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5 years ago ::
Feb 10, 2008 - 3:43PM
#21
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Date Joined:
Nov 30, 2005
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I am 'puter stupid, so please bear with. What is the big problem with issuing normal, low-security PDFs? If the hacks want to pirate D&D material then all they gotta do is 1-pool their money for one set of books 2-go crazy with a scanner 3-share the files. Right? Or am I being unusually puterstupid?
Thats pretty much how it is now. It will probably be similar in the future too. So i really don't understand why they would consider limiting it to 1 per comp.
It takes about 3 seconds to find pirated DND material using google, and i dont expect that to change with the new edition. Limiting my usage of their legit material just pushes me more toward pirating it so that I can use it as i feel like.
5e comments and thoughts all in one place. Check it out to provide feedback, mock, or steal ideas.
http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/28835423/Krusks_5e_Design_Goals?sdb=1
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5 years ago ::
Feb 10, 2008 - 8:16PM
#22
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Date Joined:
Mar 31, 2002
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I am 'puter stupid, so please bear with. What is the big problem with issuing normal, low-security PDFs? If the hacks want to pirate D&D material then all they gotta do is 1-pool their money for one set of books 2-go crazy with a scanner 3-share the files. Right? Or am I being unusually puterstupid?
You're quite right and it's incredibly simple, and adding annoying as hell security features only makes those who actually paid for your product resent you for it. People are going to steal stuff, plain and simple, and when that thing is a .pdf copying it is so sickeningly simple to even attempt to add things that will irritate and limit a legitimate customer has got to be 2 steps away from total ignorance of facts.
So yes, WotC, just give the people who bought your book their .pdf that they can use wherever they want, because if you don't it only causes more negative issues in the end. As anything I can view on my computer will never be secure from piracy, and inhibiting my legitimate use of something I own will only inspire me to go elsewhere, and many other people as well.
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5 years ago ::
Feb 10, 2008 - 10:56PM
#23
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- Want Cheese With That Whine?
Date Joined:
Apr 27, 2005
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Not to mention the fact that PDF is an ISO standard, which makes it very easy to write a PDF reader that won't respect any sort of copy-protection mechanism.
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5 years ago ::
Feb 15, 2008 - 9:13AM
#24
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Date Joined:
Aug 30, 2007
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Thats pretty much how it is now. It will probably be similar in the future too. So i really don't understand why they would consider limiting it to 1 per comp.
It takes about 3 seconds to find pirated DND material using google, and i dont expect that to change with the new edition. Limiting my usage of their legit material just pushes me more toward pirating it so that I can use it as i feel like.
Indeed. It will be a sad day if people have to go to pirated material not because they don't want to pay the $1 (or whatever) activation fee to get the pdf, but because WotC puts so many restrictions to prevent pirating that it frustrates the hell out of legitimate users.
Personally, I see pirated material online all the time, but that doesn't seem to have stopped people from buying WotC's products.
Owner and Proprietor of the House of Trolls.
God of ownership and possession.
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5 years ago ::
Feb 22, 2008 - 10:03AM
#25
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Date Joined:
Nov 10, 2004
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I just want to throw my penny in the ring.
I don't know how they are going to handle the issue of distribution, but it seems logical to me that they will have a central "material" cluster of servers with the book data that can be pulled when it's needed to be viewed.
There will not be offline pdfs, unless they allow them to be specificaly purchased that way. I can see them using it for people who have online only accounts. No books. So that would be a flaw in the anti-piracy fight. But then, they could drop the cost per book, and have no offline content. That would appeal to some people, I think. But I digress.
The data, such as feats, etc, from specific books can be drawn upon by the accounts that have access to them via an unlocking method. They can then be applied to the characters created by that account, and that account only. This is where I have a problem.
Lets face it, people use other people's books. I do, you do, most people do. They (WoTC) know this. The fact is, if you are in a group, you use their materials. Not saying that we don't all buy books, but my group has people that have different tastes. I love undead stuff, for example. Thus, I buy Libris Mortis, and Heroes of Horrors. No one else did, but they use the books when needed.
With the system that we are all looking forward to/ dreading, depending on how you look at it, we are going to see them make the most of their products. They may give you options, such as I said earlier. Maybe allowing a lower cost, online-only, version of the mateiral for you to use. This remains to be seen.
I have no idea how they are going to do it, but I am looking forward to seeing what the end result will be like. I will make a decision at that time.
