 PDF Sourcebooks |
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 Jul 13 2005, 08:16 PM
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#1
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Moving Target  Group: Members Posts: 112 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 1,896  |
I tried to search for this but PDF doesn't seem to be a valid option for the search.
Do we know if the PDF versions of the sourcebooks will be free to those who buy a hardcopy? What kind of DRM (if any) will be on them? How much will they cost relative to the printed versions? Was this information made available somewhere that I missed? |
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Jul 13 2005, 08:27 PM
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#2
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Chicago Survivor Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 5,079 Joined: 28-January 04 From: Canton, GA Member No.: 6,033 |
Doubtful that they will give them away, but they will likely be offered at reduced prices though no discount for bundling purchases, if the current SR3 model is any indication.
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Jul 14 2005, 10:31 AM
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#3
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 265 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Bangkok (sometimes Paris) Member No.: 332 |
PDF of products that exist or have existed as a book will never be free.
PDF created as promotional material or official website freebies will be, of course, free. |
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Jul 14 2005, 03:51 PM
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#4
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Incertum est quo loco te mors expectet; Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 6,546 Joined: 24-October 03 From: DeeCee, U.S. Member No.: 5,760 |
Except for, you know, the Quickstart Guide.
Oh yeah, and Critters. And the GM screen. |
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Jul 14 2005, 03:50 PM
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#5
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,453 Joined: 17-September 04 From: St. Paul Member No.: 6,675 |
Wisenheimer! :P
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Jul 14 2005, 04:09 PM
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#6
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 511 Joined: 19-August 02 Member No.: 3,139 |
I'm wondering if they'll leave the core rule books for SR3 up after SR4? And for how long? Will they discount them at that point?
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Jul 15 2005, 04:15 AM
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#7
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Free Spirit Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,944 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Bloomington, IN UCAS Member No.: 1,920 |
They may as well leave them in the catalog, it isn't like they are costing storage fees in a warehouse. I would guess they will get discounted when the demand falls off, so if SR4 tanks, don't expect any big discounts. |
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Jul 15 2005, 10:28 AM
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#8
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 3,314 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Lisbon, Cidade do Pecado Member No.: 185 |
I believe FanPro will pull the SR3 pdf from relevant online retailers when SR4 is released to avoid potential new customer confusion, specially given that (iirc) SR4 won't be available in pdf initially.
Keeping SR3 online and available (especially with a discount) would also send the misleading message that a return to SR3 might be a concievable fallback in case "SR4 tanks" - in terms of market strategy this does not convey the company's confidence in its core product and it doesn't instill confidence in old players moving to the new system, worse of all it potentially confusing retailers and distributors (the biggest no no). Given that no RPG publisher has ever effected such a fallback to a previous edition before, I doubt FanPro will be the first. It's much more likely you'll see SR go the way of the dodo if SR4 "tanks" than that you'll get a revival of SR3. All IMHO. |
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Jul 15 2005, 12:11 PM
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#9
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Chicago Survivor Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 5,079 Joined: 28-January 04 From: Canton, GA Member No.: 6,033 |
I hope they do offer the sr4 pdf's off the bat, I understand if they don't, as the brick & mortar FLGS that was the bread and butter of all early stages of RPG's will suffer and be pushed further into the figurine gameing market than they already are. I've come across probably 4 stores now that have maybe 1 rack for all the rpg's on the market outside of the highly lucretive (for them) figurine games.
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Jul 15 2005, 12:19 PM
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#10
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,507 Joined: 27-January 05 From: ...and I'm all out of bubblegum Member No.: 7,021 |
Don't forget the huge (locked) racks of cards. Shit ton of cards.
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Jul 15 2005, 01:04 PM
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#11
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Chicago Survivor Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 5,079 Joined: 28-January 04 From: Canton, GA Member No.: 6,033 |
Don't get me started on the plague that is TC games.
