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Ashe Ravenheart
Great Reader

USA
3243 Posts

Posted - 07 Apr 2009 :  21:23:40  Show Profile Send Ashe Ravenheart a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Also, I'd like to point out that I have seen DDi articles available for download at some less than reputable sites. So, I guess that means WotC had better watch out for those WotC people that are leaking material! Jeez, they should pull down all their PDFs so those criminal subscribers can't cause loss of profit!

I actually DO know everything. I just have a very poor index of my knowledge.

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Christopher_Rowe
Forgotten Realms Author

USA
879 Posts

Posted - 07 Apr 2009 :  22:20:54  Show Profile  Visit Christopher_Rowe's Homepage Send Christopher_Rowe a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I don't think that businesses work the way that some of you guys seem to think that businesses work, especially not IP businesses.

Anyway, on a somewhat related topic, I bought some of Steven Schend's late nineties stuff on .pdf through Paizo, and that was awesome and all, but I tell you what--I just found a couple of those things "still in shrinkwrap" from some outfit out in Colorado on AbeBooks and dropped some cash on that. There's nothing quite like opening up one of those great old 2E boxes and unfolding those maps! Mint in box, baby!

My Realms novel, Sandstorm, is now available for ordering.
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire

USA
15724 Posts

Posted - 07 Apr 2009 :  22:59:35  Show Profile Send Markustay a Private Message  Reply with Quote
That 'new box smell'... Mmmmmmmmmmmm....

You just got me all 'sexed up'.

"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone

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Asgetrion
Master of Realmslore

Finland
1564 Posts

Posted - 07 Apr 2009 :  23:38:29  Show Profile  Visit Asgetrion's Homepage Send Asgetrion a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay

That 'new box smell'... Mmmmmmmmmmmm....

You just got me all 'sexed up'.



Markus, you *are* weird... (though not as weird as Wooly... )

"What am I doing today? Ask me tomorrow - I can be sure of giving you the right answer then."
-- Askarran of Selgaunt, Master Sage, speaking to a curious merchant, Year of the Helm

Edited by - Asgetrion on 07 Apr 2009 23:42:05
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36798 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2009 :  00:33:01  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Asgetrion

quote:
Originally posted by Markustay

That 'new box smell'... Mmmmmmmmmmmm....

You just got me all 'sexed up'.



Markus, you *are* weird... (though not as weird as Wooly... )





I actually just got a boxed set in the mail today, though it's not FR. I got a copy of Castles -- the books and maps are mint and the cardstock is unpunched. The box isn't in as great shape, but I've never cared about the boxes nearly as much as their contents.

And this means I now have two copies of the Darkhold book...

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Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 08 Apr 2009 00:34:48
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Ardashir
Senior Scribe

USA
544 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2009 :  00:42:15  Show Profile  Visit Ardashir's Homepage Send Ardashir a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I would just like to know what sense there is in getting rid of PDFs of the old, 1st and 2nd edition material. How were they causing any problems for WoTC? Most of the time they weren't even using the stuff!
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coach
Senior Scribe

USA
479 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2009 :  15:56:29  Show Profile Send coach a Private Message  Reply with Quote
hehe, Paizo once again thinking like a customer-friendly company

just got my 35% off Paizo PDF's email

quote:
We at Paizo Publishing understand how important PDFs have become to most roleplaying gamers. We know that PDFs allow you to easily carry around a large library of books on your laptop, PDA, or cell phone. We know that PDFs are great for searching for that piece of obscure information. We know that PDFs are a great way to keep out-of-print products available. And we know that PDFs provide a great way to check out new products.


At paizo.com, most of the roleplaying books we publish are available in both print and PDF editions. We take pride in the high quality of our PDFs and think that they are some of the best in the industry. And we would love to show you how cool they are by allowing you to buy our Pathfinder PDFs for 35% off the regular retail price through the end of April. This offer includes Pathfinder Adventure Path PDFs, Pathfinder Modules PDFs, Pathfinder Chronicles PDFs, Pathfinder Companion PDFs, and Pathfinder Society Scenario PDFs.


Just add the Pathfinder PDFs you would like to buy into your cart, and when you are checking out, type the promotional code "PDFLove" in the appropriate box. The 35% discount will be applied to your Pathfinder PDFs at that point. You can use this code as many times as you like until the end of April, and feel free to share this code with your friends.


