promise of pdfs??? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

promise of pdfs???

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
marroon69
Jun 16, 2012 7:35:24 I sort of remember a promise of official PDF's? Is this just dead? Yes I know I can find them out in the interweb but I do not want to be a pirate (I in real life at least!! arrrhhhgggg!!). Is that really the only option? Other companies (unnamed) have embraced PDFs...I have several paid for PDFs that supplement my hard cover books (even some mobil optimized ones for my tablet!! yay!!). Why has wizards not allowed that? Are they worried about piracy? I think they encourage it by not giving me another option...yes some people will pirate it but they will do that even if you provide it. But some of us would rather purchase it (yes give you money!). I spend a ton of money on books and I would love a pdf option for some of the less used books...

What about some of the older games that you do not support anymore? If you had a library of all the IP you own available and you made it easy to buy most people would buy as opposed to pirate.

Please do not make me a pirate!!!! Let me give you my money for the products you have!!!!!
#2
Janx_14
Jun 16, 2012 14:37:01 Their talk of PDF's seems to have become e-books of the novels, not the rulebooks.
#3
Sea-Envy
Jun 17, 2012 1:14:44 Too bad.
I was hopeing that once D&D next was printed that they would release (errata'd) PDFs of 4E.

Note the above is my wish, not a promise, not a rummor, just what I would want to see.
#4
marroon69
Jun 17, 2012 10:11:07 Agreed the older games that are going to be no longer in print would make sense. I am playing the current edition of Gamma World (great game but way under supported by wizards). Things like that would make sense. I mean there is no active developement, I think they pretty much decided to end of life it.....so why can we not get updated PDFs?? lol I even own all the books...and I still would by the PDF.

Once again do not make me a pirate!!! Take my money!!!!
#5
DigitalMage
Jun 18, 2012 5:47:16 The lack of PDFs does for some at least encourage piracy, I know someone who regularly buys PDFs for other games (never pirating) but who has admitted to illegally downloading PDFs of D&D books (both for 3.5 and 4e) simply because he cannot buy them.

To be fair to him, he has stated (whether true or not I cannot say) that he has only downloaded PDFs of the D&D books he actually owns in hardcopy and that should WotC put PDFs back on sale he would delete the illegal downloads and buy the official PDFs. He also stated he would likely buy PDFs of books he doesn't have, and never intends to have, in hardcopy.
#6
mvincent
Jun 18, 2012 15:11:22
I sort of remember a promise of official PDF's?

Ditto... but WotC might've just said something like "we're trying to make the rules available in electronic format", which they basically did with DDI.

#7
The_Jester
Jun 21, 2012 19:47:52
The lack of PDFs does for some at least encourage piracy, I know someone who regularly buys PDFs for other games (never pirating) but who has admitted to illegally downloading PDFs of D&D books (both for 3.5 and 4e) simply because he cannot buy them.

To be fair to him, he has stated (whether true or not I cannot say) that he has only downloaded PDFs of the D&D books he actually owns in hardcopy and that should WotC put PDFs back on sale he would delete the illegal downloads and buy the official PDFs. He also stated he would likely buy PDFs of books he doesn't have, and never intends to have, in hardcopy.

Paizo solved that problem but discounting their PDFs to a quarter of the hardcover price. It's sales for people who want that second copy or just don't want the book enough to pay full cover price but would like to read it once or browse through it.
Which makes sense as there's no cost for printing, shipping, or delivery and books are pretty much sent to the printers in a PDF-esque format so a little cleaning is necassary and done. Pure profit.

I've paid for a couple Paizo books twice: once of the dead tree copy for at my table, and again for a PDF for quick referencing on the go (I tend to write 'n' at work on my break).
I'm loving the new lite PDFs.
#8
DigitalMage
Jun 22, 2012 5:10:45
Paizo solved that problem but discounting their PDFs to a quarter of the hardcover price.

Its not just Paizo, most publishers were selling their PDFs at a significant discount way before that, and many have gone even further offering free PDFs if you buy the hardcopy (see www.bits-and-mortar.com/).

Unfortunately when WotC did sell 3.5 PDFs they were priced at the full MSRP (Manufacturer's Recommended Retail Price) of the hardcopy, which meant the PDF was often more expensive than the physical book bought of Amazon and the like. This was why I only bought a few 3.5 D&D PDFs.

WotC did seem to learn their lesson with the 4e PDFs (while they still sold them) and discounted them. Luckily I bought the 4e PHB, DMG and MM whilst they were for sale legally. I would just love to buy more.

I'm loving the new lite PDFs.

