So, what disappears on January 1st?

[Alzrius]

I'm getting ready to buy PDFs that won't be available after the end of the year, due to companies having signed on to the GSL.

I know that Goodman Games is discontinuing all of their 3.X materials (not including Etherscope), but what other game companies out there are permanently taking down their 3.X material? What products should I snatch up now, lest they be lost forever?

 

[dmccoy1693]

Mongoose
Adamant Entertainment

 

[Alzrius]

Mongoose
Adamant Entertainment

Hm, I should have asked for more specificity. I remember that Adamant is getting rid of their d20 Masterkit line, but the rest will still be sold, right?

What lines is Mongoose laying to rest?

 

[HiLiphNY]

Lost forever

"Lest it be lost forever. . . "

I know there are those out there who would pretend that p2p doesn't exist and that it is the evil of all evils. I advise folks to buy what they can at all times, however, since this is an extinction-level event, I think we should be somewhat calmed to know that most if not all will be out there in the ether available for the plucking.

 

[frankthedm]

"Lest it be lost forever. . . "

I know there are those out there who would pretend that p2p doesn't exist and that it is the evil of all evils. I advise folks to buy what they can at all times, however, since this is an extinction-level event, I think we should be somewhat calmed to know that most if not all will be out there in the ether available for the plucking.

Still, P2P involving copyreiched material is not really an enworld discussion.

 

[Darkwolf71]

Still, P2P involving copyreiched material is not really an enworld discussion.

I see what you did.

 

[ExploderWizard]

Still, P2P involving copyreiched material is not really an enworld discussion.

You are probably right but if a demand exists for an e- product that the legitimate owner will not sell at any price, consumers will find a way to obtain it. Discontinuing e-product is just inviting others to steal and distribute your product.

 

[Richards]

...if a demand exists for an e- product that the legitimate owner will not sell at any price, consumers will find a way to obtain it. Discontinuing e-product is just inviting others to steal and distribute your product.

But it's not like the legitimate owner is being given a whole lot of choice in the matter. As I understand it, game companies wanting to produce materials using the 4E rules are being forbidden by WotC from selling their 3.X materials. So the only way for them to NOT "discontinue e-product" is to not jump on to the 4E bandwagon. Your post seems to be chiding the game companies for doing something foolish (and if I'm misreading your intention, then I apologize in advance), whereas it doesn't look to me like they're being given much of an option to do anything else.

Johnathan

 

[kenmarable]

But it's not like the legitimate owner is being given a whole lot of choice in the matter. As I understand it, game companies wanting to produce materials using the 4E rules are being forbidden by WotC from selling their 3.X materials. So the only way for them to NOT "discontinue e-product" is to not jump on to the 4E bandwagon. Your post seems to be chiding the game companies for doing something foolish (and if I'm misreading your intention, then I apologize in advance), whereas it doesn't look to me like they're being given much of an option to do anything else.

Johnathan

Well, yes and no. There isn't much of a real choice, but technically WotC isn't forcing them to kill their 3.x products. The only real restriction in the GSL concerning this is that you can't sell 3.x and 4e products of the same product line. But given a company like Goodman with their DCC line being a strong brand, the only real choice is to stop selling the 3.x DCCs in order to sell 4e DCCs. So WotC isn't outright forbidding them, but the smart business choice is pretty obvious (unless of course the brand in question is Paizo's Pathfinder and is still thriving in the 3.x market). If Goodman had decided to keep the 3.x DCCs around and start a new 4e brand that would have been foolish (or the 3.x sales were still strong enough to justify it).

So, in a backhanded way, less successful companies with weaker brands are more flexible because it's easier for them to leave the 3.x material out there (assuming they yank the d20 logo) and build up a new brand for 4e. But a successful company like Goodman that has built a powerful brand have their hands tied. The business world can be messed up like that, rewarding weak companies and restricting strong ones.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Honestly, the pipe dreamer in me says that they should just start giving them away for free.

If they can't SELL anymore anyway, they should at least get eyeballs on them.

Probably not realistically feasible, but I'd instantly <3 any company that did this, and I'd sign up to have their manbabies, and maybe buy a 4e thing or two if they hook me.

Come on Goodman....manbabies....