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Life's A Chibi: Inadequate Collector
" Ever since I was young, I collected playing cards of various sorts. I would go to my nearby game store once a month and buy a small pack of playing cards using my allowance. I liked the artwork the cards had and I wanted to have a vast collection of them - my own personal stash of cards. I kept some and traded others with friends and other kids. My dad found out about my collection and told me that some cards were maybe worth a lot of money because some were limited print. He told me to kept my cards in good condition and seal them away for a few years, and maybe they would be worth something and I could get a lot of money for them. I thought that I might have some of those rare cards in my collection since some were first edition, so I did just that.
" Years later, I recently went to a convention where they had a room showcasing other people's card collection. I decided to take my card collection and go there to see if I could trade fro anything more rare or get them appraised. I walked in, thinking I had a good haul in my binder and that all that collecting would net me a lot of money. In the end, an expert told me that I didn't have that many rare cards and some only valued in the double digits - hardly worth selling. I gazed at other people's collections and saw that they had so many rare cards, some I never knew existed. I asked how they got them and they told me that they were just lucky every time they opened a brand new deck - paid very little to get a lot. Some say they got theirs by knowing "connections" and tricked other traders in thinking that they had a bad card but in truth had a rare card. Others say that they were born in a rich family so they had the money to get the cards they wanted without worrying about finances.
" I guess I had bad luck in opening packs, I didn't know any "connections", I might have traded some rare ones because I was stupid or fooled, and I had to work for the money to buy my pack. So now, I feel bad about my collection and thought ' why bother keep collecting these stupid cards if I will never get a rare card that I would sell for a lot of money down the road? ' "
I have seen photos of collector's basement, filled with retro to new age games and systems, many that you can't find anymore or worth a lot of money to obtain. They either had way too much money to spend to get them, took delicate care of their games and systems throughout the years when they first got them, or were just lucky enough to come across a game when they were younger that is now worth a lot of money. I have seen photos of people's Pokemon card collection where they had several copies of rare cards that they claimed that they were back to back in separate packs. I've read about comic book collectors that found rare books hidden in comic book selves for pennies or actually had $10k to spend in collector comic books ... per month.
Money is the driving force of everything now. If you have a lot, you can get whatever you want without issue. If you don't, you have to work harder than those who are more fortunate than you in order to get something similar to the other.
Collecting "rare" electronics, toys and comics became so big that only the wealthiest or luckiest could get one. In some cases, it became too much of a competition to see who has the rarest of what and how many. It gets to a point where those who wish to have something rare and nice in their own personal collection, won't be able to get it any time soon because: they can't afford it, wrong place in the wrong time, no connections, accidentally gave something they were unaware of it's value away, and/or has hardly any luck whatsoever ( or worst case, their parents threw out their collection when they were young. My dad had Spider-man #1 comic along with other #1 prints but they was tossed out a long with his collection because his folks thought they weren't worth anything. )
I admit, I personally collected Pokemon Cards ( only from packs ), Smash Amiibos ( all still in boxes and only from stores ), and have my own small collection of old video games ( sadly, without the box art ). I recently stopped collecting because the hype and sudden hunt for rare items recently skyrocketed. I don't have enough money to keep buying stuff or spending too much on something that I thought would be high in value one day. A lot of people are showing off their collection way too often ( mostly to gloat and "show off ) and it makes my own collection look like garbage and a waste of space. I collected things just in hopes that one day they would be worth a lot of money, enough so I could at least buy a house and save enough for retirement and even my kid's education and future ( or grandkids' future ). Planting a financial seed and hope that it grows.
This is what it all comes down to: does what you have look nice to you and you don't care about the value of it. If you just have a hobby collecting simple cards because you like the art or concept or even use them to play with friends, or if you just need something nice to hang on your wall, or if you just think its cool and you just want a memento of something from "when you were young" or "remembering the good old days", that's all that matters. You don't care if it grows in value, its just nice to have. You can always get it appraised if you are curious and/or if you want to get rid of it. Personal treasures.
