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[DunDunDunpachi]

Very simple:

I collect video games that are 100% complete on the disc or cartridge. If they have substantial DLC, require Internet connections, mandatory downloads, patches, or they contain ANY GAAS nonsense (microtransactions, lootboxes), I stay far away from them. When I buy a game I expect to have the same exact rights as when I own a book. If I can't own a complete experience I'm not interested.

So my range is everything up through the 6th gen, and then I also collect the DS, PSP, and Wii from the 7th gen because they are the last consoles that have complete games on the disc / cartridge. A few PSP games had DLC, but it wasn't the norm for the library so I allow it.

Starting with the 360 and PS3, and moving forward into the 8th gen and beyond...I don't give a shit about preserving anything newer. I'm a product of the classic era of video gaming...I'll never accept this new paradigm of GAAS and I'm happy for it.

I'm a bit more lax than you but otherwise follow the same principles. If it is too chopped up by DLC and patches, I stay away.

The only new games I'll buy are Falcom games and massive Western RPGs like The Witcher 3 or Divinity: Original Sin II....both on GOG.

I'm a huge fan of GOG. I'd buy a lot more stuff from them if I still had a gaming PC.

I have huge physical collections of thousands of games...like for example, I have a complete SNES collection. I'm an archivist by heart...a retro game archivist. So I love collecting and playing games from my collections on original hardware. I don't mind emulators in a pinch, but I like the classic CRT experience as much as I can.

Congrats on the massive collection. That is very cool, especially the complete SNES collection. Do you also have a lot of memorabilia, hardware, and peripherals, or is the collection mostly focused on games?

What's your take on imports and how do you go about that? You mentioned fan translations earlier and that exists in the fuzzy world between imports and emulation, in most cases.

I am not an archivist, specifically because I would go overboard and spend way too much money. I have the utmost respect for those who can do it without going broke. I have bought the pricey "crown jewels" if it was a game that I wanted, but I've also traded them off to someone who would love it more than me in exchange for games that I knew I'd play. So my collection is a bit weird: I have a sampling of the expensive titles like Chrono Trigger and MM X2 but don't own Mario Kart or Super Metroid or FF6, to use my own SNES collection in this example.

CRT is the way to go for these old systems. Not even fancy converters/transcoders can compete with a solid 240p signal pumped to a 23" screen. Heck, shmups alone justify the need to have a CRT, in my humble opinion.

 

[ilfait]

As my tastes have gradually shifted over the past few years, I would squarely fall into what you said about the Saturn ("This would be the obvious recommendation for anyone looking for arcade games and scrolling shooters") and that would be my pick.

Do you find yourself playing a system -- and this extends beyond the N64/PS1/Sat/NeoGeo/etc generation -- when you are in the mood for a particular genre and you know that system has a lot of it, or is it more like "I wanna play Game and it happens to be on this box"?

I never owned an N64 or a PS1 but played both libraries with my friends during their heyday. Over the years I did build up a collection for both systems but eventually sold most of it off. I spent many, many hours playing through the library of PS1 RPGs and fighting games. I didn't play as much of its other popular stuff (Syphon Filter, Twisted Metal, Gran Turismo). I never owned a Saturn or even touched one until maybe 6 or 7 years ago. Like you pointed out, it's an arcade-port machine in all the best ways. Many folks complain about ugly textures and poorly-aged graphics but in my opinion the biggest problem from this generation is choppy frame-rate. N64 suffered from this a lot. PS1 suffered from it moderately, depending on the game. Saturn tends to perform best in this regard, especially for its arcade-style games. There's a ton of high-quality 2D stuff on the Saturn compared to the N64 and PS1. Plus, the controller is tailor-made for the numerous 6-button fighting games that landed on the system. I think these factors allowed the library to age the best while PS1 and espeically N64 are held back (a bit) by performance issues in their games.

I probably don't consciously say "I'm in the mood for this genre" and then hook up a suitable console, but I think I'll sometimes choose to pull out one that I associate with a certain kind of game. I do that a lot with Famicom when I feel like something that can be wholly satisfying in quick bursts.

Usually there's a particular game I wanna play, and sometimes that then puts me in the mood for something similar. During the last few years I also find myself obsessively comparing similar games, either within a genre or in a series. I'll play them back-to-back. It satisfies a curiosity but probably not the best or purest way to appreciate games. And when I do that I sometimes notice that my prior opinion was partially formed based on popular consensus instead of what I really think; taste being influenced by consensus is probably something that happens to a lot of us when thinking about and talking about old games, because unless you have the luxury of comparing under ideal conditions (many people now use software emulation and digital displays) and within a short enough period that your impressions will be fresh, it's difficult to accurately contrast genres and series that span decades.

 

[ilfait]

CRT is the way to go for these old systems. Not even fancy converters/transcoders can compete with a solid 240p signal pumped to a 23" screen. Heck, shmups alone justify the need to have a CRT, in my humble opinion.

I feel the same. Some years back I fully stocked up on CRTs and the necessary cables, and did the console mods where needed. So worth it.

 

[Ceadeus]

Yes exactly my story. Switch is my last console, I have more than 250 physical game If not more and im done.

I am struggling finishing a single game, I have far enough until im done with gaming

Anyway the best is behind us, I feel that this industry have reach its saturation.

 

[cryptoadam]

Its called getting older.

At some point you just move on and find other things in life to do with your free time.

I don't know if I will buy a PS5. I have bought systems pretty much day 1 or within the first month always. I remember with the Wii I spent weeks trying to find one calling stores etc...

But even with the PS4 I have 2 or 3 games I play and thats it. Barely buy any games at all. Spiderman will be my first game that I buy in like a year. As well I don't have a 4K TV and I don't want to have to get a 600$ system (CAD) and then a 500$ TV.

