Game Player or Collector?

[ej]

I find myself buying more games than I actually play. The problem is that my family ain't the game-playing type, unless it's Monopoly or Phase 10. I've got a few games I'd love to play but I know my fam won't give any of them a fair shake. I would love to be part of a gaming group, but my past experience in that area has proven that it's all too easy to find yourself shackled to a madman... figuratively, not literally.

So, how 'bout you guys? Do you collect more than play? How do you find other gamers that aren't loopy, embarassing or otherwise unpleasant?

[Uprising]

I unfortunately collect more than I play. I had maybe 5 Boardgames before I bought scape. Since then I've bought at least 25-30 games, some of which haven't even been taken out of the plastic wrap.

[ninthdoc]

Please add me to this list. I'm very bad about buying games that don't get played. :(

[django]

me too,but the reason i dont play is i have no one to play with. :cry:

[Aldin]

How do you find other gamers that aren't loopy, embarassing or otherwise unpleasant?

*chuckle*

Sounds like someone needs to lower their standards ;)

Seriously? I was thrilled to find the locals for tourneys and I keep promising myself I'm gonna give someone a PM sometime to see if they're free some other time, but way keeps leading to way. I don't really have time for any more gaming than I do and for that much I have family and friends that indulge me.

~Aldin, working six days a week since January

[ninthdoc]

Since Aldin was the last to post, it's important to find other gamers when you travel. Aldin played Heroscape with geddylfeson, dflynsqrl, and me while he was visiting Dallas on business. geddy was also visiting from San Antone. I first met geddy while I was traveling to San Antone on business myself.

If your playing someone from this board, you've got a better chance of meeting a high quality person.

[Malechi]

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I am happy to find I am not the only one who would like nothing better than to play, but finding players is the only drawback!

My "collection" contains many still as of yet unopened games which I would love nothing more to play at ... least once.

If your playing someone from this board, you've got a better chance of meeting a high quality person. Like UD?
:unsure:

[netherspirit]

My "collection" contains many still as of yet unopened games which I would love nothing more to play at ... least once.

Ditto. Off the top of my head I can think of at least 10 games on my shelf that I haven't played yet, its probably higher but I'd have to go check...I have 9 or 10 games on my next Thoughthammer order which doesn't help me get games of my unplayed list. :)

There just isn't enough time in the day to play all the games I want to play.
I developed an obsessive compulsion for collecting things during my time as a Magic player. I just want to have as many games as I can, the more options the better, because I know that I will eventually get a gaming group together again.

[Malechi]

... because I know that I will eventually get a gaming group together again.

That is the best point of on why I still collect. I had a great gaming group (Matt, Eric, Russ and Jennifer along with myself*) before I moved to Los Angeles. I eventually lost touch with them in the 15 years I lived in LA. When I moved back, search as I may, I could not locate any of them again.


* That list of names was put there in the hopes that possibly one of the members here is in reality one of them and recognizes the names! But then again, they would have recognized Malechi.

[Bixby]

Wow.

I am feeling rather blessed right now. Board gaming is largely my one "expensive" hobby. I buy lots of games and gaming accesories and for the most part I get some great gaming time in.

I live in a relatively small city, (195,000), but I have a very strong group of high quality friends that enjoy playing games. My wife Kathy enjoyes games and we know many other couples that enjoy games.

I play HeroScape every Monday night, this monday we have 7 players. Last night I played Through the Desert with Kathy, and earlier in the week we played a number of games of Khet. This gaming includes our weekly poker game(s) and other fitness activities.

We are lucky as both our girls are grown and we have lots of time for our own leisure pursuits. Thinking about going on a cruise with some of our gaming friends next winter :)

There is also a local gaming group that plays board games every week at the "German Club" and they organize a monthly all day games day as well. Regina is a city full of gamers, (or so it seems).

...Ok..... everyone move to Regina.

(Even you NinthDoc) :D

[netherspirit]

... because I know that I will eventually get a gaming group together again.

That is the best point of on why I still collect. I had a great gaming group...

I used to have a great group too, until they all decided they actually wanted to graduate and get good jobs and move away. What a bunch of jerks!