Don't be jealous of other people's treasures. Be happy with what you own. It's your's and worth the personal amount to you.
artwork © 2017 Alex Cockburn
" Years later, I recently went to a convention where they had a room showcasing other people's card collection. I decided to take my card collection and go there to see if I could trade fro anything more rare or get them appraised. I walked in, thinking I had a good haul in my binder and that all that collecting would net me a lot of money. In the end, an expert told me that I didn't have that many rare cards and some only valued in the double digits - hardly worth selling. I gazed at other people's collections and saw that they had so many rare cards, some I never knew existed. I asked how they got them and they told me that they were just lucky every time they opened a brand new deck - paid very little to get a lot. Some say they got theirs by knowing "connections" and tricked other traders in thinking that they had a bad card but in truth had a rare card. Others say that they were born in a rich family so they had the money to get the cards they wanted without worrying about finances.
" I guess I had bad luck in opening packs, I didn't know any "connections", I might have traded some rare ones because I was stupid or fooled, and I had to work for the money to buy my pack. So now, I feel bad about my collection and thought ' why bother keep collecting these stupid cards if I will never get a rare card that I would sell for a lot of money down the road? ' "
I have seen photos of collector's basement, filled with retro to new age games and systems, many that you can't find anymore or worth a lot of money to obtain. They either had way too much money to spend to get them, took delicate care of their games and systems throughout the years when they first got them, or were just lucky enough to come across a game when they were younger that is now worth a lot of money. I have seen photos of people's Pokemon card collection where they had several copies of rare cards that they claimed that they were back to back in separate packs. I've read about comic book collectors that found rare books hidden in comic book selves for pennies or actually had $10k to spend in collector comic books ... per month.
Money is the driving force of everything now. If you have a lot, you can get whatever you want without issue. If you don't, you have to work harder than those who are more fortunate than you in order to get something similar to the other.
Collecting "rare" electronics, toys and comics became so big that only the wealthiest or luckiest could get one. In some cases, it became too much of a competition to see who has the rarest of what and how many. It gets to a point where those who wish to have something rare and nice in their own personal collection, won't be able to get it any time soon because: they can't afford it, wrong place in the wrong time, no connections, accidentally gave something they were unaware of it's value away, and/or has hardly any luck whatsoever ( or worst case, their parents threw out their collection when they were young. My dad had Spider-man #1 comic along with other #1 prints but they was tossed out a long with his collection because his folks thought they weren't worth anything. )
I admit, I personally collected Pokemon Cards ( only from packs ), Smash Amiibos ( all still in boxes and only from stores ), and have my own small collection of old video games ( sadly, without the box art ). I recently stopped collecting because the hype and sudden hunt for rare items recently skyrocketed. I don't have enough money to keep buying stuff or spending too much on something that I thought would be high in value one day. A lot of people are showing off their collection way too often ( mostly to gloat and "show off ) and it makes my own collection look like garbage and a waste of space. I collected things just in hopes that one day they would be worth a lot of money, enough so I could at least buy a house and save enough for retirement and even my kid's education and future ( or grandkids' future ). Planting a financial seed and hope that it grows.
This is what it all comes down to: does what you have look nice to you and you don't care about the value of it. If you just have a hobby collecting simple cards because you like the art or concept or even use them to play with friends, or if you just need something nice to hang on your wall, or if you just think its cool and you just want a memento of something from "when you were young" or "remembering the good old days", that's all that matters. You don't care if it grows in value, its just nice to have. You can always get it appraised if you are curious and/or if you want to get rid of it. Personal treasures.
Don't be jealous of other people's treasures. Be happy with what you own. It's your's and worth the personal amount to you.
artwork © 2017 Alex Cockburn
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Disagree: I think the lootbox is here to stay, it just needs to be handled correctly. I propose the way Blizzard handles it is fair, sustainable, and beneficial to both sides. Bear in mind it costs money (and quite a bit of it) to properly develop and release new games. DLC, like lootboxes, is one way for a developer to create a continuing, positive cash flow to cover those costs. What I don't agree with is making DLC and Microtransactions required to complete the game Paying to Win.
I never really felt the jealousy since I understood I was born much too late and in the "wrong place". I mean heck, I got my first NES in 1996! With internet access being a high luxury that very few could afford (I knew only one person that had internet at home, the rest of us frequented internet cafe's), nobody really cared about collections of games/trading cards etc. I was a proud collector of used telephone cards Like these! I still have them, and since they're not worth much, nobody ever was my 'collecting rival' :3
Everything which gets more than 10.000 views within 24 hours can be considered "bought up with money".
And commerce is crap - so never watch that.
Plus most of the time this is not really work. It is hidden advertising for companies. Something like you whore yourself to make them look good, which many companies do not even deserve because in general they ruin lots of lives.
PLUS it is also making people dumb cuz they believe that crap and want the same stuff they have and all that.
