Videokarma.org TV - Video - Vintage Television & Radio Forums

Videokarma.org TV - Video - Vintage Television & Radio Forums (http://www.videokarma.org/index.php)
-   Vintage Home Gaming (http://www.videokarma.org/forumdisplay.php?f=168)
-   -   This is why I collect (somewhat long) (http://www.videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=256836)

AdamAnt316 12-30-2012 04:03 PM

This is why I collect (somewhat long)
 
Hello, everyone. I've been a collector of video game systems for several years now. I've amassed a decent collection of them, though I don't have time to play them very often. Nevertheless, I still keep them around out of respect for the history involved, as with my many other collections.

Several years ago, one of my older cousins (who I don't see very often) got rid of all his old video game systems (Colecovision and one of the Sears-branded Atari 2600s). However, he did save the games, and gave them to me a few years back. I started to formulate a plan to pay him back for his kindness, though it took a long time to put it into action.

After learning that he was going to be attending a holiday party with some of my other relatives, I dug out the bag of games he'd given me, along with my Colecovision, its Atari expansion module, and all the cables and controllers required to use them. After connecting it to the flat-screen TV and cleaning the contacts, the Colecovision fired right up.

When I showed my cousin the Colecovision, he was thrilled. Started playing Mr. Do!, Popeye, Cosmic Ark, Tutankham, Pepper II, and several others, picking them back up as if he'd never stopped playing. Even my younger cousins got into it, playing Frogger and Donkey Kong, among others. Other than the occasional start-up glitch and the controllers being a bit unresponsive, it worked nicely the whole time.

At the end of the day, my cousin thanked me for bringing the system and games along, which he found ironic since he'd recently watched a YouTube video chronicling several classic Colecovision games. Personally, I was just glad that someone else was able to get some enjoyment out of one of the video game systems I've accumulated, since I've typically had to play them alone. Stuff like this is the reason I collect; watching other people relive their youth through the vintage gear I've collected over the years, as well as younger folks discovering what video games used to be like in the old days.
-Adam

Greg Davis 08-15-2014 07:41 AM

Great story.

My best friend and I grew up in the time when the only video gaming system available was Pong. Yes, I had one. No, I don't care to relive that experience. ;)

Our fond memories now are of games we downloaded and played on our XT and 80286 based PCs, as well as some games written to run on a Digital Equipment Corporation VAX 11/780. Things like Moria, for example. It could only be called a video game in the crudest sense, as it displayed a little 20 x 20 matrix of standard typewriter characters to indicate the walls of the room you were in and any objects or creatures within the room. It was amazing how well the mind could translate those simple characters into visual images of dragons, swords, trolls, armor, and potions.

Since then the graphics have replaced imagination, and we are less imaginative as a result. Still, I know my best friend is loving the XBOX I gave him for his birthday last year, and all the high resolution graphics it can produce.

As for myself, I stopped playing video games about 4 years ago when I finally got tired of Grand Theft Auto IV on my PC (Core i7 system, 12GB memory and a graphics card with 2GB of DDR3 video memory).

Still, if someone showed up with an XT clone running Moria again, I'd be all over it. You did a good thing reconnecting with their past.

Jon A. 08-15-2014 08:17 PM

I reckon my TVs would get a lot more use if I had a couple of vintage game consoles, and someone to play them with. I never had an Atari 2600 but I would like to have the Sears-branded version for sure, just to be a little different. I always regretted unloading my 1975-78 Mercury Bobcat parking lights with the surrounding metal that holds everything together and my Panasonic RS-806US 8-track recorder. 15 years later I'm stoked to have found another set of those lights for a reasonable price. Shipping for the 8-track deck would probably kill so that may not be in the cards for a while yet.

Dude111 11-28-2017 08:05 PM

Excellent my friend!!!!

I trust your collection is still strong!!!!!


EDIT:

I see by your website ADAM,it is :)

AdamAnt316 12-25-2017 02:37 PM

Nearly five years later.....

Wow. Yep, I still have all those old video game systems, and then some. I even got to meet the late, great Ralph Baer, acquired an example of his creation, and much much more. Some time after this occurred, I did a repeat of sorts involving the Intellivision and Colecovision Flashback consoles. While not as cool as the actual hardware, they do a pretty good job, and the kids enjoyed playing with them.
-Adam

Titan1a 12-25-2017 03:25 PM

I enjoy playing Empire and Qbert on my Commodore 64.

Dude111 12-26-2017 02:47 AM

You should share your collection Adam on www.lemon64.com/forum

Im sure they will love it also :)

pac.attack76 01-01-2018 10:58 AM

Don't even get me started on those junky intellivision and colecovision flashback consoles. I bought those soon as they came out and I returned them faster than I bought them. Graphics were good but the sound is way off. Not correct historically. I figure I have enough vintage hardware and games that I don't need clones anyway. Been collecting since 88. Need to set up my commodore stuff but don't have the room right now. Hoping when I move, I'll have more space.

Dude111 01-06-2018 08:29 PM

No those flashback things are nothing but digital trash...... I had an atari one and it sucked.........

AdamAnt316 01-11-2018 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pac.attack76 (Post 3194113)
Don't even get me started on those junky intellivision and colecovision flashback consoles. I bought those soon as they came out and I returned them faster than I bought them. Graphics were good but the sound is way off. Not correct historically. I figure I have enough vintage hardware and games that I don't need clones anyway. Been collecting since 88. Need to set up my commodore stuff but don't have the room right now. Hoping when I move, I'll have more space.

They seem pretty close to me. From what I've heard, the Intellivision Flashback received input from the Blue Sky Rangers team, so some sort of effort was made into getting things right. I dunno if that kind of effort was made with the Colecovision Flashback; I think it lacks something given the fact that so many of the classic Colecovision games were licensed, and therefore couldn't be included (most notably the original pack-in game, Donkey Kong). Even so, I think both work fairly well, and the kids sure enjoyed playing with them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dude111 (Post 3194356)
No those flashback things are nothing but digital trash...... I had an atari one and it sucked.........

Some are better than others. The Atari Flashback 2 and 2+ actually used the equivalent of real Atari 2600 hardware on a chip, and with some effort, you could add a cartridge slot for playing original 2600 games. The original Atari Flashback (i.e. the one which was styled after the Atari 7800) and the later Flashback consoles used/use different hardware.
-Adam


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:31 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
©Copyright 2012 VideoKarma.org, All rights reserved.