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The new breed of collectors thread


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I wouldn’t mind having reproductions for some games. The problem for me is that reproductions are at the bottom of my list of priorities.
 

Why would I spend money on a fake reproduction game when there are still so many authentic games within reach on my to-get list? The Authentic games aren’t exactly getting cheaper as time goes on, meanwhile the reproductions will always be readily available.
 

So I have not really spent any money on reproductions. 

Edited by phart010
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26 minutes ago, LeatherRebel5150 said:

We’ve been bitching about the existence of fakes for years because the deception there could be. But this is newer “collectors” actively collecting them. Like I said in my original post it’s heading down the same road classic cars are in. Stuff gets replaced/fixed/“restored” and people become fine with it except for the few searching for numbers matching cars

I really think the scale of this sort of thing is being way exaggerated.  Newer collectors collecting them?  Who?  Where?  On Reddit?  That post got like 6 mixed responses.  
Also a copy of snow brothers is not a 57 Chevy.  Not even kind of.  

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12 minutes ago, Hammerfestus said:

I really think the scale of this sort of thing is being way exaggerated.  Newer collectors collecting them?  Who?  Where?  On Reddit?  That post got like 6 mixed responses.  
Also a copy of snow brothers is not a 57 Chevy.  Not even kind of.  

I just used that particular reddit post as an example. I see comments of people saying they buy the repros on there all the time because they dont want to spend money on the real thing. Its the reason I made the thread, because I see it THAT OFTEN. Especially in the N64 reddit. 
 

Making the comparison to cars isn’t exactly far fetched. They both have replaceable paint/decals/stickers, they both have a body/shell, they both have the interior mechanical parts that make them tick and need maintenance. They can both be restored, repaired, repainted, re-stickered, or bought who cloth as a brand new item from a catalog.  So what’s the difference between the person who is okay with a reproduction label on a videogame vs the person who is ok with a reproduction decal on a Firebird?

Edited by LeatherRebel5150
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11 minutes ago, LeatherRebel5150 said:

I just used that particular reddit post as an example. I see comments of people saying they buy the repros on there all the time because they dont want to spend money on the real thing. Its the reason I made the thread, because I see it THAT OFTEN. Especially in the N64 reddit. 
 

Making the comparison to cars isn’t exactly far fetched. They both have replaceable paint/decals/stickers, they both have a body/shell, they both have the interior mechanical parts that make them tick and need maintenance. They can both be restored, repaired, repainted, re-stickered, or bought who cloth as a brand new item from a catalog.  So what’s the difference between the person who is okay with a reproduction label on a videogame vs the person who is ok with a reproduction decal on a Firebird?

Is it unacceptable to replace the save battery in a cart?

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Coulda...

Woulda...

Shoulda...

Whatever.  Hammerfestus is right.  This tired line of circular whining of the end of days of bootleg copies has gone on since I remember popping up on NintendoAge over a decade ago and the same trail of paranoia and misinformation hasn't changed really much at all.  Still waiting for the sky to fall in on itself.

Minding other peoples business is not our business.  We're not the guardians of the video game verse.  We're not the gatekeepers of the video gaming guardian of forever either.

Every thing from coins, comics, stamps and the rest have had their waves of paranoid armchair policemen, and perhaps still do in some places, but most have moved on as they've been at it far longer and it's down to personal responsibility with information, learning, and dealing with the consequences.  People are going to get what they want, do what they want, and complaining for another decade isn't going to change it a bit.

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2 hours ago, Tanooki said:

Coulda...

Woulda...

Shoulda...

Whatever.  Hammerfestus is right.  This tired line of circular whining of the end of days of bootleg copies has gone on since I remember popping up on NintendoAge over a decade ago and the same trail of paranoia and misinformation hasn't changed really much at all.  Still waiting for the sky to fall in on itself.

Minding other peoples business is not our business.  We're not the guardians of the video game verse.  We're not the gatekeepers of the video gaming guardian of forever either.

Every thing from coins, comics, stamps and the rest have had their waves of paranoid armchair policemen, and perhaps still do in some places, but most have moved on as they've been at it far longer and it's down to personal responsibility with information, learning, and dealing with the consequences.  People are going to get what they want, do what they want, and complaining for another decade isn't going to change it a bit.