Maybe when BF 6 drops I will eventually cave and buy the next system, but for now I am thinking of staying on the sidelines.

 

[Virex]

This shouldn't be here. This should be in the community section.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

I probably don't consciously say "I'm in the mood for this genre" and then hook up a suitable console, but I think I'll sometimes choose to pull out one that I associate with a certain kind of game. I do that a lot with Famicom when I feel like something that can be wholly satisfying in quick bursts.

Usually there's a particular game I wanna play, and sometimes that then puts me in the mood for something similar. During the last few years I also find myself obsessively comparing similar games, either within a genre or in a series. I'll play them back-to-back. It satisfies a curiosity but probably not the best or purest way to appreciate games. And when I do that I sometimes notice that my prior opinion was partially formed based on popular consensus instead of what I really think; taste being influenced by consensus is probably something that happens to a lot of us when thinking about and talking about old games, because unless you have the luxury of comparing under ideal conditions (many people now use software emulation and digital displays) and within a short enough period that your impressions will be fresh, it's difficult to accurately contrast genres and series that span decades.

I think that's one of the best advantages of a big collection. You can methodically compare and really find your favorites. Who cares if it's not the "purest way"? You kidding me? That's how we did it as kids: big stack of game cartridges between you and the TV (mostly rented from library or local video store or brought over by your buddies) and you spend all night cycling through your games, sometimes only playing a game for 10m before moving on.

It helps you notice very subtle differences in mechanics, and you find yourself enjoying those little quirks. All the games you're sampling from are all pretty darn good by anyone's standard, but maybe your favorite isn't the well-known game that everyone brings up. Maybe you really do think the lesser-known sequel or the competition on another system was the best example of such-and-such genre during that snapshot of time. I hear ya. My collection is crammed full of examples like that. In the modern internet-fueled world (especially with YouTube) you would think that we would've figured out every single quirk about these games and would have nearly-definitieve "best of..." lists for these old systems, but the more I dig, the more I realize it's not the case. There is so much treasure still buried on those old systems. I love it.

I feel the same. Some years back I fully stocked up on CRTs and the necessary cables, and did the console mods where needed. So worth it.

Did you go full-blown SCART and Component for everything? That will likely be my final upgrade on a handful of my remaining systems once I begin building cabinets for the TVs and consoles. Might as well get the best signal.

Its called getting older.

At some point you just move on and find other things in life to do with your free time.

For me it's not about "getting older" and doing other things with my free time. I still play several hours of videogames each week, sometimes with my kids but also on my own. It's not like I'm lamenting a decline in my videogame time. If anything, I play more games nowadays than I did a year ago because it's much easier to sneak in a 10-minute session of Magical Drop compared to a 2-hour adventure in Skyrim.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

What will you do when TES6 drops?

 

[FallingSputnik]

It's not really an issue of feeling like there aren't upcoming games worth buying. There's plenty to like.

It's more like... I've reached a critical mass where my collection is so large that I don't need to buy any more games. As cool as new games might be, I simply don't have the need. I'll be able to play the games I own for the remainder of my life, most likely. Now in all fairness, this isn't quite the case because I'll still buy some more games for my PS4 and Switch, but after that...

I wish I could replay games and find value in that, I don't. I sell them, because there are very few games I can replay over and over unless I really enjoy the multiplayer. Old games, don't age well for me, and so I'm always hoping for better game as technology evolves. I'm a PC/PS4/Switch owner and I'm still looking for games that push the medium into something great and refreshing. Last thing I did, gaming wise, was buy an oculus rift, and I can't get enough of beat saber. I'm hoping for a really good VR game, which I may never get, but as a fellow gamer, I can't fathom the idea of somebody being ok with playing the same catalog of games, it's just bizarre and I can't imagine that too many people will agree with you.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

I wish I could replay games and find value in that, I don't. I sell them, because there are very few games I can replay over and over unless I really enjoy the multiplayer. Old games, don't age well for me, and so I'm always hoping for better game as technology evolves. I'm a PC/PS4/Switch owner and I'm still looking for games that push the medium into something great and refreshing. Last thing I did, gaming wise, was buy an oculus rift, and I can't get enough of beat saber. I'm hoping for a really good VR game, which I may never get, but as a fellow gamer, I can't fathom the idea of somebody being ok with playing the same catalog of games, it's just bizarre and I can't imagine that too many people will agree with you.

VR is a cool new technology. I hope it continues to advance.

Thing is, the games I love aren't being made any more, or at least not to the same level of quality as "the good old days". Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Street Fighter II were "AAA" games in their time yet today those genres get the crumbs from indie devs and the occasional remake or compilation pack.

 

[ilfait]

In the modern internet-fueled world (especially with YouTube) you would think that we would've figured out every single quirk about these games and would have nearly-definitieve "best of..." lists for these old systems, but the more I dig, the more I realize it's not the case. There is so much treasure still buried on those old systems. I love it.

So much treasure, and I also notice that older forum recommendations and lists are sometimes better than newer ones. I think sometimes now you're more likely than you were to find lists by some guy with, at best, an emulator a short attention span, and a strong aversion to challenge and obtuse design; and worst just a regurgitation of a smattering of opinions he's heard; and games that take some dedication, or games with great art and music that really shine when presented properly, or games that rely on zero lag eventually become undervalued by history.

But there are some games that are given deserved attention now that were relatively unknown before.

Did you go full-blown SCART and Component for everything? That will likely be my final upgrade on a handful of my remaining systems once I begin building cabinets for the TVs and consoles. Might as well get the best signal.

Yeah, I did. I don't look at it as some kind of objective best way to hook up a console--if someone prefers RF (RF can look and sound amazing) and a soft low line count shadow mask it's just as valid as going with a 1000 line broadcast monitor through RGB--but it's what I ended up with. I mainly use a 20" 700 line Ikegami (a bright and colourful shadow mask) right now, but I like lots of different CRTs.

