WotC needs to read up on some Techdirt

[occam]

Techdirt is a news commentary blog that focuses on a number of issues, but a main one is IP management and dealing with the digital age. A common theme that I've seen show up is slapping your content behind a paywall is generally a terrible idea. Another major point is that by connecting with fans and giving them a reason to buy rather than worrying about such issues of infringment (commonly known as piracy) is a better way to make money.

Y'know, like what Paizo is doing.

I won't address the issue of Paizo being more or less innovative; plenty of other folks have taken that on, and I really appreciate Paizo for what they do well.

But comparing Paizo to WotC on the paywall issue like this is preposterous. Paizo gives nothing away for free, while WotC regularly post quite extensive free-to-all previews of upcoming products, posts free articles, provides free adventure play experiences in D&D Encounters, etc. This is not a comparison that benefits Paizo.

As for the paywall, while the quality of products that Paizo makes is commendable, their subscription offerings are far more expensive than the pittance WotC asks for DDI membership. And you have to pay for each of Paizo's public play adventures, while WotC just released their LFR adventures for free.

While WotC isn't perfect, and would probably benefit from the kind of personal connection to their fans that Paizo has engendered, they haven't callously slapped all their content behind a paywall, and do plenty of free promotion to give customers more reasons to buy their stuff.

If I wanted to pirate the PDFs that Paizo releases, I could. But I choose not to, because I feel comfortable giving my money to them and feel that their prices for PDFs to be reasonable. I want Paizo to stay in business.

And if you wanted to pirate the PDFs that WotC releases, you could. They haven't added DRM to the multitude of PDFs they publish through DDI, and because of that, they're freely available on pirate sites to those of lesser moral convictions. They're not even stamped with personally identifiable information, as Paizo does to their PDFs to discourage piracy.

If you had just left Paizo out of it, you could have made your point more strongly. As it is, you've demonstrated that a company can be even less open than WotC and still excite its fanbase.

 

[Umbran]

No, that's something else entirely. If I'm a construction worker and build a house for someone else, I don't get to control what they do in that house.

True, but the construction worker has already contracted out his rights to his handiwork before construction begins. Sometimes that is the case for an author, sometimes it is not.

It's not OK to take something away from someone. But if it's given to me, maybe in exchange for money, it only natural that I can do with it as I please.

Limited by the codicil that your rights end where someone else's begin, of course. If you buy the house, you can do things with it so long as they do not infringe upon your neighbors (say, with an excessively loud party that keeps them awake all night).

If you've exchanged money for it, it is your right to do with as you wish? Well, then the content provider exchanged money with the author. They have the right to do with it as they wish, right.

What if they wish to sell it *with restrictions* to other people? By your logic, putting restrictions on use should be allowed, as it is part of "as they will".

So, when you buy it, you agree to those restrictions, and shouldn't be quibbling about it. You want to buy it without restrictions? Go ask the provider, and maybe they'll be willing to sell it to you that way - expect a different asking price, though

 

[Wicht]

Paizo gives nothing away for free,..

I hate to be this blunt but you are 100% wrong.

Firstly, Paizo has all their rules available on the internet for free. They also post free artwork and stories on their website. Their blog gives regular free previews of upcoming material.

Secondly, while GMs do sometimes have to pay for the Pathfinder Society Scenarios, its a low fee and if you run an adventure for Paizo at a Convention, they make them available to you for free (I have about 5-6 I have not had to pay for). Players have to pay absolutely nothing to be involved, though if a group wanted every player to chip in 50 cents to help pay for the cost of the module, I suppose they could. Moreover, Paizo gives goodies away to those that help them run their games. I ran adventures for them at Origins and, besides paying for my ticket and some meals, Paizo also threw in free flip-maps. So I have three of their maps and several of their adventures that I got for free through participation in Pathfinder Society.

Thirdly, for publishers that want to put Pathfinder Compatible on their products, they can do so, for free. Paizo also gives away, for free, for use on websites and the like, artwork and logos to those who want to be a part of the community.

 

[czak]

Free products:

paizo.com - Search results for: free in products

Also, if you subscribe, not only do you get a discount for the whole store, you get the pdfs for free.

 

[shadzar]

I hate to be this blunt but you are 100% wrong.

