Recent Posts
Plus your other PDF's and chance they well be converted to an ebook? Perhaps a small charge to get the converted ebooks?
Less likely. Most of the popular eBook formats (except for PDF) just weren't designed for books than have strong graphical layouts. They're really meant for plain text with occasional images. So for Paizo, the only really good candidates for non-PDF eBooks are Pathfinder Fiction and Planet Stories, and we don't usually have the electronic publishing rights for the novels in the Planet Stories line.
Robert Brambley
(Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Adventure Path, Campaign Setting, Companion, Modules Subscriber)
Plus your other PDF's and chance they well be converted to an ebook? Perhaps a small charge to get the converted ebooks?Less likely. Most of the popular eBook formats (except for PDF) just weren't designed for books than have strong graphical layouts. They're really mean for plain text with occasional images. So for Paizo, the only really good candidates for non-PDF eBooks are Pathfinder Fiction and Planet Stories, and we don't usually have the electronic publishing rights for the novels in the Planet Stories line.
Guess I'll just have to use a PDF reader of some sort on the iPad then.
:O)
Sean
Elaine Cunningham is a known-name author.Big time enthusiasm over in this corner!!!
Anyone know of some of the known-name authors being courted to write these? Salvatore? Greenwood? Troy Denning? David Cook (no not the America Idol winner....)
Just asking.....
Robert
I was just go say...! I had to look up Troy Denning and David Cook....
Robert Brambley
(Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Adventure Path, Campaign Setting, Companion, Modules Subscriber)
Elaine Cunningham is a known-name author.Big time enthusiasm over in this corner!!!
Anyone know of some of the known-name authors being courted to write these? Salvatore? Greenwood? Troy Denning? David Cook (no not the America Idol winner....)
Just asking.....
Robert
True, but that one was fairly obvious as she is the one on the book that's being advertised.
I was asking if there were others in the pipeline that were being courted.
Thanks
Robert
Robert Brambley
(Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Adventure Path, Campaign Setting, Companion, Modules Subscriber)
I was asking if there were others in the pipeline that were being courted.
Aside from the announced books from Elaine Cunningham and Dave Gross, we have mentioned that Paul S. Kemp will be writing an upcoming title.
Apart from that, we're not ready to name more names, but I will tell you that we have some pretty outstanding novelists waiting in the wings. There are a couple in particular that many of you already know—and that everyone who doesn't should get to know! I think people will be *very* pleased with our future announcements... but it'll probably be another three or four months before we make them.
I was asking if there were others in the pipeline that were being courted.Aside from the announced books from Elaine Cunningham and Dave Gross, we have mentioned that Paul S. Kemp will be writing an upcoming title.
Apart from that, we're not ready to name more names, but I will tell you that we have some pretty outstanding novelists waiting in the wings. There are a couple in particular that many of you already know—and that everyone who doesn't should get to know! I think people will be *very* pleased with our future announcements... but it'll probably be another three or four months before we make them.
Just for that tease I'm going to assume China Mielville, Patrick Rothfuss and Terry Pratchett.
Anything less and I'll throw an embarrassing hissy fit.
Any word on whether the pathfinder fiction books will be available in ebook formats?
To be determined. I'm expecting Apple's iBookstore to change the eBook landscape to at least some degree, and since we're still several months out from having products available, we have time to see how that shakes out before we commit to anything.
Any word on whether the pathfinder fiction books will be available in ebook formats?To be determined. I'm expecting Apple's iBookstore to change the eBook landscape to at least some degree, and since we're still several months out from having products available, we have time to see how that shakes out before we commit to anything.
Really... a backlit answer to ebook reading gamechanging? For books? I'm not sure I see that Vic... not for fiction. I can see rule books... they'd look pretty. But a book?
I don't think a backlit answer will trump the eye friendly eink tech of the kindle/sony/nook e-readers. I know everyone seems to love their iphones and apple can do no wrong for some reason... but I just can't see the iPad as a game changer with a backlit screen. If it had a color eink screen maybe. And I'm sure modules and other rulebook pdfs will look dandy on it.
*sighs*
Oh well.