A good friend of mine saw a child stabbed over a MTG card at Virginia beach, by a 16 yr old gang banger. No, not a stereo type, a real gang member, judging by the colors and the fact that he then ran off with 5 or 6 other guys with similair accessores in the same color scheme. btw, the kid lived. |
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Jul 15 2005, 05:47 PM
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#12
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 437 Joined: 11-April 05 Member No.: 7,318 |
Actually, keeping the online PDF's available, at an increasingly lower price as interest drops, might not be a bad idea.
Ars Magica recently came out as ver. 5, and they've put their entire corebook for ver. 4 on the web for free, as a hook to get players into their universe and then to upgrade to ver. 5. |
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Jul 15 2005, 08:12 PM
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#13
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Shadowrun Setting Nerd Group: Banned Posts: 3,632 Joined: 28-June 05 From: Pissing on pedestrians from my electronic ivory tower. Member No.: 7,473 |
Given the differences between third and fourth editions, what makes you think that having third would convince someone to upgrade to fourth? It's not like Fourth Edition is minor tweaking.
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Jul 15 2005, 08:45 PM
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#14
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 437 Joined: 11-April 05 Member No.: 7,318 |
...because all the new exciting products are made to SR4?
And I'm not in the mood to listen to any more SR4 bashing, if thats what you are leading up to. |
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Jul 15 2005, 09:33 PM
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#15
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Shadowrun Setting Nerd Group: Banned Posts: 3,632 Joined: 28-June 05 From: Pissing on pedestrians from my electronic ivory tower. Member No.: 7,473 |
Uh... No.
My point is exactly that. What makes you think a free Third Edition would lead to purchases of Fourth Edition? Any insight into the gaming market you might have? Any market research? Any precedence in other games? |
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Jul 15 2005, 10:01 PM
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#16
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 511 Joined: 19-August 02 Member No.: 3,139 |
Heh, buying and playing 3rd will lead a lot into 4th. Lots of people paid for AD&D, played it, liked it, and bought AD&D 2nd. And Third. He did mention that Ars Magica is taking a crack at it.
You can get the d20SRD for free - lots of people buy the books. GOO has srds for BESM and Mecha. Free. People still buy the books. Talislanta has a sampler, full rules for combat and skills, several archtypes and some info on the setting. Free! And people still buy the book. Thats just of the top of my head. I think that if a gamer were to get any game current edition for free, and liked it, they would spill the money for the new stuff. Thats the way they are - Fanpro is banking on that with SR4. I'll be buying some d20 stuff based on what I saw in the SRD's. They sold me on it in fact. I got to see the basics, the mechanics, and wuite abit more - just very little fluff. I am in no way saying FP should give away SR3. But discount the PDF? Yeah, Why not? Keep it at DTRPG, in big bold letters put 3rd Edition, FREE!! But this is not the current edition! If you like it, buy the current rules. |
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Jul 15 2005, 11:45 PM
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#17
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Shooting Target Group: Retired Admins Posts: 1,784 Joined: 28-July 04 From: Cleveland, OH Member No.: 6,522 |
Ya mean like the Quick Start Rules that are already free? |
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Jul 16 2005, 12:22 AM
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#18
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Free Spirit Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,944 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Bloomington, IN UCAS Member No.: 1,920 |
Unfortunately, I agree with you. My post which preceded your's also sounded more negative than I intended. I guess I should have said, "When SR4 comes out expect to see bigger discounts on SR3 rulebooks," or something similar. I just keep thinking back to that softdrink maker that came out with a better version of their product (IMO) that was not accepted by their loyal followers. IMO, Coca-cola never should have given into the boycotts and demands of those whiners. A benefit of deep pockets and being able to absorb the loss of millions of dollars. I don't see SR4 tanking being the end of Shadowrun, only the end of FanPro or FanPro keeping the SR license. Wizkids and their parent corp can re-license the product to some new company. But all this is meaningless conjecture - SR4 is gonna Rawk! [ Spoiler ]
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Jul 16 2005, 02:21 AM
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#19
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Shadowrun Setting Nerd Group: Banned Posts: 3,632 Joined: 28-June 05 From: Pissing on pedestrians from my electronic ivory tower. Member No.: 7,473 |
That would make too much sense. They should rely on an outdated product instead. |
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