RPGNow vs. DTRPG

[Rokonin]

Okay, I've seen all of the posts recently (and there are bunches), but I'm still confused. I haven't been able to keep up on the news recently, so, could someone explain (without getting into the current arguements) the difference between RPGNow and DTRPG? Is it simply that DTRPG is selling them in ebook format instead of straight PDF?

 

[johnsemlak]

This article by a publisher offers a reasonable summary
http://www.theothergamecompany.com/letter.htm

Is it simply that DTRPG is selling them in ebook format instead of straight PDF?

As far as I understand the answer is yes.

 

[trancejeremy]

Also, Drive Through RPG is basically White Wolf. Yes, they claim they aren't White Wolf, but it's owned by the same people who own White Wolf, they use White Wolf employees, and seemingly favor White Wolf products (in terms of quantity). And apparently they approached publishers as White Wolf, because the first I had heard of them, it was from the T20 guy bragging about how they had a deal with a major gaming company to sell PDFs.

Does it matter if they are White Wolf? Maybe. Worth mentioning, anyway.

Also, DTRPG apparently insists on exclusive licenses. Some free market people might find that anti-competitive. So again, worth mentioning.

 

[Voadam]

Okay, I've seen all of the posts recently (and there are bunches), but I'm still confused. I haven't been able to keep up on the news recently, so, could someone explain (without getting into the current arguements) the difference between RPGNow and DTRPG? Is it simply that DTRPG is selling them in ebook format instead of straight PDF?

With RPGNow you are buying a pdf. You will own it as if it were a physical book and can do with it what you will subject to copywright restrictions.

With DTRPG my understanding is you are licensing limited use of a file with more significant personal information registration, giving the company access to your computer to verify the file is not being misused, limited copy and paste functionality, not universal format compatibility, and some backup and portability hassles.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Also, for most (not all) books it the cost per book isn't that much cheaper than if you bought the book from Amazon. I've heard of savings of only $5 compared to a print book ordered from Amazon. That's pretty pathetic if you ask me... at least if I have a book I have something "Real" that I can hold in my hands. Buying an E-book is just buying electrons and electrons should be cheap... I mean look how many you get with a sufficiently dense atom.

 

[Tsyr]

Also, for most (not all) books it the cost per book isn't that much cheaper than if you bought the book from Amazon. I've heard of savings of only $5 compared to a print book ordered from Amazon. That's pretty pathetic if you ask me... at least if I have a book I have something "Real" that I can hold in my hands. Buying an E-book is just buying electrons and electrons should be cheap... I mean look how many you get with a sufficiently dense atom.

Don't take my word for this, but I seem to remember someone finding a few products that could actually be gotten cheaper in print via online stores.

 

[Sargon]

I called Kinkos yesterday.

They told me I would have to rent a computer in the rental area, and print the drm pdf there. This would cost 50 cents per page.

If I had a standard pdf, I could just hand them the disk and they would print it on a copier for 8 cents a page 11 cents for double sided.

That alone will stop me from buying anything from Drive Thru.

Personally if the costs of the pdf's were 50 percent off the printed out books, and they did not use drm. I would tend to just buy the pdf version, and print and bind it at Kinkos.

 

[DaveStebbins]

Is it simply that DTRPG is selling them in ebook format instead of straight PDF?

There's that (and the DRM thing seems to be what's causing the most outcry), the exclusivity thing, the ownership by White Wolf people thing, and the press release thing.

The press release they wrote up for their publishers billed themselves as "the first completely professional gaming e-Book site" which many people see as an unprofessional slap at the companies which have been delivering these services to consumers for several years now (without DRM, exclusivity, etc.).

 

[Flyspeck23]

This article by a publisher offers a reasonable summary
http://www.theothergamecompany.com/letter.htm

Wow, I'm flattered. So my text really was reasonable? I sure hope so, seeing that I'm somewhat biased

 

[Krieg]

Also, Drive Through RPG is basically White Wolf. Yes, they claim they aren't White Wolf, but it's owned by the same people who own White Wolf, they use White Wolf employees, and seemingly favor White Wolf products (in terms of quantity). And apparently they approached publishers as White Wolf, because the first I had heard of them, it was from the T20 guy bragging about how they had a deal with a major gaming company to sell PDFs.

Does it matter if they are White Wolf? Maybe. Worth mentioning, anyway.

If they are misrepresenting themselves then it most certainly does matter.