[Bixby]

* That list of names was put there in the hopes that possibly one of the members here is in reality one of them and recognizes the names! But then again, they would have recognized Malechi.
There is a reason they call it the witness protection program Mal. :lol:

[LilNewbie]

I purchase games that I want to play. They might not get played for a while but someday they will. The problem is if you don't buy them when available they could be OOP and very expensive when you get a chance to play them. (That's my rationale-it's not good but it's a rationale.) :D

Newb.

[ninthdoc]

If your playing someone from this board, you've got a better chance of meeting a high quality person. Like UD?
:unsure:

Ouch! Dagnabit! Seein' as how I was the first to bring him to our Dallas group, that really burns. Sort of like a urinary tract infection.

UD=Urinary Disease

[Doc_Savage]

Games, books, and movies...

I buy too many...

My kids are now getting old enough to start playing the games... But I have only read 1 novel this year and that was while I was on Jury Duty...

[Jandars_Hope]

I only have one game and that's Heroscape.

[kanegrundar]

Yep. I'm in the game collector club. I can usually get my wife to try out a game at least once, but some I can't even get her to do that (though that's rare that she won't even try a game). The biggest problem for me these days is time. I work long hours, so when I get home I'm too tired or there's something around the house that needs my attention. Then when I'm on the road for work my time is blown to heck when I get back for the same reason. I've got a copy of Marvel Super Heroes that hasn't been played yet in the nearly 3 months that I've owned it. It just stares at me, begging to be played. :(

[InfinityMax]

I own hundreds of games, and these are the ones I have yet to play:

Shogun (kids are intimidated)
Wreckage (haven't got to it yet)
Racer Knights (also haven't got to it yet)
Bronepekhota (rules are in Russian)
I'm the Boss (looked cool in the store, looks dull after reading the rules)

I have two kids, 10 and 11, and they'll play nearly anything.

[RichardD]

I'm definately a player, not a collector.

Having said that, my collection contains many games that I have yet to play, and many, many games that I will probably never play again.

One reason that I call myself a player and not a collector is that the purpose of every game in my collection is to be played (well, except for two copies of Das Wasser der Leibens). I have owned many of the games that appear on Boardgamegeek's "most collectable", "most sought after", "games I really want to own" lists, and I have sold almost all of them. Including several "holy grails" of collecting. Why? Because I recognised that I was never going to play them again, and they were worth far more to me sold (so I could buy new games that I *will* play) than they were worth to me sitting on the shelf.

I still have a few "collectable" games left (I don't mean CCGS, but those games that collectors like to own). Those that I don't think that I will play again are all available for sale (like Big Boss and Talisman, for example); those that I am keeping are kept because I want to play them again (Dark Tower, Space Hulk).

One area where I *might* be rightly accused of becoming a collector rather than a player is Heroscape; I bought one copy of Volcarren Waste so that my figure collection would be complete*, though I justified the purchase as allowing me to get the extra scenarios.

* I am complete at the moment. I'm buggered when Gencon 07 rolls around, though, because I won't pay ebay prices for an exclusive and I doubt very much whether I'll get my hands on one any other way. I was extremely fortunate to get my hands on a Sir Hawthorne (well, six, but I gave the other five away to other Brit HSers who would have had no way to get hold of one otherwise), and can't rely on the same thing happening again.

[LilNewbie]

I own hundreds of games, and these are the ones I have yet to play:

Shogun (kids are intimidated)
Wreckage (haven't got to it yet)
Racer Knights (also haven't got to it yet)
Bronepekhota (rules are in Russian)
I'm the Boss (looked cool in the store, looks dull after reading the rules)

I have two kids, 10 and 11, and they'll play nearly anything.

IMax,

I'm the Boss is a great game but requires 4+ players to really get the game going. I've played it with 3, 4 and 5 people and the 4 and 5 player games were hilarious and extremely fun. The 3 player game left all of us going 'meh' and the amount of fun is also dependent on the group playing but that could be said for almost all games.

Newb.

[Malechi]

I'm the Boss (looked cool in the store, looks dull after reading the rules)

IMax,

I'm the Boss is a great game but requires 4+ players to really get the game going. I've played it with 3, 4 and 5 people and the 4 and 5 player games were hilarious and extremely fun. The 3 player game left all of us going 'meh' and the amount of fun is also dependent on the group playing but that could be said for almost all games.

