So, as stated above, what do you prefere?

I tend to like dead tree more for the firt reading an between sessions references, but PDF is great for not having to haul 100lbs of paper to every gaming lokation. So I only take thous hard copys to the game session, which I intend to use most.

Paper Pros
faster reference
the new book smell
more comfortable to read, if you´r not a PDA fan

PDF Pros
does not get dirty, torn, eventualy falls apart and decays
very lightwaight

So, I´d vote for both, but conserning money, I more often end up only with the dead tree..

I'm a fan of both as well. Additionally the ability to print select pages of a PDF and put parts of multiple books in a binder in any order you want can be very helpful. But there is just something about having a bookshelf full of SR Books that's very satisfying.

PDF all the way. The new book is in that eye-straining Green, and smells funny, like they used weird ink. It is full of errors that were fixed on the PDF. When updates come out I can re-download the updated PDF for free. I can search it for specific phrases. For faster reference, I printed it out, 3 hole punched it and put it in a binder. I then typed out my house rules and inserted those in the binder right next to the rules they modified. When I started my campaign I gave each player a copy of the book with my house rules, so no one can say "But I don't have the rulebook!" PDF, baby.

Both have their uses. For quick rules referencing, nothing beats a PDF. For extended viewing I need a hard copy because I can't stand reading a computer screen for more than a few minutes straight.

Also, since I lack a laptop, pdf version are non-portable for me .

Nothing beats the *smack* of a good hardcover upside the head of an unruly player. A PDF in a binder just isn't the same.

you haven't hit your players with a laptop yet.

i orefer to use the good old fashion book, i can flip through it faster than clicking on my mouse looking for the right page.

PDF, it is less than half the price of the actual books when they turn up over here, and is released much much earlier.

Plus means I can read them in lectures.

So you can have a leptop or PDA in lectures but no actual book? What are you studying
In my corner of the world pdf or hardcopy is the same price, mostly. Thought it would be this way everywere.

Computer Science, the books I see over here tend to be at least $70 AUD =(

Wow, thats harsh! No way to order them anywere else? But Your lucky if pdf is more practical to You anyway. Guess much of these preferences are simply based of what You´r used to.

BTW: Adam I´m sorry to divert this threat off-topic

I voted for the dead tree, though my vote would change to both had I a laptop.

Ah, I meant the question about Rannekos studies, but never mind, was just blubber anyway

To add somthing to this otherwise pointless post:
One field in which pdf´s definitly rock are out of print products. These can somtimes be released in pdf, when reprinting them dosn´t make much sense economically.
Speaking of it, thanks to You guys for not trashing all the old stuff to raise sails for the new edition, like some companies tend to do these days!

I should say "Dead Tree", since its my job to sell equipment to turn dead trees into paper, but...

The PDF is so convenient. Easy to search and when I'm on the road I don't need to bring the book with me if I want to work on my campaign. Obviously its on my laptop, which I use when GMing.

I guess this is why so many of my customers are shutting down.

Well, expirienced GM´s would have some long, hard, wooden or metal object besid them during any session, to simulate woundpenalties and to use against players degressing ot topic anyway, would they not?

I prefer hardcopies, as i can read them on the couch, in bed, where ever i want.
Printing a PDF and having it bound is no real option, the costs would be close to a "real" hardcover (unless you're able to print the pages at 0 costs in your company).

I like both, when I can afford both. If only one, I would save a little longer for the paper version.

I run a SR game ported into another system, which means I carry core books for TWO systems to my game sessions. Carrying PDFs for the splatbooks I won't constantly have my nose in means less spinal misalignment on my part. For research and prep at home, I like the paper version.

Perhaps when a full page e-book reader gets a lot cheaper I might change my mind.

wow, hardcopy just outmatched pdf+paper, didn´t look like this in the beginning.

I try to get both. Since i can't read my books at work, i can smuggle in my pdfs.

PDFs are good, but I also prefer to have hardcopy in my hands. I vote both, as long as both remain freely accessible.

Them trees want to be paper, so I need to buy a hardcopy. But the eBook never gets dirty, always flipps open on the right page, gets updated...

Remembering the lack of a german lector, I might even settle for english pdf only (won´t hold my breath for a german one).

My groups book count is four regular and two limited hardcopies, no pdf.

nah, with a dead tree, you can get the whole open-the-book-to-the-page-you-want because it's the one you look at all the time. I love that.

Besides, the new PDF smell don't do much for me.

