Any plans to release BW in PDF? Or hardcover?

[Claudius]

I'm sorry if this is not the appropriate place to open this thread.

It occurred to me that it would be cool to have a PDF version of Burning Wheel, as Burning Empires does, or even a hardcover. I wouldn't want my BW books to get ruined with actual use. So Luke, have you thought of it? Do you think it's a good idea? And if not, why not?

Thank you!

[Dwight]

BWR in PDF would be at least six kinds of super-dee-duper.

I don't know about hardcover. I've found my BWR books to be extremely resilient. I think there was mention of having a single book for everything when the full set is completely published in a similar format as BE. But that was before the glue issues (which reminds me, I need to take a photo and send it in, mine recently separated and the paper on paper makes a really disturbing sound when I open it now).

Personally I like them as separate books.

[Caesar_X]

A SE hardcover of BWR would be interesting. But not 20 minutes ago I was flipping through the Character Burner and thinking about how nice of a condition it was still in compared to other indie games that I bought around the same time. A little foxing around the edges, but that is it. Spine is awesome, covers look great regardless of getting fondled a lot by my friends, enemies, etc.

[luke]

No plans for a change in format for BWR. Possibly maybe a single-book edition in 2008, but I doubt it. I like the two books. And Cushing Malloy prints 'em nice!

No plans for pdf of BWR until it goes out of print -- and sales are steady!

[Merritt Baggett]

Possibly maybe a single-book edition in 2008

I'm definately askin' Santa for a single book edition combo with the main book, the character burner and the MonBu, all wrapped up in a studded leather bookjacket.

Then I'd mount it on the wall next to Nobilis and the "Brick" in my RPGs-as-Weapons display.

:p

[Claudius]

No plans for a change in format for BWR. Possibly maybe a single-book edition in 2008, but I doubt it. I like the two books. And Cushing Malloy prints 'em nice!

No plans for pdf of BWR until it goes out of print -- and sales are steady!
It's a pity. I admit I'm very nitpicky with books and that's the reason why I asked. When one uses a book it's normal that it wears out, but I'm especially worried because they're small books, and I imagine they will be open often. Well, I'm rambling.

I guess that if a single-book edition gets published, it will be a hardcover. That would be cool. Since you say you doubt it, I won't count on it, but I would be glad to see it.

I'm glad sales are going well.

Thank you, Luke.

[luke]

claudius, you're worrying needlessly. The BWR books are very solid. My books have seen more hands than yours ever will and they're in great condition.

-L

[stormsweeper]

Yeah, mine have seen heavy use and abuse for the past 20-odd months and are holding up great. You could always use one of those clear library laminates, too. I believe that Iskander did such with his books.

[Iskander]

If you're as neurotic as I am, you can laminate the already-laminated books with this stuff (http://www.shopbrodart.com/shop/cb/product.aspx?pgid=3539&catnum=55011002). I do that to pretty much all my small press softcover RPG books, because the quality is pretty variable, and I don't want them getting too manky.

BW:R has never had that problem, though; they're sturdy books that wear well. I mean, they look worn, in a comfortable, lived-in way, but they certainly don't fall apart.

[Paul B]

Meanwhile, my poor Burning Empires book is right on the verge of blowing apart into fifteen little pieces. Anyone have any suggestions on re-binding, gluing, whatever?

p.

[Dwight]

Unless you've been using it as a standin for cheese rolling races (http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2673366) it isn't on the verge of falling apart. That is some serious stitching in there. More details in this thread (http://www.burningwheel.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3253) including some highly unoffical suggestions from other posters.

[luke]

I will have news on the fate of Burning Empires shortly.

-L

[Claudius]

If you're as neurotic as I am,
Yes, I am. :(


you can laminate the already-laminated books with this stuff (http://www.shopbrodart.com/shop/cb/product.aspx?pgid=3539&catnum=55011002). I do that to pretty much all my small press softcover RPG books, because the quality is pretty variable, and I don't want them getting too manky.
I already did! :) Well, I only laminated the core Burning Wheel books, I have yet to laminate the Monster Burner. I laminate amost all my gaming books, it really helps to protect them.

Well, Luke, if you ever change your mind and decide to release a PDF or a harcover version of Burning Wheel, please let us know!

It's been a long time since I posted the last time in this forum, I know. I have been always lamenting that I don't "get" Burning Wheel, but since it has a lot of cool rules I decided to give it another reread. I hope I will understand it better this time.

