Do you even play?

[ChickenCatcher]

I’ve always wondered how people have machines with like under 100 plays and then sell it. Sometimes I see pins that are a few years old with like 400 plays . Makes me wonder why have the machine if you don’t play them? Every machine I’ve owned I’ve dumped 400 plays if not more in a month.. pretty sure my last one had over 1000 plays in a month and I get that might be excessive but 400 ish plays seems really low. Are people just not open about the real amount of plays on a machine thinking it will hurt the selling point? Do some people just like the look of them in the house? Like it does look amazing but man I can’t keep my hands off them once they are in my living room. To any low play sellers out there, what is the reasoning for low play if you have them in house?do you have too many to play? I’ve had 8 in my possession at one time, still smashed them out with lots of plays . Also merry Christmas to everyone, have a safe and happy holidays ..

 

[ZoomZoomBoomBoom]

When I first started collecting them, I played them a lot more. Now, I barely touch them. It may be weeks-month before I even try a NIB game I purchased. I think I have about 5 games that I have played less than 10 times since getting them. (And I have had them for 3-6 months). Over the last year, at most, I probably played 1-2 hours every 1-2 weeks. I own 71 games.
I fully realize how ridiculous it is.
That being said, I kind of see them as functional art.
I also think it would be way different if I had people to play with. I find it much more fun to share the experience with. Always playing them by myself gets kind of boring/ depressing some times.

 

[Locutus]

I think it’s important that this forum remains positive to all types of collectors/players/ everyone in the hobby.
I know you’re not trying to be negative with your post, but I’ve seen some posts recently belittling different types in our hobby/ people that don’t think exactly the way we think. Calling people noobs or thinking that “our way is the only way” isn’t productive in a community as great as ours.
To answer your question though: For me, I do play a moderate amount, but also like the “owning” part. Fixing/ maintaining/ the odd mod here or there/ and Owning machines to introduce my buddies to this great hobby.
Also, I have a young family and am self employed. I love playing and am in league, but don’t have a lot of time and can only play so much. I have 7 machines, so each one gets limited plays per month. All of this adds up to low plays on the machines I own.
We have an amazing hobby. Let’s keep this forum positive and respectful to everyone that keeps it alive and well.
Merry Christmas and happy new year everyone.
John

 

[MrMikeman]

When I first started collecting I repaired more than played. I preferred the thrill of fixing basket cases that others couldn’t. Nowadays it’s all about playing and getting better at it. Fixing games is a turn off now. Just in a different point in my life. That’s why my lineup is all NIB or lightly used games. My WOZ came from a guy who just likes to turn on all the machines at night and enjoy the blinky lights. He never played it. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

Keep in mind that some ppl associate plays with wear. The fact that number of plays can be reset seems to be beyond their grasp. Whatever. Newer Linux based games are likely harder to reset, but certainly not THAT hard for someone who wants to do that.

 

[luch]

there are some large collections out there that people own , you can only play so much , some play in leagues so don't play their own games that much

 

[ChickenCatcher]

When I first started collecting them, I played them a lot more. Now, I barely touch them. It may be weeks-month before I even try a NIB game I purchased. I think I have about 5 games that I have played less than 10 times since getting them. (And I have had them for 3-6 months). Over the last year, at most, I probably played 1-2 hours every 1-2 weeks. I own 71 games.
I fully realize how ridiculous it is.
That being said, I kind of see them as functional art.
I also think it would be way different if I had people to play with. I find it much more fun to share the experience with. Always playing them by myself gets kind of boring/ depressing some times.

I get the functional art part of it . I really do. I moved locations and literally only have room for 1 machine in my house so unfortunately I’ll never have that nice stack side by side of each other. It truly does look amazing IMO.. 71 games seems intense and if you are located in NS let me know!! I’ll come over and play lol.

