Do You Sometimes Purchase RPG Books Just To Read (Not For Play Purposes)?

[Yaztromo]

He says, after 8 years.

It can happen
Sometimes you buy something and then you don't like it or you find not playable, or you would like to play it but nobody else wants to play with you...

 

[Ratskinner]

Well, its like this.

I love experimenting and playing/running different games. I'm a system tourist for role playing, story, board, and even war games. (Although less with the war games lately.)

So, whenever I buy a game or book...its in the hope that I will someday play or run it...secure in the knowledge that I will likely die before I will get around to everything in even my current collection.

So, yes?

 

[aramis erak]

I bought several D20 flavors just for the reading value. Most were disappointing, but the Avalanche Press stuff was pretty good, except the covers. Mongoose made a try with Babylon 5 & Conan. Can't say I found either of them worth bringing to table.

I bought Sorcerer for the read, and found (the one time I ran it) that it does focus quite well... but I've not had a group suitable for it since.

I bought Orkworld for the read, as well, and L5R 2E... in both cases, I loved the read. L5R I're run repeatedly since. Orkworld was mostly solo-play - and it's an engine that can handle solo-play, but needs (as with most of John's games) fine tuning.

 

[practicalm]

GURPS books are usually so good for their background material

 

[Tallifer]

Chaosium's Stormbringer is the best example. Also ICE's Middle Earth.

 

[Tranquilis]

I bought several D20 flavors just for the reading value. Most were disappointing, but the Avalanche Press stuff was pretty good, except the covers. Mongoose made a try with Babylon 5 & Conan. Can't say I found either of them worth bringing to table..

My experience, too! I was quite surprised with the Avalanche Press stuff (and I agree with you about the covers). I collected the Conan stuff for the material, and was tempted to run Mongoose’s 2nd Edition.

 

[Tranquilis]

I’m a huge Star Trek fan, and for the last twenty five years plus practically, all the ST:RPG stuff has been collected, read, and borrowed from rather than played. My gang always stuck with FASA (with some extrapolations). We did try LUG, but found Decipher too close to D&D 3e. I collected Prime Directive 1e, but didn’t dare attempt to play its system. I have played Prime Directive 2e (d20 Modern) and enjoyed it.

I’m afraid Modiphius’ new ST game may suffer the same fate. I’ll buy everything for it, but the system is a bit... overworked for me. Character creation and skill resolution I like a lot, but the threat/momentum stuff is... different, and unfortunately a lot of the extra options for characters influence the threat/momentum mechanic.

 

[Bad Ape]

I buy more games than I have time to play, but I enjoy reading them and compare rules and worlds.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Yes, really always. I am not a true player but more a collector fanboy. But for me create stories, characters and worlds with my imagination is also RPG.

 

[aramis erak]

I’m a huge Star Trek fan, and for the last twenty five years plus practically, all the ST:RPG stuff has been collected, read, and borrowed from rather than played. My gang always stuck with FASA (with some extrapolations). We did try LUG, but found Decipher too close to D&D 3e. I collected Prime Directive 1e, but didn’t dare attempt to play its system. I have played Prime Directive 2e (d20 Modern) and enjoyed it.

I’m afraid Modiphius’ new ST game may suffer the same fate. I’ll buy everything for it, but the system is a bit... overworked for me. Character creation and skill resolution I like a lot, but the threat/momentum stuff is... different, and unfortunately a lot of the extra options for characters influence the threat/momentum mechanic.

PD 1E is excellent. It's worth the time to try it. I've not gone back to FASA since. Note that the two settings can be crossed over easily enough.

I can't say as much for Modiphius' STA. LUG was Better. And I don't return to LUG, but to PD1 and FASA-Trek.