A non-realistic existence which has nothing to do with the hard work we video-consultants for example do on a set.
Or do you really believe these Youtubers "buy" the things they for example crush/destory or jump into or test out... themselves?
If so then you must be as dumb as many others, lol
Don't take it personally, but that's the truth - deal with it! Truth always hurts when it hits you right in the face.
Btw. I wrote this stuff already in a book about Youtube in 2011 when the term "Youtuber" was not even developed.
And yea btw. I am on Youtube ever since Youtube started but I do not spend my money on buying myself some "fame"... because this "fame" is fake. And I do not wish to be on such a low level. I rather spend my money for senseful things and also charity or animal help and stuff.
And commerce is crap - so never watch that.
Plus most of the time this is not really work. It is hidden advertising for companies. Something like you whore yourself to make them look good, which many companies do not even deserve because in general they ruin lots of lives.
PLUS it is also making people dumb cuz they believe that crap and want the same stuff they have and all that.
A non-realistic existence which has nothing to do with the hard work we video-consultants for example do on a set.
Or do you really believe these Youtubers "buy" the things they for example crush/destory or jump into or test out... themselves?
If so then you must be as dumb as many others, lol
Don't take it personally, but that's the truth - deal with it! Truth always hurts when it hits you right in the face.
Btw. I wrote this stuff already in a book about Youtube in 2011 when the term "Youtuber" was not even developed.
And yea btw. I am on Youtube ever since Youtube started but I do not spend my money on buying myself some "fame"... because this "fame" is fake. And I do not wish to be on such a low level. I rather spend my money for senseful things and also charity or animal help and stuff.
Oh, so you only take your reality from a very narrow sample and completely ignore people who edit videos and create actual content. Oh, and the reason people get so many views so quickly is because they've worked their ass off over a period of time to cultivate this thing called an audience. You know, that group of people who watch their videos because they are fans, subscribed, and thus get NOTIFICATIONS each time a video is uploaded and so watch it right away? Or are you so completely deluded in you anti-corporate fantastical conspiracies that you think everything is a cover up or working for The Man?
It's like talking to a UFO conspiracy theorist who thinks that any light in the sky is an alien vessel.
It's like talking to a UFO conspiracy theorist who thinks that any light in the sky is an alien vessel.
well since I am educated in all sorts of science, speak 9 language and am a multitalented artist - I would not call myself "narrow minded".
Above all when I wrote for example economical programs for crisis regions like Catalunya.
I'd rather consider people like you, who believe every shit and live in a pinkpainted bubble that floats far off ground from reality as "narrow minded".
And it is useless and illogical to continue talking to you. Hope your bubble pops and you fall with your ass on the hard ground of reality. But then don't come crying and cringing.
My ears are closed
Above all when I wrote for example economical programs for crisis regions like Catalunya.
I'd rather consider people like you, who believe every shit and live in a pinkpainted bubble that floats far off ground from reality as "narrow minded".
And it is useless and illogical to continue talking to you. Hope your bubble pops and you fall with your ass on the hard ground of reality. But then don't come crying and cringing.
My ears are closed
btw. I do video work myself ever since 2005. I can really tell you: these days it is no big deal anymore.
And putting a webcam in your room and adding some idiot-effects is not "hard work" lol
Also you see on the videos we are talking about, that there is no "hard work" behind it at all.
I personally could (and have done) such a video in like less than an hour.
And putting a webcam in your room and adding some idiot-effects is not "hard work" lol
Also you see on the videos we are talking about, that there is no "hard work" behind it at all.
I personally could (and have done) such a video in like less than an hour.
back in my pokemon card days I was an eevee collector, and I even put together a special binder for it
in my region, I was always the one who had the most out of everyone... except for one guy who had a lot of money, while I am just poor and fortunate (I remember the odd circumstances in getting every one of the ultra rares!)
I never felt too bad about it though, I always waved it off cause I felt like I loved and cared about eevees more than he did~
in my region, I was always the one who had the most out of everyone... except for one guy who had a lot of money, while I am just poor and fortunate (I remember the odd circumstances in getting every one of the ultra rares!)