 

[ChickenCatcher]

I think it’s important that this forum remains positive to all types of collectors/players/ everyone in the hobby.
I know you’re not trying to be negative with your post, but I’ve seen some posts recently belittling different types in our hobby/ people that don’t think exactly the way we think. Calling people noobs or thinking that “our way is the only way” isn’t productive in a community as great as ours.
To answer your question though: For me, I do play a moderate amount, but also like the “owning” part. Fixing/ maintaining/ the odd mod here or there/ and Owning machines to introduce my buddies to this great hobby.
Also, I have a young family and am self employed. I love playing and am in league, but don’t have a lot of time and can only play so much. I have 7 machines, so each one gets limited plays per month. All of this adds up to low plays on the machines I own.
We have an amazing hobby. Let’s keep this forum positive and respectful to everyone that keeps it alive and well.
Merry Christmas and happy new year everyone.
John

I’m certainly not trying to be negative and am genuinely curious .. I do love the owning part of the game also. I feel you can get really in depth with a machine when you own it at home compared to at an Barcade or wherever people play. Halloween pin is a great example of this for me. It’s one of my favourite pins ever played and so many people just don’t like it. I feel when you get emerged in it at home with the lights off in the house it really brings a whole new level to the game compared to a noisy atmosphere. Appreciate the response and have a great Christmas

 

[Chris Bardon]

If I'm playing at home, it's typically only a game or two at a time, so it takes a while to add up. Everything gets used when I host TOPL here, and I'm also playing weekly at different people's collections for league, so it's a decent balance. Plus I'll definitely play my games in waves, so I'll likely go months without playing a particular game alone.

 

[MrMikeman]

Ready for the family to arrive any minute for XMas dinner.

 

[Joker19]

Ready for the family to arrive any minute for XMas dinner.

On my way! Lol.

I only have 3 pins, so I put roughly between 50 to 100 plays per month on the pins. Young one which makes it hard to play later at night, but still can play.

I can understand someone with a very large collections, it would be very hard to put lots of plays if I had 10 to 15 machines and even less if more.

Play them, look at them, fix them, mod them, whatever you do, just enjoy the time you have and ensure this hobby is something that makes you unwind from whatever stress you have (if any!)

 

[Honey Badger]

@Chicken Catcher…a couple people have touched on it but when you have a large collection it’s tough to put a lot of plays on games even if you play a good amount.

I also know people who have about a dozen games and never play them and that baffles me. I think they just have them to entertain guests mainly.

I also couldn’t agree with you more about Halloween. I have a fair sized collection and Halloween gets played the most and is my favourite game. I could care less if people like it or not as long as I enjoy it that’s all that matters to me.

 

[Rascal]

I love my Halloween as well, but it is going to have stiff completion when TCM show up.

 

[BMHouze]

I would have to drive an hour to find any selection.
My collection of up to 3 titles just got more modern as they swapped in and out.
I may play once a week, there's always some learning the rules games at the start.
I am by no means a wizard after all these years.

 

[kool1]

Play at least 1 game 4-5 days a week. I love pinball and arcades even though I suck. It's relaxing after work and it takes me back to some of the happiest times in my life, the arcade in the 80s and 90s.

Pinball unlike classic arcades never get old to me.

 

[Fifty]

2 pins here. I enjoy playing more when other people come over, but I also enjoy playing solo. I find I play in fits and spurts. Sometimes I'll go a month without playing and then I'll play for 1-2 hours daily for a week straight. It all depends on what is going on in my life. Sometimes my wife works late, sometimes someone is watching television. My pins are on the main floor, so they can be loud and distracting, so I try to be courteous to others in the household. With my job now, I'm mostly WFH, so I'll often fire up a game during the day just to de-stress from work, but again my wife has her office right above my pins, so my timing has to be right.

 

[KilaOhm]

When I first started collecting them, I played them a lot more. Now, I barely touch them. It may be weeks-month before I even try a NIB game I purchased. I think I have about 5 games that I have played less than 10 times since getting them. (And I have had them for 3-6 months). Over the last year, at most, I probably played 1-2 hours every 1-2 weeks. I own 71 games.
I fully realize how ridiculous it is.
That being said, I kind of see them as functional art.
I also think it would be way different if I had people to play with. I find it much more fun to share the experience with. Always playing them by myself gets kind of boring/ depressing some times.

I’m in Barrie area as well. I’d be down to play pinball with you anytime!