People who read games but don't play...are there more than me...

[ggroy]

I find reading rpg books without playing to be much like playing my bass alone without being in a group. Reviewing rules, creating dungeons, preparing characters, etc. for a game, is like rehearsing on my bass. I'm alone, but I'm getting ready to play with others.

But just reading to read or playing to play. Diverting I suppose, but not really what I'd call fun. I find much funner ways to spend my alone time. The piano and guitar are much better solo instruments. Computer games or novels are much more entertaining by themselves.

The only times I ever found playing bass alone more interesting than playing bass in a band, was when I attempted to transcribe and play the more complicated stuff like Les Claypool.

 

[karlindel]

There are gaming books that I enjoy reading even if I am unlikely to ever play them. That said, if I am certain I will never use a game in some fashion (either playing it or pulling ideas from it for games I am running or intend to run), I will not purchase it. I have, however, purchased and read games that I have not yet played and may not end up playing because circumstances have changed (I have less free time, my tastes have changed, the game has become dated, etc). Also, there are some games I would like to play but would only be interested in playing if I found the right group, so until I find that group I won't be able to play the game.

 

[TerraDave]

Much of the audience for oWoD books, toward the end, were readers, not players, which explains a lot about some of the actual rules wackiness.

You can easily substitute AD&D for WoD...

I think as game companies stoped seeing themselves as making games in boxes but as prining gaming related books, this became a very strong trend. I have read designers confirm this.

Definatly WoD with its meta plot and books that could barely be called references, 2E AD&D, with all those brown, green, blue books and all that campaing setting stuff, GURPS and its many sourcebooks, excellent reads, a lot of stuff from Chaosium, again excellent reading (but also playing)....

Which brings me to the paradox. A lot of that fluffed up stuff that was written to be read...was a terrible read. Of course super utilitarian 4E is not much of a read either (though they are trying to change that). The best for me are a lot of original AD&D or Call of Cthulhu, which bridge that gap. Those these days, I would sooner read those then play them.