This.  People like having physical items and playing on original hardware. 99% of people they show their game collection to won't know the difference, so they buy what's in their budget and can enjoy. 

Also,  nothing wrong with collecting ps2 and newer. Lots of great games. I honestly find myself collecting retro games and generally playing modern stuff. It's just more fun.

 

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1 hour ago, ConfusedCollector said:

This.  People like having physical items and playing on original hardware. 99% of people they show their game collection to won't know the difference, so they buy what's in their budget and can enjoy. 

Also,  nothing wrong with collecting ps2 and newer. Lots of great games. I honestly find myself collecting retro games and generally playing modern stuff. It's just more fun.

 

Of course, I appreciate the Everdrives every bit as much as the next guy but I still like collecting games too.  Having a rom/iso of the game just doesn't count...you must have the real cartridge/disc to truly say it's in your collection.  After all, in my other main hobby (trading cards) just having pictures of the cards doesn't count either!

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Graphics Team · Posted

If it weren’t for the piracy issue, I’d be cool with collecting fake games as a substitute for originals (in the event that an authentic copy is out of reach for whatever reason).
That’s why I’m on-board with legally-licensed reproduction cartridges. They offer the same thing in terms of functionality and display, so to a lot of people, the “collector” and “gamer” inclinations are both satisfied.

Look at it like an art print:
I am a fan of Piet Mondrian’s “Composition II with Red Blue and Yellow”. I would gladly display a legally-reproduced print of that painting on my wall. 
You could tell me, “Displaying an art print is dumb because it’s not the original piece of artwork.” 
Then I could say, “But I like to look at the painting.”
You could say, “Just google the painting and look at it that way. You could have a million of the world’s best paintings on one SD card.”
Then I could say, “But I enjoy having individual, physical representations of my favorite paintings. It gives substance to my interests and allows me to outwardly display and share them.”

-CasualCart

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Graphics Team · Posted

And regarding the “shelf of empty game-case reproductions'' thing, I don’t see a huge issue there, either. 

While a whole wall of them would be excessive, it’s ultimately just a way to visually showcase the games you enjoy. It’s not like original 40-year-old deteriorating cardboard game boxes provide much in terms of functionality. And to that effect, aren’t a bunch of modern game cases just empty shells for a download code anyway? 

-CasualCart

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17 hours ago, Estil said:

Of course, I appreciate the Everdrives every bit as much as the next guy but I still like collecting games too.  Having a rom/iso of the game just doesn't count...you must have the real cartridge/disc to truly say it's in your collection.  After all, in my other main hobby (trading cards) just having pictures of the cards doesn't count either!

You're easier to quote than casual cart to make the point you BOTH did well.  You to the point, him using words instead of the pen to illustrate this time.  Sometimes it's great to have a copy, legit or otherwise, because in the end you care about what it does for you, visually, audio, game, whatever.  If it copies the original magnificently in form, function, and appearance that is what matters to your own appreciation of it vs as you said, a ROM or ISO...which would be the equal of like using a photocopier on a book, a scanner flatbed and $100 printer on a comic book, etc.

I like my fakes, screw the haters.  I have Twinkle Star Sprites for MVS, it cost me $100, and not $600+ because it uses an original board and replacement chips... looks and works correct on the exterior and in function, takes a screwdriver to know it's bs...and I like it that way.  That added $500+ went a long way to more useful and helpful stuff than getting into a peen measuring contest. 😄

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2 minutes ago, Tanooki said:

You're easier to quote than casual cart to make the point you BOTH did well.  You to the point, him using words instead of the pen to illustrate this time.  Sometimes it's great to have a copy, legit or otherwise, because in the end you care about what it does for you, visually, audio, game, whatever.  If it copies the original magnificently in form, function, and appearance that is what matters to your own appreciation of it vs as you said, a ROM or ISO...which would be the equal of like using a photocopier on a book, a scanner flatbed and $100 printer on a comic book, etc.

