+2 :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulbot
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+2 :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulbot
With every TF I take out of storage, the more I feel that my 'toy collecting' days are over. I keep pulling things out and thinking "Do I really want this?" and the answer is usually "No".
I think having had most of my TFs out of my sight for so long kept me blind to the reality of how many I actually have, and how greatly out of proportion that number is to how many I actuallyneedwant.
I have wondered if this feeling is caused by my general unhappiness, but I don't think so. I think instead I bought so many TFs over the recent years as a reaction to and distraction from unhappiness. I've just ended up with a lot of TF figures that just take up space and that I don't have any desire to play with or look at.
A smaller collection of toys that I really like is better than a large collection full of toys I have just for the sake of having them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulbot
I can completely understand that Paul. I have suffered with various addictions over the years & starting to collect TF's was almost a part of therapy/recovery for me.
Maybe sit down with your collection & make a genuine list of what you do want & what you don't want to keep. Not sure what your favourite series is but start to narrow it down to what will make you happy.
I know I feel a rush when I buy a new Transformer & I have been known to binge buy with self justification every bit as ridiculous as I have used for other addictions I have suffered from. You seem like a pretty nice guy & I don't know if you have a partner but if you do talk about it with them. If you don't have a partner then someone you trust but talk about how you are feeling.
Maybe set a goal of reducing your collection to a more realistic level (I don't know how many TF's you own though & our definition of realistic may differ greatly). Once you do that then sell the rest & put some of that money towards a reward like a holiday or weekend away where you can just focus on you & your relaxation.
I just googled 'the truth' and it came up with the above statement. Well said Paul.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulbot
But Paulbot, you've been working on those new banners for our site recently. Doesn't that say that you still got a passion for TFs? :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulbot
IMO possession > acquisition.
If acquiring toys becomes more fun than actually having the toys, then you could be looking at a kind of shopping addiction (compulsive buying) rather than actually enjoying having what you've purchased. Everybody gets a buzz from buying stuff - but does that buzz still last well after the purchase?
I still feel excited and enjoy most of the Transformers I've purchased throughout the years and I still actively enjoy playing with many of my toys; Prime, Animated, movieverse, Classicsverse, Beast Wars, G1 etc. If I'm not going to use a toy, I won't buy it. Keeping stuff that I don't use feels more like hoarding rather than collecting to me.
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My definition of "use" for a toy is play - or at very least display. If I stop doing either with a toy then I consider them to be out of use and I will consider selling them. If you look at a lot of my sales threads, they're often non-TF toys that I've stopped playing with and have tried to offload.
Although I have been very quick in collecting my G1 collection, I am very selective in what I get. I judge what to collect based on how much I care about the character and the universe the toy belongs to. Proper representation of the character to my own likings is also very important as I would normally not get a repaint that I believe not to do the intended character justice.
As a result most of my collection is G1, Beast Wars (which is complete to my satisfaction) and Classics plus related (music label, exclusives, etc). Some may think that I have lots of 3rd party stuff given my positive attitude towards it but they make a tiny fraction of my overall collection.
I have very few movie toys from the last few years and don't care about the next Prime line up which pretty much causes me to skip much of what Hasbro has to offer. I know that if I had continued to buy movie and even Animated toys, I would have strongly regretted it.
So now since my TF collecting has pretty much stalled due to a lack of avaliable toys that are to my liking, I am only really waiting for 3rd party releases. To satisfy my collecting habits, I have moved towards GI Joe (which are much easier to manage when it comes to space if you don't get too many vehicles) and collecting MOTUC figures which I am reaching what I would call 'complete to satisfaction'.
If you buy because you want it rather than just snapping up figures because they are avaliable, it is far more satisfying with little to no regret involved.
My collection has been put away in boxes, and I've bought about 5 tfs in the last 6 months (Prime 1st ed Starscream and Cliffjumper, RiD Wheeljack, HA Soundwave and DotM Powerglide). The only one of those I've bought on a whim in a brick and mortar store was Wheeljack, which I almost instantly regretted paying $25 for.
The design direction that TFs are headed in doesn't interest me at all (smaller figures, more intrusive gimmicks). Combine that with the prices we pay, which are getting increasingly ridiculous when you consider the downsizing and simplifying going on and I'm just not that keen anymore.
Compare First Edition Prime toys with their RiD counterparts - the FE toys were developed originally for the Generations and the RiD toys were developed with the same brief as DotM.
