I have recently discovered Kijiji, a website where you can post and browse local classified ads for free. I always knew it was there but I've never really used it before. I used to always default to eBay when looking for anything I needed but had trouble finding locally. Like eBay, some things are terribly overpriced, but there are deals to be had if you take the time. I’ve managed to purchase a few under-priced games that were then quickly traded in for a decent profit. I also managed to pick up a wireless network adapter for a song. I also missed out on a couple of items because I didn’t find them in time. The inventory of ads changes constantly, so you have to act fast when the real good deals come along because they don’t last long.
Based on my success in purchasing a few things, I thought I would try my hand at selling. I have a lot of original Xbox games that I put up for sale in an effort to thin out my collection, as well as a few Xbox 360 titles that are collecting dust and have terrible trade-in values. The good part is that the service is free, so there is no cost in using the website. The bad part is that the service is free, so there is no cost in using the website. Free, it seems, is the key for bringing out everyone and their weird requests. Why not? It’s free.
I was contacted regarding a few of the games on the list but as of today, none have ever sold. People have wanted things at ridiculously low prices. Sorry, but I don’t give Black Friday deals. If the request is reasonable, I’ll entertain it. And my games are in way better shape then most of the ones found at the local Gamestop (I'm terribly appauled at how some people treat their belongings, but that's a whole other blog). People have no idea if the games are backwards compatible with Xbox 360. I'm not Wikipedia so do some homework before contacting me, please. People have asked for free games because they can’t afford them for their kids. If I’m not getting a tax receipt for my donation, then the answer is no. Someone wanted a $5 game on my list and asked if I would consider a trade. Seriously? For $5?
I have since pulled my ads from Kijiji because the headaches were not worth the few bucks I could have made. Maybe I’ll just have a garage sale in the spring. Until then I’ll continue to scan the ads from time to time in search of deals. Why not? It’s free.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
For the Fallen
November is here once again. That means another Call of Duty game is released and another Remembrance Day is close by. Yeah, it’s a great time to release a game with Xmas only being 5-6 weeks away. But I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Call of Duty comes out so close to Remembrance Day every year.
To everyone out there who thinks that a career with the armed forces would be a piece of cake because they just got 13 kills and 4 deaths in their last round on Call of Duty, remember this: In real life, there are no respawns. You don’t get to come back – you get buried. You can’t adjust the setting of the war from “realistic” to “easy”. And you most certainly do not get to blame your getting shot on “lag issues”.
On November 11, remember to wear a poppy and take a minute of silence for those who fell to provide us the freedom to live the lives that we do. When they answered the call of duty, the gave a lot more than the $60 that the game cost.
To everyone out there who thinks that a career with the armed forces would be a piece of cake because they just got 13 kills and 4 deaths in their last round on Call of Duty, remember this: In real life, there are no respawns. You don’t get to come back – you get buried. You can’t adjust the setting of the war from “realistic” to “easy”. And you most certainly do not get to blame your getting shot on “lag issues”.
On November 11, remember to wear a poppy and take a minute of silence for those who fell to provide us the freedom to live the lives that we do. When they answered the call of duty, the gave a lot more than the $60 that the game cost.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
How short is too short?
So, I'm finished Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II. What a short game. I have a few challenges to do, but the game itself is finished. I could replay on a harder level or go back and chase some achievements - either or both of which I still might do. But for a single playthrough, IT IS SHORT!!! There's no multi-player or co-op play to extend the experience. I'm feeling a tad disappointed. And ripped off. Not just once, but twice. I bought a copy for myself and the boy. Fortunately, I traded in against them so I didn't feel the direct hit to the pocketbook for two copies... But still.
Games with short campaigns should have a multi-player component to it, like Halo: Reach, or Medal of Honor. Games without multi-player should have wicked campaigns. Mass Effect is a prime example. Or Fallout. Gears of War is the best of both worlds - a challenging campaign with both co-op and multi-player gameplay to really extend the experience. I miss the old Star Wars games - Knights of the Old Republic, the Jedi Knight series - Those games had real substance to them. We should get some free DLC just to make up for the tiny campaign. That will never happen, though. Lucas doesn't give anything away for free. A full price game needs a full price effort put into it.