 

[Aquamarine]

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[DunDunDunpachi]

So much treasure, and I also notice that older forum recommendations and lists are sometimes better than newer ones. I think sometimes now you're more likely than you were to find lists by some guy with, at best, an emulator a short attention span, and a strong aversion to challenge and obtuse design; and worst just a regurgitation of a smattering of opinions he's heard; and games that take some dedication, or games with great art and music that really shine when presented properly, or games that rely on zero lag eventually become undervalued by history.

But there are some games that are given deserved attention now that were relatively unknown before.

My observation is that there was a big "gold rush" toward older RPGs during the early 2000s when emulators and file-sharing were both on the rise. Lots of people played stuff like Chrono Trigger or fan-translated Dragon Quest V or Xenogears or Earthbound or Vagrant Story for the first time. Shortly thereafter, we saw a lot of older games getting ported to the DS and PSP which helped spark interest.

We've pretty thoroughly excavated the RPG genre by now. Even Japan-only RPGs are become more well-known.

However, folks have not spent nearly as much time or attention on those older arcade games, many of which are arcade-only and have never seen a console or PC release. It's one thing to play a console game on an emulator after seeing an IGN video called "Top 20 ____ games". It's a far rarer occurrence to stumble upon some random Japan-only arcade shmup on your MAME emulator when you have 1000s of games to choose from.

Yeah, I did. I don't look at it as some kind of objective best way to hook up a console--if someone prefers RF (RF can look and sound amazing) and a soft low line count shadow mask it's just as valid as going with a 1000 line broadcast monitor through RGB--but it's what I ended up with. I mainly use a 20" 700 line Ikegami (a bright and colourful shadow mask) right now, but I like lots of different CRTs.

Very interesting. I got into CRT displays when I got into shmups so I've been learning a lot about different signal types and CRT hardware over the past 18 months. The overall goal is to learn the tech well enough to pull apart a screen, solder in an RGB signal, figure out a Stereo solution, then box it all up in a nice arcade cabinet. I can do the soldering, woodworking, button layouts, and decoration. CRT was the last piece but I still have more to learn.

Well I'm a unique case, because I have been actively collecting video games since 2000...I've been around for 18 years now and I have a ton of super-rare stuff that has inflated significantly in value (like the good majority of my Saturn collection!) I also know Japanese and I picked up a ton of games and consoles from local stores in Akihabara before they got super popular with tourists, and I used eBay to scour for deals back when it was in its infancy...so I got a whole bunch of tremendously amazing deals back in like 2003-2005 that you can't just find anymore now that the retro craze is so popular.

I also dump all of my physical media to digital files and I'm an integral part of preservation communities whose goal is to preserve video gaming history for all eternity...so our ancestors hundreds of years from now will still be able to play the golden age of video games long after the discs and cartridges have rot, and the companies have gone out of business. I think my digital collection is around 100 TB in total from everything that's shared privately...we're going to partner with museums and hopefully the Library of Congress at some point. Yeah, it's pretty crazy. There's only a handful of us in the entire world that's this dedicated.

But it's also tragic because the modern video gaming industry is just impossible to preserve for the future thanks to the rise of GAAS, so everything I do has an expiration date and there will just be this tremendous gap in our history. Did you know that a massive swath (thousands) of single-player mobile games are already lost to time because they required persistent Internet connections?

For me it has always been about the games. Preserving classic console and PC games as best I can no matter the origin is the ultimate expression of passion, in my opinion. What's nice about retro games is there is only a finite amount of experiences out there. So even though I've been around for a long time, my journey has mostly reached its end at this point and I'm just enjoying life and having fun playing old games. I'm mostly retired from the Internet as well...I'll make posts for a little while and then disappear for months on end. Life is too short to waste it arguing on a forum.

I'm familiar with what you're doing from the arcade hardware side: people who peddle precious boards, swap info about re-capping hardware, protect everything in static-free bubble-wrap, and who figure out how to break old encryption keys like on RingEdge hardware, etc.

What's boggling to me is why it isn't taken more seriously. We already know that we've lost books, music, and movies due to changing formats or limited printings. Seems like we would spend more effort in trying to protect videogames against such a predictable problem, but most of the focus is elsewhere.

Is there any effort being invested into emulating, cracking, or otherwise doing a "deep freeze" on those mobile or browser games where we can emulate their environment enough to run them?

For some of my consoles, I got "into" collecting too late to acquire some of the truly scarce games (something like Radiant Silvergun or Hyper Duel on Saturn shall forever elude me) but thankfully I had enough of a head start to build my collection before the tremendous rush of the last 5 years. All the more reason to preserve the games as the physical copies dry up and slowly disintegrate.

 

[n0razi]

I just came to the conclusion that I dont enjoy playing games as much as I do buying them and talking about them lol.... so as long as I'm honest to myself about it, I dont see a problem

 

[JimmyRustler]

Nah, I'm prolly playing more than ever now. I do however finally got my purchases in check, so at the same time I play more than ever, I buy less games than ever. Only the creme de la creme of all consoles.

I usually limit myself to one new game per month. Every other new game that is peaking my interest is going onto my wishlist on backloggery and I only come back to it in case there is a month or 2 that no new game release interests me.

I've been doing this since the beginning of last year and let me tell you that I can't remember a time when I enjoyed gaming more. The key is really self discipline. Remember when you were a kid? Why did you enjoy even mediocre games so much? Well, it's because you didn't have the money to buy a lot of games so you stuck with the few you had. To get that same feeling today you need to work on yourself a bit because games are so cheap and easily available.

Learning to limit myself with the things I like is one of the greatest thing I did in my life. I do this almost everywhere. My favourite meals? Only 2 times a week. Even though Berserk is to me the greastest story I have ever read so far I only buy a new volume every two weeks. Could I buy everything that's available so far and breeze through it? Sure, but then I would deprive myself of the joy to look forward to the next volume. And so on....

