How do you keep track of your collections?

angryswede · Post by **angryswede** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:03 am

Like the subject says; how do you index your collections online and/or offline?

I've used a simple spread sheet up to now, but the scope of the collection makes it hard to
both keep commentaries with photos and trying to make it look nice.

What I'm looking for is more of a complete solution. I would like to have the ability to keep several photos of every item, several different fields for commentaries and a search function. It would also be fun if you can share it - i.e. web based.
But if you use a killer excel template or other offline solution, please share your ideas!

Drachenherz · Post by **Drachenherz** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:38 am

How do you keep track of your collections?

By keeping it small...

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:57 am

Excel speadsheet. However I mainly use it to keep track of what I want to get or play.

But yeah, a specific software for this, like you describe, would indeed be cool.

evil_ash_xero · Post by **evil_ash_xero** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 2:19 pm

I just keep them wrote down in Word Pad. Simple enough.

I have them pretty organized, in RL too.

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 3:54 pm

Useful Threads For Thieves

I keep it all in my head, occasionally using pencil and paper if I want to inventory something.

Zaarock · Post by **Zaarock** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 4:10 pm

I use backloggery: http://www.backloggery.com/zaarock

Though it's more for tracking progress in games and sharing it, there are probably sites better suited just for collections (with photos etc.)

ryu · Post by **ryu** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 4:13 pm

Ed Oscuro wrote:Useful Threads For Thieves

is it really worth stealing several dozen boxes of videogames for a profit of maybe a few thousand bucks?

well, i'd like to say "who the hell would do that", but then i'bve actually heard of a case where someone's games were stolen...

i used to use backloggery, but didn't like some things about it and made my own website.

njiska · Post by **njiska** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 4:46 pm

I use GC star. Fairly robust, open source and multiplat. It's reasonably customizable and supports automatically importing title information from a number of sources. It can also export collections to be displayed online. Not the prettiest app, but very functional.

Friendly · Post by **Friendly** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 4:49 pm

Ed Oscuro wrote: I keep it all in my head

Same. I have never once bought the same game twice accidentally.
Good memory is an awesome thing to have.

EDIT: Of course I could see the value in having a list to help decide what to play...

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 5:14 pm

Notepad and a plain text file. I could easily create a custom database but that, along with Excel spreadsheets, are too bloated for my cataloging purposes. I can see why folks who keep track of spine cards, alternative names, and other notes would find them preferable though, especially if they plan on selling the games in the near future and can reuse the information.

I also have no motivation to share my list with the online world. If I were paid a modest $10 for time spent, I might be willing to prove I own a single game by digging it up and taking a few photos. But at least for now, I can't say I'd do that for personal enjoyment.

njiska · Post by **njiska** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:40 pm

Ganelon wrote:I also have no motivation to share my list with the online world. If I were paid a modest $10 for time spent, I might be willing to prove I own a single game by digging it up and taking a few photos. But at least for now, I can't say I'd do that for personal enjoyment.

The main reason i had my collection listed online in the past was to make it easy for friend's to know what I had available for them to borrow. It's hard to recall 600+ games at random when somebody asks.

neorichieb1971 · Post by **neorichieb1971** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:03 pm

At blu-ray.com they have a database.

http://www.blu-ray.com/community/collection.php?u=11467

It has title, edition and flag is representative of the version. So UK flag = UK version, German flag = German version.

I feel that something like that for videogames must be available online.

blackoak · Post by **blackoak** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:26 pm

For PCBs, I have a binder I made with 1-2 page "profiles" of each game in a layout similar to that at hardcoregaming. The profiles contain screenshots, move strips/flyer art, basic scoring/system information, and some review or discussion of the game's historical place in shmup/arcade history. Basically its information I've cobbled together from various sites, with some passages written by myself.

Its mainly for friends, but I enjoy browsing through it myself. I've considered doing it for other console systems, but it doesn't seem practicable (and boxart/instruction booklets would more or less make it redundant, anyway).

Jason X · Post by **Jason X** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 1:31 am

Zaarock wrote:I use backloggery: http://www.backloggery.com/zaarock

Though it's more for tracking progress in games and sharing it, there are probably sites better suited just for collections (with photos etc.)

Same here. I use Backloggery to keep track of what I'm currently playing, what I own, and just how obscene my current backlog of unbeaten games is.

xbl0x180 · Post by **xbl0x180** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:22 am

I don't bother keeping track - and I occassionally buy the same thing a few times over

Friendly · Post by **Friendly** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 7:22 am

xbl0x180 wrote:I don't bother keeping track - and I occassionally buy the same thing a few times over

A winner is you.

Gus · Post by **Gus** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 10:53 am

How do you keep track of your collections?

By not buying games just to hoard them.

Mero · Post by **Mero** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:00 pm

I may be over 30 but I can remember what I've got without having to write it down.

sven666 · Post by **sven666** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:06 pm

I keep complete libraries for all discontinued consoles so i wont have to wonder what games I have and do not have since I know I have everything.

shmuppyLove · Post by **shmuppyLove** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:10 pm

njiska wrote:I use GC star. Fairly robust, open source and multiplat. It's reasonably customizable and supports automatically importing title information from a number of sources. It can also export collections to be displayed online. Not the prettiest app, but very functional.

I'm gonna check out GCstar, they have a scanner and viewer app for Android.

I used to just use FlexLists, which was basically just a flat database with custom fields. It was nice because I could access it from anywhere, and I didn't have to worry about backups etc. You can also easily share lists as read-only.

However, I just tried to go to their site and it doesn't seem to load, so . . .

angryswede · Post by **angryswede** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 3:48 pm

sven666 wrote:I keep complete libraries for all discontinued consoles so i wont have to wonder what games I have and do not have since I know I have everything.