If you're not a die hard Star Wars fan that must own a copy of it, then rent it. Or wait for it to drop in price. Or wait for it to be rebundled with all of the inevitable DLC which might make it worth the full price. Any way, it's not a $60 game. And with the large selection of new games out this holiday season, it's not like we're short of choices.
Games with short campaigns should have a multi-player component to it, like Halo: Reach, or Medal of Honor. Games without multi-player should have wicked campaigns. Mass Effect is a prime example. Or Fallout. Gears of War is the best of both worlds - a challenging campaign with both co-op and multi-player gameplay to really extend the experience. I miss the old Star Wars games - Knights of the Old Republic, the Jedi Knight series - Those games had real substance to them. We should get some free DLC just to make up for the tiny campaign. That will never happen, though. Lucas doesn't give anything away for free. A full price game needs a full price effort put into it.
If you're not a die hard Star Wars fan that must own a copy of it, then rent it. Or wait for it to drop in price. Or wait for it to be rebundled with all of the inevitable DLC which might make it worth the full price. Any way, it's not a $60 game. And with the large selection of new games out this holiday season, it's not like we're short of choices.
Friday, October 22, 2010
The Art of the Deal
It is the onset of the holiday season, when we are bombarded with a proliferation of great gaming goodness. Fallout, Call of Duty, Assassins Creed, The Force Unleashed,... How can we keep up?
Well, we can make choices. Which ones do we want right now? Which ones can we wait for a price drop on? Do I have to give up my Starbucks for Fable? What do we want to see under the tree at Xmas? Decisions, decisions. But what if we don't want to wait? What happens if the spoiled 8-year old in us comes out and wants it all right now? This is where we try to stretch that dollar a little further. It takes a little work, but it can be worth it. I'm talking about the art of the trade-in deal.
Now if we want to get rid of those games collecting dust on the shelf, that's one thing. It's low hanging fruit - easy to pick, not a lot of work. I'm talking about chasing the juicy fruit at the top of the tree. For that, we have to be more creative. I'm talking about the undervalued games with good trade-in values that are floating around out there, just waiting to be exploited.
One example of this occurred earlier this year when Alien vs. Predator came out. EB Games (Gamestop Canada) offered a 50% additional trade-in on games toward the pre-order of AvP. At this particular time they were offering $40 for Marvel: Ultimate Alliance II. On the pre-order, that value increased to $60. Since AvP sold for $60, it was virtually a direct swap. With a little hunting I managed to find a used copy of Marvel II for $36 all in, netting me a cool $30 in savings (including taxes). This was not the first time I saved a few bucks by exploiting trade-in values and it most certainly has not been my last. I have literally saved hundreds of dollars on games by exploiting higher than average trade-in values by purchasing underpriced games. If they're going to give it to us, then darn it, we should take it!!
For some it might not be worth the effort. Sometimes I wonder if I enjoy the challenge of doing it more than I need the financial savings. But it helps, regardless of why I do it. Do you have any stories of trade-in savings? Are you a bargain hunter? How do you make your gaming dollar go further? Let's hear from all you cheapskate gamers out there! Maybe we can all help each other.
Well, we can make choices. Which ones do we want right now? Which ones can we wait for a price drop on? Do I have to give up my Starbucks for Fable? What do we want to see under the tree at Xmas? Decisions, decisions. But what if we don't want to wait? What happens if the spoiled 8-year old in us comes out and wants it all right now? This is where we try to stretch that dollar a little further. It takes a little work, but it can be worth it. I'm talking about the art of the trade-in deal.
Now if we want to get rid of those games collecting dust on the shelf, that's one thing. It's low hanging fruit - easy to pick, not a lot of work. I'm talking about chasing the juicy fruit at the top of the tree. For that, we have to be more creative. I'm talking about the undervalued games with good trade-in values that are floating around out there, just waiting to be exploited.
