Dragon & Dungeon - print vs buy - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Dragon & Dungeon - print vs buy

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
FloLeBlanc
Mar 25, 2010 3:56:59 Hi all,

I am not a DDI yet, but I think about becoming one. (yearly if I do subscribe - want to have the current infos at hand)

How do you handle your Dragon Issues?
They are illustrated beautifully and everything in them screams "print me in color!" but this is a VERY expensive monthly custom if you want decent quality.

The other possibility would be buying the "Dragon Annual", but then one of the primary benefits of an insider (getting the Dragon and read it before the Annual buyers can do) is wasted. (unless you read it on the screen)
Furthermore it seems to me apart from the character builder there is not much for a player in the insider yet.

Printing it in B/W and buying it in color afterwards also doesn't seem like a very tempting option.

How do you DDI's handle this issue?

thank you

Flo
#2
marlett
Mar 25, 2010 5:47:26
Hi all,

I am not a DDI yet, but I think about becoming one. (yearly if I do subscribe - want to have the current infos at hand)

How do you handle your Dragon Issues?
They are illustrated beautifully and everything in them screams "print me in color!" but this is a VERY expensive monthly custom if you want decent quality.

The other possibility would be buying the "Dragon Annual", but then one of the primary benefits of an insider (getting the Dragon and read it before the Annual buyers can do) is wasted. (unless you read it on the screen)
Furthermore it seems to me apart from the character builder there is not much for a player in the insider yet.

Printing it in B/W and buying it in color afterwards also doesn't seem like a very tempting option.

How do you DDI's handle this issue?

thank you

Flo

Read it as a PDF... as intended. No need to print.

#3
FloLeBlanc
Mar 25, 2010 6:10:40
As you may have guessed by my post I like paper.
#4
kodiak3d
Mar 27, 2010 9:50:45
I prefer paper myself. Maybe I'm just old fashioned (and I'm only 33). If you want it on paper, you're going to have to either print it yourself or have it printed somewhere else. Staples seems to have pretty decent prices on printing...lower than Kinkos in my experience.

If you're concerned about using all the ink in your printer, you can always bring the print quality down. I know that you're concerned about quality, but sometimes just turning it down a notch isn't THAT noticeable, depending on your printer.
#5
asmodeuslore
Mar 30, 2010 13:45:53
Hi all,

I am not a DDI yet, but I think about becoming one. (yearly if I do subscribe - want to have the current infos at hand)

How do you handle your Dragon Issues?
They are illustrated beautifully and everything in them screams "print me in color!" but this is a VERY expensive monthly custom if you want decent quality.

The other possibility would be buying the "Dragon Annual", but then one of the primary benefits of an insider (getting the Dragon and read it before the Annual buyers can do) is wasted. (unless you read it on the screen)
Furthermore it seems to me apart from the character builder there is not much for a player in the insider yet.

Printing it in B/W and buying it in color afterwards also doesn't seem like a very tempting option.

How do you DDI's handle this issue?

thank you

Flo

I'm afraid I'm not much help here, because I just read the PDFs myself.

However, my suggestion would be to subscribe for a month to start with, and see how much the printing costs you at a quality you are comfortable with.

If you would like, I have a coupon to get a new subscriber 50% off on a single month. You can use it. PM me if you want details.
(I got it at PAX East, but I am already a subscriber so it doesn't help me much.)

As far as player offerings, Dragon magazine and the Character Builder are the two big player draws. To a lesser extent, the Compendium is also nice, but like Dragon and the monster builder, they are more geared towards the DM.
#6
thax
Mar 30, 2010 19:14:19 Myself, I would, if I even looked at the things, just print the articles that I would use for the game. Celticmutt would have the Assassin printed out and ready to go, for example, so that players can have the class to choose from in addition to the PHB/Guide classes.

A lot of the Dragon side is advertisment for or a peak into future products and what directions the company is taking with the brand. Dungeon, from what I gathered, is improving. No longer the "kill the characters" juggernaunts that the older issues had a problem with.

