Consolidation?

[Raz1r]

I'm getting older (17- okay not that old), and with less time to play games, I've almost stopped buying whatsoever. The last game I bought was Halo 3, and before that nothing since February- retro stuff included.

I've got a huge backlog of RPGs and no time to play them. I've been thinking about selling them, along with a few systems and games that go with them, but I don't want to burn any bridges. Should I sell them for new stuff or just pack them away until I ever get the time?

And I'll probably start to focus on one or two systems- any suggestions? (I have PS2 with a sizable PS1 RPG collection, a Dreamcast with lame-to-mediocre games, Xbox, N64, SNES, NES, Genesis.) I've been emulating a little bit, but until redcloud releases his XBCD drivers for the wireless controllers, I can't see myself sitting down and playing anything with no gamepad.

[Mr. Stripe]

I've always regretted selling my old games for new stuff. So if I were you I would just hold on to them until you get back into it or want to play or can make time for it.

[fastbilly1]

I think it is safe to say that most every retrogamer has a stack of games they have been meaning to play. I mean I have most of the top tier PSX rpgs, and I really have no desire to play them, but they were cheap...

Your idea of narrowing to two systems is a good one and how I would go about it is pick one of the ones you have the largest collection of unfinished games on, and one that has your lowest amount. So when you finish off the smaller one you feel like you have accomplished something.

[RadarScope1]

I'm about 10 years older than you and I can say that time is only going to get more scarce as you get older. There's just more and more stuff to do the more life goes on.

That said, I learned long ago not to get rid of the stuff I treasure just for something shiny and new. If you must sell stuff to get the cash for something new, you should prioritize and make sure you keep what you really want and sell what's on the bubble, and make sure sure you really want the new thing. Nothing's worse than selling a hard-to-find treasure to pay for a new game/hardware, only to find out the game was overrated anyway or not your thing after all.

I used to play a lot of RPGs when I was a teenager. To be honest, I've kind of left them behind. I just have too much to do and others things happening in my life to complete several 50-hour epics every year. The games I've spent the most time with are well-suited to quick plays over time, like Advance Wars DS, which I've dumped more than 100 hours into -- but over a two year period.

Only you can decide what's best for you, but I bet if you surveyed the folks here, many would say they get into games that are shorter or more pick-up-and play as they've gotten older. Not surprisingly, that describes the essence of older games, which is why so many people still like "retro" gaming in spite of today's graphics and all that goes with it.

[lordofduct]

if you don't have time for the games you own, what says you're going to have the time for new games?

Also those games will only score you a few bucks, and as time continues on they might start going back up in price due to their age.

Instead why don't you use what little time you have to complete those games. And then what games that are out now that you want to play are going to be much cheaper by then, and THEN you can pick those titles up.

[Ivo]

if you don't have time for the games you own, what says you're going to have the time for new games?

Also those games will only score you a few bucks, and as time continues on they might start going back up in price due to their age.

Instead why don't you use what little time you have to complete those games. And then what games that are out now that you want to play are going to be much cheaper by then, and THEN you can pick those titles up.

I agree.

I suggest you do that: play the old games now, and play the new games when they are old.

Do make exceptions for prime games that you feel like you can't wait to play (e.g. if you are a Diablo fan, you might want to get Hellgate: London as soon as it comes out). In the end, it is important that you're enjoying yourself in the little free time


Ivo.

[sohoya]

Getting older....17 wow. Hey man, Im 35 and I have sold many systems thru the years including several Dc's that I bought new back in the day and I have regreted it everytime. I think the advice about the new games youve been getting is dead on. I would say put your old systems up in a box somewhere for now because later on you will get the urge to go retro.

[durkada]

Emulation has come a long way. Every so often, I think there will be a day I toss most of my old systems in favor of the compact storage of Roms. But, probably never will. There is a certain tangible charm in the old systems -- even the new systems which will, one day, be old. So, for instance, while it is perfectly acceptable to play some great games on Emulators, using better controls -- often without wires -- and enjoying other perks -- graphics and sound enhancements, save states, etc. -- I still cannot abandon the original. Something about popping in a cartridge, using some extension cables with an original controller, is simply a pleasure that is hard to define.

The same is true with many other things. Books -- of which, I have, admittedly, too many -- is another source of consternation. While I would love to save space, and have an open, uncluttered house, I keep my books, and magazines. Even if they were all offered in an electronic form that closely simulated, perhaps even enhanced them for my reading pleasure, I suspect I would still more frequently leaf through the pages than press some buttons.

Thats part one. Rambling, perhaps, but certainly an endorsement that you should store your systems away for later use. I doubt you will get rich selling them today, and you would have to sell too many to buy a modern console.

Part Two: Are you, or are you not, a pack-rat? If not obvious, I'm the latter. Something forbids me from tossing things that still have some value to me. If you can toss stuff, why not? I'm very much Kyle in the Weapons is Fun Episode -- completely unable to drop my nunchucks down the well.

And another confirmation on two other wise statements:

Lordofduct's statement that, yo, if you can't find the time to play the stuff you have now, how will you find the time to play new games? He cut to the crux of the matter.

RadarScopes1's observation that your freetime further dissipates is also true. Of course, if I spent more time playing games than talking about them on this list, I might not so readily agree...

[Bev]

if you don't have time for the games you own, what says you're going to have the time for new games?

Also those games will only score you a few bucks, and as time continues on they might start going back up in price due to their age.

Instead why don't you use what little time you have to complete those games. And then what games that are out now that you want to play are going to be much cheaper by then, and THEN you can pick those titles up.

Good solution.

[philipofmacedon]

I'll echo what most everyone has been saying here. Keep your stuff.

There was a time when I believed I had too many games. I told myself that I wouldn't buy any more until I played some of the ones I already owned. I went so far to put these unplayed games in a box and wrote "game hopper" on the side of it. I'd pull one game at a time out and just play it until it was done. But it really just started to feel like work.

I thought about it and then one day I just embraced collecting. Now I think it's just cool to have some really quality titles on my shelf. Friends come to me and I recommend something and let them borrow it. When I'm ready to play something I look at my shelf and usually something calls out to me.

For me moderate collecting is ok because I spend so little on it. 20 dollars is the maximum I'll spend on a game and that's usually only for something brand new like Red Star. I try and do some research and pick out only the titles that are mostly like to amuse me. I picked up a clean copy of Resident Evil 4 for gamecube for 10 bucks and Okami for 12 the other day. I almost spent twenty for God of War 2 but decided to wait. Now that I invest so little I don't feel under any pressure to get my money's worth.

In some ways collecting games on a budget is almost like a game for me. Visiting new pawn shops, yard sales, bargain bins at rental and retail stores, and roaming the internet is a lot of fun. Just last week I won a copy of Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes for 8 cents on Ebay. I muscled out the guy whose maximum bid was only 3 cents. There was five dollars of shipping, but it was still great fun.

I'm finding it really important, and it seems trite to have to type this, but gaming should always be about fun. Once a game feels like work, just put it down.

I hear you about the RPGS. I used to love them as a kid but now they just don't captivate me. I still find that from time to time I go through an RPG about halfway and then stop. It's fun while it lasts. I'm glad I have them when I want them.

One final reason to keep your stuff is that you rarely seem to get good value for trade-ins. I went to a local game store with my copy of Suikoden. They wanted to give me 5 bucks for it, said that was all it was worth, but they had a copy on the shelf for 25 bucks. Forget that.

I'm a huge packrat and I have the space to indulge my habit. I like collecting and organizing things. If you're lacking space maybe you've got a sibling you could trade-in and use his room. Also by selling him or them you'll have more money to buy games.