HoshiChiri

How they heck did I miss this thread? I picked this up a few days after release, sliding into the space between my state going into lockdown & Amazon delaying non-essential shipments. As for MY island rating... When Isabelle showed, my island rating went up 1 star daily til 4, then it took a week or so of tweaking to get 5. My advice is: remember the 3 Fs (flowers, fencing, furniture), don't cut down trees unless you need the space for the above immediately, & work on your infrastructure (bridges/inclines). As soon as I get my hybrids grown, I can take down my flower breeding pens & build my arcade!

I've never had to, no- I've voluntarily gotten rid of things here & there, and my non-gaming collections have had massive purges. It's always been by choice though- sort of a 'between shelf space & having this DVD set, I choose shelf space'. For games it's not been an issue as, by the time I could afford to really amass stuff quickly, I was already at the point of finding the space first, then getting the new thing. I think having a Steel Battalion controller would be neat, but I've nowhere to put that behemoth, so I don't buy one. As a result, my game collection's grown much more slowly- the higher costs help too. I may find myself downsizing in the near future, but I don't see much coming out of the game collection, quite frankly.

I think it's gonna be more like the Switch's Devil's Third- something that got touted as being rare during the system's lifetime, so collectors grabbed it up. It'll have value just due to low print run, but nothing like the Holy Grails of the NES era- whose value comes from people not caring so few copies survived to today. I'm honestly not sure we'll see anything modern reach those kinds of numbers, just becuase too many people these days are actively collecting so more copies are being kept instead of used, ruined & thrown away. Maybe that poop game on the PS4, since no one believed it was real so practically none got out to the public.

The only box I can think of that I threw away over condition is an Odyssey 2 console box that was wrinkled/warped & popped apart on several seams. In all honesty, a dedicated soul might've kept it together, but I lack the storage space for something that kind of big & delicate, nor do I know anyone close by to give such a thing to. Game boxes are pretty simple- pop it in a box protector & treat it like any other copy. I'm not immediately aware of anything I've had/have with mold issues, but I can't imagine I'd keep one. Too risky, both for personal health & keeping the rest of the collection clean.

This is largely where I sit- current, or even last-gen games are largely off limits unless there's no legal way to obtain them (Scott Pilgrim being a famous case). When a game is young, it makes the most money, & the people who created it deserve to get paid. Last gen titles are typically only available secondhand so they aren't getting a cut, but keeping some value in the secondhand market is good for said creators- many people only pay full price becuase they know they can sell later. Anything older is largely fair game becuase access, if available, is prone to change- use the wii virtual console! Nevermind, pay again to have it on Wii U! Nevermind, buy an online subscription & we'll hook up with some stuff! Plus, most of the time these games are being peddled after the ROM's been out some time. You're not getting that horse back in the barn, so to speak. Of course, this is all a moot point because I'm one of those folks who'd prefer to muck about with old hardware then fiddle with ROMs. I've considered picking up/"commissioning" someone to make a Retro Pi for my sister- she gets the retro bug from time to time & has a retro duo (or similar machine)... but she's tight on cash & has a VERY small apartment, so a tiny box with every old title she could ever want would be a great thing for her. Of course, many of the people who'd actually set up such a thing for me are shady & probably not worth dealing with, so I haven't seriously looked into it.

That's handy, but it doesn't necessarily solve the problem- it just means I now have to decide what's enough time to give for them to see & decide, versus how long I'll have to wait if they flake & ignore it. I'd personally love a 'revoke offer' button so if a better option comes along I can just cancel out. Might make some of the offenders reconsider if they know they don't have a guaranteed window of time to wait for a better offer.

