Comments on: Wizards of the Coast takes a… novel approach to dealing with PDF piracy http://doycetesterman.com/index.php/2009/04/wizards-of-the-coast-takes-a-novel-approach-to-dealing-with-pdf-piracy/ Perpetual projects and daily obsessions. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:51:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Joe http://doycetesterman.com/index.php/2009/04/wizards-of-the-coast-takes-a-novel-approach-to-dealing-with-pdf-piracy/comment-page-1/#comment-5558 Joe Fri, 02 Jul 2010 04:30:55 +0000 http://doycetesterman.com/?p=1282#comment-5558 This is straight stupidity. Hmmm, which would I rather have, a free scanned pdf copy of a 4th Ed. D&D book or a pdf that is totally interactive with hyperlinks, search capabilities, bookmarks, etc? Sure, I might have to pay a little bit for the better pdf...AND I WILL. You see WOTC...I want ALL of my RPG rules and supplements on my iPad in pdf format. I have already purchased BESM third edition, Pathfinder, and Mage: the Ascension (revised) thru drivethrurpg. Since your company refuses to sell pdf versions I have two choices, illegally download them or simply walk away from D&D. I have chosen the second option. Why? Why would anyone want to support such a short-sighted company when there are so many alternatives "out there"? Goodbye WOTC and goodbye D&D. This is straight stupidity. Hmmm, which would I rather have, a free scanned pdf copy of a 4th Ed. D&D book or a pdf that is totally interactive with hyperlinks, search capabilities, bookmarks, etc? Sure, I might have to pay a little bit for the better pdf…AND I WILL.

You see WOTC…I want ALL of my RPG rules and supplements on my iPad in pdf format. I have already purchased BESM third edition, Pathfinder, and Mage: the Ascension (revised) thru drivethrurpg.

Since your company refuses to sell pdf versions I have two choices, illegally download them or simply walk away from D&D. I have chosen the second option. Why? Why would anyone want to support such a short-sighted company when there are so many alternatives “out there”?

Goodbye WOTC and goodbye D&D.

]]> By: Big Problems, Little Solutions: E-book Publishing Ideas Stolen from Gamers – doyce testerman http://doycetesterman.com/index.php/2009/04/wizards-of-the-coast-takes-a-novel-approach-to-dealing-with-pdf-piracy/comment-page-1/#comment-3283 Big Problems, Little Solutions: E-book Publishing Ideas Stolen from Gamers – doyce testerman Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:59:58 +0000 http://doycetesterman.com/?p=1282#comment-3283 [...] how about the Big Dog of gaming, Wizards of the Coast? WotC has done some stupid stuff with regard to PDFs of their products in the past, but DnD Insider is smart. Pay for a monthly subscription to the service, and you a couple [...] [...] how about the Big Dog of gaming, Wizards of the Coast? WotC has done some stupid stuff with regard to PDFs of their products in the past, but DnD Insider is smart. Pay for a monthly subscription to the service, and you a couple [...]

]]> By: Erynne Napier http://doycetesterman.com/index.php/2009/04/wizards-of-the-coast-takes-a-novel-approach-to-dealing-with-pdf-piracy/comment-page-1/#comment-1987 Erynne Napier Wed, 06 May 2009 07:44:32 +0000 http://doycetesterman.com/?p=1282#comment-1987 I certainly agree with your post here. And I was looking forward to getting a lot more pdf's (even though a few that I got were absolute crud!!!) - but for the money, I was happy to get them. I think this was more of a move to try to get the hard-and-fast 2nd Edition hold-outs (like me) to try the newer games. I tried 3rd Edition ... wasn't too impressed with the game and I was flabbergasted at the price for the books .... $30? And it seems a lot like the game Magic ... you can't really get a good character unless you spend the big bucks! No thanks! BTW - Does anyone know if anyone has started a letter of complaint against WTOC? Maybe if enough of us got together we might be able to change WTOC's mind about this .... I certainly agree with your post here. And I was looking forward to getting a lot more pdf’s (even though a few that I got were absolute crud!!!) – but for the money, I was happy to get them.

I think this was more of a move to try to get the hard-and-fast 2nd Edition hold-outs (like me) to try the newer games. I tried 3rd Edition … wasn’t too impressed with the game and I was flabbergasted at the price for the books …. $30? And it seems a lot like the game Magic … you can’t really get a good character unless you spend the big bucks! No thanks!

BTW – Does anyone know if anyone has started a letter of complaint against WTOC? Maybe if enough of us got together we might be able to change WTOC’s mind about this ….

]]> By: Artillery_MKV http://doycetesterman.com/index.php/2009/04/wizards-of-the-coast-takes-a-novel-approach-to-dealing-with-pdf-piracy/comment-page-1/#comment-1824 Artillery_MKV Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:03:34 +0000 http://doycetesterman.com/?p=1282#comment-1824 Was there any announcement that PDFs would be available through their on-line subscription service? I have no idea how WotC could be quite this stupid, they've generally been fairly savvy. This goes to my comment on your gaming as a model for indie publishing post: gaming has been doing indie publishing, but they REALLY want to be traditional publishers, not realizing that that is a deathknell to their business model. Was there any announcement that PDFs would be available through their on-line subscription service?

