Is It Time To Leave This Hobby ??

[RaveN]

Like most things now, it's not enthusiasts buying alot of the stuff now, it's "look what I own" people.

Like the VW campervan owners that don't know what a sparkplug is, even though the engine needs rebuilding every 6000miles.

But let's put things in perspective, the younger generation can't even get on the housing ladder as houses have gone up 3.5x (inflation adjusted) in price, so moaning about cab/pcb prices seems pretty insignificant in comparison.

If you can't get your point across without swearing, don't bother.

 

[BarrySlisk]

This. £450 for a broken and incomplete board. Previously harvested.

Anyway good luck to him and potential buyer

£450...Holy sh*t.....How do some people sleep at night

 

[Pinge]

I wonder how the universe will compensate me for the 400£ worth of games I gave away yesterday. Karma is real in this hobby,Believe me.

I understand that there is a difference between a business and a hobby, no need to get upset. It is what it is.

 

[aholmes]

I use to collect jamma boards back in the days from 2002 and then sold them all in 2006 before the financial crises came in for very cheap money on ebay. I had ghouls n ghosts, shinobi, robocop, double dragon and many other popular games. I remember buying metal slug 3 from a place called Arcade Heaven in Kent and paid £250 for it. I wish i kept it all now. Then in 2008 I was introduced to Mame as i bought a mini arcade cabinet from a guy called Sam (Turn aracdes) based in Wolverhampton at the time. Ever since then Ive stuck with using Mame.

 

[Hurray Banana]

Thanks gents this is a far more rational and interesting discussion

 

[ben76]

Thanks gents this is a far more rational and interesting discussion

you smell of plantain

That's my much thought of reply

- Ben

 

[Alpha1]

Guys there's no need to call each other names or be offensive. This includes responding to someone doing the above with the same back...

In regards to the post. I feel your pain. This conversation has been going on since I joined the hobby in 1998. I remember people getting outraged when Rtype and Nemesis went past £75.

The hobby will have price rises and dips. But generally probably go higher as a trend. I urge you to find stuff from Operators. We're all still getting cheap stuff from them for the most part.

 

[Vamino]

There's plenty of genuine guys in this hobby.

Last year I bought some bargain PCB's and I also bought some expensive PCB's. No one twisted my arm to pay what I did for Nemesis, and I don't complain when I get a bargain. If you contribute and help others, then as Pinge mentioned karma tends to come back to you. After a while you can spot a gobshyte a mile off.

In my opinion I think the sales section should be a bit more strict.

I
don't agree that the minority who are here only to sell their stuff have the ability to post multiple threads, ignore questions about what the
price is and continue to sell things without actually listing what the price is. And they are allowed to get away with doing those things without contributing anything to the upkeep of the forum!

Overall I enjoy the hobby and most of the people who I've met through this hobby are likeminded people who I now consider friends.

 

[antray84]

Couple of points.

A) from someone in their mid/early 30s count yourself lucky you HAD the cheap early days. Coming into the hobby only recently due to not being financially independant until I hit 30 odd I have had to pay high prices from the start. Like the way my parents have a 4 bed detached and I feel lucky to have a 2 up 2 down despite earning more.

B) It's always important to know people's stories before jumping to conclusions. One of my fav vids on YOUTUBE is Nintendo Arcade tour of Alpha 1s units and his story of the guy who drove from Scotland to swap a Star Wars for a knackered Dragons Lair. One mans garbage is another man's glory. I am guessing that guy who got the Bucky O Hare is delighted to finally have it in his collection and the seller has enough money to do something he want's in his life, so I guess in that transaction everyone has won out.

Lets all hug it out

 

[Shinobi74]

Guys there's no need to call each other names or be offensive. This includes responding to someone doing the above with the same back...

In regards to the post. I feel your pain. This conversation has been going on since I joined the hobby in 1998. I remember people getting outraged when Rtype and Nemesis went past £75.

The hobby will have price rises and dips. But generally probably go higher as a trend. I urge you to find stuff from Operators. We're all still getting cheap stuff from them for the most part.

The trouble is every operator has been raided over a 20 year period, and there is nothing left. When raids are done, it's by the same people every time, and nothing ever ends up in the for sale section, and just gets hoarded, never to be seen again. This is the biggest problem with the scene I believe...

 

[neo-geo-mvs]

Jase has been selling a lot of things from his raids on here. He's a top man and definitely someone safe to buy from

 

[TheDaddy]

Jase has been selling a lot of things from his raids on here. He's a top man and definitely someone safe to buy from

I agree , good stuff , upfront and not GREEDY !!! I do wonder though how many of his well priced boards end up being flipped ???

Dave.

 

[qjuk]

I do think eBay is the main driver of prices nowadays. I’ve been on eBay for 20 years now and I think the biggest killer to collectors/hobbyists is when eBay introduced BIN (Buy It Now). In the good old days of the classic auction, prices were set by the highest bidder. BIN changed all of that, it allowed sellers to set their own price, which was often double sold prices of classic auctions. Initially these went unsold but once supply started drying up from the classic auctions, people had to start looking at the BIN’s. As with anything, there will always be the desperate or deep pocket collector who will pay the BIN price and this created the situation where new seller’s looking through sold prices think this must be what their item is worth. Free listings and/or £1 final valuation fees has pretty much killed off the classic auction format for collectibles, which means we are stuck with people who can basically name their price for an item in short supply.

I still think are still some bargains to be had, especially from the US (although shipping and customs fees are usually high). Most of my arcade related PCB’s have been from the States. Also, there a few members on here who offer decent prices on stuff they sell, so I don’t think we are at the stage of desperation yet.

