I'm not going to sugar coat it, I'm really pumped about attending Retro World Expo this October. Sure, I'm looking forward to the possibility of snagging a few choice titles that I don't see in my area very often, but what I'm looking forward to the most is finally meeting some of the peeps (that's what the kids are saying these days right?) here at RF Generation.  I have no doubt that many of you have already heard about the epic Collectorcast meets Playcast pajama party at Estate de Bil where I'm sure we'll be making the most of our time playing some choice video games and board games together; however, I have also heard inklings of a possible game hunting adventure or two. Sure, I'm beyond jackt (I did it again kids) about hunting games with my buds, but I have to admit, I'm a little unsure about group protocol. You see, I'm the only game collector among my group of friends in the area, I'm a lone wolf without a sense of pack mentality.



Like most group activities or sports, any time you surround yourself with others and strive toward a common goal, there are rules.  But, more importantly, there are also "unwritten" rules.  In grad school, I took a cultural studies course to gain a better understanding of human nature, because the professor was great guy and accomplished writer in the field, and because the class included a week-long trip to New York City.  In this class, we had various writing assignments, which were extremely thought-provoking and dare I say it.....actually fun. One of these essays asked us to choose a social group or organization, discuss in short detail its purpose, and use the "meat" of the paper to discuss certain "unwritten" rules, or known edicts that are not implicitly stated, of this group. For my topic, I chose fantasy baseball.

Though this topic may be of interest to some, for the sake of boring the rest of you, I'll only touch on one example from my paper that I discussed to give an example. Though not necessarily in the rules of fantasy baseball, but something everyone who plays the game knows is expected of them, is that they finish out the season. Fantasy baseball requires almost daily line-up changes and even if it's solidified that you're team is not making the playoffs, you have an obligation to the rest of the group to continue to change your line-up and attempt to win each game.  Just quitting, not making these changes, or not playing your best players soils the experience for the others who are involved and can negatively impact their pennant race.  This obligation is not written in the official rules of Yahoo Sports, ESPN, CBS Sports, or any other site you use (or at least it wasn't at the time of my paper), but it's something that is known by most veteran players and an expectation that should be upheld. So what the H-E-double hockey sticks does this have to do with game hunting you ask? Well, I assume that like most group activities, specific rules like these exist.

I haven't been neurotic or anything about trying to pin down these rules, but instead, it's been something that I have enjoyed thinking about in my spare time. Are these rules I'm about to list the only ones that exist? Surely not, and I expect that many of you can lend your expertise and experiences in aiding with this list. As a former fantasy baseball player, I can tell you all you need to know about the unspoken rules of that game, but with group video game hunting, I must admit that I'm a noob.  As a part of this experience, I've watched some group game hunting videos on YouTube, including The Game Chasers and even some from our own Russlyman. Though inherently different (the latter being more laid back and the former much more aggressive), these videos are have provided a good base for my reflections.


1.  KNOW YOUR PLAYERS, KNOW YOURSELF - When hunting with others, it's probably a good idea to know about their collecting habits. Many of you know that I'm primarily a big 2600 and NES collector, with a minor in SMS; however, I also collect for a handful (...errr two...three handfuls???) of other consoles.  In turn, I know a good deal about others collecting habits. If I come up on a game for a system that someone else primarily collects for, let's say a TG16 game Crabby needs, I'm more than likely going to consent to his need (unless it's some rad shmup....just kidding).  You should also consider whether your pals collect loose or CIB games as well.

2.  HAVE A LIST - Along with knowing the remaining games you need for the systems you primarily collect for, it's probably good to have a short list of titles you need. (A) It's a great reference to keep you on track and moving through the games you search quickly and (B) You can be all like, "Well, hey dood, it's on my list, sooooooo....yeah."  You're also more unlikely to get caught slippin' while checking your smart phone.

3. DON'T CROWD ME BRO - Probably a good rule of thumb in a bigger store is to split up and not search on top of each other. This eliminates the possibility of you reaching over the shoulder of your buddy and grabbing that $5 copy of Panic Restaurant (battle immediately ensures and friendship dissolves). It's probably a big store, so go to the area that interests you most and vice-versa. If at a flea market, yard sale, or other smaller space, other means of fairness, such as taking turns looking over the games, may need to be implemented. Take some advice from Fleetwood Mac and when possible, "go your own way."