If your getting DDi, I would only get it if your wanting the Electronic Aids side of things. If your going for the Mags, your in for a big disappointment.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 FloLeBlanc Mar 25, 2010 3:56:59	Hi all, I am not a DDI yet, but I think about becoming one. (yearly if I do subscribe - want to have the current infos at hand) How do you handle your Dragon Issues? They are illustrated beautifully and everything in them screams "print me in color!" but this is a VERY expensive monthly custom if you want decent quality. The other possibility would be buying the "Dragon Annual", but then one of the primary benefits of an insider (getting the Dragon and read it before the Annual buyers can do) is wasted. (unless you read it on the screen) Furthermore it seems to me apart from the character builder there is not much for a player in the insider yet. Printing it in B/W and buying it in color afterwards also doesn't seem like a very tempting option. How do you DDI's handle this issue? thank you Flo
#2 marlett Mar 25, 2010 5:47:26	Hi all, I am not a DDI yet, but I think about becoming one. (yearly if I do subscribe - want to have the current infos at hand) How do you handle your Dragon Issues? They are illustrated beautifully and everything in them screams "print me in color!" but this is a VERY expensive monthly custom if you want decent quality. The other possibility would be buying the "Dragon Annual", but then one of the primary benefits of an insider (getting the Dragon and read it before the Annual buyers can do) is wasted. (unless you read it on the screen) Furthermore it seems to me apart from the character builder there is not much for a player in the insider yet. Printing it in B/W and buying it in color afterwards also doesn't seem like a very tempting option. How do you DDI's handle this issue? thank you Flo Read it as a PDF... as intended. No need to print.
#3 FloLeBlanc Mar 25, 2010 6:10:40	As you may have guessed by my post I like paper.
#4 kodiak3d Mar 27, 2010 9:50:45	I prefer paper myself. Maybe I'm just old fashioned (and I'm only 33). If you want it on paper, you're going to have to either print it yourself or have it printed somewhere else. Staples seems to have pretty decent prices on printing...lower than Kinkos in my experience. If you're concerned about using all the ink in your printer, you can always bring the print quality down. I know that you're concerned about quality, but sometimes just turning it down a notch isn't THAT noticeable, depending on your printer.
#5 asmodeuslore Mar 30, 2010 13:45:53	Hi all, I am not a DDI yet, but I think about becoming one. (yearly if I do subscribe - want to have the current infos at hand) How do you handle your Dragon Issues? They are illustrated beautifully and everything in them screams "print me in color!" but this is a VERY expensive monthly custom if you want decent quality. The other possibility would be buying the "Dragon Annual", but then one of the primary benefits of an insider (getting the Dragon and read it before the Annual buyers can do) is wasted. (unless you read it on the screen) Furthermore it seems to me apart from the character builder there is not much for a player in the insider yet. Printing it in B/W and buying it in color afterwards also doesn't seem like a very tempting option. How do you DDI's handle this issue? thank you Flo I'm afraid I'm not much help here, because I just read the PDFs myself. However, my suggestion would be to subscribe for a month to start with, and see how much the printing costs you at a quality you are comfortable with. If you would like, I have a coupon to get a new subscriber 50% off on a single month. You can use it. PM me if you want details. (I got it at PAX East, but I am already a subscriber so it doesn't help me much.) As far as player offerings, Dragon magazine and the Character Builder are the two big player draws. To a lesser extent, the Compendium is also nice, but like Dragon and the monster builder, they are more geared towards the DM.
#6 thax Mar 30, 2010 19:14:19	Myself, I would, if I even looked at the things, just print the articles that I would use for the game. Celticmutt would have the Assassin printed out and ready to go, for example, so that players can have the class to choose from in addition to the PHB/Guide classes. A lot of the Dragon side is advertisment for or a peak into future products and what directions the company is taking with the brand. Dungeon, from what I gathered, is improving. No longer the "kill the characters" juggernaunts that the older issues had a problem with. If your getting DDi, I would only get it if your wanting the Electronic Aids side of things. If your going for the Mags, your in for a big disappointment.