We also invite you to check out the FREE PDF products available at http://paizo.com/store/downloads/free. These include several of our own products, such as the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Beta, our adventures Hollow's Last Hope and Revenge of the Kobold King, and our Player's Guides for Rise of the Runelords and Curse of the Crimson Throne, as well as dozens of PDFs from other publishers.


We would also like to remind you that subscribers to our Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Modules, Pathfinder Companion, and Pathfinder Chronicles lines get FREE PDFs when the corresponding print editions of their subscription products ship—just another way in which we thank our customers for their support!


So drop by paizo.com and check out all of the downloads we offer at http://paizo.com/store/downloads. The digital age is here, and we are proud to be your provider of amazing digital products for years to come.


Lisa Stevens, CEO
Paizo Publishing
http://paizo.com



Bloodstone Lands Sage
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Christopher_Rowe
Forgotten Realms Author

USA
879 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2009 :  16:09:48  Show Profile  Visit Christopher_Rowe's Homepage Send Christopher_Rowe a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Ha! I got this the morning AFTER I dropped another sixty bucks on Fat Dragon products at RPGNow (not that I'm sure Paizo sells Fat Dragon, but I imagine they do).

My Realms novel, Sandstorm, is now available for ordering.
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Alisttair
Great Reader

Canada
3054 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2009 :  16:31:27  Show Profile  Visit Alisttair's Homepage Send Alisttair a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Nice. Good on Paizo for doing that.

Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)

Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36798 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2009 :  16:36:31  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by coach

hehe, Paizo once again thinking like a customer-friendly company

just got my 35% off Paizo PDF's email


Paizo had already knocked my socks off with excellent customer service, when I had an issue with the Pathfinder Campaign Setting book. This is still awesome to see, though.

Candlekeep Forums Moderator

Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com
-- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct

I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!
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Ayunken-vanzan
Senior Scribe

Germany
657 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2009 :  17:14:25  Show Profile  Visit Ayunken-vanzan's Homepage Send Ayunken-vanzan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
The threat over at WotC got nasty the last 10 pages, and morphed into a "Who can abuse Paizo best?"-contest. It is unbelievable to what lows some are willing to go in their effort to defend every and all actions of WotC.

More interesting, Steve Wieck from DriveThruRPG/RPGNow has posted here in aforementioned thread and tried to explain the situation.

"What mattered our lives now? When our world had been torn from us? Folk wept, or drank, or stood staring out over the land, wondering what new horror each dawn would bring."
Elender Stormfall of Suzail

"Anyone can kill deities, cause plagues, or destroy organizations. It takes real skill to make them live on."
Varl

FR/D&D-Links 2ed Downloads

Edited by - Ayunken-vanzan on 08 Apr 2009 17:16:59
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire

USA
15724 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2009 :  17:15:05  Show Profile Send Markustay a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Why is it that with each move and counter-move in this 'battle', WotC always look like jerks and Paizo always comes-out smelling like roses.

Sadly, the 'Mom & Pop' operation have a hell of a lot more business savy then the big corporation.


BTW - I'm NOT saying WotC or anyone who works for them are jerks, I'm just pointing-out appearances. If the WotC employees are all 'god-fearing' people who go to church on sundays (or temple, or whatever...), and the paizo folks eat unbaptized babies, that just makes Paizo all the more clever. Appearances often matter more then facts.

"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone


Edited by - Markustay on 08 Apr 2009 17:15:22
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Christopher_Rowe
Forgotten Realms Author

USA
879 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2009 :  17:29:39  Show Profile  Visit Christopher_Rowe's Homepage Send Christopher_Rowe a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Oh, I don't know. That post from Steve Weick that Ayunken-vanzan just linked makes it sound like the decision was taken and enacted in a reasonable and professional manner (independent of whether it's a good decision, I mean.) He sounds like a classy guy and careful guy and now I'm even happier for having shopped there so much over the last few weeks since I discovered that card stock modeling is hella fun. And looks great on the table.

quote:
Originally posted by Markustay

Why is it that with each move and counter-move in this 'battle', WotC always look like jerks and Paizo always comes-out smelling like roses.

Sadly, the 'Mom & Pop' operation have a hell of a lot more business savy then the big corporation.


BTW - I'm NOT saying WotC or anyone who works for them are jerks, I'm just pointing-out appearances. If the WotC employees are all 'god-fearing' people who go to church on sundays (or temple, or whatever...), and the paizo folks eat unbaptized babies, that just makes Paizo all the more clever. Appearances often matter more then facts.


