WotC Official PDF versions - would you buy them?

[Henry]

I really wish their plan of practically free PDFs of the books with purchase of the hard copies had worked out, but I can understand their piracy concerns.

As for me, I'm still strongly considering the DDI 10 dollar a month purchase when its available, but I'll wait and see.

 

[Mort_Q]

I'd pay more for the hardcover books if they came with the pdf files on disc. Especially if they were hyperindexed.

 

[Harr]

I'd pay more for the hardcover books if they came with the pdf files on disc. Especially if they were hyperindexed.

Man, this would have been sooooo cool, and how much would it really have cost? Plus it would have placed WotC as something of a pioneer in digital publishing, since I haven't heard of any publisher ever doing something like that. But it's likely practically impossible due to pirating concerns.

Anyway, sorry I haven't actually answered the question of the thread, how much I would actually pay - $15 I think would be good.

 

[jeffhartsell]

I'd like to have digital versions for reference. The d20srd site was a great resource for 3.x and WotC wants to take over that offering with DDI. If they offered lower priced PDFs I'd buy those for sure. I dislike hardcover books for less-often used information. This is the digital age with iPhones, iPods, Kindles, and laptops at gaming tables.

However, the DDI won't be a replacement for a PDF of a book. I like the art and fluff associated with a book, but carrying 40+ books around to a game session is not feasible. More and more people have laptops and since WotC is trying to move into the digital age with DDI, they need to jump on having PDFs available at a reasonable price.

They will get people buying them that would have never bought the hardcopy, plus they will get some people buying both. They only have to test the market once and see what it does for their bottom-line.

 

[jeffhartsell]

I'd pay more for the hardcover books if they came with the pdf files on disc. Especially if they were hyperindexed.

Agree. But some people would not. Making them available online for a price makes everyone happy.

As for piracy. There will always be pirates regardless of making PDFs available. The music industry has realized this and they are combating pirates buy making music so cheap per song that people are willing to buy them instead of pirate them. And in the end the record labels are making MORE money now. iTunes paved the way. And the Kindle is doing very well for Amazon.

 

[Vigilance]

I really wish their plan of practically free PDFs of the books with purchase of the hard copies had worked out, but I can understand their piracy concerns.

As for me, I'm still strongly considering the DDI 10 dollar a month purchase when its available, but I'll wait and see.

Wait did I miss an announcement?

I thought they were still behind the idea of PDFs for the "price of a cup of coffee" if you got the printed book?

 

[jeffhartsell]

Wait did I miss an announcement?

I thought they were still behind the idea of PDFs for the "price of a cup of coffee" if you got the printed book?

Nada. No more code with books to unlock a PDF for a few bucks. Apparently the logistics ended up being more than they wanted to deal with at the moment.

 

[physics_ninja]

I prefer physical books waaaaaayyyy more than PDFs. Reading those things on the screen is just a pain. So there is no way I’m going spend full price on a PDF. And if I can’t afford the book, then I’ll just have to do without.

The guy who came up with the Kindle for amazon mentioned a few reasons why PDFs and e-books should cost less than their physical counterparts. (plus a few comments of my own)

1) You can’t resell it if you don’t want it anymore or need cash in a hurry.
2) You can’t buy it used.
3) You can’t buy it and then give it as a gift.
4) You can’t lend it to a friend.
5) If you want to print it out that is an additional expense.
6) You can’t read them without additional (and expensive) technology.
7) Libraries can’t do squat with them.


So, at full price, never in a million years. Even at half price I would think twice about it because that is typically the used price point.

I'd bet money that PDFs will cost the same as the books.

I have no real foundation to say this except simply from watching how everything's been handled so far with Classes & Races, Worlds & Monsers, DDI, and KotS... it's not "What's a widely accessible and attractive pricepoint?", it's "What's the highest we figure we can get away with?". Every product has had people in general moaning about the price, I really doubt it's gonna be different with this.

Given how overprice that KotS is, I'd have to say that WotC is doing everything they can to raise prices.

 

[Family]

I really wish their plan of practically free PDFs of the books with purchase of the hard copies had worked out, but I can understand their piracy concerns.

Piracy is already at a worst case senario for them, by selling/bundling their own they would not be adding to the problem.

By selling thier own .pdfs they can at least profit from a portion of this market, a highly profitable portion since there is no printing/shipping/distribution overhead.

I'd pay an extra 20%, taxes included, per book (consider them magic items eh?)

 

[jeffhartsell]

Libraries are actually digitizing books now to preserve them. And at some point all books that no longer have a copyright will be available online via services (such as Amazon) that are taking the time to digitize every book available. In fact, Amazon has deals with many major publishers giving them the rights to digitize books. That is how they make the Kindle work and at some point they will figure out how to do it without the Kindle, but with smartphones and laptops.