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[IDruggedShamu]

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[cools]

"have to sell"

"have to"

[IDruggedShamu]

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[chempop]

How long have you been playing shmups? How many of your games have you 1CC?

[kernow]

Theres plenty of time for both, just don't take it so seriously.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

You dont have to commit lots of time to shmups if you dont want to. You could just cut back and play a credit or two when the feeling takes you. If mastery of a certain game is what is the main draw for you, just pick your favorite STG and play a credit 2 or 3 times a week so that you dont forget survival / scoring routes, you'll probably slowly master the game over a very long period of time.

How many hours a day do you normally play STGs atm? If you are praticing for hours on end you might have burnt yourself out. take time out or stick to playing 1 or 2 credits per session for a while.

[Jeneki]

Personally, I think shmups are fine for married/busy/whatever people with little time. Only have a half hour of game time, after the kids go to bed? That's enough for multiple runs of most arcade games.

[IDruggedShamu]

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[Kasbe]

Personally, I think shmups are fine for married/busy/whatever people with little time. Only have a half hour of game time, after the kids go to bed? That's enough for multiple runs of most arcade games.

This.

Fighting games take a lot of time. If you're considering dropping shooters, dont sell your collection until you are completely sure. You may end up realizing you have time for playing a couple of credits every now and then and end up mastering a shmup, but not for training enough so that you wont get your ass handed back to you each time you go online on a fighting game.

[MR_Soren]

I've sold off a bunch of stuff and regretted it later. You don't want to end up in that situation.

The way I see it, STGs are perfect for a busy and/or married life because you can have maximum fun without finding other players or devoting a large block of time. I find that my gaming preferences go in phases. I certainly wouldn't consider 2-3 months enough time to sell off a collection.

However, lots of gamers are fickle these days, and the "selling" idea probably makes a lot more sense to you than it does to me.

[Casper<3]

Do what I'm currently doing after years of collecting and reselling. Instead of limiting myself to one genre of games, limiting myself to one console. (in this case 360)

BTW I play shooters, fighters, rpgs, and action games. I also have a full time 40+ hour a week job, and friends who want to take up my time when I'm not working. I find time to play the games I want, though sometimes it takes a while. ...This works out better though because typically I only buy the games I really want.

...and I can understand not having the dedication, I'm pretty hardcore about fighting games and if I focus too much effort on one, skill will drop in all the rest. I can tell you though, having shmups and a few rpgs around offer a nice break when you hit frustration walls. (and if you play any fighting game competitively, I can guarantee you will hit some walls!)

[Moniker]

I'll take it all of your hands for the eminently reasonable price of $50. Really, from the sound of it you should be paying me. Think of your family!

[mjclark]

Easy does it

[Deca]

You're overreacting man, and shooters work way better for busy people than fighters.

There's no reason to be in a hurry to sell anything, that stuff is only going to be worth more money if you hand on to it for a while. Man, I've never sold any video games save one or two awful games I got when I picked up my PSX used and swapped for a copy of Mega Man 8. I just can't comprehend feeling a need to get rid of things like that. If you're buying good games there's so much value and replay in them, especially shooters. You WILL regret having sold them down the line, I can guarantee you that.

[greg]

Yeah guy, just relax. People go through phases. I know I do. Sometimes I go through a shmup phase, other times a KOF phase, then an SRPG phase, and other times I go through phases in which I do not play games at all, and instead I go through a science fiction novel phase where I just want to read books, other times I just want to work on plastic models.

Just keep what you have because eventually, you'd like to go back to shmups.

[Ganelon]

Are you sure you want to play fighters seriously? It's a lot of work and you'll probably need about 1000 hours practice just to get fair results at local tourneys. And if you aren't playing fighters competitively, then what's preventing you from messing with both genres? While you get a lot more matches in the same time with fighters, other fighting game players also spend way more time practicing so if you want to be competitive, you'll have to play far more with depreciating results the further you go.

Anyway, I actually made the plunge from shooters to fighters over 5 years ago. I used to 1CC sidescroller & shooter games every week or 2 but got somewhat bored and ran out of games I really wanted to 1CC. I've always had no interest in passive competition for high scores so there weren't any more goals in these genres that I wanted to pursue. At that point, I finally delved into competitive fighting games (after years watching from the sidelines) and both wanted to have fun as well as see how far I could advance in a competitive environment with enough focus. It's been very a very rewarding and enlightening experience so far.

Even with my priorities elsewhere, I haven't sold any of my shooters yet and still play them occasionally (1CCs are much less common though). I keep telling myself that sometime in the future, I'll spend more time, enough to thoroughly play all the games I missed. But it's also become more likely that time may never come. If I ever really lost interest in shooters, I would probably sell the games. But for you, make sure you clearly establish your goals. What do you want to do and what are you willing to do for them? That's cliche advice in other areas of life but is almost never mentioned in gaming.

[xbl0x180]

I'll take it all off your hands for the eminently reasonable price of $51 Really, from the sound of it, you should be paying me. Think of your family!

[opt2not]

Don't do it man. I, like you, love shmups/shooters and fighters as my main genres. I know at times I switch back and forth when I get bored of one over the other, but unless you need the money, why not just hold onto them? Believe me, you'll miss shmuppin' after a long stint of versus fighting. Switching back and forth is great for keeping the love alive.

[IDruggedShamu]

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[Shou]

I'm sure every married couple where one side is a collector runs into this issue of selling off perceived unused items.