It was about time! I originally wasn't going to buy the Pathfinder RPG in hardcopy, I just intended to use the PDF on my Eee PC at the game table, however it rendered so slowly it just wasn't practical and so I ended up buying the hardcopy. The 4e PDFs were much better at rendering (likely due to the simply white backgrounds) so that is one thing that WotC got right.

#9
marroon69
Jun 23, 2012 10:12:46 Agreed Paizo has done it right....they released the light versions for my tablet (thank you) at no extra cost...I already owned the PDF and then gave me the light version for free. I promptly purchased the rest of the library on pdf (and I have the hard covers). I love the feel of a book so I will continue to purchase books but the convince of a PDF rocks. I read the books in the comfort of my own home and ten take the PDFs on the raod with me. Win win in my eyes. Piazo treats me like a consumer and not a pirate. I understand piracy is an issue but the current strategy does not seem to help...so make some money off the non-pirates out there.

lol once again please take my money for PDFs...please!!!!!

#10
mexrage
Jul 02, 2012 3:14:00 it's funny that where there is more piracy of D&D books, are on countries with printed books are almost impossible to get due to lack of avaibility. If there is something wotc should learn from the gaming industry, is that piracy is service & avaibility problem, and the greatest solutions to piracy on pc gaming, was digital distribution (gog.com, steam, etc...)
#11
Qmark
Jul 02, 2012 3:19:10 Anyone can find a pdf of any given D&D anything, from White Box to the Playtest Packet, in about ten minutes. What we cannot do, for some insane reason, is give money to Hasbro in exchange for any of those.
#12
marroon69
Jul 14, 2012 6:35:52 Agreed!!! I buy Steam games all the time....yes I give them my money (take notice WOTC) and I love it. I am a huge steam supported...

