I am a old time gamer. I started playing war board games in the 1950's and continue thru the ages. So I am a senior on war games and have a attic full of ancient board/paper games. I have the original Sears Pinball game that started the home console gaming. I had every major console game thru the 1980's/early 90's. But after that. I purchased my first PC in 1994 and never purchased another console system or game again. I play to death Allied General series and Steel Panthers series. Command and Conqurs and Warcraft and Starcraft were next. But when I purchased a lemon Dell in 2001 that was deflected and Dell did noting to fix it. For five years fighting with Dell and going to my State Attoney Office with complains.  I could not play games. I play Pogo and my old games on an anicent Win98Se rig. That PC last for 10 years and only till recent when the secord motherboard tanked. I purchased two custom made machines from a geek dealer I know. I will never but another PC from a PC Maker again.   I put what I want in it and no crap add ons and ffer this and that. Total waste of hard drive space and annoying to delete.  I was happy to got back into gaming again. I don't play online games, to too time wasting and annoying sometimes.  To me it a waste of my time. I have to pay my bills and support a family. So I have no need to be a zombie to that format of gaming. I prefer single version of the game. I am not a kid looking to trash other people online.

  I am not going to go into purchasing  PC system. Understand there are two platform for gaming for PC WinXP and Vista. Unless you want to go back to Win98Se days. Then do a duel OS setup. I have no experences Vista with games. You got PCWorld and MaxiumPC and gaming site to tell you about how they run. read up before making your choose on a OS and get the Max in RAM and top end Video & Sound card. For non-online play. Turn off your Internet Connetion and disable Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware programs. With the Internet lock down or remove the cable cord. It safe to play even on high end games. Ever if you are a power gamer. Every ounce of power and resources are a must. Games are the most resource hog next to Microsoft products and OS and Anti-Virus. I turn off everything running in the background, screensaver also.

But you need games. Don't be a sucker on getting games when they first come out. Very few are bug free or need a patch or two before the week is out.  Read the reviews and see if your system could take the stress in playing the game on the highest settting. Read the reviews and if you make of your mind you want this game. Now come the fun in getting the game.

 I never purchased anything full retail. Console games are total waste of money. Kids love them. But for an person like me. I don't go near them. The PC platform is for serious gaming. You could state you case anyway you want. I will stop playing games either when I died or the game makers stop making them for PC. The graphic is nice candy eye on console. But the Wow factor still is on PC.  I when thru four console systems and hundreds of games. Now they are dated and worthless.  I can't get two cents for a game I paid $60 bucks for in 1982. That like paying $200 today for the game. I sonetimes wait 4 to 6 months after the release of a PC title. I like to pay under $30 for a new game or less. Never more  then that or half it suggested retail.

 eBay is a portal for bargains. Either at eBay or it retail Half.com. I use Amazon market place also to get deals also. I study the sellers profiles and two things I want in a game. Us Market release and not a Asia or Eurpean copy. Large number are these and buyers are not aware ofd this. Whne you get the game and installed it. The code would not work. i have to do this with a EA game. Lucky for me that company deem it a real version of the game and gave me a code to run the games.

Ebay is not kind to buyers. No matter how honest the seller is. This is what you have to look for.  Brand new games, in original box and non burned CD/DVD or download version. With all papers and booklets enclosed and serial number. Nothing less then that. If you want to take you chance on a "used" copy go ahead, it much be 25% creaper they the new box version and never the same price. Or the seller is screwing you.  When a person saying installed it once and don't like it. I would fire off an email and ask did heu register the game? If so then you may not get game support or patches from the game company. Because it still own by the seller as far as the game company see it.

Hot games are a battle to get. That why I wait many months before getting the game. The game company sometimes would release a new version and patch when they restock the retail 1.0 version. This I like and want. Ok I purchased Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars for under $32. This was a month after release. I got luckly and played it cool. I notice a great number of of the same games. But the many sellers were oversea. Unless you live in that Country. I only buy from USA sellers that are near where I live on the east coast.  I wait for a day left in the auction. I place my bid times three more bids. I started at $20 and Highest bid was $24. At the time, I visited trade sites where they trades with other people. Amazon marketplace and google and use Shopping selling site. If I find that the game is near present retail (ususaly the price would be drop by then). Then I go to EB or Game Stop and pck up the game. I know someone would outbid me by the time the auction is less then 3 hours. If I find that the value is the auction. I don't use any tool to make bids. Like the Zapper. I wait before few minutes for the auction to end then I zero in on bidding. I refresh every 15 seconds. I wait for 20 seconds and then make my final bid. If the other person wins it fine let them have it, at least he had to pay more for it then me.

I pay within 5 minutes after every win bid. I am not a loafer. I win it i pay right away. The seller see this and better not screw around and delay the shipping. If I don't hear from the seller within 12 hours. I send a email to ship the game. You got paid. No reason to delay it. I paying $10 buck. I when to see it within a few days and not see $2.14 postage on the package. I wait to rate the seller till I get the game and install it. I install games right away to see if they run and are fine. Then I would unistalled the games and every trace of it amd play it some time later after finishing the game I am playing right now. Because I prefer to play one game at a time and not load my PC full of games like I use to in the past. Ok everything is fine and then I rate a postive. Understand some USA sellers are brokers for dealers oversea or have stock outlets that ship the games from say China or some Island. This takes over two weeks or more to get to you. That when I worry the game is a copy and that possible would not install. It happen to me and want my money back or I would make life hard on the seller.

I am an art expert and I deal with some of the most important people in the art profession. They know I don't fool around when I say. Is this what you say it is. If it not. I tell them otherwise that they are wrong and prove my point. I will not shy away from telling others that this seller screw me or over priced me. I will go directly to them. I they are honest. They take care of you. But a Red marker on their feelback is a powerful message to others. Beware of stranger selling candy. eBay are a great source for getting new games cheaper. But do look outside first. I get great buys at EBGamestop used game section. because someone purchased a retail copy and EB back it up. So I don't mind playing $5 more for a used game. I trade in other games and get the game for under $10 or free.

Take your time, know the game you want. Get a price range and a final price with S&H you want to pay. Don't let emtion take you over on auction. I seen some real battles of egos at Art Auctions. Test the game right away. Check if everything is in the box and serial number is valid. Don't put it on the shelf and install a couple months later. Print out sale information and seller information and contact information. Alway contact the seller. Let them know I excpet that game to be what he said it is. Happy hunting and don't get taken.