Just wondering if there are any plans to PDF more ArM5 and earlier products?
I'm finding PDF versions of products (particularly older products) much easier to use/search and refer to than lugging around a lot of hardback books.
Having moved recently and make the difficult decision to store part of my collection, I'm finding to my chagrin that I've left some of the suplements I'd really like to refer to packed deep within countless boxes of my "stuff".
(In particular, I really wish I'd brought Sactuary of Ice with me... damn)
I was looking for that one in PDF, too... I don't think you'll find it (or at least I couldn't a couple months ago.) but you can read through part of it on amazon, which is some help-- or was for me.
Interestingly, I've just discovered that clicking on "Surprise Me!" allows reading 2-3 pages either side of the random page. If I'm patient enough I suppose I could find the particular bit I'm looking for (Alpine Redcaps) but it's a bit tedious. It's a bit unwieldy but I suspect that's the point, eh?
I'd rather just buy the PDF even if I have the hardcopy.
Thanks for the tip though - I hadn't thought of that.
I too would repeat my vote in favour of bringing out more pdf's both 4th edition and 5th. The ones I most hope to see are Sanctuary of Ice and Blood and Sand.
An other one that would support a move to PDFs. Dunno how easy it is to put them up for sale. But even more so, I have no idea if it is even remotely economically viable as an option. I suspect it is not, or we would have already seen them around.
Besides, copyright infrengements (emule, bittorrent...) tend to be fed from unqcaring customers that put those products online. I suspect that this might be the reason why it is not very feasible economically.
But yes, I would still love to see them online. Waterproofed supplements with the buyer's name stamped on them would be a good option, buit since they require a measure of human incvolvement, I suspect that this is even less economically feasible.
A quick check via google suggests that they are basicly all available in pirated form. As such, any money Atlas gains from legal sales has to be a net gain.
Actually, water-marking .pdfs is easy to automate and is fairly standard. The two problems such as they are are that watermarks are easy to remove and that such software, and the necessary website stuff for .pdf sales, cost money. The former's not really an issue since the ilegal copies already exist and the idea has to be to convert thefts to sales. The latter, however, might be a real stumbling block depending on the costs involved. Mind you, done in partnership with somewhere like Warehouse 23 it could work nicely.
Indeed. I don't really understand why putting the copies as legal pdfs will increase piracy. I can understand if it will decrease book-sales, though, and perhaps anger some distributers (which isn't something Atlas would be wise to do).
I for one perfer to purchase the actual books. Except for adventures.
Watermarking is used in RPGNow/DriveThruRPG (aka OneBookShelf). I have no problem with it, but I also have no problem with not using it. I don't think it will deter piracy in the least, though, so I think it's a needless expense.
I don't know how many people this also applies to, but for me I only buy pdfs now. My storage space concerns for books necessitate this, and every exception I make means having to get rid of old books. Although I can afford to buy all the range I have nowhere to put them. Except for the main rulebook my collection of ars magica includes only what is available through e23, and I am happy to buy any of the books they publish.
This is a case where the total sales will increase as you release more pdfs, and a number of the players of pbp boards I have played with seemed to be in the same situation as me. Would love to own more of the books, but no hardcopy thank you very much.
I add my vote to get the products in PDF form. I work on a tour and can only transport a few books, which makes it difficult for gamemastering my games...
I still have them all back home (and buy them as they are published), but if I need something that can't access, I have to have a friend scan the pages I need.
Besides, PDF are so practical when you look for an information. Go in the FIND section, type the name, and voilà ! Much better then an index.
Given that creating indexes is tedious and expensive apparently (according to Timothy, who's a librarian and does that sort of thing for a living and the Line Editor, who cited this as the main reason for not doing indices) this is one of the major reasons to prefer a PDF product over a printed book IMO.
The Sidebar Contents List that has been appearing in recent titles (it's vital for Art & Academe for instance) helps a lot but the ability to use the within PDF search facility is really useful.
I'll try and snap up RoP: Infernal when I get the chance as I find it's a great supplement that I use for all sorts of reasons (mostly unrelated to demons oddly) but it's diabolical to find things in.
I think it's a great step that John has decided release RoP: Infernal in PDF even though there's a planned reprinting.
Cheers,
Lachie
PS Mr Nephew if you're listening, I'm still hanging out for the announcement that
For now, but we can hope that time can be found for the old/out of date stuff that. As one of the first comments on this thread says, look on amazon who have provided sections of pdfs for most of the books that are past editions. The quality might be less but if amazon have access to all the old books, then sooner or later Atlas can fine tune those images into a product they would be willing to charge for.
I for one am always thankful for every product they make available. So thanks again for the two new ones.
