Do you knowingly buy game books you don't intend to actually play

[Wicht]

So elsewhere I ask people to convince me to buy the 5e books, and in the course of that thread, I have tried to be upfront that I'm not necessarily interested in playing 5e (at the moment) but am curious about the books. This has caused some confusion on the part of various posters and said confusion has in turn flummoxed me. Many don't seem to understand why I might want books I won't immediately use. I thought it was a fairly normal sort of thing to do.

Meaning... It used to be, that it was generally acknowledged that a good many game related books were bought but never actually used. I know I have a small library of such books for a variety of systems, genres, and from a wide assemblage of publishers. I have grown to be comfortable with the fact that I like buying game books, even if I may never use them. I just like reading them and thinking about them. I sorta assumed most gamers were still like this, but maybe the gaming culture has moved on and left me behind, lonely and confused.

So I am just wondering if my game buying habits have become an outlier, or are there still others out there willing to admit they do this?

 

[Zaukrie]

Yes I do. I like reading sometimes, even if I won't be playing.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I buy books I know I will never use in game, usually to me for ideas, inspiration, methods and solutions.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

All the time! I bought the core rulebooks for Fate and Savage Worlds, even though I hate everything they stand for. Know your enemy, know yourself, and all that.

There are also plenty of games which contain interesting elements, which you can use for inspiration in any other game. Synnibarr is great for that, as an example.

It's also just fun to see how many different ways there are to model a particular phenomenon. How dangerous is a bear, in three different games? How do they solve the Dexterity problem? How does a gun compare to an arrow? How far can you fall before it kills you?

There are many reasons to read and buy a game book. Playing is just one of them.

 

[amerigoV]

All the time! I bought the core rulebooks for Fate and Savage Worlds, even though I hate everything they stand for. Know your enemy, know yourself, and all that.

Hating Savage Worlds = the Terrorists win

There, I said it cuz it needed to be said.

That said - I have a bookcase full of books am I am confident that I will ever get to fully utilize. That in no way stops me from the next shiny. Heck, I picked up the D&D Cyclopedia pdf when it was on sale for $5 and printed it off. I doubt I will ever play it, but I have enjoyed wandering through it (and I think all said and done, I wish I had played it instead of AD&D back in the day). I have the Dragon Age box sets that I doubt I will ever get to run/play as well.

So yeah, I get stuff just because I enjoy and its my hobby.

 

[gamerprinter]

I've done it. Last year I picked up Eclipse Phase because of my memories of great sci-fi games played in the '80's, but my group is thoroughly D&D/PF and have no interest in sci-fi games. So though I picked it up, it is very unlikely that I'll ever use it.

 

[KirayaTiDrekan]

I have bought RPG books for collection purposes, because I wanted a "complete" set (1st edition Vampire: The Masquerade softcover, even though its available in PDF, to complement 1E Werewolf and Mage, which aren't available in PDF).

I have bought RPG books for reference and ideas (Amazing Engine).

I have bought RPG books because I wanted to support the company (Eclipse Phase PDF).

And I have bought RPG books because I really want to play them or run them but know I will never be able to find anyone else with my level of enthusiasm for that particular game because its so weird or niche (Kult, Nephilim, C.J. Carella's Witchcraft, and several other obscure horror RPGs).

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Yeah -- some for reading, some for inspiration, some just for collecting (I'm buying all the One Ring products, but doubt I'll every play them).

 

[Sword of Spirit]

I always intend to play a game when I buy it. That being said, there are games I've bought and never played and haven't regretted buying them. They were interesting in some way, and worth looking at on my shelf. (Woe unto me that I traded in most of my beloved collection in an ill-conceived trade for a couple newer and shinier books--I still kick myself over that.)

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Hating Savage Worlds = the Terrorists win

I'm not entirely certain, but I think Savage Worlds might be much better than Fate. It might even be salvageable.