I don't know about a $50 limit, but I agree it should be under Ebay value. The odds that the store took the time to properly test an item is unlikely, assuming there's even someone with the knowledge to do that in the building. Plus, Ebay has a better return policy. But, that's on them- either someone's willing to pay it or they get no money at all. If they wanna gamble on a big payout they can. Yeah... here's the thing- those 'unfortunate individuals'? Usually less unfortunate & more complete jerks. Think of it this way- a lot of people who end up in a thrift, are people who can't handle working at McDonald's, & only company policy prevents them from getting fired. Things I have heard about include: -employees in donations taking stuff they want home before pricing the rest -people taking 1 hour breaks, 3 hour lunches, or just leaving mid-shift -refusing to work on anything a manager asks becuase they're female and/or poc -refusing to do anything at all becuase they haven't been promoted (usually within a week of starting) -actively arguing with a customer & accusing them of lying/stealing becuase they found a double charge on their receipt And so on. This is ignoring the managers who tried to frame my sister for their embezzlement years ago, I imagine that one was an outlier. Not saying they're aren't genuinely hard workers in these places- usually people who are disabled, still learning English, or just had something put a gap in their work history that needs to be filled. But I'd wager about half of these employees are people who are literally too selfish to hold a job.

Because thrift store pricing is INCREDIBLY arbitrary. One person's 'rare collectible' is another's '$1 junk disc'. As a result, only people that actually get some training on pricing are usually allowed to do it (or at least have to look things over for a final OK.) If that pricer isn't available, the cashier isn't supposed to fill in just in case someone intentionally popped a tag off to get a better deal- or worse, is having their friends do it so they have an excuse to mark down merch for them. My sister-in-law used to be a backroom manager at a thrift, so all the sorting/pricing stuff was in her wheelhouse. Honestly? Knowing what goes on behind the scenes, it's a miracle thrift stores can run even remotely smoothly!

I'm not super worried about it- I imagine the high-end prices will come down for sure, but I don't see any serious market changes. On the one hand, people can't get out to buy games. On the other, so many are sold online these days & people are stuck indoors & after games as a result. There is certainly some kind of recession on the way, which will hurt sales of frivolous things like games- but it also means cheaper options will be more desirable, which could pull more people into retro since, typically, it IS cheaper (especially if you can get an everdrive). As far as sanitation- either you're buying from a good seller who did the cleaning for you, or you really should have some sort of hand covering until you can clean the item... that's just always been the case. It's not like gamers are known for their cleanliness- everyone's got their stories!

There's two main reasons I don't bother with Best Offers- the number of sellers who won't accept even 5% off, the number of sellers who don't respond to an offer so I have to wait for 2 days without trying other auctions, and eBay Bucks (need to make the purchase within the window to qualify). It's a nice feature, & I've gotten some great deals from it- but it's not often the best way to go.

It's a nice option, but it's hardly a requirement- it's genuinely difficult force lot of retro players- myself included- to get others to even consider playing with them. Just the reality of things.

So far, so good- job 1 went on a 2 week furlough. Paid, but about half of what I'd make working. Job 2 is currently still going, so maybe I can get extra hours out of them. A bit concerned since I naturally have a cough from my blood pressure medication, so the only symptom to watch for is a fever. Got a thermometer & check myself every morning- seems I run a degree or so lower than most (explains why I hate the cold!) More concerned about passing it to others than actually having it myself- I'm young enough that I should be OK, but even the job that's open still has a lot of elderly customers, so I don't want to be a carrier!

Of all the things not to bring up! Anyway- I'd open up your system & just start taking bits off & cleaning them. My SNES did a similar thing awhile ago- I even bought a replacement deck to try and fix it, but neither output video (it wasn't the cable, I checked it on my N64). I just started messing with pieces- why not, if it's not working? It randomly sprung back to life after about an hour & it's been fine since. I wasn't paying too much attention, so I don't know if I managed to swap the right components or just cleaned the right connection- but it certainly couldn't hurt anything to just poke its guts awhile.