I like my fakes, screw the haters.  I have Twinkle Star Sprites for MVS, it cost me $100, and not $600+ because it uses an original board and replacement chips... looks and works correct on the exterior and in function, takes a screwdriver to know it's bs...and I like it that way.  That added $500+ went a long way to more useful and helpful stuff than getting into a peen measuring contest. 😄

Some collectors disliking repros might hate to compare e-peens, but there are collectors who hate (myself including) because the potential for scam acts are high. The situation now is nowhere near the same as it was 10 years ago, where repros were obvious to spot, and the recent times...not getting easy!

Just to be clear here, the hate isn’t directed at anyone wanting to have free reign on using materials to display or collect. It is the issue that potential scam acts are now trespassing on high level fraud and criminal activity. We are now dealing with potential losses in the thousands, not in the tens-hundreds.

Comparing current era repros to other past popular collectibles (eg. expensive cars, comics and paintings) is not the same at all. For starters, most of the older form of collectibles have a population data where collectors can usually gain access to information on how many are out there. And to buy them at premium prices, often you need to trace the history of the item and be diligent in research on their authenticity. Not to mention, the people buying into older collectibles are genuine hardcore nuts, whereas with the gaming scene, the buyers are a mish-mash of hardcore and softcore collectors, and anyone else in between.

With the current game collecting landscape, it’s hard to proof check an item’s history when someone lists it as “bought it many years ago”. Also, because there is still insufficient data currently, a repro (near 1:1 identical) can be mistaken for a variant print for those who are unassuming.

In short, games as a form of collectible medium is a lot more easy to trick buyers with repros and the number of consumers are a lot more higher!

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Well yeah that is true, but it's not your job or mine to protect others from scammers and get militant about it.  It has gone on far too long and has changed nothing, if anything, it has accelerated and ignored the complaining to the point of rubbing a nose in it given the high quality low price of them now.

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42 minutes ago, GPX said:

Just to be clear here, the hate isn’t directed at anyone wanting to have free reign on using materials to display or collect. It is the issue that potential scam acts are now trespassing on high level fraud and criminal activity. We are now dealing with potential losses in the thousands, not in the tens-hundreds.

I kinda feel the way you feel about repros, although I’m leaning more for them than against them. On the one hand, I don’t like 1:1 copies that are not distinguishable from the real thing. I think this is very destructive to the hobby. 
 

I think a reasonable compromise of a solution is that repros should always have either a different label design than the original or if they use original looking labels then they should have a different colored shell.

To me, officially licensed repros are awesome and serve as a suitable alternative to authentic originals. I no longer feel the need to track down an original Metal storm or Holy Diver because I have the official repro licensed by Irem.

For super expensive games like Panic Restaurant, Samson or Flinstones 2, I wouldn’t mind a non-1:1 repro. Although I’m not in a rush to get them as there are other authentic games that have higher priority. Maybe while getting these repros is on the backburner, they’ll actually release a licensed repro version of those games.

 

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I don't want to be mean to these kinds of people or push anyway away from the forum but people who collect straight bootleg games and just fuckin posers.

Like, they're those people who wear skate shoes and skate cloths and carry around a $500 skate board but couldn't ride it down a gently sloping hill. They're the kind of people who wear a doo rag, sag their pants, carry around a Boombox blasting rap music, screaming thug life and live in the suburbs of a suburb with 2 parents and a nanny.

These people just want the look because if they wanted the experience, they'd just emulate. And if they wanted to actually be that guy, they'd drop the coin like the rest of us. 

And using the comparison to classic cars, if you're going out and buying kit cars, every real gear head is laughing at you and embarassed for you. Kit cars are for losers. Just buy a 04 911 for $20k and be in the actual club instead of buying a kit car that only kids in highschool think are cool. Even gold diggers know kit cars are for losers. 

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3 hours ago, RegularGuyGamer said:

Like, they're those people who wear skate shoes and skate cloths and carry around a $500 skate board but couldn't ride it down a gently sloping hill. They're the kind of people who wear a doo rag, sag their pants, carry around a Boombox blasting rap music, screaming thug life and live in the suburbs of a suburb with 2 parents and a nanny.

 

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I want to start by pointing out that I spend more time gathering data on game series/franchises I am interested in than looking to buy them. This has helped me develop a level of control in terms of what I want in a Dragon Quest collection, which itself helps me define how I can (and will) collect other sealed games. In the end I had successfully rebuilt my core game collection while avoiding past pitfalls that helped make this hobby more of a chore for me.

