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Message: <blockquote data-quote="PatrickLawinger" data-source="post: 672534" data-attributes="member: 2735">Sigil,It does seem like you are on a rant there. I never said anything about the time and effort of pdf publishing vs. print. There IS a longer lag time with print and a print product is virtually impossible to update, not so with pdf. There is also a larger up-front expenditure when going to print. Believe me, paying for 2,000 copies of something in print is NOT cheap. Oh, yes, stores can (in most cases) return products resulting in chargebacks. Print lag times include time at the printer, shipping from the printer to you, shipping to the distributor, etc. Sure, I suppose you could use FedEx for everything but then you would need a $100 list price to hope to break even. Distribution itself is a whole 'nother can of worms.If someone puts out a new book of magic items that doesn't fit with the revised rules one month before the new books come out, they are screwed if it is in print, they have the opportunity to update it if it is a pdf. Is it a ton of work? Yes. The key is that it is possible with a pdf, you can't deny that.As far as playtesting, I don't think the rules changes are going to be that extensive. As far as certain limited items, they might be. Monster books, magic item creation, etc. If I was planning a pdf book about such items I would specifically write someone at WotC (probably Anthony Valterra) stating exactly what I was planning (possibly providing an outline and sample), asking for access to whatever information I might need to be compatable with the revision, and promising not to release until AFTER the rulebooks come out. Of course, I would do this after submitting my application so I could state that the application was filed.In WotC's place what would you do? With an established print publisher you have someone you know has made major capital expenditures for their business. Such people are generally not going to violate a NDA as it could (and probably would) destroy them. A .pdf publisher they don't know anything about with one or two minor items out? I would be hesitant too.Frankly, I don't expect the print publishers to have the revised rules incredibly early. People like SSS with the revised Creature Collection should be able to manage a fast turn around. They'll probably need to update a bunch of stat blocks. They have the art ready, most of the layout ready, etc. Worst case, they'll have to adjust kerning on a few pages to make sure things fit. I expect they can have that book printed and ready for GenCon. A company that has a manuscript (and artwork etc.) essentially done is going to have few problems making the "conversion." If you are going from scratch it will take a while longer, but then you weren't waiting on the new rules anyway.Let's face facts, Wizards doesn't have to let anyone have the new rules until the new SRD comes out. They are making an active effort to get the information to people THEY feel need (deserve, or whatever you want to put here) it. You don't have to agree with their decision making process, I would probably use a different method (or at least different wording) myself, but you do have to admit that they ARE supporting d20 by making the effort and by promising to put everything in the SRD.When Ryan Dancey left WotC people in THIS forum were proclaiming d20 dead and claiming that WotC wasn't going to support it anymore. Now they are complaining about the decision process for who gets an early look at the rules. It would appear that some people are just going to hate WotC no matter what.</blockquote>

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