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5 years ago ::
Feb 22, 2008 - 10:25AM
#26
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- Senior Volunteer Community Lead
- Dragon Slayer
- D&DI News Guide
Date Joined:
Aug 31, 2005
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There are two different digital distributions that WotC have mentioned thus far.
I'll sum it up based on my current understanding of what they've explained:
I go buy a PHB. In the PHB is a digital code that can be unlocked for a nominal fee ($1 - $2).
Unlocking this code does two things:
1) I get a digital copy of the book that is "probably PDF" (their own words). If it's a PDF I can download it, there's no way I'm aware of to "stream" or otherwise prevent downloading a PDF.
This PDF copy will be updated with Errata and the like as such are released.
2) If I'm a DDI subscriber, the unlock will update my digital offerings (like the Character Creator) so that now instead of just choosing "Feat X" on my character sheet, I get the relevant text explaining that blurb "Feat X is a once-per day power that causes Y to happen, PHB pg 111"
Again, this is all based on what's been said thus far, but it does indicate that I'd have my own copy of the PDF on my device/devices to do with as I please.
Next week is DDXP and they've said they intend to talk quite a bit about the digital initative at the show. Hopeefully that will include fancy things like PDF books and etc.
(EDIT)
Oh, and I also have a vauge recollection of them saying that they're considering selling PDF-only versions of the books, but I can't recall if that was on ENWorld, or simply rumor, so take it with a grain of salt.
Wolf Star76 Community Advocate (SVCL) for D&D Organized Play, Avalon Hill, and the DCI/WPN LFR Community Manager DDi Guide  Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter
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5 years ago ::
Feb 22, 2008 - 10:59AM
#27
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Date Joined:
Nov 10, 2004
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well, you have more source information than I do, so i will accept your post at face value. I have been looking at some of the 4e stuff around, but haven't seen too much in the way of how they intend on delivering the content for the online accounts. I have no intention on getting too deeply into the "how", I just thought I would give my opinion.  I guess the idea of us contemplating the odds of things, or the what ifs, is human nature. We always do this. I am guilty of it, I know. I just hope they don't get too crazy, and do allow groups a few freedoms, based on something like a "main group" idea. Maybe that's too much to ask. We'll see.
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5 years ago ::
Feb 22, 2008 - 11:57AM
#28
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Date Joined:
Nov 30, 2005
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Here is the main problem for me. I've got 2 computers. If I were to be required to pay once (max 2$), have someone scan it for me and then give me a pdf that i can use as i wish. I would be totally ok with that.
If I were to buy a pdf, and somehow it were locked to my computer i purchased it with, I would never buy another. I would simply scan them myself and make my own pdf, with no protection and put it on both of my computers. Which is totally legal in every way so long as i don't host it out for other people to get, or give it away.
Basically from me they can either get an extra dollar or two for each book with no problems. Or they can not get the extra dollar. It is up to the ammount of "protection" they use.
5e comments and thoughts all in one place. Check it out to provide feedback, mock, or steal ideas.
http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/28835423/Krusks_5e_Design_Goals?sdb=1
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5 years ago ::
Feb 22, 2008 - 12:00PM
#29
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Date Joined:
Nov 30, 2005
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I'm not sure about the legal status of doing so (somebody care to tell me?), but there are ways to download the SRD to an offline folder. I'll refrain from going further until someone else can comment on how legal/right/wrong it is. Better safe than sorry nowadays. :whatsthis
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35
is the main way i know how. I would sure hope this is legal, its hosted on their site.
5e comments and thoughts all in one place. Check it out to provide feedback, mock, or steal ideas.
http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/28835423/Krusks_5e_Design_Goals?sdb=1
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5 years ago ::
Feb 22, 2008 - 8:15PM
#30
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- Senior Volunteer Community Lead
- Dragon Slayer
- D&DI News Guide
Date Joined:
Aug 31, 2005
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http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35
is the main way i know how. I would sure hope this is legal, its hosted on their site.
Which works for 3.5, but 4E isn't going to have and SRD that's so plain and simple. Instead the 4E SRD is going to be a reference of what parts of what books are SRD.
So, instead of "Fighters get a bonus feat every other level" you'll get "The section on fighters as it regards their feats, level progression, and other widgets as it appears on pages 13-15 in the Player's Handbook"
Or something to that effect.
Wolf Star76 Community Advocate (SVCL) for D&D Organized Play, Avalon Hill, and the DCI/WPN LFR Community Manager DDi Guide Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter
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