You know what would be useful?

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

Slit518

Feb 02, 2015 19:45:47

If the printed versions of the books (PHB, DMG, MM, etc...) came with a code to download the digital version from the online store.  It would be convenient for someone like me who likes to watch TV while doing a bit of work on the laptop.  Since it would be just too much to drag several books into my bedroom with my laptop, I find it would be easier if I had a digital version too.  Would anyone else like this option?

#2

AaronOfBarbaria

Feb 02, 2015 22:01:54

Yeah... tons of people would. Especially those that could swipe the code and download the digital version without actually buying the book.

#3

JohnLynch

Feb 02, 2015 23:18:29

If you're not from America then check your local jurisdiction. It's explicitly laid out in many country's laws to have a digital copy of any physical books you own (how you get such a digital copy is up to you of course). I know for a fact Australia's laws explicitly allow it as do a number of other countries.

 

If you're from America then do your own research into the legality of having PDF versions of physical books. There've been court rulings in both the 80s and 90s that appear to suggest it's legal (but I am not a lawyer, so do your own research).

#4

seti

Feb 03, 2015 0:56:09

It's be really simple to make the code (sort of) unstealable. Shrink wrap the books, or put that silver stuff over the code so you'd have to scratch it off to reveal the code.

 

Then, if you buy a book that's either unwrapped, or the silver bit is scratched off, it's your fault for not being a smart consumer.

 

It does bother me that I don't get a  free PDF copy with a hardcover RPG purchase.

#5

Zardnaar

Feb 03, 2015 1:41:27

I would be happy with PDFs one could purchase. 

(Reply to #3)

CCS

JohnLynch wrote:
#7

Slit518

Feb 03, 2015 8:53:08

CCS wrote:
(Reply to #7)

AaronOfBarbaria

Slit518 wrote:
(Reply to #7)

CCS

Slit518 wrote:
#10

Oriet

Feb 03, 2015 11:21:06

It's much like how you can make a mix tape, or buy an mp3 you then have on your computer and mp3 player.  It's fine as long as it's for your own personal use, but distribution of any kind (fee or free, to or from) is a big no-no.  You could also record yourself reading the books aloud to listen to later, against as long as no distribution takes place (though I don't know why someone would want rulebooks on tape).

#11

Pompadour64

Feb 03, 2015 12:25:04

I wish this could be true of all books, but unfortunately the market just isn't there yet. I got a book at Barnes and Noble that had something like this, but you still had to pay (albeit at a discounted price). 

#12

JohnLynch

Feb 03, 2015 14:13:57

Slit518 wrote:
#13

mrpopstar

Feb 03, 2015 18:34:42

Oriet wrote:
#14

ModusPonens

Feb 03, 2015 15:30:02

Slit518 wrote:
#15

ChrisCarlson

Feb 03, 2015 15:40:43

ModusPonens wrote:
(Reply to #5)

Azzy1974

Zardnaar wrote:
#17

mrpopstar

Feb 03, 2015 18:35:33

Azzy1974 wrote:
(Reply to #14)

JohnLynch

ModusPonens wrote:
#19

Slit518

Feb 03, 2015 18:52:31

JohnLynch wrote:
#20

Oriet

Feb 03, 2015 19:06:04

mrpopstar wrote:
#21

trebor_rjf

Feb 03, 2015 19:55:47

if they released PDFs, people would pirate them like they already do. they can't have any of that nonsense.

#22

mrpopstar

Feb 04, 2015 7:06:28

Oriet wrote:
(Reply to #14)

Erple2

ModusPonens wrote:
(Reply to #21)

CCS

trebor_rjf wrote:
#25

Coredump00

Feb 04, 2015 13:10:45

What would be *really* useful would be an iBooks version with all the cool imbedded info and instant navigation and popup rules etc.

 

The downside is it would be Apple only, since the authoring tool is Apple only.

 

Warhammer 40K has made rulebooks this way, and they are really useful; but for PC/Android etc they had to sell regular ebook versions.

 

#26

Yunru

Feb 04, 2015 13:18:58

Or... you could just make a PDF version? They have menus and instant navigation too y'know. No need to be iPaidTooMuch over it.

#27

mrpopstar

Feb 04, 2015 18:40:47

Coredump00 wrote:
#28

Coredump00

Feb 04, 2015 22:18:55

Yeah, the authoring tool that Apple has created does a whole lot more than put in hyperlinks, it allows you to creat a much more interactive book. 

#29

edwin_su

Feb 05, 2015 12:53:16

trebor_rjf wrote:
(Reply to #24)

AaronOfBarbaria

CCS wrote:
#31

mrpopstar

Feb 05, 2015 13:45:18

AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
(Reply to #31)

AaronOfBarbaria

mrpopstar wrote:
#33

Makaki

Feb 05, 2015 14:30:36

Personally I would enjoy the PDF because of its quick find benefits. The Index on paper helps, but it can't beat a quick find (ctrl+f). I currently use this a lot with the FREE PDFs provided, mostly the Basic Rules.

 

Pirates will pirate regardless. Those who buy the books do so because we love the game, and we show our support by purchasing authentic goods.

 

You don't really stop piracy by making things harder to pirate, especially if it's at the expense of the people who actually purchase the product. See music and DRM, see movies and region codes, see games and CDROM checks, and offline games with always online checks. You can put all those checks, but in the end it's the consumers that are restricted whilst the pirates enjoy unrestricted pirated versions.

 

I'ts been demostrated many times that providing the paying customers a better service, yields better results than putting all the efforts stopping pirates, where you will probably spend a lot of resources to fail. You can put 0 effort to stop piracy either, but there needs to be balance.

 

The content should be protected based on how readily available it is for pirates. For example a lot of games were released with cdrom checks, which would later be removed with a patch when it was already known the game was available in the pirate world. When the pirated version is of equal quality as the paid version, then the existing copy-protection would only be restricting paying customers.

 

That said, pirated scanned books would be of inferior quality than a PDF generated from the source. That "may" be worth protecting up to some point. Releasing official PDFs would give pirates the potential to upgrade to better quality pirated version. That's one side of the scale.

 

On the other side of the scale, providing a combination of book + digital copy, may make the purchase more attractive to paying customers. And as a stand-alone product, it may make the DnD books available in MORE countries. You have to understand that in some countries you either import the book, which would be more expensive than normal (and more complicated) OR option B which is to pirate it. Making your product accessible is one way to stop piracy.

 

The PDF format on it's own is probably too "easy" to pirate, but the same could be said about DRM-free music, and yet it's how most music is sold these days. An altenate would be not to use PDF but an eBook format, which would feature some DRM.

 

I think if such digital version were created, it would have to be at a reduced image quality, so that it serves as an on-screen reference, but wouldn't be ideal for printing.

 

#34

Oriet

Feb 05, 2015 16:05:30

Makaki wrote:
(Reply to #31)

Coredump00

mrpopstar wrote: