[UPDATED] Out of the Abyss Reviews Have Started Rolling In

I just found one of the first reviews of Out of the Abyss. I thought it could be nice to keep all links to reviews in one thread, so here is the first I found:

http://diehardgamefan.com/2015/09/0...he-abyss-dungeons-dragons-fifth-editiondd-5e/

The previews have been okay, but this review is what has me stoked. This kind of adventure is right up my alley. Can't wait for it to show up!

 

[joshinminn]

If only those of us who work in a written medium had that same option.

Well, I do feel that it is reasonable to charge for a digital version of a book, particularly if it results in additional compensation to the authors of the text.

 

[ExploderWizard]

The assumption that the only way it can be user friendly is digital is also just plain crappy.



Again, the assumption that the only way it can be used is if it is digital, is just plain crappy.

I don't know if this sort of hyperbolic rhetoric works with anyone.

I get it, you ALSO want digital larger images. Understood. You don't NEED them to play it though - digital didn't even exist for much of the lifespan of this game. Many Many Many people do not use digital maps right now. Your preference is not the same as everyone's necessity. So, dial back the hyperbole maybe?

Nope. No assumption of digital anything. Putting a paper copy of the maps in a paper slip cover bundled with the book would be more than acceptable. In fact I would prefer that to a free digital copy. I don't care if they provide large hi-res battle map copies at all or not, and if they do, have no problem with them being charged as a stand-alone product.

 

[God]

Well, I do feel that it is reasonable to charge for a digital version of a book, particularly if it results in additional compensation to the authors of the text.

Yep, I'd happily give the poor starving authors of the PHB a few bucks for a digital copy of the World's Most Famous RPG. But it's 2015 and we can't have pdfs because reasons I guess jury duty?

 

[delericho]

Well, I do feel that it is reasonable to charge for a digital version of a book, particularly if it results in additional compensation to the authors of the text.

I'm not certain, but I don't think that's what the Mouse was referring to. Rather, I think he meant that the artists who did the maps retained IP rights and so they could make them available for sale. Whereas the people who write the text do not, and so it's up to WotC to provide PDFs for sale (or not).

 

[Mistwell]

Nope. No assumption of digital anything. Putting a paper copy of the maps in a paper slip cover bundled with the book would be more than acceptable. In fact I would prefer that to a free digital copy. I don't care if they provide large hi-res battle map copies at all or not, and if they do, have no problem with them being charged as a stand-alone product.

But you still think nobody can play this as it's currently sold? All those reports of people playing it are...what? They all bought digital copies from the artist to play it (even though I suspect most people don't even know the artist sells them)? My point stands - the hyperbole was both unnecessary, and unhelpful.

 

[Mistwell]

Yep, I'd happily give the poor starving authors of the PHB a few bucks for a digital copy of the World's Most Famous RPG. But it's 2015 and we can't have pdfs because reasons I guess jury duty?

Because apparently the retail stores didn't want WOTC selling just straight digital copies of what they are selling hardcopies of - at least during the first year or so of the core books. And WOTC has a very tight relationship with the retail stores, more so (due to Magic) than other companies.

 

[ExploderWizard]

But you still think nobody can play this as it's currently sold? All those reports of people playing it are...what? They all bought digital copies from the artist to play it (even though I suspect most people don't even know the artist sells them)? My point stands - the hyperbole was both unnecessary, and unhelpful.

The whole point of published adventures is to save the DM time and hassle. IMHO if the product doesn't do that as it is sold then it fails the reason for existence test.

 

[Mistwell]

The whole point of published adventures is to save the DM time and hassle. IMHO if the product doesn't do that as it is sold then it fails the reason for existence test.

OK.

You know what I think? I think someone is bitter he's gotten to the age he needs reading glasses

 

[JohnnyZemo]

You know, there's another large RPG publisher that I buy a lot of books from, and each time I buy a hard copy of a book I get a free PDF of the book. In a perfect world, I'd like to see WotC find a way to do something like that.

 

[Guyanthalas]

I'm not begrudging anyone's complaints about the format. Originally that sentence said "I actually like the hardcover versions", but then I realized:

1. I bought all the maps of PotA
2. I downloaded a scanned PDF of the book for quick reference. (I bought the damn book, don't shoot me.)
3. I have copied a lot of the book into OneNote for easy reference as I run the adventure.

Hardcover is a great piece to keep everything together in a one place, but I have to agree for ease of use its falling a bit flat. I haven't tried the digital tools (Fantasy grounds?) yet, but that is mostly because we play the game in person and going digital feels a bit off.

All of that being said, I'm trying to think of how this could get fixed. I don't see any easy answers. Boxed set with handouts? Cards with monster stats? Increase the book 3x its original size so that all the "flipping" will be in line with where its needed, but also in a reference section so that when a PC asks about "that guy" 3 levels later I can still find it?

I don't know, I'm kind of at a loss on organizational structure. I do wish there was an easy way to get a (legal) PDF version of the document... but I'd be lying if I said I'd get both the hardcover and the PDF. I'd probably still just buy the hardcover, so I have a good piece of eye candy. :-/