Update: Malhavoc PDFs no longer available at RPGnow (merged)

[mercucio]

Malhavoc has been releasing PITA, crippled OGL products for a long time. Now they're just releasing PITA, crippled products, period. I'm not surprised.

What does PITA stand for?

 

[Fiery James]

I understand your sentiment: I won't be buying any of these products either in their current format. What I am saying is its unlikely that Monte and the S&S folks are trying to do that deliberately. This is an experiment, and I believe it is one that is ultimately destined to fail. Now Monte is one of the folks most heavily invested in PDFs in the RPG industry. He's a good guy from my experiences, and also a smart one. If and when people don't buy product in the numbers he expects to see, I can't imagine he will not make changes. In fact, he's talked about that already. All I can say is a person with a good reputation should be given a little bit more than 24 hours to before we storm castle Cook.

Well said.

My advice:
1) Let the publishers in question and DTRP know your concerns.
2) Wait for changes.

- James

 

[BSF]

Gimme a break.

So a store with videocameras and other security is also treating all its customers like potential criminals?

No, not necessarily, but a store that pats you down before you leave is.

Just as the default assumption when you go through a metal detector has to be that somebody in that line is carrying a weapon.

But, while I accept going through a metal detector as a reasonable precaution for a plane flight, or to enter a court building, I would not return to a store that arbitrarily patted me down as I was leaving. For some people, registering with MS Passport and Adobe is no big deal. For other people, it is too invasive.

If you could buy a DVD from only one store, then you had to take it home call two third-party agencies to come to your house and setup your DVD player so you could play the movie, there would be a lot less appeal to buying the movie. If you factor in that the third-party companies also reserve the right to check out all your stuff in your house, the appeal drops even further.

You don't need to have anything immoral or illegal in your house to find this concept slightly offensive. Some guy you don't know will walk through all your bedrooms, picking up whatever they want and looking at it. If you want to watch your movie, you can't stop them. You just hope they will respect your privacy.

In some ways, DRM feels just about the same.

I will keep an open mind and I will see what experiences other people have with DrivethruRPG. It might be the next best thing since sliced bread. It might serve needs adequately. I might not like any of the aspects of DRM and choose not to buy anything. *shrug* It's a free market, make your choices with your wallet/pocketbook.

Regardless, I still want good publishers to be successful. So long as they can provide a good product, in a format I am willing to use, in a manner I am willing to support, then I will buy from them. If they don't, then I won't.

I am a little disappointed with the direction because I have heard very little I like about DRM. However, this might also be the opportunity for me to look at the issue with my own two eyes and judge for myself.

 

[francisca]

Does the store follow you home and tell you how many times you can open your carton of milk? Or how many glasses you can pour it into? Is there a fair-use agreement on your box of raisin bran?

The issue is: can the publisher tell you what you can or cannot do with your purchase in your own home? The fact that they use your own computer to force their will upon you, is repugnant. The copyright was invented to protect publishers from other publishers, not to dictate the actions of the free public. When you trade your work for $$$, you no longer have a say over the work, unless someone tries to re-market it. If you don't want people to share your precious work, don't share it yourself.

Publishers making money from your work is devious, and a true abuse of copyright. Chubby fanboys trading pdfs at 2am is penny-ante at best.

Go to your FLGS tonight, and watch the owner play a game of D&D or Warhammer. One of his buddies will walk over to the rack, grab a book off the shelf, read it, show it around, then put it back without paying. *GASP* Copyright violation!

Would you close down libraries that have rpg books? Should magazine racks have a rack-lawyer ready to file suit against those who read Dungeon or Dragon without paying? Perhaps a government bureaucrat assigned to each nerd to insure proper computer-use? How about chips in everyone's heads that delete copyrighted knowledge after 30 days?

Yes, they are treating us like potential criminals; because you using something you bought, how you wish to use it, is a crime in the minds of greedy control-freaks.

And for the record; my sales are doing better every day. Maybe their sales aren't down because of piracy...

I don't own any of your products. But I'm going to go peruse them and see if anything appeals to me. If any do, cha-ching!

 

[derverdammte]

What does PITA stand for?

I was assuming Pain In The Arse, but I could be wrong.

 

[francisca]

What does PITA stand for?

Stop being a PITA and go read this link: (just kidding! )
http://www.netlingo.com/lookup.cfm?term=PITA

 

[Rasyr]

Not all companies think of customers as crooks!

I am pleased to announce that ICE did not buy into this DRM nonsense at DriveThruRPG, and also because of it we are moving up something we had planned for later this year.

HARP (High Adventure Role Playing) will be, for a limited time, available as a $10, 192 page PDF for sale on ICE's website. Please note that the PDf will not contain any DRM what-so-ever! We like to support our customers and trust them. We see DRM (aka crippled PDFs) as a bane to the industry overall, and thus are making this offer available now.

Our webmistress is setting it up now and it should be available soon. This offer will last until at least June 15th!

 

[The Mad Kaiser]

I don't own any of your products. But I'm going to go peruse them and see if anything appeals to me. If any do, cha-ching!

And as a thank-you for giving me cash, feel free to copy, paste, back-up, and print as many times as makes you comfortable. You can even let your little brother read it!

 

[tm80401]

Here is the address of the study. It was done by 2 professors, one from Harvard Business School, and one from UNC Chapel Hill


http://www.unc.edu/~cigar/papers/FileSharing_March2004.pdf

 

[johnsemlak]

just a few clicks....

and the associated user data that those clicks send, an electronic body search

Plus, it is more than just a few clicks. As I pointed out before and you were forced to ignore, the utility of the product IS reduced. I will have limitations on back-ups, cut and paste, and mobility, among other things.[/quote

As as I said I did concede that utility of the product is reduced. I'm debating the 'treated like a criminal' poin.

The store stops filming me the moment I walk out the door.

And a legal limitation on what you can do with the product, if it's a book, CD, cassette, etc. remains.