Firstly, Paizo has all their rules available on the internet for free. They also post free artwork and stories on their website. Their blog gives regular free previews of upcoming material.

Secondly, while GMs do sometimes have to pay for the Pathfinder Society Scenarios, its a low fee and if you run an adventure for Paizo at a Convention, they make them available to you for free (I have about 5-6 I have not had to pay for). Players have to pay absolutely nothing to be involved, though if a group wanted every player to chip in 50 cents to help pay for the cost of the module, I suppose they could. Moreover, Paizo gives goodies away to those that help them run their games. I ran adventures for them at Origins and, besides paying for my ticket and some meals, Paizo also threw in free flip-maps. So I have three of their maps and several of their adventures that I got for free through participation in Pathfinder Society.

Thirdly, for publishers that want to put Pathfinder Compatible on their products, they can do so, for free. Paizo also gives away, for free, for use on websites and the like, artwork and logos to those who want to be a part of the community.

They give everything away for free, and yet still hold near equal sales market share than D&D?

I got the beta of Pathfinder, but sadly, 3rd edition isnt my style or interest. Too bad, cause I would be willing to buy more things from someone that makes sure other people can play the game without dropping a fortune to do so...wait...isn't this how the OGL caused 3rd edition to grow so big so quickly in the first place that the core rules were pretty much free to play for lots of people, then they got hooked and wanted to buy things? Now with WotC's old concepts in place, they are taking over the market from WotC.....

Food for thought there me thinks.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

I hate to be this blunt but you are 100% wrong.

Firstly, Paizo has all their rules available on the internet for free. They also post free artwork and stories on their website. Their blog gives regular free previews of upcoming material.

Also the PDF versions of the Player's Guides for the first 4 or so Adventure Paths were free IIRC. The Player's guides aren't insignificant either they're about 16 pages a piece with full color maps and art. The Pathfinder Bonus Bestiary (w/ monsters that were cut from the Bestiary for whatever reasons, I think space(?)) was released just before the Bestiary and for free.

Yeah also I know you mentioned it before but PATHFINDER SRD. Up to date with spells, classes and feats from the APG. I'm fairly certain the monsters from Bestiary 2 will be up soon as well.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

Also, if you subscribe, not only do you get a discount for the whole store, you get the pdfs for free.

Which is EXACTLY why I subscribed to the AP line and the RPG line.
And before someone erroneously tries to say that WOTC does something similar with Dungeon / Dragon (are they even called that anymore?) they don't offer free PDF's with their hardcopies. They used to offer a PDF magazine as part of a paid subscription. Not really the same thing.

And yes, the PDF's are extremely useful to me. Especially the adventures.

 

[Wicht]

They give everything away for free, and yet still hold near equal sales market share than D&D?

From comments dropped here and there I'm starting to suspect that Paizo grabbing the #1 spot may occur sooner rather than later (as in they are already there). The next ICv2 report should be interesting. We'll see I guess.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

From comments dropped here and there I'm starting to suspect that Paizo grabbing the #1 spot may occur sooner rather than later (as in they are already there). The next ICv2 report should be interesting. We'll see I guess.

Yeah, but then people will just discount the ICv2 report saying that it's not accurate and that it means nothing. When some of these same people were pointing to it and Amazon standings to proof that 4E was going strong.

Listen I know that it's important for some people that their game of choice be recognized, but all I care about is that Pazio turns out a good product and treats it's fans with a modicum of respect. Just give me that and I'm good.

 

[shadzar]

Yeah, but then people will just discount the ICv2 report saying that it's not accurate and that it means nothing. When some of these same people were pointing to it and Amazon standings to proof that 4E was going strong.

I have no horse in the race the rest involved, so removed it....

Going strong does not equal leading the market. White Wolf is still "going strong", but where are they at?

Since this was in response, toa response to me, I feel partially responsible from preventing a fight where none was intended.

In regards to the busines models, the company trying to nickle and dime people is losing ground to those that is freely offering things to people.

The one trying to grab for every cent you have isn't doing as well as they were when faced with a company willing to give you everything and also willing to take you money if you feel like giving it to them.

It shows, in the context of this thread, that the ideology shift, may be a very big problem.

One that may very well protect the D&D IP into oblivion, and I don't mean Elder Scrolls.