I never felt too bad about it though, I always waved it off cause I felt like I loved and cared about eevees more than he did~
thats not what i mean my mom's side of the family say yugioh is made by the devil and its a sin too play or collect these cards ur comment is not even close to what i was trying to say and my mom's side says if i dont stop playing this i am sinning so im sorry if this offends u but u should not speak if u dont know what i meant or without all the details i just dont like my family judging me on what i do so i was not even close to meaning what u said and im sorry if that is what u thought i meant but i didn't so i am sorry even though i didn't mean it ok
We moved a lot while I was growing up from place to place, usually from my mom doing something psychotic to piss off the landlord, the landlord doing something outright hateful, (Doubling the rent, ruining things we owned) or in one case, literally being stalked.
Every time we moved, there was probably hundreds of useless things, or outright garbage we had to bring with, mainly because my mom was a hoarder, but out of all those things, the ones I remember most were a tote full of old coins, an ancient sewing machine, and a tote of comics.
It was a lot of work getting all these things! We had to use a single pickup truck to move each time, and all of these together comprised almost half a load, especially when most of the seats are occupied by someone. My mom held onto these things because "they were worth money" and such. We finally got to a point where she was willing to sell them, so we start trying.
The comics were nothing special. We got $20 for them. Apparently "dear old dad" had sold most of the good ones out from under our noses. We got none of that, naturally.
The coins, we had to take in various trips. One time, we ended up getting ripped off by a notoriously sleazy coin salesman who only gave us Ten for a nail box full and a book of quarters that we found out were worth more. We took them elsewhere, but as it turns out, my mom's collection was primarily junk.
The last thing, the sewing machine, was my most hated thing of all. It was heavy, it was clunky, and every time we moved, there was a metal part of it that, for some reason, my mom always moved seperately, and then yelled at us for a few days to "Find it" wherever she had put it. (Usually in the bottom of some box.)
We took it to a few pawn shops and such, but no one had any interest. My mom, who doesn't really understand how internet selling works, would always get enraged at me, saying "You need to go online and sell this thing right now," or "Look up on your stupid phone, find an Ebay shop in the city who'll take this."
Eight. Freaking. Years. We put this thing for sale in every garage and yard sale we held, lowering the price from $100, to 75, to 25, and then finally, we were lucky enough to live next to an antique collector, who bought it for I believe around 20 dollars.
Was any of that stuff worth all the frustration and hatred that spewed out every time we moved it? All the spiders that lived in it?
Technically speaking, yes. They got us a few bucks for food when we had literally nothing else.
Would I collect stuff again, for the hopes of it being valuable later on?
FUCK. NO.
Every time we moved, there was probably hundreds of useless things, or outright garbage we had to bring with, mainly because my mom was a hoarder, but out of all those things, the ones I remember most were a tote full of old coins, an ancient sewing machine, and a tote of comics.
It was a lot of work getting all these things! We had to use a single pickup truck to move each time, and all of these together comprised almost half a load, especially when most of the seats are occupied by someone. My mom held onto these things because "they were worth money" and such. We finally got to a point where she was willing to sell them, so we start trying.
The comics were nothing special. We got $20 for them. Apparently "dear old dad" had sold most of the good ones out from under our noses. We got none of that, naturally.
The coins, we had to take in various trips. One time, we ended up getting ripped off by a notoriously sleazy coin salesman who only gave us Ten for a nail box full and a book of quarters that we found out were worth more. We took them elsewhere, but as it turns out, my mom's collection was primarily junk.
The last thing, the sewing machine, was my most hated thing of all. It was heavy, it was clunky, and every time we moved, there was a metal part of it that, for some reason, my mom always moved seperately, and then yelled at us for a few days to "Find it" wherever she had put it. (Usually in the bottom of some box.)
We took it to a few pawn shops and such, but no one had any interest. My mom, who doesn't really understand how internet selling works, would always get enraged at me, saying "You need to go online and sell this thing right now," or "Look up on your stupid phone, find an Ebay shop in the city who'll take this."
Eight. Freaking. Years. We put this thing for sale in every garage and yard sale we held, lowering the price from $100, to 75, to 25, and then finally, we were lucky enough to live next to an antique collector, who bought it for I believe around 20 dollars.
Was any of that stuff worth all the frustration and hatred that spewed out every time we moved it? All the spiders that lived in it?
Technically speaking, yes. They got us a few bucks for food when we had literally nothing else.
Would I collect stuff again, for the hopes of it being valuable later on?
FUCK. NO.
Your collection is worth first and foremost what you yourself appraise it to be worth. I have nearly every official animal crossing object in existence, all out of the box, all handled many many times. I have them because I love them, not because I want to make big bucks or show off my money's worth.