As I said on the previous page, I haven't lost my passion for TFs. I still want to read the comics, watch the shows, see the movies, play the games, discuss the new toys, be creative with TF ideas etc. After 25+ years of doing this I don't think that could ever go away :) I just don't have a need for so many toys.Quote:
Originally Posted by SkyWarp91
I'm working on a list like that at the moment, but getting overwhelmed with how many are on the "don't want to keep" list. It could easily be 50%. Actually its probably more accurate to say I'm overwhelmed with the idea of trying to sell so many.Quote:
Originally Posted by Prowl
If I had a partner I wouldn't be unhappy but that's a whole other, non-TF related, issue for me :(Quote:
Originally Posted by Prowl
I spent too long not using them (for fiddle play or display), just stockpiling them after a couple of transforms. So it's only now as I start to display them, I realise that I have no "use" for many and am not interested in possessing so many.Quote:
Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime
I think that's good advice, and for the time being, for me that means I'm not getting any Cyberverse Prime figures (I'll shift the two I already got :o), only a few of the most unique Deluxe Prime figures, and holding out mostly for the Generations toys later this year... It's a start.Quote:
Originally Posted by kup
I remember a while ago thinking it would be one out, one in. For every new TF purchased one needed to be sold. I need to revisit that strategy.
Start small & sell off your least desirable (to you) lines of figures one line at a time. That will hurt less & you will be making steady progress at reducing your collection.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulbot
Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulbot
Having a partner is not the be all & end all. Sometimes you can be just as unhappy in a relationship as out of one. That said it is nice to have someone to share things with be it a meal, a laugh or a bitch about what a crap day we have had.
What you need to remember is that there is someone out there for you & you will find that person one day, it could be tomorrow. No BS dude but you will have to put yourself in situations that will bring that about. There are just as many women looking for a genuine nice guy as guys looking for a nice girl. Hell my brother met the love of his life online dating & they are now married with a kid. IT CAN HAPPEN IF YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN.
I do appreciate the comments and advice, but it's a non-TF issue that I don't want to derail this thread with. I've done enough "venting" on this topic in the past anyway :0Quote:
Originally Posted by Prowl
No worries mate. We are a community here & it is not all TF based stuff :). Keep your chin up & a positive attitude will being positive people into your life.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulbot
Unless you're in urgent need for cash and/or living space, I'd say just take your time in selling the TFs you don't want. As you said, you don't want to overwhelm yourself as a seller... sort out what you don't want -- go for the stuff you definitely know you won't miss first; leave the stuff that you're undecided about for later. :)
Also, well said about the passion. :D Money can buy toys, books, comics, DVDs etc., but it can't buy passion. ;)
That's true, and people have tried to be helpful in the past, but only a couple of guys here would potentially understand my position. That is if they were chronically single too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Prowl
Many mini-sales to come. In fact maybe I'll start with the small things. Legends, mini-cons, Spychangers... I'm looking at you!Quote:
Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime
This thread is rather depressing. :(
Did you read my posts? :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Doubledealer
If you look at it this way it's not so bad: most of the people posting some lack of interest are still here and still finding some elements of being a Transfan that they enjoy. Except davieanix who started the thread.Quote:
Originally Posted by Doubledealer
I can certain relate to some of the comments being discussed in this thread. I have a lot of unopened toys in boxes that I've had since ROTF. Although I quiet enjoyed DOTM I was pretty dissapointed with the toys that came out for that movie. There hasn't been a transformer produced that I've been really excited about owning for ages. Many who have been around this forum for a few years would know that life took a bit of a wrong turn for me for a bit but I'm on the tail end of that. The plus side of this is that I'm starting to get a bit enthusiastic about the franchise again. G1 will alway be special to me and I think that's where I will pick up from again. I've had a good look at what I have in my collection and I think the only thing that might get the chop is my TF Animated gear. They really don't interest me much at all. So I guess this is a positive story in that yeah one might want to take a break from the hobby for awhile but you can always come back to it!
:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by Vector Sigma 13
*falls over*
*As Hursty stands over him laughing at his lack of equilibrium*. :p:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Doubledealer
LOLQuote:
Originally Posted by Doubledealer
Last night I sorted out some more tubs of TFs I want to sell. Then later that night at about 2am when I couldn't sleep I thought those three tubs weren't enough and I should consider selling pretty much everything.
Then I woke up and I still feel that way. Too many toys sitting in storage and not being appreciated. G1, some BW, RID, Classics and Animated would be the lines I'd keep, but the other lines? I could probably be just as happy with just my few faves from each other line and sell the rest to good homes.
Both DOTM and TF:Prime have been disappointing, and the new Generations haven't won me over yet (thinking about cancelling my Bruticus preorder, but will try to get Grimlock). If my only TF purchases for the rest of the year were issues of the MTMTE comic, I think I'd be fine with that.
It has been months since I purchased a TF due to the rest of my life falling apart. I am more settled now & when I unpacked my TF's I looked at each one as I put them away remembering how & why I bought them. Luckily most I still like as I have been selective in my purchasing. I am not over Transformers by any stretch but I will be far more selective in what I purchase from now on.
