Game Preservation Society

[shubibiman]

Indeed, that's the main issue when it comes to preserving games in Japan: most collecters are not willing to share anything and they're more into competing with other big collecters.

[ccovell]

And indeed the Game Preservation Soc. is obligated NOT to publicly release games they have dumped -- if the games' owners request so.  It is a recognized NPO, after all.

Not like those Lost Levels cowboys.  ;-D

[xelement5x]

Indeed, that's the main issue when it comes to preserving games in Japan: most collecters are not willing to share anything and they're more into competing with other big collecters.

Well, at least they're not grading stuff

[TheClash603]

I just went to the Museum of Play in Rochester, NY yesterday and it has a fairly large video game section which was pretty enjoyable.  However, the website for the museum claims they have the largest collection of video games in the United States in their archives which cannot be accessed by museum goers.  I suppose that it is good to have some reserves for changing and refreshing the layout, but based on the content they show off being nearly all the popular games and little of the more obscure stuff, I am guessing 90%+ of their collection will never see the light of day.

Unless the museum provided some sort of virtual collection, in which case you could view and play what they have in their archives, the fact they have one of the largest collections on the planet isn't helping anyone.  Preservation without sharing is no public service.

[esteban]

I just went to the Museum of Play in Rochester, NY yesterday and it has a fairly large video game section which was pretty enjoyable.  However, the website for the museum claims they have the largest collection of video games in the United States in their archives which cannot be accessed by museum goers.  I suppose that it is good to have some reserves for changing and refreshing the layout, but based on the content they show off being nearly all the popular games and little of the more obscure stuff, I am guessing 90%+ of their collection will never see the light of day.

Unless the museum provided some sort of virtual collection, in which case you could view and play what they have in their archives, the fact they have one of the largest collections on the planet isn't helping anyone.  Preservation without sharing is no public service.

I agree... if there was a way to see high quality photos + scans of all the items, I would be happy enough (most schmucks should not have access to the collection).




HISTORY LESSON: I am not suggesting it would be viable, but a video game museum that controlled the experience (only staff handled media/consoles, but visitors held actual controllers + monitor in a cubicle) would be neat (for me, anyway).

Pre-YouTube, the Museum of Television in Los Angeles had a really neat system... you would be able to search the on-site database and request various films/shows... I think you could ask for around 5 things at a time. Anyway, you would sit at a little viewing cubicle and your videos would be played via a monitor... you didn't get to touch the actual videotapes, but someone in another room was physically pulling the tapes and playing them for you. Ha!

Pre-YouTube, this was absolutely amazing... I was able to watch the He Man XMAS special that way in late 90's...with tons of other stuff that I had only read about (pilot for Colombo, for example, before Peter Falk was cast). YES, of course I watched some Dr. Who.

Anyway, my wife+friends had lots of fun going there to watch stuff.

They did not have complete collections of all series, however (a decent representation)... and they were playing stuff in all different formats and range of quality (broadcast formats, LD, betamax, VHS, etc.).

[TheClash603]

I agree Esteban that not everyone should be able to just walk into the archives and finger things like a cheap date.  Preservation does include some level of locking down the items, the systems which everyone can access at the museum which are fairly beat up are great examples of why all items can't be on display.  I could only imagine if you had a bin of Game & Watch systems what a rowdy group of 10 year old boys would do to them.

An easy to search public database with high quality scans and videos, with roms where legally allowable, would be absolutely incredible.  Maybe I should take up that work for the museum...

[xelement5x]

I agree Esteban that not everyone should be able to just walk into the archives and finger things like a cheap date.  Preservation does include some level of locking down the items, the systems which everyone can access at the museum which are fairly beat up are great examples of why all items can't be on display.  I could only imagine if you had a bin of Game & Watch systems what a rowdy group of 10 year old boys would do to them.

An easy to search public database with high quality scans and videos, with roms where legally allowable, would be absolutely incredible.  Maybe I should take up that work for the museum...

They do kind of already have that:
http://www.museumofplay.org/online-collections/22