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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Aldarc" data-source="post: 5772110" data-attributes="member: 5142">I have been thinking about a number of related issues in regards to electronic models and services for 5E and D&D past and present. Ryan Dancey's articles, from what I recall, talked about how TSR was taking losses from a number of the "box sets" due to production costs of print, etc. But then there is the issue of PDF piracy and the rise of tablet products, such as the iPad and Kindle, which make hauling and storing books more convenient. There is no easy solutions, but I would like to propose a possibility, feasible or not, for a model that Wizards of the Coast should explore for D&D: Bible Software. Say what? Let me explain. But just to be clear, I am not trying to sell you these products, but I am presenting these products as models that WotC could emulate. Biblical scholarship is much like D&D. There are a lot of books, tools, and reference materials that are required for purposes that also make life easier. For Old Testament scholarship, for example, you may need a copy of the entire Hebrew text, the Septuagint (multiple versions), several Hebrew and Aramaic lexicons, and a translation or two (for quick reference). Then when you include the New Testament Greek text, Koine Greek lexicons, and translations, etc. It becomes cumbersome to carry all these materials around. But software has been around for academic Biblical scholarship (and ministers) that allows for all of these materials in software packages: e.g., Bible Works, Logos, Accordance. How these products generally work is that you download the software, but you can buy the product in a series of introductory modular packages for a variety of prices. Let's take Accordance as an example, as that is what I use. There are the "Library Collections" that act as the "basic" and "novice" packages, which are aimed primarily at those interested in the English. But there are also the "Scholar Collections" that act as the "advanced" and "academic" packages, which are aimed primarily at those interested in engaging the Greek and Hebrew. Each of these levels may be further broken down into the initial product to buy: introductory, standard, premier. Each of these have more stuff in the initial package. But they are also customizable. So for example, the Scholar's Introductory package: Compare that with the Scholar's Standard package: But within both of these bundles, you the customer has the option of what other materials (within limits) are part of the initial package. But once you buy and download the software, it does stop there, as you can purchase and permanently unlock other materials that are not included in your initial package you buy. Many of these Bible software programs also include tools that are invaluable for Biblical scholarship, such as an accordance, parallels texts, maps, etc. Several of these Bible software products (i.e. Logos, Accordance) can also be used on iPads as well. And whatever packages you have unlocked on your computer, you have access to on your iPad. I hope you can now begin to see where I am going with this. WotC could potentially cut down costs on the production of books by providing a similar model in which their products could be unlocked and downloaded into an integrated software platform. You could buy packages (i.e. box sets) that were either Basic or Expert. Many of the modular rulesets emphasized in 5E blurbs could now be sold as these unlocked materials. You could buy and download products from past editions. And all the books you buy would be integrated into a single software product. The reference materials would not be PDFs that could be easily pirated, but built into the software itself, which could further be usable on an iPad or tablet. You would simply go to the WotC site, purchase the materials directly, and then download immediately for your use. This D&D Software could then include additional services such as an integrated search and cross reference function for rules, the ability to compare modular rule options side-by-side in parallel, map and dungeon creation tools, NPC/monster/character generation tools, etc. Furthermore, errata updates could be instantaneous with regular software updates. The software could provide tools for DMs to organize their campaigns into separate folders, as well as campaign notes. WotC could still easily integrate the DDI with this software, such that the DDI provides new options, articles, and other perks.</blockquote>

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