When does (did) the fever start to die?

[modessitt]

It used to be that I was checking CL every couple minutes in hopes of being the first to see whatever good deal popped up.

Now, 6 years later, I own 30+ cabs, have a full gameroom and a full storage unit (and have had to store a few games at friends' or family's), hundreds of loose parts, and no space.

I've found that I still check CL, but sometimes I go days in between checking. If I see something that's a good deal, I send the e-mail, but I don't get too upset over whether I get it. I still take free cabs when offered, even though I have to scramble to figure out where the hell to put them.

I don't even think about auctions because I already have more projects than time.

I just don't seem to have that fire anymore, mainly because I am bursting at the seams with the stuff currently. Perhaps if I got a bigger place, or sold off a bunch of stuff, I'd get it back. But right now I'm just floating along, complaining about not having time or space to work on stuff, while I use my free time to screw around on the internet.

Anyone else noticed a drop-off in their hobby-drive as the accumulation grows?

 

[eXidy]

...

Nope.

Jon

 

[pseeds]

I can empathize with Mod on this. I have a few machines I have started on and just have not gotten back to (works in progress). If I got them working I could move them out of the 'dead land' and into the house and have room for some other machines I have waiting to be worked on. I just seem to find other things to do than work on machines. That, and I have people that want me to help them do stuff on the weekends so I end up donating my time to their projects as well.

 

[modessitt]

Perhaps it's different for me because I work on games for a living. It's like auto mechanics who spend all day on other people's card and don't want to go home and do the same thing....

 

[Phetishboy]

Oh yeah. I still love the home arcade concept, but I have 10 + projects to work on/ complete, and not too many more places to put them when they are done. I am not actively or aggressively seeking any more games. I will not turn away one that I am looking for if the price is right, but I am not hunting them as I once was. I think there are several facets of this hobby. You don't always need to be 'on the hunt' to be an active part of it.

 

[modessitt]

never said we weren't active, just not as driven as we once were...

 

[Phetishboy]

never said we weren't active, just not as driven as we once were...

I was just philosophizing. That comment wasn't really directed at you. This one is:

Suck it!!!!

 

[ScumBum]

I stay off craigslist because I have no money .

 

[cleverlyj]

for me, it doesn't die, just kinda ebbs and flows. after i get something i've been looking for for a while, i stay off CL for a while and kinda don't have a want to get much else, then after a while i start thinking about getting this or that, and inevitably start looking around for more stuff again.

 

[Slackmoe]

It used to be that I was checking CL every couple minutes in hopes of being the first to see whatever good deal popped up.

Now, 6 years later, I own 30+ cabs, have a full gameroom and a full storage unit (and have had to store a few games at friends' or family's), hundreds of loose parts, and no space.

I've found that I still check CL, but sometimes I go days in between checking. If I see something that's a good deal, I send the e-mail, but I don't get too upset over whether I get it. I still take free cabs when offered, even though I have to scramble to figure out where the hell to put them.

I don't even think about auctions because I already have more projects than time.

I just don't seem to have that fire anymore, mainly because I am bursting at the seams with the stuff currently. Perhaps if I got a bigger place, or sold off a bunch of stuff, I'd get it back. But right now I'm just floating along, complaining about not having time or space to work on stuff, while I use my free time to screw around on the internet.

Anyone else noticed a drop-off in their hobby-drive as the accumulation grows?

Not me, but Caddysrule he's out of space

 

[ArcadeMaze]

No Idea. I have MANY projects, but I keep everything in the house. No out of sight, out of mind for me... I check Craigslist every day, I go to every auction in our area, at this point, I'll only buy if I determine that I have to have it....but that would mean something has to go... I'm full....

ArcadeMaze

 

[Robotron Jon]

I think it's true of any hobby - after you get most of the things you want, it doesn't mean as much. It's the chase that's exciting.

Things that were grails suddenly become disposable.

Other hobbies will come along, to take your time and resources.

When I was last collecting, in the mid 90s, there are very few of those collectors still around today.

 

[vintagegamer]

Mine slowed last year bc I had alot going on in my personal life, but man the bug is back and worse than ever now!