Not to mention when you want to invalidate a campaign setting as soon as it comes out. ;)
UGH! You had to look up Denning? Troy "the Axeman" Denning! He's written all over the place and when bad things have to happen in a franchise he's the author people seem to go to. :)
I think that was the plan all along. :P
Really... a backlit answer to ebook reading gamechanging? For books? I'm not sure I see that Vic... not for fiction. I can see rule books... they'd look pretty. But a book?
First, I refuse to accept the argument that reading a book on an iPad will be unpleasant—at least, until somebody outside of Apple actually has a chance to *do* that and provide an actual firsthand account. Until somebody knows, nobody knows.
That aside, note that I said I expect the *iBookstore*, not the iPad itself, to change the eBook landscape—I believe that the iPad will indeed make a mark, but it's really Apple's publisher sales agreements that I hope will have the greatest impact on the publishing industry.
To be frank, I find Amazon's current Kindle agreement offensive to publishers, and I hope that the iBookstore will succeed to a degree that forces Amazon to reexamine their position.
Any word on whether the pathfinder fiction books will be available in ebook formats?To be determined. I'm expecting Apple's iBookstore to change the eBook landscape to at least some degree, and since we're still several months out from having products available, we have time to see how that shakes out before we commit to anything.Really... a backlit answer to ebook reading gamechanging? For books? I'm not sure I see that Vic... not for fiction. I can see rule books... they'd look pretty. But a book?
I don't think a backlit answer will trump the eye friendly eink tech of the kindle/sony/nook e-readers. I know everyone seems to love their iphones and apple can do no wrong for some reason... but I just can't see the iPad as a game changer with a backlit screen. If it had a color eink screen maybe. And I'm sure modules and other rulebook pdfs will look dandy on it.
*sighs*
Oh well.
I have read more books on my iPhone through Amazons Kindle for iPhone in the last 6 months than I have in the last four years. Think I am at like 27 different books right now. Do not get the I strain either. Perhaps though it might because I put the screen to white letters at night and sepia during day. So not to sure the backlit screen is an issue. Might be for some I guess but I have not had an issue with it. My wife as well for that matter. Of course that is only two people out of so many but looking at the downloaded apps that are top Amazon Kindle is on the higher end of the list so......
Sean
Really... a backlit answer to ebook reading gamechanging? For books? I'm not sure I see that Vic... not for fiction. I can see rule books... they'd look pretty. But a book?First, I refuse to accept the argument that reading a book on an iPad will be unpleasant—at least, until somebody outside of Apple actually has a chance to *do* that and provide an actual firsthand account. Until somebody knows, nobody knows.
That aside, note that I said I expect the *iBookstore*, not the iPad itself, to change the eBook landscape—I believe that the iPad will indeed make a mark, but it's really Apple's publisher sales agreements that I hope will have the greatest impact on the publishing industry.
To be frank, I find Amazon's current Kindle agreement offensive to publishers, and I hope that the iBookstore will succeed to a degree that forces Amazon to reexamine their position.
Refuse all you want... it doesn't make it less so. Nor does the fact that your eyes may not be bothered mean that mine won't. I didn't say it would unpleasant, Vic. I said it would hurt your eyes... whether you actively notice the strain or not, if it is backlit, and there is every indication that it is, then it will strain your eyes to read it.
I'm very protective of my eyes. I injured them, you see, by trying to use a television as a computer screen when that was the vogue thing to do in the 80s.
And Apple's agreement with publishers is frankly more offensive to me than Amazon trying to set competitive prices. If the publishers hadn't cried so much for years about the costs of printing (and paper) being what was driving up book prices all those years I would have more sympathy. But it was the publishers that convinced America, falsely, that printing and paper costs were what drove prices upward, so they should hardly be surprised that consumers took that to heart and expect lower ebook prices as a result.
That publishers paired their agreement with Apple with a cut in contract rates for ebook royalties (I think this was specifically MacMillan, but I don't doubt the remaining five will follow suit) argues to me that they are not on the author's side either.
I'm not doubting that Amazon unfairly used its effective monopoly on ebook sales to strong arm publishers into unfair agreements. But one only has to look at what Apple itself did to music prices to see that the publishers are simply trading one predator for another.
The screen is a larger iphone screen... there's no reason to believe that it will be any easier to read on than the iphone is... especially given that Jobs has publically stated that he doesn't believe we read anymore, and so has little motivation to see that we can read comfortably.