So far I've been very happy with the PDF, then I make my own hardcopy....which being "softcover" provides the satisfying *thump* without leaving the incriminating surface bruising marks.

Anyway, what I want to know is when is the revised PDF with the Errata 1.3 included coming out? Battletech will send an email when it comes around, right? Or did an email already get sent and my spam filter ate it?

Shadowrun 4th was the first and last PDF gaming supplement I'll ever buy. It's just so much easier to cross reference rules with an actual book.

It's still a "soon." There are some issues that need to be coordinated with both DTRPG and BattleCorps regarding the update, and DTRPG, at least, does not work on weekends.

I like core books and crunch-heavy books in a print form, it make it easier during play to just grab a book and find what I need. Same with published adventures.

Setting splats, on the other hand, I have no problems getting as a PDF, as for those it's a situation of "Read, grab ideas, and then write up adventure ideas."

However, when it comes to out of print books, if there's a PDF avalable, and I can't find a print copy, I'll grab the PDF. The PDF's from a source with a reliable supply. OOP copies at my FLGS on the other hand, who know when another copy will be there.

Though, if I do find a print copy of a book I've gotten at my FLGS, I'll get the print copy, if only to free up space on my hard drive.

For heavy reading and rules studying etc I prefere the dead tree over the pdf any day, but at the gaming session, it doesnt matter, Pdf or dead tree is just as good then.

I just got the PDF, as a gift. I haven't been able to read more than three pages at a time. I don't own a lap top so I can't do my favorite thing which is take the book with me for a few weeks and just read it. And reread it. And reread it. And reread it.

So yeah I voted for HC.

That's my major complain about PDFs too.

pros for dead tree version
Quiet, except for the fliping of the pages
works without batteries or power

pros for PDF
its always new...
you can print out just a few pages about X (like equipment rules...)

As the resident Bibliophile, I have to go with the "Dead Tree" option. Because I've noticed I can reference through material much faster with a book/hard copy than I can through most PDFs. Even the ones with bookmarks.

The resident bibliophile? Have you met ancient History? Do you undertsand the words that is coming out of my mouth? English, speak it?

Definitely hardcopy. There's just something about holding that glistening hardcover book in your hands.

I definitely prefer hardcopy, especially for rules. It's so much easier to find things, and flip back and forth. Plus, it's a lot easier on the eyes - I spend enough time in front of a computer screen as it is.

Gauvain, we have released updates [one as recently as this week] to the SR4 ebook. If you're having problems getting it, please contact the vendor you bought your ebook from.

I like having both. That way if I'm traveling, I can carry the HC main book(s), and PDFs for source stuff that I'm only going to use during run generation (mostly). For actual, constant use, I hate PDFs though.

I like having both, since I use my laptop for all my reference, I can search the PDF faster and create bookmarks in Acrobat to things I need.

But having hardcopy is easier to have players look things up when they need.

To be honest, I'll always buy both.

So do I. Having both solves all problems. I had decided for the PDF because I wanted the book right away and ended up buying the HC as soon as it became available. It's much easier to browse and transport a dead-tree rulesbook. I use the PDF mostly at home.

It's the best of both worlds. You can take the digital version inconspicuously to your job with none the wiser, and you can always smack in the head your players with the HC. Ain`t hardcover grand?

Plus, many of my players have this quirk, they ONLY roll their dice over the rulesbook, dice who fall on the table do not count.

cheers,

Max

I voted both. I GM with a laptop, and finding a source is faster with the "search" fucntion in a number of cases, although checking an entire chapter seems easier with HC still.

I got SR4 as PDF and Hardcover, but bought Augmentation and Street Magic as PDF only - less books to drag around if we play somewhere else, quickest delivery, and I hope there'll be easier updates/erratas.

I voted for dead tree. I've never used PDF, and probably never will. It's so...cold, impersonal, lifeless. Books, on the other hand, are living things, works of art in their own right, treasures to be cherished and protected. The day Shadowrun or any other RPG is released only in PDF form is the day I stop playing.

when reading a new book and "just browsing" I like the paper versions.

when "looking up something quick" I prefer the PDFs.

so I use both back and forth. I use the PDFs during the gaming sessions to find something in them quickly.

just my 2 cents worth.

dog

PS> plus if I get both and that puts a few extra $$ in CGL's hands so they can have the $$ to make more products or make them faster (being a small company $$ is always a major factor on release schedules), I am happy to do it.

I do both. As a Laptop using game master I tend to keep a PDF version of all my source books on the laptop and give my hardcopies to players to use.