I didn't touch a tf in 2 years. We passed the toy lines, went on hunts and did all that stuff, but never walked out with a tf ever. One day we were passing the sad lot when we found an Arcee. that Prime one. Being the only chick in the line i decided on getting it purely cause i knew she don't show often. I picked up Battle Ops Bumblebee cause i finally found the danm thing and that was that. Its been what, 4 months now and still not a single tf has come home with us again. Except a random Tracks of ebay cause i went through a blue faze!? But kinda not counting that. The only other thing i pre ordered was a Sideswipe, and thats a month away still. Of course this is mostly me. I managed to gain enough spark to grab my partner a paranacon reissue set thing and that took me 3 weeks to push the buy button.
I guess thats why i made Sunny- and bumblebee. To fill in the time and give myself a transformer i could enjoy.
So hey, I held out for 2 years. All you have to do is pack the suckers away so you can't see them any more. Bring them back out next year and see how you feel. Don't go selling things just cause its a bad couple of months where life just sucks.
I go through hobbies really quickly, as I have stated in various threads. I find it hard at times to keep going. I'm a kind of-ish sort of Genwunner though, I'm kind of accepting of other lines. I pretty much only buy G1/reissues and Classicsverse, because that (apart from cybertron) is the only series I ever liked, or watched as a matter of fact. Sure, the lines today aren't great and I find myself going online for all my TFs. (I was a little late to the party) I believe that if I keep getting the toys I like, I can be consistent and stay focused. I am trying very, very hard to play pokemon at a minimum (gone in and out of it 5 times) and don't really buy anything else ATM. Like you, I find it really hard, but as of yet, my collection is fairly small and there's like 36 (i counted:D:p) that I would like to add to my collection at a minimum. Just keep consistent on what you like and don't get toys for the heck of it, or you'll disappoint yourself a lot.
Collectors will come and go as everyone's interest peaks and wanes, but the one thing that I have noticed on this forum is that very few new members seem to stick. A common theme seems to be to come out blazing in the acquisitions thread, spending 100's of dollars in a short space of time, then they disappear from the forums for a bit only to return by posting their newly acquired collection in the sales topics.
My advice to new members would be to enjoy what you have, not to try and compete with senior members, and grow your collection by acquiring toys that actually interest you.
Interesting thread. Here's my 2 c. I started collecting moderately (and getting into TF) when the Cybertron show was on, but at the time wasn't that much into the toys, plus finances were more restrictive. I kept them all MISB (they still are), then stopped collecting anything for the next... 5 odd years. Mainly it was financial but also at the time I hated the Bay movies and refused to buy anything related to it. Now, although a little late to the party, I've really changed my outlook, both as a fan and a collector. I can now spend a little more, so am collecting more seriously now - and it's a heck of a lot more fun than it ever was before.
I love my collection, I love Transformers, I love the toys (not too fussed, only some things I refuse to buy now but I would love to have most toys even from DotM, which ironically I liked the best for certain character designs). Is this a passing interest for me? I can say that most definitely it is not. I'm a TFs collector that is here to stay. Will I ever sell my collection? HECK NO! :cool:
So, SFDP, I'll be the exception!
I've been coming and going for at least 10 years now. It's not that lose interest, but I work a lot and also have had a million things on. I find it hard to set aside the time to sometimes even think about tfs! I moved at the beginning of the year and it took me 9 months to put the toys back on display! Not because I didn't want to, but there were other important things I had to do.
I've never been one to compete with others, I just buy what I like, mainly G1 and masterpieces. I made the mistake a few years ago to buy armada toys and released I had no passion for them, now their just sitting in a box doing nothing. I won't be doing that again.
My other issue was that I tried to participate on too many boards! So I'm sticking to one!
As I'm getting older, I am spending less on tf's, but I have reached a cross road where I can't find any interest in newer toys and probably have all the tfs I want.
well for those that remember me, i disapered from ozformers entirely. I got Griff to totally delete my stuff here cause i lost interest and moving several times a year, i was worried that i would not return and didn't want to take up space on the boards. i truely thought i wouldn't return or remember any of my user details, for here and other sites. although some of my photos still remain! :D
I'm in no competition with anyone and i know even less about tfs. i'm sorry for all those random questions filling up Kups descusion newbies thread!, even though i've been collecting or using my brother collection rather since 1990-!
I've burned out my hobby so many times only to be picked back up by some random ozformer, mostly posting some random custom transformer in the Grapple art thread! @.@;
I think the one thing that keeps my spark sparkling is the handfull of G1 adventures I had when i was little, and every time i look at those toys i want to add to it. I don't think the newer collectors have this feeling. Newbies are so spoilt for choice, they can just pick a bot to put in the collection, never really get to know them, so they become just throw aways, a fad, cause there is a new line showing up next year. I recall having a no new transformer show up for years. You had to love the bots you had.
