General RPG DiscussionDiscussion of all RPGs and non-system-specific topics. DM/GM/player issues, settings, etc. Rules discussion belongs in one the forums below.
I usually read the ones I really like and intend to use all the way through...eventually. I normally start by reading through the basic mechanics and character creation, skills, then combat. I skip around looking for cool ideas, nice art or other elements to inspire me to run the thing and then after a month or so has gone by I either read it all the way through or have essentially done so in a piece meal fashion.
AD
"This is great. Usually it's just cardboard walls in a garage."
I have read the 2e and 3e PHB's and L5R (which I have sadly never played) cover to cover. I'm currently working my way through the Rules Cyclopedia but whether I actually read it all remains to be seen.
__________________ Oni
"Each man, one way.
Each horse, one stance.
Each church, one buddha.
Each master to his own technique."
With the exception of the core books which I read 80-90% of, no. I pretty much just reference what I need. I think the only two I have ever read 100% cover to cover is the AD&D DMG and PHB.
Yes. My mastery of the game comes from reading the books through. I learned that lesson from 2e and applied it to 3e. Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of time or drive anymore; so new games have to be less verbose to capture my interest.
Some good books hide the good stuff throughout, too. Alternity Gamma World was like that. I had to read it cover-to-cover to understand what was going on with the setting presented. It was very cool and rewarding.
I really miss the days when I used to read Dungeon through, too.
Interesting thread, btw. Really makes me realize that games I don't read through are probably not going to be played by me. Thanks.
Off the top of my head the only ones I can remember managing to read cover to cover were the Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide, the Star Wars Saga Edition core book, and the 3E FRCS.
I recall trying at various times to read the Player's Handbooks cover to cover for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Edition D&D, and not managing it for any of them. Although for 2nd Edition I remember getting through everything except the spells.
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My Saga Edition folder at Mediafire.com: - Galactic Gazetteer-style planetary writeups - updated November 18, 2009 adding Corellia and Nubia
- Point Buy calculation spreadsheet - updated May 8, 2008
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- Plus a few other (hopefully useful) things
There are a few books that I have read cover-to-cover at a go.
RuneQuest's Cults of Terror was probably the first one that I read that way. Green Ronin's The Book of the Righteous was another cover-to-cover read. There are several others where I went back and read it cover to cover, but these started on this footing.
Most books I read in a piecemeal manner, although I eventually read most books all the way through, if that is the point of the question.
__________________ Jack, you have debauched my sloth.
My wife's not a gamer, so I used the analogy that D&D books are my magazines.
They're good for short bursts of reading, "threaded" like I mentioned before.
I think it's probably true that, over time, I most every word of my more interesting books. But never like a novel - I skip around too much.
I also didn't mention adventures; I kinda disregarded them. Yes, I generally read modules through cover-to-cover, though I just skim sections before my players get anywhere near them.
I find it very important to have read everything at least once. But maybe it's just because of the way my memory works:
I always remember the fact that I've read something. I may not recall exactly where I read it or remember any further details but that's not really necessary. Knowing that something is spelled out somewhere usually suffices to find it and look it up again.
Having said that I find the 4E books make for a very tedious read. I've read laundry lists that were more exciting.
It depends on the book. Some I do read cover-to-cover, others I just skim through looking for the crunch. The more original the work, the more likely I am to really dig in and read everything.
Freshman year in college I got my first D&D books, the 3.5 core rule books. I sat down and over a few days had read the players hand book and dmg cover to cover, the monster manual I skimmed but I got a good idea what was in there. Pretty much every book I've gotten I have read cover to cover and sometimes more than once. The only stuff I've skipped was the setting information in the Eberron campaign setting, and that was just because I don't plan on on running anything in that world (that may change over in LEB).
Also I was expecting more of a spectrum in the poll.
Also I was expecting more of a spectrum in the poll.
I thought about doing the poll by type of book but the categories would be a bit iffy on boundaries.
I was thinking of something like corebooks, monster books, modules, campaign setting, regional sourcebooks, splat books, topic sourcebooks, other. Of course you'd have questions like is the MM a core book and a monster book, are Arcana Evolved and Exalted both core books and setting books, is Slayer's guide to Trolls a monster book or a splat or a topic sourcebook, etc.
It also would not have drawn out distinctions I was not thinking of such as "White Wolf books yes but no D&D ones"
Keeping it a yes no with clear distinctions means most everybody is on the same page without debating category definitions.
The 50/50 split so far is an interesting result. I had no idea where people would come out.
Andy the originator, Mega the drama queen, Mania the insane, Al whom uses movie quotes to connect with the world he did not create, Ugh- primal urges and the only sane one of the group and DarkMania the Sith Lord
Lovin' the four 'B's of life- Beer, Babes, Buffets and Bombs. just being funny
4E has rituals, use them, they're magic; Want to see the greatest thing you will ever see? then click; You can use “Earth” as a D&D setting; Origins of The Rouse; (look for it) The Rouse responds; (look for it) One can appreciate both old and new D&D.
Maybe not the first time through, but before I play with info from a book, I will have read it cover to cover straight through. I like reading rules and crunch (I actually found the Hero 5th ed rulebook a fun read), so I enjoy that. If I tend to skim it is fluff (like all the 2 page region things in the RG Player's guide).
But yeah, if I use the book, it will be read. And probably had been skimmed, and hopped around in before that point.
__________________ I'm one of the lucky ones. I married a "gamer-girl."
"Build 'em like a powergamer, but play 'em like a roleplayer." - firesnakearies
4E has rituals, use them, they're magic;
Want to see the greatest thing you will ever see? then 
You can use “Earth” as a D&D 
The Rouse 
One can appreciate both old and new D&D.
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