One example of this occurred earlier this year when Alien vs. Predator came out. EB Games (Gamestop Canada) offered a 50% additional trade-in on games toward the pre-order of AvP. At this particular time they were offering $40 for Marvel: Ultimate Alliance II. On the pre-order, that value increased to $60. Since AvP sold for $60, it was virtually a direct swap. With a little hunting I managed to find a used copy of Marvel II for $36 all in, netting me a cool $30 in savings (including taxes). This was not the first time I saved a few bucks by exploiting trade-in values and it most certainly has not been my last. I have literally saved hundreds of dollars on games by exploiting higher than average trade-in values by purchasing underpriced games. If they're going to give it to us, then darn it, we should take it!!
For some it might not be worth the effort. Sometimes I wonder if I enjoy the challenge of doing it more than I need the financial savings. But it helps, regardless of why I do it. Do you have any stories of trade-in savings? Are you a bargain hunter? How do you make your gaming dollar go further? Let's hear from all you cheapskate gamers out there! Maybe we can all help each other.
I'm out of the closet.
My dirty little secret has been revealed. Rhonda knows about my blog.
It wasn't a secret perse, but she didn't know about it. Now she does. She was surprised.
That is all.
It wasn't a secret perse, but she didn't know about it. Now she does. She was surprised.
That is all.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Putting the "Friend" back in your "Friends List"
I'm not always a good friend. I try to be, but then life takes over and I find I lose touch with people, both online and offline. Sometimes I find myself in conversations with friends who are talking about things I didn't know about. I had no idea El Sand Dog had his appendix removed. I've lost track of QJB's operations. I seem to forget the names of kids and spouses of people on my friends list, which is a result of not talking to them for a while. I'm sure that there's plenty more that I can't list here simply because I don't know about it.
Even here locally, I've lost track of friends that I've known since grade school. I'm starting to feel guilty about it. Now, I'm not a Facebook guy, I'm a face-to-face guy. I prefer to talk to someone or email someone directly than read a post on a website as to how they're doing. I'm also a private person by nature and my life is not the business of the general public. Not to mention I'd have to wrestle Rhonda for the PC. I'm sure she'd just as soon call the police and have me arrested for domestic abuse rather than give up "her" computer.
Time is my enemy. Always has been. There's never enough of it for me to do the things that I would like to do. And for some reason, I've had really low energy lately too, which doesn't help. I think I need a multi-vitamin with a Red Bull chaser. And for the first time ever, I'm considering a Facebook account just to consolidate my friends (or the vast majority thereof) and make a concerted effort to know what's going on in their lives on a regular basis. I'm a little anti-facebook because the whole "stalkbook" thing. It earned that nickname for a reason, so I'm still a little uncertain.
In the meantime, I'm going to try and make a better effort to keep in touch with my friends. It's time that the "friend" on your "friends list" makes an appearance again.
Even here locally, I've lost track of friends that I've known since grade school. I'm starting to feel guilty about it. Now, I'm not a Facebook guy, I'm a face-to-face guy. I prefer to talk to someone or email someone directly than read a post on a website as to how they're doing. I'm also a private person by nature and my life is not the business of the general public. Not to mention I'd have to wrestle Rhonda for the PC. I'm sure she'd just as soon call the police and have me arrested for domestic abuse rather than give up "her" computer.
Time is my enemy. Always has been. There's never enough of it for me to do the things that I would like to do. And for some reason, I've had really low energy lately too, which doesn't help. I think I need a multi-vitamin with a Red Bull chaser. And for the first time ever, I'm considering a Facebook account just to consolidate my friends (or the vast majority thereof) and make a concerted effort to know what's going on in their lives on a regular basis. I'm a little anti-facebook because the whole "stalkbook" thing. It earned that nickname for a reason, so I'm still a little uncertain.
In the meantime, I'm going to try and make a better effort to keep in touch with my friends. It's time that the "friend" on your "friends list" makes an appearance again.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The "Community Console"
"She's the community bicycle, baby. Everybody's had a ride." - Austin Powers
A couple of blogs ago, Pengwenn and I were discussing spare consoles and she had mentioned that she might send one to Ghengis as a temporary measure to get him back online until he had the opportunity to get one for himself. I was thinking about kicking in financially for that so that she wouldn't have to bear the whole cost of it. I knew that I had a spare console or two lying around as do some of our other friends. With the high mortality rate of the Xbox 360 and the increasingly long waits to get repaired units back, keeping a spare one these days just makes sense. But it made me start thinking about another idea: The community console.