I've got around 4000 games and a dedicated room but still not enough space especially if we're gonna have kids so will need to size down even if I may regret selling some of the pieces.

Best thing to do is understand what really makes you happy with your limited free time now and in the future. Then plan towards that.

I used to play VF competitively in the US and Japan. During that period, I didn't play many other games as it required focus and I found satisfaction in only that game. I also sold my first game collection (around 3000 games) since I thought I wouldn't play any of it again. Look at me now lol

[xbl0x180]

I think things would be really different for me if I was married and had a kid (or kids). Right now, my main purpose for collecting entertainment (videos, music, books, and video games) is to pass the time. With family, I wouldn't need to pass the time, as I'd already be busy doing... life things. I don't think the notion of getting rid of my collection(s) is a bad thing if I can replace it with something better/more substantial (i.e., creating strong relationships and bonds). Meaning, I wouldn't get rid of one collection and trade it for another collection. I would sell/get rid of my collection and save any money for a family trip. I might keep a few of my favourites around just for old time's sake, though

[gray117]

Pft - do what you want to.

I would suggest you keep yourself a couple favorites. But if you just need to purge then do it. The worst thing to do is to let hoarding get in the way of what you want.

Saying that do be a little careful that you don't just do what you think you should do; keep a thought for what it is you want.

There's a lot of things for you to properly consider in your life; make sure it's balanced according to you

As stupid as tapping buttons may be, it could also be said that the world's got a bloated population - yet we don't chuck away people... well ... maybe retirement homes... keep some games for then...

[Davey]

I think I have the opposite mentally of a lot of people here. I'm in favor of selling games you don't play anymore.

A pile of neglected games has been sitting in my room for over a year now. Before that, they were sitting in the closet at my old apartment. Before that, they were sitting in the closet in the apartment I lived in before that. Those games haven't been played in well over 5 years, and I really have no inclination to play them ever again. And this was the good stuff that I kept after selling most of my collection almost 10 years ago (none of which I miss, btw), or stuff that I bought in the meantime (when I was much pickier about what I bought).

At first, I was just hanging on to them. I was reluctant to sell them because I didn't want to sell something and regret it later. After all, many of these were the games that I specifically spared from eBay years before. Then I decided I could part with most of what I had left, but I didn't really need the money, so laziness prevailed. But now I've reached a point where that game pile just seems like the nerdy equivalent of a rusted-out car in some redneck's front yard that'll never get fixed.

Maybe shmups aren't your thing anymore, maybe you're just temporarily burnt out. Throw them in a closet for a year or so. If you didn't feel the urge to play them in that time, and you don't see yourself playing them in the foreseeable future, you're probably safe selling them. After that, the worst case scenario is that you'll buy back the few games that you really care about. Even then, you might be able to use emulation if you just need a quick nostalgia fix.

Also, I know what you mean about direct competition. I bought a J360 mostly to play Ketsui. Ironically, it lead me down a path of playing less and less shmups. I started using XBL to play Virtual On, eurogames, and card games, and now my interest in single player games is pretty low for the most part.

On a semi-related note, I like this article by Paul Graham about accumulating stuff. For gamers you could probably substitute "video games" wherever he says "books."

[jepjepjep]

If you can't see yourself playing them again, then honestly you should sell them. Out of sight, out of mind. If a couple of years from now you decide you want to get back into shooters, it shouldn't be that hard to track down the games again. If you keep your console, you might want to hold onto one or two of your favorites in case you get in a shmup mood.

[greg]

I also sold my first game collection (around 3000 games) since I thought I wouldn't play any of it again. Look at me now lol

I remember that! Wow, we thought that was crazy at the time.

[neorichieb1971]

Some people could make $50 by just selling the plastic storage containers they keep their games in.

I have 3 containers myself, but it consists of games that I bought over the years and played. How you guys get to 4000? I do not know.

As for the OP, asking advice is silly. You know what you want to do already.

[IDruggedShamu]

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[Shou]

I have 3 containers myself, but it consists of games that I bought over the years and played. How you guys get to 4000? I do not know.

In a sense, I'm a historian so I've kept pieces across all formats (arcade, console - everything from Famicom to now, PC - almost all retro PCs to now except for the older UK ones like the Speccy) that appeal to me in some fashion or have some significance.

I'm also big on game design which I do some advisory on so it's best to have a library to draw ideas from.

Oh, I like playing games, no matter their age as good design is timeless.

[Avatar Ignis]

Currently I play 2d fighters and shmups exclusively. I used to play those genres along with RPGs and adventiure games early on, but I found those rpg games took so much time that it ate away at my school and marriage. When i decided to just focus on the arcade founded genres, I found balance. Fighters dont require that much time if you have natural execution and good base understanding of technical stuff such as frames, mind games, etc (which takes time initially but you'll never forget them) and with online gaming as advanced as it is it is so easy to find competition. oftentimes I'll play a match or two some nights, and when the opportunity strikes i'll play a dozen or so. The very same can be applied to shmups, where i'll try to master a level most nights, and go for a 1cc (multiple attempts though haha) when opportunity arises.

When i want social competition i go fighters. when i want to challenge myself i go shmups.

Sell the games you have no feeling or sentimental values for, dont have them for the sake of having them. I give my fighting games to friends if they were a non special edition and if a new version of the game was released like ssf4, bb and soon to be mvc3 and KOF12