The Collector Pleb Thread
You ever see, hear, or read things about gaming and collecting that just makes you realize you know a lot about collecting, are getting old, or just can't imagine someone being so dumb? I've wanted to start this thread a couple times but never got around to it.
I know A LOT of people on here have what I like to call 'NA goggles'. They completely overestimate the knowledge of the common person w.r.t. gaming/collecting. Having said that, I still see things that leave me dumbfounded.
A good example came up today when someone posted a picture of slim PS1 on Reddit/IMGUR. Most of the comments on the picture thought it was fake or didn't realize it was even a thing. I guess this may start to show my age (30), but how the fuck do so many people not even realize this existed or that it was different from the original release.
So, any examples? Maybe something you overheard in a game store or swap meet. Something one of your friends said to you. "Oh, I hear that Earthbound game goes for $10K online" etc.
I know A LOT of people on here have what I like to call 'NA goggles'. They completely overestimate the knowledge of the common person w.r.t. gaming/collecting. Having said that, I still see things that leave me dumbfounded.
A good example came up today when someone posted a picture of slim PS1 on Reddit/IMGUR. Most of the comments on the picture thought it was fake or didn't realize it was even a thing. I guess this may start to show my age (30), but how the fuck do so many people not even realize this existed or that it was different from the original release.
So, any examples? Maybe something you overheard in a game store or swap meet. Something one of your friends said to you. "Oh, I hear that Earthbound game goes for $10K online" etc.
Comments
Reseller: "Oh and if you ever see an XBox Jurassic Park game, buy it! It goes for over $100 on eBay!"
Guy: "Why is it so much?"
Reseller: "....I guess it's a great game?"
I just had to shake my head at that, though it explains why the guy tends to leave more obscure stuff sitting on shelves; the guy obviously doesn't do much more research beyond looking up recent ebay listings.
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I heard this exchange at RetroWorldExpo a month ago:
Vendor: "So how long have you been collecting?"
Random 30-something Guy: "Oh, I've been collecting since I was five"
Everytime I hear/read someone say that it irks me. People are trying too hard not to come across as a Johnny-Come-Lately to the hobby. I felt like shouting: "Stop lying, no way you were collecting when you five! Just admit you started collecting when you saw an episode of Game Chasers on your Youtube Recommended feed!"
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Everytime someone says to me "Well you see, I'm a <usually with an emphasis on this word> purist, so..." I feel the need to mentally buckle up.
It is what it is, I guess.
Most of the posts on Reddit
I gasped, literally. Took a step back. Then when I caught my breath, took a closer look. Yup, black permanent marker.
Anything Earthbound related
Most of the posts on Reddit
What's collector pleb about the RAREST HOLY GRAIL SNES game?
Two pet peeves of mine are people who correlate prices with rarity because they know nothing about rarity and people who call everything above $50 a holy grail.
I heard this exchange at RetroWorldExpo a month ago:
Vendor: "So how long have you been collecting?"
Random 30-something Guy: "Oh, I've been collecting since I was five"
Everytime I hear/read someone say that it irks me. People are trying too hard not to come across as a Johnny-Come-Lately to the hobby. I felt like shouting: "Stop lying, no way you were collecting when you five! Just admit you started collecting when you saw an episode of Game Chasers on your Youtube Recommended feed!"
We have at least a couple members on the site that make that claim (i.e. started "collecting when they were 4" or something along those lines).
I heard this exchange at RetroWorldExpo a month ago:
Vendor: "So how long have you been collecting?"
Random 30-something Guy: "Oh, I've been collecting since I was five"
Everytime I hear/read someone say that it irks me. People are trying too hard not to come across as a Johnny-Come-Lately to the hobby. I felt like shouting: "Stop lying, no way you were collecting when you five! Just admit you started collecting when you saw an episode of Game Chasers on your Youtube Recommended feed!"
We have at least a couple members on the site that make that claim (i.e. started "collecting when they were 4" or something along those lines).
I think its hilarious too. I assume most start "collecting" when they have expendable income to spend on games.
Ps nathan dont argue with me on this
I don't know if this fits, but I've been pretty baffled by the hype for the NES Classic Edition. Why pay for a plug 'n' play system with twenty games when you can get an old NES (or better yet an AVS) with a Powerpak/Everdrive and have any game you want? I understand if you're just someone who wants to relive some nostalgia once in awhile, but there are hardcore gamers covering this thing.
