Absence Makes the Collecting Go Fonder? Liking G3 MORE now?

[WingsOfMasquerade]

I'm not really sure when I noticed...
But now that G3 has been 'off the shelves' for a while, I seem to be getting to like it more & want more of the 'stuff' from it.
Like, before, I would have skipped G3 books at yard sales/fleas etc., but now I think the books & their quaint art are more charming. Also, initially, I didn't care that much about Ponyvilles, "Oh its the same character but small" but now, I'm trying to get them.

Is it the same way for anyone else?
What do you think causes it?

I mean, I'm not complaining---it's ponies! Yay! But I just thought it was kind of a phenomenon or something.
There was a period in G3 where I was actually skipping them after Sunset Sweetie/Bumblesweet & Skywishes/Clover made me really mad because they were the exact same pony just with a different symbol. Then, of course I changed my mind and 'had to get these too'. But now it's extending to variants like normal hair version AND SLH version, plus like Gardenia Glow (2 of her, 2 different tail colors), or other poses for characters. Is anyone else doing this? Did it happen to anyone with G1?

It might be a combination of time (nostalgia?) and also how un-pony-like G4s look that has me craving pony-ponies that are still common enough on the flea/yard circuit that I can just grab at them.

I was just curious if anyone else felt this way/noticed this happening with G3.

[Ariana]

I think the same way! G3 is my fav generation of all time but I did go through a point when G4 was still new that I craved more G4 merch and "shunned" the leftover g3 or g3.5 merch that was still floating around (more g3.5 than anything). Now I've went back to craving more and more of anything G3, especially the artwork and books and backcards. They're just so unique and something that I don't think we'll see anything like it again!

[Ponyfan]

My Barnes and Noble stocked the G3 story books for years after G3 ended but I wasn't interested in them until I suddenly noticed they were gone and replaced with G4 storybooks I realized I should have bought them. I've looked for them several times since then in case they were still out for sale hidden behind some other books but I've never seen them at that store again.

Ponyfan

[Baby Sugarberry]

Hm, not for me personally.
If anything I'm a bit less interested in G3 than I was when it was first out in stores.

[Honeycomb]

I haven't seen my G3 in ages. They are all in boxes and drawers back at my parents' place. But whenever I go through my photos, I feel very happy to know that I have them, waiting for me. Their colors are so pretty, and they have so much diversity. I wish I could put them up on display again, build some scenes.

[lostpony]

YES.

It's an availability/opportunity thing and it drives my current-stuff purchases.  Things you can go buy anytime just aren't as attractive as something you can't have upon demand. 

Just today I was at Walmart and saw some of the pearly G4 2-packs are still there (just two packs actually) and I went ahead and grabbed one (RD and cherry something) for $4.88 simply because soon those won't be around any more and I don't have any of them and i don't want to miss them entirely, even though I am not particularly fond of them.

Also there is the issue of nostalgia.  Things we are familiar with as ubiquitous don't seem particularly valuable but when they are gone for a while and we see them again, it takes us back to the time when they were around, and that makes us want them more.

[Barnacle_lady]

Peoples collecting taste can change through the years. Usually the other way around that you don't "need" everything anymore. But also newly discovered which you used to dislike.

[Taffeta]

The same definitely happened over time with G2, and people went from being really hostile to them to accepting them, although I imagine it is bigger with G3.

I was more keen on G3 when they were out. Basically because the only thing G3 had for me was the fact they were out on shelves and still coming out. I never could accept any generation over what I grew up with, and I stopped with G3 while they were still in stores. For me I got fed up with the huge number of US/Canada exclusives that made it impossible to keep up with and no longer fun or hassle free, let alone the cost. When Hasbro brought out the Seasons early on, all but Autumn Skye were European exclusives and we had something we could trade for US store exclusives, but Hasbro betrayed our market by bringing Spring Fever and Sweet Summertime out in the States as extra ponies in packs and when Crystal Crown came out to rip off Winter Snow, that was it for me.

Either have no exclusives or have exclusives in every region. It left a bitter taste for me with G3 which never went away and I still feel the same now as I did then.

If I see a G3 at a carboot sale that I dont have and like I might buy it, but G3 is the only generation I have downsized to about 50% and don't feel a thing about having done that. I am afraid Hasbro ruined G3 for me when they made the cost and ability of acquiring ponies about where you lived. I know there are a few other "European" ones but in contrast with all the US store exclusives it just stopped being enjoyable any more.

At least now Target ponies show up in the UK at Argos so I am glad Hasbro has thought about this more this generation - but sadly all the US exclusives with no European equivalents jaded G3 for me.

[goddessofpeep]

I have much of my collection packed away in bins that sadly rarely see the light of day.  Whenever I crack open a bin that I haven't opened in a while, it's like Christmas, and I fall in love with a lot of ponies I haven't thought about for years.   I am often surprised at how many really cool ponies the G3 line had!  All those seasonal ponies!  The same thing happens with G1s and G2s. 

I think it's partially just not seeing them all the time makes them seem brand new again, and the lack of diversity in the current line makes me miss the variety we used to have.  The G4 line has been pretty dull for the last several years, and I have been turning to the past for my pony-fulfillment needs.  G3s were an exciting, if exhausting, line to collect during their time.  They came out quickly and in great numbers, so it's a lot easier to find forgotten gems in that line than any of others.  It's hard to remember *every* pony that came out when you'd get bursts of 30+ new ponies in a month, and some of them would only be available in stores for 1-3 months. 

 

[Zapper]

I came to appreciate G3 a lot after I got one in an ebay lot and fell head over heels for the many poses.
I never paid attention to them in store because back then I wasn't a collector. Wasted opportunities.

Now I almost love them the best. Nothing will top G1 but the quality and low ebay prices of the G3s totally roped me in. They make up the bulk of my collection now. I also have two of the art ponies that really surprised me with their beauty in person.

[LadyMoondancer]

G3s came out in such big waves that I just felt overwhelmed by them when they were still coming out, unable to fully appreciate them because it was always onto tracking down the NEXT big wave.  Time has definitely made me fonder of them, now that I can just relax and admire them.

[Leave a Whisper]

Not for me. They're my second favorite gen, what got me collecting again as an adult, they're gorgeous and diverse and I still love them and get excited whenever I've got one coming my way.

I'm starting to feel this way however about the few G4s that interest me, now that the hideous reboot poses are coming in. There's some that have charming color schemes and some nice symbols, even though I still can't stand their hyper deformed, un-horselike moulds.

The big heads at least, are perfect for the merponies and the bat pony has a face and isn't just standing there.

[Sky_Rocket_Sammie]

Yes, I gave away my entire G3 collection several years ago(two totes full). And I miss them, not all of them but the ones I should have kept. G1 will always be my favorites cause I'm an 80s kid. If I find one at Goodwill it comes home with me.

[Skylar]

G3s came out in such big waves that I just felt overwhelmed by them when they were still coming out, unable to fully appreciate them because it was always onto tracking down the NEXT big wave.  Time has definitely made me fonder of them, now that I can just relax and admire them.

Wouldn't it be awesome to have that happen now!! I mean a new wave of ponies with a variety that you actually had to track down!!

[LadyMoondancer]

G3s came out in such big waves that I just felt overwhelmed by them when they were still coming out, unable to fully appreciate them because it was always onto tracking down the NEXT big wave.  Time has definitely made me fonder of them, now that I can just relax and admire them.

Wouldn't it be awesome to have that happen now!! I mean a new wave of ponies with a variety that you actually had to track down!!

I know, right?  A big example of "the grass is always greener."  At the time it was sooo tiring though.  I love G3 though, it's my second favorite generation.