Abstract
Problem: Tim Cain has extensive gaming memorabilia spanning four decades, and fans frequently ask about items in his display cabinets.
Approach: In this Friday Fun Day video, Tim showcases two recently acquired mementos and shares a bonus anecdote about chocolate.
Findings: The two items — woodburned Fallout art plaques and a custom Funko Pop figure — each carry personal stories about community connections and self-expression.
Key insight: The best memorabilia isn't just about the object — it's about the relationships and stories behind acquiring it.
1. The Woodburned Fallout Plaques
Tim discovered the work of an artist named Peter (Decode 666) through TK Mantis (Patrick). Peter creates woodburned plaques, and Tim fell in love with two pieces: the original Fallout 1 cover art and the alternate Fallout 2 cover — the one featuring a primitive figure wearing a power armor helmet, which Tim had discussed in a previous video.
Tim contacted Peter to buy them, but payment turned out to be complicated. The pieces were shipping from the EU, ruling out bank wires and checks, and the payment system Peter used wasn't an option for Tim either. While Tim was figuring out how to route payment through Patrick, Patrick simply bought them for him as a gift.
The plaques now sit on Tim's shelves outside the memorabilia cabinet so he can easily look at, hold, and even smell them — Tim is self-admittedly tactile with his collectibles.
2. The Custom Funko Pop
Tim stumbled upon Funko's "Pop Yourself" campaign and spent time designing a custom figure. He initially tried recreating his younger self but settled on his current appearance. The customization options let him add:
- A laptop in one hand
- A game controller in the other
- A yellow lab (his dog Abby) as a pet companion
For the name on the box, instead of "Tim Cain" he chose "Cain on Games" — representing his YouTube channel rather than himself personally. He emphasized this was not a paid endorsement; he found and bought it entirely on his own.
3. The Memorabilia Backlog
Tim acknowledged that fans have been asking him to go through his full collection. He has two display cabinets plus several boxes in a closet containing items like old t-shirts, hoodies, and even Troika underwear. He estimated it would take six months of videos to cover everything, but left the door open for future Friday Fun Day episodes featuring individual items.
4. Bonus: The Amedei Porcelana Update
Tim circled back to a previous video about his favorite chocolate — Amedei Porcelana. His friend Matt (who worked on Age of Empires and previously tipped Tim off about Fallout Easter eggs in other games) gave him two bars at a recent lunch. Tim's restraint lasted approximately one day per bar. He refused to feel guilty about the sugar intake, declaring: "Dark chocolate's good for you."
5. References
- Tim Cain. YouTube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ7PpOztJyA