I started gaming way back in the 80s, when Dad bought me a Dragon 32. It fired my interest in programming, mainly because I couldn't afford to buy the games I wanted, and is probably responsible for me being employed as a programmer now.

In my spare time (!!) I also collect SF & Fantasy books (890 and counting), records (mainly 80s metal), strategy type board games, comics (I'm a closet Fantastic Four fan), and pretty much anything that comes in more than ones. My wife considers me to be a serial collector

Obviously the paragraph above gives the game away that I'm married. I have 3 kids, all girls, twins at 16, one at 18. It frightens me that my oldest child is now legally an adult

I guess that Dad buying the Dragon for me started all this. I still grin like a lunatic when technology excites me, and I get that feeling every time I play an older system.

Prior to the home computer I was an avid reader of Doctor Who novels, and they were released quite regularly, on something like a monthly schedule. That formed the collecting habit quite quickly, and things just progressed from there

• Dragon 32
• Master System
• Mega Drive
• Playstation

Console	Reg.	Type	Title	Publisher	Year	Genre
Dragon 32 / 64		S	Chuckie Egg	A & F Software	1984	Action/Adventure
Sony PlayStation		S	Final Doom	Williams Entertainment	1996	Shooter
Sega Mega Drive		S	Flashback	US Gold	1993	Action/Adventure
Dragon 32 / 64		S	Lost in Space	Salamander Software	1983	Action/Adventure
Sony PlayStation 2		S	Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater	Konami	2005	Action/Adventure
Microsoft Xbox		S	Rogue Trooper	Eidos Interactive	2006	Action/Adventure

Console	Reg.	Type	Title	Publisher	Year	Genre
Microsoft Xbox		S	Halo: Combat Evolved	Microsoft Game Studios	2002	Shooter