Going digital?

[Harley]

I've been excited for the release of 40k 7th edition and recently pre-ordered the new BRB. My FLGS gave me a bit of a discount but I quickly started regretting my pre-order. I realized that almost $80 could instead have been invested in a decent digital tablet which could run the ebook version. Sure, the tablet is much more expensive, but if I eventually load it up with 3-4 codex, the Big Rule Book, and whatever supplements they come out with, it could probably pay for it's self within a year or so, not to mention have plenty of other uses... That's not to mention the necessity of downloading FAQs and Errata anyways.

So has anyone else been considering going digital? I have always been part of the "real book feel and smell" crowd, in fact I have an extensive collection of hardcover literature and novels. However, with 6th edition only lasting 2 years and these books approaching the $50-$100 mark, I'm fed up. Tomorrow I am probably going to go over and cancel my pre-order and am looking at tablets, counting my paychecks until I can afford one.

[-Tom-]

Yeah, I had a similar thought with regard to weighing up pros and cons of the new basic rulebook vs the special edition box. It occurred to me that it's not just a case of price of book vs price of box, because the box already has the mission cards and psychic cards in, although my main reason for weighing up those pros and cons was really just to see if I could justify aiming for an A5 rule book for ease of carrying. Then I gave myself a metaphorical smack round the head - I'd be far better off putting the money towards a tablet, and going digital. It won't pay for the tablet with just this one edition of rules... but, like you said, next codex, plus such and such an expansion, and it starts to add up.

[Caitsidhe]

It probably behooves you to consider it strongly. It is my personal belief that they will be gearing up to eliminate "editions" altogether and will have constantly updating information coming out in data slates and so on. It is also my belief that they will offer a subscription service in the near future wherein your rules get constantly updated (for a nominal fee of course). This is all win from their point of view. Even at a mere $10 a month they will make a 120.00 per person per year which will be far more than the books with less overhead.

[Harley]

Yeah, I had a similar thought with regard to weighing up pros and cons of the new basic rulebook vs the special edition box. It occurred to me that it's not just a case of price of book vs price of box, because the box already has the mission cards and psychic cards in, although my main reason for weighing up those pros and cons was really just to see if I could justify aiming for an A5 rule book for ease of carrying. Then I gave myself a metaphorical smack round the head - I'd be far better off putting the money towards a tablet, and going digital. It won't pay for the tablet with just this one edition of rules... but, like you said, next codex, plus such and such an expansion, and it starts to add up.

Yes it does start to add up. Of course, the cards would be nice to have on hand for playing. :)

Also helps I made a major error in shipping with my company recently, meaning I'll probably have to be eating the loss for my mistake... so having that little bit of extra money would be nice right now until it's time for the tablet.

[Voltigeur]

I went digital at the start of sixth and it's so much more convenient. I heartily recommend it. I know the feeling on book costs. I stopped buying GW books towards the end of fifth ed. If you're comfortable with piracy you can usually find a decent torrent of any book within a week or so of launch.

[Harley]

Are people cool with you using digital though? If they ask to see a rule and you pull out your tablet to show them, do they act like it's an inconvenience or are they accepting?

I'm also wondering how well they go over at tournaments.

[biffster666]

I've been playing 40k since the RT days and went 100% digital last September and I've never looked back.

I also HIGHLY recommend going the iPad route so you can get the enhanced versions, there is no substitute IMO. No more flipping all over the place to verify a single rule in a gazzillion different places, it's all right there with a single 'tap'. That's total freaking WIN. Ebook rules blow chunks IMO.

Almost forgot that enhanced editions are auto updated...BLAM!

As far as tournaments, I haven't seen one that doesn't allow them. We live in a digital age, not a hard copy one.

[daboarder]

Almost forgot that enhanced editions are auto updated...BLAM!

Only until the new edition drops, then all those psychic power apps, force requisition apps and the like all need to be re-bought

[biffster666]

Correct DB, but I didn't mean that your 'edition' auto updates....seriously dude?

