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Author Topic: Moving, RPG Collections & the Temptation of a Spartan Lifestyle  (Read 1194 times)

Pebbles and Marbles

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Or: How I tried to come up with the longest topic title like ever!

In about a month, I'll be moving about 80 miles from where I'm living now.  Enough of a distance that it'll necessitate a full move of all my possessions, right?

Well, I'm suddenly finding myself tempted to seriously thin down my possessions, to those that either I'll be making steady use or, or that have some emotional value to me otherwise.  The latter bit of that doesn't account for a great deal, actually, and they're typically very small, easily transported items.

But -- and, in the context of this site -- man, am I ever tempted to wade into my RPG collection and just start swinging the sickle o' doom.  As to what I'll do with what I don't want...well, that's the problem.  

I really don't have the time right now to put it up on eBay, which would be a fairly easy solution otherwise.  There's no FLGS around here to unload upon.  And I really don't know any gamers in the area anymore, other than a friend or two and none of them would be particularly interested.

So, assuming that I don't pack all the stuff up and sort through it later, what would other people's suggestions be?  Making money off of the stuff would be nice, but it's not a necessity.  If I could think of some sort of charitable organization that could make use of the material, I'd definately be tempted in that direction.

The other question is what I'll keep.  At this point, I find myself leaning towards keeping a few core rulebooks for various systems, and getting rid of the supplements, worldbooks, and boxsets attached to them.  After all, I've noticed that my desires tend towards making my own shit up anymore than using pre-existing worlds.  The exception would be some of my 1st Ed. D&D materials, particuarly the old modules.  I still like those, and can see getting use out of them.

Oh well, I'm using this thread mostly as an excuse to delay actually getting to work on this.  If this is better suited to another area, feel free to move it.
 

Kyle Aaron

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« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2006, 06:34:44 PM »
Every game book I have ever sold, thrown away or lost, I have later regretted the loss of. How that regret balances up against the trouble of schlepping them all around for the years in between, I don't know. ;)

I just regretted it, is all I know.
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« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2006, 06:41:55 PM »
About one month after you move, you'll be wanting to fatten up your possessions again.

During my last move, I threw out my original Atari 2600 I had owned since I was 11.  After about 3 months at my new address and every day since, I've wondered what the fuck I had been smoking to do such a thing.

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« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2006, 07:05:17 PM »
Quote from: JimBobOz
Every game book I have ever sold, thrown away or lost, I have later regretted the loss of. How that regret balances up against the trouble of schlepping them all around for the years in between, I don't know. ;)

I just regretted it, is all I know.


I feel EXACTLY the same way.  I had to sell off part of my collection about 7 years ago, and even though I've replaced most of those books they're just not the same as the ones I had.

However, having moved only a year and a half ago and having another big move in a year I am also tempted.  I doubt I'll ever play AD&D again, and if I do I have OSRIC.  I doubt I'll ever open my Hunter: the Reckoning supplements.  But man, it's so much fun to have people over who see the collection and say things like "Wow, your collection is crazy!"
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Pebbles and Marbles

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« Reply #4 on: November 19, 2006, 10:31:51 PM »
I don't think seller's regret is going to factor into it, honestly.  I've parted with various RPG items in the past, and I've never felt any twinge of remorse about what I let go.  The only items I've ever pined for and/or subsequently repurchased have been items that I've lost due to loaning them to people.

I'm pretty good at knowing what I'll likely never use, and at recognizing what I have some sort of attachment towards.  Most of my RPG collection falls within the first category and not within the latter.  

That said, I know there'll be a few tough choices, with things that I have used heavily in the past but that I don't imagine I'll ever likely make use of in the future.  Again, most of this is setting material moreso than rules.  I find that I can easily return to rules over and over, but there's a point where settings lose their appeal to me after awhile.  

Factor into all of this the fact that moving will be a situation that presents itself every two to three years...well, the desire to make moving easier begins to trump any second-guessing about nostalgic attachment.
 

fonkaygarry

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« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2006, 10:42:57 PM »
Do I smell a sale thread?
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Pebbles and Marbles

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« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2006, 11:07:04 PM »
Quote from: fonkaygarry
Do I smell a sale thread?



That's tempting, though it would be a bit difficult to do while I'm moving.  And I'm not sure how much interest there would be around here for a great deal --  -- various White Wolf stuff (Changeling; Wraith; Abberant; Exalted); 2nd Ed AD&D rulebooks, setting material, &c; some 3e stuff; "indie" RPGs of one variety or another (BESM; Sorcerer) --  of what I'd be letting go.

In the words of Bjork: Possibly maybe?
 

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« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2006, 01:05:47 PM »
Quote from: JimBobOz
Every game book I have ever sold, thrown away or lost, I have later regretted the loss of. How that regret balances up against the trouble of schlepping them all around for the years in between, I don't know. ;)

I just regretted it, is all I know.


