Recollecting my collection

Lord Dynel · Post by **Lord Dynel** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:13 pm

This was spurred by a comment by serleran on the "New Old Skool" thread.

I know this is a highly subjective and will differ vastly by the person replying, but I thought I'd ask you all fine folk.

I collected D&D product for many a year. Had two standard 6'-high, 3'-wide shelves full (including the topes of them) of Basic and Advanced D&D books. When 3rd edition was announced, I began to wonder, "How much of this stuff do I need?" I thought that I would start fresh and sell my entire collection of D&D books and continue on, playing 3rd Edition.

One of my main movitators was that I didn't use much of the product. Even while playing those editons, I'd only use a module or supplement sparingly, rarely, almost always always relying on my own stuff for my games. So I looked at two big bookshelves full of stuff with a little disdain - I loved the stuff, but I wasn't using it enough.

So in the end, I sold it all (except for a woody set) back in '99 and never looked back. However, in the past few years (starting back in '05 or so) I've started to get the itch to get the stuff back. Now, I don't know if it's the chase of re-collecting the stuff or nostalgia biting me in the ass, or what, but I've been slowly rebuilding my collection.

I guess I'm just wondering if once I get to a sizable collection if I'll go and sell all the crap again for some other odd reason. I know I can't get a true answer (and maybe I'm just looking for some cheap therapy) but I've been kind of wondering lately if this is the wisest move to make. I'm having fun and I seem to appreciate the stuff a little more than I used to, but I wonder if, in the end, it'll be "worth it" to have gotten all the stuff back.
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serleran · Post by **serleran** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:28 pm

Collecting is a bit of a psychological game. It is not one you can win, but it is one that can suppress or provide momentary satisfaction. If you have a manageable list of things you want, then you're better off -- you'll be able to set goals, accomplish them, and feel good about it. If, however, you are like me, where you see one thing and find 15 more, then you're in for a perpetual hunt... it can be overwhelming, and that can ruin what is supposed to be fun. If, like I have done, you end up buying 50 books and then casually place them on a shelf and say "what's next," then you might need to step back, re-examine what you're doing, and, most importantly... why.
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Lord Dynel · Post by **Lord Dynel** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 3:14 pm

Indeed. That is part of the issue with me...the "why." I don't know if I like my "why" answer - which is simply to recollect my collection I had before I sold it. But when I ask myself, "well, why do I want to do that?" I can't come up with a good reason other than, "because it would be awesome," "or "because I miss my old modules." I'm sure I would put them to much more use other than I did before (which was, basically, sitting on my shelf) simply because I just don't have the time to create as much as I'd like (like the old days). And add to this whole thing that I'm a partial completist (oxymoron, I know ), and it makes matters worse. For example, I never bought much Spelljammer stuff outside the box set, but I needed all the I-series or the N-series 1st Edition modules.
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serleran · Post by **serleran** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 3:20 pm

Well, I'd say that, if you plan to actually make use of them, and you're getting them to play, and enjoy, then that's a very worthy goal, just as it could be if the intent was to simply have them in shrinkwrap (as some collectors do.) Everyone has different reasons for doing what they do -- the key is being comfortable with your reasons. If you're questioning it, it might be worthwhile to pursue the question, and come to terms with the answer -- maybe what you thought was the reason is superficial?

I know, from my own experience, I have had to redefine my goals. They have become more complex, but when complete, I know I will finally have that glow-worm sensation. The fine folks here and elsewhere (mostly Dragonsfoot and The Acaeum) are assisting.

I would suggest not selling anything unless you are confident that you do not want it -- regret is a terrible thing.
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moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 3:55 pm

This is a thread I can completely relate to.

In fact one of the reasons I have so much more problems parting with stuff now is because of a few past experiences.

Things I have owned in the past but sold or traded included an almost complete Spelljammer product line, my FASA Battletech / Mechwarrior collection from the late 80's and early 90's, The MERP box set and handful of accessories, Kara Tur box set and my spare first edition Forgotten Realms. There were other odds and ends but just between the Spelljammer stuff and the FASA stuff alone was a massive amount of books. I regret losing some of this stuff too.

I have since re-acquired the Spelljammer box set, the Lost Ships accessory, and at some point I'll get back the Spacefarer's Handbook. I can do away with the rest of the material. I love my MERP box set back but I'll settle with RMX and the various additions I've gotten to go along with it. The Battletech stuff -- would love to but I'm not going there because I know me. Kara Tur would be nice but I'm not going to hunt for a copy.

