PDF publications?

[Steve]

Are there any plans to publish upcoming B5 stuff electonically (like on RPGNow or DriveThruRPG)? I would love to buy the new ship combat game in this format as a. would be cheaper, b. don't want loads of counters when I have all my ships painted and ready to go c. can have it quicker....

[MongooseMatt]

Would you be willing to pay full price for such a PDF?

[Steve]

Well, RPGNow charge approx. 50% to 70% cover price for new supplements (such as Dark Ages:Fae and Sorcerer and Savant). I would imagine this covers layout costs and production (pre-printing). I personally find e-books better as it means I can print out a rulebook and take it around my mates for him to dribble on without me getting all bitter and twisted about it...I can also make player reference stuff without messing about with scanning and such like.

To answer your question, I want you to be paid for your product. I just want the product in the format I prefer.

[Steve]

Further to the above, I run my own small business so get my RPG stuff at trade price, and I would still pay more for PDfs as I find them preferable

[Big Pete]

PDF options can very very useful, epecially for those that live outside the US, I live in australia and freight costs and time can be a killer.

it would be nice to have the option available

[psyclonejack]

On an aside,

How much extra per book would it be to have a CD in the back. (much like the first edition D20 players handbook) The CD could contain some Full Resolution ship sheets, hex maps, counters, Quick Refrence Charts, etc. As well as the entire PDF version of the book? I personally would be willing to pay $5 or $10 on top of the Book Cost for such an add on.

PsyJack

[Dag'Nabbit]

That's not a bad idea. Either that or some sort of restricted access page that would only allow those who purchased the book to download the material.

[PottsBr]

While I would love to have PDF versions of the books myself, I can very quickly see why Mongoose would be reluctant to release them in that format. They would very quickly be posted to the web and pirating and illegal copying would be rampant. Mongoose would probably end up losing a lot of money on the deal.

What would be more practical might be PDFs with the various tables, diagrams and maps. This is the sort of stuff that mormally gets scanned by players anyway, and without the actual text rules is pretty useless.

[Steve]

While there is no way around piracy (even a printed book can be photocopied), sites such as Drive Thru RPG use pdfs that can only be opened on a restricted number of computers (six, I think) per document. This uses the DRM feature on Acrobat. This would have the effect of limiting any piracy.

I still want my stuff in pdf!

[Ganion]

By now I actually prefer the pdf-stuff, as my work doesn't really leave me any time to go to a store.....

Lately I've been bying more stuff from rpgnow, than my local store.... I just don't have time during normal business hours

[bryankia]

This makes me sad

I have been gaming for about 20 years now and have managed game stores and worked at another (it's a hobby now). I remember the day when everyone would come out of the woodworks on Friday just to see what new came in. Now people are to busy to even come to the store to buy the stuff let alone play at the store.

This is not meant as a jab. I have two job, I am working on my Masters and have a 6 month old baby boy (who is the best) so I understand time limits. I just think it suck when we are to busy to go to the game shop, buy our stuff, hang out, and maybe get a game in.

My rambling thoughts,

Bryan

PS I am currently to busy to game! But I just turned in my notice at the game shop (why work there when you don’t have time to game) and this dang masters program ends in a year which means more time for the family and me.

PPS I love PDF’s especially sense I like to carry pocket organizers and they have great search abilities. I want the nice hard back book with great paper & images AND a PDF. That is the kind of reasonable guy I am.

[Mongoose Si]

Although PDFs have their uses, you just can't beat having a nice, full colour book in your hands and the collection looks great on the bookshelf

[edchuk]

PDFs vs. print books, both have their advantages/disadvantages but call me old fashion when I say I like print over PDF. Plus, the print world isn't based on the whims of Mr. Gates and his world dominering OS, nor does my print material ever get a virus, or crash, require back-up, etc. PDFs are great for supplemental materials, adventures and the like.

[lastbesthope]

Ideally both but I prefer print if I can only have one.

LBH

[Guest]

I would hate to see an all PDF B5 product. I do not like PDFs and I do not want PDFs. And will not use them.

But that is just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions.

[lastbesthope]

I would hate to see an all PDF B5 product. I do not like PDFs and I do not want PDFs. And will not use them.

But that is just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions.

"When I want yours I'll give it to you"

That was what my mother used to say.



LBH

[frobisher]

But that is just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions.

"When I want yours I'll give it to you"

That was what my mother used to say.

A bit more repeatable (well in polite company) than the Dirty Harry quote - "Opinions are like a******s, everybody has one..."

[lastbesthope]

A bit more repeatable (well in polite company) than the Dirty Harry quote - "Opinions are like a******s, everybody has one..."

I'd forgotten that one!. Is that in the first movie or one of the sequels? i haven't watched those in ages.

LBH
"A man's got to know his limitations!"

[frobisher]

I'd forgotten that one!. Is that in the first movie or one of the sequels? i haven't watched those in ages.

First one I'm fairly certain (though I've not seen that in a while).

[PottsBr]

Even if I did choose to buy a PDF product, I'd just end up printing it out and binding it myself, and I am far more likely to be playing under conditions where I can't use my computer than where I can use my book.