WOTC D&D Back-Catalog in PDF is coming back....

[TheMetal1]

The full video is available here: http://www.twitch.tv/wotc_dnd/b/328881758
In the meantime, in the address masterfully moderated by Kevin 'Piratecat' Kulp:
All back-catalog of D&D products from all editions to be made available again in electronic format.
New six-book Forgotten Realms novel series called "The Sundering"
Two FR adventures next year; WotC will collect results of the adventures played at home and the aggregate results will be what officially happens in the Realms.
75,000 fans have given playtest feedback for D&D Next. WotC anticipates a 2-year process.
Starting tomorrow, they will be releasing levels 1-5 of the sorcerer and warlock classes to highlight two more magic systems.

Rather awesome news, considering I missed out on the BECMI and OD&D stuff last time around, might even get the rest of the Dark Sun stuff as well. Anyone at GENCON (or anywhere else of that matter) hear any additional news on this?

[Valens]

Actually they have not confirmed pdf, they have stated "digital format" and made it very clear to avoid the words PDF.

[TheMetal1]

Actually they have not confirmed pdf, they have stated "digital format" and made it very clear to avoid the words PDF.

Good Point. Total assumption on my part

I saw over at the Sword & Shield blog something similiar. http://swordandshieldrpg.blogspot.com/
His guess was not PDF, but rather E-book format, which would be interesting. I can easily see them doing that. Setting up a D&D Bookstore website called the underdark or planescape worlds, and the only place to get them would be at that website in e-book format.

It's the path that Games Workshop went with for all their offerings at the Black Library. I can't find any of their stuff for nook at the Barnes & Nobles site. If I want something from them it has to be from the Black Library site and then imported sepeartely.

That being said, GW still has all their RPG stuff for sale in PDF through Fantasy Flight Games on RPGNow/DriveThruRPG.

[Arduin]

I saw over at the Sword & Shield blog something similiar. http://swordandshieldrpg.blogspot.com/
His guess was not PDF, but rather E-book format, which would be interesting.

At the current moment, epub is NOT a good format. Maybe they'll use epub2

[finarvyn]

Whatever format they use, it'll probably force folks who own it already to buy it again.

[TheMetal1]

Whatever format they use, it'll probably force folks who own it already to buy it again.

That is indeed a possiblity, though I don't see Wizard's "forcing" anyone to buy something. But I do get what you mean! It would be annyoing to have half my D&D Dark Sun stuff in PDF and then the other E-book, not to mention the cost factor involved, because, I (and probably a lot of others) will just want to go ahead and get them in all in that same format. But let us not forget our beloved Trolls have gone e-pub as well and narry a complaint has come forth from that - other than some editing issues.

I am hoping they do PDF, but will settle for E-book. I'd prefer they don't set up their own store as the sole location to buy the virtual books, and since they already have their novels on both Nook & Kindle the virtual distribution is already set up.

[Julian Grimm]

I hope that this culminates into some form of POD set-up so we can have hard-copies of the books. As for PDF, E-Pub or some other format we'll have to wait and see. WOTC is completely within their rights to have a propriety format to control piracy. While I am not a big supporter of current definitions of piracy and modern copyright laws, I do acknowledge that if they have the material back up for sale WOTC has the right sell it how they see fit.

[Arduin]

WOTC is completely within their rights to have a propriety format to control piracy.

If they publish in a proprietary format, you won't be able to view it...

[tylermo]

No pdf? Awww. I don't own any of the readers, and probably won't have one until every man, woman, and child have them across the globe. Doesn't help me at all.

[CKDad]

Tyler, there are PC apps for all the major formats, so it's not all bad news.

But at the moment, it's all speculation WRT format, as far as I know.

[TheMetal1]

Tyler, there are PC apps for all the major formats, so it's not all bad news.

But at the moment, it's all speculation WRT format, as far as I know.

+1 on the PC apps for both Kindle and Nook, and just because I had some time, here is link for the Nook for PC program, so you'll be able to enter into the new fangled world of e-reading.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/nook-for-pc/379003591

At the very least, it will give you the opportunity to look at the C&C PHB as a digital book.

[Julian Grimm]

WOTC is completely within their rights to have a propriety format to control piracy.

If they publish in a proprietary format, you won't be able to view it...

Not necessarily. The format would obviously have to have a reader but it doesn't have to be compatible with PDF. Included in the format would be the necessary anti-copies, water marks or other features to make sure distribution is above board. The PDF model is very easy to pirate as there are programs that can remove water marks and encryption. A few that require passwords are usually bundled with the password in some sort of text file.

Again, while I do not agree with certain aspects of IP and Copyright laws WOTC is within their rights to come up with something like this. All of their PDF catalog was available to download from certain sites and still is. I also remember the 4e core books being leaked at least two days before the game was officially released.

[Arduin]

Included in the format would be the necessary anti-copies, water marks or other features to make sure distribution is above board. The PDF model is very easy to pirate as there are programs that can remove water marks and encryption. A few that require passwords are usually bundled with the password in some sort of text file.

They would be dreaming if they think that it wouldn't be cracked in days. Wouldn't worth the cost of designing a format & reader from scratch. Although WotC management has been really bad as far as managing the D&D brand so, I wouldn't put it past them to make another major mistake.

[kreider204]

SO, they used to sell PDFs of old D&D materials, then they stop for, what, 3 years, with no indication that they will ever make them available again until a few days ago? And now they want to sell them again, like anyone who wanted them wouldn't have already downloaded them from somewhere?! Ya, good business model, WotC ... I'll stick with my Trolls, thanks.

[TheMetal1]

Interestingly, a similiar thing has happened with Cubicle 7 announced a few weeks ago they're pulling some of their PDFs as well. Though I think this might have to do with the LOTR liscense for The One Ring RPG.

[Wasgo]

If they do offer it in PDF again, this time I'm definitely going to buy some setting books before they get pulled.

[Aramis]

Actually they have not confirmed pdf, they have stated "digital format" and made it very clear to avoid the words PDF.

Good Point. Total assumption on my part

I saw over at the Sword & Shield blog something similiar. http://swordandshieldrpg.blogspot.com/
His guess was not PDF, but rather E-book format, which would be interesting. I can easily see them doing that. Setting up a D&D Bookstore website called the underdark or planescape worlds, and the only place to get them would be at that website in e-book format.

Interesting quote:

The most impressive part of WoTC’s presentation, to me, was the admission that they were somewhat behind the times in not offering digital copies of their properties, both past and present. They promised that, in the coming years, they would finally release searchable PDF copies of books from every system, all the way back to the original 1970s classic

from here:
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/09/g ... ns-next/2/

Not sure if that guy just assumed they meant pdf, or he explicitly heard "searchable pdf" but some relevant info nonetheless

[Treebore]

If they are in PDF, or similarly useful format, and the price point is low enough, I will be happy. If not, I will just keep on scanning my stuff.