Like some of you, I tend to set goals and complete what I view as 'sets' or 'groupings' of products. Ironically, I was never big into 3.5 and only switched up from 3.0 when I became involved as a player in a regular campaign. I sold my 3.0 books and got a great deal on a new set off Amazon. The 'swap' might have cost me about $15 out of pocket. When I introduced a DM to C&C, he begged me to help him track down a copy of the PHB and M&T as well as the Yggsburgh hardback. I did, and he gave me (traded) Monster Manual II, III, the Fiend Folio, and a Forgotten Realms critter book (softcover) for 3rd ed in exchange. I got the better of the deal but I wound up with more. I already had more than half of the original class books for 3.0 (like Sword & Fist) and the Tome of Vile Darkness so I wound up getting the rest of the splat books and the Book of Exalted Deeds to complement what I had. Finally, I got Unearthed Arcana for 3rd because I really liked it and the Deities and Demigods because I always liked to own this sort of book. Add to that the Compendium of Magic Items... and then Spells... and then the Rules Compendium just because:

A) I'm a completest and set goals to get these things.

B) C&C was so versatile, it enabled me to mine so much material from third edition anyway.

The one thing I have to add is that in every case, I got all these things at very low prices through trade, second hand, and discount markets.

In terms of other d20 material, I really liked TLG's offerings and since they were phasing all this stuff out, I took advantage of this and tracked down a couple things I was missing from the GFW series.

Necromancer Games... I don't have all of their offering but I do have a lot of various things and it started with key books like the Tome of Horrors and Gygax's Necropolis (for d20), to the ones the TLG help produce like the Lost City of Barakus, to a couple of box sets.

Goodman Games... at least half of the DCCs I currently own from the 3.x line were discounted and only gotten in the past few months -- and I'm talking pretty heavy discounts here.

Fantasy Flight... started a few years ago when they began to clear out the Legends & Lairs series. I got a whole bunch of that series which is great d20 material which can be adapted to whatever at an average price of $5 each. The ones I didn't get were the 4 class related books and I stayed away from the adventures and setting stuff...

Years before the d20 thing, WEG was on their way out. I had already managed to score a bunch of Star Wars d6 books on the strength of trade for a handful of magic cards. Admittedly some of those were worth a noticeable amount then and a retarded amount now. Oh well. However, I quickly got to love the system and decided to 'round off' the collection by setting various goals. I've played the game a couple of times in the past 10 years.

Where does all this leave me?

Well, I have A HECK OF A LOT of stuff, I look though occasionally. I know that if I parted with some of this stuff, I will end up regretting some of it so my 'grip' tightens that much more! I thought of pairing a few things down and keep with more central groupings of the collection.

Let's just say I'm still taking stock of things and figuring a few things out while I'm still bringing more stuff in.

Lot's of food for thought.

M
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Aladar · Post by **Aladar** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 4:40 pm

I can relate. Although I kept all of my old AD&D and D&D stuff. Many years ago, I got rid of all of my Traveller stuff. Which I started to regret about three or four years ago when I started playing it again, and so I started buying the old stuff back. Spent quite a bit of money reacquiring all the old Traveller books.
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Julian Grimm · Post by **Julian Grimm** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:07 pm

I'm only really recollecting stuff I lost due to a crazy ex-girlfriend. It's really just a smattering of Shadowrun stuff and some 1e stuff I don't have. I'm also tracking down some older Earthdawn stuff I never did own but I loved the game and a friend had the books and I loved them.

As for getting rid of stuff I'm culling out things I won't use or will never use and refocusing on the above or some C&C stuff I want. However that leaves my vast 3e collection in a state of limbo. On one hand I want to keep it for reference (Like my 1e books) on the other I'm pretty sure I won't play again and possibly should clear it off.
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Lord Dynel · Post by **Lord Dynel** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:59 pm

That's a small part of my doubt, JG, using the stuff. I am pretty sure that I want to use it, but I still have that nagging doubt that I won't use the bulk of it. Tkae Ruins of Undermonutain, for instance. Very cool idea, IMHO, and I could see myself using it, but I just don't know if it would ever happen. Something inside tell me says that I want it, but there's that other part of me that asks, "why?" And I can;t come up with a good reason, unless the age-old answer to such a query will suffice..."because!"
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Julian Grimm · Post by **Julian Grimm** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 10:02 pm

That is why my collection is divided into three categories. One is the stuff I use for reference. Like the 1e & 3e material I own. The next is stuff I will use like my C&C stuff Dungeon and World building items and other fall here. The third is games I have played but probably won't in the near future. That is things like Shadowrun and Earthdawn that is just part of my gaming roots.
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maasenstodt · Post by **maasenstodt** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 11:07 pm

I've found that it's cheaper to hold on to the RPG stuff I buy, even if I doubt I'll ever use it, than to sell it and then have to re-purchase it. This is the case for two reasons.

