Cracked open a box, found my RPG books

[MacroGuru]

LOL...I knew I had them just forgot about them. In fact it was the lunch I had with PilotMan the other day where it was brought up and I wanted to see what I still had.

Looks like some are missing...but I have

D & D Red Books (GM & Players Manual)
Warhammer FRP
Twilight 2000 2.2 and Merc 2000 2.2
Wheel of Time
Dark Conspiracy
MERP
Paranoia
Earthdawn (Boxed Set)

and my crown jewel, the entire boxed set of Top Secret/SI in mint condition...

Ahhh, to reminisce and it makes me want to run a campaign now.....

Actually, I am thinking about selling / giving them away...

anyone else have that little hidden stash of books waiting for the day you are going to play again?

[Abe Sargent]

I have six milk crates full of AD&D stuff

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by Abe Sargent

I have six milk crates full of AD&D stuff

Sounds like one of my best friends...now that we all moved across the country he doesn't really pull them out...it's why I am thinking of running a forum / PBEM campaign of one of my games.

[Lathum]

You guys should use this info to pick up chicks.

[Danny]

Originally Posted by Lathum

You guys should use this info to pick up chicks.

Nah, you only whip this stuff out after the I Do's

[Vince, Pt. II]

I have the AD&D 2nd Edition stuff floating around somewhere.

[Celeval]

I've got the D&D Red, Blue, Green, Black, and Gold books somewhere... a bunch of MERP... but my wife has nearly the complete run of anything printed for Changeling: The Dreaming.

[Sgran]

I started up a game of AD&D 1e about 3 years ago and we've been playing regularly. My daughter has been playing also and is hooked. dragonsfoot.org made me realize how many gamers are still out and how the web has made an infinite (no exaggeration) amount of materials available.

[Izulde]

I loved the AD&D 2nd edition games I used to run and be in.

But V:tM LARP... now -that- was where it was at. (Okay it's MET, but same concept).

[gi]

I'd be interested in the crown jewel I had to torrent Top Secret to get my game up and running. I remember Orient Express module...good times.

[BYU 14]

I am sure I have one or two somewhere, but my big pack rat thing is Football stuff.

I have playbooks from nearly every year I have coached, game plans from dozens and dozens of games and notes from every clinic I have every attended. That doesn't even count videos, books and magazines. I am not even allowed to keep it all in the house anymore so takes up a good potion of the crawl space above the house.

Would love to stumble across one of those old D&D books sometime though.

If you ever do start a PBEM game I would be interested.

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by Izulde

I loved the AD&D 2nd edition games I used to run and be in.

But V:tM LARP... now -that- was where it was at. (Okay it's MET, but same concept).

I did the V:tM LARP in Utah, we started one up in the Provo/Orem area and actually went up to the SLC Group a few times...we were the anarchists of the region...it was pretty fun.

[Autumn]

I still have a pretty big stash. I sold a lot of hte older stuff that I didn't care so much about on Amazon. You can also do some trading through rpg.net or maybe even boardgamegeek.com and get some different games you might be more interested in now.

I've started playing with a couple groups in the last year or so and tried out quite a few new games, and some old ones. We're playing Polaris right now, and I'll be running a variant of Spirit of the Century soon, as well as playing in a Serenity campaign. It's actually a great time to be into Rpgs with the Net, as mentioned above.

[Mustang]

Not all RPG, but the bulk of my RPG stuff. I have other stuff scattered about in pockets.

[3ric]

Originally Posted by Celeval

I've got the D&D Red, Blue, Green, Black, and Gold books

Yeah, I've got them all too. The AD&D books, Top Secret, Twilight 2000, Call of Cthulhu, and a bunch more plus some board games. Is there any value in selling these on ebay or amazon?

[Abe Sargent]

RPGs have taken a real nose dive in the last 10-15 years in terms of financial value. For example, for the year 2008, here are how much the various genres made:

Collectible Card Games - 750 million
Collectible Miniature Games - 165 million
Role-Playing Games - 18 million

It's not a lot when you consider the price of the books for RPGs.

