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Those Old Games Books in the Attic. Why Do You Keep Them?

Started by Greentongue, October 18, 2021, 07:08:43 AM

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Greentongue

Quote from: KingCheops on October 18, 2021, 11:14:30 AM
This all became useful as a younger friend of mine who only played WotC editions watched a video about 2e and decided he wanted to try some old school gaming.
Living the Dream!

Never really understood the mindset that says if it doesn't have content being churned out, it's not worth learning.
The older games are just fine but, trying to get people to play them is a struggle.

GeekyBugle

I'm not a hoarder, I'm not a hoarder, I'm not a hoarder, I'm not a hoarder, I'm not a hoarder....
Quote from: Rhedyn

Here is why this forum tends to be so stupid. Many people here think Joe Biden is "The Left", when he is actually Far Right and every US republican is just an idiot.

"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."

― George Orwell

Ratman_tf

Quote from: Greentongue on October 18, 2021, 07:08:43 AM
I was just thinking about the books I have stored in the attic and wondering why I keep them and if I'm the only one that thinks I might get them back out "some day"?

Even if I could find someone interested in GURPS or RuneQuest, trying to get people to play 290 year old games can be an uphill struggle.

Besides, if they have been sitting in boxes for that many years what are the odds I'm going to suddenly get the inspiration to pull them out and do more than just remember the old times?

How do you justify keep boxes of old game stuff?  How often has it even actually been reused?

Over the span of various moves, out of my parent's place, and then from AK to WA, I lost a good chunk of my gaming stuff. Stuff that I really missed. All of my Basic thru 2nd edition AD&D books, some really great board games and painted miniatures. Some of it I don't necessarily miss, and some I do.
Over the past few years, I've replaced a lot of it via Ebay, 2nd hand purchases, re-releases and Print on Demand from DriveThruRPG.
Now, when I'm faced with tossing some old gaming stuff, I think "Am I going to miss this in a decade or so?"
I've boxed up all my Transformers CCG, and X-Wing Miniatures 1st edition. I have a few armies that I don't play but can't bear to part with. Mostly some Warmachine 2nd edition. And all my RPG books.

Some of it will likely never get used, but I have GMed WEG D6 and 2nd Edition AD&D from time to time.
The notion of an exclusionary and hostile RPG community is a fever dream of zealots who view all social dynamics through a narrow keyhole of structural oppression.
-Haffrung

Ratman_tf

Quote from: Greentongue on October 18, 2021, 07:46:20 AM
Like the people that pay for Self Storage but don't remember all the things they stuffed away there.
At what point does it become "trashable"?

That's the big question innit? At what point does one become an RPG hoarder.

Quote(Smaug) had passed from an uneasy dream...to a doze, and from a doze to wide waking. There was a breath of strange air in his cave... He stirred and stretched forth his neck to sniff. Then he missed the cup!

Thieves! Fire! Murder! His rage passes (sic) description - the sort of rages that is seen only when rich folk that have more than they can enjoy suddenly lose something that they have long had but have never before used or wanted. His fire belched forth, the hall smoked, he shook the mountain-roots.

I don't think there's a pat answer. I did recently do a room clean and my rule of thumb is that if I haven't used something in the past year or so, it's eligible for the trash.
I think right now I draw the line at #1. How cluttered is my room? and #2. I'm not going to rent storage space for old gaming stuff.
The notion of an exclusionary and hostile RPG community is a fever dream of zealots who view all social dynamics through a narrow keyhole of structural oppression.
-Haffrung

S'mon

I would never put game books in the attic. In my old flat there was not enough shelf space for everything so some stuff was in piles in the under-stairs store room, but now that I have umpteen shelves, everything is proudly on display. Visitors often come and marvel.  ;D
Shadowdark Wilderlands (Fridays 2pm UK/9am EST)  https://smons.blogspot.com/2024/08/shadowdark.html
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GeekyBugle

Quote from: Ratman_tf on October 18, 2021, 12:16:35 PM
Quote from: Greentongue on October 18, 2021, 07:46:20 AM
Like the people that pay for Self Storage but don't remember all the things they stuffed away there.
At what point does it become "trashable"?

That's the big question innit? At what point does one become an RPG hoarder.

Quote(Smaug) had passed from an uneasy dream...to a doze, and from a doze to wide waking. There was a breath of strange air in his cave... He stirred and stretched forth his neck to sniff. Then he missed the cup!

Thieves! Fire! Murder! His rage passes (sic) description - the sort of rages that is seen only when rich folk that have more than they can enjoy suddenly lose something that they have long had but have never before used or wanted. His fire belched forth, the hall smoked, he shook the mountain-roots.

