What causes Folks to 'Leave' the hobby?

[ixtlann]

I think you hit the nail on the head with those key points, been there done that myself.



PPPaaaaaaaace yourself!
The games will be for sale for along time lol

I think some people fail to pace themselves and get burned out.

There are other people who it is more about the chase than the catch and once they have everything they want they lose interest.

I also know people who always chase trends. The idea of collecting these machines was cool at first but the actuality of it was not as fulfilling as they had hoped.

 

[Paul Olson]

I have been interested in arcade games literally for as long as I can remember, so I doubt that will ever end. I have been collecting dedicated cabs for less than 2 years, and have sold off about half of my collection recently. I only sold them because I needed the money. They paid my car payment for 3 months when I really needed it, so it worked out well. I am also glad to not be tripping over them anymore with 14 of them in the garage. That was too much. I miss a couple of them, but I just never played the rest. I think it is good that hobbies evolve. I have had my MAME cabinet for 7 years now, and have thoroughly enjoyed having it the whole time. It led to this side of the hobby, which has been a great addition. I am discovering that I don't like some of the different aspects of the hobby. I hate cleaning the games. I will never touch another game that has housed mice. It is too disgusting, and not worth it to me. I hate selling games and trying to make the hobby self supporting. I would rather just pay for the games (when I have money of course). It turns out that I really enjoy working with electronics and computers, and I am now 3 semesters away from a computer engineering degree with an emphasis on game development. I have this hobby to thank for making me switch from psychology, which I think I would have hated. The game controllers have always been the part of the game that impressed me the most, and that is what I would like to work on someday.

I guess for the first time I am actually excited about working in a field closely aligned with my favorite hobby. I am hoping that it will also leave me with enough disposable income to restart the collecting part of the hobby. This hobby is way more than collecting for me.

 

[nanoryan]

Yeah I think it's burn out in a lot of cases. It's really easy to get your garage filled up with projects, get overwhelmed, and then one day just say eff it.

 

[Deadly]

People leave because of

 

[YellowDog]

Phet, you're asking the wrong crowd. We are all the ones that are still here. We still have the Jonesing for a great find. That HUO Mint Grail that you buy for $50 and it really does only take a fuse to put it right.

The people to ask are the ones that have gone and have not been heard from again. Those are the people that have let the fire go out.

Me, I've slowed down because I am getting to a point of no storage capacity. I have most of the games that I want. I focused from the beginning so I have a great Classic Williams collection. I don't really want a random collection. I am currently in the mode of finishing up things so I can focus on the ones that I want that are hard to find/expensive. A Smash TV to restore (they either work and they are expensive or they don't come up). A Sinistar (same thing). I'd love to find another empty Bubbles cabinet. I have another set of boards I finished repairing that really want a home. I am debating on making the rest of the cabinets I have in storage into 60in1 multicades and dumping them and shutting down the storage unit.

But then again, if I won the lottery, I would probably pull a Dale and go raiding warehouses from coast to coast...

ken

 

[EVB]

People leave because of

That is quite the collection.

 

[Riptor]

Im pretty burned out on it now. Im out of room for anything new so there goes the thrill of bringing something new home (dont want to get rid of anything I have now). I spend alot of time doing repairs for other people that I rarely have time to work on my own stuff.
I have no intentions of getting out but im surely going to cut way back on repair work and focus on my projects and other stuff besides arcades. You have to change up a bit now and then or anything gets old....kinda like women.

 

[hucklebuck73]

Thanks Phet yea the divorce thing for some reason was in the water i guess. At my station we had 8 guys go through it all about the same time it was crazy times...Lots of suicide watches...LOL As soon as I could I got back Gyruss (never leave again) and kept my sons Space Encounters. Thanks to a couple guys here I got three more. This time I'm pacing myself for sure and keeping within my money limits for now. Once I move and get settled we shall see but for now sticking to my guns.

 

[WadeLanham]

I can think of a lot of good reasons why people would get out of this hobby. I'm sure a divorce or having to move to a place without the space would be top reasons. I don't think I'll ever get out entirely, if anything I'll just move my games into a smaller room, maybe thin out the collection.

I always wanted games, but just didn't have room before. As soon as we bought a house and had room (big basement), I started buying games. What else am I going to do with that space? Even with 2 kids, we have more space than we need. Working games are a lot better than just empty space or accumulated junk.

Wade

 

[alejandromad]

For games or a wife?

Ha... both... but games more than a wife... about an 80/20 split. I can pick up a manual on most games that will help me understand how they work and what to do about it if they don't... Women? not so much. ;-)

 

[Space_cowboy]

I have played in bands on and off since the 80's and nothing ever stuck very long ( was usually lack of talent and ego's) well now I have been developing with a new band ( first in 9 years) and these guys are a very talented creative group. we have been doing cover gigs here the last while and we have been writing songs left and right. I am selling most of my stuff off to :
(a) buy a huge new bass amp, 550 watter 4x10 and 1x15
(b) regain space , we are in process of soundproofing and converting my arcade/work space into a rehersal recording studio space.
(c) time; rehearsal , recording and writing are taking up a lot, we want to have an entire album worth done by the end of this year

I am keeping 4 projects to finish and keep in the rehersal space and may add one or 2 more if the right pin or grail comes along. but there is a special groove and connection with this band and the level of dedication (we rehearse 3 times a week) is phenominal, no one has missed a practice for any lame ass reason, sick or healthy, , blow off nights out, birthdays ect just to get a little more practice in. the drummer and I have probably spent a little over 5 grand in new PA gear, mics ect, the guitar players have both bought new stacks, drummer bought a new kit and cymbal array, I am dropping another 1400 on a new bass stack as listed above and getting a keyboard and trumpet (I can carry a tune on a keyboard and played trumpet for close to 20 years)

i have loved these machines since the mid 70's and collected games since 95 and they come and go , but my love for music has always been there but has been stoked to a roaring fire now since getting together with these guys

 

[GameRoomKid]

I could never leave this hobby.. well.. at least not KLOV. You guys are awesome.. and funny as hell. Besides.. Phet is so dreamy!!

