Cost of Core Books PDFs

[malraux]

The thing that I don't get about the pricing scheme is that the core books are already available on the net (albiet pirated copies). By setting the PDF price at the same as hardcover, there is no incentive for people to buy vs. steal them (aside from personal values).

Better bookmarking, incorporation of future errata, assurance that you've got the correct info (as IIRC the leaked MM was not the final copy), within book linking, etc.

 

[Arnwyn]

A decent printer loaded with quality paper working with a good quality source file can turn out a very good quality product. The major difference is how much you are willing to spend on binding, but even 3 hole punch + 3 ring binder is pretty good.

Well, that pretty much relates to my comments on quality. I've never seen, nor heard of, any print and binding jobs that even come remotely close to an actual professionally released book - but, as I noted in my post - different people value different things (as evidenced by your binder comment).

 

[Nyarlathotep]

Better bookmarking, incorporation of future errata, assurance that you've got the correct info (as IIRC the leaked MM was not the final copy), within book linking, etc.

Has WotC said they will incorporate future errata? Last I heard (from LurkingLidda) in a post yesterday, was that it was under consideration, but that's a long way from implementation.

 

[Jack99]

I just bought the PHB and MM. I am hoping they will incorporate errata, but else they will still be invaluable to me, since 99% of my adventure and campaign building is done on a computer, the ability to quickly search or use bookmarks to jump back and forth between say two classes, some items and feats, is just awesome. Not to mention the ability to c/p monsters into my google document, where i can edit them, as I wish.

 

[fissionessence]

I don't have any problems with the [discounted] price of the pdf books. However, I'm definitely not going to buy them, as I've already bought the printed books. If I preferred pdfs to print (which I don't), then I would buy the [discounted] pdf versions with no qualms. The current price seems perfectly reasonable.

However, they are completely not worth it to me if I have to pay another $75 to get the pdfs. Especially since the print books cost me less than $60 from Amazon. If there were an option for discounted pdf prices for those who already bought the print books, then I would definitely purchase digital versions if they were in the $10-$15 range.

~ fissionessence

 

[Treebore]

Ya know, having a different opinion is one thing. Being a total jerk about it is something else entirely. Comments like that are just begging to be called a WotC fanboy. Which would probobaly upset you, as it should, but you really are setting yourself up for it.

He's OK. Companies love people like him who support their selling something at 6 to 800% profit.

 

[malraux]

Has WotC said they will incorporate future errata? Last I heard (from LurkingLidda) in a post yesterday, was that it was under consideration, but that's a long way from implementation.

Well, I'd be shocked if they didn't at least incorporate in the errata that goes into the later publications, ie the changes that'll be made for the next print run, if for no other reason than they'd be screwing the pdf customers not to at least keep the pdf version concurrent with the books. Now the extra work involved in adding errata outside that which will happen anyway is a harder choice.

 

[Dire Bare]

Otherwise, 3catcircus might have been right when he raised the possibility that WotC as a company* was lying.

Lying and changing your business plan are two entirely different things.

As has been pointed out several times in this thread alone, WotC originally planned on free or severely discounted PDFs of the books being available to purchasers of the print books. However, WotC has clearly stated that this original plan was discarded as too difficult and problem-wraught to continue. So instead they modifed their D&D Compendium plans to include crunchy bits from all books, whether you purchased them or not (thru D&D Insider).

So now your choices are to subscribe to D&D Insider and access ALL the crunchy bits on the D&D Compendium and/or purchase the print books or the PDF e-books.

 

[Shadeydm]

Dude! Look at your response for a minute. The guy is arguing that his personal preferences dictate world markets. No amount of rational explanation or elucidation of basic economics on your part will ever convince him otherwise. You cannot win this argument.

And the point of this post is what? To ridicule a fellow poster? Excellent...

 

[Dire Bare]

Better bookmarking, incorporation of future errata, assurance that you've got the correct info (as IIRC the leaked MM was not the final copy), within book linking, etc.

Not to mention that some of us gamers follow the law and dislike being thieves. I could download the PDFs for free, but since I wear a white hat I'll purchase them instead.