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Hi Dakka

So with Sisters of battle, blood angels etc getting put on for ebooks and the ipad i'm wondering if there going too get rid of printed books fully, Do you think we will all now have too invest in a ipad on top of the rising model prices?

You don't need an ipad to read epubs.



I'm not a fan of digital-only releases... Having a digital copy is handy, but a book is a lot more convenient for normal gaming.

I cant see them getting rid of the hard copy books, its another way to make easy money.

I do however like the digital releases for simple updates like SOB just had, I would like to see the army's who got 5th Rules get a 6th Digital update.

I'm all about pdf backups for my hard copy books.
but *buying* a digital version?
No.

SnowMongoose wrote:
I'm all about pdf backups for my hard copy books.
but *buying* a digital version?
No.

I agree, its just i really don't want too shell out for some madly expensive erader because only sometimes a PDF works on my phone.

 tau tse tung wrote:

SnowMongoose wrote:
I'm all about pdf backups for my hard copy books.
but *buying* a digital version?
No.

I agree, its just i really don't want too shell out for some madly expensive erader because only sometimes a PDF works on my phone.

There was a thread earlier that handled this, just take the PDF to Kinkos and have em print it and put it in a 3 ring binder for you.

I prefer to read a physical copy.
Not from an ipad or other e-reader.

I don't care that it's not bells-and-whistles interactive.

If it becomes a requirement to play GW games, then I've got my own digital message for GW right here [insert gesture here].

Kavik_Whitescar wrote:

 tau tse tung wrote:

SnowMongoose wrote:
I'm all about pdf backups for my hard copy books.
but *buying* a digital version?
No.

I agree, its just i really don't want too shell out for some madly expensive erader because only sometimes a PDF works on my phone.

There was a thread earlier that handled this, just take the PDF to Kinkos and have em print it and put it in a 3 ring binder for you.

Sounds good but we don't have kinkos .haha

 tau tse tung wrote:

Kavik_Whitescar wrote:

 tau tse tung wrote:

SnowMongoose wrote:
I'm all about pdf backups for my hard copy books.
but *buying* a digital version?
No.

I agree, its just i really don't want too shell out for some madly expensive erader because only sometimes a PDF works on my phone.

There was a thread earlier that handled this, just take the PDF to Kinkos and have em print it and put it in a 3 ring binder for you.

Sounds good but we don't have kinkos .haha

Kinkos, UPS Store, Office Max, Ofice Depot etc

Get rid of printed books fully...not gonna happen for now. After all, we're still at the very beginning of the digital era.

Besides, I'm not sure that's what they want (otherwise, why bother making physical models while you could just make digital ones - I mean with video games, of course ).

I'd rather have a physical copy as well. It's kinda tiring to read on a small screen. So, yeah, not really happy to have all these "digital only" releases, but it's not like I'm forced to buy them to play. After all, homebrew rules can't be more badly written than those from the GW Studio, can they?

Kavik_Whitescar wrote:
There was a thread earlier that handled this, just take the PDF to Kinkos and have em print it and put it in a 3 ring binder for you.

Its not really a digital copy by that point...

I would hate for GW to get rid of physical releases.

If there was a choice between either exclusively electronic or exclusively physical, my choice would ALWAYS be physical.

 insaniak wrote:

Kavik_Whitescar wrote:
There was a thread earlier that handled this, just take the PDF to Kinkos and have em print it and put it in a 3 ring binder for you.

Its not really a digital copy by that point...

You are correct, but the post I was rsponding to-

"I agree, its just i really don't want too shell out for some madly expensive erader because only sometimes a PDF works on my phone."

clearly voiced that he would rather stick with a hard copy, so I provided him a way to obtain a hard copy easily in the grimdark future that GW turns all rule books digital.

I don't like digital at all. I hope Games workshop dose'nt get rid of printed books!!!

I don't mind it. I've used PDFs on my smartphone for several different games and I think it works. I've never used a GW codex on a tablet though, but I can imagine it's really cool.

Steelmage99 wrote:
I would hate for GW to get rid of physical releases.

If there was a choice between either exclusively electronic or exclusively physical, my choice would ALWAYS be physical.

Ditto. I think even to the point that if GW released a digital version of my armies codex, I wouldn't bother with it until the print version arrived*. I'm not a luddite; I even own a tablet, but I'd hate to have to use something like that for a rule/reference book; it's just too delicate and fiddly, and I'd hate to have to interrupt the game to find a charger if it's battery runs low.

For throwaway pulp novels, then e-books are great; for something you may need to refer to, it adds nothing over print.


*Unless the digital version was much cheaper, in which case I'd print it out myself sans fluff.

I'd be fine with them going all digital, but I don't see it happening anytime soon. Too much money in the printed codexes. Too many people unwilling/unable to purchase a 'good' reader for a digital edition, and then plenty of others that simply prefer a hard copy.

No reason to remove a demographic of players that used to be your only demographic (by that I mean only 5 or so years ago EVERYONE had to have physical copies) when it's pretty clear that, while the digital editions appeal to many, they do not appeal to all.

Plus you'd lose the opportunity to sell both to the folks that like having a copy on the shelf and digitally.

Physical is always better. I hate digital. Feels like a middle finger to all their customers that don't have a tablet or speak something other than English.

 wowsmash wrote:
Physical is always better. I hate digital. Feels like a middle finger to all their customers that don't have a tablet or speak something other than English.

Again, you can read an epub file on your home computer and print out a copy for yourself.

I think they're neat, but I'd like the physical option to be released around the same time, instead of months and months later.

 wowsmash wrote:
Physical is always better. I hate digital. Feels like a middle finger to all their customers that don't have a tablet or speak something other than English.