The concept is simple: Whoever needs it would get it and then they would send it on to the next person when they need it. Beamer and I have been trading games for about 1 1/2 years now, and that has gone well. In our case, it has saved us each some money and it had given us the chance to play games that we might not have otherwise tried if we had to pay big bucks for them. We would be simply extending this idea to the console itself.
Like any new idea, there are plenty issues that would have to be worked out. Who wants to be involved? Who pays for the initial one? If we all chip in, how does the money get collected? Who looks after it? What happens if it breaks down? Do the shipping costs make it prohibitive? The answer to all of these questions is the same: I don't know. We'd have to work it out. But it was just an idea and I thought I'd throw it out there. It works for games. Einstein once said that "If at first an idea does not seem totally absurd, it will never work". How absurd is this? You be the judge.
A couple of blogs ago, Pengwenn and I were discussing spare consoles and she had mentioned that she might send one to Ghengis as a temporary measure to get him back online until he had the opportunity to get one for himself. I was thinking about kicking in financially for that so that she wouldn't have to bear the whole cost of it. I knew that I had a spare console or two lying around as do some of our other friends. With the high mortality rate of the Xbox 360 and the increasingly long waits to get repaired units back, keeping a spare one these days just makes sense. But it made me start thinking about another idea: The community console.
The concept is simple: Whoever needs it would get it and then they would send it on to the next person when they need it. Beamer and I have been trading games for about 1 1/2 years now, and that has gone well. In our case, it has saved us each some money and it had given us the chance to play games that we might not have otherwise tried if we had to pay big bucks for them. We would be simply extending this idea to the console itself.
Like any new idea, there are plenty issues that would have to be worked out. Who wants to be involved? Who pays for the initial one? If we all chip in, how does the money get collected? Who looks after it? What happens if it breaks down? Do the shipping costs make it prohibitive? The answer to all of these questions is the same: I don't know. We'd have to work it out. But it was just an idea and I thought I'd throw it out there. It works for games. Einstein once said that "If at first an idea does not seem totally absurd, it will never work". How absurd is this? You be the judge.
Monday, August 9, 2010
The "New" Xbox 360: A Review
I had promised a review of the new Xbox 360 when I had it up and running for a couple of weeks, so here it is:
Microsoft claims it is "whisper quiet". That claim is true. You can barely hear it run. The only issue I have is when I play Alan Wake. For some reason, that disc makes a ton of noise when it spins. It's the only one like that.
Data transfer sucks. This is my biggest pet peeve with it. I had previously changed my data over from a 20GB hard drive to a 120GB hard drive and it was easy. The new hard drive came with a data transfer cable that I had kept. I tried to use it but it didn't work because the new hard drive is internal. My 512MB memory card didin't work because they got rid of the ports for it on the new one. I had to buy a flash drive to use to transfer save data. Some of the DLC I just downloaded again. It's a pain in the gluteus maximus, to be sure. If there is an easier way to do it, I don't know about it. If nothing else it forces you to go through your hard drive and clean house of unplayed game data, demos, and videos. I also hear the hard drive is proprietary so you can't just go out and buy a bigger drive and install it yourself. They do cover all their bases, don't they?
The engineers at Microsoft finally figured out that heat rises. The exhaust fan pushes heat out the top (when laid horizontally). Supposedly it runs cooler, but it feels like it runs really hot.
It gets dirty very easy. You can see every spec of dust on it. And the power/disc eject touch buttons are incredibly sensitive. I've accidently ejected discs because I brushed up against it.
The wireless N connection feels just as fast as or faster than my previously wired connection. I had a couple of minor hiccups with connections being dropped (L4D2 on Sunday night) but I know that was on my end and I have to adjust some computer settings. There is a direct correlation between dropping wirelss connections on both my PS3 and my 360 to when my computer decides to go into low energy mode.