My Realms novel, Sandstorm, is now available for ordering.
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire

USA
15724 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2009 :  17:42:03  Show Profile Send Markustay a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Giving someone "24 hours to get out of Dodge" is reasonable?

If you say so....

Like I said, I have no clue whats really going on, but I do know what things look like, and the WotC guys are painting themselves as the villains with nearly every decision.

Now, I just won and received a copy of Swordmage from WotC, so believe me, I am NOT against them (and I enjoyed the novel, much to my chagrin). However, we are discussing that contest and the latest one for Corsair over on their forums, and even in that they seem to be making bad decisions - the only people who know about the contests are the people who regularly visit the FR forums... and those people are already obviously fans.

Isn't that a little self-defeating?

I'm not saying anyone at WotC (or Hasbro) is a 'bad person' - not at all - but it seems that their 'good intentions' are never carried through in a well-thought-out manner. What they really need to do is hire a full-time PR person - a good 'spin-doctor' could do a lot for them.

Think about it; the D&D people can't make a move without everyone seeing 'nefarious motives' (myself included)... thats just NOT GOOD. Thats really, REALLY bad PR right there.


"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone


Edited by - Markustay on 08 Apr 2009 17:44:05
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Christopher_Rowe
Forgotten Realms Author

USA
879 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2009 :  17:58:46  Show Profile  Visit Christopher_Rowe's Homepage Send Christopher_Rowe a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay

...the D&D people can't make a move without everyone seeing 'nefarious motives' (myself included)...



This assertion seems to be the heart of your post, Mark, and at least strongly related to a lot of the other posts here (and elsewhere). I think it needs to be examined.

Who is "everyone" in this case? Are they now buying significantly more or less Wizards product because of this decision? What percentage of the active Wizards customer base do they represent? You mentioned public relations. If every person who has gone on record as seeing nefarious motives represents ten who feel the same way, how big a PR--or really, more to the point, marketing--hit is that?

Not to put too fine a point on it, what percentage of the people who are complaining were buying new Wizards products already? If all who were now stop, how big a hit is that to the bottom line? Is that supposed hit worth it in comparison to the perceived benefit forecast by the decision makers?

For that matter, who are "the D&D people" who made the decision?

How likely is it that it was actually made by "D&D people" at all, if by the term we mean the designers, writers, marketers, developers and even managers who work at Wizards of the Coast in Renton?

My Realms novel, Sandstorm, is now available for ordering.
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire

USA
15724 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2009 :  18:16:50  Show Profile Send Markustay a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Well, thats why I said "the D&D People" - because I don't know who they are; I specifically didn't use the word 'designer' just for that reason. I meant the folks making all the business decisions (and making WotC look like jerks in the process).

I could take this whole thing with the pdf's and spin it a different way, and make it look like they were doing their fans a huge favor. If I can do that - and I'm no professional PR person - I'm sure many folks could, and most would probably do a better job then I.

They aren't even trying to sugar-coat anything, and thats VERY important in running a business. Even when you make decisions that hurt customers, you are supposed to make it look like the things you are doing are to their benefit.

I'm not complaining about WHAT they are doing at this point (there are enough threads for that), but rather HOW they are going about it. They are doing business like Bulls in a China-shop, and thats just not good. Customers require a lot of hand-holding, and they are failing miserably at that.

Whereas Paizo is supremely adapt at that. They could raise their prices tomorrow, and somehow everyone would cheer them for it - the differences between customer relations of the two companies is absurd.

"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone


Edited by - Markustay on 08 Apr 2009 18:18:08
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36798 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2009 :  19:19:53  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
You know, I've been one person who has done my best to try to stay neutral on the topic of WotC's business decisions. I'll readily grant that I am comfortable attacking the end result of some of those decisions, and I'll grant that I'm comfortable attacking the publicly stated rationale behind some of those decisions.

And that's where I stop. If I'm going to complain, I complain about that which can be verified and confirmed. Until I know otherwise, I give WotC the benefit of the doubt.

Not everyone on this website does that, and not everyone agrees with me that it should be done.

But moves like this test my ability to give them the benefit of the doubt. It's very hard to stay neutral when all you see is negativity.

WotC has done a lot of things, the past couple of years, that appear negative and at times hostile. Some of these things can be justified as being good for business, and some of them, we have no justification for. And that's a huge failing on WotC's part.

