Spyderz wrote:

> Interesting that you should mention this...I was recently talking with
> someone at TSR concerning something similar to this...I suggested to them
> that they release things in a fashion similar to what Hero Games has started
> doing...and that is as a .PDF file. Which is somewhat more likely than as
> an RTF format...because PDF is not easy or convenient to change...which an
> RTF is...and he told me they'd look into it...don't know if that makes it
> likely at all...but the nice thing with doing it as PDF files...you can
> format the file exactly as you want it...including color
> backgrounds...pictures...whatever..but the problem with doing it that
> way...while significantly reducing their costs to market...it also will
> reduce the number of units they will sell...because when someone buys a
> copy...all they have to do...is print a copy for themselves...and another
> for any of their friends who wants one...which of course may or may not be
> legal...but I wouldn't say that it is very ethical...but I guarantee that it
> will happen...on the other hand that might get the game to spread enough
> that more people would play and buy the other products for the game...I'd
> guess that was the purpose FASA had when they released the main book for
> Earthdawn as a file and gave it away free...
> CIAO

Actually, what I think they should do is keep things like the BR boxed set and
Campaign expansions hard and release things like the sourcebooks and adventure
modules soft. That way, they could force people to buy the actual setting and
not have to worry about people giving copies of it to their buddies any more
than they already have to worry about people with access to a color copier. The
sourcebooks will INEVITABLY sell less. I mean, in my little group we own
collectively about fifteen sourcebooks, but none of us buy one that another
person already has. It's just too expensive to do that. Several individuals
own copies of the boxed set, though, as well as the campaign expansion stuff.

Another issue: Why even box the stuff? I throw those boxes out right after I
open the damn things. I don't need another flipping box, man. Just shrink wrap
the stuff together and ship it out like that with maybe a cardstock cover sheet
on top. Save the $1.80 in material costs and the extra fifty cents in shipping
costs (not to mention the lost space on bookstore shelves that could be used to
sell additional products) and lower the freaking price a buck or two.

Gary