[game_preservation] Mobygames and KLOV

[Devin Monnens]

I know. As a player and a collector and a designer, I like to play what I
buy. However, I also know that opening that rare copy (or a game that might
become rare in the future) is going to detract from its value. As a result,
I sometimes end up having to buy two copies - a play copy and a collect
copy! Sometimes I'll even buy another copy of a game if I see one that is in
better shape, but today because Gamestop no longer sells classic games, it
is very difficult to find old games for low prices because the few stores
that are left have no competition and so can charge as much as they want.
Ten years ago it was good to start collecting, but today, you will have to
pay more or scrounge the hell out of e-bay, flea markets, and Goodwill
(though those were also strategies back then, too).

I've also discovered that disc quality is also important - whether or not
the disc has scratches or was resurfaced. Makes me wish I'd bought a few
extra copies of rarer games like Valkyrie Profile and Persona 2 I saw
instead of 'leaving them there for someone who didn't have one' (I also have
a friend who wanted a copy!). A lot of my games have turned out to be
resurfaced, but thankfully they are still readable - as long as the data is
there and readable, I think that is ok in terms of preservation.

I know sometimes it is also out of necessity for documentation that a game
must be opened. For instance, if the only copy of a game is shrinkwrapped,
then how can we document the instruction manual (or the art inside the
manual for that matter)? In other cases, this can involve the risky and
tricky process of scanning strategy guides without bending the guide (I
still don't have a solution for this one!). This is always a tough decision.

-Devin

On Tue, Jan 20, 2009 at 8:44 PM, Stuart Feldhamer <
stuart.feldhamer at gmail.com> wrote:


>  One thing I would like to find out (real data, I already know

> anecdotally) is how many collectors prefer to have pristine shrinkwrapped

> copies of games, and how many are willing (or even enjoy) opening the

> shrinkwrap for archival purposes or (heaven forbid) just to play the games.

> : )

>

>

>

> I would think that question is interesting from a preservation perspective…

>

>

>

> Stuart

>

>

>

> *From:* game_preservation-bounces at igda.org [mailto:

> game_preservation-bounces at igda.org] *On Behalf Of *Devin Monnens

> *Sent:* Tuesday, January 20, 2009 1:14 PM

> *To:* IGDA Game Preservation SIG

> *Subject:* Re: [game_preservation] Mobygames and KLOV

>

>

>

> I'd say some major elements would be things like 'care and feeding and

> organization' - that is:

>

> What is the extent of your collection?

> Why do you collect?

> Where would you like to expand your collection?

> How do you store your collection? (including specific storage material such

> as plastic envelopes and shoe boxes)

> What precautions do you take to ensure protection and longevity of

> materials?

> Do you create archival backups of rarer material or material in danger of

> bit rot?

> How familiar are you with standards for libraries and archives and do you

> think the care and storage of your collection matches those standards?

> How are your titles organized? Do you use a catalogue system?

>

> And - Do you have any interest in working together with libraries and

> archives conducting game preservation projects?

>

> Those are a few starters. Expand and critique.

>

> -Devin

>

>  On Tue, Jan 20, 2009 at 8:50 AM, Andrew Armstrong <andrew at aarmstrong.org>

> wrote:

>

> I'll try and get a list together of what I'd want to know and post it up,

> but since I'm not an archivist or historian I'm not too sure what would be

> most useful to them :)

>

> Andrew

>

> Frank Cifaldi wrote:

>

> If someone wants to define exactly what level of information we need, I can

> "fill in the blanks," so to speak, with the data. I'm glad to help, I just

> need some structure first.

>

> On Tue, Jan 20, 2009 at 3:41 AM, Andrew Armstrong <andrew at aarmstrong.org>

> wrote:

>

> Hey Frank,

>

> Good starting locations for information, the main thing is we don't have

> anyone spare to do the research, although it is something important we

> should have an ear on. If anyone has the time to follow up Frank's advice

> for the SIG and fill out information on collectors, collector communities,

> etc. tell us and then go for it :)

>

> If in a month or more I have time I'll try chasing it up myself.

>

> Andrew

>

> Frank Cifaldi wrote:

>

> Hi all. I'm sorry if this is an inopportune time to barge in here, but I've

> been too busy with work to monitor this conversation closely.

>

> You guys are talking about meeting and keeping in contact with game

> collectors, right? I talked about this with Henry during a brief meeting at

> Stanford, I know a good deal of very serious game collectors, we're talking

> people with complete libraries for most major consoles. No computer

> collectors have ever come close to Cabrinety, but as far as dedicated game

> consoles, give me a game and I can probably name someone who owns it off the

> top of my head.

>

> Your best bet for a starting point contact is a fellow by the name of Joe

> Santulli. Joe is the co-founder of Digital Press (http://digitpress.com),

> which has undergone a few faces since its founding in the early 90s,

> including a "zine," a video game collector's guide, the website (including a

> gigantic database that is more accurate and complete but less rich than

> Moby's), and now a shop in New Jersey. Joe has one of the most impressive

> collections in the world, and is a totally affable guy who is good friends

> with just about all of the other major collectors.

>

> On Mon, Jan 19, 2009 at 5:30 PM, Devin Monnens <evilcowclone at gmail.com>

> wrote:

>

> I was reading Judd and Ken's article on Beyond the Steady State, which has

> a discussion about Mobygames and KLOV and how the contents of the archive

> are essentially metadata rather than games themselves.

>

> http://flowtv.org/?p=50

>

> One thing I think that's worth asking is whether or not Mobygames and KLOV

> (and Arcade-History, for that matter!) have their own physical collections

> of games. Some of the people involved must be game collectors and have

> personal collections, but I wonder if the database itself has a physical

> archive somewhere...

>

> -Devin

>

> --

> The sleep of Reason produces monsters.

>

> "Until next time..."

> Captain Commando

>

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-- 
The sleep of Reason produces monsters.

"Until next time..."
Captain Commando
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