Have you not heard BigRed and other discuss the difference between hard copy/ebook rules and the enhanced editions because the enhanced editions actually get updates?

Are you a regular here or not dude?...and you know I'm just giving you crap dude, it's all good!

[Harley]

True daboarder, but the same can be said of psychic cards etc.

I definitely don't think that digital is necessarily the cheaper way to go, but I think it may be the more sustainable, efficient route.

Some of my lists I would currently have to bring the BRB, Stronghold, Sororitas and/or Greyknights or Astra Militarum AND Inquisition just to play a game. Plus printed out FAQs for each book. That's just getting so silly.

[Bigred]

Poll added - how could I resist?

[deinol]

I voted no but the real answer is hybrid. I like real books, but I also grab digital of things I'm only casually interested in.

[Morgrim]

If I happened to have a compatible digital device that had been purchased for other uses I'd consider it. As it stands there is absolutely no value to me at the moment, I'm never getting an iPad (please don't turn this into a manufacturer debate, it's just they don't have the traits I need) and I lack any other form of easily transported digital access like a tablet. So while it might be helpful for those that can use those, for those that can't seeing all the shiny good stuff going digital only is incredibly discouraging.

[ElectricPaladin]

I have a hard time focusing digital formats. Don't know why - it's just always been so. I prefer physical books - I find them much easier to navigate.

[-Tom-]

Yes it does start to add up. Of course, the cards would be nice to have on hand for playing. :)

That is true, although it's still a case then of saying "Digital price + cards price vs Hardcopy price + cards price".


I have a hard time focusing digital formats. Don't know why - it's just always been so. I prefer physical books - I find them much easier to navigate.

I also do like real books for certain things... It's taken me a long time to switch over to a Kindle for books, and I still like to take real books away with me to work, alongside having some on the Kindle. So, I think my answer to the poll would be neither of the options available; in that I am not fully ready to go all out digital, but I'm definitely considering moving away from hardcopy for some things. Core rules and expansions, I can see myself going digitally with (as I feel it would be more convenient for carrying, and using for reference for rules), whereas I'd probably always want a hardcopy of the Eldar codex, (partly to look fancy on a shelf with the others, but also because I think I'd appreciate the artwork in it better).

Currently, I have a self-made electronic copy of all the relevant rules from the BRB where I have gone through and copied out what I need that is relevant to Eldar things - i.e. where something in the codex refers to a rule from the BRB. I also added in things like the data sheets for the forge world stuff modified with the latest updates for 6th Ed, updated data sheets from the codex with their own FAQ comments, and various sheets of house rules for things like Bonesingers (that still need play testing in a friendly game). Plus some artwork/photos of models and bits of fluff for my own craftworld. In the long run, I fancy the idea of printing it out and getting it bound, (though it is still a WIP at the moment) so having a hardcopy of it. If I were to get e-rules though, that were to update with errata / FAQs automatically, then that would save me having to go through my 'codex' to compile those, which seems like a good thing.

[ElectricPaladin]

I should clarify - I actually read a lot of kindle books and listen to a lot of audiobooks... for fiction. The trouble is just with books that I need to reference for information. I think it's because I end up figuring out where stuff is in a book kind of... well, by feel. I know how to open my mini 6th Edition rulebook right to the warlord traits without having to read the page numbers. I guess most readers and tablets have tools where you can put in bookmarks, but I'm so used to doing it this way that I never think to add bookmarks.

Truth be told, I'll probably get with the program eventually...

[Harley]

Something I have a lot of trouble with whenever reading it keeping the horizontal line I am on. My eyes skip down or up and I'll actually read half a sentence then accidentally skip to the next line in the paragraph, then get confused why it didn't make sense and have to reread it. I'm not sure if that's a common problem but with a book I can use a small ruler, piece of paper or bookmark to slowly scroll down paper. With digital it's even easier as long as the window scrolls smoothly as you can just align your view with the top or bottom of the page as you scroll. Would be nice if there was an app that added an overlay though.