For example, the original Fiend Folio used to go for tons of money second hand, because it was so rare, and you could get 40-60 bucks for it. Today, I can Buy It Now on an ebay auction for 10 bucks, and a few in stores for Buy It Now less than that (the cheapest is an international one at five bucks but tons of shipping + handling as a result)

Let me look at some old sales for lots of AD&D books:


Here's 6 books, went for $34, includes the valuable Fiend Folio. AD&D Hardcover Book Lot 6 Books Manuals Guides TSR D&D - eBay (item 230445359485 end time Mar-14-10 20:45:37 PDT)

A bunch of D&D stuff, $10.50 Huge Lot AD&D Dungeon & Dragons Game Books TSR Nice! - eBay (item 220568145887 end time Mar-14-10 16:39:22 PDT)

Here's a lot with a ton of stuff, $156.15. A bit more promising. MEGA lot of D&D and AD&D books games + more - eBay (item 120538357576 end time Mar-12-10 16:59:41 PST)

11 books, $21.23 AD&D lot of 11 books - eBay (item 120538350496 end time Mar-12-10 16:36:43 PST)

65 module sand books went for just $182.50. AD&D D&D Dungeons Dragons HUGE LOT 65+ MODULES & BOOKS - eBay (item 190376756290 end time Mar-07-10 19:00:36 PST)




There are also numerous examples of higher priced buy it nows not getting sold. Here is an example of $70 pricetag for 18 book and no one even bit.

http://cgi.ebay.com/LOT-OF-18-DUNGEO...item414d68dfb3

[Honolulu_Blue]

I have a good collection of a wide assortment of books.

I also have my friends collection. He moved to New York and didn't have the space for everything. He has an insane amount of RPG books. I have no idea how many boxes, but it dominates one entire corner of my basement.

[Abe Sargent]

I think if you want to sell a lot, you have to accept that unless you have something that is rarer and desired (and I don;t know anymore what those would be), then you probably make get between 2-4 bucks a book. That's not a lot when some of these book went for 20+ each. There was a time when, if you wanted to sell out, there were so many players that they would buy your stuff for a good 10-15 price, and some things would increase in value like the Fiend Folio, but that time is long since past. What modern day AD&D player would need the things in yours or mine sets from two or three AD&D editions ago, when they have had a chance for two decades to pick them up?

[Danny]

I am into boardgaming, but have never tried RPG's. I think that goes a little too far for what I am looking for.

[Autumn]

I definitely made well more than $2-4 per book selling things on Amazon. I wouldnl't touch eBay in this case, frankly. Over the last year and a half I sold a lot of old D&D and Paranoia stuff. These were not "collector's items", they were books that had been used but kept in good condition. I'm still selling some classic D&D modules at 8-15 at a pop. I sold most of my books at 10-15 each, some more than that. I've actually made some good money on those old materials.

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by Danny

I am into boardgaming, but have never tried RPG's. I think that goes a little too far for what I am looking for.

There's a lot of variety in the RPG world, so I wouldn't be so sure. There are also a lot of places where boardgames and RPG blur, so you might enjoy some of those games. What you think of as RPGs (most likely classic D&D) bears so little resemblance to other games out there these days. Some have a lot of the elements that draw people into board games, others emphasize storytelling, either directing a character or even just collaborative tale telling where the players compete for control of the narrative but don't pick a character.

[Bobble]

Originally Posted by Mustang

Not all RPG, but the bulk of my RPG stuff. I have other stuff scattered about in pockets.

What has it got in its nassty little pocketses? Some cool stuff, actually.

[Mustang]

The vast majority of newer RPG stuff, you can't even give away. I won't touch 90% of the d20 crap.

Most AD&D common stuff goes for around $7-$10 a pop depending on condition. Uncommon stuff you can get around $15 and then it goes up from there. Usually you can factor in 2 1/2x the price for shrink wrapped stuff. The rare stuff (like the orange cover Palace of the Silver Princess and the Mono stuff) you can still command a good dollar, but the collectibles market as a whole is deflated dramatically in the last few years (not just RPG collectibles)

AD&D 2nd edition stuff, as a whole, isn't that great. There are a few pieces here and there that are ok, but as a whole I tend to stay away from that stuff as well as the 4th edition stuff. AD&D 3 and 3.5 version items are about 50% of book value except for the 3.5 Core stuff.

MERP as a whole is pretty solid although even that is around 40% deflated from around 3 years ago.