Refuse all you want... it doesn't make it less so.
Claim it's a problem all you want. It doesn't make it any more so. Much as you seem to think I am, I'm not taking a position here, and I won't until I hear about *actual user experiences*.
Links to your source on the iBookstore stuff you're talking about?
To be clear, no one is saying or has said that we're going to do exclusively what the iPad does. We are looking into a number of electronic formats, and whatever happens with the iPad will be one of many factors that inform the path(s) we decide to take.
There is literally no reason to be upset at this point, because no formal decision has even been made at this point on which electronic formats we will offer.
Sorry Erik... Vic is receiving the brunt of a month's worth of arguments... and I'm grumpy 'cause I've been having the argument for a month. iPad will be better than kindle and a game changer, I'm told, simply because it's being put out by Apple. That it's also more expensive, with less battery life, and backlit (not to mention that the wireless carries a monthly fee) doesn't seem to sway anyone. It's Apple, so it will trump everything else. And just to top it off, the deal made for the iBookstore between Apple and five of the big six functionally increases ebook prices everywhere.
I just have tons of love for Apple right now. Really.
As for the iBookstore... well, the agreement they made with the publishers has already pretty much guaranteed that they will never see a dime from me. You're a publisher, I sorta expect you to like the agreement. But what's good for publishers rarely is good for readers, who just get squeezed more by prices going up.
I hate to think that books are becoming a luxury item, but they are quickly headed that way, and it won't be good for publishers when they reach that point.
Anyway, I come to forums to relax, and this has had the opposite effect, so I guess I'll go now.
As for the iBookstore... well, the agreement they made with the publishers has already pretty much guaranteed that they will never see a dime from me. You're a publisher, I sorta expect you to like the agreement. But what's good for publishers rarely is good for readers, who just get squeezed more by prices going up.
You have a link about this? I have not been able to find any news about Apple making deals with Publishers for the iBookstore
As for the iBookstore... well, the agreement they made with the publishers has already pretty much guaranteed that they will never see a dime from me. You're a publisher, I sorta expect you to like the agreement. But what's good for publishers rarely is good for readers, who just get squeezed more by prices going up.You have a link about this? I have not been able to find any news about Apple making deals with Publishers for the iBookstore
Not off the top of my head, as I mentioned, the argument has been going on for over a month and searching for the necessary posts is DEFINITELY not my idea of fun or relaxation.
Most of the interesting information though can be found in news stories covering Amazon pulling all MacMillan titles from their store at the end of January in response to MacMillan demanding they switch to the agency model or lose access to the ebooks for the first 6-9 months after release... the same deal that they had made with Apple for the iBookstore. The agreement, as described, changes ebook stores into an agent of the publisher, who will set the actual retail price in exchange for providing a cut to the seller.
Links to most of the useful information on the topic at one time or another appeared in this thread:
But it's well over 2000 posts long and I really am not in any mood to find them again. The thread focuses on the pulling of titles from MacMillan, but again, this pull occurred in response to MacMillan's demands, which were themselves based, at least in part, on the deal they made with Apple. Other articles in the prior few days had covered that five of the big six publishers (of which MacMillan is one) had reached the same deal:
an agency model where the publishers would set the actual retail price of the ebooks with a starting range for new releases and best sellers between $12.99 and $14.99
Given that Kindle users had responded well to the advertising that most bestsellers would be priced at $9.99 there is a LOT of not particularly interesting cursing out of both publishers and Amazon... but there are some real gems in the links throughout the thread.
Stuff about Apple
It seems their sticking price though is more with new books.
That said, Paizo has stated in the past, Amazons limitations on pricing and the cut the publisher gets is a main sticking point for Paizo not going with the Kindle. Here is a Link to that
Amazon opening that up as bit may allow Paizo to revisit the Kindle in the Future.
Apple is allowing publishers to set the retail price on books? Holy gods! It's the end of the world! Amazon is having to follow suit? Oh, the horror!
I think publishers *should* be able to set the price for electronic versions of their books. The pricing relationship between print and electronic editions of our products is an essential part of Paizo's strategy. Amazon does not know our business better than we do, and they do not have our best interests in mind when setting prices. And frankly, as the operator of a website that already has the attention of a significant portion of our audience, and has the ability to deliver electronic books directly to our customers ourselves, we just don't *need* to participate in an electronic publishing system where we don't have control of the price.