 

[Hotel Security]

For one, I don't buy the "600 games on the shelf" thing since that's clearly a reference to all the garbageware you've been getting via Steam sales and you know you're not going to play those.

For two, this idea is silly. I have a backlog of at least 50+ games, if not more. I still have Wii games I need to catch up on as well as various PS3, 3DS and Wii U games as well as some Xbox games I can get on the PC. I also spend a long time on games since I like to get 100% on games and this adds to my playing time...Breath of the Wild took me three months to play last year and I just spent a month and a half on Bloodborne. I'm not going to catch up on my backlog and I know it and I'm fine with it.

Under no circumstances does this mean I'll never get a new console and never want to play those games. That's just silly. It doesn't matter if you play the games when they come out or ten years after they come out. Who cares when you play them? It's the same game each time. And there's no rule that you must ONLY play your backlog...sometimes a new game gets you excited and you can push it to the front of the line (like I did with BotW) and then go back to the backlog.

What you DO need to do is go through that ridiculous 600 games and figure out which ones you're actually going to play and then just put them in the list and just scrap/delete/sell the ones that aren't on the list. I've bought games myself that I've only had mild interest in when I got them and you need to just accept that you're not as into playing them as some others. Scratch them from the list and make it more manageable.

Also, fucking delete Steam or stop looking at their sales because that's always the biggest culprit for these people with hundreds of games. You don't need need their shovelware and, if you have 600 games, you've been clearly getting hooked by their garbage sales.

Also, be aware there are a number of actual advantages to always being behind in games:

-Everything is already discovered by the time you play a game...no confusion or wondering where things are.
-There's plenty of guides already made for these games as well as countless tips and videos.
-There's no reason to ever buy a game new. I don't buy much of any games for more than $20 since I can wait and have plenty to bide my time when I do.
-You can save money on DLC. Since most games will later on pack the game and all the DLC into a "Complete edition," you can wait until that comes out, then wait until THAT version is below $20. You get a main game and all the DLC for $20. I just did this with Dark Souls 3 and I'm waiting for the complete editions of Witcher 3 and Horizon Zero Dawn to drop in price before I get those.
-No issues with getting a new game with tons of bugs...everything is patched and fixed (usually) by the time you play it.
-No being surprised by a hyped game being crappy...all the reviews and info on the game that you need is out there.
-No dilemma on getting a season pass for a game. By the time you get it, you know all the DLC that's out for it and just pick and choose accordingly...there will also be good reviews out there on the DLC to help you decide.

 

[Aquamarine]

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[DunDunDunpachi]

For one, I don't buy the "600 games on the shelf" thing since that's clearly a reference to all the garbageware you've been getting via Steam sales and you know you're not going to play those.

For two, this idea is silly. I have a backlog of at least 50+ games, if not more. I still have Wii games I need to catch up on as well as various PS3, 3DS and Wii U games as well as some Xbox games I can get on the PC. I also spend a long time on games since I like to get 100% on games and this adds to my playing time...Breath of the Wild took me three months to play last year and I just spent a month and a half on Bloodborne. I'm not going to catch up on my backlog and I know it and I'm fine with it.

Under no circumstances does this mean I'll never get a new console and never want to play those games. That's just silly. It doesn't matter if you play the games when they come out or ten years after they come out. Who cares when you play them? It's the same game each time. And there's no rule that you must ONLY play your backlog...sometimes a new game gets you excited and you can push it to the front of the line (like I did with BotW) and then go back to the backlog.

What you DO need to do is go through that ridiculous 600 games and figure out which ones you're actually going to play and then just put them in the list and just scrap/delete/sell the ones that aren't on the list. I've bought games myself that I've only had mild interest in when I got them and you need to just accept that you're not as into playing them as some others. Scratch them from the list and make it more manageable.

Also, fucking delete Steam or stop looking at their sales because that's always the biggest culprit for these people with hundreds of games. You don't need need their shovelware and, if you have 600 games, you've been clearly getting hooked by their garbage sales.

Also, be aware there are a number of actual advantages to always being behind in games:

-Everything is already discovered by the time you play a game...no confusion or wondering where things are.
-There's plenty of guides already made for these games as well as countless tips and videos.
-There's no reason to ever buy a game new. I don't buy much of any games for more than $20 since I can wait and have plenty to bide my time when I do.
-You can save money on DLC. Since most games will later on pack the game and all the DLC into a "Complete edition," you can wait until that comes out, then wait until THAT version is below $20. You get a main game and all the DLC for $20. I just did this with Dark Souls 3 and I'm waiting for the complete editions of Witcher 3 and Horizon Zero Dawn to drop in price before I get those.
-No issues with getting a new game with tons of bugs...everything is patched and fixed (usually) by the time you play it.
-No being surprised by a hyped game being crappy...all the reviews and info on the game that you need is out there.
-No dilemma on getting a season pass for a game. By the time you get it, you know all the DLC that's out for it and just pick and choose accordingly...there will also be good reviews out there on the DLC to help you decide.

Thank you for the advice but you have some misunderstandings.

I haven't logged into my Steam account for.... years. So, your advice doesn't apply there. 600 games on the shelf is 600 physical games. If I include digital the number is probably closer to 700. And those 600 games are the direct result of going "through that ridiculous 600 games and figure out which ones you're actually going to play and then just put them in the list and just scrap/delete/sell the ones that aren't on the list" as you put it. Okay, all set! Done. My collection is the result of doing exactly that over the past decade.

I love behind "behind" on modern gaming. I very rarely purchase a game on Day One.

 

[Hotel Security]

I wish someone would step in and mandate that these companies do something about their old code, but unfortunately the Library of Congress is just too antiquated and apathetic.