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by Abe Sargent

Here's 6 books, went for $34, includes the valuable Fiend Folio. AD&D Hardcover Book Lot 6 Books Manuals Guides TSR D&D - eBay (item 230445359485 end time Mar-14-10 20:45:37 PDT)

A bunch of D&D stuff, $10.50 Huge Lot AD&D Dungeon & Dragons Game Books TSR Nice! - eBay (item 220568145887 end time Mar-14-10 16:39:22 PDT)

Here's a lot with a ton of stuff, $156.15. A bit more promising. MEGA lot of D&D and AD&D books games + more - eBay (item 120538357576 end time Mar-12-10 16:59:41 PST)

11 books, $21.23 AD&D lot of 11 books - eBay (item 120538350496 end time Mar-12-10 16:36:43 PST)

65 module sand books went for just $182.50. AD&D D&D Dungeons Dragons HUGE LOT 65+ MODULES & BOOKS - eBay (item 190376756290 end time Mar-07-10 19:00:36 PST)




There are also numerous examples of higher priced buy it nows not getting sold. Here is an example of $70 pricetag for 18 book and no one even bit.

LOT OF 18 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS AD&D HANDBOOKS MANUALS ETC - eBay (item 280471592883 end time Mar-06-10 20:02:58 PST)

Since I was watching most of these items.

1st auction, normal price.

2nd auction, random junk. Hollow World... meh.

3rd auction. I was going to bid on that, but after further inspection many of the boxes are beat up, the maps are mixed up, some stuff looks wavy and it screams 'stuff missing'. Planescape is in there which I think I sold a copy for $60-70 several weeks ago. Someone could have gotten a decent deal if everything is complete

4th auction. 2nd edition stuff.. only around $3 a book

5th auction. About average price that I would expect. They seeded the auction with a bunch of junk (magazines)

Selling your stuff in lots is easiest on the buyer since you only have to do one shipment, but you won't realize the full value although, you'll need patience to do that so, most people just want what they want and are happy with it.

Given my above comments... I don't think it is that hard to connect the dots on what my side business is.

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by Bobble

What has it got in its nassty little pocketses? Some cool stuff, actually.

I have more Battletech stuff upstairs, my Morrow Project books are upstairs also. I know I have box sets mixed up with my board game collection which is primarily packed up right now save for around 60-70 in the basement.

[Calis]

Man I have fond memories of Top Secret, Was my first RPG, and we actually played it in study hall when I was in 6th or 7th grade. Our teacher actually brought it in. Good times.

I haven't played anything since High School, but recently I've got this sick obsession with reading through rulebooks for systems. Standard D&D fare doesn't interest me, but I'm really impressed with the "indie" game scene and some of the evolution there to more cooperative storytelling and handling of social conflicts. Some neat ideas.

I've really enjoyed reading up on Dogs in the Vineyard, Primetime Adventures, and even Mouse Guard(beautiful book), among others. Id mistakenly assumed everything was still D&D and White Wolf. I really wanted to get the PDF for this Dust Devils game, but looks like it is not sold anywhere now. I'm a sucker for Westerns.

Doubt I will ever play these games, that time has passed and the couple people I know who still play are either aggravating or play nothing but Rifts. I hate Rifts. Now I find myself more curious about the design ideas. Anyone else read but don't play?

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Calis

Doubt I will ever play these games, that time has passed and the couple people I know who still play are either aggravating or play nothing but Rifts. I hate Rifts. Now I find myself more curious about the design ideas. Anyone else read but don't play?

I do buy games just to read that I know I will never play (e.g., "Burning Empires"), but I also still play. I do enjoy reading about game designs and different concepts.

I have read through and played a couple of the more "indie" type games that play into the whole cooperative storytelling idea. "Witch Mountain", I believe is one of those types of games. To be honest, I really don't care for them. I understand what they are trying to accomplish and I appreciate it and I could see where it would help certain groups or players get more invovled in the role-playing/storytelling aspect of things, while taking a step back from a hack-n-slash/stats/numbers game, but the group I play (and have been for the last 15-20 years or so) are all pretty advanced role players. The system stuff doesn't really help. It just gets in the way and feels very forced.

To be fair though, the two or three times we have tried one those types of games, our weakest GM in the group was running it. Perhaps in more skilled hands it could be better.

Also, as much as I enjoy reading about new systems, the system is the last thing I really think about when playing a RPG. I know there are a ton of shortcomings to the d20 system, but I think it's fine. It's adapatable, I understand it, it makes sense and doesn't get in the way. I have found that some systems try to be so clever that they end up creating more trouble than it's worth.