4. CONCEDE, BUT DON'T WHINE - Sometimes you want a game, but you have to concede. Whether it be more than you want to pay for it or you need to dedicate money to something you want more, pass it on to someone else without complaining or excessively going on about how you wish you had it.  No one likes a whiner, plus at least you can play it with your buddy or be first in line if they decide to sell it.  Also, it may depend on the relationship, but it's probably not a good idea to ask your buddy for money to buy the game if they also have interest in it. 

5.  BUYING IN BULK - This can be a very economical and great way to package games/systems and get them cheaper, but BEWARE.... Split the cost of games can get complicated and result in hard feelings. I recently watched an episode of The Game Chasers where the guys implemented what I thought was a pretty good means of dealing with this scenario. After buying a large lot of NES games, they took them home and laid them all out on a table. They went through each one and if one of them already had a game and the other one didn't, the one who didn't have the game got it.  For games that neither of them had, they implemented a draft and took turns picking from those games. If they both had a game, it went into a box for resale or trade credit, which they would split later. Sometimes game value can make this type of process difficult, so just be sure to look at what you have and determine a fair value to divvy up as best you can.

6.  KNOW WHEN TO HOLD 'EM, KNOW WHEN TO FOLD 'EM - There is nothing more annoying than someone walking around a store holding a game that they have no intention of buying. It's further annoying when your buddy who was also  interested in that game finds out several miles down the road (or days later) that you ended up not buying it and putting it back without telling them.  Hold onto games if you must, but also be sure  to ask if anyone else might be interested in the game(s), especially highly sought after titles.

7.  BE KIND TO YOUR GUESTS, DIFFER TO YOUR HOST - Sometimes a situation can get really awkward. Let's say your guide takes you to a place and there just happens to be something great there that particular day. What do you do?  Let's face it, for many of us (except that fiend Zagnorch *shakes fist*), coming across a great deal or a rare (sorry Bil...) item happens few and far between. While "finders keepers" is generally the norm for solo hunters, it might be the right thing to do to differ the item to your host.  However, as a host, you shouldn't just expect or gobble up this find. It's important to weigh it out and decide whose collection would benefit most from it.

8.  IT'S A SECRET TO EVERYONE - If you are fortunate enough that one of your partner's takes you to his/her "honey hole" that few collectors know about, keep that information to yourself. An invitation to such a place means that your collecting friend has opened this world to you going forward and in turn, the two of you (or more) will also now be competing at this location for games. The more people you tell, the more competition you invite for you and your buddy, and the less likely he/she will be to share any other "honey holes" they discover in the future. If you are at this store in the future and see a game your buddy needs, be sure to reciprocate by grabbing the game for them, or at least give them a call/text to let them know it is there.

9. DON'T GO INTO DIRTY RESELLER MODE - Do I think that reselling is wrong? No. For a time, it was the way I really helped build up my collection; think of it as reinvesting via trading or buying other titles I wanted. However, when you're out with your bromigos, don't immediately assume the reseller role. If you spot a deal on something you already have and intend to resell, be sure to offer it up to them first (if they don't have it). And by no means, NO MEANS, do you buy the game in front of them and try to sell it to them for a higher price later. Not cool. 

10. DIBS??? - There are few things more annoying than hearing someone announce "dibs" or seeing the word on a FS/FT thread. Don't get me wrong, if you contact someone first about a game/system, then by all means, you should have first crack at it if you are a serious buyer. The whole "placeholder" attitude is what comes off as annoying and childish. But how about calling dibs while group game hunting? I notice that a good deal of group seekers take a kind of eyes or hands on approach (i.e. "I laid eyes on it first" or "I had my hand on it").  While this might be a good rule of thumb, let's face it, in some instances, this only creates more of an argument than it solves. If rummaging through a box or stack of games together, it seems best to come up with some kind of alternating policy or rule. For instance, you got the last game we both wanted, so this one is mine and you get them next one, or I guess you could rock/paper/scissors for it. Whatever you decide, I think it's important to have a plan of action to settle this type of debate before you go hunting so that there are no conflicts. Man, I really don't see how Billy and Jay have managed to remain friends as long as they have....

As I said before, I have very limited experience with group game hunting and this is probably reflected in my list. In no way is this list complete, but is more like a compilation of passing thoughts I have on the matter. I'd love to hear some of your "unwritten" rules as well and any follow-up advice you'd like to any guidelines I have offered up.
     

Permalink | Comments [13] | Digg This Article | Tweet