That and they don't have ownership of the code and they can't just make some demand for someone to hand it to them. Unless you'd like government demanding we hand over everything that doesn't belong to them. I guarantee you they have interest in these things but they have no resources to get them.

 

[Hotel Security]

I haven't logged into my Steam account for.... years. So, your advice doesn't apply there. 600 games on the shelf is 600 physical games.

Then you have a psychological issue and an addiction and you need to see a doctor. They have pills for this stuff.

If I include digital the number is probably closer to 700. And those 600 games are the direct result of going "through that ridiculous 600 games and figure out which ones you're actually going to play and then just put them in the list and just scrap/delete/sell the ones that aren't on the list" as you put it. Okay, all set! Done. My collection is the result of doing exactly that over the past decade.

I'm not even kidding. You really need to see a doctor. This is hording. You need help. Sorry to break the news to you. Also, posting on a message board about video games is also likely part of that problem. Just not buying new consoles will not solve your issues...it's a band-aid on a gunshot wound.

Feel free to deny all you want but it's not that uncommon of a problem and there is help.

 

[Aquamarine]

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[DunDunDunpachi]

Yeah I have connections on the arcade side too...that's part of my digital collection, but I don't actively preserve anything physical when it comes to arcades.

Unfortunately we would like to, but we just don't have enough manpower. Our preservation team is probably 20 active people at best...nowhere near the amount of people required to develop fake servers to circumvent and break encryption and emulate persistent-online-connection requirements.

We can collect the IPA ROMs of mobiles games....or preserve the discs for games like Destiny 2....but both are utterly useless and will remain unplayable hundreds of years in the future, so there's no point bothering.

The problem lies in the fact that games with persistent online connections often have some sort of data that's server-side, and trying to emulate that data is next to impossible without years of careful investigation and research, especially now that so many games are shutting down left and right.

The modern video game industry is slowly imploding thanks to short-term corporate greed that accompanies GAAS decisions, and there's nothing we can do about it but watch helplessly as video games with good stories like Tales of the Rays slowly fade into non-existence. I wish someone would step in and mandate that these companies do something about their old code, but unfortunately the Library of Congress is just too antiquated and apathetic. By the time it becomes a real problem that gets addressed, the players in the industry will have either (a) largely gone out of business or (b) lost / discarded the source code. That's why we're preserving games NOW before disc rot sets in, or before they shut down digital stores.

If there's one thing I've learned it's that you can't ever trust large corporations to be stewards of the content you buy.

I've accepted it. It's a bleak future, but nothing can take away my decades of collecting or my 100 TB of content that will already be preserved...or my fond memories being a key part of this industry. The retro games from my childhood will live on forever and I consider that a victory.

Hmm, I understand the difficulty of trying to preserve games when there's server-side data. You can't really do much about that and if it's necessary for the game to boot? Gooodbye game. Quite sad.

Thanks for your work.

Then you have a psychological issue and an addiction and you need to see a doctor. They have pills for this stuff.

I'm not even kidding. You really need to see a doctor. This is hording. You need help. Sorry to break the news to you. Also, posting on a message board about video games is also likely part of that problem. Just not buying new consoles will not solve your issues...it's a band-aid on a gunshot wound.

I'm sorry, but what? My collection fits on a shelf 5' tall and 5' wide, that's it.

You have no qualifications to give me a psychological diagnosis based on a few posts.

 

[bitbydeath]

Switch is my most recent purchase, preceded by the PS4. Someday I may get a Switch revision or a PS4 Pro

I’m already doubting your commitment.

 

[kaczmar]

I'm actually finding myself getting into more complex boardgames now (zombicide, photosynthesis, etc)... there's definitely less time for video games in my life but they're still my favorite form of entertainment media so I'll never stop getting the latest and greatest consoles.

Your not alone. I read that boards games and games like D&D are currently experiencing a much higher growth rate than video games.

 

[kaczmar]

Switch is my most recent purchase, preceded by the PS4. Someday I may get a Switch revision or a PS4 Pro, but beyond that I probably won't buy another console.

Why? I already own 600 games on the shelf and another couple hundred games digitally (I haven't done a thorough count). These aren't space-fillers but are the games I plan to replay over and over again, only the best (according to my tastes, of course) that each system has to offer.

"But there are always more games to buy," I hear myself saying from just a few months ago.

Here's the thing: as I grow older I spend more time replaying old games instead of buying up all the new ones. Don't get me wrong, I have plenty of games that I want to buy and play on the Switch and PS4, but I'm just as likely to pop in TMNT on Super Nintendo or Thunder Force IV on Genesis as I am to boot up Tekken 7 on the PS4. Since I'm more and more stingy with new releases, I find that I just... don't want to buy a lot of the new games coming out. It's not because I think they're bad. It's because I already have enough. I'm pretty close to satisfied with what I have. By the end of the Switch's life, I'll probably have another 100 games each for the Switch and PS4 but not much else beyond. And after that, I'll just play what I own with the occasional purchase once or twice a year.

Curious to hear if anyone has experienced this. It's not like I'm not gaming. I play games almost every day. I have a pretty big library. I'm still looking forward to plenty of upcoming games. I still love videogames. I just don't need to buy many of them anymore. I don't think the market is passing me by. The market is just too big for any one person to experience it all. So, I am happy with what I have.

I completely understand where you are coming from. I equate what you are stating to be similar to a taste in music. There are boatloads of people that still listen to singers and bands from decades ago as their primary source of music. Sure there will always be some new stuff that you're attracted to, but generally your heart is with older stuff. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. Perhaps someday your tastes will change, maybe not, but if you are enjoying gaming, than enjoy it. IMO, I think there are too many gamers that game for a sense of accomplishment more than the enjoyment of the game.