[Bobble]

Originally Posted by Calis

Doubt I will ever play these games, that time has passed and the couple people I know who still play are either aggravating or play nothing but Rifts. I hate Rifts. Now I find myself more curious about the design ideas. Anyone else read but don't play?

I've read a lot but haven't played in a long time. The Mythic Game Master Emulator seems like a great way to RPG on my own terms.

[Calis]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I do buy games just to read that I know I will never play (e.g., "Burning Empires"), but I also still play. I do enjoy reading about game designs and different concepts.

I have read through and played a couple of the more "indie" type games that play into the whole cooperative storytelling idea. "Witch Mountain", I believe is one of those types of games. To be honest, I really don't care for them. I understand what they are trying to accomplish and I appreciate it and I could see where it would help certain groups or players get more invovled in the role-playing/storytelling aspect of things, while taking a step back from a hack-n-slash/stats/numbers game, but the group I play (and have been for the last 15-20 years or so) are all pretty advanced role players. The system stuff doesn't really help. It just gets in the way and feels very forced.

To be fair though, the two or three times we have tried one those types of games, our weakest GM in the group was running it. Perhaps in more skilled hands it could be better.

Also, as much as I enjoy reading about new systems, the system is the last thing I really think about when playing a RPG. I know there are a ton of shortcomings to the d20 system, but I think it's fine. It's adapatable, I understand it, it makes sense and doesn't get in the way. I have found that some systems try to be so clever that they end up creating more trouble than it's worth.

Yeah I agree some are over the top. I looked at Burning Wheel which seems like an Indie darling, and I love some ideas but man it is pretty rules heavy. Mouse Guard is a much more simplified and streamlined version, but I think it is almost too rigidly structured.

I haven't played D20 as my last system was 2nd edition, but the thing that I'm seeing that didn't work well in that version is social conflicts. There was extremely minimal detail to non physical combat. I know people complain that the social is about roleplaying and shouldn't have mechanics, but that's a terrible argument imo. I should be able to play someone who is much more charming and a smooth talker than me, just like I can play someone who is a master swordsman when I'm obviously not. It is an argument I see a lot though. Does D20 address this more than past versions?

That's why I really liked the Dogs in the Vineyard system when I read up on it, apart from having a really interesting setting, it has a nice conflict and escalation system, which really builds some suspense and makes for a more narrative focus rather than a miniatures wargame.

Then again like I said, I'm reading not playing so what I find interesting is all theoretical. I can't imagine playing these games with the groups I was in, it just wouldn't work. It does allow some non-geeks to be interested though, as I even have the wife excited to try Primetime Adventures, and that's one I'm sure I can talk people into. Everyone is familiar with TV and has had ideas at some point concerning it.

I'm looking at these games almost as solo creative writing projects, so that Mythic GM Emulator looks neat. I might try that out.

[Warhammer]

Even though I have not played an RPG in years, there are still game days where someone will bring up Paranoia. Probably my single most cherished gaming moment was playing MERP when I killed one of the other party memebers and threw the GM for a loop (was even better when I was able to justify it to the GM).

There are plenty of gamers out there. I just got done helping to run games at MidSouthCon and we had about 400 gamers come through over the weekend.

[Mustang]

I really want to try to work in a Gen Con trip this year. I haven't been to it since it moved out of Milwaukee.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Mustang

I really want to try to work in a Gen Con trip this year. I haven't been to it since it moved out of Milwaukee.

Indy isn't a bad spot for it. Downtown Indy is essentially like one giant outdoor mall. Lots of chain restaurants and stores and stuff. There are a few decent places and there is a lot more space for everything and the space is much cleaner.

That said, I miss Milwaukee. It was more unique and had some great charm to it.

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Indy isn't a bad spot for it. Downtown Indy is essentially like one giant outdoor mall. Lots of chain restaurants and stores and stuff. There are a few decent places and there is a lot more space for everything and the space is much cleaner.

Thought it would be decent in Indy. I avoid it the first year because I didn't know how smoothly everything would go of course, after that I got married so, haven't found the time to go down there since. It is still a relatively close drive (6 hrs, 300 miles). I might go this year and write it off as a business expense.

[Warhammer]

If anyone wants to have an excuse to come to Beale St., we're having Game Con Memphis from Oct 1st - 3rd this year. LARP, RPG, boardgaming, and miniatures will all be represented and played. We will also have a Settlers of Catan and Dominion tournament as well as a Boardgame Design Contest (tentatively), and a Federation Commander war between the Federation and Klingons.

