By the by, I hope you write up your thoughts on all these threads when it's all said and done.  I'd like to hear what conclusions, if any, you come to based on the responses.

Quote from: Caesar SlaadAre you including "one shots" in "tryouts".

Depends on context. I can see people getting together to game, and then picking a game out at random (or by vote, or by mutual agreement), and playing it as a one-shot. I can see one guy convincing his friends to play a 'one shot scenario I wrote using (Whatever game nobody has ever seen before)' and just playing it.

But then there's the tryout. The tryout is "hey everyone.. I just bought this game and I think we should try it out." And then (maybe..) they play one time, and then the book goes back on the shelf, never to be seen again. When a thread like this comes back,  they'll happily report themselves as "players of (whatever game)", as if the game actually got any use beyond that one session, half of which the group spent puzzling out the rules and trying to figure out how it would have gone if they had actually been playing the game "for real".

Quote from: BalbinusHi all,

This is something I think about from time to time and have discussed in other fora, but it occurred to me today it might have relevance here too.

Essentially, the question is a simple one, how many rpgs have you bought (if you want, do feel free to create a time limit like say over the last couple of years) and how many of those have you actually played?

By bought, I include rather counterintuitively free downloads if you then saved it to your hard drive and freebies given as comps for review, trade or whatever.

By actually played, I mean actually used in a game. For these purposes if you just used it as a general ideas springboard that does not count (though if you pulled out a particular piece of advice and directly applied it to another game that does), actual play means you actually used that game product in a game that you played or ran. Yes, I realise lots of folk count general inspiration as actual play, but for the purposes of this thread I don't.

If you can say why you haven't played the stuff you haven't played, that would be cool too.

So, what games have you bought/acquired/downloaded? What have you actually played? I'll post mine in a bit, but it'll take a while.

Yeah this is an issue, the gulf between owned and played seems to be getting broader and broader, why, mostly time, samemo-samemo,
not just my time but the time of my friends,

online play can be fun to mess with, (currently running a Ghostbuster over at West End, and playing a Marine (Harper) in an Aliens rpg over at DP9 (Dream pod 9) both are fun, but come with a learning curve,

My recent purchases and play history is roughly:

Nobilis.  Haven't played mostly because it hasn't really inspired me to play it.  Lovely book though and a fun read.

Dogs in the Vineyard.  Played a couple of times with okay results but the setting is not inspiring players at the table.  Working on a re-set that might have some legs.

Don't Rest Your Head.  Haven't played it again mostly because it just didn't inspire the energy needed to get a game going.

Burning Wheel.  Plenty of play.

Burning Empires.  No play yet, though mostly because it is a guaranteed time hog and I don't think we're up for the investment.

Universalis.  Lots of play.  It's a valuable tool for some kinds of collaboration when directed as well as being cool for story construction.

Spirit of the Century.  Constant play.  It's at once our staple and our gap-filler.  Oddly we've decided on almost moral grounds that we can't play it when a player is missing -- it's just too cool to have anyone miss anything.

Conspiracy X.  Read it and didn't find it as cool as the hype.  Cannot motivate myself to motivate others to play.

Since I got interested in RPGs again I've downloaded a huge number of free/demo games: The Shadow of Yesterday, JAGS, The Pool, Inspectres, Risus, FATE, etc. Played: none.

I've also purchased a number of games on eBay and off the used racks, whenever I could get a good deal, often out of print items. Pendragon 4e, Feng Shui, Theatrix, Amber, Over the Edge, Jorune 2e., Sorcerer & Sorcerer & Sword, etc. Played: none. I did buy The Mountain Witch off a used rack and subsequently played it, in a shortened scenario, at a mini-con. Although it was a one-shot, con game, I'd say this is borderline in terms of the criteria that people have advanced, basically because the game is meant to be played as a limited scenario. (Granted, over several sessions.)

Finally I've bought a few games "brand new".
My Life With Master
Dogs in the Vineyard
Polaris
Burning Wheel, Revised
2300 AD (as a CD-ROM from FFE)

MLwM didn't get any real play, basically because the social context for which I'd purchased it was a reunion of old gaming friends, and it turned out that regular socializing and sightseeing took up most of our time. The other games were all picked up for the sake of gaming with new people I'd met over the net, who wanted to play new games or old games they'd never gotten a chance to play. So, many of the participants were strangers. DitV got about 3-4 sessions play before I decided I didn't want to keep going. Polaris got 1 session, not enough to qualify, and then fizzled because one of the players didn't have enough time to commit to continuing the game. Burning Wheel got 2-3 sessions, but the group (including the GM) struggled with the mechanics and I think each person decided to move on to other experiements. 2300 AD has had two sessions and looks to complete the planned scenario over 2-3 more sessions.

Basically I don't have time to play all the games I'm interested in, and furthermore I'm just becoming acquainted with local hobbyists. On top of that there are a number of games that have hype or a reputation for being "different" and I've given some priority to using my time to "try them out" instead of sticking with a single game and a single group. I was involved in a Harn campaign for a couple sessions, which I'd hoped to be able to attend long-term, but it was just a little too long of a drive. The 2300 game is humming along largely thanks to the enthusiasm, energy, leadership, and organizational skills of the GM. On top of that the rules themselves don't contain any big surprises, and between the choice of game and our pre-game preparation (both in-person & via e-mail), we've been able to synch onto a common wavelength nicely. Part of what I mean by this is, I think our shared enthusiasm for the type of game and type of setting represented by 2300 AD turned out to be a fair proxy for being personally compatible.

