Which do you prefer? Actual books or ESDs?

[Tharkun]

I was thinking of buying some ESDs from WoTC recently and I was wondering what the general feeling was on the boards about that.

I kind of want to get ESDs but I also like the actual book in my hands too (though I can imagine how difficult that might be depending on what you're looking for.

P.S. Where would I go to buy them in the first place?

 

[Crothian]

If I had the choice between book and esd, I'd take book every time. But that's not possible or it's too costly. I don't mind the ESDs, they aren't that bad to read and if you can get them printed out it makes them well worth it.

 

[Tharkun]

You can print out the ESDs?

That's cool

 

[Neverwinter Knight]

Get the ESD file, if you use a laptop or similar to enhance your game (generate NPCs, track stuff, ...). Otherwise I'd just get the book!

It's great, though, for getting old out-of-print adventures , I just wish they'd let us get them here in good old Germany, too.

 

[OaxacanWarrior]

I'd also take books over ESDs if money weren't an object, but for most of the products the ESDs are a lot cheaper and a lot easier to get. Then once you get the ESD you can always print it out and then get it bound at your local Kinko's or something like that and kinda make your own book.

 

[Psion]

Well, it depends. If I use a product at the table a lot, I sort of need to have a book (actually, I'd like to have both so I can use it on the laptop while preparing sessions as well.) But things I only refer to occasionally, I'd much rather have an ESD. For example, books that I only end up looking over once and put on the shelf, to only occasionally farm for ideas.

This includes MOST adventures. Most adventures you use once or twice and that's it. I would just as soon not have the adventures taking up shelf space... it's harder to come by that HD space or CD-R's.

 

[Storminator]

Books are vastly superior. However, they cost more and are sometimes hard to find. I've seen most things on ebay, at various levels of expense.

And NWK, since WotC farmed out the online sales you can get the ESDs in Germany (and elsewhere). I can't remember the new store, but you can probably find it with a little digging (svgames?)

PS

 

[Psion]

It's great, though, for getting old out-of-print adventures , I just wish they'd let us get them here in good old Germany, too.

You do know that now that WotC's online store is being run by svgames, they do foreign orders, right?

 

[Tharkun]

Yea!

That actually sounds pretty good (having them printed out). Me personally I'd LOVE to have them all in book form but not everyone can have a huge room dedicated to gaming

It's great that Wizards has decided to do this with their older products! Thanks Wizards!! Now I only wish they'd do that with all the old TSR stuff

Does anyone know of any other company that's doing this type of thing for their older stuff?

 

[Aitch Eye]

I believe a couple of D20 companies have mentioned (on the publisher's forum) that they intend to release stuff they aren't going to reprint after a reasonable interval (6 months to a year, IIRC). Atlas has said it will be releasing old Ars Magica stuff, I think at least one (Fairies) is available at RPG Now.