Update: Malhavoc PDFs no longer available at RPGnow (merged)

[The Gryphon]

/snip/

So PDFs that are protected by DRM are now a lot more expensive than print products, and print products here are VERY expensive (A $20 US book is normally about $55-$65 AU). So all of a sudden, I can't afford RPG books anymore if more publishers go the way Malhavoc have.

/snip/

I am a published author. I feel that I should purchase product. But it is being make almost impossible for me to do so. When the AU $ dropped to about $0.55 US, that was given as the reason for a massive increase in book prices. Now the AU $ has gotten back to over $0.70 US, and the prices have not changed. I have talked to the importers here and asked why this is the case, and have been told that the price they pay (in AU$) has not changed with the dollar change; I have got this from multiple sources. International shipping charges make the purcase of books from the US online too expensive also.

/snip/

Richard Canning

That's just not true, www.milsims.com.au sells RPG books for at most double the $US cost in $AU (and that includes GST). So try there.

 

[hong]

All of my concerns come from not being able to print them at work anymore; and not being able to print from a printing outlet. These are the deal killers.

DRM sucks not because I can't give stuff to my friends (which I did not do anyway); it sucks because I can't use the material I purchase to full effect. I have photo quality printers at work, and can't use them....!!!!

Not, of course, that I am condoning mass reproduction of copyrighted material, or using company resources for private ends, but here's something you can do if you must have a protected file on two machines but only want to activate it on one.

Install a Postscript printer driver on your PC, and set it to print to a file.

In Acrobat Reader, print the pdf to this printer. This creates a (sometimes humongous) PS file. The 7.1Mb Exalted pdf turned into a 110Mb PS file when I tried this.

Copy the PS file to the machine without DRM on it. With USB flash drives these days having a capacity of 256Mb or more, this shouldn't be too hard.

Install something like Ghostscript and GSview (www.ghostscript.com) on this machine if you want to view or print the PS file. If you actually have a Postscript printer connected on this machine, you could also copy the file directly to the printer from the command line.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

That's just not true, www.milsims.com.au sells RPG books for at most double the $US cost in $AU (and that includes GST). So try there.

Why would I want to buy from a company that sells 2004 D&D products under the publisher "TSR"?

Jesus Froghopping Christ.

 

[Flyspeck23]

I think a better solution would be for the publishers to offer added value to those who buy the product legitimately.

My sentiments exactly.

Specifically, publishers should update their books regularly and offer these updates free to anyone who bought the original. If you've got a pirated copy, you don't get anything else unless you pirate that too.

That's simply the best way to disencourage piracy, while at the same time rewarding one's customers.
Of course that's not an option for any "fire and forget" publishers

 

[3catcircus]

All right, I've tried to defend Monte Cook, and the new site, and gotten attacked for it.

One thing I'll ask: A lot of people complain that there is no benefit for the consumer in this change. That's certainly true on the face of it, and I don't think Monte says otherwise. Some people have implied above that Monte is trying to say that he is doing this for the benefit of customers. I don't read it that way.

My gut instinct is that possibly Monte was forced into this deal because of the affiliation with White Wolf, and the fact that RPGNOW refused to sell their business to them (or the parent companies of RPGNOW and WW).

But what's wrong with DriveThruRPG and the publishers who sign on trying to enable some protections to their property? If it makes sense for their business, what's wrong with it? Malhavoc Press or any other publisher aren't obliged to provide unprotected PDFs if it makes better business sense to do otherwise.

Nothing wrong with it, so long as it doesn't interfere with my use of the product after purchase. It is well known that Microsoft doesn't agressively prosecute non-business pirating of their products because, even pirated, it ensures that they have a larger customer base - which means that those people will *eventually* buy a product from them.

Considering the widespread illegal trading of PDF files on the net, I think it's reasonable to do something to protect theft.

Don't believe the exaggerated claims of such activity - pdf files are a drop in the bucket compared to print products - and illegal trading of pdfs represents an even smaller percentage.

I don't know how effective this method will be. I don't see anyone offering better solutions.

I certainly don't buy the argument that it will be ineffective because the DRM can be easily cracked. A lot of people won't bother to do even the 15 minute google-search. Anyway, it's not about preventing copyright theft, it's about reducing it, which may (or may not) have a positive effect on the site's and the publishers' revenue.