I but a few packs an expansion, or at least I used to. When I had the money. I enjoy playing. I don't see the value of trading cards. I do see the value of playing them.
Well, a few years ago, I decided enough was enough. I pulled out every card I had, and built a 'rainbow' deck made up of only one copy of each card, mainly dragons. This was for magic the gathering. All of my creatures were dragons. I only had one copy of each card that was not basic lands, and even those I had one from each set. Just because. So.. I started playing this deck.
Mind, I picked the cards carefully. I was playing with a value of $1,000 in a 60 card deck. Not counting the lands.
I watched people with these large binders and boxes of cards just go crazy asking me why in hell I played with such valuable cards from n-set and z-rarity worth x-amount.
"Are they worth something? Meh. I'm just playing because it's fun."
I'm just a casual collector. As I said. I play because it's fun. But it was worth it to watch the moneyspending people who knew I didn't have much flip out as I casually play a $250 card.
Well, a few years ago, I decided enough was enough. I pulled out every card I had, and built a 'rainbow' deck made up of only one copy of each card, mainly dragons. This was for magic the gathering. All of my creatures were dragons. I only had one copy of each card that was not basic lands, and even those I had one from each set. Just because. So.. I started playing this deck.
Mind, I picked the cards carefully. I was playing with a value of $1,000 in a 60 card deck. Not counting the lands.
I watched people with these large binders and boxes of cards just go crazy asking me why in hell I played with such valuable cards from n-set and z-rarity worth x-amount.
"Are they worth something? Meh. I'm just playing because it's fun."
I'm just a casual collector. As I said. I play because it's fun. But it was worth it to watch the moneyspending people who knew I didn't have much flip out as I casually play a $250 card.
> I collected things just in hopes that one day they would be worth a lot of money, enough so I could at least buy a house and save enough for retirement and even my kid's education and future ( or grandkids' future ). Planting a financial seed and hope that it grows.
Not really an ideal way of trying to save money. This only works if you get lucky, or if you work really hard and make it a career. Investing money through a bank should have a much better and more predictable return.
Not really an ideal way of trying to save money. This only works if you get lucky, or if you work really hard and make it a career. Investing money through a bank should have a much better and more predictable return.
I collect foxes. pictures, plushes, figurines. I dont care if they are valuable. they are mine. I also collect US Navy items. but that is more of a personal history and military pride thing. I have a few games, I have a few cards, I have a few other things.. buut not anything rare I think. and I dont care if it is rare or not. it isnt for someone else. it is for me.
When I was younger, I collected many things. Now, I find:
1> A lot of stuff takes up too much space.
2> People don't want "my stuff", so it has virtually no value.
...I now restrict myself to getting just things I NEED, or something i really want to own for itself, not for any potential long-term increase in "collector's value".
1> A lot of stuff takes up too much space.
2> People don't want "my stuff", so it has virtually no value.
...I now restrict myself to getting just things I NEED, or something i really want to own for itself, not for any potential long-term increase in "collector's value".
This was Yugioh for a while back when they first started. I was in the same "cards I like over rarity" disparity that most folks had. Indeed, a lot of the competitive Yu-gi-oh scene was like that where everything hinged on holographic, first edition of everything, eventually going down to people who bought full fucking boxes rather than buying the singles. The sad part was that most of those guys kept the commons and uncommons, even if they didn't get the secret or ultra they wanted.
I've been out of YGO since 2014, though I window shop from time to time. I think I may want to start make decks with randoms and give them to my local child center to help out the kids who don't have a chance to get those cards.
I've been out of YGO since 2014, though I window shop from time to time. I think I may want to start make decks with randoms and give them to my local child center to help out the kids who don't have a chance to get those cards.
I used to hang out with a sculptress who's specialty was sculpting and painting tiny dragons which were posed in the act of tearing Magic cards to pieces. Some of the "High Value" cards were given to her by others who got "Hit" by certain cards too often. So folks at cons seeing her work tended to react in one of two ways. One was to say something like "I'm glad there's one less card like that", while others would react with screams of surprised horror.
Collect what YOU love, for YOU period. So you do not have a black lotus..big whoopie. In the end the only person that matters is you, so cherish what you got, admire what others got, and keep a eye out for the rare chance to score. I personally find I am happy with the odd collections i have because it is MINE, and I do not compete with anyone because I simply do not care too.
Gaia blesss
Pakesh_De
Snoofy old burr
Btw i did not know you played magic!. if so we totally have to play at FE ;).