No company is ever going to keep everyone happy. A lot of companies at least try, though. WotC has given an appearance of not caring whether or not the customer is happy. And it's sad, but the end result of this practice is that people are now willing -- and in many cases, eager -- to assume the worst from them.

If that's not bad PR, then I don't know what is.

Candlekeep Forums Moderator

Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com
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Hawkins
Great Reader

USA
2131 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2009 :  20:46:10  Show Profile  Visit Hawkins's Homepage Send Hawkins a Private Message  Reply with Quote
All I know is that their PR in the past year-and-a-half has turned me from a die-hard fan to someone who is waiting to see how they are next going to piss off their old fans and old fans of D&D in general. After the announcement of 4e I bounced between dismayed and cautiously optimistic about it until I got a better idea of what the were doing to the Realms. I knew I was going to buy their 4e Realms accessories even if I did not buy the 4e Core books right away (which is ironic because I have not purchased anything directly relating to 4e now; core books, campaign accessories, or novels). And then I figured that in 2-4 years I would make the switch to 4e because of the many 4e Realms accessories that I would have purchased (laughable, since there is only 2 to be heard of). Now I have been told how I want to spend my money, confused by the same number (it seems, it may not be) of splat books per year even though the new edition was supposed to simplify things, and actively turned off to offering them my business because of their poor marketing campaign(s).

On the opposite side, I have Paizo; the maligned makers of the Dragon & Dungeon magazines who instead revised my favorite version of D&D and asked me to playtest it, for free! Then they constantly ask me what I want instead of telling me. How could I not love them?

(Mods, feel free to move or delete this as off-topic )

Errant d20 Designer - My Blog (last updated January 06, 2016)

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Edited by - Hawkins on 08 Apr 2009 20:48:32
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Sian
Senior Scribe

Denmark
596 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2009 :  21:13:17  Show Profile  Visit Sian's Homepage Send Sian a Private Message  Reply with Quote
well ... i'm certain that if i can't buy the pdf's i'm forced to go to illegal channels ... if this due to piracy this is feeling like that they're making a massive [url=http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/XanatosRoulette]Xanatos Roulette[/url] where they try to enlarge the relative ammount of D&D'ers which use pirated pdf's so they can do something to shut them down ... ie, something which doesn't work anywheres

what happened to the queen? she's much more hysterical than usual
She's a women, it happens once a month
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Ayunken-vanzan
Senior Scribe

Germany
657 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2009 :  21:48:34  Show Profile  Visit Ayunken-vanzan's Homepage Send Ayunken-vanzan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
The whole affair is a PR debacle. Over at Paizo's board was a post which describes WotC decisions quite accurate: (I hope he doesn't mind that I am quoting him here.)

quote:
Jason Sonia

Recipe: Mucked-up RPG Company Soup

-- 1. Recreate a game system that was already successful, replacing it with a limited, narrower version of itself. Encourage newer generations by modeling it after visually stunning computer games, but without the graphics that provided the "wow factor" of those games. Alienate your mature, financially stable fan-base in doing so.

-- 2. Take the two most successful, longest running RPG magazines off the market entirely. Further alienate your established consumers and fans. Provide them with a digital alternative, but without the flair or finesse of the original.

-- 3. Try and "wow" the RPG community by making your tabletop product online compatible. However, DO NOT make the software compatible with all platforms. Further alienate players in doing so.

-- 4. Release a corporate license that all but destroys your working relationship with other, 3rd party publishes. Give them the simple ultimatium, "our way or the highway."

-- 5. When your consumers complain, criticize, or otherwise try to advice you this isn't encouraging them to buy your product, ignore them. In fact, write them off as a financially insecure cross-section of a much larger consumer base. Insist your decisions are clearly aimed at creating a better product, even if all indications point toward you attempting to corner the market in a manner not too dissimilar to the monopolies of old.

-- 6. Now, check your consumers' collective pulse. If one is discovered, please remove all of the digital files of your older products, further alienating long-standing fans. For extra flair, do this with little or no warning. Consumers that wanted older versions of your product be damned. State that this is done to curb piracy and file a few lawsuits. Ignore the fact that people were trying to "legally purchase" your product. In fact, ensure that the only way they can secure digital copies of your work is by piracy because you don't offer them yourself.
-- 6a. State this is done to encourage people to buy products at local, "brick and mortar" stores. Ignore the fact that sales through large, online retailers like "Amazon.com" does not support local "brick and mortar" shops. Continue to sell through large stores.
-- 6b. Ignore all of the gamers in geographically isolated regions (like soldiers at war) that might rely on digital versions of your product. Moreover, assume your "world famous game" has a consumer base with access to "brick and mortar" stores because you do. Don't consider people in nations with Internet access, but without game stores.