Quote from: Abyssal MawIf we're going to be totally honest, you should also exclude any game you exclusively have played at conventions as being 'actually played'.

Further excluding "playtests", "demos", and "tryouts".

Why? :confused:   Why don't you count those as playing a game?

Just a slight tangent, I really think it's important for publishers to include an intro adventure in their games. It makes it a hell of a lot easier to get a game started with a new system (game)

Regards,
David R

Quote from: AnemoneWhy? :confused:   Why don't you count those as playing a game?

*I* exclude this, including when I write reviews, and here's why:

In my experience it's very difficult to give a game a proper shakedown and get a feel from it based on just one or two sessions.  Inevitably the group is using one or more rules wrong, has only used the basic mechanics, hasn't built characters (pregens), or otherwise hasn't given the system the sort of test even a short campaign (say 4 or 5 sessions) would.

That's really a matter of personal preference though, and certainly not something I'd hold other folk to.  Just thought I'd share.

This is sad, but, a couple years ago I tried to make a comprehensive list of every RPG I've ever purchased (needless to say I've traded, sold, or given them all away over the years).  The list was over 300 (that's systems, not supplements)!  You could probably add another 50 or so since then.

Then, I went through and added up the number of systems I actually played (not counting a few one shots, or mini sample games)...the total was 26 at the time (might be 28 now).

This is, one of the other reasons I've decided to keep all my purchases at a minimum.:insane:

I currently own HERO, B/XD&D, AD&D, 3E, HKAT, SotMK, Agone, Exalted, UA,  V:tDA, GURPS 3E, C&C, The Mechanoids, HU 1E, TMNT, PFRPG 1E, BtS, Rifts, TMNT, Cosmic Enforcers, Senzar, Cybergeneration, WotG, Mage 2nd, BESM, Classic MSH, Metamorphosis AtO, M&M, Tal4, Aria, TFOS, Nobilis, and Scion.

Over the past two years, I have only played BESM, M&M, WotG, Exalted, 3E, C&C, and HERO.

I want to fix this so badly!

Quote from: grubmanThis is sad, but, a couple years ago I tried to make a comprehensive list of every RPG I've ever purchased (needless to say I've traded, sold, or given them all away over the years).  The list was over 300 (that's systems, not supplements)!  You could probably add another 50 or so since then.

Then, I went through and added up the number of systems I actually played (not counting a few one shots, or mini sample games)...the total was 26 at the time (might be 28 now).

This is, one of the other reasons I've decided to keep all my purchases at a minimum.:insane:

I hear you, but I just like to read the things for some reason.

Quote from: AnemoneWhy? :confused:   Why don't you count those as playing a game?

Nope. Exclusively played at conventions doesn't count.

1) You don't need to own the game for a convention game.

2) If you exclusively play at a convention, you have not approached that game as anything but a showpiece.

3) "Cons are useful for research and playing games you don't normally get to play, but I'm interested in roleplaying as a typical, socially integrated practice. "-- Malcolm Sheppard.

If you only play at conventions- you have not approached the game as a typical, socially integrated practice. Your'e just part of a scene that has attached itself to gaming but doesn't actually reflect anything. Gaming has already passed you by. At some point you have to decide if you game because your'e part of the scene, or if your'e part of the scene because you game.

4) Of course if you play in places other than conventions, AND at conventions, this doesn't count.

Quote from: grubmanThis is sad, but, a couple years ago I tried to make a comprehensive list of every RPG I've ever purchased (needless to say I've traded, sold, or given them all away over the years).  The list was over 300 (that's systems, not supplements)!  You could probably add another 50 or so since then.

Then, I went through and added up the number of systems I actually played (not counting a few one shots, or mini sample games)...the total was 26 at the time (might be 28 now).

This is, one of the other reasons I've decided to keep all my purchases at a minimum.:insane:

Tell me about it, I give away alot of my stuff, if I think that person will have more fun with it, or is a bigger fan, I tend to let them keep it,

But saying that, lol, I tend to rebuy them later,

I wouldn't even try to add up the amount of game systems I've played,
many were only played the once,

In the last year:

Bought (or gotten free)
Conan (Mongoose)
Conan (TSR)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Holy Lands (a Christian rpg that's actually not too bad)
Classic D&D (Moldvay, to see what all the fuss was about; I already had Mentzer's Basic and Expert, and the RC)
Classic D&D (a third copy of Mentzer Basic, this one in smaller digest-size paperback format, had to get this one from the UK)
Stormbringer 3rd
Sovereign Stone (non-D20 version)
Legend of Yor
Shades of Heroes
Lord of the Rings Adventure Game (ICE)
Star Trek (LUG)

Played
Warhammer

Quote from: TechnomancerIn the last year:

Bought (or gotten free)
Conan (Mongoose)
Conan (TSR)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Holy Lands (a Christian rpg that's actually not too bad)
Classic D&D (Moldvay, to see what all the fuss was about; I already had Mentzer's Basic and Expert, and the RC)
Classic D&D (a third copy of Mentzer Basic, this one in smaller digest-size paperback format, had to get this one from the UK)
Stormbringer 3rd
Sovereign Stone (non-D20 version)
Legend of Yor
Shades of Heroes
Lord of the Rings Adventure Game (ICE)
Star Trek (LUG)

Played
Warhammer

Sheesh, any thoughts on that list?  It seems quite weighted on one end.

Is that the original series LUG Trek by the way, out of casual and passing interest?