So please let me give you my money!!!!!
#13
kavin145
Jul 14, 2012 9:38:31 Paideia Press has been reprinting and publishing Dutch Reformed works for the past 40 years. Recently they have made PDFs of most of their publications available for download. You can find the complete list, with links, here. These include some of the most helpful biblical theological works from DeGraaf and Ridderbos, as well as many of the works of Kuyper and Bavinck. The following are some of the more difficult volumes to find in electronic format, as they can only be found in PDF format at Paideia’s website.
#14
draco1119
Jul 14, 2012 19:22:25 I remember looking for a Frostburn PDF a few months back. Turns out that WotC had offered it when it came out, but like everything else, refused to support it after 4e. Iirc, it was something like 1/3 the price of a print edition.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 marroon69 Jun 16, 2012 7:35:24	I sort of remember a promise of official PDF's? Is this just dead? Yes I know I can find them out in the interweb but I do not want to be a pirate (I in real life at least!! arrrhhhgggg!!). Is that really the only option? Other companies (unnamed) have embraced PDFs...I have several paid for PDFs that supplement my hard cover books (even some mobil optimized ones for my tablet!! yay!!). Why has wizards not allowed that? Are they worried about piracy? I think they encourage it by not giving me another option...yes some people will pirate it but they will do that even if you provide it. But some of us would rather purchase it (yes give you money!). I spend a ton of money on books and I would love a pdf option for some of the less used books... What about some of the older games that you do not support anymore? If you had a library of all the IP you own available and you made it easy to buy most people would buy as opposed to pirate. Please do not make me a pirate!!!! Let me give you my money for the products you have!!!!!
#2 Janx_14 Jun 16, 2012 14:37:01	Their talk of PDF's seems to have become e-books of the novels, not the rulebooks.
#3 Sea-Envy Jun 17, 2012 1:14:44	Too bad. I was hopeing that once D&D next was printed that they would release (errata'd) PDFs of 4E. Note the above is my wish, not a promise, not a rummor, just what I would want to see.
#4 marroon69 Jun 17, 2012 10:11:07	Agreed the older games that are going to be no longer in print would make sense. I am playing the current edition of Gamma World (great game but way under supported by wizards). Things like that would make sense. I mean there is no active developement, I think they pretty much decided to end of life it.....so why can we not get updated PDFs?? lol I even own all the books...and I still would by the PDF. Once again do not make me a pirate!!! Take my money!!!!
#5 DigitalMage Jun 18, 2012 5:47:16	The lack of PDFs does for some at least encourage piracy, I know someone who regularly buys PDFs for other games (never pirating) but who has admitted to illegally downloading PDFs of D&D books (both for 3.5 and 4e) simply because he cannot buy them. To be fair to him, he has stated (whether true or not I cannot say) that he has only downloaded PDFs of the D&D books he actually owns in hardcopy and that should WotC put PDFs back on sale he would delete the illegal downloads and buy the official PDFs. He also stated he would likely buy PDFs of books he doesn't have, and never intends to have, in hardcopy.
#6 mvincent Jun 18, 2012 15:11:22	I sort of remember a promise of official PDF's? Ditto... but WotC might've just said something like "we're trying to make the rules available in electronic format", which they basically did with DDI.
#7 The_Jester Jun 21, 2012 19:47:52	The lack of PDFs does for some at least encourage piracy, I know someone who regularly buys PDFs for other games (never pirating) but who has admitted to illegally downloading PDFs of D&D books (both for 3.5 and 4e) simply because he cannot buy them. To be fair to him, he has stated (whether true or not I cannot say) that he has only downloaded PDFs of the D&D books he actually owns in hardcopy and that should WotC put PDFs back on sale he would delete the illegal downloads and buy the official PDFs. He also stated he would likely buy PDFs of books he doesn't have, and never intends to have, in hardcopy. Paizo solved that problem but discounting their PDFs to a quarter of the hardcover price. It's sales for people who want that second copy or just don't want the book enough to pay full cover price but would like to read it once or browse through it. Which makes sense as there's no cost for printing, shipping, or delivery and books are pretty much sent to the printers in a PDF-esque format so a little cleaning is necassary and done. Pure profit. I've paid for a couple Paizo books twice: once of the dead tree copy for at my table, and again for a PDF for quick referencing on the go (I tend to write 'n' at work on my break). I'm loving the new lite PDFs.
#8 DigitalMage Jun 22, 2012 5:10:45	Paizo solved that problem but discounting their PDFs to a quarter of the hardcover price. Its not just Paizo, most publishers were selling their PDFs at a significant discount way before that, and many have gone even further offering free PDFs if you buy the hardcopy (see www.bits-and-mortar.com/). Unfortunately when WotC did sell 3.5 PDFs they were priced at the full MSRP (Manufacturer's Recommended Retail Price) of the hardcopy, which meant the PDF was often more expensive than the physical book bought of Amazon and the like. This was why I only bought a few 3.5 D&D PDFs. WotC did seem to learn their lesson with the 4e PDFs (while they still sold them) and discounted them. Luckily I bought the 4e PHB, DMG and MM whilst they were for sale legally. I would just love to buy more. I'm loving the new lite PDFs. It was about time! I originally wasn't going to buy the Pathfinder RPG in hardcopy, I just intended to use the PDF on my Eee PC at the game table, however it rendered so slowly it just wasn't practical and so I ended up buying the hardcopy. The 4e PDFs were much better at rendering (likely due to the simply white backgrounds) so that is one thing that WotC got right.
#9 marroon69 Jun 23, 2012 10:12:46	Agreed Paizo has done it right....they released the light versions for my tablet (thank you) at no extra cost...I already owned the PDF and then gave me the light version for free. I promptly purchased the rest of the library on pdf (and I have the hard covers). I love the feel of a book so I will continue to purchase books but the convince of a PDF rocks. I read the books in the comfort of my own home and ten take the PDFs on the raod with me. Win win in my eyes. Piazo treats me like a consumer and not a pirate. I understand piracy is an issue but the current strategy does not seem to help...so make some money off the non-pirates out there. lol once again please take my money for PDFs...please!!!!!
#10 mexrage Jul 02, 2012 3:14:00	it's funny that where there is more piracy of D&D books, are on countries with printed books are almost impossible to get due to lack of avaibility. If there is something wotc should learn from the gaming industry, is that piracy is service & avaibility problem, and the greatest solutions to piracy on pc gaming, was digital distribution (gog.com, steam, etc...)
#11 Qmark Jul 02, 2012 3:19:10	Anyone can find a pdf of any given D&D anything, from White Box to the Playtest Packet, in about ten minutes. What we cannot do, for some insane reason, is give money to Hasbro in exchange for any of those.
#12 marroon69 Jul 14, 2012 6:35:52	Agreed!!! I buy Steam games all the time....yes I give them my money (take notice WOTC) and I love it. I am a huge steam supported... So please let me give you my money!!!!!
#13 kavin145 Jul 14, 2012 9:38:31	Paideia Press has been reprinting and publishing Dutch Reformed works for the past 40 years. Recently they have made PDFs of most of their publications available for download. You can find the complete list, with links, here. These include some of the most helpful biblical theological works from DeGraaf and Ridderbos, as well as many of the works of Kuyper and Bavinck. The following are some of the more difficult volumes to find in electronic format, as they can only be found in PDF format at Paideia’s website.
#14 draco1119 Jul 14, 2012 19:22:25	I remember looking for a Frostburn PDF a few months back. Turns out that WotC had offered it when it came out, but like everything else, refused to support it after 4e. Iirc, it was something like 1/3 the price of a print edition.