"What mattered our lives now? When our world had been torn from us? Folk wept, or drank, or stood staring out over the land, wondering what new horror each dawn would bring."
Elender Stormfall of Suzail

"Anyone can kill deities, cause plagues, or destroy organizations. It takes real skill to make them live on."
Varl

FR/D&D-Links 2ed Downloads

Edited by - Ayunken-vanzan on 08 Apr 2009 21:50:41
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Kuje
Great Reader

USA
7915 Posts

Posted - 09 Apr 2009 :  00:31:01  Show Profile Send Kuje a Private Message  Reply with Quote
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/07/wotc_pulls_pdf_products_piracy_lawsuit/

Found another article about this, which is below:

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/04/wizards-of-the-coast-fails-saving-throw-against-pirates.ars

A poster on ENworld also has the court documents, which he has posted on ENworld, and he's finding some interesting facts like, for example, the PDFs are basically double water-marked and one of the water-marks is embedded in one of the pixels, which seems to be a surprise to many people because no one knew this. Nice way to release that secret by putting it in a public court case. Grin.

And to help dispel some rumors that Paizo had a advanced warning or knew about this in advance.

"Hi there

We received word with less than a days notice. I've posted this on
paizo.com so feel free to disseminate the information. We tried to do
what we could in the timeframe that we were given to make the
transition as painless as possible for everyone.

-Lisa Stevens
CEO
Paizo Publishing"

For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird

Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium

Edited by - Kuje on 09 Apr 2009 04:37:02
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Ashe Ravenheart
Great Reader

USA
3243 Posts

Posted - 09 Apr 2009 :  05:10:19  Show Profile Send Ashe Ravenheart a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I love how WotC's PR person doesn't say that they 'pulled the pdfs' but that they "terminated the contracts [with their distributors]".

I actually DO know everything. I just have a very poor index of my knowledge.

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Alphabetized Index of Realms NPCs
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire

USA
15724 Posts

Posted - 09 Apr 2009 :  05:17:19  Show Profile Send Markustay a Private Message  Reply with Quote
The only reason to do something with no warning like that was to purposely catch people by surprise, and not give them any time to weigh their options or grab pdfs they've been putting off. Its a really crappy way to do business (sneaky and under-handed).

It wasn't aimed at Paizo - not at all - it was aimed directly at 'those no-good, traitorous customers who are sticking with older editions'. It makes me worry a great deal about the future of Candlekeep.

If they think closing down our options is going to make us all going running in their direction, they are really delusional. All the are doing is driving all the fence-sitters right into Paizo's arms (and whatever other 3rd parties are left when all this is over). I've actually been considering trying to run a 4e game lately for my younger sons, but this has driven me right back to Pathfinder now.

This is just Hasbro flexing it's corporate muscles with more of their "my way or the highway" policy.

"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone


Edited by - Markustay on 09 Apr 2009 05:19:21
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Ghost King
Learned Scribe

USA
253 Posts

Posted - 09 Apr 2009 :  06:52:34  Show Profile  Visit Ghost King's Homepage Send Ghost King a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Before 4th edition, I never truly had a problem with WotC/Hasbro. In fact I figured the OGL was probably their most brillant move by far and their last. Because I'm reminded by Einstein's statement(and I'm paraphrasing greatly) he said creative thought can only be achieved to its greatest potential in a free society.

I know many people are probably going to roll their eyes at that statement, but it still rings true to the current situation. If WotC thinks snagging every bit of old lore/editions off the selves is going to "make" people buy 4e it isn't going to happen. In fact it will have the opposite effect by great historical evidence to prove that fact. It isn't like the computer industry where only a small minority have the intelligence and learning to make the software/technology for us to use. They can pull "stunts" to force people to comply to moving forward.

For a game, it is rather foolish. In fact, it is down right stupid. I just think it is sad, that if all this speculation on the part of people is true about WotC that this may indeed be the final straw that finally just ends them as a D&D gaming company. Which if that happens, it might have been for the best. Maybe another company would like to take a crack at it that puts customers first to get high sales. Perhaps Paizo will, but more than likely it will be another large company that will have to push out Hasbro.