Other than that it's still an Xbox 360. All the old controllers and games still work. It's not a game changer by any stretch of the imagination. It just provides the people with what they've been asking for - a more reliable console (time will tell on that one) with a few more features to it. My conclusion: If you've been thinking about upgrading you might find a better way to spend your money - unless your current console is knocking on heaven's door.
Microsoft claims it is "whisper quiet". That claim is true. You can barely hear it run. The only issue I have is when I play Alan Wake. For some reason, that disc makes a ton of noise when it spins. It's the only one like that.
Data transfer sucks. This is my biggest pet peeve with it. I had previously changed my data over from a 20GB hard drive to a 120GB hard drive and it was easy. The new hard drive came with a data transfer cable that I had kept. I tried to use it but it didn't work because the new hard drive is internal. My 512MB memory card didin't work because they got rid of the ports for it on the new one. I had to buy a flash drive to use to transfer save data. Some of the DLC I just downloaded again. It's a pain in the gluteus maximus, to be sure. If there is an easier way to do it, I don't know about it. If nothing else it forces you to go through your hard drive and clean house of unplayed game data, demos, and videos. I also hear the hard drive is proprietary so you can't just go out and buy a bigger drive and install it yourself. They do cover all their bases, don't they?
The engineers at Microsoft finally figured out that heat rises. The exhaust fan pushes heat out the top (when laid horizontally). Supposedly it runs cooler, but it feels like it runs really hot.
It gets dirty very easy. You can see every spec of dust on it. And the power/disc eject touch buttons are incredibly sensitive. I've accidently ejected discs because I brushed up against it.
The wireless N connection feels just as fast as or faster than my previously wired connection. I had a couple of minor hiccups with connections being dropped (L4D2 on Sunday night) but I know that was on my end and I have to adjust some computer settings. There is a direct correlation between dropping wirelss connections on both my PS3 and my 360 to when my computer decides to go into low energy mode.
Other than that it's still an Xbox 360. All the old controllers and games still work. It's not a game changer by any stretch of the imagination. It just provides the people with what they've been asking for - a more reliable console (time will tell on that one) with a few more features to it. My conclusion: If you've been thinking about upgrading you might find a better way to spend your money - unless your current console is knocking on heaven's door.
Hot Tub Time Machine
OK, this is a non-gaming post. There may be more of these to follow.
As some of you probably know by now, we moved a little over a month ago. Our new house has a hot tub. I've wanted a hot tub for a while now. It feels SOOOOOOOOOO good on my poor aching back. But aside from that, it took me back to the time of leg warmers, cassette tapes and Michael Jackson being black. Yup, my teen-age years: the 80's.
When we were younger, my dad asked us if we would rather have a pool or a cabin. The unanimous answer was a pool. And with it, we had summer fun. Impromptu pool parties when a bunch of us would just stop whatever we were doing and overtake our back yard. I can still see one of my friends jumping off the diving board, turning around and mooning us (much to my mother's dismay) before his bare a$$ hit the water. I can remember making out with a couple of different girls in the pool (not at the same time, mind you). It was definitely good for the love life. Ah, youth. It truly is wasted on the young.
But it also takes me back to the troubles my Dad had. The maintenance on such an item was constant. Trying to keep it clean, making sure the chemical levels were good, making sure it was properly winterized,... When we moved out of that house I'm pretty sure he was relieved that he didn't have to maintain it anymore. This takes me to where I am now. The kid in me came out when I first got it, but the adult in me still has to maintain it. It had been 20 years since we had a pool and I had forgotten about the additional time, money, and effort to keep it running. The hot tub is a little less effort because it is better shielded from the elements than a pool is, but it's still there.
So far, it has been worth it. My back feels pretty good and It's very relaxing. It gives Rhonda and I the chance to spend some quiet time alone with each other and that's not always easy to do. And while it takes me back to my youth in some ways, I don't go directly back in time like they did in the movie. Thank goodness for that, because I don't think I could pull off the mullet today.
As some of you probably know by now, we moved a little over a month ago. Our new house has a hot tub. I've wanted a hot tub for a while now. It feels SOOOOOOOOOO good on my poor aching back. But aside from that, it took me back to the time of leg warmers, cassette tapes and Michael Jackson being black. Yup, my teen-age years: the 80's.