Does having the publisher control prices mean that some publishers will raise the price of their eBooks? Sure. Does it mean that they'll pay less in royalties to authors? I don't see that that logically follows. In fact, authors who receive royalties are often paid based on price, so a higher price generally means that authors get paid more, not less. (And if they're based on units, it's the same either way.)
The real issue for me, though, has nothing to do with this—my main concern with both Amazon and the iBookstore is the percentage of the sale price paid to the publisher. Currently, Amazon keeps the lion's share, and I frankly don't think they deserve it. Speaking as one of a fairly small number of people in the world who can speak with the actual experience of being both a publisher and a reseller of other publishers' electronic books, I can tell you that selling them is neither the hard part nor the expensive part.
And in the iTunes Store at least, Apple has shown that they understand that: they pass most of the revenue to the publisher. If the iBookstore has a similar revenue split, the publishing world will be a better place, certainly for publishers, and—so long as those publishers themselves have fair royalty agreements—for authors who receive royalties as well.
Concerned that some publishers will raise the price of their average eBook? Vote on that with your wallet. If you're representative of the market, publishers will feel it, and lower prices until you're willing to buy again.
Sorry Erik... Vic is receiving the brunt of a month's worth of arguments... and I'm grumpy 'cause I've been having the argument for a month. iPad will be better than kindle and a game changer, I'm told, simply because it's being put out by Apple. That it's also more expensive, with less battery life, and backlit (not to mention that the wireless carries a monthly fee) doesn't seem to sway anyone. It's Apple, so it will trump everything else.
The world isn't saying "It's a Kindle, but from Apple, so it's better." The iPad does a million-and-one things, of which reading eBooks is just one, and I'm pretty confident that a *lot* of people are going to feel that's it's a worthwhile purchase—not because it's from Apple, but because it's a VERY USEFUL DEVICE. And a significant chunk of that audience will be folks who would never, ever even have *considered* buying a Kindle, but who will now consider buying books from the iBookstore. And *that's* why the iPad and the iBookstore will change the eBook landscape—it has the potential to open the world of eBooks to a larger audience in the same way that the iPod and the iTunes store opened the world of electronic music downloads to a larger audience.
I've said many times. I love my Kindle, I use it a lot. Most books I buy are 20% off the cover price. I have no problem with that, in fact that's right around where I expect the price to be. I think Amazon's real problem is that with new hard covers a customer can generally buy them for 40%-50% off the cover price and there are some publishers that want the digital version to only be 20% off the cover price. It's where the lion's share of the boycotts come in (look for 9 99 boycott tags on Kindle Books).
I'm a subscriber to support Paizo. But, as much as I want a Kindle edition of the books, I don't know if I'd actually re-purchase them. What I'd love to see is instead of a PDF for the MobiCreator software to be used and a mobi/prc file be released. It's a format readable on all eBook readers, including free software for PC/Mac/Linux use. The process to make them is not horribly difficult (as I've converted many for books for personal use).
Just thought I would throw my 2cp in.
Andrew
Sorry Erik... Vic is receiving the brunt of a month's worth of arguments... and I'm grumpy 'cause I've been having the argument for a month. iPad will be better than kindle and a game changer, I'm told, simply because it's being put out by Apple. That it's also more expensive, with less battery life, and backlit (not to mention that the wireless carries a monthly fee) doesn't seem to sway anyone. It's Apple, so it will trump everything else.The world isn't saying "It's a Kindle, but from Apple, so it's better." The iPad does a million-and-one things, of which reading eBooks is just one, and I'm pretty confident that a *lot* of people are going to feel that's it's a worthwhile purchase—not because it's from Apple, but because it's a VERY USEFUL DEVICE. And a significant chunk of that audience will be folks who would never, ever even have *considered* buying a Kindle, but who will now consider buying books from the iBookstore. And *that's* why the iPad and the iBookstore will change the eBook landscape—it has the potential to open the world of eBooks to a larger audience in the same way that the iPod and the iTunes store opened the world of electronic music downloads to a larger audience.
Sometimes it's better to do one thing well.