And yet, I can openly claim that if I tried hard enough I will find people who will act like I am not a "true fan" when it comes to that series. With excuses being that I prefer collecting Japan releases, which are not as "rare" as their U.S. counterparts. Or even go as far as saying that because I am not Japanese, nor am fluent in the language. Atop of those who may claim a true fan will buy a copy of any game no matter how crappy others say it is. And I say that because between 2012 to 2020 that was the tone I received when I actually had money to build a collection that fits what I can afford to buy/own.

So jumping back into video games, I can say that I am very much in @MiamiSlice's camp. Because the best way to build a great collection, with the means of playing those games, starts with a loose cart and a ROM version of said game. It's cheap, it's legal, and one can keep it as a placeholder for the moment they are able to do an upgrade. Which has me agree with the way @Tanooki collects. In the end he'll upgrade those repros when he has the means to.

In all cases I dealt with an antithesis version of Tanooki. This anti-Tanooki was a condescending dick to anybody and anything he chose to not like. With collectors, those who own AFA graded loose Star Wars figures are not only "collecting them the wrong way" but own samples he acts like he deserves. And yet, he probably uses those collectors as a means of excusing his reasons for collecting repros of pre-existing figures. Just like how he acted like it was fine for him to shat over the fact animated characters that appeared in The Mandalorian, despite the fact his avatar is him enjoying something he also shat on. Tanooki does not do this, but I would not be shocked if somebody acted like he does.

Beyond this... I do not fully agree with that part of the hobby. With the deep end being that I'd rather have Deniz Khan perform an exorcism on me, with an overpriced Wata graded game as a Bible, long before I accept pirated goods as an authentic excuse to snub legit products. But I will accept the practice of those who do as long as they help me understand that bit. And do it in a way they do not sound like a self-entitled dick in the end. 👍

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10 hours ago, RegularGuyGamer said:

 

And using the comparison to classic cars, if you're going out and buying kit cars, every real gear head is laughing at you and embarassed for you. Kit cars are for losers. Just buy a 04 911 for $20k and be in the actual club instead of buying a kit car that only kids in highschool think are cool. Even gold diggers know kit cars are for losers. 

“Every real gearhead” can suck a fat one. Frankly i laugh and feel embarrassed for people like that because they must have a real sad life to take hobby shit that seriously. This is the mentality that pushes people away from hobbies. Who gives two shits what some “real gearhead/gamer/collector” thinks.

 

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11 minutes ago, LeatherRebel5150 said:

“Every real gearhead” can suck a fat one. Frankly i laugh and feel embarrassed for people like that because they must have a real sad life to take hobby shit that seriously. This is the mentality that pushes people away from hobbies. Who gives two shits what some “real gearhead/gamer/collector” thinks.

 

You're ok with posers, in the general sense. Just people who want to look the part with having no other qualifications to play the part outside the appearance? 

Look at those memes up there. You are convinced those guys live the thug life and should be encouraged to keep doing what they're doing?

There's literally wikihows on how to tell if someone's a poser or not.

Like it or not, there are cultural and social norms that are established within a group. If I should up to work in my bathing suit, people are going to tell me to go home and change, not ask me if I need more sunscreen on my back. 

Helping people fit in to a group isn't always a bad thing and it can be done constructively. 

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I'm starting to hate the word "haul" but I don't know why. It doesn't stem from this site more r/gamecollecting. Like look at this haul of 2 shitty Wii games I got! But it's not even an amount or what type of games the person got more trivializing or objectifying the hobby. Why can't you just say look at these games I got?

Maybe you old farts are rubbing off on me I don't know. I've used the word in the past I'm sure. 

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35 minutes ago, a3quit4s said:

I'm starting to hate the word "haul" but I don't know why. It doesn't seem from this site more r/gamecollecting. Like look at this haul of 2 shitty Wii games I got! But it's not even an amount or what type of games the person got more trivializing or objectifying the hobby. Why can't you just say look at these games I got?

Maybe you old farts are rubbing off on me I don't know. I've used the word in the past I'm sure. 

Lol I’m the same way with “haul”….. I don’t like the term …..found this game in “the wild” but I get it. I’m an old fart so I’m guilty 

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2 hours ago, RegularGuyGamer said:

You're ok with posers, in the general sense. Just people who want to look the part with having no other qualifications to play the part outside the appearance? 

