People of RF Generation: The People of RF Generation - ericeskapade

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Name(First only):
Eric

Location:
Country: Germany; City: Chemnitz (formerly known as Karl-Marx-Stadt)

Where does your screen name come from?
As a teenager I played in some bands. I always wanted to have a "german-punk"-band, which is it's own style of music here. Like in most punk-combos everyone has to come up with some flashy name. I made up "ericeskapade" and did hold onto it. It is also my Xbox Live and PSN-account.

How did you find RFG?
Some angry googling after I bought a game again, that I already had in my collection. Which makes me the only surfer in Hawaii, doesn't it?!

What made you stay and become part of RFG?
The collection data-base sure did it's part. But what really got me interested, was the RF-Gen podcast. I felt so understood hearing the guys talking about cleaning habits for games, garage-sale-stories, the deeper sense of collecting (oooooommmmmmm!), their humor, how our piles of games is viewed by other people, and so on.

Even when they made fun of Crabmaster2000 shoveling the deep snow in front of his house in Canada, I could immediately connect. Because often, when listening to the show, I was shoveling snow over in good old Germany, too. Hearing about what they are up to at their gamestores, jobs and families was some relive for all the "Fernweh" I often get. I don't know how to translate that into English. But it is such an beautiful German word, you just should look it up and maybe can use it from now on.

Also I really enjoyed submitting my mostly European games into database, while sitting at home in the cold wintertime, scanning game covers and watching movies at the same time.

Have you ever met or personally know anyone at RFG?
That is a big YES, and somehow related to question before.

I don't want to pick anybody out by name, because all the the three times (of the five trips I took to the USA) ALL the RF Gen members I met have been so welcoming, friendly, fun to be around and made me think a little higher of the blessings of the internet a little bit more.

So let's just say: "What happens at RWX, stays at RWX."

Also the hosting in Sandy Hook, CT, West Haven, CT and some banana-farm in NC was excellent.

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If you look carefully, you can see our buddy Eric hiding behind a singlebanana.

Number of Games Owned(at time of printing):
3010

Number of Games on Wishlist(at time of printing):
I don't use it really, but I have around 200 games written down on some Excel sheet.

Number of Systems:
74 (without counting the doubles)

When did you start collecting?
There was not a special point, when I was like: "I am starting to collect now!" Sometime around 2008 I went to University and was working part-time at car rental-company SIXT. Being home around 1 pm gave me the time and money to search Ebay for all the consoles I wanted but could not afford as a kid. Like 3DO, 32x, Sega Saturn. And so the collection grew and grew.

What was your first system you owned?
I grew up in the GDR (the eastern part of Germany before the wall came down). So even in 1991, I still had no idea that there was a NES, GB or even Genesis out there an ordered an ATARI 7800 with Joust, Marineflieger (Seahawk), and a terrible Ghostbusters-game out of a mail order catalog.

What was your first game?
I envied a friend for a Donkey Kong Game+Watch, borrowed GB "Turtles Fall of the Foot Clan" sometimes, and had an awesome noisy (ask my mom) LED Pinball game.

But the first game I had (and which really was fun to play) has to be when I got the SNES around 1993 with Super Mario World. It came together in the SNES Super Game Boy bundle. Wow, did I judge my parents stupid for getting that bundle, me not owning any GB-games... and for letting me home alone five days before Christmas eve, sneaking up on that bundle before... hehe

What was your first game you bought yourself?
Super Tennis on the SNES. But I have stronger memories on when my dad picked me up, drove into town and said "Pick any game you like." I chose wisely... the expensive NBA JAM T.E. went into my SNES and stayed there the whole basketball season.

What made you decide to buy that particular game?
I went to buy Super Tennis, when I had saved some money and they still had game displays at the local supermarket. I just loved the simple cover and liked sports games. I still remember reading already the manual while waiting for the bus. And looking at the game and the screenshots of the box the whole bus ride long on that fine breezy summer day. The difficulty took me some time to adjust but it was a cool game. Call me crazy, but sometimes on a hot summer day I take the game with me and drive/walk the same route from my old school to the house we used to live then, reminiscing one of the happiest days in my life.