My personal views on this current state of action is that they are moving to protect their investment pure and simple. It is hard times in all markets because of the world economy and their probably trying to keep from going into the red. Also due to the fact that they have had a great deal of failures to keeping their promises as also left a bad stigma of being shady to their reputation.

It is my hope that someday they will return to their senses and re-release the PDFs and other previous editions to be bought online again. My suggestion would be patience to see what developes from this, and if you're feeling less than comfortable with the (drastic in my opinion) changes then vote with your wallet/money.

At least that is my thoughts on the subject at hand.
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Mace Hammerhand
Great Reader

Germany
2296 Posts

Posted - 09 Apr 2009 :  16:40:45  Show Profile  Visit Mace Hammerhand's Homepage Send Mace Hammerhand a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Ghost King,

I understand what you're saying, but I'm also reminded of Wooly asking for patience of those of us who said the Realms are doomed before 4e Realms was released... needless to say, our worries were NOT misplaced, rather they upped the ante in regards to mutilation...

Thankfully I'm only lacking a few old Realms-supplements, nothing major, only a bunch of adventures and most of them so expensive that I just won't bother with them (the Bloodstone stuff comes to mind)

Mace's not so gentle gamer's journal My rants were harmless compared to this, beware!
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Ashe Ravenheart
Great Reader

USA
3243 Posts

Posted - 09 Apr 2009 :  17:38:32  Show Profile Send Ashe Ravenheart a Private Message  Reply with Quote
The thing is I can see the logic in how they came to this point:

Hasbro: "Hmmm... It seems your new book (PHB2) isn't selling as well as it's predecessor (PHB). How do you explain this?"
WotC: (tired of explaining how nothing will sell as well as the core three, grabs at some straws) "Well, it may have been impacted by some of the piracy. It turns out that a few persons bought the PDF and then shared it on the web."
Hasbro: "WHAT?! They're stealing our property! How do we stop them?"
WotC: "Well, we tracked it back to sites that we contracted to sell the files for us. But thanks to their security measures, we were able to discover who purchased the pirated copies and we're taken legal action right now."
Hasbro: "That's not good enough! These 'sites' obviously don't know how to protect our property if people can give away the files! Pull the contracts immediately. Find a more secure method for distributing the files!"



Just a likely scenario, in my opinion.

I actually DO know everything. I just have a very poor index of my knowledge.

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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36798 Posts

Posted - 09 Apr 2009 :  19:34:24  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Mace Hammerhand

Ghost King,

I understand what you're saying, but I'm also reminded of Wooly asking for patience of those of us who said the Realms are doomed before 4e Realms was released... needless to say, our worries were NOT misplaced, rather they upped the ante in regards to mutilation...


Gods, I got burned on that one, didn't I? What they did was worse than even my own worst-case scenario...

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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36798 Posts

Posted - 09 Apr 2009 :  19:42:56  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I expect that we will see these pdfs again... Though I'm not sure whether they'll try to limit sales to just DDI subscribers (which I think would be another mistake), or if they'll try laying on more DRM when the sales are resumed. I think the latter is prolly the more likely scenario, but I don't think either scenario is going to be all that successful.

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Mace Hammerhand
Great Reader

Germany
2296 Posts

Posted - 09 Apr 2009 :  22:56:01  Show Profile  Visit Mace Hammerhand's Homepage Send Mace Hammerhand a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

quote:
Originally posted by Mace Hammerhand

Ghost King,

I understand what you're saying, but I'm also reminded of Wooly asking for patience of those of us who said the Realms are doomed before 4e Realms was released... needless to say, our worries were NOT misplaced, rather they upped the ante in regards to mutilation...


Gods, I got burned on that one, didn't I? What they did was worse than even my own worst-case scenario...



Yep, you really bought the farm there... with a Lehman Bros loan on top of it...

Mace's not so gentle gamer's journal My rants were harmless compared to this, beware!

Edited by - Mace Hammerhand on 09 Apr 2009 22:56:22
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire

USA
15724 Posts

Posted - 09 Apr 2009 :  23:48:57  Show Profile Send Markustay a Private Message  Reply with Quote
So, who thinks they did this so that they can add ALL of the old-edition pdfs to their FREE downloads section?

That would be a MAJOR PR coup for them... but it'll NEVER hapen.

"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone


Edited by - Markustay on 09 Apr 2009 23:51:47
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