Shadowdark Gary con

[Warpiglet-7]

I am not understanding the concerns about links etc.

I just want a pdf I can save if it take the plunge.

Are the concerns here about not being able to require the pdf if I “lose” it?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I am not understanding the concerns about links etc.

I just want a pdf I can save if it take the plunge.

Are the concerns here about not being able to require the pdf if I “lose” it?

The concern is that there are a few more hoops to jump through to get another copy of an Arcane Library PDF if you buy from their site.

I've bought 5E adventures from them for years and whenever I've had an issue, it can be resolved with an email.

 

[Bill Zebub]

I think this is a reasonable ask, but I'm also not surprised the Arcane Library doesn't have it yet. Too small an outfit.

Exactly.

This....

You can purchase via the Arcane Library but the purchase experience bites.

You do not have an account so the links to your PDFs expire after a few uses. I would avoid buying PDFs from them like the plague.

This leaves you getting the paperback sized physical book from them and being forced to pay higher prices to get the pdf from drivethrurpg.

The product is great but the customer portion if you did not back is terrible.

I would not buy again from Arcane Library because of that experience. Who wants to keep track of limited use links in 2026!?

...seems rather petulant.

 

[Belen]

Exactly.

This....



...seems rather petulant.

It’s just honest. I will not buy PDFs from them because of enhanced risk.

They give you drivethrurpg links if you back them but not if you pay full price via their own store. Additionally, you only get limited use links which also require you to save the email.

Any issue that may cause you to lose the PDF may also mean you lose the link.

I cannot recommend the direct buy experience and it is better and safer to buy from drivethrurpg.

 

[Bill Zebub]

It’s just honest. I will not buy PDFs from them because of enhanced risk.

They give you drivethrurpg links if you back them but not if you pay full price via their own store. Additionally, you only get limited use links which also require you to save the email.

Any issue that may cause you to lose the PDF may also mean you lose the link.

I cannot recommend the direct buy experience and it is better and safer to buy from drivethrurpg.

As a previous poster said, if you just send them an email, the nice humans there will generate a new link for you.

I mean, it's fine if you don't want to buy things from them because their e-commerce platform does not have a feature you insist on, but there's a difference between "does not offer something I want" and "terrible customer service".

 

[Velderan]

It’s just honest. I will not buy PDFs from them because of enhanced risk.

They give you drivethrurpg links if you back them but not if you pay full price via their own store. Additionally, you only get limited use links which also require you to save the email.

Any issue that may cause you to lose the PDF may also mean you lose the link.

I cannot recommend the direct buy experience and it is better and safer to buy from drivethrurpg.

I'm confused by the bolded part. You mean if you back their Kickstarters? Because I've backed both and didn't get DriveThruRPG links.

 

[Bill Zebub]

I'm confused by the bolded part. You mean if you back their Kickstarters? Because I've backed both and didn't get DriveThruRPG links.

You know, I think you're right. You get a Backerkit link directly to the file, right?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

You know, I think you're right. You get a Backerkit link directly to the file, right?

Yes.

 

[Bill Zebub]

I believe Drivethrurpg takes a 30-35% cut of sales, so I can understand why, if you can have your own web presence, you would not want to redirect all your sales through them. Like Arcane Library.

Drivethrurpg, on the other hand, probably would love to be taking a 35% cut on a product line as popular as Shadowdark.

And while I can (sort of) understand the poster's desire to have persistent access to the datastore, without having to email customer service if you lose something, the anger and vitriol is...surprising.

Which makes me wonder (...tinfoil hat ON!) if there's some connection there.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I believe Drivethrurpg takes a 30-35% cut of sales, so I can understand why, if you can have your own web presence, you would not want to redirect all your sales through them. Like Arcane Library.

Drivethrurpg, on the other hand, probably would love to be taking a 35% cut on a product line as popular as Shadowdark.

They take a 35% cut of my Shadowdark stuff, yes.

Kelsey, and others, have been open about the fact that, once you reach a certain level of success, it makes more sense to run your own web store. She still has the most-downloaded (and I think best-reviewed) adventure on DMs Guild (which takes a 50% cut) to help drive awareness -- and it's free. But when it comes to actual financial transactions -- and even before Shadowdark, I believe she had transitioned to being a full-time game designer -- she handles both the costs of a website and takes all of the proceeds.