D&D 5E Does 5E have to be available as a PDF for you to consider buying it?

[Agamon]

Nah, I am using a 10" tablet, same as you. I do find it annoying that the pdf always uses less than 100% of the screen area (Letter being the worst format). For a pdf in letter format I have to zoom and to flip between the pages without resetting the zoom I have to use the volume buttons. The pdf's are completely useless on my 4.7" phone though, which I used until I got the tablet. It worked great for books, but doesn't work at all for pdf's. A epub optimized for 7"+ tablets should be ok on the phone, but instead we get pdf's that are completely useless.

I don't think tables have to be a disaster, but the reader have to support things like header columns and such. I don't know how good that support is. The same goes for the images. There is no reason images don't work well in epub's. That's probably just lazyness from the epub creator.

How odd. I have no need to zoom on any gaming pdf (or book or comic) that I read on my tablet. I'm not looking at it right now to say how much screen real estate a page uses, but I'd be surprised if it was less than 90%.

This is the first complaint I've heard regarding this. Maybe its the pdf reader you use?

 

[Jester David]

I use print at the table but rely on PDFs all the rest of the time, when planning for a session.
After 4e (with the Compendium and eTools) and Pathfinder (and the assorted websites and PDFs) I've gotten used to planning my games at the computer, writing out the adventure in Google Drive. I'll often do some planning at work (during breaks), on the couch with my iPad (quality time with the wife), or in my hidden basement lair. I'd have great difficulty adapting to PDF-less play.

That said, I can see myself not getting many PDFs.
WotC has charged a hefty price for their digital offerings. $40 for a dead tree and $18 for the digital. Ouch. Of course, that doesn't mean they'll charge something disgusting like $25 for the digital copy of a $50 rulebook. Paizo is a good example of this: they charge more for products you might only buy a single copy (print or PDF) and less for products where you might buy both copies. So WotC could easily follow suit and have a more reasonably priced $10 or $15 PDF.
However, most of the time I buy PDFs I buy them as a bundle. I go to the publisher's store and get a print/PDF package so the total price is less. For products I really want I'll often pre-order, which gets me the PDF for free or, in the case of Paizo, subscribe to a product line and get the PDFs added as a bonus. Neither of those options are likely to happen as WotC is allergic to taking money directly and buying a book in a physical store won't net me the PDF. Coordinating every local game store (and big boxes) with DnDClassics.com would be a nightmare, to say nothing of amazon. I'd rather not pay extra for a digital copy of a product I own myself and I'd much rather WotC think of a way to include PDFs (either free or discounted) with their physical books.

For example, I'd love it if each PHB came with a code that can be scratched off (lottery ticket style) to reveal a code that could be used to get 90% off the PDF at DriveThruRPG. (Which might reduce stolen codes as it's not completely free, so piracy is still easier. And if some jerk does scratch in stores and camera the code, when someone buys the book they can report it as pre-scratched and DriveThru can cancel the old code and block the scratcher's account, certain they have his name as they have his payment details).


Let's be honest here for a moment. PDFs are not a deal breaker. I'd love cheap PDFs and being able to buy a print/digital bundle but if WotC doesn't go down that route, finding PDFs still won't be an issue. It was never a problem for 4e, which was not digital for most of its run. If WotC doesn't want to take my money but pricing their product too high or not providing options... like most people I'll probably look elsewhere. I much, much rather pay. I want to support the hobby and give people my money. I just don't want to pay more for the digital product that I do for the physical books, like was often the case during early 4e.

 

[Agamon]

For example, I'd love it if each PHB came with a code that can be scratched off (lottery ticket style) to reveal a code that could be used to get 90% off the PDF at DriveThruRPG. (Which might reduce stolen codes as it's not completely free, so piracy is still easier. And if some jerk does scratch in stores and camera the code, when someone buys the book they can report it as pre-scratched and DriveThru can cancel the old code and block the scratcher's account, certain they have his name as they have his payment details).

I'm not in the publishing industry, but I find that with stuff like this, reactionary measures aren't popular. It's more likely they would have to seal the books if they did this. Which would be adding to the cost of the book to give someone a discount on something....

 

[Jester David]

I'm not in the publishing industry, but I find that with stuff like this, reactionary measures aren't popular. It's more likely they would have to seal the books if they did this. Which would be adding to the cost of the book to give someone a discount on something....