It *isn't* effective except for the technically inept (which most modern gamers aren't). Do a quick search on google on "DRM" and "crack" and see how many hits you get. Many people will be forced to use a crack because of the inability to do with the product what they want, after purchase. Many more will use a crack because of privacy concerns. The fact of the matter is that DRM is, was, and always will be an ineffective technology - in the audio world, it is the "analog hole," and in pdf world it is the "print and OCR hole." The net effect will be negative as customers turn into former customers.

Regarding the problems with registering and sharing informtation wiht Adobe and what not, that may be a legitimate concern. I went ahead and did what was necessary to get the free PDF; I don't think it will have any negative consequences to me and I'm fine with it. Others clearly are not, but I guess that's the choice people have to make.

Why not start keeping a running track of how much spam you used to get before and after registering. Additionally, "registering" smacks of "Papers, please!"

This issue is generating a lot of negative feeling and that obviously might lead to publishers on DrivethruRPG loosing customers, but I'm still not sure. I think some people complaining now will see one of Monte's later cool releases, like Beyond Countless Doorways, drool over it, and decide to go ahead and purchase it and download it despite the restrictions. If not, people can choose to buy the print versions, buy other companys' PDFs, or simply not to buy anything. Nobody's forcing anything on anybody.

I hope they go under, after dieing a slow agonizing death - the only way that companies (large or small) get a message is when customers make their voices heard - and the most effective way of doing that is through their wallets.

 

[BryonD]

IMO, offering a product, with some limitations for security, is not a disservice. It is in fact still a service. You can choose to buy it or not.

The move to DRM and exclusivity is a reduction in service. The opposite of adding service.
Thus, by definition, a DISservice.

 

[johnsemlak]

The move to DRM and exclusivity is a reduction in service. The opposite of adding service.
Thus, by definition, a DISservice.

Check your definitions. That's not what my dictionary says.

 

[johnsemlak]

Don't believe the exaggerated claims of such activity - pdf files are a drop in the bucket compared to print products - and illegal trading of pdfs represents an even smaller percentage.

Well, I believe that I suppose, but why do companies want to limit PDF trading if that's the case?

It *isn't* effective except for the technically inept (which most modern gamers aren't). Do a quick search on google on "DRM" and "crack" and see how many hits you get. Many people will be forced to use a crack because of the inability to do with the product what they want, after purchase. Many more will use a crack because of privacy concerns.

I guess I'll have to agree to disagree with anyone who has that view. The fact that its easy to crack for the technically inept doesn't make it less effective. A ot of gamers won't bother. Don't most poeple just print PDFs straight away, which is perfectly possible with the protected files?

Anyway, most security of any type that exists in this world can be easily cracked by a determined crook. Door locks, car alarms for automobiles for example. Any professional car thief can crack them in minutes. Does that mean such things are ineffective? No, they help prevent the casual thug.

Why not start keeping a running track of how much spam you used to get before and after registering.

It hasn't increased at all for me so far.

Additionally, "registering" smacks of "Papers, please!"

I completely disagree with that. The registration you have to do via Adobe is voluntary, in order to obtain a product to buy. TO compare that to being stopped and demanded to show your papers is quite an exaggeration.

All sorts of sites on the internet demand you register to use the site, such as many newspaper sites. I find it irritating too, but it's becoming a reality.

I hope they go under, after dieing a slow agonizing death.

That's real diplomatic.

 

[BryonD]

If you need to quibble over whether or not the definitions of the root word and the prefix are relevant, then knock yourself out.

 

[WizarDru]

Not, of course, that I am condoning mass reproduction of copyrighted material, or using company resources for private ends,

Oh, sure....you expect us to believe that? I know all about your country, sir, and it's Xbox-Linux Vandals....and I am shocked, SHOCKED, sir, that you would claim otherwise.

I'll give them a test with the free download, and see how it pans out. I'm not thrilled with using Passport, especially seeing the problems I experienced with it in the past, back when I played Asheron's Call. My problem isn't with the DRM nearly so much as the convuluted nature of it.

I've rebuilt every PC in my house at least once so far this year...I don't like thinking that I won't be able to get my PDFs to follow me around, when I do so.