Maggan
Writer for CY_BORG, Forbidden Lands and Dragonbane
At EN World, polls are the ultimate weapons wielded in the Eternal Edition Blood War.
That's why polls are serious business.
/M
How Has the WotC PDF Situation Affected You REALLY?
- Thread starter CleverNickName
- Start date
At EN World, polls are the ultimate weapons wielded in the Eternal Edition Blood War.
That's why polls are serious business.
/M
am181d
Adventurer
I made the decision to only buy PDFs for 4e about a year ago, so to be technical, it's less that I'm boycotting WotC then it is that WotC is boycotting me.
Here's what gets me about WotC's decision:
We can divide current 4e PDF purchasers into two camps, those who would never download a PDF illegally and those who would, but who prefer to pay for the PDF when that option is afforded to them.
With WotC's decision, the first group stops giving WotC money and the second group stops giving them money AND starts downloading illegally.
So somehow, in an effort to fight piracy, WotC has settled on the one course of action that is 100% guaranteed to INCREASE piracy.
The D&D rulebooks were available before there were legally available PDFs (heck, the PDFs of the core books came out before the core books), and illegal PDFs will still be available moving forward.
At best, they'll slow the dissemination of new books, but if that was their goal, there'd be no point in pulling down the PDFs of any book that was already available for illegal download. Unless you're going to magically remove all of those old PDFs from the torrent sites, there's no point in shutting down the sale of those same PDFs through legal channels. None. It's moronic.
Here's what gets me about WotC's decision:
We can divide current 4e PDF purchasers into two camps, those who would never download a PDF illegally and those who would, but who prefer to pay for the PDF when that option is afforded to them.
With WotC's decision, the first group stops giving WotC money and the second group stops giving them money AND starts downloading illegally.
So somehow, in an effort to fight piracy, WotC has settled on the one course of action that is 100% guaranteed to INCREASE piracy.
The D&D rulebooks were available before there were legally available PDFs (heck, the PDFs of the core books came out before the core books), and illegal PDFs will still be available moving forward.
At best, they'll slow the dissemination of new books, but if that was their goal, there'd be no point in pulling down the PDFs of any book that was already available for illegal download. Unless you're going to magically remove all of those old PDFs from the torrent sites, there's no point in shutting down the sale of those same PDFs through legal channels. None. It's moronic.
Invisible Stalker
First Post
Not at all, I don't buy PDFs for WOTC or any other products.
I'll also go with the "nuke bitorrent" option.
I'll also go with the "nuke bitorrent" option.
caudor
Adventurer
Two impacts on me. I've slowly been collecting old edition .pdf files to fill out my collection. Now my OD&D collection will remain a smile with a missing tooth.
Second, it will be more difficult to run games via Maptool. I have two players who live in different states. Until WotC releases the virtual table (clearing my throat), using Maptools will be more difficult. Not impossible; just harder.
One primary reason I bought into 4e is that it was supposed to make the game easier to play with all the promised online tools.
Sometimes you have to take a step back in order to move forward, but lately it appears WotC has been in full reverse.
Second, it will be more difficult to run games via Maptool. I have two players who live in different states. Until WotC releases the virtual table (clearing my throat), using Maptools will be more difficult. Not impossible; just harder.
One primary reason I bought into 4e is that it was supposed to make the game easier to play with all the promised online tools.
Sometimes you have to take a step back in order to move forward, but lately it appears WotC has been in full reverse.
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Shades of Green
Explorer
When people make with the dumb at ENWorld I just add them to my ignore list. If they represent a publisher, I also stop buying from that publisher. The only effect of this whole hubbub has been to double the length of my ignore list, cost several 3PPs my business, and save me time and money in the process.
It's been awesome, in other words.
It's been awesome, in other words.
DaveMage
Slumbering in Tsar
Since I'm not playing 4E, the way it affects me is the lack of availability of some of the older stuff.
While I'm trying to get the print versions of most things, there are some older items which are either too expensive or too hard to find.
I downloaded Swords & Wizardry, but one day I'd like to have the original 3 OD&D books.
While I'm trying to get the print versions of most things, there are some older items which are either too expensive or too hard to find.
I downloaded Swords & Wizardry, but one day I'd like to have the original 3 OD&D books.
I don't really think any of the options applied to me, but I guess I'm going to stop buying WotC PDFs since... well, they're not going to sell them to me any more. And since I've always liked pre-3e editions of D&D and getting the physical books for those can be a pain and a half, that makes me unhappy.
But I only vaguely give a damn about 4e, so I was already not buying up their books, so I'm going to... uh... stop buying things they aren't selling. Which doesn't really communicate anything to them, so I will also just pitch in that I'm part of the angry mob who wants to burn them down. Yeah.
But I only vaguely give a damn about 4e, so I was already not buying up their books, so I'm going to... uh... stop buying things they aren't selling. Which doesn't really communicate anything to them, so I will also just pitch in that I'm part of the angry mob who wants to burn them down. Yeah.
fanboy2000
Adventurer
I like buying old TSR/WotC products for inspiration. I play 4e, but I like to throw in old places like Blackmore in my game. It's not that big a deal. I never bought current products in pdf form for two reasons: 1. price. 2. format. The layout of physical books doesn't make for easy reading on a computer screen, and I'm not printing out a whole book on my crappy printer. Nor am I going to pay all that money to print it out at Kinko's.
Voadam
Legend
I buy tons of pdfs. I play 3e and stopped getting physical books a long time ago with only a few purchases for superdiscounted books I wanted a lot.
I did not buy 4e pdfs. I happily play 3e and the 4e prices at $25 were too high to tempt me to try out the new game.
I was not not buying WotC 3e pdfs. I bought a few when they were on sale but decided after those purchases the price even on sale was just too high for me for the value of the product and there are tons of other gaming pdfs I want at more attractive prices (both d20/OGL D&D and other) I'd rather spend my money on first.
I bought lots of old edition WotC D&D pdfs. About 1-5 per month (peaking back when they were $4 each on Paizo), depending on what else was on sale that month.
I went from spending about $5-$20 a month on WotC products. Now that is down to zero.
I did not buy 4e pdfs. I happily play 3e and the 4e prices at $25 were too high to tempt me to try out the new game.
I was not not buying WotC 3e pdfs. I bought a few when they were on sale but decided after those purchases the price even on sale was just too high for me for the value of the product and there are tons of other gaming pdfs I want at more attractive prices (both d20/OGL D&D and other) I'd rather spend my money on first.
I bought lots of old edition WotC D&D pdfs. About 1-5 per month (peaking back when they were $4 each on Paizo), depending on what else was on sale that month.
I went from spending about $5-$20 a month on WotC products. Now that is down to zero.
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