Pocket Players Handbook

[Psionicist]

Hm, I'll note a couple things that I see as difficulties for such an edition, and perhaps folks can find solutions.

1) The bigger the print run, the cheaper the book - you're going to have to convince WotC that it's worth the effort to do all the reformatting and pre-printing work on a new edition of a book for which they've already got a serviceable edition. Why should they split their sales between two small printings rather than one big one?

2) I think you'll find the art serves a purpose other than looking pretty. Similar for large page sizes. They afford more in terms of visual cues of where you are in the book. Smaller books may be easier to handle and carry around, but in terms of use as a working reference, small pages of densely packed text stink.

3) The book is now smaller than your 8.5" x 11" character sheet. No more tucking your character into the PHB. No more using the book as a handy hard surface to write on. Your players will either start or continue carrying around clipboard-sized things anyway, so that the small PHB saves them little.

1) Excellent question. However if there are people who might buy this book (there are, If you read the replies) I think they WILL print it. Just look at all the splat books Wizards produce. They already have the text from the players handbook, they don't have to write new material, they only have to rearrange the contents. This is certainly simple for a company like WotC to do.

2) I do not agree. I find smaller books easier to use.

3) You can always fold your papers, print-outs and sheets.

 

[Baron Von StarBlade]

I just saw this idea the other day. It appears that the guys who make Silver Age Sentinels did just that. They released a stripped down version called the "Stingy Gamer Edition". I think this would go over great for the PHB and DMG.

Here's the link BTW: http://www.guardiansorder.com/sas/products.php

 

[Mongoose_Matt]

Psionicist, could you send me a mail at msprange@mongoosepublishing.com please?

 

[drakhe]

All for the smaller reference works.
Could they please be spiral-bound and on thick stock?
Or spiral-bound laminated?

Pocket size Dnd that can stand up to beverages, now that sounds cool. (for all those who had to say farewell to a drenched copy of their core material)

 

[astralpwka]

How about this?

Multiple manuals, cardstock cover (maybe laminated), laser printed front and back, possibly full color covers, and comb-bound, so they lie flat? And woud be inexpensive...

I'll put one together today and scan it.

 

[Umbran]

1) Excellent question. However if there are people who might buy this book (there are, If you read the replies) I think they WILL print it.

Not true at all. A large point of the whole d20 license and the OGL was to make it so that WotC would not have to print books with lower profit margins. They took the move specifically so they could rely on 3rd party publishers to do such things. A 3rd party publisher (like Mongoose) might well produce the SRD in such a format. But that's not the same as the full D&D books.

They already have the text from the players handbook, they don't have to write new material, they only have to rearrange the contents. This is certainly simple for a company like WotC to do.

Simple? Yes, but it still costs money and effort. And it'll cost money and effort and timie to make agreements for new printing as well. You'll need a bit more convincing an argument than, "a few people at EN World like the idea" to convince WotC.

2) I do not agree. I find smaller books easier to use.

Right. It doesn't match your pattern of use, so you dismiss it entirely? Good show of trying to reach a larger market there

Rather than dismiss it out of hand, how about suggesting something that might at least partially alleviate my concerns? Like maybe not eliminating the art completely? Or a system of colored tabs on the edge of the page? Or at least a note that you intend someone to do a pretty impressive job of indexing?

3) You can always fold your papers, print-outs and sheets.

Right. And to fit inside your 3.5" by 7" book, a normal character sheet would have to be folded twice. Which, of course, will rapidly cause the thing to crease and tear. And which will work even less well for multi-page character sheets. And which fails to address the fact that the small size book makes a lousy writing surface....

Again, rather than simply dismiss, how about offering a solution? Like a reformatted character sheet or booklet designed to fit in the cover of the small PHB? If reformatting the book is so darned easy, why not do the same for a character sheet?

You'll catch more flies with honey than you will with offhand dismissal

 

[mikey6990]

Hey,

I just read this thread. You guys stole my idea!!

