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This isn't really an AtB question, but more of a general RPG thing. It sure seems like a lot of players get the books, skim a bit until they find the character creation section, and never get around to actually fully reading the rest of the darn book.

Whenever I get a new RPG book the very first thing I do is a complete cover to cover read through. Front to back, every single page. Often I'll bookmark important sections as I go.

I do to. I feel that you can't get the feel of a book unless you've read it at least once cover-to-cover.

Me too, I typically read it straight thru once hten reread sections.

not only do I read the books but will re-read portions often and periodically re-read the entire book.
Any GM who does not read and absorb the material is unworthy of the title.

I'm with Damian on this one.

Had a friend once try to run an HU game, he'd complain about the rules/layout to an extent that confused me, but then it turned out he never actually read the damn book and was just skimming it. My head exploded.

I do have a problem of my own of not completely reading through revised editions of books I own both of, I'll mentally default to the older stuff but check the newer books when need for clarification arises. A few changes have caught me off guard over the years.

Armorlord wrote:I'm with Damian on this one.

Had a friend once try to run an HU game, he'd complain about the rules/layout to an extent that confused me, but then it turned out he never actually read the damn book and was just skimming it. My head exploded.

I do have a problem of my own of not completely reading through revised editions of books I own both of, I'll mentally default to the older stuff but check the newer books when need for clarification arises. A few changes have caught me off guard over the years.

I have caught myself doing this every now and again as well...
Still I do try to go back when I catch myself skimming (usually I am looking for the changes) cause you never know when or where they (every RPG company) will sneak a new rule in on you.

Always fully read any core book I'm going to use.

With AtB books and Erick's style of writing you have to or you're going to miss some gems that he hid throughout the books...sometimes a world power could be revealed in just one sentence.

gordyzx9r wrote:With AtB books and Erick's style of writing you have to or you're going to miss some gems that he hid throughout the books...sometimes a world power could be revealed in just one sentence.

Like magical all-powerful psychic elephants that can project their power to anywhere in the world and maybe beyond.

Anthar wrote:

gordyzx9r wrote:With AtB books and Erick's style of writing you have to or you're going to miss some gems that he hid throughout the books...sometimes a world power could be revealed in just one sentence.

Like magical all-powerful psychic elephants that can project their power to anywhere in the world and maybe beyond.

I think there is a little more than a sentence about them though.

Ganesh (Indian Subcontinent)
Capital City: Ganeshi w/pop. of 1,800,000
Population: 384,500,000

• Theocracy based upon the worship of the Ganeshi
• Vast armies numbering in the millions that dominate their neighbors west to Afghanistan, north to Kajikistan and Kyrgystan, and east to Burma
• The Ganeshi purebred elephants are some kind of Pre-Death genetic Chimera experiment with a third eye & extraordinary psionics
• Home of the Hyderabad (purebred Baboons), technologically ingenious inventors & devoted worshippers of the Ganeshi

To be honest, I'm not real fond of the Ganesh being included in the book with that kind of population and the powers eluded to in the book (especially the part about the "rescue"). This is the kind of stuff that should be reserved for Rifts. I'm of the opinion that the EoH should be the standard by which all powers are measured and none should measure up to the EoH. But that was kinda ruined by AtB2 with the Ganesh, and the new European powers such as Lakenveld and Skandia and then the African powers such as Zambiziland which is written as possessing possibly the highest technology on the planet with advanced super computing, gene-tech, & microchip manufacturing (not to mention...they're the home of the Donta's pure breed elephants).

Then there is Talichiland and the naked mole rats, Inkuruland, the mutant mole metropolis (under the mole description which makes reference to a fairly high tech underground city with a subway and trains), then there is also the vague reference to the techno-mice and finally the mention of another human dominated empire in southern Africa referred to as "Fortress South Africa" (which is not Inkuruland).

But man, the population differences with old favorites like EoH and Cardania compared to the newer powers is so ridiculously lopsided, as well as the technology levels of these newcomers.

And what about the psionic Animal Control where it talks about how Chimeras must buy the psionic for each of it's separate animal types. It talks specifically about the Gryphon...which there are conveniently no stats for.

gordyzx9r wrote:(especially the part about the "rescue"). This is the kind of stuff that should be reserved for Rifts.

i think something along these lines was mentioned as a possibility in rifts pantheons book.

When I first get the book I skim it from back to front and look at interesting section or pictures.

Then over the next week or two I will just read the sections that caught my eye.

After that I (and always before I use the material) I will read it cover to cover. Btw, Im normally relaxing in the bath when I do this, anyone else do this?

I start by skimming the book, then I thoroughly read the sections I find most interesting. Sometimes I ignore parts I find boring (equipment lists, mile-long NPC stat blocks, etc.) entirely. If I don't play in that game in a year or two I eventually read everything, but I'm by no means a cover-to-cover reader.

gordyzx9r wrote:To be honest, I'm not real fond of the Ganesh being included in the book with that kind of population and the powers eluded to in the book (especially the part about the "rescue"). This is the kind of stuff that should be reserved for Rifts.

I heartily concur. The original AtB had a delightfully primitive feel to it that kind of fades away in AtB2. Part of it was Laird's "grunge-style" illustrations, but it also seemed to be a more regional, lower-tech game in a wild, dangerous and unexplored world. AtB2 feels like it was influenced by Rifts, and though I like the latter too, I don't want any jelly in my peanut butter. Too much world detail can destroy the mystery of a game.

Mechanurgist wrote:Too much world detail can destroy the mystery of a game.

Yup, that is why I had to opt out of Rifts and sell my books. I was tired of all the World Books and Source Books that were being generated, and that was almost 10 years ago...I can't imagine what the library for Rifts is like now.