I have no idea how WotC could be quite this stupid, they’ve generally been fairly savvy.

This goes to my comment on your gaming as a model for indie publishing post: gaming has been doing indie publishing, but they REALLY want to be traditional publishers, not realizing that that is a deathknell to their business model.

]]> By: Matthew Jones http://doycetesterman.com/index.php/2009/04/wizards-of-the-coast-takes-a-novel-approach-to-dealing-with-pdf-piracy/comment-page-1/#comment-1823 Matthew Jones Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:11:39 +0000 http://doycetesterman.com/?p=1282#comment-1823 What an infinitely foolish and short-sighted business decision. They're choosing media of delivery over their content, essentially. Someone at WotC basically decided to stop participating in .pdf sales to start creating huge legal expenses chasing at shadows? If Hollywood & the music industry combined can't fight media piracy, what insane schmuck in Wizard's legal thinks he can? What an infinitely foolish and short-sighted business decision. They’re choosing media of delivery over their content, essentially.

Someone at WotC basically decided to stop participating in .pdf sales to start creating huge legal expenses chasing at shadows? If Hollywood & the music industry combined can’t fight media piracy, what insane schmuck in Wizard’s legal thinks he can?

]]> By: Carrie Harris http://doycetesterman.com/index.php/2009/04/wizards-of-the-coast-takes-a-novel-approach-to-dealing-with-pdf-piracy/comment-page-1/#comment-1822 Carrie Harris Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:44:13 +0000 http://doycetesterman.com/?p=1282#comment-1822 *sigh* I'm certainly willing to buy a hardcover to start, but if people want me to keep playing their games, I need supplements that will make me ooh and ah like a game show addict and think something along the lines of: "Man, I have GOT to run this." With this move, they've pretty much guaranteed that it's not going to happen. I really do not want to return to the dark ages when I carted around backpacks full of heavy texts when there's a much easier alternative. But then again, WotC isn't exactly known for their business savvy. I think they're secretly run by monkeys. Not that I have anything against monkeys. Wow. I sound bitter. But after years of writing for RPGs I get a little agitated. Sorry. *sigh*

I’m certainly willing to buy a hardcover to start, but if people want me to keep playing their games, I need supplements that will make me ooh and ah like a game show addict and think something along the lines of: “Man, I have GOT to run this.” With this move, they’ve pretty much guaranteed that it’s not going to happen. I really do not want to return to the dark ages when I carted around backpacks full of heavy texts when there’s a much easier alternative.

But then again, WotC isn’t exactly known for their business savvy. I think they’re secretly run by monkeys. Not that I have anything against monkeys.

Wow. I sound bitter. But after years of writing for RPGs I get a little agitated. Sorry.

]]> By: Doyce http://doycetesterman.com/index.php/2009/04/wizards-of-the-coast-takes-a-novel-approach-to-dealing-with-pdf-piracy/comment-page-1/#comment-1819 Doyce Tue, 07 Apr 2009 04:52:43 +0000 http://doycetesterman.com/?p=1282#comment-1819 Oh, absoLUTEly. For me, it's both cost and portability - I can have my whole gaming library on my phone, or on my laptop. Oh, absoLUTEly. For me, it’s both cost and portability – I can have my whole gaming library on my phone, or on my laptop.

]]> By: Chuck Durfee http://doycetesterman.com/index.php/2009/04/wizards-of-the-coast-takes-a-novel-approach-to-dealing-with-pdf-piracy/comment-page-1/#comment-1818 Chuck Durfee Tue, 07 Apr 2009 04:47:44 +0000 http://doycetesterman.com/?p=1282#comment-1818 For someone on a limited gaming budget like me, offering low-cost alternatives to hardcover rulebooks and supplements is appealing, especially for the infrequently-used titles. For someone on a limited gaming budget like me, offering low-cost alternatives to hardcover rulebooks and supplements is appealing, especially for the infrequently-used titles.

]]> By: Doyce http://doycetesterman.com/index.php/2009/04/wizards-of-the-coast-takes-a-novel-approach-to-dealing-with-pdf-piracy/comment-page-1/#comment-1817 Doyce Tue, 07 Apr 2009 04:41:56 +0000 http://doycetesterman.com/?p=1282#comment-1817 Which is a shame, honestly, because it's really one of the best games of it's type out there right now. Which is a shame, honestly, because it’s really one of the best games of it’s type out there right now.

]]> By: Chuck Durfee http://doycetesterman.com/index.php/2009/04/wizards-of-the-coast-takes-a-novel-approach-to-dealing-with-pdf-piracy/comment-page-1/#comment-1816 Chuck Durfee Tue, 07 Apr 2009 04:40:10 +0000 http://doycetesterman.com/?p=1282#comment-1816 I have to say, this policy certainly makes me less inclined to try 4E. I'll probably stick to using home-grown or indie systems for my fantasy games. I have to say, this policy certainly makes me less inclined to try 4E. I’ll probably stick to using home-grown or indie systems for my fantasy games.

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