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<blockquote data-quote="delericho" data-source="post: 5772566" data-attributes="member: 22424"><p>I don't know enough about the specifics to describe an idealised layout, but it does seem clear to me that D&D needs to both be playable without any electronic support and to recognise that many players have, and will want to use, iPads and/or smartphones at the table.</p><p></p><p>I suspect that the best way forward may well be to publish the first set of books at the same time as the material formally becomes available via DDI and the same books become available for sale in PDF/eBook format. That way, you get all three media covered - those who like physical books, those who want to go electronic but don't want to 'rent', and those who adopt DDI.</p><p></p><p>Going forward, new material should probably appear first on DDI for early adopters. This would then be a sort of informal playtest, during which any required errata/revisions are developed and applied. After a time, the new content should then be 'locked', allowing no further errata/revisions - and at that point the material should be collated into the annual (ish) printed hardcover (and also released as PDF/eBook).</p><p></p><p>But, basically, <em>everything</em> should be available electronically, ideally in both PDF/eBook and DDI forms. And there should also be a printed version of the game that is entirely compatible with the electronic version. (The 4e model of printing first and then revising heavily was a bit of a disaster, as it meant that the printed books quickly became worse than useless when playing with a DDI group. Far better to release to DDI first, work out the bugs, and <em>then</em> send to print.)</p><p></p><p>Of course, it probably won't be practical to produce <em>everything</em> in print; some things will be electronic-only. But if WotC are serious about their 'reunification' agenda, they need to <em>very strongly</em> resist the urge to discontinue print support - almost all of the <em>rules</em> material, at least, needs to make it to print in a timely manner.</p><p></p><p>(Incidentally, they should do some sort of 'bundle' deal - if you buy the hardcopy, <em>and</em> have DDI access, you get a free PDF. Or you can buy hard-copy and PDF together at a vastly reduced cost. Or <em>something</em>. I for one will always want physical copies of my books, and while electronic copies are <em>great</em>, I won't pay the same cover price again for the privilidge.)</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="delericho, post: 5772566, member: 22424"] I don't know enough about the specifics to describe an idealised layout, but it does seem clear to me that D&D needs to both be playable without any electronic support and to recognise that many players have, and will want to use, iPads and/or smartphones at the table. I suspect that the best way forward may well be to publish the first set of books at the same time as the material formally becomes available via DDI and the same books become available for sale in PDF/eBook format. That way, you get all three media covered - those who like physical books, those who want to go electronic but don't want to 'rent', and those who adopt DDI. Going forward, new material should probably appear first on DDI for early adopters. This would then be a sort of informal playtest, during which any required errata/revisions are developed and applied. After a time, the new content should then be 'locked', allowing no further errata/revisions - and at that point the material should be collated into the annual (ish) printed hardcover (and also released as PDF/eBook). But, basically, [i]everything[/i] should be available electronically, ideally in both PDF/eBook and DDI forms. And there should also be a printed version of the game that is entirely compatible with the electronic version. (The 4e model of printing first and then revising heavily was a bit of a disaster, as it meant that the printed books quickly became worse than useless when playing with a DDI group. Far better to release to DDI first, work out the bugs, and [i]then[/i] send to print.) Of course, it probably won't be practical to produce [i]everything[/i] in print; some things will be electronic-only. But if WotC are serious about their 'reunification' agenda, they need to [i]very strongly[/i] resist the urge to discontinue print support - almost all of the [i]rules[/i] material, at least, needs to make it to print in a timely manner. (Incidentally, they should do some sort of 'bundle' deal - if you buy the hardcopy, [i]and[/i] have DDI access, you get a free PDF. Or you can buy hard-copy and PDF together at a vastly reduced cost. Or [i]something[/i]. I for one will always want physical copies of my books, and while electronic copies are [i]great[/i], I won't pay the same cover price again for the privilidge.) [/QUOTE]
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