Post by wafflerevolution on Sept 7, 2013 22:47:23 GMT
The Basics
Number of Systems: 35
Number of Games: 1,012....last time I counted
When did you start collecting? September 13th, 1988 (my 8th birthday)
What was your first system? The Commodore 64
What was your first game? Lunar Lander
When did you feel a tipping point from gamer to both gamer and game collector?
Well, on my 7th birthday I got my first NES. I was real picky with it, I took good care of it, and I kept all the manuals and boxes too. On my 8th birthday I got a bunch of games for it and only opened a couple of them, and I think that's when it all started. In 2002, I went to a garage sale and found a collection of Atari and NES games that someone was selling. I quickly bought all of it and started my collecting again.
What are your goals as a game collector, how have you developed them, and how do you feel about your progress toward them?
I guess my goals are to eventually have every console made. I go to garage sales, flea markets, and websites a lot and usually add to my collection weekly. I feel that my wide range of games shows my adversity in gaming and what kind of person I am. As I continue to find those rare gems in the ruff, I feel that I am getting ever so close to my goals, but it's a very long road ahead.
How many games, systems, etc. are "enough"?
I Honestly feel that game collecting is like money, you can never have enough!
Tiggerboy has a stern word with R.O.B. about who drank the last Mountain Dew.
What's your proudest moment as a game collector?
I think last year when I bought my first vintage system new in the box, the NES Action Set, was my proudest moment. I felt that this addition really shows my success as a collector as well as a person. People come over to my house and see that and say "Wow! Is that brand new?!?". Reactions like that make a collector feel good.
Yeah that photo of R.O.B, he looks pretty clean. Expand on how you feel your collection makes you feel successful as a person, that's an interesting notion.
To me, being a collector is not only a hobby, to me it's a way of life. As an art collector getting his hands on a Van Gough, I just recently got my hands on 5 unlicensed NES carts, which to me is just a rare of a find. I take much pride in my collection and love showing it off.
What's your least proud moment as a game collector?
One time I bought a bunch of vintage accessories on Craigslist.com for $75.00 When I got the stuff home and really checked it out, it was pretty much a box of junk. Being a collector you gotta really know what it is that you are collecting and be able to tell the difference between what sounds like a good deal and what actually is. Of course, you're always going to run into these situations. That's really the name of the game.
Amongst your non-gaming friends are you proud of your collection or is it something you don't bring attention to?
What I love the most about this hobby is the reactions I get when people come over, especially non-gamers (I have very few of those as friends) and they see what I have and say "Hey! I remember that" or "Wow, I used to have one of those! I loved it!" It makes a gamer/collector feel good. It's a great hobby of collecting what brings joy to so many kids and adults.
What's your favorite part of your collection?
My favorite part of my collection has to be my R.O.B. (Robotic Operating Buddy) the ROBOT for the NES. There has never been anything else like it, and when all of his little gyro discs are running while playing Gyromite, it's just the coolest thing to me. I feel that this idea was WAY ahead of it's time. I mean come on, it's a robot!
What would you like to improve in your collection?
I would really like to get more of the rare titles added to my collection. Like Japan-only imports and games like that. I also want to get more systems in there original box. There's always room for improvement.
What would you like to get rid of in your game collection within the next year?
Ummm... maybe the dust on my consoles. I really won't get rid of anything that I have collected.
What do you think was your best deal while game buying?
There have been many. I frequently attend flea markets and garage sales looking for the "diamond in the rough". I have come out successful a few times. I think that my best deal would have to be my sealed copy of Mario Paint. I got it for ten bucks from a guy at the market. I was so excited that I was trying not to jump up and down. I also bought a factory-sealed Dreamcast from him for $30 bucks. I also found some games CIB at a book store for a few dollars.
What do you feel is the most valuable and/or rare item in your collection?
I recently got an Xbox 360 prototype from a friend of mine (who happens to work for Microsoft) and he told me that there are only 12 of them in existence. I think it is the most rare item in my collection. Of course I have other rare titles such as Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 for the Playstation 2, the blue Game Gear, and some rare unlicensed NES games, just to name a few.
Looking at those pictures of the prototype -- that's pretty cool. Does it work? Is it different in any way other than the obvious?
At this time I have not tried it to see if it works, I was told however that the system does not work because they changed the CPU's software for the reading of the games. I will test it out and let you know the details of the test.
What item in your collection do you feel you overpaid for?
My Playstation 3. No question about it.
Did you get it at launch?
