RPGNow welcomes back Fiery Dragon!

[Fiery James]

Hey James, I have Jason set as a publisher for FDP, but would you like to be one as well for the same publisher record, so you can have a nifty "My storefront" and "My latest product" tag?

(And help upload files/descriptions and the like)

Sure! Cool. Then, when I kill him and claim his life I won't have to guess at the password.

Oh. I've said too much.



- JB

 

[Cergorach]

Trouble is, their watermarking has problems. I got the free copy of the NWoD core rules to check it out, and discovered the illustrations are missing. A problem only one other person that I know of had. Everybody else got the illoes. And he was using Acrobat Reader 7. Until DTRPG corrects the problem I won't be patronizing them because they apparently don't want me as a customer.

Nor will I be purchasing any White Wolf product since I'm apparently not good enough to be one of their customers.

You can download Acrobat Reader 7 for free at the Adobe site. There's such a thing as looking for trouble and your doing it. If it was released for Acrobat 6 you would be complaining about the size, display troubles, etc. Most of the NWOD books have a complex layout (layers upon layers), that means that if you want it in it's original electronic format you'll have to install Acrobat Reader 7...

The current computer games won't run on Windows 95/98/Me, does that mean that game developers don't want the folks that still use those OSes as customers, of course not, but the goodies those games have won't work under older programming, the same goes for pdfs...

 

[mythusmage]

You can download Acrobat Reader 7 for free at the Adobe site. There's such a thing as looking for trouble and your doing it. If it was released for Acrobat 6 you would be complaining about the size, display troubles, etc. Most of the NWOD books have a complex layout (layers upon layers), that means that if you want it in it's original electronic format you'll have to install Acrobat Reader 7...

The current computer games won't run on Windows 95/98/Me, does that mean that game developers don't want the folks that still use those OSes as customers, of course not, but the goodies those games have won't work under older programming, the same goes for pdfs...

Requires OS 10.3 or newer. My machine can only use OS 9.2.2, a machine able to use OS 10.3 is not within my current budget. (A 'tip' of $5.00 from around 200 people would go a long way towards rectifying that. ('tipjar' link in first post above))

My point? Not everybody has the tools necessary to use the latest tools. By including all sorts of widgets that require the new tools companies are excluding potential customers. Where computer games are concerned, I doubt very much that people still using Windows 98 are at all interested in the latest games. RPGs in PDF are another matter, because you don't need the latest OS to use them. All you really need is a way to view them and print out those parts you think you'll need. For the consumer the neat tricks Acrobat 6 adds to producing PDFs aren't necessary. Layering etc. does make it easier for the PDF producer, but it really adds nothing for the PDF consumer, and leaves many a potential customer with an older version of Acrobat Reader out in the cold.

It is, in short, discourteous. White Wolf leaves me with the impression I'm not 'with-it' enough to be one of their custormers, and I don't like it.

BTW, if it means a constructive change in corporate behavior, I'll stalk down dark alleys flashing inch thick bankrolls.

 

[jaerdaph]

Layering etc. does make it easier for the PDF producer, but it really adds nothing for the PDF consumer, and leaves many a potential customer with an older version of Acrobat Reader out in the cold.

Actually, the layering features in Acrobat 7.0 ARE very useful to me as a consumer, especially how publishers like Oone Games are using the feature. I can customize the way I print out their products.

 

[Cergorach]

My point? Not everybody has the tools necessary to use the latest tools. By including all sorts of widgets that require the new tools companies are excluding potential customers. Where computer games are concerned, I doubt very much that people still using Windows 98 are at all interested in the latest games. RPGs in PDF are another matter, because you don't need the latest OS to use them. All you really need is a way to view them and print out those parts you think you'll need. For the consumer the neat tricks Acrobat 6 adds to producing PDFs aren't necessary. Layering etc. does make it easier for the PDF producer, but it really adds nothing for the PDF consumer, and leaves many a potential customer with an older version of Acrobat Reader out in the cold.

You do realise that the layout wasn't made with the pdf consumer in mind, it was made for the the paperbook conusmer. That means you use the tools as best you can, that means layering. These files we get are just a distilled version of what the printer gets, so with the layers. What would you rather have, scanned in books? Nothankyouverymuch!

Strike 1: Using a Mac.
Strike 2: Using an old Mac.
Strike 3: Not using Linux.

;-)

If that old beast of yours can upgrade, and you can't afford a new one at the moment, look around on the net. Linux you can install on a PPC proc, linux has a Acrobat Reader 7 version (i just don't know if it works with a PPC).

 

[PatrickLawinger]

Well, I just can't agree with everything below. I have both Winblows and Macs in my home. The Macs kick the PCs to pieces for most of the things we do at home (okay, I don't play many computer games anymore, what can I say?). I'll leave that there.

If Mythusmage has a mac that can't run OS 10, well, he has a very old mac. Just so happens I have a "very old" mac. I can display watermarked .pdfs on it (it is slow, I admit that, it is OLD). I would suggest re-downloading and installing the appropriate Adobe reader. My machine is one of the old PowerTower clones (I said it was old) so it does have hardware differences. The Watermarked PDF I checked on it is NOT the World of Darkness one, so that one might still have a problem.

Older PPC macs (like the power tower I have) can run a form of Linux. It isn't very "friendly" for most mac users though.

Personally, I would suggest Mythusmage reduce his RPG budget a bit and save money for a new machine. Yeah, I know, blasphemy, particularly from someone that wants people to buy books so he can make $.

You do realise that the layout wasn't made with the pdf consumer in mind, it was made for the the paperbook conusmer. That means you use the tools as best you can, that means layering. These files we get are just a distilled version of what the printer gets, so with the layers. What would you rather have, scanned in books? Nothankyouverymuch!

Strike 1: Using a Mac.
Strike 2: Using an old Mac.
Strike 3: Not using Linux.

;-)

If that old beast of yours can upgrade, and you can't afford a new one at the moment, look around on the net. Linux you can install on a PPC proc, linux has a Acrobat Reader 7 version (i just don't know if it works with a PPC).

 

[mythusmage]

Starting in December (if I'm careful) I'll be able to start saving for a new Mac. I've seen used G4s advertised in the local daily for about $250.00 for a complete system, but I think it best I get something that can handle Tiger.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Ditto, although it has been more than a few products. My only real complaint now is the publishers who won't switch from DRM (WotC) and who charge close to full print cover price (I picked up none of the almost full price FFG books before, now I've spent my entire monthly rpg budget on their books for the last two months since they discounted the legends and lairs ones down to $5 each).

However I am happy to buy from any of the sites and there are things only available at rpgnow so I am happy to have the opportunity to bundle my fiery dragon purchases ones in there when I buy from them.

Heh, I have also purchased more than a few L&L books since they were discounted... including all the ones that I own in print. (Except for Sorcery & Steam, which I picked up during one of the free promotions.) Being able to print out just the prestige classes that I need has made them worth the purchase price.

The Auld Grump