When we were younger, my dad asked us if we would rather have a pool or a cabin. The unanimous answer was a pool. And with it, we had summer fun. Impromptu pool parties when a bunch of us would just stop whatever we were doing and overtake our back yard. I can still see one of my friends jumping off the diving board, turning around and mooning us (much to my mother's dismay) before his bare a$$ hit the water. I can remember making out with a couple of different girls in the pool (not at the same time, mind you). It was definitely good for the love life. Ah, youth. It truly is wasted on the young.
But it also takes me back to the troubles my Dad had. The maintenance on such an item was constant. Trying to keep it clean, making sure the chemical levels were good, making sure it was properly winterized,... When we moved out of that house I'm pretty sure he was relieved that he didn't have to maintain it anymore. This takes me to where I am now. The kid in me came out when I first got it, but the adult in me still has to maintain it. It had been 20 years since we had a pool and I had forgotten about the additional time, money, and effort to keep it running. The hot tub is a little less effort because it is better shielded from the elements than a pool is, but it's still there.
So far, it has been worth it. My back feels pretty good and It's very relaxing. It gives Rhonda and I the chance to spend some quiet time alone with each other and that's not always easy to do. And while it takes me back to my youth in some ways, I don't go directly back in time like they did in the movie. Thank goodness for that, because I don't think I could pull off the mullet today.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Trix may be for kids, but not all video games are.
There seems to be a common misconception out there among many parents these days. That misconception is: Videogames are for kids.
These people, I firmly believe, think this way because they haven't picked up a controller since the days of the Atari 2600. I have noticed on many an occasion that young kids (ie. ages 8-11) seem to be able to get their hands on videogames that are clearly age inappropriate for them. How do they get them? Either by young store clerks who forget that they have to check ID when selling or renting videogames out, or by relatives. Parents mostly, but grandparents, aunts and uncles are to blame here, too.
The Boy (who shall herein be referred to as "The Boy") had a friend just down the street from our old house that was a year older than him. About 4 years ago, he brought Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas over to our house for the two of them to play. Since The Boy is 12 now, do the math. The question is why did his parents give him that game in the first place? Did they want their young son to be exposed to cop killing, drug dealing and prostitution? Or do they fall in to the "Games are for kids" category? I'm not a betting man, but I'd put money on the latter. This is not the only time that I as a parent have had to deal with age inappropriate games. It's hard to maintain rules as a parent when everyone around you seems to not share the same standards.
I think what really irks me about this is that these same people take the time to ensure that kids watch movies and TV shows that are age and subject material appropriate, but seem to ignore those same ratings on video games. We're not jumping over barrels to rescue the girl from the ape anymore. Games have come too far too fast to ignore the labels on the packaging. I may be mocked as being too old to game, but at least I know what's in the game when I hand it over to a 12-year old kid.
Come on parents, wake up and smell the "Hot Coffee". Believe it or not, it's not just a beverage anymore.
These people, I firmly believe, think this way because they haven't picked up a controller since the days of the Atari 2600. I have noticed on many an occasion that young kids (ie. ages 8-11) seem to be able to get their hands on videogames that are clearly age inappropriate for them. How do they get them? Either by young store clerks who forget that they have to check ID when selling or renting videogames out, or by relatives. Parents mostly, but grandparents, aunts and uncles are to blame here, too.
The Boy (who shall herein be referred to as "The Boy") had a friend just down the street from our old house that was a year older than him. About 4 years ago, he brought Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas over to our house for the two of them to play. Since The Boy is 12 now, do the math. The question is why did his parents give him that game in the first place? Did they want their young son to be exposed to cop killing, drug dealing and prostitution? Or do they fall in to the "Games are for kids" category? I'm not a betting man, but I'd put money on the latter. This is not the only time that I as a parent have had to deal with age inappropriate games. It's hard to maintain rules as a parent when everyone around you seems to not share the same standards.
I think what really irks me about this is that these same people take the time to ensure that kids watch movies and TV shows that are age and subject material appropriate, but seem to ignore those same ratings on video games. We're not jumping over barrels to rescue the girl from the ape anymore. Games have come too far too fast to ignore the labels on the packaging. I may be mocked as being too old to game, but at least I know what's in the game when I hand it over to a 12-year old kid.
