Merric's view: Thoughts on the Digital Initiative.

[MerricB]

Watermarks I actually kind of like

I don't like those silly encrypted PDFs that check to see that they're not on more than six computers. Issues with the tissue paper encryption aside, it's very easy for me to use multiple computers in the course of a year and six in one or two years is very probable.

Oh, I'm with you there. I'm amazed that Wizards allowed the Watermarks. They took a while to allow it, but they came through in the end.

Cheers!

 

[Erik Mona]

Maybe I wasn't clear. One of the people who stated that they don't have an avenue to publish former Dragon/Dungeon material is a WotC Freelancer.

Specifically, Nicolas Logue (Voyage of the Golden Dragon. Eyes of the Lich Queen, Dragons of Eberron) has been discussing the sequel to his great Dungeon adventure "Chimes at Midnight" that's appearing in the last issue of the magazine. He's stated that the 3rd in the series doesn't look like it will be published.

Also, Rich Burlew is looking for ways to get the comics he created for Dragon that won't see print there out. So we certainly can expect this Digital Initiative not to have any comic strip content.

I can't speak for Wizards of the Coast on this matter, but I think it's safe to say that just because freelancers, columnists, cartoonists, etc. haven't been contacted _yet_ by WotC doesn't mean they _won't_ be contacted at all.

Details are still developing. It's only been a few days since the announcement. I urge everyone to have a little patience.

--Erik

 

[Sketchpad]

Does anyone have a rough idea when the announcement will come down from WotC?

 

[MerricB]

Does anyone have a rough idea when the announcement will come down from WotC?

I would imagine... after the last issues of the magazines, giving Paizo the best chance to sell them.

Cheers!

 

[mhacdebhandia]

I dont really care if the DI succeeds or not or if it will provide me with something I couldnt normally get. See I quite getting Dragon because the content got more useless to me over the 3 years I had it. And Dungeon only ever got my money for one or two articels that werent adventures anyway.
So The reason I wont get the DI isnt because I loved Dragon and Dungeon so much, it is because I dont know what Im getting and I dont pay for intangible products. Not online content, not PDF's, nothing on the web will I pay for, I wont even pay for the internet (my parents get it cause my sister and brother need it for school stuff).
However, if in the future WOTC produces a book with complied stuff or offers a disk I can buy, that allows me to put the content on my laptop or PC i'll get it. Otherwise the Di doesnt get my money.

What a compelling argument, and so well-stated.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

Sorry Windows people, the only way I know of to print web content to a PDF is with a full version of Acrobat (which is what I do all the time on my work PC). There may be other third-party software that does it, but as far as I know you can't do it "out of the box."

PrimoPDF does it, and it's free.

 

[kigmatzomat]

Sorry Windows people, the only way I know of to print web content to a PDF is with a full version of Acrobat (which is what I do all the time on my work PC). There may be other third-party software that does it, but as far as I know you can't do it "out of the box."

Download.com lists two free-for-non-commercial PDF "printers" on this page, CutePDF and DoroPDF.

Both of these use Ghostscript, a toolkit that reverse engineered the PDF formats and runs on a variety of platforms. Apple, I think, has an agreement with Adobe and uses Adobe licensed software but GhostScript could be implemented as well.

 

[Enforcer]

Well then it looks like anyone can print DI stuff to PDF.

 

[carmachu]

I see no reason Wizards won't be targeting that same 10%. Even if you assume only half the D&D playerbase is online to begin with (this seems VERY low for a geek-culture luxury item in 2007), getting 10% of THAT would be mean five times the circulation of Dragon and Dungeon.

NOTE: I'm assuming the subscription-model DI will cover only Wizards' d20-based games, not Magic, what remains of Avalon Hill, etc. 10% of the Magic-playing community is probably more than the ENTIRE D&D-playing community.

Unless they get 10% of the magazine folks.


You know, I know you all have high hopes for the DI, but really, I have to laugh at the folks that say "well, WotC didnt have the drive or ability before, but golly gee they'll get it right now!"

They have to come up big. They've failed to impress before digitally, I dont see why I should have hope now. And they original poster SHOULD have added that to the downside of the digital initative in the orginal post. WotC's lack of ability online IS a downside.

 

[Khairn]

WotC's lack of ability online IS a downside.

If you want to have the most accurate indicator of how someone is going to perform in the future ... take a look at how they've done in the past. I agree with you Carmachu.