 

[kaczmar]

I collect video games that are 100% complete on the disc or cartridge. If they have substantial DLC, require Internet connections, mandatory downloads, patches, or they contain ANY GAAS nonsense (microtransactions, lootboxes), I stay far away from them. When I buy a game I expect to have the same exact rights as when I own a book. If I can't own a complete experience I'm not interested.

I am right there with you. I prefer physical releases. Truthfully, I am so disappointed with my Switch. So many of the physical releases require large portions of the game to be downloaded from day one. Not interested in that at all.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

I’m already doubting your commitment.

Heh heh heh. If I buy those console "halfway upgrades" it'll simply extend this generation for me even further into the next one.

 

[Guileless]

Ill pour out some Mountain Dew Game Fuel for you while waiting in line for the next console launch.

 

[ilfait]

I am right there with you. I prefer physical releases. Truthfully, I am so disappointed with my Switch. So many of the physical releases require large portions of the game to be downloaded from day one. Not interested in that at all.

Hate this too.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

I completely understand where you are coming from. I equate what you are stating to be similar to a taste in music. There are boatloads of people that still listen to singers and bands from decades ago as their primary source of music. Sure there will always be some new stuff that you're attracted to, but generally your heart is with older stuff. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. Perhaps someday your tastes will change, maybe not, but if you are enjoying gaming, than enjoy it. IMO, I think there are too many gamers that game for a sense of accomplishment more than the enjoyment of the game.

It's eerily similar to having a "taste in music", so I'm glad you made that connection. I hadn't quite thought of it that way.

We're ~56 years into this thing called "videogames" if you count Pong as the start. I think it's okay to simply enjoy an "era" of videogaming and call it good. It might still be seen as weird, but in a hobby this large and mainstream maybe we've earned it at this point. Gaming of the 70s and early 80s was before my time. I grew up in the 90s so the NES is where gaming "starts" for me. I imagine there are gamers older than me who've already reached this point many years before I did.

 

[kaczmar]

It's eerily similar to having a "taste in music", so I'm glad you made that connection. I hadn't quite thought of it that way.

We're ~56 years into this thing called "videogames" if you count Pong as the start. I think it's okay to simply enjoy an "era" of videogaming and call it good. It might still be seen as weird, but in a hobby this large and mainstream maybe we've earned it at this point. Gaming of the 70s and early 80s was before my time. I grew up in the 90s so the NES is where gaming "starts" for me. I imagine there are gamers older than me who've already reached this point many years before I did.

I once had a buddy at work that I nicknamed him 8-track, because all the music that he loves was once available on 8-track media. You like what you like. Whether its games, books, music, or anything else. It's really as simple as that.

 

[Silvawuff]

I don't think there's any wrong way to feel about a hobby. Invest in what you want to, or don't. If you're happy where your collection is, awesome! I personally stopped buying new releases a while ago and just buy games/hardware when they're deeply on sale.

 

[Paracelsus]

Having a huge backlog and day one-ing a game you're gonna play a year later is a clear sign you're forcing yourself to stick to a medium you moved on from. It possibly means you don't feel like you're missing much by ignoring current gen games

Spoiler

(you're not)

and if you have to spend time on games, it might as well be quality time with games you know you like.

We've reached the part of the story of the boy who cried wolf where the wolf actually came (as in, old stuff is now actually better and nostalgia is no longer a legit excuse like it has been for decades, seeing as this argument started in 2000 and we're almost in 2020 with no end in sight), so whatever.

 

[ilfait]

Very interesting. I got into CRT displays when I got into shmups so I've been learning a lot about different signal types and CRT hardware over the past 18 months. The overall goal is to learn the tech well enough to pull apart a screen, solder in an RGB signal, figure out a Stereo solution, then box it all up in a nice arcade cabinet. I can do the soldering, woodworking, button layouts, and decoration. CRT was the last piece but I still have more to learn.

RGB modded consumer CRTs are so cool. Pick one you love and I'm sure your efforts will be rewarded. Also I love the idea of incorporating woodworking into retro games. Not exactly the same since I used new Sanwa parts, but I built an arcade stick out of wood a few years ago.

 

[FStubbs]

It becomes easier to rationalize replaying 800 or more games when you realize you're not committed to beating them again.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

I once had a buddy at work that I nicknamed him 8-track, because all the music that he loves was once available on 8-track media. You like what you like. Whether its games, books, music, or anything else. It's really as simple as that.

Nice. Thanks for sharing your story. Yep, it's pleasant to branch out and explore but there's value in appreciating what you have and doing your best to extract its nuances. For some things, the nuance won't be there and the effort is fruitless. I feel like a lot of modern AAA games suffer from that. Good on the surface, but if you spend too much time with it the stitches and seams begin to show. I guess that's why you wanna find the good stuff.

Having a huge backlog and day one-ing a game you're gonna play a year later is a clear sign you're forcing yourself to stick to a medium you moved on from. It possibly means you don't feel like you're missing much by ignoring current gen games

Spoiler

(you're not)

and if you have to spend time on games, it might as well be quality time with games you know you like.

We've reached the part of the story of the boy who cried wolf where the wolf actually came (as in, old stuff is now actually better and nostalgia is no longer a legit excuse like it has been for decades, seeing as this argument started in 2000 and we're almost in 2020 with no end in sight), so whatever.

Good observations. Do you think there's been a strong... dismissal of retro love? I mean, I've heard the sentiment about particular games i.e. "Ocarina is good but it has aged poorly" (an opinion I happen to hold) but I've never heard it applied broad-brush in the way you're describing. Like, are people actually saying "retro is okay but honestly it's just nostalgia driving most of it"? I suppose I have heard that.

RGB modded consumer CRTs are so cool. Pick one you love and I'm sure your efforts will be rewarded. Also I love the idea of incorporating woodworking into retro games. Not exactly the same since I used new Sanwa parts, but I built an arcade stick out of wood a few years ago.