Gaia blesss
Pakesh_De
Snoofy old burr
Btw i did not know you played magic!. if so we totally have to play at FE ;).
it felt nice when i actually got a decent factory job, and could actually work on building up my Okami collection, though sometimes i feel bad because i think others might think im trying to show off, instead of its just the fact that i am excited to see another fan.
And a bigger collection doesnt make you a bigger fan, i have a friend who i say is a bigger fan than i am, i know a lot about the game and lore but she knows more :P.
And a bigger collection doesnt make you a bigger fan, i have a friend who i say is a bigger fan than i am, i know a lot about the game and lore but she knows more :P.
I stopped trying to collect after I first became homeless, it's not easy to move a collection around. Also I swiftly realized it's a waste of money and space. In the collecting world you'll always find that people are pretty much buying their way to being the biggest collector in town. It's a very unfair hobby.
On the other hand I got better at guitar at that point in life, I was broke, I could barely afford to buy food, but it didn't matter because skills are free.
On the other hand I got better at guitar at that point in life, I was broke, I could barely afford to buy food, but it didn't matter because skills are free.
Funnily enough I got a relevant experience from Neopets of all things!
On neopets you could obtain avatars for all sorts of different things. Sometimes it was as simple as visiting the page of a certain colour pet, or using a codestone to train your pets, but there were others were exceedingly rare and difficult to get (that you could still get that is, they never retired). The stamp avatars were one such: the idea is that you had to collect an entire set of stamps in a group to get an avatar. I think there were about 10-12 groups, only six of them yielded avatars at the time, and the stamps themselves could range from inexpensive piecemeal to incredibly rare and accordingly expensive monstrosities that were near impossible to find on the open market.
Part of this rarity was that some avatar-yielding stamps were only released in limited amounts for plots and site-wide events, so you'd have only a small number of players with these and even less after some of them added those stamps to their collections (they could not be removed afterwards). Couple that with old players getting their accounts frozen, or leaving, and suddenly you maybe have only 10 or so still loose and available on the site, and guess what? Whenever one of them appeared for sale it caused a sensation among wealthy players. The Coltzan stamp for example was the most expensive in the Lost Desert collection, and was worth 200m at some point before inflation began to push it to 500m. It was the one I tried my hardest to get. :P
Other avatar collections were a bit "more reasonable". The Terror Mountain collection's most expensive stamp was a sticky snowflake stamp. I managed to buy one from the stamp store by sheer luck and - to my surprise, I got players messaging me non stop offering to purchase it for 100-110m. I did end up selling it because the Coltzan Stamp was my goal but I never got it.
Because certain avatars conveyed prestige on Neoboards if you had someone with a Lost Desert Stamp avatar, chances were that other players would respect them and be more inclined to sell items to them, but they were just...so unimaginably rare that you couldn't judge someone for not having them. Neopets had some very weird social phenomenons. :P
Compare it to MtG and Yu-Gi-Oh where having disposable income and/or sheer luck and determination can net you very rare collections.
It's not all different, though I suppose in Neopets you weren't judged against something for not having it, you were only respected for having it. :P
On neopets you could obtain avatars for all sorts of different things. Sometimes it was as simple as visiting the page of a certain colour pet, or using a codestone to train your pets, but there were others were exceedingly rare and difficult to get (that you could still get that is, they never retired). The stamp avatars were one such: the idea is that you had to collect an entire set of stamps in a group to get an avatar. I think there were about 10-12 groups, only six of them yielded avatars at the time, and the stamps themselves could range from inexpensive piecemeal to incredibly rare and accordingly expensive monstrosities that were near impossible to find on the open market.
Part of this rarity was that some avatar-yielding stamps were only released in limited amounts for plots and site-wide events, so you'd have only a small number of players with these and even less after some of them added those stamps to their collections (they could not be removed afterwards). Couple that with old players getting their accounts frozen, or leaving, and suddenly you maybe have only 10 or so still loose and available on the site, and guess what? Whenever one of them appeared for sale it caused a sensation among wealthy players. The Coltzan stamp for example was the most expensive in the Lost Desert collection, and was worth 200m at some point before inflation began to push it to 500m. It was the one I tried my hardest to get. :P
Other avatar collections were a bit "more reasonable". The Terror Mountain collection's most expensive stamp was a sticky snowflake stamp. I managed to buy one from the stamp store by sheer luck and - to my surprise, I got players messaging me non stop offering to purchase it for 100-110m. I did end up selling it because the Coltzan Stamp was my goal but I never got it.
