DriveThruRPG Exclusivity

[maddman75]

I really do feel for the publishers. I imagine they were thinking 'This is going to be cool - we'll have these PDFs for people who either can't get our books, want OOP stuff, or just plain like them. We don't have to do any extra work, just send these guys the file and cash the check!' Then this huge controversy over the DRM, which was probably about number four or five in a list of bullet-points. At least from the way they are acting, it doesn't seem much like this level of resistance, even anger, was expected.

By going with DRM not only are you interfering with your customer using your product, you are morally and ethically throwing yourselves in with folks like the RIAA, known most recently for sueing twelve year old girls. Not fair, I know, but on an emotional level there's a BIG backlash against any efforts to enforce copyright. That is why people are saying they don't want to be treated like theives. Because we've already been treated that way by others. I already can't buy music CDs because my stereo is my computer, and with some of them having DRMs I can't trust that I can play them. So I guess I can't buy PDFs either, at least from DTRPG.

 

[francisca]

I really do feel for the publishers. I imagine they were thinking 'This is going to be cool - we'll have these PDFs for people who either can't get our books, want OOP stuff, or just plain like them. We don't have to do any extra work, just send these guys the file and cash the check!' Then this huge controversy over the DRM, which was probably about number four or five in a list of bullet-points. At least from the way they are acting, it doesn't seem much like this level of resistance, even anger, was expected.

I certainly don't think that anyone at any of the print-only publishers were trying to piss anyone off. But you know what, they should have researched this a little bit better. DRM has been insecure since at least the summer of 2001, probably earlier. They could have seen early on in the process that DRM was not the silver bullet against file sharing, which was their concern. I've seen a good argument made that by attempting to protect their product they've done due diligence, and if they go to court over file sharing, they have a leg to stand on. Time will only tell if that is a valid strategy. However, they should have looked at the pdf cottage industry and considered what people like about pdf, like ease of use and portability between individual computers and operating systems. I mean, selling pdf versions of their material is now a part of their business. Like any component of a business plan, it needs to be researched fully before plungining in. So, they should have seen this coming. Serioulsy. A few days of googling would have found a mountain of information for them to look through (not that I believe everything I read on the net). But, as it wasn't their core business before, and this was offered up as a fire-and-forget option, I can see how it happened. But again, I think they should have researched the market they were entering before signing on.

As for the folks who were doing pdf before, they should have seen this coming for sure. Some of the features once touted as a selling point for pdfs have been eliminated or made inconvienient, and with that, DRM allows a third party to poke around your computer. The PDF publishers should have seen this coming.

 

[drnuncheon]

This probably belongs somewhere else, but the answer might be instructive:

Are people who publish though DTRPG forced to have DRM, or is it only a choice that they can make?

In other words, if I, Mr. Game Developer, wanted to have VeryCoolGame (d20 version) sold as a PDF without DRM, would DTRPG accomodate me, or would I need to go to RPGnow for that service?

J

 

[Flyspeck23]

This probably belongs somewhere else, but the answer might be instructive:

Are people who publish though DTRPG forced to have DRM, or is it only a choice that they can make?

In other words, if I, Mr. Game Developer, wanted to have VeryCoolGame (d20 version) sold as a PDF without DRM, would DTRPG accomodate me, or would I need to go to RPGnow for that service?

J

AFAIK:
1. Yes, you'll have to use DRM.
2. You probably wouldn't be invited to the club

 

[Cergorach]

AFAIK:
1. Yes, you'll have to use DRM.
2. You probably wouldn't be invited to the club

Even with the Aa Far As I Know posted, this is nothing but guess work. It wouldn't suprise me in the least that if the right person would ask, they would make an exception. Currently DTRPG isn't signing on anyone until they are sure they can handle additional publishers, which is a very wise business decission...

 

[The Mad Kaiser]

Even with the Aa Far As I Know posted, this is nothing but guess work. It wouldn't suprise me in the least that if the right person would ask, they would make an exception. Currently DTRPG isn't signing on anyone until they are sure they can handle additional publishers, which is a very wise business decission...