 

[vintagegamer]

Sometimes I do ask myself why I have a basement full of games and I'm the only one around. It doesn't help that I have a wife who isn't into the hobby (but she's great and lets me do my thing).

I do the same thing all the time. And my wife isn't really into them either (although she enjoys telling people that we have them lol).

The only diff between you and I are my games are in the garage.

 

[straws]

I pretty much got out of the hobby of buying and selling for two main reasons:

1. Gas prices went to $2 a gallon. At that time I had 18 great games in my collection. I saw the writing on the wall, that if regular joes like myself cannot afford gas, they cannot afford to buy games at great prices. I sold off all the games at the peak and made a sweet profit.

2. Mames and Multi-boards...say no more.

I still search CL daily looking for deals.

 

[mort]

I have played in bands on and off since the 80's and nothing ever stuck very long ( was usually lack of talent and ego's) well now I have been developing with a new band ( first in 9 years) and these guys are a very talented creative group. we have been doing cover gigs here the last while and we have been writing songs left and right. I am selling most of my stuff off to :
(a) buy a huge new bass amp, 550 watter 4x10 and 1x15
(b) regain space , we are in process of soundproofing and converting my arcade/work space into a rehersal recording studio space.
(c) time; rehearsal , recording and writing are taking up a lot, we want to have an entire album worth done by the end of this year

I am keeping 4 projects to finish and keep in the rehersal space and may add one or 2 more if the right pin or grail comes along. but there is a special groove and connection with this band and the level of dedication (we rehearse 3 times a week) is phenominal, no one has missed a practice for any lame ass reason, sick or healthy, , blow off nights out, birthdays ect just to get a little more practice in. the drummer and I have probably spent a little over 5 grand in new PA gear, mics ect, the guitar players have both bought new stacks, drummer bought a new kit and cymbal array, I am dropping another 1400 on a new bass stack as listed above and getting a keyboard and trumpet (I can carry a tune on a keyboard and played trumpet for close to 20 years)

i have loved these machines since the mid 70's and collected games since 95 and they come and go , but my love for music has always been there but has been stoked to a roaring fire now since getting together with these guys

Cowboy, you can't leave. Who else will reply to our Roughrider posts.
Good Luck with the new band.
Oh, and I want dibs on your machines. lol

 

[NotreCaine]

I think everyone has summed it up it for Phet. Time, talent, moderation, true passion vs fleeting fad. It's all there and all points are spot on.

I would like to point out an example, from Phet himself. Phet, think about how long you waited to restore your MB WB. It was back-burnered for so long. Then you finally set aside time for it. Started with asking around for the correct base dimensions. Then you got the correct paint codes. Slowly, you got it all finished and it was a beauty!

I think this is a prime example of why some get out and Chris was correct about the $$$ factor. Some spend way too much and get pissed at themselves. Others dont have the patience or are mechanically inclined to fix the machine/cabinet. They think (just like Chris said) that their garage is full of parts, that will never get second life, breathed into them. So, they shit-can it all.

I can honestly say that through the group here: I've learned by reading and taking notes, that moderation will keep you in the game. I try to buy only what I can afford and seek the games I truly desire.

 

[arcadejunkie]

i could leave this hobby in a heartbeat. i would keep some games i love but i could leave all the other shit behind. love the games always will but somethimes enough is enough.
being single for so long has allowed me to go apeshit the past 5 or so years but i also have about 7 or 8 cars that i need to get back to and i dont play nearly as much pool as i did a year ago. i used to play 3 hours of pool a day and all day sunday playing but not lately. i miss that stuff.

 

[vintagegamer]

"What causes folks to leave the hobby?"

 

[Space_cowboy]

Cowboy, you can't leave. Who else will reply to our Roughrider posts.
Good Luck with the new band.
Oh, and I want dibs on your machines. lol

oh I still will be around here to harass and maybe help out but as far as being an active collector , thats where it parts

 

[p1899m]

i could leave this hobby in a heartbeat. i would keep some games i love but i could leave all the other shit behind. love the games always will but somethimes enough is enough.
being single for so long has allowed me to go apeshit the past 5 or so years but i also have about 7 or 8 cars that i need to get back to and i dont play nearly as much pool as i did a year ago. i used to play 3 hours of pool a day and all day sunday playing but not lately. i miss that stuff.

I can solve all your problems. Just give me all your games and feel free to come by and play them whenever you like. You get your space and time for other projects and can drop by and play the games whenever you like and I get a bunch of free games. See problem solved. This offer is open to anyone else with a lot of cool games I want too. I'm always looking to help out.