I'm thinking DRM for written word products will end up much the same as for music: market pressure will eventually push companies to drop the digital restrictions on their product and go back to the near universally usable and accepted format, the PDF (.mp3 for music files). When it does, they can focus on selling product, rather than stopping the inevitable.
Disappointed D&D Insider Customer
- Thread starter Brax
- Start date
I'm thinking DRM for written word products will end up much the same as for music: market pressure will eventually push companies to drop the digital restrictions on their product and go back to the near universally usable and accepted format, the PDF (.mp3 for music files). When it does, they can focus on selling product, rather than stopping the inevitable.
And here's the other thing to consider... perhaps WotC discovered when they sold the PDFs the first time that they just didn't sell enough of them to warrant the possibility of additional pirated versions? Yeah, there are always plenty of people here on ENWorld who chirp about how they'd buy PDFs of the books if only WotC "wasn't stupid" and would "take their money"... but ENWorld is only a small segment of the D&D population. There just might be the possibility that the number of people who WOULD buy PDFs of the books doesn't not equal the number of people who would upload the now-easily-attainable online PDF versions, or download said pirated versions. I just don't think any of us here on ENworld really does know, despite claims to the contrary.
When it comes down to a choice between WotC choosing to pull their PDFs from the marketplace, or random ENWorld posters just claiming that WotC is stupid and that it doesn't affect piracy and that they have good, solid, hard-earned cash to give the company if only WotC'd wise up and take it...
...I tend to believe WotC has the better idea of the reality of their own situation.
abyssaldeath
First Post
I thought I remembered that one of the big issues with the whole PDF thing was that they they couldn't track exactly what was actually being sold. I swear I remember some online retailer getting in trouble for not reporting all the PDF sales to WotC.
Scribble
First Post
Well, it's easy to say "to make money" but harder when you actually are the one looking at the numbers and coming up with a plan to make that money.
I think you have to look at everything involved really to get any sort of understanding, not just whether or not pdfs would sell.. (Obviously they would.)
I think also a lot of it was also not so much fighting piracy, but also competing with it.
Why spend the resources, to try to sell a product that someone can essentially get for free if they're willing to pirate?
At that point the only think you have going for you is a customer's sense of moral obligation (and as we can see from just this thread alone there's a wide spectrum regarding that.)
It "seems" on the outset like their idea is that the DDI offers the same type of functionality that a PDF would offer, but in a way less easily pirated and adds functionality as incentive over what the pirates offer.
Whether they're actually accomplishing that... Eh, I'm sure everyone would agree they need to add a lot more to the system, but the central idea is there.
So now instead of trying to convince someone it's morally right to buy their pdf instead of pirating a free copy of the exact same thing they can say:
"Hey buy a subscription because if you do, you don't have to bother doing the work to download everything, you get access to the game in digital form, and tools to make that experience better!"
Ryujin
Legend
There are a small subset of users who will ALWAYS pirate, regardless of the difficulty involved, just as there exists a percentage who will always pay for a product. For the rest it becomes a simple balance sheet: They'll pirate, if the product costs more than a largely arbitrary amount. The key is in finding the amount to charge that minimizes piracy, while maximizing profit.
How many people would be willing to buy every book that Wizards created for 4e, for $5.00 each? I wonder what their profit margin is, per book?
This is pretty directly contradicted by the sales history of the industry in general, even moreso the last 10 years and 3e/3.5 and 4e specifically.
Crunch heavy books (with that 13th level version of a hydra and another fighter feat for the pick-wielding half-elf) have been the runaway best sellers. Massively outselling other such books. d20 was a positive explosion of crunch.
JoeGKushner
Adventurer
and what revenue stream are you creating when you lock those windows? The same as not selling PDFs. None.
RLBURNSIDE
First Post
Not selling PDFs is dumb IMO
nobody who wants a PDF illegal version of a rule book would not have much difficulty finding one, except if it just came out. I agree, the only thing that not selling PDFs ensures is that no profit will be made off PDFs for those who want PDF versions of the books. I bought all my Dnd books, and pay for insider (though I just cancelled after all this fiasco), and I still don't get why I, as a paying consumer, have less choices than a full-on unscrupulous individual of low-moral fiber (pirate)
That said, coming up with underhanded ways to try and squeeze more money out of already-paying subscribers is just dumb. Don't give us less, charge us more, and then tell us it's raining when you're pissing on us. I mean, c'mon. More cost has to equal more value...otherwise why use Dnd Insider?
Also, let's not forget that with all the glut, without an automated system to pick and chose powers and feats, it would take a huge amount of time to make a character, time which we don't all have to spare. Only 3 of our group members used or had access to the CB unless they were at my place, on my account. The idea that one account can't be used to multiple people at the same game table is LUDICROUS. I will spit in the face of anyone who dares tell me what I can and can't do in the privacy of my own house. I don't go into your place and tell you to rent 5 copies of a movie when you want to have friends over.
It's such a gross violation of my human dignity for Wizards to even have the GALL to insinuate how I can use the computer and software I paid for in the comfort of my own place. I am the master of my domain, Wizards, not you. Don't pretend to be all powerful, because that's just petty and dumb. We'll take our business elsewhere if you keep pissing us off. Oh wait...we already did.
Look, someone else touched my mouse to look at a feat for their toon!! are we stealing from you!@!?? Are you in cahoots with Logitech? Do we need authorization to flush our toilets if there's an old Dragon magazine in the loo? Will the insanity ever stop...I didn't start the fire but I try to fight it.
I don't like paying for stuff and being treated like a criminal regardless. We'll just go to piracy and play the damn game anyway, Wotc, if you don't like it, tough. We could use the existing CB for 3-4 more years without running out of character options to try...
nobody who wants a PDF illegal version of a rule book would not have much difficulty finding one, except if it just came out. I agree, the only thing that not selling PDFs ensures is that no profit will be made off PDFs for those who want PDF versions of the books. I bought all my Dnd books, and pay for insider (though I just cancelled after all this fiasco), and I still don't get why I, as a paying consumer, have less choices than a full-on unscrupulous individual of low-moral fiber (pirate)
That said, coming up with underhanded ways to try and squeeze more money out of already-paying subscribers is just dumb. Don't give us less, charge us more, and then tell us it's raining when you're pissing on us. I mean, c'mon. More cost has to equal more value...otherwise why use Dnd Insider?
Also, let's not forget that with all the glut, without an automated system to pick and chose powers and feats, it would take a huge amount of time to make a character, time which we don't all have to spare. Only 3 of our group members used or had access to the CB unless they were at my place, on my account. The idea that one account can't be used to multiple people at the same game table is LUDICROUS. I will spit in the face of anyone who dares tell me what I can and can't do in the privacy of my own house. I don't go into your place and tell you to rent 5 copies of a movie when you want to have friends over.
It's such a gross violation of my human dignity for Wizards to even have the GALL to insinuate how I can use the computer and software I paid for in the comfort of my own place. I am the master of my domain, Wizards, not you. Don't pretend to be all powerful, because that's just petty and dumb. We'll take our business elsewhere if you keep pissing us off. Oh wait...we already did.
Look, someone else touched my mouse to look at a feat for their toon!! are we stealing from you!@!?? Are you in cahoots with Logitech? Do we need authorization to flush our toilets if there's an old Dragon magazine in the loo? Will the insanity ever stop...I didn't start the fire but I try to fight it.
I don't like paying for stuff and being treated like a criminal regardless. We'll just go to piracy and play the damn game anyway, Wotc, if you don't like it, tough. We could use the existing CB for 3-4 more years without running out of character options to try...
wedgeski
Adventurer
What. The. Hell.
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