PDFs vs. Books - What's your preference?

[delericho]

Hard-copy. I've almost never actually used a PDF book. In fact, if an RPG doesn't exist in hard-copy form, it might as well not exist for my purposes - I'll simply never see it.

Additionally, once an RPG has made the move to a digital format, the 'book' is probably the least efficient way to present the information. I understand why it is done (since most PDF 'books' also exist in hard-copy, and it would be prohibitive to do layout twice), but it's still a weakness of the electronic form, which can do so much more.

 

[TrippyHippy]

I have a small selection of hardcopy books - usually bought at the most expensive and elaborate format possible (special editions, etc) - and use pdf (read on a tablet) for everything else. I can locate rules quicker on my tablet, and there's less risk of damage to my valuable books.

Oh, and I can pick up pdfs from drive thru or wherever really easily, so I can build up a large amount of supplements quickly and store all of them online with minimal space taken up.

 

[athos]

I prefer books when reading a lot of material for the first time, it's easier on my old eyes.

But, when gaming, looking up stuff quickly online in the SRD or in PDF format rocks, it is so much quicker than finding a book and finding the page, etc. all while the rest of the people online wait.

So I had to pick both. When not gaming, I prefer the books, when in a game, I use PDFs or online resources for speed.

 

[billd91]

I generally prefer books for reading, but I do like being able to have a game's library in PDF form on my iPad. I like it a LOT since it saves me from lugging to much around. WotC really needs to have a PDF or similar option to work with tablet-using gamers for its products.

 

[Sunseeker]

I prefer books because I enjoy the tangibility...as long as the game is held at a location where I have access to those books. Outside of that, I prefer PDFs for utility and portability. I would really love if there was some way that I could buy a book, and automatically get the PDF of that book for free. If I could only do that through the official website and had to have an account, well I could live with that, as long as I could download the PDF to my laptop or phone and take it around with me.

 

[TrippyHippy]

I prefer books because I enjoy the tangibility...as long as the game is held at a location where I have access to those books. Outside of that, I prefer PDFs for utility and portability. I would really love if there was some way that I could buy a book, and automatically get the PDF of that book for free. If I could only do that through the official website and had to have an account, well I could live with that, as long as I could download the PDF to my laptop or phone and take it around with me.

A lot of companies do that. Look for brick n mortar schemes and the like.

 

[Jan van Leyden]

Books for reading, PDFs for referencing.

And my old speil: PDFs are not a usefull way to convey information in an electronic format. A PDF is still a book. There are formats far more usefull than PDf for that prupose.

 

[Jan van Leyden]

Books for reading, PDFs for referencing.

And my old speil: PDFs are not a usefull way to convey information in an electronic format. A PDF is still a book. There are formats far more usefull than PDf for that purpose.

 

[Sunseeker]

Books for reading, PDFs for referencing.

And my old speil: PDFs are not a usefull way to convey information in an electronic format. A PDF is still a book. There are formats far more usefull than PDf for that purpose.

This is true, such as my personal favorite, the DDI 4e Compendium. It's a fairly well built, easily-searched database.

However, PDFs can still convey the pleasure of a book and the utility of a database when properly designed, though granted it certainly takes more effort to do this.

 

[Balesir]

Like several here, it seems (but not the majority, who just like books but don't comment, I guess), I generally prefer both. The book for reading and learning the system/adventure/whatever, the electronic format for reference (because it's searchable, easy to transport, etc.).

One other purpose for which I really like PDFs (specifically), when well done is maps. Not only can you zoom in/out, but the very best have layers for all sorts of purposes. As an example, the maps for HârnWorld from Keléstia Publications have separate layers for GM only details (d'uh), historical geography, weather zones, tidal flows, prevailing winds, trade routes and sources, road systems, vegetation, land elevation, feature names in different (world) languages, classes of building in a town and even settlement drainage and sewerage systems. If the capabilities of the format are well utilised, PDFs can do things a physical book simply can't (unless you produce a full book of variants of one map!).