D&D 5E Where are the PDFs?

[Torg Smith]

Or it's going to tie books to an account, and then if the online system that holds that account goes away, it's going to get grumpy.

They've already said outright that is not the case. Seems like you're just making up strawmen to complain about now.

They have stated that the library and eReader can't be exported from the application ( https://twitter.com/DungeonScape/status/501375368394461184 ) If you install the application onto a new computer, how will it know what datasets to download to the new machine without an account to log into? Do you think they will trust everybody just to check off only the content they have purchased? If you are saying you think you will be downloading installers without authentication servers with the datasets included, I will need a link to where they said that.

As far as the software going away, it will happen. This is especially true of software dependent on third party licenses.

 

[SkidAce]

What am I missing? Dungeonscape is not like the DDi, it is not 100% web based. It can't be since there will be offline apps. Even if the Dungeonscape company goes away, and it is a web based app, only the reader would be an issue, and likely there will be other readers available, just like I can read Kindle files without a Kindle reader, PDQ. If nothing else, I would imagine WOTC would make one available, simply to solve all these issues and keep goodwill anyway.

So, what am I missing?

Yet wizard's hasn't made a reader or utility for the 4E tools, in order to solve those issues and keep goodwill. (granted they are still online for now.) In fact they moved them online to restrict access (not debating the business model).

I just don't know.

With PDFs I know I have it.

With third party stuff I think I have it. And hope I will continue to.

/disclaimer: I'm am jumping into Dungeonscape with both feet! Looks great and I'm onboard.

 

[prosfilaes]

5. Dungeonscape goes bust and I can no longer download the program, nor will I be able to download new book files. But, since both Dungeonscape and the book files reside on my hard drive, I have them forever.

To take a PDF file from the raw bytes to a viewable file from scratch takes understanding a 200 page document. To take a program written for a modern operating system from raw bytes to usability from scratch takes understanding tens of thousands of pages of documents, CPU documentation, ABIs, APIs, etc. In practice, at a certain point, your best bet with any archaic binary is to run it on a virtual machine running its original OS. If that's Windows or OSX, however, finding a legit copy of that archaic system might be an expensive or laborious process.

 

[prosfilaes]

How is DungeonScape going away? This was all under some weird hypothetical "thing that exists now somehow won't exist in the future" scenario.

It's a weird hypothetical to believe that things fall? Programs and servers supported by one corporation go away on a regular basis, and to believe that DungeonScape is going to last forever denies all my experience in life.

You know this how?

You're claiming that someone right now has third-party support for DungeonScape? Who? How?

Why? What have they said or implied that leads you to believe this?

Releasing books as PDF is cheap and easy. The biggest reason not to is to stop people from just giving a copy to their friends. Thus it's going to use some sort of DRM which is going to be a pain in the ass and interfere with transferring the files to new computers (which is the point of DRM, since there's no way to tell the difference between your new computer and your friend's computer.)

 

[OpsKT]

We're not getting PDFs because Hasbro. Hasbro is a huge company that still has 90% of it's products in toys and games that are not entirely book based. It's because the average players of Hasbro games (Monopoly, Mouse Trap, Clue, etc) and toys (Nerf, Transformers, etc) can not scan and upload their product easily.

Hasbro does not understand that when it comes to books it WILL be scanned and it WILL be uploaded. It will be PIRATED by those that want it. What will not be happening with their current model is they WILL NOT be getting any money on PDFs of those that WOULD buy them legally if they could.

And I will, day 1, if they ever offer them directly, because a PDF from the original source files will always be the cleanest you can get, and then I'm supporting more books and settings and stuff I want.

If we want this change, we need to stop harassing WotC that doesn't get to make the choice (I'm amazed Hasbro let them post the Basic Rules). We need to send real letters to Hasbro.

 

[Torg Smith]

We're not getting PDFs because Hasbro. Hasbro is a huge company that still has 90% of it's products in toys and games that are not entirely book based. It's because the average players of Hasbro games (Monopoly, Mouse Trap, Clue, etc) and toys (Nerf, Transformers, etc) can not scan and upload their product easily.

Hasbro does not understand that when it comes to books it WILL be scanned and it WILL be uploaded. It will be PIRATED by those that want it. What will not be happening with their current model is they WILL NOT be getting any money on PDFs of those that WOULD buy them legally if they could.

And I will, day 1, if they ever offer them directly, because a PDF from the original source files will always be the cleanest you can get, and then I'm supporting more books and settings and stuff I want.

If we want this change, we need to stop harassing WotC that doesn't get to make the choice (I'm amazed Hasbro let them post the Basic Rules). We need to send real letters to Hasbro.

Have you ever been here? http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/browse.php?manufacturers_id=44

 

[Morrus]

We're not getting PDFs because Hasbro. Hasbro is a huge company that still has 90% of it's products in toys and games that are not entirely book based. It's because the average players of Hasbro games (Monopoly, Mouse Trap, Clue, etc) and toys (Nerf, Transformers, etc) can not scan and upload their product easily.

Hasbro does not understand that when it comes to books it WILL be scanned and it WILL be uploaded. It will be PIRATED by those that want it. What will not be happening with their current model is they WILL NOT be getting any money on PDFs of those that WOULD buy them legally if they could.

And I will, day 1, if they ever offer them directly, because a PDF from the original source files will always be the cleanest you can get, and then I'm supporting more books and settings and stuff I want.

If we want this change, we need to stop harassing WotC that doesn't get to make the choice (I'm amazed Hasbro let them post the Basic Rules). We need to send real letters to Hasbro.

None of this is true. WotC makes these decisions, not Hasbro. And they currently sell craploads of stuff as PDF.

 

[OpsKT]

Have you ever been here? http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/browse.php?manufacturers_id=44

Yes, and I still don't see the 5e PHB, or the Basic Rules with a PoD option. Kinda my point.

 

[Torg Smith]

Yes, and I still don't see the 5e PHB, or the Basic Rules with a PoD option. Kinda my point.

I would be surprised if they do not eventually release the books as PDFs. When they pulled the PDFs back in 2009, I fully expected them to change their mind. We don't know what they have planned. I am just planning on being patient and see if they release them. I expect they will.

 

[Mistwell]

They have stated that the library and eReader can't be exported from the application ( https://twitter.com/DungeonScape/status/501375368394461184 ) If you install the application onto a new computer, how will it know what datasets to download to the new machine without an account to log into? Do you think they will trust everybody just to check off only the content they have purchased? If you are saying you think you will be downloading installers without authentication servers with the datasets included, I will need a link to where they said that.

As far as the software going away, it will happen. This is especially true of software dependent on third party licenses.

Have you asked Hobo?