Actually,

Several months ago, I decided carrying around my books was not doing me any good, soo....

I scoured the net for the best formatted SRD I could find. I only wanted the monsters, spells, and magic items. Those are the things I reference the most. I found some really good formatted SRD variants, and took the best sections from each.

I then used FinePrint 2000 to print them from pdfs to 8"x5.5" double sided booklets, cut the pages and had them comb bound. I now have three books- SRD spells, SRD Monsters, SRD Magic items that I can reference in game.

I highly suggest FinePrint. It is a 'preprint' driver that allows you to manipulate any printer output and then send it on to your regular print driver. Wonderful!

Mike

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

To tell the truth, I do not like the core books. They are too large. Too many pictures, and way too much wasted space. The cover looks ridiculous.

Is it just I, or wouldn't it be really nice with a small hardcover players handbook around 3.5x7 inches large, with a discrete two colored cover (say, black background and white text) with just text, rules and tables (everything in the players handbook except the pictures)?

What do you think?

Edit: Ehh, is it discreet or discrete?

Edit2: Ever tried reading the Players Handbook in bed? It's impossible!

I have to disagree. I rather like the pictures...stimulates the visual part of my imagination. More than once has a picture I've seen inspired me. And I've never had a problem reading the players handbook (or the monster manuals or anything else) in bed.

However, if they were to come up with a reasonably priced pocket version I'd probably get that as well since it would be easier to transport.

Sheri

 

[whydirt]

I think that a small, classy and barebones version of the PHB SRD materials for 3.5 would be exactly something I would buy. I don't really need a whole new PHB right now, but if someone made a smaller version that would be great. I especially like the idea of keeping the cover a simple color with just a title on the cover.

 

[Psionicist]

Not true at all. A large point of the whole d20 license and the OGL was to make it so that WotC would not have to print books with lower profit margins. They took the move specifically so they could rely on 3rd party publishers to do such things. A 3rd party publisher (like Mongoose) might well produce the SRD in such a format. But that's not the same as the full D&D books.

What I am talking about is a small players handbook, not a cheaper version of the original. I wouldn't mind paying full price for a small version of the players handbook, without cover art.
However, I wouldn't mind if the smaller version was less expansive.

Simple? Yes, but it still costs money and effort. And it'll cost money and effort and timie to make agreements for new printing as well. You'll need a bit more convincing an argument than, "a few people at EN World like the idea" to convince WotC.

It is the same thing with books like Epic Level Handbook and Psionics Handbook. We are talking about the core book, in a different shape.

Right. It doesn't match your pattern of use, so you dismiss it entirely? Good show of trying to reach a larger market there

You said it: "Smaller books may be easier to handle and carry around, but in terms of use as a working reference, small pages of densely packed text stink.". I do not agree that small pages of densely packed text stink. Why should I have to explain why I think so If you do not?

Rather than dismiss it out of hand, how about suggesting something that might at least partially alleviate my concerns? Like maybe not eliminating the art completely? Or a system of colored tabs on the edge of the page? Or at least a note that you intend someone to do a pretty impressive job of indexing?

You are the one complaining about the details. Why don't you suggest something?

Right. And to fit inside your 3.5" by 7" book, a normal character sheet would have to be folded twice. Which, of course, will rapidly cause the thing to crease and tear. And which will work even less well for multi-page character sheets. And which fails to address the fact that the small size book makes a lousy writing surface....

Just use your regular Players Handbook. I am sure that those who are interested in the smaller pocketsized books can live with this.

Again, rather than simply dismiss, how about offering a solution? Like a reformatted character sheet or booklet designed to fit in the cover of the small PHB? If reformatting the book is so darned easy, why not do the same for a character sheet?

Why not.

You'll catch more flies with honey than you will with offhand dismissal

And you are certainly the kind of gamer who should stick to his normal players handbook. A small PHB is not for everyone.

Edit: Fixed the formatting.