Love you Sunstreaker, brawn, Outback, dreadwing, dreadwind, landfill, slapdash, missfire, grapple, sandstorm, cyclonus, hun-gurr and a shit load of little guys! Who here can say the same?
I love Transformers, always have. I think the reason I buy so many now because I couldn't buy them when I was younger. I've always been picky about what I buy. When I first started collecting continuously I wouldn't buy repaints or even retools. Then when Animated came out I stopped placing restrictions on myself and brought toys based on character or mould. This generally means I buy everything but it also means I've missed out on toys such as Universe Sideswipe.
I lost in hope in finding toys due to lack of retail releases, I love the hunt but spent more time looking then finding. Now I buy online. If I don't find anything at retail then it doesn't matter as much.
Now I just have to work on my patience.
@ Yukitora: I love Sideswipe, Soundwave & Co, Swoop, Scourge, Thrust and Tracks
Gutsman-Heavy is sending me a Sideswipe in the mail. Sunstreakers crying rainbows!Quote:
Originally Posted by LordCyrusOmega
I have thrust. Well, its not mine -.-; but i remade him! ...So his mine now! :P
For me it's not a case of over it but frustration at funds to feed my wants. To collect older figures the prices are ridiculous. Eg Universe Sideswipe I am sure would have been 25 retail but is already over 60 on evil bay.
With a second kid on the way, 2 mortgages, 2 dogs, 2 cars etc it makes the flash cash get smaller.
For the first time in 2 years I find myself saying no which really kills me!
I am at the point of thinking of selling my medium size Star Wars collection to fund my TF wants.
Yeah the old fund tree is looking pretty bare here too. It makes me sad saying no, especially when it's to myself. Reading through some (i disnt read it all) of this thread makes me sad too but it does appear this board/forum has slowed down in the past 6 months. There's probably a number of factors contributing to this. DOTM toy line being very average, Prime RiD and Generations waves barely being stocked locally to name a few. It all sort of makes me feel lonely as a TF collector, especially because there seems to be no other TF collector in my area. Frowny faceQuote:
Originally Posted by Starscream77
I started collecting as a way of getting the stuff I wanted as a kid but didn't get, but my collecting focus in terms of Transformers has largely shifted to the movieverse and the odd MP. I also collect figures from other franchises/lines, and I have a small diecast car collection, and my 'focus' has shifted towards these of late. I've now decided that for figures, I'll have a smaller number of larger/more detailed figures, so I've sold off figures to make room/fund these other purchases.
So, I suspect that in terms of new Transformers acquisitions, I'll be pretty quiet until the Transformers 4 toy line comes out.
I do not have one Bayformer in my collection, so have not bought much from the toyshops TF related for many years until I started watching TF Prime. OMG what an awesome show, and I think the figures while Bay-esque at times have also taken from the Animated and Generations lines and mixed their styling up nicely.
So now I find myself going into the toy shops and looking for any new waves of TF Prime figures, we are still only getting fist wave in Townsville :mad: So it's off to e-bay and overpriced items :(
That really shreds my gears! I love the hunt of going through the toy isles and toy shops, but I realized very quickly that Australia's TF Prime line was stalling. So off to BBTS I went. It's still great getting that big pile of loot but it detracts from the individual figures. I'd much rather get one or two bots at a time but that seems impossible locally as we will most likely miss waves 3 through 5. Anger rising! Luckily FOC multiplayer has kept my mind off this. Nothing makes my TF anger subside like saving up that super strong last blast in the fusion/riot cannon, then unleashing it at point blank range and watching the parts of your target rain down on the surrounding area.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jetfire in the sky
I'm hearing you. I dont have pay TV so don't know if TF Prime is on it or not, but downloading it has been the best. Seeing it on TV makes a toy line do so much better in the retail market than if you have to get it online. Yes old fashioned as it may be I think it is true.
Put it on toasted TV or something in the morning and the kids will flock to it. Although, I may be wrong here but most of TF Prime is PG not G in Oz. Just a thought. Very open to duscussion :)
I agree -- should be on Free TV. It would also help if the toys were better made (well made toys can still sell well even without a show -- e.g. when Robots In Disguise first came out, the toys were selling like hot cakes and just flying off shelves for about a good 6 months before the cartoon aired on TV).
RID, the second time Transformers was saved. The first time was by Beast Wars of course. :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime
While Beast Machines certainly wasn't as popular as Beast Wars, I wouldn't go so far to say that it nearly killed the Transformers franchise like G2 did. It might have if it had continued for another year or two -- the Transformers franchise was still chugging along under BM, probably riding on the coat-tails of BW's success... and that steam would have eventually run out and been unable to continue pushing BM along. I think Hasbro canned BM just in time and replaced it with RiD that certainly did hit the nitro for the franchise after the speed hump that was BM. ;)