Do You Have Too Many Books?
- Thread starter Olaf the Stout
- Start date
Arnwyn
First Post
No, I don't have "too many" books. I certainly have lots of books, but not too many - this is because I am very selective in what I purchase. I make sure that I strictly follow my "80% rule" (I have to be able and sure to use 80% of a book before I'll buy it).
I haven't purchased a character option book (or a "rule" book) in some years now, and only buy geographical/campaign expansions and adventures. (The campaign world is big, so getting the extra detail from these expansions helps a lot.)
I haven't purchased a character option book (or a "rule" book) in some years now, and only buy geographical/campaign expansions and adventures. (The campaign world is big, so getting the extra detail from these expansions helps a lot.)
The Shaman
First Post
After trading away most of my Dungeons and Dragons books (about forty or fifty titles), I'm down to my d20 Modern, Traveller, and Mutants and Masterminds collections, plus a few "strays" (d20 Call of Cthulhu, Conan RPG, Nyambe, Castles and Crusades, Boot Hill, Top Secret) and a box full of magazine back-issues - maybe seventy books in all.
I'm playing d20 Modern and Traveller, so most of those titles get regular use, and the rest I hold onto for nostalgia's sake, or to play on a "rainy day" someday, or just because they're so darn cool. There's about a dozen that I might be willing to trade away at some point, but for the most part I think I'm down to my "core collection."
I have another seventy or so .pdfs - about half of those were "impulse buys"
\), and I recently archived them to a CD and stuck them in a box to get them off my hard drive.
I'm playing d20 Modern and Traveller, so most of those titles get regular use, and the rest I hold onto for nostalgia's sake, or to play on a "rainy day" someday, or just because they're so darn cool. There's about a dozen that I might be willing to trade away at some point, but for the most part I think I'm down to my "core collection."
I have another seventy or so .pdfs - about half of those were "impulse buys"
\), and I recently archived them to a CD and stuck them in a box to get them off my hard drive.
howandwhy99
Adventurer
I'm trying to figure out this word ---> "bo-ok".
Is it like the physical master for my electronic files? I've heard these exist.
Is it like the physical master for my electronic files? I've heard these exist.
buzz
Adventurer
Duh! You're a gamer.Olaf the Stout said:
Even having recently culled quite a few books from my collection, I still own a lot. The percentage of these books that I have actually read is small, and the percentage that I use on a regular basis is even smaller.
Why? I am a gamer. Every book holds within it the promise of more gaming, even if that promise is never fufilled. I've got "Ooo! Shiny!" tattooed on my forehead.
That said, I've been making attempts to curb my purchasing habits a bit. I was looking at my monthly gaming budget and realized that it was just getting insane. But those damn publishers keep putting out books...
P.S., HERO's amazing toolkit-ness hasn't stopped me from buying 100+ books for it.
Mercule
Adventurer
If I were sane, I'd say "yes". As it is, I'm trying to cull expanded rules and simplify while still buying more books. There are just too many good ideas.
My current quandry is that I have no more wall space for bookshelves and must decide whether to move my d20 books, computer books, or Legos. I'm pretty sure the computer books are going to lose.
My current quandry is that I have no more wall space for bookshelves and must decide whether to move my d20 books, computer books, or Legos. I'm pretty sure the computer books are going to lose.
Too Many, but With a Purpose
Hey there,
In one sense I do have too many RPG books. I have many, many old D&D items (e.g. the various boxed rule sets, the GAZ series of gazateers, the BA, EX, etc. adventure modules). I rarely look at these anymore, and I guess I keep them more out of sentiment than actual use potential. I did use a bit from Rahasia in a home-brew adventure a couple of years ago, though.
I also have many 2nd Edition D&D rulebooks. I really should sell these, but I just don't have the motivation to go through the trouble right now.
My biggest vice, though, is 3.x books. At present, I have every WotC D&D rulebook published for 3.x except for many of the FR books (I think I have around 5 FR books). I even have those Diablo II D&D books.... So, I have the 3.0 and 3.5 core rules, all the splat books, all the supplements, all the Eberron books, etc. I used to read through all of them as soon as I got them, but lately I don't have the time to do that so I skim through them all and read the interesting parts for now. On top of WotC stuff I have books from a few other publishers (e.g. Arcana Evolved, Tome of Horros II and III, and I'm getting Ptolus).
But there is method to my book-buying madness. I intend to get all of WotC's 3.x D&D books (except for FR) to have as reference material, and then stop buying any D&D once 4.0 comes out. My plan is to stick with 3.x for the rest of my gaming life, and have all of that material available for possible use. I hope to get my child interested in the hobby when the age is right, and I'd love to be able to spend years and years creating campaigns for her and her friends (and people my own age, too!).
My theory is that, because of the OGL, 3.x will be nigh-forever useful and relevant, even if a 4.whatever comes out eventually. Plus, as long as I stick to my plan, I'll stop spending so much money on D&D, eventually.
Crazy theory, eh?
Later,
Atavar
-----
"If God is everywhere, then how can you say that He is at chruches but not at brothels? And if He is at brothels, then why do I have to go to church?" - Some poet from Def Poetry
Hey there,
In one sense I do have too many RPG books. I have many, many old D&D items (e.g. the various boxed rule sets, the GAZ series of gazateers, the BA, EX, etc. adventure modules). I rarely look at these anymore, and I guess I keep them more out of sentiment than actual use potential. I did use a bit from Rahasia in a home-brew adventure a couple of years ago, though.
I also have many 2nd Edition D&D rulebooks. I really should sell these, but I just don't have the motivation to go through the trouble right now.
My biggest vice, though, is 3.x books. At present, I have every WotC D&D rulebook published for 3.x except for many of the FR books (I think I have around 5 FR books). I even have those Diablo II D&D books.... So, I have the 3.0 and 3.5 core rules, all the splat books, all the supplements, all the Eberron books, etc. I used to read through all of them as soon as I got them, but lately I don't have the time to do that so I skim through them all and read the interesting parts for now. On top of WotC stuff I have books from a few other publishers (e.g. Arcana Evolved, Tome of Horros II and III, and I'm getting Ptolus).
But there is method to my book-buying madness. I intend to get all of WotC's 3.x D&D books (except for FR) to have as reference material, and then stop buying any D&D once 4.0 comes out. My plan is to stick with 3.x for the rest of my gaming life, and have all of that material available for possible use. I hope to get my child interested in the hobby when the age is right, and I'd love to be able to spend years and years creating campaigns for her and her friends (and people my own age, too!).
My theory is that, because of the OGL, 3.x will be nigh-forever useful and relevant, even if a 4.whatever comes out eventually. Plus, as long as I stick to my plan, I'll stop spending so much money on D&D, eventually.
Crazy theory, eh?
Later,
Atavar
-----
"If God is everywhere, then how can you say that He is at chruches but not at brothels? And if He is at brothels, then why do I have to go to church?" - Some poet from Def Poetry
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