Open the binding!

[Blackwarder]

I don't know the point you are trying to make Warder, mine is that I don't want to have to rely on anything electronic be it online sources, pdfs, app based programs, e-character sheets or whatever. It does not improve my game. It has the opposite effect. I haven't had any experience with iPads or tablets at my games so far but I have had to ban laptops even though we used them for years without any real incident. It adds a barrier between players, and when the game is about interaction having everyone's nose behind a screen is the exact wrong thing I want to see at a gaming table.

Now, I'm not opposed to having these resources OUT of game. I'm sure there are CharOps boards that can help, or certainly coming here and talking about DnD/looking for suggestions, but these are things that detract IN game. For this simple reason I want my rule book to be a BOOK not a file on a server. This includes the SRD.

First of all, in the end it's a matter of tast, just so that we be clear, I don't want to force anyone to play in a way they don't want to.

Having said that, I too banned laptops from our games, the only one who was allowed one was the DM who all ready had a DM screen to hide behind so adding a laptop screen have changed much. I agree that having laptop on the table make some sort of a barrier between the players and between the players and the DM but having a tablet device is exactly the other way around, it's exactly like having a paper character sheet (or a rule book) only without slaughtering a bunch of innocent trees every time I change a power or a feat.

In our group we currently got two iPads, two dead tree character sheets, dead tree advanture and occasionally an iPhone around the table, one of the iPads also acts as an initiative tracker and if we have some rules questions we use one of them to find the answer quickly, it works for us.

Warder

 

[The Red King]

Nothing ever looks good in a binder after being used more than a few times.

But thats what you would end up with

Just have to go the way of the digital age.

 

[Sunseeker]

I would prefer the option to purchase PDF's for a reduced price instead of the hardbacks, though if you do purchase the hardback, you should get a complimentary copy of the PDF.

I have no interest in binder-like stoarage with replacable pages.

 

[CM]

I heard 6e's DDI will have a 3-d holographic interactive DM assistant and that books will be obsolete.

 

[xigbar]

Here's an idea; They separate section of the book with little place holder tabs, with an extra section to fill in the back to fill with your own notes; It helps both a notation loving player/GM, and allows for room of erratas and such.

 

[gloomhound]

I like a nice hardcover book myself.

 

[tlantl]

I'd like for them to get things as close to right the first time so that I don't have to ignore four tons of errata.

Pdfs are cool too since they only weigh as much as my laptop.

 

[Zustiur]

Open binding is extremely unlikely.
Regularly updated pdfs would be nice. (albeit a piracy hazard)
Regularly updated subscriber service is likely.


While on the topic of book alterations though; I'd like to see those little chapter cut outs that you get in dictionaries and encyclopedias. It's so much nicer than my home solution of putting sticky tabs on the chapter sections.

 

[Mercule]

I'd like for them to get things as close to right the first time so that I don't have to ignore four tons of errata.

Pdfs are cool too since they only weigh as much as my laptop.

Agreed. The books should be published with the idea that what's in the books will be writ in stone for the duration of the edition.

Typos happen and can be fixed in a second printing, but substantive changes in rules are exactly what makes a new edition. IMNSHO, the point when WotC officially changed the polymorph rules is the point they "jumped the shark", so to speak. Put it as an alternate rule in Dragon, if you want, but the standard 3.5 rules on Polymorph can always be found in the PHB. If you find polymorph is broken, that's the sort of thing you make a note of and fix it in the next edition.

PDFs should be of the books. Feel free to add hyperlinks and other nifty features. I'd even be willing to pay for an online tool (or, better yet, iPad or Windows app) like the 4e rules encyclopedia. I'd like it a bit more user friendly, though. I'd also like it to show me the same rules my players have in their books. I can't run a game when the players all have different copies of the "same" rules.

 

[SeRiAlExPeRiMeNtS]

A ipad (and android and windows 8) program would be perfect, but at least we need PDFs.