Look at those memes up there. You are convinced those guys live the thug life and should be encouraged to keep doing what they're doing?

There's literally wikihows on how to tell if someone's a poser or not.

Like it or not, there are cultural and social norms that are established within a group. If I should up to work in my bathing suit, people are going to tell me to go home and change, not ask me if I need more sunscreen on my back. 

Helping people fit in to a group isn't always a bad thing and it can be done constructively. 

I didn’t realize someone needed to be qualified to enjoy a HOBBY. I mustve missed the day we all took the test and got our permits.

Yea, the thug life kids can do whatever the hell they want. How is them dressing in a stupid fashion hurting anyone? 

 Your example of the bathing suit isn’t relevant to the rest of it. A company pays you and you agree to their standards which is usually outlined somewhere in the employment terms. Outside of them nobody gives two shits if your wearing a bathing suit. 
 

Side note: “social norms” are mostly bullshit anyway and are hardly followed anymore. Im a Jr engineer and where a band tshirt and camo pants/shorts to work everyday. The Sr mechanical engineer has gauged ears and a stud in his upper cheek. We work for a very large electrical engineering place. So if that place aint following social norms Im thinking the norm aint as popular as it used to be

All your explaining is gatekeeping plain and simple

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16 hours ago, phart010 said:

I kinda feel the way you feel about repros, although I’m leaning more for them than against them. On the one hand, I don’t like 1:1 copies that are not distinguishable from the real thing. I think this is very destructive to the hobby. 
 

I think a reasonable compromise of a solution is that repros should always have either a different label design than the original or if they use original looking labels then they should have a different colored shell.

To me, officially licensed repros are awesome and serve as a suitable alternative to authentic originals. I no longer feel the need to track down an original Metal storm or Holy Diver because I have the official repro licensed by Irem.

For super expensive games like Panic Restaurant, Samson or Flinstones 2, I wouldn’t mind a non-1:1 repro. Although I’m not in a rush to get them as there are other authentic games that have higher priority. Maybe while getting these repros is on the backburner, they’ll actually release a licensed repro version of those games.

 

I agree that we can’t stop this repro trend, and that isn’t what I’ve been talking about. But for us to be more aware of the repercussions, and it is currently affecting us all in a subtle way. For instance, there is an increasing paranoia on our purchases on whether:

- a seal is legit or reseal

- box/cart/manual is legit or repro

The more repros and reseals that are produced (specifically the near identical 1:1), the more the paranoia will likely worsen. This isn’t likely to be a good thing for the hobby.

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1 hour ago, LeatherRebel5150 said:

I didn’t realize someone needed to be qualified to enjoy a HOBBY. I mustve missed the day we all took the test and got our permits.

Yea, the thug life kids can do whatever the hell they want. How is them dressing in a stupid fashion hurting anyone? 

 Your example of the bathing suit isn’t relevant to the rest of it. A company pays you and you agree to their standards which is usually outlined somewhere in the employment terms. Outside of them nobody gives two shits if your wearing a bathing suit. 
 

Side note: “social norms” are mostly bullshit anyway and are hardly followed anymore. Im a Jr engineer and where a band tshirt and camo pants/shorts to work everyday. The Sr mechanical engineer has gauged ears and a stud in his upper cheek. We work for a very large electrical engineering place. So if that place aint following social norms Im thinking the norm aint as popular as it used to be

All your explaining is gatekeeping plain and simple

I think we can use this “thug life” analogy in a useful way to understand the negativity on repros.

I’ve always been an advocate for collectors who “collect for what they want”, whether loose carts, CIB, sealed, homebrews etc. Much like anyone can wish to dress and appear like an emo, a thug, a gang member or a deranged psychopath. As long as you don’t interfere with me and don’t break social rules, I’m ok with whatever you look like.

Now with the repros near 1:1 where there are a lot of dodgy stuff merging in the realms of scam and criminal activity, you are not just affecting me but an entire online game collecting community. This would be similar to a person looking like a thug or a deranged psychopath, AND engaging in actual deranged and psychopathic behaviours with criminal acts. This is something that shouldn’t be encouraged.

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