Newb.

Completely agree with Newb on this one (One of the few games I own and have actually played)! This is a very fun group game because of the screw-you factor (just make sure everyone actually likes each other before playing!). Alliances change drastically and quickly. I have had fun each and every time this one was played - and to me, that is the main reason to play a game, any game. Win or Lose, if you didn't have fun playing what's the point?

[TheRealQ]

...Dark Tower...

:shock: One of my little brothers is still looking for a reasonibly priced Dark Tower. We burned out two of them when he was still a kid...fond memories.

I still have a few games gathering dust but for the most part I have sent off most of my stuff to family and friends that live in more densely populated areas. (Taylor pop. approx. 20,000) My wife and kids love games but have problems agreeing on what to play. My son will play anything. My wife doesn't care for games that a piece movement oriented. My daughter can't quite read yet thus is incapable of playing anything that might use the reading skill. I am still holding on to Nuclear War though in hopes of getting to play it again in the future.

Recently I have posted in the trade threads trying to unload some of my Magic the Gathering and HeroQuest not because I don't want it nor am I desperate for HeroScape figures but mainly because I don't want to see them lie around and go to waste any more. Eventually I'll go through all my old games and unload them the same way. (That is, except for Nuclear War!)

[ej]

I have an old collection of Magic cards gathering dust, too. I sold my first collection for $1000, but that was back in 93, I think. My second collection, probably of even larger size, couldn't be sold for $100 I'll bet.

[kanegrundar]

I have an old collection of Magic cards gathering dust, too. I sold my first collection for $1000, but that was back in 93, I think. My second collection, probably of even larger size, couldn't be sold for $100 I'll bet.

it could be worse. You could have a 1000 Spellfire cards... :x

[justjohn]

I can happily say we've played every game that we own at least once. The others we've played numerous times. (we own around 30 games aside from Heroscape). We have 10 to 15 in rotation. My wife enjoys games as much as I do, so we play a game before bed 3-4 nights a week. We nejoy lighter games, so we can normally squeeze in 2-3 games of something before heading to bed after our daughter's asleep. I do enjoy getting new games and adding to the collection.

My daughter is a smart cookie, loves games, but she's only 5, so we're limited in what we can play together. She's great at Hey, That's My Fish! And I've come up with lighter rules for Drakkon, Through The Desert, Citadels, and Magdar, all of which she understands and really enjoys. There's nothing cooler than watching your young child think about and make strategic choices. To her it's playing a game, to me, I'm helping her mental development. Pretty cool.

[netherspirit]

And I've come up with lighter rules for Through The Desert

How in goodness did you make, "place 2 camels," lighter? :P

[justjohn]

Heh, I took out the rules about enclosing areas.

So basically, you get:
points for having the longest caravan in the color
points for the the numbered chips
points for camels by the trees
points for going all the way around a tree with your camels

[Supergeek]

There's nothing cooler than watching your young child think about and make strategic choices. To her it's playing a game, to me, I'm helping her mental development. Pretty cool.

That is awesome and one of the main reasons that I keep buying games. I would still probably be more of a collector as I/we don't get to play very often.

[Kepler]

I buy some games now (e.g. A&A D-Day) in anticipation of playing them with the kids when they are older.

[ej]

Spellfire... the first "other" CCG I tried. Bought a couple of decks... played once.

Bought the Star Trek Next Generation CCG. I have a Captain Picard from that set that I haven't looked up on eBay for quite some time. That game got played a total of once, too.

The Doctor Who CCG was just bad. Sorry I wasted my money on that.

After those "wanderings" from the True Faith* I returned to MtG and stayed until the bitter end**

*No offense, Rev

**The bitter end being introducing flanking, shadow and other rules just to f@&$ with my head.

[Malechi]

The Doctor Who CCG was just bad. Sorry I wasted my money on that.

Says the man using the current Doctor as his avatar ...

http://www.heroscapers.com/community/images/avatars/38497977745afa249bce79.jpg
:roll:

[peterm]

Yeah I'm in the "collector" category currently. There are quite a few I haven't played yet - Caylus, Settlers, A&A, A&A D-Day, Battle Lore to name a few. But I've played the majority of them, and I hope to have more time next year when I go back to school. Plus it's my "investment" for when they go OOP and I have kids who want to play.