Get outta my head. My plan for one of the cabinets was -- structurally -- to build a modern candycab with the Vewlix 2-player panel layout in wood. The panel itself and the trim would be punched platemetal with the traditional Vewlix pin-striping, but everything else would be stained and lacquered wood. Sort of a marriage between the Vewlix layout and Atari 2600 styling.

I have a Toshiba (my current tate monitor) and a Trinitron that would both benefit from an RGB mod. Someday, but first I'm hunting for 19" - 22" PC monitors, either Trinitrons or ViewSonics. They're the perfect size for a replica Neo-Geo Multicab setup.

You use just Sanwa stuff or have you dipped into the deep end of other manufacturers? I was Sanwa and Hori all the way but recently bought a Seimitsu stick specifically for my shmups. And I was not disappointed.

 

[ilfait]

My plan for one of the cabinets was -- structurally -- to build a modern candycab with the Vewlix 2-player panel layout in wood. The panel itself and the trim would be punched platemetal with the traditional Vewlix pin-striping, but everything else would be stained and lacquered wood. Sort of a marriage between the Vewlix layout and Atari 2600 styling.

Sounds good. I think I went with a modified Sega, or may have been a modified Capcom layout to best fit my hand.

You use just Sanwa stuff or have you dipped into the deep end of other manufacturers? I was Sanwa and Hori all the way but recently bought a Seimitsu stick specifically for my shmups. And I was not disappointed.

Only Sanwa; it's a JLF. I chose it through research, not experience. Based on my source it's the smoothest stick after the JLW. I wanted something slim so I went with the JLF.

I do want a Seimitsu stick as well though. Eventually I'm gonna build one with a short throw Seimitsu stick. Which model did you go with?

Here's my layout:

Large space between stick and buttons for ergonomic goodness, and easy start/select access for games like Batman and Super Metroid that use them for weapon select etc.

Same stick, I just swapped around ball and button colours (which sadly don't match the art; may fix that at some point). When I do another one I just want to route the entire thing out of a solid block of wood like an electric guitar.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Only Sanwa; it's a JLF. I chose it through research, not experience. Based on my source it's the smoothest stick after the JLW. I wanted something slim so I went with the JLF.

I do want a Seimitsu stick as well though. Eventually I'm gonna build one with a short throw Seimitsu stick. Which model did you go with?

Here's my layout:

Large space between stick and buttons, and easy start/select access for games like Batman and Super Metroid that use them for weapon select etc.

Same stick, I just swapped around ball and button colours.

Really nice layout.

If you want short throw and short engage, the correct answer is the LS-40. The spring is 1LB like a Sanwa JLF (which still a very comfortable all-purpose stick) but I replaced it with a 2LB spring. Nice and stiff and clicky for playing those twitchy shmups.

https://www.focusattack.com/seimitsu-ls-40-01-joystick-pcb-type-with-re-plate/

Don't get me wrong: good ol' Sanwa JLF is the perfect joystick. I also like Hori's Hayabusa line. But the Seimitsu has a distinct feel (probably due to its switches) that I've come to enjoy for certain games.

 

[ilfait]

Really nice layout.

If you want short throw and short engage, the correct answer is the LS-40. The spring is 1LB like a Sanwa JLF (which still a very comfortable all-purpose stick) but I replaced it with a 2LB spring. Nice and stiff and clicky for playing those twitchy shmups.

https://www.focusattack.com/seimitsu-ls-40-01-joystick-pcb-type-with-re-plate/

Don't get me wrong: good ol' Sanwa JLF is the perfect joystick. I also like Hori's Hayabusa line. But the Seimitsu has a distinct feel (probably due to its switches) that I've come to enjoy for certain games.

Thanks for the tip. That's probably the one I'll go with.

I tried out some JLF mods, like that polish stick enthusiast Kowal's whatchacallit... can't remember now, but the piece of cylindrical plastic that activates the switches. It shortened the throw but completely ruined the smoothness of its action. I was surprised that so many people liked it. I also tried a heavier spring (can't remember the weight) in it that didn't work quite as well.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Thanks for the tip. That's probably the one I'll go with.

I tried out some JLF mods, like that polish stick enthusiast Kowal's whatchacallit... can't remember now, but the piece of cylindrical plastic that activates the switches. It shortened the throw but completely ruined the smoothness of its action. I was surprised that so many people liked it. I also tried a heavier spring (can't remember the weight) in it that didn't work quite as well.

The actuator. I've put larger ones in some sticks. It's hit or miss, depending on the stick model.

I've used some of Kowal's stuff too, especially for the Hayabusa stick. Sounds like you prefer lighter and looser stick setups, which is perfectly fine. That's the beauty of arcade hardware: you can tweak it and try different models and manufacturers and mods until it feels just right.

 

[ilfait]

The actuator. I've put larger ones in some sticks. It's hit or miss, depending on the stick model.

I've used some of Kowal's stuff too, especially for the Hayabusa stick. Sounds like you prefer lighter and looser stick setups, which is perfectly fine. That's the beauty of arcade hardware: you can tweak it and try different models and manufacturers and mods until it feels just right.

Yes, the actuator.

It wasn't the added stiffness or the quicker actuation that I didn't like--I actually liked that aspect--it was that the parts I used, even though that actuator was specifically made for the JLF, and the spring was being sold for that particular purpose, didn't seem to work properly with it. It's been a long time, so I can't describe in detail what was wrong, but I think that the larger Kowal actuator didn't trigger the switches or move along the gate as smoothly as the stock one did, even after silicone lube, and my memory of the spring is that it may have snagged very slightly on the both the stock and large actuator.

I don't mind the light spring and long throw, but I'd like to try a different one, like the LS-40 you suggested. A year or two ago there was also some site in UK selling JLWs which were pretty rare at that point, and I was considering trying one of those as well. Don't know if I missed that boat.

