Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 ozbirthrightfan Apr 04, 2005 22:58:41	I just noticed this when purchasing an OOP pdf from SVGAMES.com!! ***Downloadable Purchasers*** SVGames will be discontinuing it's Downloadable PDF Services for All TSR/D&D on April 10th, 2005. All prior purchases will no longer be available after that date, nor will any future purchases. Thank you for letting us offer this service to you. The SVGames Team
#2 weasel_fierce Apr 04, 2005 23:15:11	Time to hit Ebay a lot, I guess
#3 realmaster Apr 04, 2005 23:22:28	I am willing to bet this has something to do with WOTC testing the waters with the newer books available as PDF downloads.
#4 zombiegleemax Apr 05, 2005 0:25:54	I think Realmaster may be on to something, there. That does sound like a strong possibility. Then again, I am not all that surprised, SV Games is a 3E junkie run and supported place, so they probably don't see any point on having the old downloads. Time to hit P2P.
#5 zombiegleemax Apr 05, 2005 1:09:46	That's too bad to hear that SVGames isn't selling the 2nd edition pdfs anymore. All my AD&D books are actually computer files (the CD-ROM rules along with 18 SVGames pdfs). I've found they're much more convenient than actual books. They don't wear out and you can print out important pages for reference, and they're much cheaper to purchase than the books are. I am willing to bet this has something to do with WOTC testing the waters with the newer books available as PDF downloads. I didn't realize WOTC was going to start selling the current books in pdf format. Are any of the d20 books available as pdf downloads yet? I might actually consider buying a pdf version of some of the d20 books if they're significantly cheaper than the hardcovers. I'll probably still be using the 2nd edition rules, but I might convert some 3rd edition adventures back to 2nd edition if there are any good ones out there.
#6 zombiegleemax Apr 05, 2005 8:16:03	A question for the WIZ_Os: Is this simply SVGAMES' decision or is the licence to sell the OOP pdf products expiring?? Honestly, as WizOs, we're not privy to all WotC decisions. Our function here is to just be the board moderators. Thus, I really don't know. One person who might know would be Charles Ryan. If you post a [Woof!] post question on the D&D General board, he may be able to answer you. Just a thought.
#7 realmaster Apr 07, 2005 1:46:47	That's too bad to hear that SVGames isn't selling the 2nd edition pdfs anymore. All my AD&D books are actually computer files (the CD-ROM rules along with 18 SVGames pdfs). I've found they're much more convenient than actual books. They don't wear out and you can print out important pages for reference, and they're much cheaper to purchase than the books are. I didn't realize WOTC was going to start selling the current books in pdf format. Are any of the d20 books available as pdf downloads yet? I might actually consider buying a pdf version of some of the d20 books if they're significantly cheaper than the hardcovers. I'll probably still be using the 2nd edition rules, but I might convert some 3rd edition adventures back to 2nd edition if there are any good ones out there. http://www.drivethrurpg.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=159
#8 zombiegleemax Apr 07, 2005 10:20:31	*tamp tamp tamp* "There! That should be enough dirt! I bet that nasty old 1st edition won't be crawling up out of the grave this time!!!"
#9 stonebeard Apr 08, 2005 19:32:51	What no 3.5E core rules? What a shame I might try 3.5e again if i could download the rules in a PDF
#10 zombiegleemax Apr 09, 2005 22:26:30	I checked out http://www.drivethrurpg.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=159 ... am I missing something? The pdf files they're selling cost the SAME as the actual hardcover versions of the books? Are they out of their minds? I personally find pdfs more convenient than acutal books, but I'd never consider paying full retail for a pdf version of a book. I'd expect a pdf to cost no more than 25% of what the actual book costs. There's no need to pay printing and distribution costs that you'd have with a hardcover book, so they should be SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper. If I'm missing something here let me know, but if what I read was correct and they're charging full price for a pdf book, that's totally retarded.
#11 zombiegleemax Apr 09, 2005 23:34:41	The story goes that they have an agreement with the retail bookstores that WoTC won't undercut the retail bookstores' prices. Sounds reasonable to me. If I were a retailer I wouldn't be happy if WoTC offered PDFs at steep discounts. They don't need to sell many PDFs at those prices to make a bundle more than on the hardcopies. I wouldn't pay the full hardcover retail price for a PDF but if they they started offering them at a steep discount then that's all I would buy.
#12 zombiegleemax Apr 10, 2005 3:00:39	DRM-protected PDF's are expected to be nearly impossible to copy. I *think* you have to be online to be able to access them, but can't say for sure. I don't know how long the original PDFs have been available at SVGames and RPGNow, but its very likely that sales are dropping -- I know I made a mad run at the PDFs when they first became available, and guess that as other people rounded out their collections, their purchases dropped off similarly.
#13 zombiegleemax Apr 11, 2005 10:54:56	You can still donwload cheap and legal OOP products from RPGnow. Pretty much the same price as SVGames. R.A.