The other thread about why gaming pdfs are the Antichrist got me to thinking that a thread touting the positives of the format would be nice. Yes, I'm also guilty of buying pdfs and forgetting them, or letting them sit unread. But I like that I have them, for at least two reasons I can think of off the top of my head:

• They're convenient. Yes, I love books, but after a lifetime of buying them, the room I have to store even more books is severely limited. A stack of CDs filled with files is much easier to find room for.


• Versatility. I can print off the exact pages I want from a given book file, and even alter or edit the material depending on what I'm using it for at the moment. That is, if I only want a a specific NPC stat block and profile from a pdf, I can print only that, or even cut and paste the relevant material into document I hand out to players.

Damn, I misspelled the thread title, of all things!

• They're cheaper than print, so I can afford to try a new game even if I'm not entirely sure about it.  
• I can extract key info to make handy reference sheets for my players.
• Immediate gratification, baby!  Download at any time the craving takes you!
• Many authors who can't afford to give print copies are willing to offer free comp copies of the PDF for playtesters and reviewers.
• I can carry a bunch of reference books "just in case" on my flash drive, rather than carry the whole stack to the game.
• Searchable!  Even if the game has a crappy index or no index at all, I can find the info I need.

One reason to like game PDFs: 1001 science fiction weapons.

I use the mother of all encounter tables, using the index to jump between tables. Then I print out the respective monsters from the Tome of Horrors, if neccessary, and lovingly scissorwork them into my private Campaign Notebook.

It´s fun and efficient, and I don´t have to carry around four books of monsters.

Quote from: Anemone

• They're cheaper than print, so I can afford to try a new game even if I'm not entirely sure about it.  

Are  you sure?

PDF games are so overpriced it's ridiculous! I wouldn't pay more than $10 for any pdf rpg.

Quote from: SettembriniI use the mother of all encounter tables, using the index to jump between tables. Then I print out the respective monsters from the Tome of Horrors, if neccessary, and lovingly scissorwork them into my private Campaign Notebook.

It´s fun and efficient, and I don´t have to carry around four books of monsters.

Y'know, it's cool that you joined in the spirit of the thread and didn't threadcrap like a lot of people would have. By the way, your use of the Mother of All Encounter Tables is exactly why I wish I had the electronic version of that specific book rather than the physical version of the book that I own.

Quote from: signoftheserpentAre  you sure?

PDF games are so overpriced it's ridiculous! I wouldn't pay more than $10 for any pdf rpg.

In some cases, it's true. And to that you've got to add that if you don't have a printer at home, you have to pay to get them printed.

which actually makes it more expensive (and even then you don't get the fancy cover you might get with a hardback game book).

I'm not against electronic files at all, but the ida of treating them the same as an actual physical product, ostensibly i suppose because of the same production values, is ludicrous in the extreme.

they are also largely useless to me since my eyesight is such that reading off screen is vbery difficult, so a 300 page rulebook? no chance!

I really question the acumen of these producers; i can get stuff if i want it through irc for free, pirate obviously (and i don't condone piracy but get real).

bonkers.

Quote from: ClaudiusIn some cases, it's true. And to that you've got to add that if you don't have a printer at home, you have to pay to get them printed.

I think this is better suited to the other thread about why people don't like pdfs.

In general, pdfs are cheaper than printed books. Yeah, if you want them printed out, it'll cost you. But if you buy the pdf because you don't want to add to an ever-growing stack of real books, then printing it out isn't really an issue.

Quote from: signoftheserpentwhich actually makes it more expensive (and even then you don't get the fancy cover you might get with a hardback game book).

I'm not against electronic files at all, but the ida of treating them the same as an actual physical product, ostensibly i suppose because of the same production values, is ludicrous in the extreme.

they are also largely useless to me since my eyesight is such that reading off screen is vbery difficult, so a 300 page rulebook? no chance!

I really question the acumen of these producers; i can get stuff if i want it through irc for free, pirate obviously (and i don't condone piracy but get real).

bonkers.

Again, there is a whole other thread for bashing pdfs. Why threadcrap this one?

I don't understand this argument at all; it has no basis in reality. PDF's are functionally the same price. An ever growing stack of books? come on!

Quote from: ColonelHardissonI think this is better suited to the other thread about why people don't like pdfs.

Sorry, I didn't mean to threadcrap.

On the other hand, if arguments cannot be contested, this is going to be a sterile debate, ditto for the "PDFs suck" thread. So, you can only say good things in this thread, and bad things on the other one, about PDFs, what if you want to say both good and bad things about them?

PDFs are not "TEH ROXXOR" nor "TEH SUXXOR", they've got both advantages and disadvantages over printed books.

If I really love a RPG book, I want a print copy (there's just something about a physical game book in your hands), but there is so much excellent supplemental and source material out there in pdf form (not to mention excellent game publishers who publish mainly in electronic form) that I think my gaming experience would not be nearly as rich as it has been lately without pdfs.

Quote from: signoftheserpentI don't understand this argument at all; it has no basis in reality. PDF's are functionally the same price.

This sounds like rationalizing just for the sake of threadcrapping, which is even more annoying given there is an entire thread devoted to bitching about pdfs. Again, when I buy a pdf, I don't intend to print it out, except for specific sections, and only then if I decide I need a hardcopy. Your argument is hard to understand: "functionally the same price"? Given that I spend less money and get the same amount of use and reading pleasure out of a given pdf that I've bought as I do a comparable printed book, and don't have to worry about storage space, then yeah, pdfs are cheaper for me. If someone's OCD compels them to print out every pdf they own, that's no concern of mine.

Quote from: signoftheserpentAn ever growing stack of books? come on!

Now there's a weak answer: "come on." What does that even mean? Here, let me spell it out: I have hundreds of books. I don't have an infinite amount of space to store them all. I can't afford to add to the pile I have. So whose argument has no basis in reality? Perhaps you have an extradimensional space or your Mom's basement is particularly large, but I have access to neither.

Quote from: ClaudiusOn the other hand, if arguments cannot be contested, this is going to be a sterile debate,

Wasn't intended as a debate, but as a thread for declarations of what people like about pdfs.

Quote from: Claudiusditto for the "PDFs suck" thread. So, you can only say good things in this thread, and bad things on the other one, about PDFs, what if you want to say both good and bad things about them?

Post in both threads? Create another thread for the type of discussion you want? That's what I did. Notice I didn't post "hey, pdfs are cool, here's why" in the other thread.

Quote from: ClaudiusPDFs are not "TEH ROXXOR" nor "TEH SUXXOR", they've got both advantages and disadvantages over printed books.

OK, so start a thread where the pros and cons are weighed against each other.