Important thread regarding PDFs on RPG.NET

[rpghost]

Thought I'd point you to these threads about a new PDF sales site using secure PDFs (DRM) ...

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?threadid=127041

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?threadid=127049


I'm purposfully staying out of the public forums on all this stuff... I want to see what the public has to say. Honestly I wish them and everyone there the best as it'll just help the industry and I'm convinced that it will over effect RPGNow in a postive way.

James

 

[Cergorach]

We were already 'discussing' it in the publishers forum under the FDP announcement ;-)

FOR:
- Has some mainstream books RPGnow or other vendors don't have.
- Most files are of the 'OCRed' type (not truly ocred, but rather the files that were use for production).

AGAINST:
- Some of the pdfs are more expensive then what i paid for their printed products.
- DRM, very annoying, only light on the horizon is that they didn't disable printing, i can now print to postscript (but not yet distill it to pdf again).

As i said in the other thread, i paid:
1 x Tome Of Horrors II (1-58846-992-1) = $27.99
Not exactly cheap, especially if i got the printed book for a whole lot less.

The fact that i now do not have to OCR the whole book to get the OGC from it is worth it though, but the extraction of the content is still a lot of work.

 

[2WS-Steve]

I just wanted to pop in and say I'm sorry that RPGNow lost a couple big publishers to this new development--I'm sure that hurts a bit.

I like having more choices for my online PDF purchases (and that's what I originally hoped DriveThru would be) but the exclusivity business means that now I'm guaranteed to only have one option, if I want ebooks from those publishers.

 

[Psion]

I regret the decision of Malhavoc and Fiery Dragon to withdraw from RPGnow and go to a format that is potentially much more problematic for paying users, though I realize that Malhavoc may have done so due to their relationship with White Wolf.

I am glad to see many previous titles made available again, due, no doubt, to the reassurances of DRM.

I highly encourage all current publishers and customers to consider supporting RPGnow and its current methods. DRM in its current form is too problematic in terms of customer rights, and the only way that it will be improved to an acceptable level is if enough customers seek products that don't use it that those publishers that do use it see how problematic the current form of this technology is.

 

[Phineas Crow]

[snip]...I highly encourage all current publishers and customers to consider supporting RPGnow and its current methods. [snip]

I know I'll keep on supporting RPGnow, in fact I just spent 30$ on pdfs there yesterday.

So far I have yet to see a good reason to shop at DriveThru, and several reasons not to.

 

[Greatwyrm]

I'd have a hard time buying stuff at that site. It has nothing to do with their policies or products, mostly the price. It's just really hard for me to justify the time and cost of printing my own copy vs. just spending a couple of extra bucks for a nicely bound hardcopy. It's nice to see some out of print stuff available like this. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't pick many of these up.

I've always been happy with my RPGnow purchases, so it's not like I'm against pdfs. I've gotten a number of them in fact. I just won't pay almost the same price for a pdf as I will a hardback.

 

[johnsemlak]

I think some of their prices are reasonable. The Sword and Sorcery books are around 10-12 dollars. The Warcraft RPG is $17 or so (for a $35 book in print).

 

[pogre]

Maybe I am missing something, but doesn't this DRM protection rob PDFs of their basic value - portability?

Does WhiteWolf own the site?

 

[Steve Wieck]

Maybe I am missing something, but doesn't this DRM protection rob PDFs of their basic value - portability?

Does WhiteWolf own the site?

No, you can use secure e-Books multiple PCs (of your own) and also loan them to a friend to use.

No, White Wolf does not own DriveThruRPG.com. We are a publisher client just like GDW, Eden, AEG, FFG, etc.
I personally do work for both companies right now though.

Steve Wieck
White Wolf

 

[johnsemlak]

Does WhiteWolf own the site?

That does seem to be the case.

 

[jgbrowning]

No, White Wolf does not own DriveThruRPG.com. We are a publisher client just like GDW, Eden, AEG, FFG, etc.
I personally do work for both companies right now though.

Steve Wieck
White Wolf

By this to you mean WW doesn't own the site, but the people who own WW also own this site or do you mean that no one who owns WW is involved with this site. Or in other words, are the people who run drivethrurpg.com also involved in the running of WW?

It just sounds like one of those, "well, technically" answers.

joe b.

 

[pogre]

No, you can use secure e-Books multiple PCs (of your own) and also loan them to a friend to use.

Thanks Steve,

I have to say I am very confused by the criticisms I have seen thus far. If you can put a book on your desk cpu and your notebook that seems pretty much the same as other PDFs. What am I missing?

No, White Wolf does not own DriveThruRPG.com. We are a publisher client just like GDW, Eden, AEG, FFG, etc. I personally do work for both companies right now though.

Fair enough - I see no problem with White Wolf's owners having a vested interest in distribution methods - Games Workshop certainly took that step and it seems to be working for them. Good luck.

 

[pogre]

There are too many dang DRM threads! Even an addict like me cannot keep it straight. I'll answer my own question about the criticisms (after looking at another of the drm threads) - you must download drm pdfs to every cpu you wish to use them on. The folks at drivethru see that as a minor inconvenience at worst.

Here is my source.

 

[smok]

No, you can use secure e-Books multiple PCs (of your own) and also loan them to a friend to use.

No, White Wolf does not own DriveThruRPG.com. We are a publisher client just like GDW, Eden, AEG, FFG, etc.
I personally do work for both companies right now though.

Steve Wieck
White Wolf

I use a range of operating systems and as far as I can see can only use a DRM PDF with Windows XP. It doesn't work on Linux or Windows Mobile 2003.

Am I (hopefully) missing something?
Richard.

 

[Grazzt]

By this to you mean WW doesn't own the site, but the people who own WW also own this site or do you mean that no one who owns WW is involved with this site. Or in other words, are the people who run drivethrurpg.com also involved in the running of WW?

It just sounds like one of those, "well, technically" answers.

joe b.

Well, "technically", it's like Steve said: "No, White Wolf does not own DriveThruRPG.com. We are a publisher client just like GDW, Eden, AEG, FFG, etc.

I personally do work for both companies right now though."

 

[DGFan]

- DRM, very annoying, only light on the horizon is that they didn't disable printing, i can now print to postscript (but not yet distill it to pdf again).

Has ayone tried this on Mac OS X? The reason I ask is that Mac OS X has a "print to PDF" function. I am wondering if it would work on these PDFs.

 

[Leopold]

I run Linux.

If it does not work on Linux I won't use it.

I fail to see how DRM can ever be used as a solid form of 'security' when it's cracked so easy.

 

[DGFan]

I fail to see how DRM can ever be used as a solid form of 'security' when it's cracked so easy.

That's easy! By making sure no one uses your products they become harder to steal

 

[Kesh]

Has ayone tried this on Mac OS X? The reason I ask is that Mac OS X has a "print to PDF" function. I am wondering if it would work on these PDFs.

Doesn't work. It warns you that it's "not supported" so there's no getting around the DRM to create an unliscenced PDF from it.

Otherwise, the PDFs seem to work great. I don't like having to download them through Acrobat Reader, but it still works.

 

[DGFan]

Doesn't work. It warns you that it's "not supported" so there's no getting around the DRM to create an unliscenced PDF from it.

Otherwise, the PDFs seem to work great. I don't like having to download them through Acrobat Reader, but it still works.

Thanks.

I guess I won't be buying any PDFs from them then.