[ej]

The Doctor Who CCG was just bad. Sorry I wasted my money on that.

Says the man using the current Doctor as his avatar ...

http://www.heroscapers.com/community/images/avatars/38497977745afa249bce79.jpg
:roll:

That's the current Doctor? I thought that was just some random constipated man.

[ninthdoc]

The Doctor Who CCG was just bad. Sorry I wasted my money on that.

Says the man using the current Doctor as his avatar ...

http://www.heroscapers.com/community/images/avatars/38497977745afa249bce79.jpg
:roll:

That's the current Doctor? I thought that was just some random constipated man.

Please tell me you are joking.

[InfinityMax]

Yeah, ej, that's like eleventhdoc.

[Malechi]

The Doctor Who CCG was just bad. Sorry I wasted my money on that.

Says the man using the current Doctor as his avatar ...

http://www.heroscapers.com/community/images/avatars/38497977745afa249bce79.jpg
:roll:

That's the current Doctor? I thought that was just some random constipated man.

Please tell me you are joking.

Well that may explain your disdain of The Doctor Who CCG if you have no knowledge of the originating material ... I have never played the game but it would seem backgroung knowledge would be at least a minor requisite.

[Torredo]

Monopoly - Starwars
Samurai swords (Shogun)
Star wars E1 card game (like magic)
Dungeons & dragons RPG
Texas hold em poker
Star wars RPG
Heroscape RPG ...DoH!
Scrabble
+ a few i cant remember the names too (packed up as were movin)

anyhow, it seems i fall into the category of collector as not many
peeps i know play games really except HS right now.
I used to be right into Texas hold em playing for cash but for some
odd reason all my buddies quit for no reason...i think its cus the
stakes got way to high and all us tards just got broke (except the
dude that takes the 200.00+ jackpot) heheheh!!

it sucks, cuz i would love to have more time into games and even
love to see more peeps i know play em.

o well...all in good time! :roll:

[justjohn]

I guess Peeps would have more time to play different games if they didn't always have car trouble.

http://www.millikin.edu/staley/peeps/trip.jpg

Well, that, and they're only around about 2 months out of the year.

[deadeyedan42]

I guess Peeps would have more time to play different games if they didn't always have car trouble.

http://www.millikin.edu/staley/peeps/trip.jpg

Well, that, and they're only around about 2 months out of the year.

:rofl:

[ej]

That's the current Doctor? I thought that was just some random constipated man.

Please tell me you are joking.

Well that may explain your disdain of The Doctor Who CCG if you have no knowledge of the originating material ... I have never played the game but it would seem backgroung knowledge would be at least a minor requisite.

No, seriously... constipated man. I have no knowledge of a certain time-traveling-based BBC television show started in 1963 whose premeire was rudely interrupted by an assassinated US President or that the powers that be thought it wouldn't run more than 6 months. Nor am I aware of all of the actors to play the titular role, namely William Hartnell (Billy to his friends), Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee (all three of whom have sadly passed away), Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker (no relation), Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann (the Great Paul McGann, btw), Christopher Eccleston (who many misspell Ecclestone), and currently David Tennant (who previously starred opposite both Colin and Sylvester in a couple of Big Finish audio plays, namely Medicinal Purposes and Colditz). Nor do I have any working knowledge of the acronym TARDIS (which stands for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space) and I certainly couldn't tell you that a toy manufacturer in the 80s mistakenly produced a TARDIS console with only 5 sides and released a K9 that was painted green. I have no way of telling you the companions in the order that they appeared. I certainly couldn't tell you the year each Doctor began and ended their roles. I have never heard of UNIT-dating nor have I participated in that debate. Was Mary Tamm hot? Couldn't tell you. Was Leela interesting to look at? Who's she? Did Grace count as a companion? After all, you could hardly say that she "travelled" with the Doctor. What about those two Cybermen who have been lost in the TARDIS corridors for many, many years now?

Now, I have no idea what you're talking about. Are you sure you're not thinking of Red Dwarf?

[ej]

To get back OT, the DW CCG was just a mess. It was almost like it was produced by My First Art Job, Inc., and I don't think anybody at the company had heard of playtesting. No, the first DW CCG is nothing to be proud of. I can't speak about the new game, though, based on the newest seasons. I know someone selling the whole set on eBay including the Super Rose card.