It's not the cartridge boxes that are the problem, it's the system boxes. I'm sure I could fold down a couple of them, but most have foam inserts that would need to be stored anyway- all for a box I'll probably just keep in storage forever. I'm just debating on if it's worth it, y'know? I'll have time to figure it out, though- I did just get furloughed for the next 2 weeks, so closet cleaning is a-go! Storage boxes are easy, I've got that part sorted- although I do go for form-fitting boxes, so the sizes do vary- I enjoy the challenge of finding boxes that both fill the shelfspace well while being ideally sized for the games stored in them, and I think I've done pretty good. You can fix that boring look of your file boxes easily- get some nice gift wrap/paper rolls, and some double-stick tape. Wrap carefully for homemade decorative storage. You can add ribbon, washi tape, or label stickers for a more finished look.

I'll be honest- I actively work NOT to have my gaming spaces look like that. Accessibility is a big thing for me: if playing a certain system/game means emptying half the closet, then I won't play said game/system... and if I'm not gonna play it why should I keep it? It doesn't mean I don't have things that involve emptying half a closet to reach, but at the moment it's exclusively empty console boxes I'm keeping for warranty/collector's sake... and if my work(s) opt to shut down awhile amid this whole virus thing, I'm going through that closet and seriously reconsidering keeping those empty boxes. I mean- I doubt I'll ever want to display them, so perhaps I really don't need to have them- and I would like a more accessible closet.

I've never used them before, so I'm not 100% sure. It's based in the UK, so you'll get charged in pounds- my bank added a dollar for a conversion fee, your mileage may vary. Plus, you will get billed upfront unlike Amazon. There's definitely reasons to stick with them... I just really wanted that case!

Eh, I'm not worried about this being the 'last' PlayStation. The thing's not even out yet, we've got at least 4-6 years of figuring out where the market will even be to know if another one makes sense or not. That's a LOT of time for things to happen. Maybe we'll see broadband internet go cheap nationwide & spur on a digital-only future. Maybe some big cloud server will fail, people will lose their data, & the backlash will push people back towards physical media. Maybe Coronavirus will mutate & bring about the Zombie Apocalypse and we won't have time to play videogames. It seems silly to worry about it now. Personally, I still say digital only/cloud based gaming won't be truly viable until broadband internet is cheaply available everywhere. There's still a lot of places where you just can't get a great connection becuase the population is too spread out to make the infrastructure upgrade economically viable. As long as there's enough people who want the physical release, either for practical use or just a preference, someone's gonna sell it to them. My thoughts exactly- can't be number one against the current competition? Change leagues! Doubly useful when your new 'competition' is failing despite not having anyone up against them before.

The release date given in my Coronavirus delay email was May 22nd- take that for what it's worth. The 10 carts coming at release are: Atari Collection 1 & 2 Interplay Collection 1 & 2 Data East Collection 1 Namco Museum Collection 1 & 2 Piko Interactive Collection 1 Mega Cat Studios Collection 1 Technos Collection 1* Two more carts, the Atari Lynx Collection & the Xeno Crisis/Tanglewood double cart, are due to release this fall. I ordered via Funstock since I ran into the same issue on Amazon- plus, getting the All-In bundle gets you a free case, and I'm big on cases for portables. *The Technos cart was a later announcement for the launch lineup, so it's not part of the Funstock All-In bundle. If you add it to that preorder though, they knock 5 bucks off the cart.

It's worth noting that the person doing the selling may not be knowledgeable enough to troubleshoot even a basic issue & conclude the unit's busted when it's not. I once gave a friend a Dreamcast I found cheap at a thrift store. She called me later to say it wasn't working. I came over- she didn't have the power cord all the way in. Heck, I just sold an SNES here a few weeks ago with a 'dead' AC adapter. Didn't work on the one for sale, didn't work on my deck, put it in the box when I sold it anyway... buyer said it's fine. I have no idea what happened there- maybe the mailman jostled a loose connection back together. Worked out great for my buyer! I've seen plenty of youtube videos of guys buying lots of broken consoles, and discovering the only issue on many of them was dirty connectors. If you have the means, it can be worth your time. Plus, if you have the means it's probably something you enjoy doing, so the chance to tinker could be worth the cost by itself.

