David Boatright wrote:
>
> >The problem is that getting electronic files makes it that much
> >easier to pirate - the time it takes to scan in a physical book is
> >currently a deterrent to most people. And it doesn't even have to
> >be intentional piracy - if I have the files handy on my PC, and Jeff
> >says "hey, what's the rules for Y in the new book?", it's actually
> >easier for me to send the complete file(set) than it is to open the
> >file, search for the subject and cut&paste it. It's an "innocent"
> >piracy, I didn't mean to take away money from Issaries, but now
> >that's one sale they won't make, and if Jeff is one of those
> >"Information wants to be free" radicals, he might decide to publish
> >it on his webpage, or just send it to Rec.Games.FRP. Or I might
> >slip and send the files to HeroWars or HW-Rules or the digest
> >instead of Jeff, and bango, who needs to buy the paper copy?
>
> Steve Jackson Games make's playtest versions available Pyramid
> subscribers. Anyone how this has effected hi sales?
I'm the Regional Director for SJG's Men In Black Program for Canada.
The only reason that material is availble electronically is due to Steve's wish to do so. Many, many people else in SJG objected (and many still do).
Sales were, apparently, somewhat hurt but no one knows wether this is due to a general malise affecting GURPS -- game lines do go through phases and eventually die out from sheer wealth of material or from the online access.
I'd suspect that the availablity of such material is not common knowlege among the gaming population.
Jeff
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