The Amazon Kindle : As a RPG Resource

[Baldwin Stonewood]

Here is a comparison matrix of all the e-readers available now, including the DR 1000s and the Kindle Dx.

Thanks for the link. this will make the comparison shopping go a lot easier now.

[Dark Clown]

With the original Kindle, amazon says that PDF format is supported via conversion...what's that mean?

And what about the PDF books I already have? Am I able to upload them, or do I have to repurchase them via their online store?

[Farcaster]

Dark,

The 6 inch screen Kindles do not support PDFs natively. They require the PDF to be converted which you do by sending the file to an Amazon email address and they email you back a converted copy. That can then be loaded on your Kindle The Kindle DX supports PDF natively, which means that you can take any PDF you own and put it on your Kindle. In both cases, it is free to do this.

[Dark Clown]

Ya know, if I was paying attention, I would've caught that. lol

Thanks for the info Farcaster. I've gotta admit I'm a bit computer illiterate (aside from being able to type and figure out how to use online dice rollers).

[Jmkeylon]

I thought the kindle looked pretty sweet... though nothing outdoes a good paperback. however for gaming, I can imagine it would be nice to have your resources in digital format on one device or another.

[tesral]

It could. Several things have to happen for me, aside form Amazon loosing its sphincter and giving the user control.

One: RPG books. That is kind of important. Great RPG resource implies RPG books to source.

Two: Ease of moving your own material to the Kindle. If I am DMing off the thing I need my stuff on the unit, and I would prefer, thank you very much to not use Amazon to do that. And thank you no, entering it on the over sized blackberry keyboard is not an option. How about my graphics? Graphics are important in an RPG.

Three: Color would be nice. It's low on the list, but I do use color in my work. I see in color as do my players.

E-book readers in general have a future in gaming, but right now it is only a glimmer. Major stumbling block, the lack of RPG e-books. I mean REALLY BIG MAJOR stumbling block.

The laptop has been creeping onto the gaming table.

[Farcaster]

Two: Ease of moving your own material to the Kindle. If I am DMing off the thing I need my stuff on the unit, and I would prefer, thank you very much to not use Amazon to do that. And thank you no, entering it on the over sized blackberry keyboard is not an option. How about my graphics? Graphics are important in an RPG.

The new Kindle DX supports moving PDF files from your computer to it natively, and gives you a nice crisp display. I've only seen it in action once, but perhaps the only complaint I would have with it other than the price is that the font size isn't adjustable when viewing PDFs. That probably means that you will need your glasses to read it if you--like me--need any correction at all.

[Farcaster]

This thread has moved completely off topic, so I have split it into two other threads:

Amazon Kindle and the 1984 Debacle
and Another View on the Amazon Kindle

[tesral]

The new Kindle DX supports moving PDF files from your computer to it natively, and gives you a nice crisp display. I've only seen it in action once, but perhaps the only complaint I would have with it other than the price is that the font size isn't adjustable when viewing PDFs. That probably means that you will need your glasses to read it if you--like me--need any correction at all.

Ach, bad. I can barely read PDFs at "100%" as it is. AISI one of the main advantages of an e-book would be the ability to change the font size. Take that away and it's one less reason to use it. I assume this limit is for PDFs only?

How much can they improve it before you end up with a tablet computer with a "digital ink" screen?

There is still the lack of available e-books of PDFs for legal purchase in the RPG field.

OK, let's ask that question. Who in the RPG market is selling e-books or PDFs?

(I'm holding out for lower prices and color on someone else's reader.)

[Farcaster]

Well, let's see. There's Paizo, Crafty Games, White Wolf, Fantasy Flight Games, Catalyst Games, Hero Games as well as a host of others. Take a stroll on down to RPGNow and take a look at what they have to offer. Paizo also has a large selection. There are lots of PDFs available.

That is why I think the Kindle DX is the first e-book reader that Amazon has released that really could be a useful tool at the gaming table, since it has native support for reading PDFs.

[tesral]

I'm looking at it the HanLin eBook is supporting a lot more formats. Lack of a keyboard is a minus, but it is a reader not a "writer". Same screen technology, nice size. No search function, that's a downer.

Now, if I could get the Kindle unit, the HanLin support and lock everyone I didn't want in out, I might consider the question.

Color would be nice too. However the technology currently is either color or battery life.

[tesral]

Someone finally got the Kindle to do real work.

[nudnic]

I just got a Kindle for xmas, and my first thought was how do I use this to run a game. I really want put my adventure on the Kindle.

As far the rules and rule books go I don't think they format well on the Kindle. So it's probably better to have these in book form.

But having a small map image on the kindle. With each room shown as a page on the kindle would be great.

Does anyone know how to make your own docs with image for the Kindle?

[Utgardloki]

I don't know for sure, but I've heard there is a way. You have to convert your docs to PDF format, then mail them to the company (not sure which company), and pay a little bit of money for the privilege of having it appear on your device.

You might be able to buy RPG books for Kindle, but I have a concern about that. They have shown that they can and will delete books from your kindle if they decide that it is right for them to do so: they did this to electronic copies of 1984. Given how WoTC handled the transition to 4th Edition, I would not want to give them the right to delete my copy of 4th Edition from my kindle, so I would continue to buy the hard copies. That makes it a little harder for them to take them away when they decide to go to 5th Edition.

[Farcaster]

I don't know for sure, but I've heard there is a way. You have to convert your docs to PDF format, then mail them to the company (not sure which company), and pay a little bit of money for the privilege of having it appear on your device.

The new Kindle handles PDFs natively, and on the old Kindle, Amazon would convert the PDF for free and send it to your email address if you wanted. Otherwise you could pay ten cents, or whatever it was, and have the PDF sent to your device wirelessly.

You might be able to buy RPG books for Kindle, but I have a concern about that. They have shown that they can and will delete books from your kindle if they decide that it is right for them to do so: they did this to electronic copies of 1984. Given how WoTC handled the transition to 4th Edition, I would not want to give them the right to delete my copy of 4th Edition from my kindle, so I would continue to buy the hard copies. That makes it a little harder for them to take them away when they decide to go to 5th Edition.

The situation with 1984 was atypical. Amazon admitted that their actions were a bit "Orwellian" if you will, but the reason they removed the books was because someone had uploaded a digital copy to their store who did not have the rights to sell it. The larger issue at hand to me is that this book ever made it through their quality control at all without someone verifying the sellers authority to sell it. It's not like we're talking about some obscure title either...

All this to say, Wizards would not have the legal right to even request that Amazon remove the books from your device. Even if they did, there is no way in Hell that they would do that, since they would utterly ruin their reputation as a company and have a class action lawsuit on their hands.