Ditto and in complete agreement with Jimbob.  Don't do it man.

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Pebbles and Marbles

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« Reply #8 on: November 20, 2006, 01:44:36 PM »
Quote from: RPGPundit
Ditto and in complete agreement with Jimbob.  Don't do it man.



:p

I love that you all are trying to save me from myself here.  No, really.  It's actually charming.

And Pundit, you can't really be advising me to not sell off Sorcerer, can you?  ;)

Tell you all what...for those items that I've been torn on selling, I'll leave them here, stored with someone I trust and give it a few months in the new place to see if I still want them.

As for those items that I know I have no use for -- either in that I didn't care for the game, or I felt I've used it as far as I care to -- I'll probably still part with those.
 

KrakaJak

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« Reply #9 on: November 20, 2006, 02:27:55 PM »
I recommend Craig's List. Craigslist.org is the url. It's free, you set the price and they come to you :)
 
Although, I've been looking for an Abberant and Adventure!. I might be prsuaded to buy them off of you.
 
Good luck with all that though :) Moving sucks!
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ColonelHardisson

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« Reply #10 on: November 20, 2006, 02:53:16 PM »
I'm in a similar situation. I had to move rather abruptly, and now have a ton of stuff in my vehicle. It's really causing a problem, as I have no place to store it all and it's already caused a massive problem - the strain of moving this stuff about 175 miles did in my engine, and now I've got to have the head rebuilt at a cost I can ill-afford. I can't leave the stuff in the vehicle to possibly cause any other problems, so I'm getting rid of it ASAP. Nope, no sale thread. No time for that or for eBay, or for costs that could crop up from either (for example, I simply cannot afford to pay up-front for shipping). It's gotta go. I already got rid of quite a pile of stuff, and I'm going to check in with a FLGS I know that buys used game stuff. If that is a no-go - off to Goodwill or some other charity place I go.

It's gonna be really, really tough to get rid of this stuff. But I also feel it'll be a freeing experience. Yeah, I know I'll regret getting rid of some of it. I'll keep what I can, especially the stuff I've had for going on 30 years now. But hell, I haven't been able to find a group to game with in so long, what's it gonna matter, really? At some point, casting off one's material possessions can be a positive thing.
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arminius

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« Reply #11 on: November 20, 2006, 03:48:50 PM »
Craigslist is a great idea. I love being able to post junk that isn't worth selling and then have people haul it away from my apartment for free.

There might also be a service in your area which will sell stuff on eBay for you, with no upfront fees.

A couple hits off of Google ("ebay sell for you"):
http://www.i-soldit.com/index.asp
http://www.sellingrequest.com/indexflash.html
http://www.expressdrop.com/ (Chicago area only)

As a thought, some of the services might work in conjunction with charities (say, by taking a reduced service charge if you donate the balance).

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« Reply #12 on: November 20, 2006, 04:39:04 PM »
Quote from: Pebbles and Marbles
:p

And Pundit, you can't really be advising me to not sell off Sorcerer, can you?  ;)



Yes, yes I am.

At the very least, there are times I wished I still had a copy of Vampire 1st edition just so I could reference and quote specific quotes from that book that back up my points about its crapulence.  I never owned a copy of Sorcerer, but it would be much the same.

Books are always useful for something.  I might recommend you don't bother buying a book in the first place, but I can't think of an occasion where I'd recommend you get rid of a book.

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« Reply #13 on: November 20, 2006, 04:44:45 PM »
Quote
At the very least, there are times I wished I still had a copy of Vampire 1st edition just so I could reference and quote specific quotes from that book that back up my points about its crapulence.


I was actually looking at my (falling apart) 1st ed. Vampire book yesterday.  There are a few system things that are "not too bad" if you overlook the "storytelling" advice, the stupid ninja-punk vampires, and the rest of the junk.

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« Reply #14 on: November 20, 2006, 07:13:27 PM »
I've just been through this same scenario.  I've recently moved from a fairly large place with plenty of storage to a small apartment.  I've had to rationalise all my belongings.  Even to the point where I'm starting to consider whether I really need a desktop computer anymore and whether I can manage with just a laptop.  By my standards, that's a pretty big step... I've had a desktop computer for 15+ years.  It's usually the one item that gets packed with serious care and the first item to get set-up whenever I settle into a new place.

In this context, my roleplaying books seem incredibly unimportant.  I'll certainly be offloading all my 2nd ed D&D books.  Heck, I can't really see much reason to keep any of my D&D books at all, except for nostalgia (which, I admit is actually a pretty good reason).  But just how long do you keep schlepping around junk that you never actually use?

These days, there is so much stuff available as a PDF... it's such a good compromise in many ways.  Stuff that I've bought in PDF format can be kept on my laptop, even if I ditch the printed copy.