Shrink wrapping is nothing. Pennies per several books. Several of the deluxe collector's books were shrinkwrapped. So that'd be very possible, so long as WotC acknowledged stores might need a display copy they can unwrap.

 

[Baron Von Mandrick]

I just want to point again how convenient D&D Insider style is. Once there are a large amount of books it's a pain to sort through them all for character choices, monster choices, back and forth between books. It's even a minor pain to go back to the menu or home page and switch PDF's can be a pain. With DDI compendium or character creator, it's all right there, and there's no need to switch back and forth with all the clutter. I really hope they have that option.

I still like the books and PDF's because always the first read, I enjoy studying each book, or new book as they come out. Occasionally I'll look at them again if I'm in bed, or on the couch or something, but like others, I spend most of my prep time at the computer.

 

[Blackbrrd]

How odd. I have no need to zoom on any gaming pdf (or book or comic) that I read on my tablet. I'm not looking at it right now to say how much screen real estate a page uses, but I'd be surprised if it was less than 90%.

This is the first complaint I've heard regarding this. Maybe its the pdf reader you use?

I don't have to zoom to be able to read, but I prefer something that's as large as possible. Try reading this one for instance: http://www.dndclassics.com/pdf_preview_handler.php?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwatermark.dndclassics.com%2Fpdf_previews%2F16880-sample.pdf on my tablet there is quite a bit of not used space on the top/bottom and the paper margins are there as well.

Btw, I am assuming you are showing the whole page text, not just parts of it? What reader are you using? I am using aldiko.

 

[thewok]

As delericho said, I prefer to buy printed materials. But I think it should be available electronically, as well. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that any printed books should come with a code to get the electronic version at no additional cost. I'm not sure how to do that easily without shrink-wrapping the books, though.

 

[francisca]

What about the rest of you?

I'm not in the market for a new fantasy RPG, as a DM. But if a friend ran a 5E game at a convention or gameday, I might be willing to give it a try as a player. Given those conditions, I'd only buy it in PDF format (if at all), as I already have too many never/very rarely used physical books on the shelf. (This is where I'm at with Pathfinder and DCC...I own the core books in PDF, but won't be buying physical copies in the foreseeable future).

Now, if I'd been playtesting heavily, and looking forward to 5e as my main game as a DM, then I'd be looking forward to purchasing the physical books.

But in my case, if I purchase 5e at all, it will be in PDF format (if available).

 

[steeldragons]

For me, gone are the days of lugging huge quantities of books to the game session. Nowadays I use a tablet and will print out one or two sheets I need for the adventure. I also use a website to track campaign notes, again from my tablet.

I've become very used to using pdf's to access my library of books, and whilst I like the dead tree version at home, for me at the table it has to be electronic.

So for me, if Next doesn't support pdf, and the pdf's aren't significantly less expensive than the hardbacks, then I probably won't buy into it.

What about the rest of you?

Does the release of pdf's matter to me...hmmm

How can I put this...

Not no way. Not no how.

If a player wants to use electronic stuff and interwebs to record and reference stuff on their own, at home? Knock yourself out.

At my table, you will have a character sheet (on paper!), a set of dice, and a pencil (preferably with eraser)...and I'm flexible on the dice/not averse to communal or loaned dice if someone doesn't have their own.

I'll even throw in a pencil sharpener, blank paper, and maybe some spare erasers...on the house! Cuz that's the kinda sensational host with the most that I am.

There will be books available if we need to look something up...and that, most likely, doesn't entail anything more than details for spells. If you have your own books, great! Bring 'em along. Don't want to? Don't.

But I'll be rolled in Demogorgon's earwax, dipped in boiling ochre jelly and sprinkled with pixie dust to make a draconic churro for Tharizdun before I ever allow electronic devices at my table...EVAR!!!

To the question, they can make/release the pdf's. Don't make/release pdf's. Charge for 'em. Give 'em out for free or stick 'em in leprechaun's lederhosen...s'no scales off my back.

 

[Umbran]

But I'll be rolled in Demogorgon's earwax, dipped in boiling ochre jelly and sprinkled with pixie dust to make a draconic churro for Tharizdun before I ever allow electronic devices at my table...EVAR!!!

Well. That's... certainly vague enough on where you stand, isn't it?

Points for most evocative phrase I've seen today.