New, shiny, HDMI, low price point at retail.
Obviously there is a LOT of people here that have collected that long, but it's pretty rare to see outside of NA.
I find "gamer" plebs far worse than collector plebs. People that don't have a fucking clue what they are doing while trying to act as some sort of expert or authority on games they obviously suck at.
True dat
Usually the "I started collecting 20 years ago!" types are the ones buying SMB3 and Zelda carts for an outrageous price.
Obviously there is a LOT of people here that have collected that long, but it's pretty rare to see outside of NA.
Yeah, I think the issue people have with that is really just semantics. It's like questioning the nature of collecting, the intention behind it. If you had the carts back then, have them now, and have been growing your collection, you're a collector, albeit often with a large hiatus in there for some of the folks that start ramping up a lot in their 20s/30s. That being said, one's intentions as a kid were likely super different; I usually think of it as becoming a more serious or dedicated collector, which for me only started a few years ago, for example.
I was at a fundraising event and the person who brought an SNES for everyone to play had written their name in black permanent marker on all the carts.
I gasped, literally. Took a step back. Then when I caught my breath, took a closer look. Yup, black permanent marker.
*gasp* he didn't care what the condition value is, just wants to make sure he gets them back?
Seriously, you or I might not do that, but I don't see anything wrong with it. Maybe he's the type who still has his old games from grade school and never stopped playing them.
/\ Yeah I was gonna say something like that. What gets me is "I started playing video games when I was 2" come on, no you did NOT have any idea what the fuck you were doing then.
I was at a fundraising event and the person who brought an SNES for everyone to play had written their name in black permanent marker on all the carts.
I gasped, literally. Took a step back. Then when I caught my breath, took a closer look. Yup, black permanent marker.
*gasp* he didn't care what the condition value is, just wants to make sure he gets them back? Seriously, you or I might not do that, but I don't see anything wrong with it. Maybe he's the type who still has his old games from grade school and never stopped playing them.
Maybe I was a little over dramatic, haha.. But I wasn't ever concerned with the "value" of the games, more about how long it would take me to clean them if they were mine.
how long it would take me to clean them if they were mine.
I'm saying though. Writing your name on it doesn't make it dirty, so there is no need to clean.
If you're the sort to do that. Like I do on extension cords and tools when Ibring them somewhere with others for a project.
I find "gamer" plebs far worse than collector plebs. People that don't have a fucking clue what they are doing while trying to act as some sort of expert or authority on games they obviously suck at.
True dat
I agree, there are still people who dont realize donkey kong country 3 is the best of the series.
People who call Little Samson by the name of Little Sampson.
When you throw that extra p in there, you lose all credibility to me.
I find reading plebs to be even more amusing that collecting plebs.
Pleb collecting is a thing? Are cool young people talking about them on the Youtubers? How much are they going for on eBay?! Where can I find a rarity list!?! <withdraws savings to buy cheap plebs>
* E.T. was the worst game ever made
* NES 001 was the first NES made and is worth thousands
* Differences between a Sega CD and a Sega Saturn
* Earthbound and Conker's Bad Fur Day are rare
* Video game collectors must be rich in order to own all those games
I heard this exchange at RetroWorldExpo a month ago:
Vendor: "So how long have you been collecting?"
Random 30-something Guy: "Oh, I've been collecting since I was five"
Everytime I hear/read someone say that it irks me. People are trying too hard not to come across as a Johnny-Come-Lately to the hobby. I felt like shouting: "Stop lying, no way you were collecting when you five! Just admit you started collecting when you saw an episode of Game Chasers on your Youtube Recommended feed!"
We have at least a couple members on the site that make that claim (i.e. started "collecting when they were 4" or something along those lines).
I think its hilarious too. I assume most start "collecting" when they have expendable income to spend on games.
Ps nathan dont argue with me on this
It depends on your definition of collecting I guess; back when I was 15 or so I started retaining SNES games (as opposed to trading them in) and reading Gamefan magazine. It's possible that set the groundwork even though I didn't really ramp up my acquisitions until about six or seven years ago (based on flipping and getting good deals on lots). Also being a long-term gamer can make one look more like a collector I think.
how long it would take me to clean them if they were mine.
I'm saying though. Writing your name on it doesn't make it dirty, so there is no need to clean. If you're the sort to do that. Like I do on extension cords and tools when Ibring them somewhere with others for a project.
Well, to each his own. I'd clean the marker off.
If you don't want to, no worries mang!