The obvious choice from the big 3 is Microsoft. They've re-engineered Xbox over this current generation so that it's no longer intrinsically tied to a console box. Pretty much every Xbox game can be played via PC thanks to the Play Anywhere program. They've gotten chummy with Nintendo so some of their biggest digital indies are making the jump to the switch (Cuphead & Ori come to mind.) Even their controllers are easily mapped to PC & mobile devices for many services. Basically, if sales of dedicated Xbox machines don't meet expectations, it's easy for Microsoft to finish converting the Xbox brand into a service. It's pretty much just re-branding Windows Gaming into Xbox, everything else is pretty much already in place. Of course, sales will have to be pretty abysmal for this to happen- this setup they've got going actually takes the edge off needing strong console sales to build an install base. They've got access to PC players, mobile players, even dedicated Nintendo fanboys are now within reach- offering standalone consoles seems to be three things: a way to reach those who don't/won't game on any of the above, a buy for those who just like having powerful tech toys, and a giant middle finger to Sony (the one install base they're cut off from). The 10th generation is going to be interesting, becuase based on current info, the only one still playing the ol' console war game is Sony. Nintendo's been doing Nintendo for years, and Microsoft's put down roots in so many places they can pick & choose what's working for them. It's not a race anymore- it's a 3 ring circus.

I have less space to work in, so this is my way of dealing with it: what am I going to do with this system right now? Keeping a backup is all well & good, but who's to say your backup won't also break down when you need it anyway? Or that by the time you do need a backup, they'll be some awesome new things on the market you'll want instead. Think stuff like the Analogue systems, or some cool mod that would warrant letting someone do a repair & mod job on your console. If the only reason to keep a system is 'I might need it later', it's not enough. My biggest 'doubles' collection is the 4 GBAs, which I keep as controllers for the Gamecube. The stupidest reason I keep a double around is in the 2 GBCs. One is mine from when I was a kid, the other's my fiancé's from when he was a kid. The reason there is Sentimental Attachment. Which is fine- it's not like the Gameboys are taking up much room. I don't actually really have much in the way of doubles at all, and it's all handheld related.

It seems to clearly be folks just doing keyword searches & replying to anything they find with the thing they're looking for, regardless of age. While a PM would be the polite solution- why would these people bother? They don't intend to contribute to the forum, they don't care if they're reviving irrelevant topics- they want to buy a thing & leave. I'm also thinking at this point they're resellers, considering the last necrobump was for an Odyssey Voice... which went for sale proper a couple days later at a fair price, and remains unsold (I know cuz I'm keeping tabs on it while trying to sort out my finances). If they guy really wanted one, you'd think he would've been back- I'm inclined to believe he only wanted for last decade's going rate so he could turn a profit.

None of the companies with carts are the ones who make the unit- it's all licensed fare. I'm not 100% sure on this, as my google-fu is weak, but: If you look at photos of the back of the thing, it's marked for 'Blaze Entertainment'. Looking up that name brings up a British business listing stating they used to be 'Xploder Limited', who made cheat devices (think a Game Shark for your PS4). Looks like some guys in the dying grey market of cheat devices are opting to go a lil' more legit. I did my preorder though Funstock (seems to be the main distributor). I bought the all-in edition, which is the first 9 announced carts, the system, a case, & a coin (new addition there). You can get the Technos cart at a discount if you order it at the same time as the all-in edition... so basically, I've got everything in the launch lineup for about $225 shipped. The low pricing is a big part of why I decided to buy it- the good reviews are a factor of course, and I like that it's supporting new retro studios like Mega Cat (interesting angle there), but finding out how cheap it could be had for was the deciding point. Shame it got delayed to May.