I don't think there's a pat answer. I did recently do a room clean and my rule of thumb is that if I haven't used something in the past year or so, it's eligible for the trash.
I think right now I draw the line at #1. How cluttered is my room? and #2. I'm not going to rent storage space for old gaming stuff.

It's why I switched to PDF's in most of my new buys. Only after reading it AND if I'm going to play it (and I do mean until I'm going to play it) then I might get the phisycal book.
Quote from: Rhedyn

Here is why this forum tends to be so stupid. Many people here think Joe Biden is "The Left", when he is actually Far Right and every US republican is just an idiot.

"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."

― George Orwell

Eric Diaz

#21
Probably nostalgia. Lots of games I will never run (or run again). Nowadays, I mostly buy PDFs.

Well, also, I bought some 5e books, you cannot buy those in PDFs, but I've stopped buying 5e stuff a while ago.

I definitely wouldn't rent space for my books (I don't need to, I have fewer than 100 books), but I might be a PDF hoarder (I have about 100,000 files in my RPG folder, but that includes stock art, character sheets, redundant copies, zipped file with multiple books, etc. All legal, most bough in sales or bundles).
Chaos Factory Books  - Dark fantasy RPGs and more!

Methods & Madness - my  D&D 5e / Old School / Game design blog.

Jam The MF

Quote from: hedgehobbit on October 18, 2021, 08:34:29 AM
Quote from: Greentongue on October 18, 2021, 07:08:43 AM
I was just thinking about the books I have stored in the attic and wondering why I keep them and if I'm the only one that thinks I might get them back out "some day"?

You are looking at this all wrong. The secret to using old games is to stop buying new games. So the question should be, "Why do you keep buying games when you already have enough?"


Yes!!!  Well played.
Let the Dice, Decide the Outcome.  Accept the Results.

GeekyBugle

Quote from: hedgehobbit on October 18, 2021, 08:34:29 AM
Quote from: Greentongue on October 18, 2021, 07:08:43 AM
I was just thinking about the books I have stored in the attic and wondering why I keep them and if I'm the only one that thinks I might get them back out "some day"?

You are looking at this all wrong. The secret to using old games is to stop buying new games. So the question should be, "Why do you keep buying games when you already have enough?"

What type of heresy is this!?

Quote from: Rhedyn

Here is why this forum tends to be so stupid. Many people here think Joe Biden is "The Left", when he is actually Far Right and every US republican is just an idiot.

"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."

― George Orwell

Opaopajr

I keep them to oppress the young. 8) By hoarding them from circulation they are forced to create their own lesser RPGs, pale reflections of a golden age, so that We may deign their ersatz efforts with Our smug indifference.  ;D Huzzah, Our grand conspiracy has come to fruition! ;D
Just make your fuckin\' guy and roll the dice, you pricks. Focus on what\'s interesting, not what gives you the biggest randomly generated virtual penis.  -- J Arcane
 
You know, people keep comparing non-TSR D&D to deck-building in Magic: the Gathering. But maybe it\'s more like Katamari Damacy. You keep sticking shit on your characters until they are big enough to be a star.
-- talysman

Jam The MF

I don't want to get rid of my old books.  I go through phases where I rotate which ones are handy, and which ones are stored.  I usually alternate between White Box, 1E, 2E, 3E, and 3.5E /// and 4E, Pathfinder, and 5E.  One of those 2 groups, is usually the current hotness.  3.5E back, or 4E forward.  Lots to use, either way.
Let the Dice, Decide the Outcome.  Accept the Results.

Shawn Driscoll

Quote from: Greentongue on October 18, 2021, 07:08:43 AM
How do you justify keep boxes of old game stuff?  How often has it even actually been reused?

I don't have boxes full of old games. I got rid of them years ago. What I do have are bookshelves full of RPG books that I reach for regularly from my desk. I read them. Get ideas from them. Write apps to simplify or mimic certain die rolls or chargen from rules I'm exploring.

rickss

I think the only book(s) I still have that I don't use is Top Secret (oh! and an early edition of Shadowrun). Car Wars gets played every couple of years.  All the D&D stuff gets used on a regular basis.

As to why I keep it? Because I might fund people to play a Top Secret or Shadowrun game. I likely won't, but the space they take vs the money I would get for them is negligible.

Mishihari

I'm a data packrat.  IMO all information has intrinsic value and should be preserved.  Fortunately with the advent of the digital age, that doesn't mean I need to become a hoarder

Nerzenjäger

I hear a lot of variations on "I just like having the original books".

For me, it's just that: mostly an aesthetic/sensory decision. But I do regularly get rid of stuff and get other old stuff.
"You play Conan, I play Gandalf.  We team up to fight Dracula." - jrients