First game you ever beat?
Super Mario World.

Have you ever broken anything due to frustration from a game? Be honest, we won't tell...
Perhaps tearing up papers or smashing some glasses/plates, but never any game related stuff. Even some controllers came close to television screen.

I believe a girlfriend has not peeked into your soul, until she has been around when you curse, scream and lose your cool when some unfair end boss pulls unbelievable special moves on you in a fighting game.

Are you collecting now, if so what anything specific?
Not anything special. If a game gets over 80% or something like that, I will get it, because it is a gem for it's specific console. Or like if there is some detail that gets my attention. Normally I would not buy a farming simulation...but when I hear you can also grow plants in USA, Italy, Japan, ... (and not only one country) in Pure Farming 2018 that game makes my buy list.

And I try to put together the console games I played with my friends during my childhood.

When did you feel a tipping point from gamer to both gamer and game collector?
When I started playing the games I bought just for some minutes, to check if they are working and not much longer.

What are your goals as a game collector, how have you developed them, and how do you feel about your progress toward them? How many games, systems, etc. are "enough"?
Sorry, don't have any laid out goals, like complete set of this or that. But I like to have some kind of fix point when I come to a new city. A game is some kind of nice souvenir from a trip, too.

What's your proudest moment as a game collector?
I don't have any such heavy hitters in my game collection. But what makes me kind of happy/proud, that because of this hobby I met people and places I would not have come to otherwise. Like in music or in a basketball pick-up game...on the court you are united by the same passion for what you love.

What's your least proud moment as a game collector?
Sometimes I spend to much money. But what makes me feel more uncomfortable, is the amount of plastic that I have horded. All the cases, covers, cartridges and discs, is hard do bear for the environment for sure. Even if it is just the tip of the electronic-markets-iceberg.

If you had to give part of your collection away for a worthy cause what part would it be, and why?
I cheat a little: my doubles

And then the Retron 5. It's a cartridge-demolishing piece of junk. Get a "Retrofreak" out of Japan. I can really recommend it.

Where/how do you store it all?
I don't have a dedicated room, yet. But that will change when I move into my flat together with my girlfriend in July 2018. Right now too many games are stuck under other boxes, that I begin not wanting to play them, afraid of becoming an avalanche victim..

What's your favorite part of your collection?
The consoles and boxed games I grew up with: SNES/SFC, N64. Also I enjoy Saturn, 360, Game Gear and Game Boy, PS1, Neo Geo CD.

What about a favorite series?
Racing Games (Ridge Racer, The Forzas,...), Sports (NBA Live, Jam, 2K), and a lot of round strategy or ATLUS RPG Games...but somehow I never find the time, to dive deep into them.

What is your guilty pleasure when it comes to gaming?
Some horse-girlish-games, Victorious or some casting show games have made it into my collection just for curiosity. But I tend do pick up rubbish racing or basketball games just for the sake of having them.

What is the most valuable part of your collection(Value or sentimental)?
For Value: Maybe the PCFX, some Shining Force games or the Steel Battalion Controller. But the last I sold some months ago. I regret it from now time to time, but I nearly never played it, and where is the sense then, just to have it, so you can brag you have one.

For Sentimental: Silent Service signed by several RF-Genners, my first SNES with a Charlotte Hornets sticker still put onto it, ISS Deluxe and Killer Instinct with CD (was kind of forbidden for underaged in Germany), Herzog Zwei for Genesis, Super Mario 64 (jaw-dropping back then, like the many details in Uncharted 4 now), NBA 2K11 (played so many seasons in real-time through the nights after a big personally break-up), Fragile Dreams for Wii (RFG-Play Through), Lost Odyssey for 360 and Sudden Strike for PC (made my summer/winter-holidays some years ago).

