Well, I'm a bit torn about this announcement...
On the one hand, I purchased the original From Novice to Master and find it to be a quality product. I haven't had the chance to read it in detail yet (stupid real life responsibilities...), but my brief perusal has revealed some interesting ideas and a professional looking PDF with some very nice art.
I am also glad to hear that a gaming company has apparently responded so quickly to the comments and reviews of others and made beneficial changes to their product. PDF is a pretty fluid medium and ideal for that sort of "customer service."
Finally, I was thrilled tonight to have already received an e-mail that alllowed me to download the revised version for free. This is most appreciated.
On the other hand, what troubles me a little is the "permanent re-introduction price of $4.99." As I write this, it's early morning on November 24. I purchased the original PDF for $10.00 on November 5, the day after it became available on RPG Now. That's less than 3 weeks, and suddenly I've "lost" $5.01. Now, I willingly paid $10.00 for the PDF and don't regret the purchase. However, it does trouble me that a PDF that was worth $10.00 on November 5 is worth less than half the price 3 weeks later. Leaves a person feeling rather cheated for being an early purchaser.
I'm fairly new to PDF purchasing, so I'm curious to know: Are these sort of rapid price drops common among PDF publishers? Seems to me that it could be a potentially bad idea. Sure, a new lower price probably brings in additional buyers, but now people like me become less inclined to take a chance and purchase a new product on the assumption that the price is bound to drop later. Frankly, I admit to often being a spur-of-the-moment buyer, and if I think about a product too long, there's a greater chance I'm going to reconsider the purchase!
Oh well. That bit of annoyance aside, I do think From Novice to Master will interest a lot of gamers, and at $4.99, it's become a real bargain!
