How much of your collection do you use?

[Tetsubo]

I think it depends on how you define "use". Does "use" mean how many books I refer to in actual game play? Or how many I just read or reread for pleasure? My problem is that I have so many games...

I've had a recurring dream for years now. In it I find a huge collection of RPG books either for free or an incredibly low price. I call this the Gaming Mother Load dream. My wife is convinced that I am projecting myself into the far future. That the Gaming Mother Load is actually in my house right now and I'm just imagining some future gamer finding it after my own death. I still hold out hope that it exists. It's my own personal Holy Grail...

 

[DreadPirateMurphy]

Create the time. If it is truely a hobby you want to play in then you should be able to create the time. Some groups only meet once a month, and if you can't find a way to game for 4 hours a month then you really need to step back and have a serious look at what is going on in your life.

I can find 4 hours a month. Finding 4 hours a month that meshes with schedules for a group of other people that I want to game with is the problem.

It is the same problem as scheduling meetings at work. Everybody can find an hour to meet...just not at the same time until three months out.

 

[RedWick]

Y'know, this thread just begs the question (and probably deserves another thread): When you do buy an RPG book, what exactly do you look for in it? Ideas? New classes, spells, etc.? Setting information?

When I'm running a game, I typically use about 20-30% of the resources I have available (RPG and non-RPG books alike). I mostly look for inspiration for scenes and world ideas more than I look for mechanics.

 

[megamania]

All of it gets used. Not on a weekly, monthy, or perhaps even yearly basis but it all gets used.

ditto why buy it otherwise

 

[shaylon]

I put 31-40%, basing that on how much old stuff I have that I rarely use. Most of my new stuff gets used, but I rarely go through older stuff unless I am looking for something specific or for reference.

I do love having the older 1E material though. A lot of it is great material and it is nice to be able to refer back to, especially some of my older FR stuff.

-Shay

 

[TiQuinn]

I'd say I use half of what I buy in some way or another. But I'm always cleaning out the closet and getting rid of stuff (the last cleanout was pretty much my whole collection).

 

[Thunderfoot]

I regularly use between 85 - 90% of my stuff per gaming session, either in the planning stage or for quick rules checks, reference, etc. Maybe I'm just weird.