So, not counting pdfs, I currently own 285 gaming books of one sort or another.

Of those, 215 have not been used in actual play.

What do I mean by used?  I mean directly referenced or actually used as part of designing a character or hook or whatever, stuff that I browse that may go into some general pool of inspiration doesn't count, I count it as actually used if I can point to something in the book and say "I used that in actual play".

So, 70 books pass that test, though with some of them I have used one thing once.

That's far less books than I used to have, I have been steadily culling for over a year now, but even so it's ludicrous.  It's not that everything has to be used, some stuff is OOP and hard to replace so if I ever intend to use it it would be a pain to get rid of it and then have to find it again, but that can't apply to 215 books.

So, those of you who've been there, how did you go about culling your collection?  What did you cull it from and what down to?  

And note, I don't consider myself a collector, I'm a gamer, but when you've only used 25% of your books in play you plainly have a collection whether you mean to or not.

So, assembled hordes, those of you who've been where I am now, how did you deal with that?

Actually, based on a couple moving disasters, lost gaming groups, and assorted life's quibbles, I've got a small box of assorted old gaming books and very little else. I'm not even sure I've got a core book for anything but 1e Exalted any more. I had really hoped after reading those first two lines that this was going to be a sales post, so I could load up on bargains.

So I guess to answer your original question, "via misadventure", "a modest assortment of Rifts, 2e AD&D, and WW stuff" (none of which except the Rifts I really miss, mind you)", and "an meager assortment of similar selection, plus my ultra-coveted Heroes of Legend".

Quote from: Christmas ApeActually, based on a couple moving disasters, lost gaming groups, and assorted life's quibbles, I've got a small box of assorted old gaming books and very little else. I'm not even sure I've got a core book for anything but 1e Exalted any more. I had really hoped after reading those first two lines that this was going to be a sales post, so I could load up on bargains.

So I guess to answer your original question, "via misadventure", "a modest assortment of Rifts, 2e AD&D, and WW stuff" (none of which except the Rifts I really miss, mind you)", and "an meager assortment of similar selection, plus my ultra-coveted Heroes of Legend".

Check my sig, many bargains now available, with more to follow if I can gird my loins sufficiently.

Quote from: BalbinusCheck my sig, many bargains now available, with more to follow if I can gird my loins sufficiently.

Aiii! The dreaded £ sign!

The exchange rate from UK to Canadian is punishing, but I'll take a look.

Quote from: Christmas ApeAiii! The dreaded £ sign!

The exchange rate from UK to Canadian is punishing, but I'll take a look.

You can always make me an offer if something is too rich for your weak Canadian blood.

Hm, must remember in future to leave racial epithets out of my sale posts...

Huh. Three jump out at me, but the vagaries of conversion (go weakened US dollar!) mean it's possible I can land them for a price elsewhere that would be insulting as an offer. $72 is a lot for two old sourcebooks and a game I just want to take a look at, you know?

I'm not saying no yet, but totally don't hold anything for me. I'm all about the free market.

Quote from: BalbinusSo, those of you who've been there, how did you go about culling your collection?  What did you cull it from and what down to?

I used pretty much the same standards as you: chucking out things I've never actually used in a game, and never intend to.

I don't like parting with rulebooks for games I've played or run campaigns in: aside from books and character sheets and the occasional handout, you don't really get much in the way of physical reminders of games of yesteryear, and I find it nice to have a keepsake of past good times around. But if I've got no memories attached to an item, and no desire to actually use it in a game, I've no qualms about ditching it.

Quote from: BalbinusThat's far less books than I used to have, I have been steadily culling for over a year now...

*whimper*

Seanchai

I had an old rpg.net thread about this

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=239887

Since then I've also gotten rid of Extreme Vengeance and Universalis, and a lot of the fantasy stuff.

But I spend 90% of my out-of-play gaming time tweaking old versions of D&D. I really don't care about anything except bringing my fantasies to life at the table, self-avatar play in a fantastic world of magic, swordplay, politics, and sex. It's all about the dream, as I mentioned in this well-received drunken rant:

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=309826

As far as role playing systems, I simply took a good hard look at what game in each genre I would want to use most, then I decided the second most likely game I would use, then I picked one good generic system as a fall back...then I got rid of everything else.

