(responce to Ogre Cave interview) NO Monte don't stop PDFs!

[BlackMoria]

While Monte does lurk on occasion on these boards, your appeal would be more likely to be seen if you were to post this on his message boards.

Here is a link to the main Malhavoc Press product discussion forum

http://pub58.ezboard.com/fokayyourturnfrm16

Monte reads everything posted there.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I enjoy some PDFs but like them when they get to the 64-96 page range. Anything higher and it may cost more than the print version. The Banewarrens is a good example of this.

In addition, some people have some amusing expections for prices. One guy wants a 200 page WoTC book for $5. There are 64 page pdfs going for $7. Not from WoTC, not in full color.

It's a limited market and one that some publishers may actually go backwards and do. For example, Fiery Dragon has run out of Monte's book, Queen of Lies. Perhaps in another few months we'll see a PDF that runs for $5 or $6.

 

[jmucchiello]

Aside: Wouldn't this thread work better on Monte's own forums?

I love cutting info out books and printing them with the character. For a monk character I've got, I've scanned the stuff I'm using from OA and added it to the character sheet so I don't have to lug around OA in addition to the other books. This way if the DM asks "what does this feat/class ability do?" I can hand him the sheet. No wasted time thumbing through the book to find the page, etc. I do the same thing with spells a sorcerer or bard knows.

JoeGKushner wrote:
I enjoy some PDFs but like them when they get to the 64-96 page range. Anything higher and it may cost more than the print version.

I've been curious about what is an acceptable font size in PDFs. My book is 9-point with larger (red) headings. The margins are narrow but wide enough to accomidate ye olde 3-hole punch. It's two column because rules tend to make for short paragraphs. I probably should have done the spells in 3 columns but I couldn't decide. In the end I settled for consistency. It's 66 pages (including TOC and OGL). If I could have shrunk it 6-8 pages by using a smaller font, should I have?

Joe Mucchiello
Throwing Dice Games
http://www.throwingdice.com

 

[John Crichton]

waaaaaait a second...

In addition, some people have some amusing expections for prices. One guy wants a 200 page WoTC book for $5.

I dunno if that was directed at me, but that's not what I said or meant.

Allow me to clarify.

I said that if I already owned the printed product (read: paid full price) I wouldn't mind dishing out an additional $5 for the pdf as long as it had some length to it (my example was 200 pages). For smaller documents I would expect to pay less and for larger ones, more. Considering it would cost the price of a blank CD, some packaging and a little printing to produce, they could make a killing. Downloadable is even better, then they just pay the bandwidth costs.

Make it B&W. Take out all the pictures, I don't care. I just want a searchable document for my laptop. I'm more than willing to pay a little extra for it.

I'm not looking to get a 200 page WOTC book for $5. That's just silly.

 

[Monte At Home]

Whoa, guys!

Nobody once said I was going to stop doing pdfs. I'd be crazy to do that. Sales are fabulous and (as I have said here and elsewhere) I believe that there is an exclusive market for each format (my sales figures indicate that one type of sale does not cannibalize the other to any great extent).

This is one product that we're talking about. Around 224 pages, hardcover. Maybe even some color artwork. Really prestige sort of product.

The feedback I got from Banewarrens is that it is just too big to be a pdf--too big to print out, specifically. This product is almost twice as big.

Maybe we'll work something out so that parts of this new product are available as multiple pdfs or something. I don't know. We'll work something out, though (I know that there are plenty of you without access to a game store or who really prefer pdfs).

Our other upcoming books--Book of Eldritch Might 3, Book of Hallowed Might, Skreyn's Register, Mindscapes, etc.--you'll see them all in pdf and print form. No question.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Let's not forget the BOOK OF INVERTED DARKNESS, Monte.

I thought that was a cool name. Jumped out of the Banewarrens at me.

 

[John Crichton]

Re: Whoa, guys!

Our other upcoming books--Book of Eldritch Might 3, Book of Hallowed Might, Skreyn's Register, Mindscapes, etc.--you'll see them all in pdf and print form. No question.

Sounds good to me. I hope other publishers go the way of the pdf. Altho I still want to see the products in print form as well.

 

[Voadam]

Re: Whoa, guys!

Nobody once said I was going to stop doing pdfs. I'd be crazy to do that. Sales are fabulous and (as I have said here and elsewhere) I believe that there is an exclusive market for each format (my sales figures indicate that one type of sale does not cannibalize the other to any great extent).

This is one product that we're talking about. Around 224 pages, hardcover. Maybe even some color artwork. Really prestige sort of product.

The feedback I got from Banewarrens is that it is just too big to be a pdf--too big to print out, specifically. This product is almost twice as big.

Maybe we'll work something out so that parts of this new product are available as multiple pdfs or something. I don't know. We'll work something out, though (I know that there are plenty of you without access to a game store or who really prefer pdfs).

Our other upcoming books--Book of Eldritch Might 3, Book of Hallowed Might, Skreyn's Register, Mindscapes, etc.--you'll see them all in pdf and print form. No question.

Monte

Any hints on what the 224 page product is? A long module it would be better to have in hardcopy if it is to be used in a game but a sourcebook I would much prefer in pdf so I can either copy and paste or print out only what I need at the moment.

thanks,

 

[Nifft]

Re: Whoa, guys!

I will always buy PDFs before I buy paper. I haven't actually bought the core books -- many friends have them, and I have access to the SRD on-line. I'd really like to see more HTML products -- PDFs aren't great fun to navigate -- but PDFs are great for line-art (maps, diagrams, etc.).

Finally, I don't have time to go to many game stores. The internet is just more convenient for me... and I love the "instant satisfaction" of downloaded purchases.

-- Nifft

 

[Psion]

Re: Whoa, guys!

This is one product that we're talking about. Around 224 pages, hardcover. Maybe even some color artwork. Really prestige sort of product.

The feedback I got from Banewarrens is that it is just too big to be a pdf--too big to print out, specifically. This product is almost twice as big.

That's a good point, but it bears asking: what kind of product is this? I have no problem with the size of Banewarrens (review on the way, BTW) because I don't like to print out adventures anyways, except for handouts. Just run them off of the computer AFAIAC.

This goes doubly for a product like Requiem for a God. Much of the book is "campaign advice" and really there is no need to have a printout at the table. Only the rules stuff, if anything.

But a big crunchy book probably needs to be printed if it is expected to be used at the table.