There are a couple threads going on right now about setting and supliments and dead product lines and the impact all of that has on the hobby. They are game specific though, and I'm just kind of interested in where everyone stands on buying stuff beyond the core book.

Personally, I almost never buy supliments or setting books. I bought the "Barsaive" boxed set and the monster book for Earthdawn long ago and found both to be rather useless to me. Recently, I bought the first edition of "Freedom City" for MM for like five bucks- also useless (to me). I got the first ed of Midnight the same way- once again, it is of no use to me.
Like many of you I started gaming in the late 1970's when there was little in the way of setting material, although there were supliments- i just never bought any.

For the above stated reasons, I am always a little suprised when people lament about the "death" of a line or the paucity of new material and so on...

This is rather selfish, but game cancelation and/or the release of new editions are always a win for me- if I want the game that is. when a game dies or goes into a new edition the existing books enter a period of worthlessness; cheap used copies abound on amazon and at the lgs. most of what I own right now, I picked up this way.

many times now, I've heard that published setttings save a lot of time, and that only people with no lives design their own. I disagree on both counts. I can design a setting in while driving my car, or sitting on the bus. i can start a campaign with a page or two of scribbled notes and a poorly drawn map- because, as far as I can tell, most players don't give a rat's ass about the world- certainly not enough to toil through a 300 page book, at any rate. Those of my players that do care are usually willing to learn about it as I dole it out- or they ask specific questions and receive specific answers.

Anyway how many supliment do you buy? why? what percentage do you wish you hadn't bought? do you wish you had the $ for more? Is anyone else just using core books?

Quote from: AosAnyway how many supliment do you buy? why? what percentage do you wish you hadn't bought? do you wish you had the $ for more? Is anyone else just using core books?

I have a gaming budget of $100. I fill it every month, and often wish for more. And yes, most of those are supplements, as I am not too fond of exploring new games or settings on a whim.

Wish I hadn't bought? Probably 10%. Never use in play? Probably 30-50%. (I don't forsee using the recently aquired Dragon Magic, for example.)

There are no dead games, only dead players.

I prefer the "all-in-one" approach to RPG design: the core book should contain everything required to play the game indefinitely, with the subsequent supplements as nice but completely optional extras. For instance, Mage: The Ascension (2e) fits that description, even if The Book of Worlds really helps to get more out of the established setting.

I'll be careful to research any supplement I buy, but I think there are a lot of supplements out there that can be pretty useful.

RPGPundit

I prefer just using the core books. I normally do a lot of research before I buy a supplement even for games that I really like. And the really like is the key here. I'm not that loyal a fan of any setting to buy everything/anything a company puts out for its setting.

Regards,
David R

Depends -- I've bought about half of the D20 Modern supplements, but for most games I only buy two or three at most.

I am in awe of my own shitastic spelling: "supliments?" what.the.fuck.

Quote from: AosI am in awe of my own shitastic spelling: "supliments?" what.the.fuck.

Yes, but did you notice how people subtly made comment on it without blatantly telling you of your typo?  Look at how many posts used the word, spelled correctly, yet never made mention of your typo.

Had this been The Site That Shall Not Be Named, half a dozen people would have posted just to tell you about the typo with a dozen others directly referencing it in their posts.

Really depends on the supplement, some like Kafer Sourcebook for 2300AD, are just a pleasure to read even if you don't run the game. I've got plenty of supplements for games I'm never going to play just because I like the book, illustrations or whatever. I read RPG books like I read novels (only I don't need to buy novels because we have a libraries), if I get to use them in a game at a later date that's just a bonus.

Looking at my RPG library, I see an abundance of core rules, and almost no further supplements. Partly because I like collecting the odd bit of RPG history, partly because I'm still looking for the perfect rules, partly because most settings suck and the inspiration you get out of the core presentation is better than any further details provided in countless splatbooks.

Some D20 and GURPS supplements break the mold, but mostly because of the generic nature of the games themselves. The only stuff where I really did go for completism was the German RPG that started me gaming (up to the point where I got annyed with the setting and rules) and Iron Kingdoms material. Sadly the stuff where I would buy often ends up abandoned...

Quote from: VellorianYes, but did you notice how people subtly made comment on it without blatantly telling you of your typo?  Look at how many posts used the word, spelled correctly, yet never made mention of your typo.

Had this been The Site That Shall Not Be Named, half a dozen people would have posted just to tell you about the typo with a dozen others directly referencing it in their posts.

It wasn't a typo it was bad spelling. I am dyslexic and a really poor speller, but, ususally, I can do a bit better than that. On the plus side, a blatent spelling error is like an internet loser magnet. If I could fugure out a way to lace mispelled words with poison I'd be the hero of the internet.