 

[YellowDog]

For me it was the intial zeal of "OMG look at all the candy out there". Now I've started to learn what candy gives me headaches and I try to stick with the good stuff. So you become more selective. I don't think you lose the interest so much as you become more selective. Especially when you hit the point that the furniture rule is in order "One piece enters one piece leaves".

Working on it by day and then moonlighting on the same thing could be a bit much. Take a break and actually turn all your machines on and start playing them. Which ones do you go back to? Save them and sell the rest or if they are JAMMAs swap something else into it.

Throw a big party and watch what gets played. We try to do that a couple times a year. I invite the people I work with, my wife does the same. We invite all the neighbors and friends. Last time, I opened it up to the people here if they were close enough. Get out of your rut. Summer is coming and soon it will be too hot to work in the garage again, so go enjoy the weather now. Go fix something
</soapbox>

ken

 

[FullThrottle]

I'm not the same type of collector of arcades like I once was... I think it goes through phases, like life does. I think once you achieve overflow status a few times, and through the years look at thousands of machines they lose their appeal or sense of excitement. Robotron Jon pointed out that grails become disposable, I have finally reached that point and let go of some I thought would be buried with me. For me, I don't feel the overwhelming urge to drop everything I'm doing for every stupid "oh thats a great deal" kinda b.s... It gets tiring moving all the machines, and stressing over what one you might need to sell if you got another one. Taking losses on a machine when you need the room asap, just because you saw it with that loving collectors eye and not the reality of getting sunken into a project.

I am an auto mechanic for a living, and your analogy fits most mechanics I've ever met. I hate working on cars on the side... I do it sometimes, but as the years go by am more picky on what projects I'll take on. I don't even do it for financial gain most of the time, I'm actually more likely to work on a grief striken persons car with no money than I would be dealing with my own shit. I've got some really cool cars, most of them need some stupid crap done, yet there they sit... Will I get to them before they rust? I hope so!!

If I worked on arcade games as a living I'd own all dead machines and they'd all be packed somewhere touching eachother and not able to play a single one.

But then on the other hand, I'm into classic car shows and cruises, which used to occupy alot of my time before arcades. I still enjoy that, I belive vintage iron will always have a place in my heart.

 

[FrizzleFried]

I still check daily... but I only pull the trigger on great deals...

 

[EVB]

I take a look once it a long time on CL maybe one every 2 or three months. I'd usually post a wanted ad there anyway but I'm done with CL a-holes.

 

[thebman80]

Mine has slowed to a crawl for the most part I have what I want and now I just need to off load the stuff I don't need. I hope I can off load some of the parts I have laying around when we meet up at the crap shack in a few weeks. After I scored two of my most wanted grails in a row last year Burgertime and the Afterburner cockpit I came to a realization that I need to fix my current crap and stop buying. I want to be able to show off my collection and a bunch of half restored games isn't that appealing to the eye. So now I'm in parts collection mode and thinning out mode. My Rampage cabinet is 90% done I just lost the battle to the winter this year so that's first on the list once I get some warm days and time.

 

[DPtwiz]

I am on the downward side of the hobby. I much more enjoy making cabinets for others than even messing with any of my games. I make 15 different arcade cabinets, yet i don't have a single one of them in my collection. I have no room to work out of, so i am selling off about everything to turn my arcade room into a cabinet assembly/storage area.

Another reason to put it bluntly, is the woman won't shut the fuck up about it. She doesn't like arcade games, she doesn't like me in the garage, she doesn't like me working on games, she doesn't like me playing games. Well, really she just doesn't like me, but we have small kids so we stay together.

So, with any luck, by the end of the year, i will own no games. I'm sure i'll get more someday.

 

[gretz99]

My interest is slowing down as well. Too many projects, not enough space or time. I get tired of searching for the elusive game(s). Tough to get great deals because too many guys live and breath CL and e-Bay.

I am sort of in limbo with the hobby right now. Thinking about jumping to pins only. Not sure at this point. I think I need to do the remodel on the house so I can have a "proper" gameroom and spark my interest back up.

Let's hope the economy picks up a bit in the coming year.