First, if I buy something off eBay, sell it for the same price, and then repurchase it for the same price, I've still lost money because of the shipping costs that can't be recouped and because of the time spent on the transaction. And if, as is often the case, I can't buy it again except for more money, I'm even further behind.

Second, I have limited shelf space in my office/RPG den. The process of deciding what stays in here and what gets boxed up and sent to the basement gives me a good perspective - I know that if I buy something, it's likely that something else in the office will have to go. If a product isn't good enough to make me willing to box up something that's up here, it probably isn't worth buying right now. Thus, by holding on to all that old material that is just boxed up, I'm less likely to buy more.
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Omote · Post by **Omote** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 11:11 pm

At one time I was a collector, then sold of large chunks of the collection for profit. While I miss those days at time, I miss the stuff I had from time to time. Even just to glance over it or see it on the shelf was a good feeling. I've long since gotten out of the biz, but now I buy what I want and pretty much don't sell anything anymore (because I just may want to page through it at some point).
-O
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Lord Dynel · Post by **Lord Dynel** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 11:13 pm

Omote wrote:
At one time I was a collector, then sold of large chunks of the collection for profit. While I miss those days at time, I miss the stuff I had from time to time. Even just to glance over it or see it on the shelf was a good feeling. I've long since gotten out of the biz, but now I buy what I want and pretty much don't sell anything anymore (because I just may want to page through it at some point).
-O

This is very muhc how I felt, Omote, and how I feel looking at my ever-growing collection nowadays. I'm certain that if I get back to the point of being "done" wiht my old AD&D lists, I'll probably take them to my grave. I guess I'm just wanting to be certain that is what I want to do (to recollect, that is).
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Omote · Post by **Omote** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 11:18 pm

Heh, when your collection does grow up more, you're going to hate it again when you have to move it. All the best Lord D.

-O
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Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:10 am

My stuff is largely a reference library. When I am looking for new ideas and general inspiration I go searching through my book shelves. Plus I own a number of systems because I like them enough to play and steal ideas from.

I do read through my books too, when I first get them. I really, really like RPG's, I like reading them and getting my mind racing with story lines I could do. I like it much more than reading novels, which is part of why I love modules. When I read those I start playing "What if...?" games with them and try and think of possible ways a game could go based on what happens in the module, playing them out like movies in my mind.

Yes, its been a pain moving them several times over the years, and would be even more painful today, but I really like having them and browsing through them whenever I find myself with nothing to do. Plus when I read through RPG's and modules I actually ran/used it brings back the memories of who I gamed with, things they did, etc...

So I'll never part with my stuff until I am dead.
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Tadhg · Post by **Tadhg** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:31 am

Haha, Treebore has a library and serleran has a museum for their collections.

Me . . a bookshelf and a closet shelf.

Of course, I can store dresses, furbies and other cool stuff in my closet, so it's a win-win for me!

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Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:59 am

Rhuvein wrote:
Haha, Treebore has a library and serleran has a museum for their collections.

Me . . a bookshelf and a closet shelf.

Of course, I can store dresses, furbies and other cool stuff in my closet, so it's a win-win for me!

Between my wife, kids homeschooling, and my reading preferences, yes, we do have a library with several thousand books.

We have 44 feet of shelves filled, and many boxes are still filled as well.
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Egg of Coot · Post by **Egg of Coot** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 2:10 pm

Funny to have stumbled over this thread when I did - I just went through 250 magazine bags yesterday and am still short trying get all my recent acquisitions into plastic . . .

As far as collecting goes, I'm pretty dedicated. Fifty plus magazine boxes packed full with plenty more stashed in piles around the house. I need about a dozen items to finish my 1e/D&D collection, three (count 'em) for my 2e collection, a roughly a dozen for JG, three for Mayfair, a half dozen Dragons, etc. It's a work in progress.

As far as getting rid of stuff goes, I've gone through phases where I wanted to liquidate the lot. However, they've always passed and I always am glad that I never let the mood take me.

