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

[Monte At Home]

This is what *really* confuses me about their model. DTRPG basically gives a buck off the MSRP, while Amazon gives 30%, and other sites even more, for a print product. Are they banking on the idea that people actually *want* pdfs instead of books for new products?

The publishers decide the price, just like at RPGNow or your local game store. Malhavoc prices are all the same for their pdfs as they always have been. Plenty of other products are at about half the print product cost. If you've got an issue with the price, take it up with the publisher, not DriveThru.

If I can get real with you for a minute, though, give the publishers a break. Most of these guys have never sold electronic products. They don't know what the pdf market is like--they're getting their feet wet. It's a HUUUGE deal that some of them are trying it at all. Let me tell you from first hand experience that just about every print publisher in the industry is afraid of electronic publishing. They think it might hurt their print sales. (I have found through experience that this is not true.) They think that the pdf market is not worth the bother. Most of them over the course of the last three years have told me to my face that I'm crazy. This is a big step for them.

Hopefully, in a bit, the guys with too-high prices will see that electronic products are not going to ruin them and they'll bring them down to be more in line with the rest of the pdf market. I know that you're going to see more, not fewer, companies dip their toe into this market because of DriveThru. If you like electronic products at all, this is a really exciting development.

(And yeah, the site is slow. ALthough I have no control over it, I apologize for any inconvenience. They're working on it. A brand new site with a few start up problems it's not exactly the first time that's happened on the internet.)

 

[Power_Word_Wedgie]

All I cn say is that I went to the DriveThruRPG site and (a) didn't have problems uploading any of the pictures (I have a 56K connection) and (b) the prices are still cheaper than when I bought the books in the bookstore. For example, The Book of Hallowed Might was selling for $7 where I bought the hardcover at my FLGS for $10.95.

Now I don't usually buy PDFs since I like to get the hardcopy for my FLGS. I guess I'm just weird that way. At any rate, IMHO much of what is being represented in this thread may be considered a little misleading. YMMV.

 

[Nightfall]

Monte's right. I've checked the S&SS books. Most are close to half off. The others, I'll grant you aren't. So it's a pretty uneven thing but given that they put the Player's Guides for Scarred Lands at half off, It's a pretty darn good steal. (11.98 folks! Goodness knows I'd pay for that if I didn't already have the books.)

 

[Nick_Danger]

I know that change can be off-putting. That's why we put out a brand new free (short) pdf on that site called Narrog the Earth Serpent so you could give the new vendor a try for free. I think that if you actually try DriveThru you'll find that it's not hard (you need the latest version of Adobe reader, but that's free too). They've got some nice How To and FAQ pages that you'll find to be very helpful (and if you want a laugh, click on the speaker on the menu board, in fact do it a number of times).

I thought I'd give it a shot, even though it was a three ring circus to get accounts all over the place, that at least is a one time deal.

Poped onto DriveThruRPG to try the "free" download to give it a test-drive and while a buck isn't a whole lot these days, it's not "free" as advertised.

Just setting the record straight.

 

[Dark Psion]

All I cn say is that I went to the DriveThruRPG site and (a) didn't have problems uploading any of the pictures (I have a 56K connection) and (b) the prices are still cheaper than when I bought the books in the bookstore. For example, The Book of Hallowed Might was selling for $7 where I bought the hardcover at my FLGS for $10.95.

Now I don't usually buy PDFs since I like to get the hardcopy for my FLGS. I guess I'm just weird that way. At any rate, IMHO much of what is being represented in this thread may be considered a little misleading. YMMV.

For a lot of us RPGNow! is our Friendly Local Gameshop and these tactics by Malhavoc and White Wolf seem to be designed to put them out of business.

I know RPGNow!, When I have had problems, I got great customer service from them. To drop them would be a dis-service as a customer and lousy way to repay them.

I don't know this company and especially don't like these bully tactics. It's like saying this book is only available from Wal Mart and we won't let your local hobby shop sell it.

If Malhavoc doesn't want me as a customer, then so be it.

 

[BrooklynKnight]

Why did you have to pay a dollar?

I'll definatly give them a try to get BOEM if its 3.5.

 

[BrooklynKnight]

I dont get the "vibe" that Monte, MP, or WW is activly trying to push RPGNOW out of buisness. Monte is not that type of person, I dont think he'd willingly or knowingly take part in that.

I would however, would like to know, why Malhavoc has decided to go with DT exlusivly.

If possible that is.

 

[marketingman]

I visited the site and ol Mr. Clicky the Wonder Computer just breezed right thru. Trust me I am no computer genuis.

If they can make more money well thats is capitalism at it finest. The market is there for the rpint indusrty to expand into the E-publishing just has if they can e-publishers can move into print. It is just more easly done for a print game company to move into e-publishing then for the small e-publisher to move into print and compete.

We did have a nice healthy thread on the logic of low POD sales. Markets are driven by the consumers wants and desires and gamers are notorious for hating something but still spending money on it.

Also I would like to say I am sorry to Monte Cook for I miss read a post earlier and thought MP was involved in the attempt to buy RPGNow. I'll reread the post in fututre Monte brefore I shot off at the keyboard again.

 

[d20Dwarf]

The publishers decide the price, just like at RPGNow or your local game store. Malhavoc prices are all the same for their pdfs as they always have been. Plenty of other products are at about half the print product cost. If you've got an issue with the price, take it up with the publisher, not DriveThru.

Admittedly, I only looked at the FFG section, and found the prices to be amusing.

 

[Nightfall]

Maybe someone forgot to send you the memo Wil.