Collect as a verb, yes, just about everyone does that. Dealers, investors, collectors, gamers. Collector as noun, to my mind, that excludes those those who sell or trade all their games as a matter of course, either as a means to more games or as a way to recoup intial investment.

Bacardi Jim, to me, your approach is almost a political one. You seem to feel a commitment to recirculate the game. No, I don't see many people concerned about "passing the game forward", me included. I'll give away games sometimes or sell at undermarket if I think I can afford to of if the mood strikes me but it's not a policy or anything like that. Pretty much act as the mood strikes me.

I wouldn't call what you do investing either. To me that conjurs up images of big trunks full of shrinkwrapped games and constantly watching the market for the right moment to pounce.

Then there's the conservation/archival question. I know people who collect to make sure these games survive down through the decades intact. That's pretty important too and something I don't see many people talking about either.

You also are a brave one, Monkey. Have been enjoying reading your threads and arguements with great interest. I love a good debate. And , I think you'll agree, we can agree to disagree...

No, you are not freaks, BacardiJim. (Friedmonky's a bit naughty at times, isn't he?) Have been enjoying your better half, Lucky's Rainbow(?), as you put it somewhere I think, input also.
Speaking of collecting, were you able to track down that game to buy, I think it was Sherlock Holmes: The case of the Rose Tattoo? Or was The Riddle of Mr. Lu? Have both somewhere in the basement. But I know where the Rose Tattoo is, sorted out a box of games 2 days ago.

I would be happy to lend it to you, for as long as you both would like. The Rose Tattoo is a deloghtful older game, and the dart game isn't nearly as bad as you would think, if you get some hints here.

I'd kind of like to have it back, loved this older game, would like to play it again someday. And if it got scratched or broken or lost, I promise I wouldn't care. Would be happy to share the enjoyment with you and Lucky. Makes having played the game more fun, to be able to talk about it with someone who has also played it. If you want it, just email or post.

Brave? Why do you say that? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="confused.gif" />
Rusty

Well, you have been involved in a lot of spirited debate, don't you think? I think that's brave. And, I was kinda jokingly referring to your comment about my comment about Jim's review (whew), at the Boomers review section. Remember?

God yes we would like to borrow Rose Tattoo!

Can't find it on eBay for under $30, and that only rarely. Check your email, Kathy.

Cool! Will go look for it now.

KathyO,
Ah, yes, now I know what you mean. I don't think I get involved in any more spirited debate than the average person. Maybe a little more lately regarding the Dark Fall reviews.
Rusty

I guess we can talk spiritedly, but not meanly about anything, can't we!

I think that some people sell their games to get more games. Some people might want to put games back into circulation so that more people can play them. That's rather a romantic ideal, if you ask me - who knows what happens to something when we get rid of it - it doesn't always go to a "good" home. Maybe some people don't like to keep extra stuff around. They might be "possession minimalists", or something like that.

I think other people keep them, to keep them, because they love them. Some people keep them because them love them, but they also keep them as a "collection" which might have monetary value. I've heard of gamers who buy two games, one to play and one to keep. I think all of that is good. What's wrong with selling or giving away your games? What's wrong with building a collection of games, or collecting anything, in mint condition? Also,as was said before, why you do something, your original purpose, can change over time. Sometimes people keep their games because they love them, discover they have something valuable, and then sell some of the "valuable" ones, to make some money and (possibly) to get more games for their "collection", which they love! Wow, run on sentences, but you get the idea. I don't think any of that is bad - it's your stuff, you can do whatever you want with it. Works for me.

Me, I keep mine because I want to keep them, along with the art I acquired (I have it on the walls, on bookshelves, and in boxes, hopefully between sheets of acid free paper!), my music, my science fiction magazines (some from the 1960s - I am running out of room for the magazines), my books, my photographs, my plants, everything on my computer hard drives, and........ you get the idea. I keep stuff. It makes me happy, to have my "stuff" around. I know we are supposed to all be into this "simplification" thing, but I'm not going there. Having stuff around that I love - it's good. It makes me happy. They can cart it all away when I'm gone. Oh wait, lest you think I'm a complete materialist, I also want to have the the people I like and love, around me - also beautiful scenery, great weather, good conversation, and other intangibles. I want all the good stuff, around me, and that includes material possessions. Wait, did I mention food, and drink - where is that good bottle of wine I've been saving! Think I'll open it now!

You know, even though I love my material "stuff", if I found something that was really valuable, I might sell it - a little money right now would not be a bad thing.

Jeez. I hope that doesn't mean they can come cart me away when you're gone, mszv!

Ya can't take it with you, ya know....

Tell that to the lady buried in her cadillac

mszv, I am with you, I like all my stuff. Books, music, art, seashells, my mardi gras beads - it feels so comfy to me. But if it burned up - so be it. Well my books would get to me a bit. :sniff:

I just have a hard time selling things. I would give things away before I would sell them. Unless it was an abject emergency. As for collector, dealer whatever. I think people should be how they are. It is all good to me. If you think "paying it forward" with games (nice analogy Scout ) is the way to go - great idea. If you want to preserve games for the future - great there too. If you want to save them on shelves and marvel at how they look - I hear you.

If we were a homogonized group - how boring that would be.

Laura

When I'm gone, BacardiJim, you'll be the first to go! Hmmm, never thought of it like that!

My most valuable games are probably the mint & boxed Celtica, Cassandra Galleries, Pilgrim, Gord@k, Red & Green Reahs, Neverhood and Obsidian.

Wow, SirDave. You have all the goodies! Just those alone would be quite a collection.
Rusty

Thanks Rusty- have worked pretty hard to get a good basic collection of AGs from 1993 to 2000. I guess that some others in my collection that are gaining value are (all boxed and mint) The Rose Tattoo, Amazon Queen, Versailles 1685, Secrets of the Luxor, I Have No Mouth..., Dinotopia, Infocom Classic Text Adventure Masterpieces (the original 30 game collection) and, finally, my latest acquistion, that I've been trying to get for months: a mint, boxed Bad MoJo.

Sirdave,

when you say mint, do you mean unopened?

Not overall. Some are still shrinkwrapped, but could have been shrinkwrapped by the seller for all I know. Essentially, I mean that they are in a condition that would be acceptable if you saw them on the store shelf. Sometimes it's hard to decide what is mint. For instance, it's well known that the Celtica box came with no cardboard insert and is generally thin so it's not unusual for even the best Celtica boxes to have a crease or ding or 2 in them.

I definitely do not use the term mint to describe a box that has any sign of wear and tear such as worn flaps or tears of any kind.