Anything new regarding D&D ebooks?

[caudor]

Hi folks, I've been away for a while. I recall that shortly after certain 2011 books were cancelled, somebody at WotC wrote in a FAQ that we should be hearing something about eBooks soon. Anyway, that's the best of my recollection.

I've scanned recent pages in the forums and see nigh mention of it. Have I missed any news related to D&D and eBooks?

Thanks.

 

[Zaphling]

I think you are referring to the Class Compendium free ebooks. Here's the oFighter ebook. Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Article (The Fighter (Weaponmaster))

 

[Dice4Hire]

There has been no announcement about selling Ebooks in the last year other than a couple comments they are still thinking about them.

 

[JoeGKushner]

No, I believe he's referring to when they pulled the PDF's, En World did an interview and asked what's up, and the guy said they were working on some sort of electronic solution due 'soon'.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

As it turns out, soon means soon but in God's time, not man's time.

Some thought that the reduced size of the various Essentials books meant that WoTC would be supporting PDF through say, the iPAD or other tablet styles but we've still yet to see or hear anything.

 

[caudor]

No, I believe he's referring to when they pulled the PDF's, En World did an interview and asked what's up, and the guy said they were working on some sort of electronic solution due 'soon'.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

As it turns out, soon means soon but in God's time, not man's time.

Some thought that the reduced size of the various Essentials books meant that WoTC would be supporting PDF through say, the iPAD or other tablet styles but we've still yet to see or hear anything.

Yes, that is the interview I was thinking about. It is just weird to me why they are not apparently eager to get my ebook money.

Perhaps we will hear something 'soon'

 

[Zaran]

Yeah, I'd love to get PDFs of my DnD books for my iPad legally. I believe that they actually encourage more pirates by making this stuff unavailable for purchase.

 

[DracoSuave]

They stopped doing pdfs for a number of reasons. They tried it and it didnt work and until something changes in the world to address those obstacles its irrational to expect their policy to budge.

PDFs people bought legally are still being pirated. Brick and mortar support is still needed to advance their product lines. Nothing changed so nothing changed.

 

[Dumnbunny]

WotC is apparently not ruling out digital delivery of its products using a different format or model. “We are exploring other options for digital distribution of our content,” the spokesperson said.

source

I wouldn't expect to ever see a legal option for PDF books. DRM is digital snake-oil, there will never be an effective DRM scheme. Content publishers either don't release their content electronically at all, release with with a DRM fig-leaf to give the technologicallly illiterate suits warm fuzzy feelings, or, increasingly, bow to reality and release their content without DRM.

I have no doubt the "other options for digital distribution" to which the WotC spokesperson alluded refers to distribution through DDI, in part the compendium and the character builder. With the recently announced themes articles, it seems they're taking book content and releasing it as Dragon magazine articles. These articles are in an easily pirated PDF format.

Sigh.

 

[caudor]

It makes me wonder if pulling the ebooks actually reduced piracy of these books?

I just want to read them on my iPad and would pay good money for the privilege. Yet, the only option for reading the magazines is a digital format. It all just doesn't make sense.

Paizo and other competitors are selling digital versions. Gosh, I just find this issue to be annoying. Anyway, I don't want vent here. Yet this wait for news or info regarding this has been excessive. If they are not planning digital releases of the game books, they should just tell us.

 

[Dumnbunny]

It makes me wonder if pulling the ebooks actually reduced piracy of these books?

It's impossible to know for sure, but I don't imagine it's had much of an impact. With some stores allowed to sell books before the official release date, we're seeing bookmarked and OCR'd pirated PDFs available by the release date.