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Lord Dynel · Post by **Lord Dynel** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 5:15 pm

Egg of Coot wrote:
Funny to have stumbled over this thread when I did - I just went through 250 magazine bags yesterday and am still short trying get all my recent acquisitions into plastic . . .

As far as collecting goes, I'm pretty dedicated. Fifty plus magazine boxes packed full with plenty more stashed in piles around the house. I need about a dozen items to finish my 1e/D&D collection, three (count 'em) for my 2e collection, a roughly a dozen for JG, three for Mayfair, a half dozen Dragons, etc. It's a work in progress.

As far as getting rid of stuff goes, I've gone through phases where I wanted to liquidate the lot. However, they've always passed and I always am glad that I never let the mood take me.

The Egg

One question, Egg. How often do you peruse your stuff? You might be a different "collector" than me, but do you collect for recreational (practical use) purposes or do you buy and put away for whatever ends? I'm not knocking either method, as I've done both at various times. For me, personally, I'm trying to ascertain the merits of collecting for its own sake.
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CharlieRock · Post by **CharlieRock** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 6:20 pm

First off, lemme give you my PoV:

My circumstances were a bit different. My father married a real bible thumper in the early 90s. (Not that I have anything against that, I'm very religious myself) But she was very evil. A real life wicked evil stepmother. Long story short, I went into the service and she tossed out boxes of my books. It was satanic and her son had gotten into them (thus becoming susceptible to corruption). So I lost all my boxed sets, GURPS1e, Mechwarrior, etc. All gone.

After I got married I told me wife the story when she asked what I thought about MMORPGs (it tied in , believe me). She wondered why I dont look for replacements. So I bought a set of D&D3 books. But I wasnt as happy with that game as I was with old school GURPS or Classic D&D. A poster at the WotC forums got into an argument with me and said "Well, if you think that is what makes a good game then why aren't you playing C&C?" So ...

Since then I have been recollecting my old books. Still dont have GURPS Conan (that thing is 'spensive now ), or all my AADA Vehicle Guides and ADQs. And I got the Rules Cyclopedia instead of all the boxed sets. But I have gotten quite a bit back and I know I won't use some of them.
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SoulCatcher78 · Post by **SoulCatcher78** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:45 pm

I can relate to trying to find some things to flesh out the parts of my collection that are seeing use. I have no idea where my copies of U1-3 went and trying to get them through ebay is going to be the death of me, lol. I suppose I should just work on one at a time rather than all of them as a set but the urge to click "bid" is difficult to beat.

I have to say that part of the reason that I look for specific modules, supplements, books, etc is that they were important to me at some point in my life. Memories get tied to all sorts of things (smells, music, images) and this just happens to be where a lot of good childhood memories are tied up. When I left home I liquidated almost all of my (non-hardback) collection and have only recently started rebuilding the module library...wish me luck, I'm gonna need it at these prices

Egg of Coot · Post by **Egg of Coot** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:49 pm

Lord Dynel wrote:
One question, Egg. How often do you peruse your stuff? You might be a different "collector" than me, but do you collect for recreational (practical use) purposes or do you buy and put away for whatever ends? I'm not knocking either method, as I've done both at various times. For me, personally, I'm trying to ascertain the merits of collecting for its own sake.

Mine is definitely a 'working' collection - the stuff gets used for gaming, design, research, etc. I never could understand why people left stuff sit in the shrink wrap.

I collect for two reasons: 1) I do use the stuff and 2) I enjoy the process. Financial/Investment motivation doesn't figure into it.

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serleran · Post by **serleran** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:52 pm

I have a weakness. I know I have it, and it is hard to deal with. Whenever I have "excess money" I have this overwhelming "need" to spend it, and that usually goes into buying roleplaying books. I know why I feel this way, and I sometimes manage to resist it, but I often fail because, like the cause, the treatment is just too much. Therefore, for me, it really is an addiction.
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Tadhg · Post by **Tadhg** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:03 pm

Treebore wrote:
Between my wife, kids homeschooling, and my reading preferences, yes, we do have a library with several thousand books.

We have 44 feet of shelves filled, and many boxes are still filled as well.

Nice.

If I step away from gaming books, then I can have a library if I were to put all my book into one room. I've got 11 full bookcases, plus books in closets, in the baker's rack, and in the garage.

Hmm, that reminds me, I do need to buy at least one more bookcase!

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