I think publishers *should* be able to set the price for electronic versions of their books.And I frankly think you're wrong. Manufacturer's SUGGESTED retail prices exist for a reason.
But wouldn't you be pissed if you went into a conventional bookstore and found that they'd put a sticker over that $9.99 MSRP saying "Actually, $12.99"? Publisher control works both ways.
But wouldn't you be pissed if you went into a conventional bookstore and found that they'd put a sticker over that $9.99 MSRP saying "Actually, $12.99"? Publisher control works both ways.I think publishers *should* be able to set the price for electronic versions of their books.And I frankly think you're wrong. Manufacturer's SUGGESTED retail prices exist for a reason.
If a store has a bad deal, I can go to another one that has a better deal. Except that the deal with publishers setting the price absolutely denies me that ability.
Koldoon,
It seems pretty clear you have some kind of anti Apple thing going for some reason. The fact is Apple does put out pretty ground breaking stuff. The iPod certainly was, as was the iPhone. The same can be said about iTunes. The iMac revolutionized the way computers are designed. The reality is that, although no can be 100% sure at this point, the odds are that the iPad will be equally groundbreaking.
I can say that Kindle has NO interest at all for me but I WILL be buying an uPas because it looks like a great product. The fact that one thing it will do, and do as well as a Kindle in all likelihood, is really just icing on the cake.
I guess I just don't see what you are so upset about, beyond an apparent dislike of Apple
I understand why Paizo doesn't feel like Amazon's price "take" is fair and I agree, but I do own a Kindle and would love to see an option to read my Paizo fiction on it. So, if Amazon changes it's pay out to publishers and it looks good enough for Paizo to do, then put me down for a vote for a Kindle version.
As far as the Apple publishers ebook deal goes, I don't know how raising prices from $9.99 to 3 to 5 dollars higher than that for a new book can be good for me, the customer. I was pretty happy with the $9.99 price tag, so I'm interested to see what happens in the long run with Apple showing up as a competitor for Amazon.
Koldoon,
It seems pretty clear you have some kind of anti Apple thing going for some reason. The fact is Apple does put out pretty ground breaking stuff. The iPod certainly was, as was the iPhone. The same can be said about iTunes. The iMac revolutionized the way computers are designed. The reality is that, although no can be 100% sure at this point, the odds are that the iPad will be equally groundbreaking.
I can say that Kindle has NO interest at all for me but I WILL be buying an uPas because it looks like a great product. The fact that one thing it will do, and do as well as a Kindle in all likelihood, is really just icing on the cake.
I guess I just don't see what you are so upset about, beyond an apparent dislike of Apple
You would be wrong that I have something against Apple products. Apple is nothing if not innovative, even if I don't believe the iPad to be the best example of their innovation.
As for the iPad... I don't believe it will be equally groundbreaking, though there is no way to be sure until it comes out. For me a backlit screen on an ereader is a deal breaker, and I'm far from alone in that feeling.
I don't feel a need for a multifunction ereader... when I sit down to read, I don't want the distractions a multifunction device provides... when I sit down to read, I want to read... I want a device that effectively disappears in the background. The kindle gained its market share on its ability to do just that.
What I worry about is that the Apple iBookstore will start another trend of higher prices for books and ebooks. If the authors were getting a bigger piece instead of a (now smaller) percentage of a smaller piece, I might not dislike the deal so much. Many, if not most, writers cannot live on their writing income alone... they have Evil Day Jobs to pay the bills and provide necessary health benefits and do their best to write as best they can fit it in.
Paizo is right that the Amazon deal is not great... they demand a huge chunk of the pie to sell an ebook on their store. Of course, Paizo could sell a non-DRM mobi format copy which would work on a Kindle just fine.
They won't. But they could.
I voted with my wallet a looong time ago.
I never once paid for a WOTC PDF. Why? WOTC was selling their PDFs for THE SAME price as the printed copy. The PHB is the ONLY book I'd ever consider buying twice (and have.. I have 4 copies of it, the first copy, the replacement, and 2 discounted softcover versions which I love!) because of extensive wear and tear. But I'd certainly not consider paying for a digital copy of it for the same price.
