What format do you prefer for the gaming material you use?

[Thornir Alekeg]

I prefer materials that are more niche, less often used and usually shorter in length to be electronic because I don't need to bring all those various print products with me.

I prefer my main reference books to be print, because it is often easier and faster for me to find frequently used information in a print book (Grab book, flip to about correct page, locate exact page) than an electronic one (Locate file, open document, wait as it loads, expand table of contents or run a search, click on correct reference).

I prefer magazine to be both - print for initial reading enjoyment, electronic for later reference.

 

[Agamon]

Reading on the PC isn't much fun. For reading, I prefer print. If I can have both an electronic and print version for actually using, that is best, but otherwise, I'd prefer print.

 

[Psion]

I have the 3.5 DMG and the MM as PDF (as well as few other misc other books that I use practically never) and I can't use the search function nor the text tool to copy and paste into word if I want to make a cheat sheet for the table. And I have yet to see a single bookmark.

That doesn't mean it's scanned; the publisher can disable those features. Aside from the obvious annoyance of not being able to copy and paste*, scans are UGLY.

That said, I specifically checked for copy-pastability in the CPsi preview doc. If it turns out they had it on in the preview and off in the actual product... that would be really annoying.

* - Actually, you can copy and paste from many scanned docs, but the OCRed "behind text" tends to be riddled with errors.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

Both. Definitely both. It makes prep so much easier.

 

[cougent]

I am going to join the "Both" train as well.

In the past I was 100% print (recent past as well as ancient); but I am slowly being turned to the dark side of PDF preference, especially when PDF's are cheaper. If the PDF costs as much as the book (looking at you WotC) then I am more inclined to still buy print, but am also rebuffed at the blatant profit mongering and may not buy either. I can see a future where the DM screen gets replaced by a PC screen and then PDF's would be the optimum way to go... not there yet, but I see it down the road.

 

[Jedi_Solo]

I gotta go with "both".

I like print if I'm browsing or reading the book for the first time.

If I'm looking for something specific I prefer electronic - even when I can't "search" the document.

 

[balterkn]

I put print and some electronic.

Like others, I like Paizo's strategy of giving subscribers free PDFs. Generally, I like the PDF for game preparation as it has things I need: ability to search, ability to create derivative game aids (NPC flash cards, maps), etc. These things also help in execution of a game, such as being able to search for a fact quickly during a session.

I prefer the physical product for depth reading (cover-to-cover style). I work with a computer all day, so I like to unplug for something different in my leisure time. Generally, I prefer to have the physical product at the session.

There is also a good social factor of having the physical products arranged on bookshelves. Players come over and browse the shelves and end up reading various books - that gives me ideas as to what they may be interested in doing for future sessions.

 

[sjmiller]

I said mostly print with some electronic. To be honest, more often than not I will print and bind the electronic items to make them easier to use. I do not like sitting in front of my computer working on game stuff. That is what my couch is for!

 

[Scribble]

I have the 3.5 DMG and the MM as PDF (as well as few other misc other books that I use practically never) and I can't use the search function nor the text tool to copy and paste into word if I want to make a cheat sheet for the table. And I have yet to see a single bookmark.

EDIT: I find I actually prefer the SRD to the DMG and the MM PDFs. The SRD is searchable. But there are still some things that are just not in the SRD, like NPC money at different levels.

Thats probably because those books are "older" from before WOTC seemed to be interested in doing the PDF thing.

The newer stuff has all the fun features. It's Original Digital Format.

I agree though about the scanned books. They are WAY too cumbersome.

 

[WayneLigon]

I prefer print but I like getting both; that's one reason I love Pathfinder. For the material I want at the gaming table, I can cut and paste from the electronic document or just print out that article (I have a nice laser printer at home). I like that, but I also like something to read in bed or in a nice comfy chair with the dog beside me.