Come on parents, wake up and smell the "Hot Coffee". Believe it or not, it's not just a beverage anymore.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Obsession? Compulsion? Disorder? All of the above?
I never have enough time to do the things I really want to do. I have so many video games in the wrapper that I really want to play but never get around to. Yet I continue to buy them. I sometimes refer to the Mel Gibson quote from Conspiracy Theory about why he always buys a copy of The Catcher in the Rye when he sees one. That's kinda how I feel. And for myself, I always buy new. I had a couple of bad "used" experiences. I'm apauled by how some people treat their stuff. Some of the discs and cases in the used section of EB games look like they've been chewed up and spit out by the family dog.
I've been a little better lately about the games I select. I used to love dumpster diving (ie. sorting through the bargain bin) to find the hidden gems at blowout prices to add to the collection. The problem is that I seldom play any of those games. I used to brag about having them in my collection but they never saw the light of day. In the past year, I have re-evaluated my position on my game inventory and I've started weeding some out. Trade-in deals, garage sales, and eBay have helped to thin my collection down by about 10-12 Xbox360 titles.
Not that long ago, I also made the decision to get rid of my original Xbox and my xbox games. Part of it was because Microsoft made the decision to kill the Xbox servers so online play was dead (au revoir, battlefront). Part of it was because I found myself looking forward to the next new 360 title rather than going back to the old favorites. And part of it was because I felt I should try to prove to myself that I do not have a problem. I'm still not convinced.
I had 50 xbox games but I chose to keep 10 only. All are sentimental faves that are backwards compatible, with the exception of one that I've wanted to play forever but have to find the time to do so. The rest have either been sold or are in the process of being sold. As I sorted through them I noticed that this that about a half dozen of them were still in the wrapper, so this behavior had been continuing for some time.
My original Xbox console/controllers/DVD playback kit was sold at a pre-moving garage sale to a couple of kids who looked like they came from a less affluent family and were just happy to have video games, never mind the latest and greatest. While I felt like I wanted to jump them and take my system back as they walked away, I also felt good knowing it was going to people who really appreciated it. I even threw in a free game to get them started.
While I showed some significant self-restraint, I'm still not convinced. I shouldn't have needed self-restraint. This shouldn't have been a decision to agonize over. Hell, as I write this I have 4 games pre-ordered and want to lock-up copies of two more. A few months ago I picked up a couple of PS3 titles because I really wanted them. One hasn't been played yet and one has not been played half as much as I would like. As I flip through the weekly barrage of store ads that come to my house, I see that some of the games that I haven't played yet are now $20-$30 cheaper than when I bought them. Even though I know that games almost always go down in price over time, that still doesn't sit well with me. I'm generally a very patient guy. I could have waited and bought them at a cheaper price, but somehow i just can't do that.
As I think back to my childhood, I started to realize that I've always been like this. Star Wars toys, Atari 2600 games, comic books, hockey cards,... I've ALWAYS had collections and I've ALWAYS been very anal about them. I guess some things never change. Perhaps I shouldn't be too hard on myself.
Now if I could only get my old X-wing fighter back...
I've been a little better lately about the games I select. I used to love dumpster diving (ie. sorting through the bargain bin) to find the hidden gems at blowout prices to add to the collection. The problem is that I seldom play any of those games. I used to brag about having them in my collection but they never saw the light of day. In the past year, I have re-evaluated my position on my game inventory and I've started weeding some out. Trade-in deals, garage sales, and eBay have helped to thin my collection down by about 10-12 Xbox360 titles.
Not that long ago, I also made the decision to get rid of my original Xbox and my xbox games. Part of it was because Microsoft made the decision to kill the Xbox servers so online play was dead (au revoir, battlefront). Part of it was because I found myself looking forward to the next new 360 title rather than going back to the old favorites. And part of it was because I felt I should try to prove to myself that I do not have a problem. I'm still not convinced.
