Technology Demo: Future of RPGS Distribution

[Grell]

I had some free time yesterday and wanted to test out an idea I had about how RPGs might be better custom built in the future. I've put up is VERY rough tech demo at:

http://www.jonhartmann.com/examples/PDF-merge/

What this Example does is show the ability to take the data from multiple books and combined it into a custom built PDF. Why is this important? Because I see a future where we don't just buy digital copies of books, but where we are allowed to custom pick and choose your content and print-on-demand the content we want to use. Imagine if you could print out a custom PHB for your setting that used the races and classes allowed in your campaign rather than needing to say "ok, you can us x and y from book q and r, but not this or that". Imagine handing your players a book that is your book hand picked from content you like, or being able to have a single complete list of all spells in once source.

The example just shows merging text from a few PDFs, but the basic idea is sound and I'm sure with work I could make a version complete with multiple columns, images, backgrounds, individual user watermarks (a la Paizo) and all the cool stuff... I can even have the system automatically build indexes on the fly for your book...

Now who wants to pay me to do it? Haha

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Sounds like a good kickstarter...but also possible copyright issues....

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

 

[Alan Shutko]

Merging PDFs is 1990s technology. What's special about the way you've done it? In fact, why would it be at all desirable?

I find separate PDFs to be far more convenient since you could have more than one open at once, or you could switch between them with the software remembering where you were. If I wanted to combine them, I have a half dozen pieces of software on my Mac that can do it.

I could see the value if the result were directly shipped to lulu.com or another print on demand place, but if I'm downloading it, I want flexibility.

 

[Grell]

I'm not planning on merging other company's proprietary content; this is a demo of what a company (like Paizo) would do with its own content, so copyright infringement isn't really an issue.

As for mergin PDFs, yeah that's old news, but your talking about on a page by page basis; with this technique it's merging the content of chapters and pages together to create a truly blended result. I'm not suggesting that this would replace the option for individual books, but as an additions option for using that content... I mean imagine if you wanted to break up e content of a PDF but that content is on multiple pages along side content you don't want, what do you do then?

The advantage here isn't just to merge books, but selectively choose content from those books too, like if you had your home PF game and certain archetypes weren't allowed, you could get a custom PDF with just he content you want and then have it printed on demand... Got someone new playing a fighter? Print our a rule book for him that has only fighter relevant information.

You can even go further in terms of setting up alternate content for books, like different art work that is oriental or Arabian nights themed to replace the stand art on demand... Want to use far east stuff? Merge the classes and equipment in, swap the artwork and get your new book.

With the proper licensing, third party stuff could be included, and you could even have 1st party content that is smaller than a full book (like web content is now) that is automatically merged into the full thing.