Should I just emulate?

[Violent By Design]

Convenience also makes a big difference with me. My gamestop has recently run out of good gamecube games (rest is just shovelware now). Surprised they had so many good GC games for as long as they did, someone must have cleaned them out.

If I had a machine that could run GC games well (maybe I do, havent tried it), I'd prob pirate it. But I could still see myself ordering some games, more so multiplayer based games than anything.

[KalessinDB]

Only read the first page and a half or so, but my take on it...

I do both. I have a Hyperspin setup that I'm tinkering with while I wait for a friend to help me build a cabinet, and I have somewhere over 30 systems (and yes, they're all out and able to be hooked up within a minute or two - I don't have the splitters and power strips to keep them all hooked up at once, but I've got the cords for them all).

Now, in order to play rom hacks and games I can't physically get ahold of, I've started buying flash carts and I love them. I've also modded many systems to play off HD or what have you. I see no problem with this, as I'm still using the hardware.

Like Jamsonia, I'm trying to get top-end video too. Modding most to S-Video at the least, YPbPr where possible. I find scart/RGB to be a pain in the butt, I want to use as few converters as possible so that nixes it for my US-based self. NES can't go there, Odyssey^2 can't go there, but other than that I think all my systems either already are, or will soon be there. (Just a question of time and resources - unlike Jamsonia, I'm NOT handy with a soldering iron so I need to ship mine out) Audio, I'm less concerned with, though maybe at some point I'll work there too. But I doubt it, as there will be much less standardization with that and that'll annoy me.

But even though I don't always play them, I can't imagine anything will make me want to sell my old systems at any point in the forseeable future.

[dtrack]

I am in the same trouble, here are my experiences going the hard route.
For me playing the actual HW was more important than owning the game in physical format so i am using backups, modchips, flashcarts along with originals. And also in a hunt for the best possible AV quality on my LCD and this desire led me to a lot of disappointment, waste of time and money. However i have picked up some knowledge on video standards, electricity and i also did some modding (cables with capacitors and such).
Current setup (along a couple of handhelds) is PSX, DC, SNES, SAT, GC, MD, MCD, N64 and only one left which is a TG16 (that is why i came here into the "other" section) . All of them on a 2x4 shelf below the TV.
I am also into party games with friends- when they come over we dig out the multitap for the SNES and playing 5-player Bomberman, 4 player ChuChu on DC, 4-player Tetris on N64 etc. this means the contollers, accessories, cables, adaptors and games take up a LOT of space in my relatively small flat.
Modding the consoles to output 60 hz, eat NTSC games and hunting good quality AV cables are eating up too much time so i think i will decide what i will keep and focusing on because 8 systems is getting too much to handle and i always will be dissatisfied.
I think for playing (espacially with friends) the actual HW doesn't matter or emulation is even better. For example Mario Kart 64 is way better in 60fps HD than 25fps 320x240 when one player have to deal with just 160x120 (in 4p mode).
But this is the case of playing MK64 not playing N64 as Hatta said.
So i think the best is to keep the best systemts, collecting for, modding and completing a collection and aim perfect AV quality and getting 4-5 really good usb controller or usb adaptors for playing other systems via emulation.
The only problem with this theory i can't really choose between these 8 -what to keep and what to dump and even if i could. i may evetually would get them again as i already did.

[MorbidYak]

I think emulation is the way to go unless you are into the actual collecting aspect of it. I know many people who have a ton of fun collecting and often they don't play a tenth of the games they buy. If your main interest is playing the games I'd just emulate.

What I ended up doing was to buy the games that were nostalgic to me and emulating everything else. It keeps my collection small and manageable and instead of spending a ton of time tracking down good deals on games I spend that time actually playing them!

There is absolutely nothing wrong with either approach. But unless you really enjoy the 'thrill of the hunt' of finding physical copies your limited free time would be better served just playing the games.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

MorbidYak has a nice point. Hunting for deals can be fun on its own, but it really is time-consuming. It's often worth paying a little more for a game than spending hours looking for a cheaper copy. Disc-based games are especially troublesome - if you aren't careful, you might end up with a "working" disc that has audio problems or something.

Usually I find a copy of whatever game I want in 20 minutes, order it, and be done. If it's an old game the developer won't get any money for, I see no reason not to pirate it.

[IhatedSega]

Usually I find a copy of whatever game I want in 20 minutes, order it, and be done. If it's an old game the developer won't get any money for, I see no reason not to pirate it.

Excellent point.

[alexis524]

Usually I find a copy of whatever game I want in 20 minutes, order it, and be done. If it's an old game the developer won't get any money for, I see no reason not to pirate it.

Excellent point.

Same can be said for used current-gen titles.(correct me if i'm wrong, really)

I suffer from the same dillema as the TC. I've bounced back and forth so many times between gaming on original hardware and emulation, that it's just not funny. In the end though, I've always come back to the real thing. Yes, emulation is convenient, but if playing on original hardware is what makes you happy and gives you that special feeling, then stick with that my friend. I have and i'm OK with it even though it means it costs more money than emulation

[BitFaced]

Like was mentioned in another topic, certain console's emulation is kind of spotty at the moment (like N64 which personally put me off). But that's just me.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

I like the "real console" feel, but the advantages of emulation appeal to me too. Saving anytime, graphics enhancements, or just having a VGA video connection

[Sano]

Well, I happen to be a fan of emulation. So you won't get any arguments about emulating from me. I do get a kick out of playing at a friend's house who has the actual console and games on a CRT though.