[This Dave]

I have to admit I'm starting to like the iPad codexes. Being able to click on a link and read the text of a rule is SO much more convenient than either finding the book with the rule or flipping to another part of the book to reference it. I also like that any corrections are put into the text so I'm not carrying around a couple of books plus the printouts of the FAQs to a game.

However, I still get worried about the tablet's battery dying or dropping the thing in a crowded gaming area and not being able to check rules during a game. And I would still need to print out all the FAQ pages to see what exactly has changed in the codex when there is an update. And I can see arguments starting when one player has a book and another player's e-codex says something different.

I still bought the Munitorum set because it has all the shiny things in it like the art book and cards I was going to buy anyways. But I'll probably get an electronic version of the rules later for the convenience.

[Cap'nSmurfs]

The wife and I are hoping to move to the US before the end of the year, so having all my books in digital form is a godsend.

[bootdos]

...digital is fine...but it will never beat having the hard copy...in any way, shape or form. Hard copies are here to stay.

[Darren Richardson]

I prefer the digital versions myself, mostly because of an issue I have with space and with portablility, I can tgransport a small e-reader in a large pocket, but with a large hardback book not so, also my digital shelf space is near infiniate, my physical shelf space cluttered up already :rolleyes:

I just wish the digital books were just a little cheaper, and that Forge World woulf release their stuff in that format as well...

[swoods]

As much as I'd love to go digital, there are a couple of things stopping me:

1. I love books! Proper, paper, with bookmarks, broken spines, folded pages etc! The look, smell and feel of a new/old book can be quite emotional/subjective. It brings back memories of when I bought it/who gave it to me, when I first read it etc. And in terms of rule books, reminds me of all the great games I've had. Also, books have a "value" they're tangible. Whereas with e-documents I always feel as if I've just been marched up to a cash machine and robbed of fifty notes and then given a swift kick in the happys for good measure! After all, the book is already done and dusted, how much more realistically needs to be done to make it into a pdf (the one caveat to this being the interactive I-Format which I think is cool)?!

2. The cost! If I was going to purchase any particular tablet, it'd have to be an I-pad. Purely because of the interactivity that the GW I-Book products provide (see above). Then I'd want the best, largest storage capacity one... "£600 please sir, thank you very much. Did Sir want a 1st generation I-bag to go with that?* Very good sir, that'll be another £5 then please!" And after downloading the rules, and codices, I wouldn't really use the bloody thing for anything other than nerding out!

* 1st gen I-bag (copyright swoods 2014). System specifications:

Material: Non-biodegradable "supermarket" shopping bag material, with air holes and "do not put your child in this bag message". 100% non-recyclable.
Capacity: Limited to one, smallish box, will immediately malfunction if more than one item is placed in the I-bag at the same time.
Ergonomics: Will cut and chafe fingers regardless of what is placed in the bag.
Life expectancy: 5 minutes
Warranty: None.

[Harley]

Best thing about not buying the physical copy of this book is, after now seeing the real changes to 7th vs the rumored changes, I'm not stuck with this new book that was really just a tweak to the rules. I honestly think 7th ed isn't a good investment... for the time being I can just work on making my models WYSIWYG based on the new tweaked rules and acquire the rule book in my own time.

[Blackcloud6]

Does anyone buy both? I can see the pro or cons with having both. There are times when I like to have the hard bound copy but I also like the way the digital ones (iPad) have the interaction and quick referencing.

[Psychosplodge]

you know what happens when you buy a cd off amazon these days? They provide you with the mp3s to download as well...

[Darren Richardson]

you know what happens when you buy a cd off amazon these days? They provide you with the mp3s to download as well...

not every album Psycho, not every album, just those companies that Amazon made deals with....

I should point out that's the one reason why I buy my music from Amazon....

[Psychosplodge]

Ah isn't it?
Must have been lucky with the last half a dozen.
But tbh there isn't really anything stopping them giving you a free digital copy with a hardcopy FOC.