Forget about the SRD for a sec, how much work is REALLY put into taking the production digital copy (for printing) and making it a retail digital copy (for PDFs)? I'd wager a dozen mouse clicks and an hour or two of just going through it to make sure there aren't any errors. Hardly justifies a $30+ price tag when "the work" put into the book is SUPPOSED to be paid for by print sales.
If your a "major creator of content" and your product isn't good enough to sell hard copy, you probably shouldn't be depending on digital sales.
All that aside, we are talking about novels and such... plain text documents that will be sold to us completely in black & white in MANY cases. Just like kindle books, if the printed copy is $9.99 and the digital copy is priced for more then half that, I won't be buying the same book twice nor will I be buying it if I've never read it.
To be honest, if I've benefited in any way from the kindle store, it's been the previews. I've been able to download the previews of the books, read them when I can, and decide if I want the printed copy.. since the digital copy certainly wasn't priced attractive (and in a lot of cases, not discounted at all!)
All that aside, we are talking about novels and such... plain text documents that will be sold to us completely in black & white in MANY cases. Just like kindle books, if the printed copy is $9.99 and the digital copy is priced for more then half that, I won't be buying the same book twice nor will I be buying it if I've never read it.
What I think the publishers want is not that the ebook will be more expensive then the Actual book, but that the price of the ebook for new books that are released in hardcover that are going for $30 be priced higher on Amazon, at 12.99-14.99 instead of 9.99, because they believed the 9.99 price for new books was undercutting the HardCover price too much.
So you know not all ebooks are are priced at 9.99 on Amazon, some are lower, from what I can see they mostly price match the Mass Market paperback printing price for the books. They seem to be always cheaper the then Hardcover price but not then the paperback price, or not significantly lower then the paperback version.
I agree with the publishers on this,on the hardcover price part. That said looking at prices of ebooks compared to the mass market paperback price, I feel amazon and the publishers are charging too much. Why would I want to pay the same exact price for a ebook that I am paying for the Mass Market paperback version?
On the iPad,
My interest in the iPad is not as a e-reader but for its application as a device for my RPG games. I agree with Koldoon on this, the eye strain *Wanted to write iStrain ;)* involved with trying to read a full length novel on a iPad will be too much. I am more interested in the RPG apps that I hope will be added to this, character/monster builders, dice rollers and a means to carry the PDFs of my books on this device so I don't have to carry the books. How much nicer would it be to be able to just put all my Paizo PDFs on the iPad for a Convention instead of the books or printing out pages. I am hoping Josh will allow this in the Society to cover the rule of having the book with you for feats/traits/items not in the Core book, all in a device with better portability then my Windows laptop.
I will not be buying the Ipad when it first comes out, no matter how much I want to, because I know how apple is with the first gen of thier devices, the second and third gens are always much better, so I will be fighting the urge and waiting.
I believe that is what Vic was saying.....that the publisher should set the price.I think publishers *should* be able to set the price for electronic versions of their books.And I frankly think you're wrong. Manufacturer's SUGGESTED retail prices exist for a reason.
That wasn't my take on it, but I could easily be wrong.
My take was that Vic would like to see an Apple-like "fixed price" ... like iTouches, for example, which are always exactly the same price no matter where you go.
If he's talking about being able to set the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price, hell, I'm totally behind him on that one.
That said looking at prices of ebooks compared to the mass market paperback price, I feel amazon and the publishers are charging too much. Why would I want to pay the same exact price for a ebook that I am paying for the Mass Market paperback version?
Because you're getting the same end product?
Why shouldn't you pay the same price for the same content? Just because you, as the consumer, has chosen to read the book on another medium why should the price then be lower?If one isn't happy with the price of the e-book, then just buy the paper version instead.
I think consumer knowledge of the machinations of book printing has led to unrealistic demands on the part of the publishers.
If a publisher wants to offer e-books at lower prices than for the paper version, great! Should the price be higher than the paper version? I don't think they should.
If a publisher can sell e-books at the same price as the paper version, they should be free to do so. If they don't sell any books they might lower the price. I'm happy that Paizo's pdf-books are cheaper than the print version.
I do feel, though, that there's a difference between pdf-versions of e.g. rule books and novels in e-book format.
When it comes down to it, paperback novels are actually fairly cheap all things considered (or maybe my view is just skewed because of higher prices on goods in general over here compared to the US).