The thing I really like about this hobby is that it is wherever you make it. You don’t have to own a large amount of pcb boards to feel part of the scene. Apart from a small amount of PCB’s and Dino Cabs I’ve got myself, I’ve also started to take an interest in the repair side of things. I enjoy reading the various repair logs and the many YouTube videos of the people who take the time and effort to write up or video their repairs. Also, reading the great regular blogs from aeroflot you learn so much more out our hobby and the history of it. Then when you throw in those guys who are involved in things like the reproduction of IC’s/PCB’s/hardware etc., and those guys who are looking at other related projects to keep this hobby alive, then there is so much you could absorb and I can’t see myself of ever wanting to give up on it.

I hope you stay Dave, you are regularly trying to help others with your replies to technical questions and often give newbies a warm welcome too. Even your occasional rant can make enjoyable reading

 

[John Bennett]

I was starting to think 'yes' a couple of pages back

Anyway, as well as the banter

, there's still fun to be had making cabs, PCBs, playing with old tellies, emulators etc.

Good luck to you if you want to spend £500 on an old PCB, I wouldn't (and it's not about not having the cash, I just don't think it's worth it).
I remember spending £180 on a board in 1998 and being so disgusted with myself, I quit the hobby for 17 years

. But that's personal choice - I've met folks who'd spend £3k on a board or £5k doing up a cab. I'd just rather spend it on my old house or my car

I just don't like any game enough to spend more than an entire games console (and maybe a 60" TV) on it.

edit: - well to be fair, I would've stumped up £5k for one game, but they wouldn't sell it (and I had no where to put it...)John Bennett2020-03-07 21:39:56

 

[ben76]

Jase has been selling a lot of things from his raids on here. He's a top man and definitely someone safe to buy from

just wanted to say you're a good bloke and true collector imo

- Ben

 

[jasonm737]

Jase has been selling a lot of things from his raids on here. He's a top man and definitely someone safe to buy from

I agree , good stuff , upfront and not GREEDY !!! I do wonder though how many of his well priced boards end up being flipped ???

Dave.

Totally agree on Jase and his raids. I still have a pinball in my collection he picked up and sold to me at a great price in 2018. I’ve been reading through the posts on this thread and agree that the bad language by some on this isn’t acceptable. Be nice or don’t get involved. This hobby is a good thing and if the price is increasing fair enough. I am happy to pay current values but this place...is...and should remain....friendly. Swearing at members over a public thread is unacceptable. PM someone if they’ve upset you.

 

[vids]

Yes things have shot up in price shockingly so in some case's but you buy what you want,need must have,im lucky in some respects out of room and really only after one grail cab space duel sold one some years ago and have always regretted it,after i get that i will take a back seat from collecting and be happy.

 

[TheDaddy]

I hope you stay Dave, you are regularly trying to help others with your replies to technical questions and often give newbies a warm welcome too. Even your occasional rant can make enjoyable reading

Thank you , Means a lot.

Sorry if I have caused a stir , I was just airing my own thoughts regarding bowing down and leaving the hobby, and the reasons why.

Nothing more nothing less...…….

Dave.

 

[JAG555]

Bloody Hell, it’s only hobby! It’s just Video Games at the end of the day! Of course the costs have increased, but if it’s not affordable, then maybe it’s another hobby you should be considering.

I am not surprised though that some are considering getting out of the hobby. I have been reducing my collection, as my opinion is to have small quality, rather than a hoard!

 

[r-type]

What have you started Dave?!

How much something is worth comes down to one thing only. How much someone else is prepared to pay for it.

I started collecting back in 2004 with a JAMMA cab and a 1 slot with Samurai Shodown. Think I paid about £200. I've had free cabs and PCBs in the past and have passed that kindness on too. I've had bargains on ebay and here (or JAMMA+) in the past, both cabs and pcbs, and I even got a bargain on ebay just this week, but then again, I wouldn't have paid much more than what I did anyway.

In my experience, meeting you guys in person and getting to know each other has been thoroughly rewarding. I found that in the past, that was the best way to get bargains or hard to find PCBs. Then keeping in contact with the same collectors to ensure that relationship persisted. Sadly for me, this stopped when my wife and I got married and decided to start a family. Things were soon sold, preferably to the good guys I'd met and if they didn't want them, they went in the for sale section after asking what others considered a fair price.

I remember one particular time knocking the price down of things because I'd had a sob story from a member, only to find their private blog a few weeks later gloating about how they'd managed to knock the price right down because I was an idiot. They then sold them on for the price I had originally set. Was I annoyed? Of course. Did I entertain that person again? Of course not.

I am a firm believer of treating other people how I wish to be treated and for the most part this has worked out just fine for me and I shall continue doing this.

What gets my back up the most with this hobby, is not any of the above, but the time and effort (and cost!) put in to fixing the bloody things. Over the last few months I've been desperately trying to get my SCI cab back working. New pedal, new buttons (that I could only find in South Africa and got stung with import fees with - £50 in total for 6 f**king buttons), other bits like paint and rubber matting, cables and connectors because I foolishly decided to not butcher the original wiring) and then getting the fabulous Grant to work on the monitor. I'm in excess of £300 quid now on a cab that cost me £32.50 on ebay 10 years ago.

What is the current status? Still not working!!! Will I give in? Not yet. Is SCI really worth it? Probably not. As soon as I do get it working something else will stop working or I'll get bored with a game that only has 6 levels and lasts about 15 minutes on one credit.

Will I sell it (or anyhting else)? - No. They're mine and I got upset when I got rid of stuff in the past. Will I keep paying to fix things? - Yes, because I'm a mug.

I hope you stick around Dave, you owe me that game on Track & Field/Hypersports at least!

All the best chaps,

Andy