think. I've backed off that and just concentrate on rarer stuff or systems i don't have. But that leaves me with: when do i get to try this stuff out? I've probably played 2% of all the old generation stuff in the last three years. Last week i picked up a Gameboy Camara with Printer - i'm not sure if i'll ever use it. It just gets added to my collection.

    I think it is partial habit and nostalgic with a that thought, "i've always wanted this as a kid, why not now?"

    I focus now on classic or rare games or that odd ball system i don't have, and i can pick up on the cheap. I prefer thrift stores or yard sales cause you'll never know what you find. Sealed copy of dragon warrior? TG-16 with 5 arcade sticks? 3D0? NESII? found 'em all dirt cheap.

    Its fun to whip out some of the old multiplayer games to do with the kids (5 player snes bomberman anyone?). My older kids 6 and 8 prefer the GC verion of Smash brothers to the new version. My oldest daughter loves to hop on line and play Mario Kart Wii with me. My son (6) loves the TMNT arcade on xbox live, my daughter prefers castle crashers.

    Can't wait till they can play Rock Band 4, and Halo 6.


    How about gamer packrat?

    fodderboy on
  • Doc HollidayDoc Holliday Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I hunt for classic games via Garage Sales. I guess I'm more of a "hoarder". Although if I grab a duplicate of anything I will sell it.

    Doc Holliday on
    PSN & Live: buckwilson
  • DelzhandDelzhand Hard to miss. Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I wish I had the money to build a collection.

    Delzhand on
  • Doc HollidayDoc Holliday Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Delzhand wrote: »
    I wish I had the money to build a collection.

    Step 1: Find tons of garage sales.
    Step 2: Go to said garage sales
    Step 3: Ask each and every sale you visit if they have video games they want to sell
    Step 4: Offer something absurd like $2 for their NES and 10 games
    Step 5: Dive into your Hueg Collection, Scrooge McDuck style.

    Doc Holliday on
    PSN & Live: buckwilson
  • slash000slash000 Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Delzhand wrote: »
    I wish I had the money to build a collection.

    Step 1: Find tons of garage sales.
    Step 2: Go to said garage sales
    Step 3: Ask each and every sale you visit if they have video games they want to sell
    Step 4: Offer something absurd like $2 for their NES and 10 games
    Step 5: Dive into your Hueg Collection, Scrooge McDuck style.

    Or craigslist for older games. You can find tons of classic games from any generation. It's how I got a great deal of my large NES collection for cheap.


    Hell you can find current and last gen games for pretty cheap doing this. People are always llooking for convenient ways to dump off old stuff. Especially if they can get more than the $2-$7 they'll get for their games from gamestop.

    slash000 on
  • DjiemDjiem Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    Many people don't know the worth of old games to us, or to eBay. For them (or their parents), these are a very old game machine that lil Bobby didn't touch in ten years. If they can get 5 to 10 bucks for this piece of crap and its 20+ games that are all collecting dust, good for them... and for you.

    My brother worked for a small chain where they bought back old NES games. They gave like 2 bucks a game and sold them back from 5 to 15 bucks, depending the game. What my bro did was simply to buy them all from the customers for his own self, rather than put them for resale (his boss didn't give a shit), and our NES library is now 30+ titles larger than it was.

    As for new games, there is only 2 or 3 of them that I never got more than 5 minutes of play from (one of them I didn't even try yet). I usually play all my games at least a little bit until a new one comes out and becomes my current time-waster. Usually, when I'm sick and stay at home, I pick one old game from my backlog and get farther in it. Who knows, maybe I will finish God Hand someday.

    Djiem on
  • TeeManTeeMan BrainSpoon Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    Like the OP, I don't have a good deal of time to play games either but like to collect them for a "rainy day".

    About a week ago I had a massive craving for all things Burnout, and thankfully I was able to play Paradise at home, Legends on the plane to work and Dominator after work :) The latter two have been largely unused for about 6 months and I now consider them worthy purchases all that time ago.

    TeeMan on
    steam_sig.png
  • Toxin01Toxin01 Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    I've kind of considered trying to sell my game collection, actually.

    I don't think I could get nearly as much out of it as I would like however.

    Toxin01 on
    Aiden Baail: Level 1 Swordmage: 19 AC 14 Fort 15 Ref 13 Will (Curse Of The Black Pearls)
    GM: Rusty Chains (DH Ongoing)
  • Zilla360Zilla360 21st Century. |She/Her| Trans* Woman In Aviators Firing A Bazooka. ⚛️Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    EvilBadman wrote: »
    I figure when I'm 65 and retired, all the random PS1 RPGs I have collected can whittle down my sanity quicker than just senility alone.
    This. :lol:

    Zilla360 on
    |Ko-Fi Me! ☕😎|NH844lc.png | PSN | chi-logo-only-favicon.png(C.H.I) Ltd. |🏳️⚧️♥️
Sign In or Register to comment.