[gi]

I switched to Savage Worlds (for Deadlands and Fantasy) and really enjoy the streamlined combat. Made roleplay more fun too. Reign and Spirit of the Century are on my to do list. CoC too.

[Abe Sargent]

The 2nd Edition Player's Option was the best by far in imho. I took everything, put it into one classless pool, added points for THAC0 charts, Hit dice, save charts, etc that are classed based, and then added stuff from the various handbooks that were kit or class specific and made them options, and then you could build whatever character you wanted with the points. It was awesome. Even generic PO was awesome.

[Autumn]

I've had some fun dipping into some of the indie games wiht a few interested people. We've done Burning Wheel, Thou Art But A Warrior, My Life With Master, In a Wicked Age. Before I got involved they tried Primetime Adventures and a few more of these.

I think what really helps is to have someone who's played at a con or something. These are hard games to just pick up off the shelf and introduce to a group where nobody's tried it. A lot of your D&D style instincts can get in the way, or it can just be hard to figure out where the meat of the system is. I find them really fun though. We play D&D too, but this is a different style of fun.

But yes, I really like just reading the systems too even if I don't think I can play them. Some of them are a lot of fun to read.

[MacroGuru]

Yeah I definitely buy books and download books just to read through the system.

I do think Catalyst has done well with the new version of Twilight and Shadowrun.

[Mustang]

I'm a rules whore so, I'm drawn into RPGs with lots of charts and characters that take 3 hours to create. I think Rolemaster was made specifically for me.

[Abe Sargent]

I like Rolemaster, I have many of the books

[Celeval]

I got interested in Rolemaster through MERP and particularly liked the combat system; but never actually ran or played a game. The people I played with weren't nearly hardcode enough for something with that many numbers.

[Abe Sargent]

Holy crap, Heroquest stuff did climb significantly in value. Jeez. Expansions in the hundreds of dollars and the base game in the 80-100 range for a Milton Bradley game.

[Danny]

I bid on a copy of Heroquest from a local seller, but my max bid of $40 bot beat by a dollar. Copies can actually be found for that amount 40-60 if buying a used copy that isn't in great condition.

[Abe Sargent]

I wonder if we could play Forum HeroQuest. II need to go reread the rules.

[DataKing]

I still have all of my old RPG stuff. Haven't touched some of it in years, but I'll still flip through it on occasion. It fills a chest-of-draws and then some. Don't know if I'll ever have the guts to try to sell it all...too many fond memories.

My collection includes the following (I know I'm forgetting some things too):

D&D Box Sets (the "red box" was my first exposure to RPGs)
AD&D 2nd and 3rd edition (a couple of 1st edition books too)
Top Secret/S.I.
Twilight 2000
Middle Earth Role Playing
Earthdawn
Marvel Super Heroes
Champions
Traveler 2000
Star Frontiers
Battletech/MechWarrior
Rifts (love the setting, hate the rules)
Star Wars (the old West End D6 version, not that D20 crap)
Call of Cthulhu
Vampire: The Masquerade
Dark Conspiracy
RuneQuest
Robotech
Car Wars (not really an RPG, but close enough)
Cyberpunk

Yeah, I was a D&D nerd.

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by Abe Sargent

Holy crap, Heroquest stuff did climb significantly in value. Jeez. Expansions in the hundreds of dollars and the base game in the 80-100 range for a Milton Bradley game.

Yep.

Elfquest is around $275, Barbarian around $150-$200. Kellar's Keep is the cheapest at around $35.

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by Mustang

Not all RPG, but the bulk of my RPG stuff. I have other stuff scattered about in pockets.

Gamma World!!!!

I loved that game!!! Played it for two years in 5th-6th grade with some creepy teens, but it was so fun. I'm jealous.

[Abe Sargent]

As an added irony, my next Werewolf game is based on Masque of the Red Death, a Ravenloft sub-world from the 2nd Edition of AD&D

[Sgran]

If you hurry you can still get to GaryCon http://www.garycon.com/

[cubboyroy1826]

I have tons of the old stuff but our group has recently moved over to the Savage Worlds System. This is a super easy system to learn and very easy to run. If you are not familiar with Savage check it out at Welcome to Pinnacle's Weird Website! .