Interview time - what do you want to ask WotC about their new pdf policy?

[PaulofCthulhu]

This is not an attack, but to help with what these interview questions seem to be looking to resolve:

Could you please be as unambiguous in your answers as possible? (i.e. so it is more difficult for people to misinterpret replies).

 

[Grymar]

Between the move with the GSL and now with pulling the PDFs from the market, some in the community have mentioned that Wizards of the Coast has lost their leadership role. This has been accented by some competitors taking this opportunity to have PDF sales in an attempt to take a greater chunk of the market and to reach out to disillusioned customers. Do you feel that you are losing your leadership position within the rpg community?

 

[xechnao]

1) Are there still any plans for a modern or generic rpg?

2) What do you think about D&D and Wotc on the rpg market front: If you spot a decline in D&D interest but a rising need for more variety would you still want to consider yourself the market leader of the hobby or is your tabletop marketing strategy exclusively tied to the D&D brand in your mind?

 

[Piratecat]

Do you feel that you are losing your leadership position within the rpg community?

Heh. Not to sidetrack my own thread, but what do you think anyone would answer to this question?

Keep 'em coming, folks, and thank you.

 

[Grymar]

Heh. Not to sidetrack my own thread, but what do you think anyone would answer to this question?

Keep 'em coming, folks, and thank you.

Fair point, but I wasn't trying to be rude or vent any feelings I have on the situation. I think a tough question is certainly reasonable and valid. If they give a non-answer or a boiler plate answer, that can be as illuminating as anything else.

 

[Merlin's Shadow]

Heh. Not to sidetrack my own thread, but what do you think anyone would answer to this question?

Keep 'em coming, folks, and thank you.

I know what their answer would be.

"Kneel before Zod!"

 

[Brown Jenkin]

Question 5
The decision to revoke PDF's also means that WotC no longer provides any means to acquire out-of-print books such as material for older editions. Is there any plan to resume allowing customers access to copies of these works through Wizards, or will legitimate customers have to go through out-of-print channels like Noble Knight Games and Amazon to acquire these products? If the latter is true, why would WotC choose to avoid providing this access?

This is the question I am moost interested in an answer to.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

When the .pdf scanning of old products began in 2000-2001 under Jim Butler, the scans were provided as free downloads in the WotC downloads section. Will WotC ever return to free downloads of old, out-of-print, unsupported, retired products?

 

[thedungeondelver]

I know what their answer would be.

"Why do you say such things to me when you know that I will kill you for it?"

 

[questing gm]

There's so many questions that I hoped they would answer. Apologies if they have been repeated or reiterated in some form or another. If I asked too many questions, you can cut the unnecessary ones off my list.

1. Other than the commenter on ENWorld, can you give us an official and longer or more detailed reason of why Wizards decided to pull off the PDF sales?

2. Why did Wizards decided issue an order to online vendors to suspend PDF sales on such short notice (nearly less than 24 hours)?

3. Could tell us some details about the Internet Sales Policy (stated in your press release) and will it be be implemented which will require online vendors to sign the Authorized Internet Dealer Agreement if Wizards resumes the sales of PDFs?

4. What are the current methods of distribution that Wizards is currently considering? Will it involve other digital mediums other than PDFs? Or is subscription-base the idea?

5. Does Wizard have any plans or measures to fight against future acts of piracy?

6. How bad is piracy exactly affecting the sales of Wizards (hopefully with some figures or anecdotal facts)? Are there any concern that it will also affect D&DI?

7. How much is Wizards aware of the problem of piracy of their products? Is this a recent thing or it has been in Wizards' attention for a while now?

8. What will happen to products that are out of print which were previously available in PDF format?

9. Is Wizards considering of any means to refund/compensate customers who have bought a PDF via Drivethru RPG, RPGNow and Paizo and have not used up their download quota/limit that they have paid for?

10. Will Arcane Power be available in PDF? (last question, i promise)

Thanks Piratecat for doing this. It think it's about time that Wizards start giving some answers to end some harmful speculations.