Then why would Malhavoc choose to employ it? They have admited DRM does nothing, but they still use it. It must be forced, which makes me think that DTRPG somehow makes money by forcing it. Possibly a commision from Adobe?

And that "be sure they can handle additional publishers" is a load of garbage. They have been working on this for at least six months, and were more than willing to take over RPGNow, which services over 100 publishers.

 

[Henry]

And that "be sure they can handle additional publishers" is a load of garbage. They have been working on this for at least six months, and were more than willing to take over RPGNow, which services over 100 publishers.

Take this as reasoned speculation:

Had they purchased RPGNow, they would have already had in place a network, a site, and a staff which was already capable of handling large amounts of vendors and orders. Since they had to build it from scratch, and they wanted to draw vendors from RPGNow's roster as well as from non-PDF vending sources, they went ahead with the DRM management. Had they successfully purchased RPGNow, this would have played out every differently, I think:

1. Drive-Thru purchases RPGNow. Few to NO logistical changes at first, just sell-through existing vendors as they ALWAYS have.

2. Become better versed on the PDF vending industry over time, contacting vendors to let them know the DRM changes coming down the pipe.

3. Announce shortly beforehand that "big changes are coming to RPGNow."

4. Announce the DRM, announce the new publishers they've drawn in, talk about the advantages of DRM, and from X date forward, ALL RPGNow PDF's are DRM. (Name change to Drive-Thru RPG is no longer needed or is optional).

That's just a speculation on my part, but that's why I think they wouldn't have needed more time to handle more vendors; while they are doing the DRM emplacement work and building their upgraded project, RPGNow under new management continues to sell and turn a small profit.

 

[Dana_Jorgensen]

To answer some questions...

Do the DTRPG vendors have to use DRM?

The answer is yes. Adobe Content Server is the delivery method DTRPG uses to provide the files to the consumer. Adobe Content Server requires the use of Acrobat 6 and DRM.

How fast can a sheet fed scanner work with a despined book?

Well, back in 1995, on a job converting a massive number of aircraft manuals to digital format for Lockheed Martin (my first post-military defense contractor work, woohoo!), I had a $4500 sheet-fed scanner was able to do about 150 pages per hour, unattended, with a bin holding 600 sheets of paper (this scanner was the size of your average computer desk, mind you). So typically, we were scanning a full bin every 8 hours, or 2400 pages a day (1200 pages during work hours, 1200 more overnight, and the scanner had 8 hours of downtime daily. If I bought a new sheet fed scanner in that price range, it could probably do 2 to 2.5 times the work.

 

[GMSkarka]

Just FYI, the "no work involved for you/we'll convert your print books to PDF" service for print publisher was one of the cornerstones of RPGNow's efforts at this year's GAMA Trade Show, where James sent me armed with loads of informational packets and a drinks-and-dinner budget to woo print publishers.

For whatever reason, most of those folks (and a few who were already our clients) are now on the DTRPG exclusive client list, so I'm guessing that there must've been something else that sealed the deal for them.

This is just my opinion, though.

 

[The Mad Kaiser]

Take this as reasoned speculation

I'll take it as a speculation of someone who has zero experience with pdf publishing.

It requires only 30 minutes to setup a commercial Paypal account. It takes one dedicated human being less than eight hours to Paypal Mass-Pay, once a month. It takes one dedicated human being less than 24 hours to put no less than twenty new products up for sale per day.

That's it. The rest of the stuff has nothing to do with the number of publishers, but general business dealings that all companies must deal with. The truth is, the software does most of the work for the publishers; delivers the pdf, generates sales reports, mass-mails, customer information, wish-lists, coupons, etc. To claim DTRPG is giving publishers some service above and beyond RPGNow is a load of rich, creamery butter. The only thing they do different is force DRM on everyone, carry print compaines only, and demand exclusive contracts. (and possibly waive commision fees for a few months)