You damn romz kiddies are destroying it all!!!

Dragoforce · Post by **Dragoforce** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 7:17 pm

sven666 wrote:I keep complete libraries for all discontinued consoles so i wont have to wonder what games I have and do not have since I know I have everything.

Soon your penis will be of average white man size.

mrsmiley381 · Post by **mrsmiley381** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 7:20 pm

Like a lot of people, I keep it in my head. For downloadable console stuff I just slap a massive hard drive in and keep it all downloaded at all times. Keeps things organized enough.

I know for NES I have copies of Zanac, Faxanadu, Gun-Nac, Recca Pure, and an NWC Repro. Everything else is in my sale pile. What's in the sale pile? Hell if I know or care. I'm this way for most of my systems. I rack stuff up, get through what I like, decide what I don't, and sell off the excess. My various collections are really starting to get bloated again, so summer will be spent raging through them and selling stuff off. For what it's worth I've been switching to flash carts and emulating the truly niche stuff. I didn't want a 32X just for Chaotix, Kolibri, and Cosmic Carnage. I beat Chaotix via emulation last week and the best ending is not worth the bonus stage trouble, nor is the game anything I will wnat to play on original hardware any time soon. That means I can emulate Kolibri at some random point and just use Eternal Champions CD as my kusoge fighter of choice. There we go, extra hardware and games nullified.

I might make a text document with a full list one of these days. But for now, being able to turn to my right and see all of my stuff sitting on shelf is quick enough reminder of what I have, junk for sale not included.

My friend with the several hundred NES games and near-complete PC-10 collection just has a massive notebook. He brings it with him whenever we shop around.

Post by **undamned** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 7:35 pm

blackoak wrote:For PCBs, I have a binder I made with 1-2 page "profiles" of each game in a layout similar to that at hardcoregaming. The profiles contain screenshots, move strips/flyer art, basic scoring/system information, and some review or discussion of the game's historical place in shmup/arcade history. Basically its information I've cobbled together from various sites, with some passages written by myself.

That's awesome. I want to do something like that someday for my arcade games. Most my friends don't know the half of what has gone through arcades over the years, so it'd be nice to just throw a binder at them and they can tell me what they want to play

-ud

BIL · Post by **BIL** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 7:57 pm

I'm picky as hell about what games I buy and just as picky about their condition, so I'd probably have a harder time forgetting what I have and what I'm still looking for. Notepad text file works fine for the latter. Never saw the appeal of listing stuff online, all I care about is that I can play the games on real hardware whenever I want.

Putting together a catalogue of sorts for friends does sound cool, though. Nobody I know could care less about my games, though. That's why I never have to buy fighting games.

Smraedis · Post by **Smraedis** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 8:14 pm

I like using spreadsheets for many things, this included.
I note which box or the current location of everything too, so I don't have to remember, and it's easier to find.

Post by **undamned** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 9:41 pm

BIL wrote:I'm picky as hell about what games I buy and just as picky about their condition, so I'd probably have a harder time forgetting what I have and what I'm still looking for. Notepad text file works fine for the latter. Never saw the appeal of listing stuff online, all I care about is that I can play the games on real hardware whenever I want.

I had a spreadsheet going for my Rockman/Megaman collection for a while including condition of each piece, ad nausium. Lost track of things and ended up buying multiples, heh. I'm fine with that, though as I just keep the best condition copy and sell the dupes. Speaking of Megaman:

mrsmiley381 wrote:My friend with the several hundred NES games and near-complete PC-10 collection just has a massive notebook.

Does your friend by chance need a complete PC-10 MM3? I'm contemplating selling mine for a large sum of $
-ud

mrsmiley381 · Post by **mrsmiley381** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 9:46 pm

undamned wrote:
mrsmiley381 wrote:My friend with the several hundred NES games and near-complete PC-10 collection just has a massive notebook.
Does your friend by chance need a complete PC-10 MM3? I'm contemplating selling mine for a large sum of $
-ud

He might need the box. When I say he's got a near-complete PC-10 collection, I mean he has damn near everything. Give me a few minutes so I can contact him and ask him to bust out that mega-huge notebook.

Edit: He says all he needs is a replacement topper. He wants a nicer, shinier one.

Post by **undamned** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 10:42 pm

mrsmiley381 wrote:He might need the box. When I say he's got a near-complete PC-10 collection, I mean he has damn near everything. Give me a few minutes so I can contact him and ask him to bust out that mega-huge notebook.

Edit: He says all he needs is a replacement topper. He wants a nicer, shinier one.

Aight. Mine is near mint, but I'd only sell as a complete set. Thanks for checking!

-ud

blackoak · Post by **blackoak** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:00 pm

undamned wrote:That's awesome. I want to do something like that someday for my arcade games. Most my friends don't know the half of what has gone through arcades over the years, so it'd be nice to just throw a binder at them and they can tell me what they want to play
-ud

Yeah, that was the idea. I've always done yearly "lanfests" with friends, but since getting into arcade games, its been more difficult to get others interested. I think people who grew up through the arcade scene can forget how much knowledge there is for new participants to assimilate. And as we all know, the basic philosophy behind arcade gaming is different from computer/console gaming in many instances. I even wrote a little treatise on arcade gaming and history which opens the binder, so my friends would have the right "no credit feeding" perspective on these games, and be able to contextualize that statement rather than think of it as mere masochistic elitism.

Has this proselytzing succeeded? Not yet, but it has been fun for me to do

And when I get some final things squared away with my setup, I'm looking forward to hosting some community shmupmeets myself.

shmups.system11.org

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