Well that just isn't true.....

Not to mention you can read all of their ePub Codexes on a Kindle, something you can easily get for less than the cost of the codex itself.

I dont like them really, I have no wish to read them on my computer let alone buy a reader to see them.
I can see why some people like them though, so I am not going to knock them, I guess to some, they are the preferred format.
I just hope they continue to make actual books as well, I dont see why having to get yet another electronic device can be a good thing.

Since we basically need about 7 pages for 'gameplay' it is perfectly reasonable to buy the e-version and print the 7 pages you need and your relevant FAQs and keep them in a binder or folder or whatever for when you are gaming.

How do people who are grasping at their physical books like the end of the world even play other games who have e-versions only? It really isn't new, GW didn't invent e-books and other games have been doing electronic only rules forever. As long as you can print it if you want, what's the problem?

I have an older Kindle Fire (1st Gen), and I've currently got the following Rulebooks on it:
Infinity Rules (from their website)
Brushfire 2nd Edition
Endless Fantasy: Tactics
Pathfinder Core Rulebook (granted I don't need it but it's good when I'm goofing around)

It's by no means my main gaming implement, but it's useful when I'm sitting around and I don't have my rulebook on me because I'm at work (use my Kindle to read on my lunch hour) and I need to answer a question for Brushfire or EFT. I'd rather have a physical copy of a book 9 times out of 10, but I'd also like to have the electronic backup.

 insaniak wrote:
You don't need an ipad to read epubs.



I'm not a fan of digital-only releases... Having a digital copy is handy, but a book is a lot more convenient for normal gaming.

Yes. I think the digital version would be a good option for people who wanted the material in that format. I even think it would not be untoward of GW to package the digital product with a physical copy, i.e. if you buy the print version, you also get the digital version (and with the price GW is charging nowadays for those things...). This is already an attractive model in home movie sales.

If the content can be digital, it can be in print as well, but GW probably sees this as being less profitable. I see it as a sign of weakness in the company. If the company cannot afford to take the risk that it might lose some money on a print version of the Sororitas codex, that is a bad sign. Even if the margin is lower and the risks are higher, it still makes sense in terms of cultivating goodwill. If certain of your customers (probably a sizable percentage) expect a print version, want a print version, and are annoyed by not having a print version, then make a friggin' print version or risk alienating those customers.

GW is trying to reduce costs and consolidate more sales into direct sales. GW is doing this because the company is bleeding like a stuck pig and is flailing around trying to keep its year over year revenue stable lest the company's value drops. The loser, of course, is the customer.

I agree with Alfndrate that a digital rulebook is a valuable tool, but there is no necessity for it to completely replace print. This is a hands on hobby. People participate in it because they like to interact with physical objects. It is not a surprise that the sorts of people that enjoy this hobby also enjoy print copies of rulebooks.

SnowMongoose wrote:
I'm all about pdf backups for my hard copy books.
but *buying* a digital version?
No.

pdf backups? Last time I checked GW won't let you do that in there disclaimer.

Doesn't mean its not all over the internet......


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Kavik_Whitescar wrote:

 tau tse tung wrote:

SnowMongoose wrote:
I'm all about pdf backups for my hard copy books.
but *buying* a digital version?
No.

I agree, its just i really don't want too shell out for some madly expensive erader because only sometimes a PDF works on my phone.

There was a thread earlier that handled this, just take the PDF to Kinkos and have em print it and put it in a 3 ring binder for you.

Isn't that illegal?

 pities2004 wrote:

Kavik_Whitescar wrote:

 tau tse tung wrote:

SnowMongoose wrote:
I'm all about pdf backups for my hard copy books.
but *buying* a digital version?
No.

I agree, its just i really don't want too shell out for some madly expensive erader because only sometimes a PDF works on my phone.

There was a thread earlier that handled this, just take the PDF to Kinkos and have em print it and put it in a 3 ring binder for you.

Isn't that illegal?

I think the question you should be asking is 'Isn't that against the license agreement?" and the answer is no.

http://www.blacklibrary.com/legal/ebook-license.html

"1.3 to print one (1) hard copy of the e-book for your personal use only. If you accidentally destroy or damage this hard copy, you shall be entitled to create a further copy provided that you obliterate any remaining elements of the previous copy."

Thats interesting. Thats Petre

But the question isn't about the ebook license, I don't think. I was under the impression from another poster (I haven't looked into these licenses at all) that the license agreement with respect to the digital codices is different from the Black Library books.

I could very well be wrong, of course. Do you know if there is a difference?

weeble1000 wrote:
But the question isn't about the ebook license, I don't think. I was under the impression from another poster (I haven't looked into these licenses at all) that the license agreement with respect to the digital codices is different from the Black Library books.

I could very well be wrong, of course. Do you know if there is a difference?

It is, but it is unclear which one applies. When you buy the digital codex, it makes you agree to the e-book license not the digital release license. The digital release license seems to just be something that exists on their website.

 pretre wrote:

weeble1000 wrote:
But the question isn't about the ebook license, I don't think. I was under the impression from another poster (I haven't looked into these licenses at all) that the license agreement with respect to the digital codices is different from the Black Library books.

I could very well be wrong, of course. Do you know if there is a difference?

It is, but it is unclear which one applies. When you buy the digital codex, it makes you agree to the e-book license not the digital release license. The digital release license seems to just be something that exists on their website.

Ah, okay. Thanks for clearing that up. That is typical of GW. If they put it on their website it is THE LAW, regardless of how that matches up with reality. Is there also an agreement with Apple regarding those products?