Because certain avatars conveyed prestige on Neoboards if you had someone with a Lost Desert Stamp avatar, chances were that other players would respect them and be more inclined to sell items to them, but they were just...so unimaginably rare that you couldn't judge someone for not having them. Neopets had some very weird social phenomenons. :P
Compare it to MtG and Yu-Gi-Oh where having disposable income and/or sheer luck and determination can net you very rare collections.
It's not all different, though I suppose in Neopets you weren't judged against something for not having it, you were only respected for having it. :P
I told a friend that i might think to start MTG... he gave me all the cards he could'nt sell or he didn't want to sell (still got them) but i never continued by buying more cards. The whole thing got realy complicated but i still love the art and everything behind the cards. You can even win a match with cheap cards and that what i like about this game. I actualy love games in general but a few of them are just a bit too lame.
I never got into Magic or other TCG, because I could see the racket for what it was. I like a certain Land card, for the art, it turns out it's $40 in the open market, so you can have a deck using them for your mana pool, but ouch. Couple that with players whose attitude is something like all the random Pokemon trainers in the games "You have pokemon, let's battle!" Many challengers, few teachers.
Video game collections I can relate. I'm one who never sold the old games out, and didn't break old systems. Does it resemble other people's massive "man caves"? no. I bought good games when they were new, and none of the garbage not worth playing that fills out the other 90% of other people's collections. (No Angry Video Game Nerd stuff here!) Me in a used game store is like some cyberpunk version of a wine connoiseur, I know the history of what is to other people, slabs of plastic and silicon.
I still maintain that the maximum "bang for the buck", of all forms of entertainment, a single RPG manual can last a group of good friends with good imaginations for life, (monster manual? make up your own!) and that some poor folks with a tiny fraction of what you have, are having more fun.
Video game collections I can relate. I'm one who never sold the old games out, and didn't break old systems. Does it resemble other people's massive "man caves"? no. I bought good games when they were new, and none of the garbage not worth playing that fills out the other 90% of other people's collections. (No Angry Video Game Nerd stuff here!) Me in a used game store is like some cyberpunk version of a wine connoiseur, I know the history of what is to other people, slabs of plastic and silicon.
I still maintain that the maximum "bang for the buck", of all forms of entertainment, a single RPG manual can last a group of good friends with good imaginations for life, (monster manual? make up your own!) and that some poor folks with a tiny fraction of what you have, are having more fun.
I feel that way sometimes about people who are able to afford art from artists who are expensive and/or hard to get a commission from. Especially if they have a fursona similar to mine.
Though at least a couple of times, I learned those people were huge jerks. Maybe the fame went to their head? I think the crux of popufur hate is the notion of fame going to your head and becoming full of yourself. Though there are at least a few people I would consider "popufur" who have managed to avoid that, mostly by keeping engaged with their fans and regularly giving opportunities for fans to interact with them.
Though at least a couple of times, I learned those people were huge jerks. Maybe the fame went to their head? I think the crux of popufur hate is the notion of fame going to your head and becoming full of yourself. Though there are at least a few people I would consider "popufur" who have managed to avoid that, mostly by keeping engaged with their fans and regularly giving opportunities for fans to interact with them.
I totally agree I grew up with Pokemon and yugioh. Collected the cards and I still do. Most of my friends and other people have traded with me. I don’t care if my cards are not valuable because I just collect for fun. Some times I run into people who have a big collection. I think you should just collect cards or other items you love for fun and enjoy it.
Same thing all around the world. Here in europe, we got a soccer championship every fourth year. Sticker album included, the kids love them. It cost about..... a few hundred bucks to fill one.
The two best things i did in my childhood was:
- Not collecting those stickers
-But keeping all the stickers my friends gave me after the hype was done. Four years later, it started all over and somehow, i got a innocent brand new and empty album for myself. That poor thing was then filled will all the old stickers from last time. And it was always the center of attention everywhere i showed up with. For what cost? Nothing but patience.
The two best things i did in my childhood was:
- Not collecting those stickers
-But keeping all the stickers my friends gave me after the hype was done. Four years later, it started all over and somehow, i got a innocent brand new and empty album for myself. That poor thing was then filled will all the old stickers from last time. And it was always the center of attention everywhere i showed up with. For what cost? Nothing but patience.
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