Do you read RPG books all the way through?

[MatthewJHanson]

Adventures that I run: always.

Adventures that I read for fun: often.

Everything else: nope.

 

[The Green Adam]

Yes-ish

Mostly, Kinda, Sorta



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."

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Usually no. I just read choice bits that catch my eye. And usually I'm all over, jumping from the back to the front then near to the middle.

 

[Oni]

In general no.

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.

 

[FATDRAGONGAMES]

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.

 

[scourger]

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.

 

[Alt F4]

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.

 

[Wombat]

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.

 

[Obryn]

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.

-O

 

[Calico_Jack73]

To tell the truth the only RPG book that I ever read cover to cover was the original Nosferatu Clanbook for Vampire the Masquerade.