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1 year ago ::
Mar 22, 2012 - 12:14AM
#1
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I wonder what format the physical books will take for 5e. Will they be little essentials-style books, or the classic big hardcover books?
I like the big hardcover books. They're nice and big, they have a lot of info on a page, there's room for nice big pictures, they look good on a bookshelf, and at that size they fit nicely in an old box from a 12-pack of beer.
My problem with the essentials-style softcover books is that you couldn't open them up and lie them flat on the table. This was a bit of a pain in the neck when you're trying to fill out a character sheet with one hand and hold the book open with the other. I'm not sure what binding method would be best for this - I know it seems like cheaping out, but maybe they should be coil-bound? This way you can actually lie them flat on the table. But would that be durable enough for us gamers?
I also think all the books should have provision for errata. We all know things will get errata'd. I think they should all have a sleeve for errata in the back of the book, and Wizards should have free downloadable .pdfs of all the up to date errata for all the books. Just print off the latest errata, stick it in the sleeve, and write "see errata 4.2" in your book next to that power on page 103 that is being errata'd. This way people who play dead-tree rather than electronic can at least keep up to date on the latest errata.
Thoughts?
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1 year ago ::
Mar 22, 2012 - 12:31AM
#2
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Date Joined:
Jan 18, 2012
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I wonder what format the physical books will take for 5e. Will they be little essentials-style books, or the classic big hardcover books?
I like the big hardcover books. They're nice and big, they have a lot of info on a page, there's room for nice big pictures, they look good on a bookshelf, and at that size they fit nicely in an old box from a 12-pack of beer.
My problem with the essentials-style softcover books is that you couldn't open them up and lie them flat on the table. This was a bit of a pain in the neck when you're trying to fill out a character sheet with one hand and hold the book open with the other. I'm not sure what binding method would be best for this - I know it seems like cheaping out, but maybe they should be coil-bound? This way you can actually lie them flat on the table. But would that be durable enough for us gamers?
I also think all the books should have provision for errata. We all know things will get errata'd. I think they should all have a sleeve for errata in the back of the book, and Wizards should have free downloadable .pdfs of all the up to date errata for all the books. Just print off the latest errata, stick it in the sleeve, and write "see errata 4.2" in your book next to that power on page 103 that is being errata'd. This way people who play dead-tree rather than electronic can at least keep up to date on the latest errata.
Thoughts?
I'd lost hope of seeing one, just endless threads arguing about how if something is old it must be good because it is 'iconic', or arguing that any feature from a previous edition must be bad because it wasn't in the latest edition. Bah! At last - a thread speculating about products in the product speculation forum! Bravo to you!
Now onto the topic:
I like the essentials style books, nice and portable - great layout, easily searchable.
I like the hardcovers because they look better on my shelf.
I've never had trouble with either type of book due to it's design.
I'd prefer the 1st few books to be hardcovers.
I like your idea of an errata sheet sleave - saves printing out and pasting stuff in.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 22, 2012 - 1:05AM
#3
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I like hardcover books simply because they tend to lay flatter. Softcover is fine so long as I can lay them out easily.
If the book has a lot of tables and is mainly meant to be referenced, like the DMG, hardcover all the way.
If the book has a lot of fluff and is mainly meant to be read, like the 3.5 Draconomicon, then softcover and portable.
But most importantly, they should come out well after the HTML version which has the search tools and the hotlinking and the month or so of hardcore char-op attempts to break it.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 22, 2012 - 1:54AM
#4
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Also, I would add - you know how when you look at the edge of a phone book, you can see those little black squares which tell you where each letter starts and ends? They kind of did it for the big hardcover books, but they were too light to be easily visible from the edge. Then they dropped it completely for the little softcover books. That should be brought back, but done right this time - just make it darker.
I like the idea of doing a "trial by fire" on the books in the char-op community to keep errata down, I just hope it's practical. I bet it takes at least a month or two between when they ship the final version off to the printers and when it winds up on the shelves of bookstores and game stores across the continent, people might not want to wait too long for hard copies if the HTML has been kicking around for months. Could hurt the FLGS's as well if the books have been out in electronic form for months before they get the hard copies.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 22, 2012 - 5:30AM
#5
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Date Joined:
Oct 20, 2009
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I'm always fan of hardcover over soft for the same reason. I like the idea of open sleeves for errata but won't happen physically. I am a firm believer of PDF for those that want it and how it can easily be updated like a patch for errata. I don't want to download an errata book. I want PATCHED FILES.
What I am worried about is some books like monster manual and world campaign books like Eberron and FR that people have to buy for 5th. If the core books bite butt don't look at people buying the rest.
It will be another notch of people sticking with 4th and 3rd etc. yes they will get some who like it but the pool will be wider spread if its not a grand system.
All the best for it to be GRAND.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 22, 2012 - 5:43AM
#6
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I prefer hard cover, but I cannot deny I love the soft cover format of the Rules Compendium.
Since they are designing 5E to be modular, it would be interesting to see if they could come up with a solution using high quality, hard cover binders.
Reflavoring: the change of flavor without changing any mechanical part of the game, no matter how small, in order to fit the mechanics to an otherwise unsupported concept.
Retexturing: the change of flavor (with at most minor mechanical adaptations) in order to effortlessly create support for a concept without inventing anything new.
Houseruling: the change, either minor or major, of the mechanics in order to better reflect a certain aspect of the game, including adapting the rules to fit an otherwise unsupported concept.
Homebrewing: the complete invention of something new that fits within the system in order to reflect an unsupported concept.
Default module =/= Core mechanic.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 22, 2012 - 10:35AM
#7
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E-books with downloadable eratta please  Give me something I can put on an iPad and not have to lug a backpack full of treeware around. Please, if you make no other change to the game, do this one thing. Yes, still print the books. I'll even still buy books, but a searchable reference would be grand. Imagine having all the classes in one place. Imagine having all of that class's powers in one place. Imagine having the latest rules update right in the place where they should be (perhaps with some marker to indicate an eratta?). It brings a tear of joy to my eye just dreaming about it.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 22, 2012 - 10:39AM
#8
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Date Joined:
Jul 18, 2007
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Hardcovers for me, please, though I really hope they toss the books into a monkey pen this time around to test durability. If they can't survive two or three apes they can't survive the average clumsy, greasy-from-poor-hygiene gaming group (mine included).
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1 year ago ::
Mar 22, 2012 - 10:40AM
#9
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I would prefer softcovers, primarily because I suspect they would be cheaper.
Another day, another three or four entries to my Ignore List.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 22, 2012 - 10:47AM
#10
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Date Joined:
Mar 19, 2010
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I think the core books should be hard cover books, since they tend to be more durable. So The PHB, DMG, and MM should all be hard cover books, since those are the ones that everyone will have at their disposal. After that, they should be soft cover books, since they tend to bring the cost down. Also, a way to get an electronic copy of the book when you get it would be ideal. Either by having a code that you must enter online, included with the book, or a copy of your reciept, or a rebate you get at your local retailer, or automatic if you order online. I love looking though a book, but if you want to quickly find something ebooks are great.
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