I wasn't sure at first, but have been very happy since.

I still get new gmames and books, but I read them, decide right afterwards if I'll play them anytime soon.  If the answer is no, I sell them.

I actually loose a lot of money in the deal, but I don't mind, I'm paying for the entertainment, not a pile of stuff that's useless to me.

Quote from: grubmanAs far as role playing systems, I simply took a good hard look at what game in each genre I would want to use most, then I decided the second most likely game I would use, then I picked one good generic system as a fall back...then I got rid of everything else.

I wasn't sure at first, but have been very happy since.

I still get new gmames and books, but I read them, decide right afterwards if I'll play them anytime soon.  If the answer is no, I sell them.

I actually loose a lot of money in the deal, but I don't mind, I'm paying for the entertainment, not a pile of stuff that's useless to me.

Could I ask how many that leaves you with out of interest?

Quote from: CalithenaI had an old rpg.net thread about this

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=239887

Since then I've also gotten rid of Extreme Vengeance and Universalis, and a lot of the fantasy stuff.

But I spend 90% of my out-of-play gaming time tweaking old versions of D&D. I really don't care about anything except bringing my fantasies to life at the table, self-avatar play in a fantastic world of magic, swordplay, politics, and sex. It's all about the dream, as I mentioned in this well-received drunken rant:

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=309826

Cool links, thanks.

Quote from: BalbinusSo, those of you who've been there, how did you go about culling your collection?  What did you cull it from and what down to?

I got rid of everything that I was unlikely to use in actual play.

Quote from: BalbinusCould I ask how many that leaves you with out of interest?

Sure...

You'll notice I have a couple labeled "secondary (x2)" These are systems I don't get rid of because there are occasions when I like to run them or use them for inspiration.  This doesn't count the stack under the bed that I collect until it is big enough to start another sell/trade thread.  The entire collection fits on one bookshelf.

I'm debating cutting it down further, getting rid of the nostalgia items (please don't PM me) and a few of the secondary, simply because I am 90% likely to run the primary anyway.  I could probably get by with just Savage Worlds, Basic/Expert D&D, Star Frontiers/Knight Hawks, & M&M if I was forced to cut it down to the minimum.  If I could only have one book on a desert island, I would take Savage Worlds (duh!).

Generic Catch all game:  
-Savage Worlds (plus Toolkit supplements)

Fantasy:  
-Primary: Basic D&D (both basic & expert books plus RC)
-Secondary:  3.5
-Secondary (x2):  WFRP 1st ed.

Sci Fi:
-Primary:  Star Frontiers/Knight Hawks (and all supps)
-Secondary:  Star Wars D20 (Plus Ultimate Aliens supp)
-Secondary (x2): Star Wars D6 2nd ed. Revised
[Both Secondary to be replaced soon by Saga...hopefully]

Post Apocalyptic:
-Primary: Gamma World 1st ed (screen + all supps)
-Secondary:  Gamma World 2nd ed (all supps)

Supers:
-Primary:  M&M
-Secondary: V&V (with a handful of adventures/villain books)

Horror:
-Primary:  CHILL (plus GM screen)

Misc:
-Toon (original edition with all supps)

Nostolgia:
-Metamorphosis Alpha (1st ed)
-Tunnels & Trolls
-Monsters Monsters
-MS&PE
-AD&D 1st ed (PH, DMG,MM)

Because my name is in it:
C&C

I wish it was that easy to cull my own collection.  In addition to games that I've actually played, there are a number that I keep just because I enjoy reading them from time to time, even if I know I'm not likely to ever play them.  'Unknown Armies' fits in this category, as does 'Over the Edge'.  I still finally managed to let go of enough stuff to get it down to two relatively short shelves.  Well...three if I could the shelf of nostalgia boxed sets of games I got in the '80s and early '90s... (Torg, Shatterzone, Runequest, Shadow World, etc...)

I did cut my collection in half, finally.  I got rid of books for systems that didn't work well for me and ones that I never picked up to read.  (Getting rid of all the Exalted books and RMSS books helped quite a bit, though...)