I had 50 xbox games but I chose to keep 10 only. All are sentimental faves that are backwards compatible, with the exception of one that I've wanted to play forever but have to find the time to do so. The rest have either been sold or are in the process of being sold. As I sorted through them I noticed that this that about a half dozen of them were still in the wrapper, so this behavior had been continuing for some time.
My original Xbox console/controllers/DVD playback kit was sold at a pre-moving garage sale to a couple of kids who looked like they came from a less affluent family and were just happy to have video games, never mind the latest and greatest. While I felt like I wanted to jump them and take my system back as they walked away, I also felt good knowing it was going to people who really appreciated it. I even threw in a free game to get them started.
While I showed some significant self-restraint, I'm still not convinced. I shouldn't have needed self-restraint. This shouldn't have been a decision to agonize over. Hell, as I write this I have 4 games pre-ordered and want to lock-up copies of two more. A few months ago I picked up a couple of PS3 titles because I really wanted them. One hasn't been played yet and one has not been played half as much as I would like. As I flip through the weekly barrage of store ads that come to my house, I see that some of the games that I haven't played yet are now $20-$30 cheaper than when I bought them. Even though I know that games almost always go down in price over time, that still doesn't sit well with me. I'm generally a very patient guy. I could have waited and bought them at a cheaper price, but somehow i just can't do that.
As I think back to my childhood, I started to realize that I've always been like this. Star Wars toys, Atari 2600 games, comic books, hockey cards,... I've ALWAYS had collections and I've ALWAYS been very anal about them. I guess some things never change. Perhaps I shouldn't be too hard on myself.
Now if I could only get my old X-wing fighter back...
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
The new Xbox PS360
Yup. You read that right. If they put a blu-ray player in it, it would be a PS3.
I bought a new system for myself despite having a perfectly good one at home. Spent $300 on it. Why? Well, there is a method to my madness.
As some of you may know, we moved a couple of weeks ago. As such, the router is no longer located three feet from my game consoles. I strung a LOOOOONG Ethernet cable along the basement floor, but my girls started having a tug-of-war with it. Since one end was connected to my 360 and the other to my router, I decided not to let it go long enough to see which one was stronger. I had to buy a 360 wireless-N adapter. Cost: $100.
The boy's 360 has one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. He's been complaining about disc drive errors for a while now, but recently it has started throwing out different combinations of red light/green light errors. This particular console has no warranty on it. Repairing it would be cost prohibitive, so I thought about buying an arcade model to replace it. Cost: $150
I bought it a supermarket with a decent sized electronics department. They had a promotion in their weekly flyer that you would get a gift card if you spent $250 in the store. Luckily, game consoles qualified for that. Card value: $25
So this actually leaves me with a difference of only $25 and I get what I hear is a more reliable console. The boy gets my old one (still with a 1 1/2 year RROD warranty on it) and we all game happily ever after. Now, if I could only find the time to hook it up and transfer the data...
I bought a new system for myself despite having a perfectly good one at home. Spent $300 on it. Why? Well, there is a method to my madness.
As some of you may know, we moved a couple of weeks ago. As such, the router is no longer located three feet from my game consoles. I strung a LOOOOONG Ethernet cable along the basement floor, but my girls started having a tug-of-war with it. Since one end was connected to my 360 and the other to my router, I decided not to let it go long enough to see which one was stronger. I had to buy a 360 wireless-N adapter. Cost: $100.
The boy's 360 has one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. He's been complaining about disc drive errors for a while now, but recently it has started throwing out different combinations of red light/green light errors. This particular console has no warranty on it. Repairing it would be cost prohibitive, so I thought about buying an arcade model to replace it. Cost: $150
I bought it a supermarket with a decent sized electronics department. They had a promotion in their weekly flyer that you would get a gift card if you spent $250 in the store. Luckily, game consoles qualified for that. Card value: $25
So this actually leaves me with a difference of only $25 and I get what I hear is a more reliable console. The boy gets my old one (still with a 1 1/2 year RROD warranty on it) and we all game happily ever after. Now, if I could only find the time to hook it up and transfer the data...
Hijacking of threads for personal gain
QJB should be ashamed of himself. Disgusting. Purely disgusting. :-P
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