What game do you have the most nostalgia for?
Nostalgia comes alone from reading old Nintendo or Sega Video Game Magazines. If I am pinned to an answer, then maybe Cruis'n USA Arcade... We played it always after real Go-Kart-racing-sessions together. I raved to my dad for weeks, that the Ultra 64 could do all the graphics and more - bringing the arcade home to us...only that the final result on N64 was not that good. But hey: at least they kept the flies, that would splash onto you windshield and the flag-waving girls in the game. Even I thought the looked hotter in the arcade.

What would you like to improve in your collection?
To have my games better displayed, and maybe alphabetically...but that will come soon.

What do you think was your best deal while game buying?
I got a boxed Neo Geo CD with around 15 boxed games and 2 controller for around $160 in 2012. Or a 3DO with 20 boxed games and 2 controller for $80 in 2008 (Even I had to go to the police, because the seller was not shipping or responding after I bought it on Ebay). I also have found a game store some months ago, where the guy is so bad at haggling or just doesn't care that I pick up games worth 120$ (lowest ebay or amazon prices) and end up paying 40$.

What item in your collection do you feel you overpaid for?
The Neo Geo X Gold and Retron 5 lay around here, being very useless.

Good spending is crucial in collection. What do you feel is the strangest or weirdest item in your collection?
One time a PES 2017 game and some t-shirts came addressed to my cat?! I had forgotten that I had also sent in postcards for a Christmas video game magazine contest not only for me, my mom, my grandma...

What item(s) do you not have in your collection that people are surprised to hear you don't have?
Right now a Switch. Or a “The Hills”-game , if they would have made one.

Is there any way you'd ever stop collecting?
Never say never.

Do you have a funny story about your collection?
Sorry, not right now. But if you ever do penalty kicks during a soccer game, lure your friend into the trap of shooting in the middle, by asking him “if he does shoot in the right or in the left corner”. reverse-psychology

Have you ever had to move your collection to another house? What was it like?
The last time with around 700 games ...and I am not looking forward to move now with the added 2300 in the middle of the summer-weather.

It sucks, period. If your significant other told you no more games, what would you do?
Praise her for her wisdom.

What percentage of your games are still sealed?
Less than 1 percent - Only 3-4 games.

What percentage of your games have you actually played? Completed?
Maybe 2-3 percent completed- so 60-90 games.

Do you own any complete collections?
Nope.

Time to bring out the fanboys! What is your favorite game of all time?
Hard...Like some others before I say: Play Donkey Kong 94 for GB with a friend and controller-swapping. It is awesome!!! "Import Tuner Challenge", "Risen 2" and "NFS Shift" (all 360) are some of my personal favorites, too.

Least Favorite?
Most horror-games give me the creeps. I want to enjoy gaming, not feel uneasy.

A little peek behind the curtain on this next question. Normally, this question is used only to determine what color of border your text box gets at the top, but the answer here is so great I needed to leave it in.

What is your favorite flavor? Plain, mint, banana, strawberry, or banana?
Mashed potato

Okay, so a little back story for this answer... Year one of RWX, a bunch of us who met up went to a very close by Italian restaurant incredibly close to closing time because it was late and we needed something to eat. We discovered something magical. Mashed potato pizza. This was a white pizza with bacon, mozzarella and cheddar cheese, and scoops of mashed potatoes on the top. If you happen to be near the Oakdale theater in Connecticut, do yourself a favor and stop by. http://www.serafinorestaurant.com/special.htm

Do you collect anything else besides games?
A bunch of NBA-jerseys, but nothing serious.

What do you outside of games?
Workwise? Advising insurance and finance and writing for a newspaper about the local sports.

What other features would you like to see more of at RFG?
We count demo CDs, but we don't have a thing for VHS demo tapes (N64), do we?

NeoMagicWarrior, the previous interviewee, asked, "What is your favorite video game to play with someone else?"
Donkey Kong 94 for GB or a lot of strategy games like "Risk" or "C&C".

Thanks for your time!