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Summary:
- 6 of the 15 Map products advertised in last Humble Bundle as having both PDFs & JPGs, apparently doesn't have JPGs.
- Most store pages for digital version of Map product descriptions are just copy/paste descriptions of the Physical Map Mats/Tiles store pages.
- Customer Support has been frustrating.
Details:
It has been a little more than a month since my first email to support for this, despite that, some things are still not resolved or have not been answered.
Originally there were some outright missing (of any version) products, however this has been since resolved for me. (But did anyone finally get all their missing items if they hadn't contacted support about it?)
However the following items, while I did eventually get the PDF version, there is still no individual JPG image versions of these:
Pathfinder Flip-Mat Classics: Forest*
Pathfinder Flip-Mat Classics: Town Square
Pathfinder Flip-Mat Classics: Watch Station
Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Mythos Dungeon
Pathfinder Flip-Tiles: Forest Perils Expansion*
Pathfinder Flip-Tiles: Forest Starter Set*
According to support as of Jan. 7th, (over multiple emails going back since Dec. 11th) they said JPGs of these are not available (Despite what was advertised in the bundle and those folks in the forum and Reddit claiming they got all their PDF and JPG files, eventually.) and pointed out that I did get the PDFs, politely implying there is no problem to begin with as long as I have at least those files. :/
On Dec 11 in the forums I asked for a clarification on image files included with map mat / tile PDF purchases, not just with the bundle but when store bought through Paizo.com, but no one has answered that inquiry yet to date. I also followed up with support on Dec 12th also asking for this clarification from them too. This was in the same ticket thread from when I reported the original outright missing items (like many others had experienced) on Dec 11th. On Dec. 22nd, having not seen the missing PDFs appear nor a support response about the JPGs, I followed up again with with another email. They replied that day with an update that they had just reapplied the bundle and said they sent my image inquiry higher up and would get back to me after the holidays about those JPG clarification with the store.
I followed up again via email on Jan 6th, again asking the specifics about the missing JPGs and map images in general purchased on the site, but the support person just reapplied the PDF versions of the 6 maps to the library again, which wasn't what was requested or necessary and indicative they likely didn't fully read the latest email or any other messages in the earlier support thread.
I made another reply being more detailed, going over the ongoing duplicate product file name issues just in case the support person was new and hopefully helps them find the missing JPG files. Next day a different person replied stating the product file name update was just applied but, as stated above, was the point they said there were no JPGs of those 6 map products. :<
This isn't a simple issue of my not getting what was advertised. Note a total of 6,613 bundles were sold. Source: https://www.humblebundle.com/books/pathfinder-second-edition-holiday-haul-b undle-paizo-books 5 of the 15 maps in the bundle was in the 1st tier, the rest included in the second tier. Three of those maps advertised as having the JPGs (but apparently don't) was included in that lowest/minimal tier. (Asterisked above.) Potentially several thousand people were affected. But ignoring all that, it was ultimately for charity and that was still a the good part to everyone to participate in.
But bottom line for Paizo this also reveals a missed opportunity in regards to digital map sales in general.
The JPG versions are very desirable for their use in Foundry VTT. (Or PNGs or WebP image formats.) Saves time rather than having to use some program to extract the images out of the PDF before they can be used. Plus the bigger issue is the PDF's embedded images are of a lower resolution, while the JPG's resolution are usually significantly better. Those better images would likely also be the same images provided to the licensed Paizo VTT products sold through Fantasy Grounds and / or Roll20, which all 6 of these have links to FG VTT versions of those products. So those JPGs should still exist and thus should be available.
I want to emphasize that including map images in addition to the PDFs for map mats and tiles is a selling point for me. And I wouldn't be the only one, considering use in Foundry VTT. I'm now interested in buying digital PF and SF maps thanks to this bundle. (and I don't mean, only waiting for Humble Bundles to get them, either.) I even created an offline wish list of what digital maps I want purchase along with some of the Society modules that also use them, to buy in the future. (For those that don't know, Pathfinder Wiki lists these in their product info pages.)
If some or all of these digital map products are including the images in addition to the PDFs but the store site pages are not advertising this, then Paizo is missing potential sales. Pathfinder Flip-Mat Classics: Watch Station PDF is a good example of copy/paste description being used. No need to include the dry erase instructions for digital products. But info like the image resolution or a clause allowing printing for personal use would be useful here. (specifically to have for folks wanting to print a copy for personal use at a print shop, who would otherwise refuse to do so for copyright laws without the permission.) Isn't the original purpose of releasing PDFs of maps / mats was so that people can print them out for personal use? (This being before VTTs become common, as they are now.) Otherwise they're not very useful as PDFs, in comparison to the digital source books and adventures.
There still hasn't been an answer for general map images from the store question I made since Dec. 12th, a full month ago. I still don't know if purchasing any of PDF versions Map Mats or Tiles includes images if bought at Paizo.com or if the the JPGs was just a Humble Bundle exclusive. With the exception of one product Pathfinder Flip-Tiles: Wilderness Starter Set PDF (which actually looks like an error, as there is no real description) no other map product page mentions JPGs.
It would be nice to get an answer to what I've been asking. I want to purchase maps if they include the images, not just the PDF.