I actually picked up the system when I heard that Sony was going to discontinue the 60 GB with the Backwards capability. Since it was new and I wanted a couple of games with it, I paid well over $500 for all of it including a warranty. I have mostly used it as a DVD player, though there are a few games I play that are fun and I enjoy.
I found an Aura Interactor Virtual Reality Game Wear vest that an old woman was selling at a garage sale. Don't know what that is? I didn't think so. It is this big plastic vest that you strap to yourself and plug into either a SNES or a Sega Genesis. Then you pop in a game like Street Fighter II, and when you get hit in the game you get a thump in your chest. So if you wanna know what a slug from M. Bison feels like, now you can. I am too fat to wear it though....
Well maybe Wii Fit or Yourself!Fitness can help out with that, though it was probably designed for small people to start with. What item(s) do you not have in your collection that people are surprised to hear you don't have?
I have 35 game systems, but no Sega Master System. I know, I know. I am really missing out, but I have been focusing on my Genesis and NES collection. I will be getting one real soon though, no doubt.
It is a fairly easy system to track down, but you have to make sure the card slot works -- no that there are many games for it. Where/how do you store your consoles and collection of games?
Mainly my spare bedroom and garage. I also rent a heated/air conditioned Public Storage storage space strictly for my games.
Is there anyway you'd ever stop collecting?
Till death do I stop. Period.
Do you have a funny story about your collection?
Well, I was almost deported due to game collecting. Not really, but there was one time that I was at the flea market game shopping when INS showed up and was checking everyone. I had left my wallet in my car (lots of pick-pockets there) so I only had cash on me. They actually held me until one of them could escort me to my car and get my I.D. That was an interesting day.
They were probably looking for Alien Syndicate. Have you ever had to move your collection to another house? What was it like?
I just finished buying and moving into a new house, and it took me a month to move all my game stuff. I am never moving again!
If you're significant other told you no more games, what would you do?
Divorce is only a phone-call away. Seriously though, my wife is a mini-gamer herself so that would never happen.
What percentage of your games are still sealed?
About 1%. I would like to have more, but good sealed games are getting hard to find.
What percentage of your game have you actually played? Completed?
I have played almost 100% of my games. My games that are sealed, I have copies that are opened. I love playing video games, and there really isn't a genre that I don't enjoy. As far as completion, I might have completed about 10%, if I am lucky. hey I am a collector, not a game wiz.
Thanks for being in the CCU and for the interview.
Number of Systems: 35
Number of Games: 1,012....last time I counted
When did you start collecting? September 13th, 1988 (my 8th birthday)
What was your first system? The Commodore 64
What was your first game? Lunar Lander
When did you feel a tipping point from gamer to both gamer and game collector?
Well, on my 7th birthday I got my first NES. I was real picky with it, I took good care of it, and I kept all the manuals and boxes too. On my 8th birthday I got a bunch of games for it and only opened a couple of them, and I think that's when it all started. In 2002, I went to a garage sale and found a collection of Atari and NES games that someone was selling. I quickly bought all of it and started my collecting again.
What are your goals as a game collector, how have you developed them, and how do you feel about your progress toward them?
I guess my goals are to eventually have every console made. I go to garage sales, flea markets, and websites a lot and usually add to my collection weekly. I feel that my wide range of games shows my adversity in gaming and what kind of person I am. As I continue to find those rare gems in the ruff, I feel that I am getting ever so close to my goals, but it's a very long road ahead.
How many games, systems, etc. are "enough"?
I Honestly feel that game collecting is like money, you can never have enough!
Tiggerboy has a stern word with R.O.B. about who drank the last Mountain Dew.
What's your proudest moment as a game collector?
I think last year when I bought my first vintage system new in the box, the NES Action Set, was my proudest moment. I felt that this addition really shows my success as a collector as well as a person. People come over to my house and see that and say "Wow! Is that brand new?!?". Reactions like that make a collector feel good.
Yeah that photo of R.O.B, he looks pretty clean. Expand on how you feel your collection makes you feel successful as a person, that's an interesting notion.
To me, being a collector is not only a hobby, to me it's a way of life. As an art collector getting his hands on a Van Gough, I just recently got my hands on 5 unlicensed NES carts, which to me is just a rare of a find. I take much pride in my collection and love showing it off.
What's your least proud moment as a game collector?
One time I bought a bunch of vintage accessories on Craigslist.com for $75.00 When I got the stuff home and really checked it out, it was pretty much a box of junk. Being a collector you gotta really know what it is that you are collecting and be able to tell the difference between what sounds like a good deal and what actually is. Of course, you're always going to run into these situations. That's really the name of the game.