Once payday hits I'm going to go get the Inns & Traders set for Carcassonne. Mainly just to put more tiles into the collection... I don't think my family's ready for an extra turn rule and double-or-nothing scoring for cities and roads. But I gotsta have it.

If we made Big Meeple figs for Heroscape, what would their stats and abilities be?

[dabluesman]

How do you find other gamers that aren't loopy, embarassing or otherwise unpleasant?

*chuckle*

Sounds like someone needs to lower their standards ;)

Seriously? I was thrilled to find the locals for tourneys and I keep promising myself I'm gonna give someone a PM sometime to see if they're free some other time, but way keeps leading to way. I don't really have time for any more gaming than I do and for that much I have family and friends that indulge me.

~Aldin, working six days a week since January

I'd say that you won't find any of those here on these boards. From my observation, we're all loopy.

-John

[dabluesman]

I have sort of an obsessive compulsive disorder about board games. Kinda a boardgame terrets, if you will. I currently have just a bit over 100 board games, not including Heroscape (and I have quite a few Heroscape pieces). My boardgames actually have their own bedroom. Kinda a sick compulsion, I suppose.

-John

[ninthdoc]

That's the current Doctor? I thought that was just some random constipated man.

Please tell me you are joking.

Well that may explain your disdain of The Doctor Who CCG if you have no knowledge of the originating material ... I have never played the game but it would seem backgroung knowledge would be at least a minor requisite.

No, seriously... constipated man. I have no knowledge of a certain time-traveling-based BBC television show started in 1963 whose premeire was rudely interrupted by an assassinated US President or that the powers that be thought it wouldn't run more than 6 months. Nor am I aware of all of the actors to play the titular role, namely William Hartnell (Billy to his friends), Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee (all three of whom have sadly passed away), Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker (no relation), Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann (the Great Paul McGann, btw), Christopher Eccleston (who many misspell Ecclestone), and currently David Tennant (who previously starred opposite both Colin and Sylvester in a couple of Big Finish audio plays, namely Medicinal Purposes and Colditz). Nor do I have any working knowledge of the acronym TARDIS (which stands for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space) and I certainly couldn't tell you that a toy manufacturer in the 80s mistakenly produced a TARDIS console with only 5 sides and released a K9 that was painted green. I have no way of telling you the companions in the order that they appeared. I certainly couldn't tell you the year each Doctor began and ended their roles. I have never heard of UNIT-dating nor have I participated in that debate. Was Mary Tamm hot? Couldn't tell you. Was Leela interesting to look at? Who's she? Did Grace count as a companion? After all, you could hardly say that she "travelled" with the Doctor. What about those two Cybermen who have been lost in the TARDIS corridors for many, many years now?

Now, I have no idea what you're talking about. Are you sure you're not thinking of Red Dwarf?

->Shew!<-

[Malechi]

That's the current Doctor? I thought that was just some random constipated man.Please tell me you are joking.Blah, blah, blah. <- Me being an @$$... a certain time-traveling-based BBC television show started in 1963 ... I aware of all of the actors [playing the Doctor]... William Hartnell ... Patrick Troughton ... Jon Pertwee ... Tom Baker ... Peter Davison ... Colin Baker ... Sylvester McCoy ... Paul McGann ... Christopher Eccleston ... David Tennant ... the acronym TARDIS ... Time and Relative Dimensions in Space ... K9 ... UNIT-dating ... Mary Tamm ... Leela ... Grace ... Cybermen ... ->Shew!<-

:rofl:

[heroscaper2.0]

I am overall, a gamer. Why?Because I don't like going broke.

[Sundance]

I use to game on Tuesday nights w/ a core group of 4-7 people, depending on who was available. But there is also a local group that plays once a week at a different location each week(dependent on which week of the month it is). If i have the time i find the nearest location and head out for a couple of hours. 3 or 4 of these people bring a majority of the games. If you don't have a group like this in your neighborhood and have a good amount of startup games, i'd suggest starting a gaming night somewhere local like a Borders (in the coffeeshop) or any local business that has the table space and wouldn't mind people using it at night. You'll find most business's are happy to offer the space if they know you'll buy some stuff from them.