 

[bigDdestruction]

I personally think I might go PC only next gen. In my opinion i hate the fact that they're mid console upgrades. If Sony and MS were gonna do this with the Pro and X1X i wish they would've done it from the start. The big upgrade from X1 to X1X i feel might as well have been the next gen console for MS or something. It just feels like they want gamers to double dip if they already bought the original system for that gen. Nintendo is guilty of this too with there handhelds especially. If i do cave and get a console i'll definitely be playing the waiting game to see if MS or Sony pull the same nonsense again and release a stronger console mid way through next gen.

 

[AndrewRyan]

I personally think I might go PC only next gen.

Am leaning this way too. That being said after building a gaming PC the plan was to sell the PS4 and its games to recoup some of the money from PC, but then realized many of my favorites are on Playstation so ended up keeping it.

Not sure about next-gen though. If I do it will probably not be at launch but sometime after a price drop or hardware revision. Hard to say without knowing what's coming.

 

[Dr. Claus]

I don't understand it. I collect games and play them. New, old, ancient - I try to play as many that interest me as I can. There are many amazing titles that come out that I want to play and I can't see myself simply stopping because I already have over 800 in my collection. Most games tend to be beaten in 10-12 hours if not less, unless you count a Visual Novel or JRPG. I don't want much in terms of TV or Film, I don't tend to read much outside of my research and whatever odd book related to a particular video game (such as Before the Storm), so most of my hobby time is dedicated to gaming.

 

[Northeastmonk]

I don't understand it. I collect games and play them. New, old, ancient - I try to play as many that interest me as I can. There are many amazing titles that come out that I want to play and I can't see myself simply stopping because I already have over 800 in my collection. Most games tend to be beaten in 10-12 hours if not less, unless you count a Visual Novel or JRPG. I don't want much in terms of TV or Film, I don't tend to read much outside of my research and whatever odd book related to a particular video game (such as Before the Storm), so most of my hobby time is dedicated to gaming.

I'm like that too. I have a book collection and biographies. I'll watch documentaries about Atari with former employees and some people find that boring.

I didn't understand why a group of people I use to LAN with only stuck to PC games and MMO's. RTS and MMO's are fun, but there's so much out there. I love hearing about forgotten Japanese games or seeing an arcade somewhere.

I don't like to put a limit on what I can or cannot enjoy. I don't play F2P games that often because I've played the ones that made the headlines. I had League of Legends and Hearthstone installed once upon a time. I use to have Fortnite installed on my PS4. That's awesome it's doing well, but it doesn't do it for me. There's beauty in both the young and old. The newest console to the very first one. I still look at my artbook of Atari or I'll play my Super Famicom when I want to get lost in a fantasy world. My wife on the other hand is the opposite and I understand. I relate to her because she's around me a lot more than my friends are.

I respect that people don't like horror games or first person shooters, but to me they are good games. To the games articles are made on to new attempts at recreating a classic. Who knows if there will be a game with more nostalgia than Chrono Trigger for a lot of us. I can't seem to find a better Mech RPG than Front Mission 3, but I'll definitely wait to see if Left Alive does the world justice (at least some).

It's great there's so many people making games and I probably enjoy those documentaries more than quick developer diaries there are nowadays. That's just because the enjoyment of gaming's history is a good one. There are books like classroom textbooks on the subject. I own the Ultimate History of Video Games both physical and digital, plus the audiobook. I read where that's a classroom textbook. I read it for enjoyment. But even though I have that feeling I realize that there are worlds we haven't explored yet, games that go beyond our imaginations. Even if we have to watch every gimmick and money printing machine take flight in the process.

 

[93xfan]

I’m with the OP in some ways. I’m really narrowing down the games that I choose to purchase. There isn’t enough time to play everything, and there are some real gems I own, such as Majora’s Mask and Chrono Trigger that I never got around to playing.

 

[kingpotato]

$10 says this guy is full of it

 

[womfalcs3]

The PS4 will likely be my last system. Ive only played 5 or 6 games since it came out, and I havent touched it in a year. I dont have the time or energy to become invested into a game anymore.

 

[Deleted member 12837]

And those 600 games are the direct result of going "through that ridiculous 600 games and figure out which ones you're actually going to play and then just put them in the list and just scrap/delete/sell the ones that aren't on the list" as you put it. Okay, all set! Done. My collection is the result of doing exactly that over the past decade.

I have trouble believing that you're being honest with yourself, here. If you rotated through your collection and played 1 new game per day, it would take almost 2 years to get through it all. It's nearly impossible from a time management perspective for you to put any kind of meaningful time into each and every one of those games, regularly and repeatedly. Maybe if you have your life setup so you have time to game 6-8 hours per day, most days (and can continue that throughout the rest of your life). But I'm guessing that's not the case.

If you're holding onto a huge chunk of those just so you can replay each of them for like 30 min once every 5 years, I think you might need to recalibrate your bar for keep vs. sell. A good exercise would be to keep track of which games you touch, and potentially for how long, over the course of 3-4 months. Get rid of anything you didn't touch. Keep track for a year total and consider ditching anything you played < 30-60 min. Just my 2 cents (full disclosure: I definitely skew a bit minimalist, but am trying to be impartial re: this particular case).

Anyway, to answer the actual question in the OP, if you haven't figured it out from the above, no I've never experienced that . I sell 95% of games when I'm done with them. I have ~40 games that I hold onto. If I get an urge to play an old game randomly that I don't have, I'll buy it again, play until I'm satisfied, and then sell it. That's only happened to me once or twice.

 

[Spukc]

Cool thread OP could you give us your top 200 most played?

I have over 5000 mame titles so i know how it is to own many many games.

I think you are right i rather play my mame these days instead of newer games.

Thanks