Amongst your non-gaming friends are you proud of your collection or is it something you don't bring attention to?
What I love the most about this hobby is the reactions I get when people come over, especially non-gamers (I have very few of those as friends) and they see what I have and say "Hey! I remember that" or "Wow, I used to have one of those! I loved it!" It makes a gamer/collector feel good. It's a great hobby of collecting what brings joy to so many kids and adults.
What's your favorite part of your collection?
My favorite part of my collection has to be my R.O.B. (Robotic Operating Buddy) the ROBOT for the NES. There has never been anything else like it, and when all of his little gyro discs are running while playing Gyromite, it's just the coolest thing to me. I feel that this idea was WAY ahead of it's time. I mean come on, it's a robot!
What would you like to improve in your collection?
I would really like to get more of the rare titles added to my collection. Like Japan-only imports and games like that. I also want to get more systems in there original box. There's always room for improvement.
What would you like to get rid of in your game collection within the next year?
Ummm... maybe the dust on my consoles. I really won't get rid of anything that I have collected.
What do you think was your best deal while game buying?
There have been many. I frequently attend flea markets and garage sales looking for the "diamond in the rough". I have come out successful a few times. I think that my best deal would have to be my sealed copy of Mario Paint. I got it for ten bucks from a guy at the market. I was so excited that I was trying not to jump up and down. I also bought a factory-sealed Dreamcast from him for $30 bucks. I also found some games CIB at a book store for a few dollars.
What do you feel is the most valuable and/or rare item in your collection?
I recently got an Xbox 360 prototype from a friend of mine (who happens to work for Microsoft) and he told me that there are only 12 of them in existence. I think it is the most rare item in my collection. Of course I have other rare titles such as Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 for the Playstation 2, the blue Game Gear, and some rare unlicensed NES games, just to name a few.
Looking at those pictures of the prototype -- that's pretty cool. Does it work? Is it different in any way other than the obvious?
At this time I have not tried it to see if it works, I was told however that the system does not work because they changed the CPU's software for the reading of the games. I will test it out and let you know the details of the test.
What item in your collection do you feel you overpaid for?
My Playstation 3. No question about it.
Did you get it at launch?
I actually picked up the system when I heard that Sony was going to discontinue the 60 GB with the Backwards capability. Since it was new and I wanted a couple of games with it, I paid well over $500 for all of it including a warranty. I have mostly used it as a DVD player, though there are a few games I play that are fun and I enjoy.
I found an Aura Interactor Virtual Reality Game Wear vest that an old woman was selling at a garage sale. Don't know what that is? I didn't think so. It is this big plastic vest that you strap to yourself and plug into either a SNES or a Sega Genesis. Then you pop in a game like Street Fighter II, and when you get hit in the game you get a thump in your chest. So if you wanna know what a slug from M. Bison feels like, now you can. I am too fat to wear it though....
Well maybe Wii Fit or Yourself!Fitness can help out with that, though it was probably designed for small people to start with. What item(s) do you not have in your collection that people are surprised to hear you don't have?
I have 35 game systems, but no Sega Master System. I know, I know. I am really missing out, but I have been focusing on my Genesis and NES collection. I will be getting one real soon though, no doubt.
It is a fairly easy system to track down, but you have to make sure the card slot works -- no that there are many games for it. Where/how do you store your consoles and collection of games?
Mainly my spare bedroom and garage. I also rent a heated/air conditioned Public Storage storage space strictly for my games.
Is there anyway you'd ever stop collecting?
Till death do I stop. Period.
Do you have a funny story about your collection?
Well, I was almost deported due to game collecting. Not really, but there was one time that I was at the flea market game shopping when INS showed up and was checking everyone. I had left my wallet in my car (lots of pick-pockets there) so I only had cash on me. They actually held me until one of them could escort me to my car and get my I.D. That was an interesting day.
They were probably looking for Alien Syndicate. Have you ever had to move your collection to another house? What was it like?
I just finished buying and moving into a new house, and it took me a month to move all my game stuff. I am never moving again!
If you're significant other told you no more games, what would you do?
Divorce is only a phone-call away. Seriously though, my wife is a mini-gamer herself so that would never happen.
What percentage of your games are still sealed?
About 1%. I would like to have more, but good sealed games are getting hard to find.
What percentage of your game have you actually played? Completed?
I have played almost 100% of my games. My games that are sealed, I have copies that are opened. I love playing video games, and there really isn't a genre that I don't enjoy. As far as completion, I might have completed about 10%, if I am lucky. hey I am a collector, not a game wiz.
Thanks for being in the CCU and for the interview.