[Claudius]

I will have news on the fate of Burning Empires shortly.

-L
Oh my!

[Paul B]

I will have news on the fate of Burning Empires shortly.

-L

Cue dramatic music!

We all get hand-illustrated copies of the book for free, right? Right?

Is this thing on?

:rolleyes:

p.

[IronWhim]

I much prefer the two books for BW. I would be worried about the binding on a book too much larger. As is, it's nice, because multiple people can be at the books at once, rather than waiting for one person to finish hogging a single, massive tome.

BE's binding is concerning to me, as our copy is already showing signs of serious horkage (the binding appears uneven and looks ready to go). Two books is definitely a happy for me.

[Z-Dog]

I know, let's put BE into three books like BWR to solve the glue problem. That way Chris'll have to illustrate 2 new covers. ;) :eek:

[cmoeller]

I know, let's put BE into three books like BWR to solve the glue problem. That way Chris'll have to illustrate 2 new covers. ;) :eek:

Two new covers.... hmmm.....

[mtiru]

Two new covers.... hmmm.....

one of them has to be foil embossed, like comics in the 90s.

as for the BW hardcover - trust me, two books are better! they are so light and manageable.

[The Dragon Master]

Personally I like the Two book way that it is currently printed. For only $50 I can have two Character Burners and Two Core Rule Books for my players to thumb through while burning characters.

[Jake Norwood]

I have to agree that while I first thought that the two-book format was pretty weird, I'm 100% sold on it now. Much more manageable, easier to read, easier to use.

Jake

[Derelict]

Having a PDF version was a huge part of the reason I bought BE. I run my games from a laptop, and there is no substitute for searching for tables / phrases / etc and finding them in under 5 seconds with a text search.

I was / am interested in BW as well, but have held off buying it simply because there is no PDF version.

As some other folks pointed out, I'm having problems with the binding in BE. Personally, I find this shocking, since I'm *the* single most incredibly anal person I know when it comes to handling books. My players can view the PDF of BE on my laptop if they have questions, but as for my book ... no touchie! :) I donate all of my "used" hardcover novels to Friends of Books (library association) here in Alpine, and they're consistently amazed at the pristine books I give them.

If it weren't for piracy, I'm betting we'd already have BW in PDF format, though :(

Keep up the good work, and I hope the BE news hinted at above is good! I have bugged our local game store about the game, since their table area generates a lot of visible publicity. They took at look at your website, and have promised they'll give it a playtest, but I haven't been to the store in a couple of weeks ... so I don't know if they've done it yet.

D

[Z-Dog]

just got my BWR and MoBu yesterday and I gotta say they are bea-ti-ful!

I'm sure the paperback format helps keep the cost of the books down

I love the size/heft of the books, fit perfectly in hand (rather than those textbook sized Dnd tomes)

I had no idea how long these books were (all the pics online show straight on cover shots), and I'm really glad these books are broken up into three volumes: putting them together would make a friggin' brick (even just BWR I and II) and probably lead to the same problems that plague the BE book

also passing them across the table is a lot easier w/ the two books

I'm impress 'cause my experience w/ indie RPGs is the art/quality of layout is sometimes sub-par,

but boy Luke, you and BWHQ put out some excellent products! color me highly impressed! :grin:

[luke]

Glad you like 'em, man!

[Anteruo]

Yeah, mine have seen heavy use and abuse for the past 20-odd months and are holding up great. You could always use one of those clear library laminates, too. I believe that Iskander did such with his books.

That what I did too. I'm really particular about the condition of my books so I laminated them immediately. Heck, 9 months later they still look brand new.

[Jake Norwood]

Where do you get these laminates?

Jake

[The Dragon Master]

The link was provided earlier. But here (http://www.shopbrodart.com/shop/cb/product.aspx?pgid=3539&catnum=55011002) it is again for all who missed it. There are probably other sites as well, but I haven't run a search for it.

[Anteruo]

Where do you get these laminates?

Jake

I got a roll at Staples. Even there it's a bit obscure and I had to ask where it was.

[Derelict]

Well, I received the BW books in the mail last week, and am dutifully working my way through them. Good stuff :)

Luke, if you ever release the pdfs for these in the future, *please* make it a big sticky note somewhere! I'll be getting some laminate for my books, and watching my fumble-fingered players like hawks until then :)

Thanks for the laminate link, TDM!

D