At this point probably no. But in 2016 when the contract is resigned maybe changes can be made to it.

Obvious reasons they would want to avoid creating PDFs if they could anyway.

A lot of people would download them thinking "I'll just see if its worth buying" or "its not out yet and I'm too curious" or "I don't want to pay $50 shipping to get a book to Australia"

People do this anyway. Not creating PDFs isn't even really slowing the black market down.

Exactly. I'm sure there's shady pdf's of every SWRPG book floating around somewhere, so I don't see why FFG can release an official one. I for one enjoy reading through the actual hardcovers, but during sessions it's just so much easier to ctrl+f something in a pdf.

Because they signed an agreement and are legally liable for sticking with it. Just because others are violating Copyright and Trademark laws by making and distributing copies doesn't mean that FFG can just ignore an agreement they have with someone, else they risk forfeiting the agreement and can't produce anything.

I;d just like to pop in here at this end: I wasn't implying FFG should break the law because "it's happening anyway". I was just arguing why "Because they'll be pirated" is a terrible excuse as to not create pdfs, in case FFG every gets licensed to make official pdfs of the Star Wars franchise.

And that was never the reason why they don't make PDFs. Both WotC and FFG make PDFs available of their books for other RPG lines (just check sites like RPGnow). The original license from LA comes from a time long before the commercial 'Net when West End Games wanted a license to do an RPG. PDFs didn't exist yet as a document format, computers being in homes were less than 4 years since Microsoft/Apple started releasing systems for the "average" user as this was before 1987 (since it takes time to write the material once you have the rights to do so). So, the license didn't allow for electronic materials as the only kinds that existed were computer games. Move forward to WotC getting the license. PDF was up to version 1.2 and wasn't widely used except to print out and write on, heheh. The license wasn't updated in the terms as even WotC didn't release PDFs of their Star Wars line and forced programs like PCGen to stop releasing datasets for the D20 Star Wars as it was violating their license and LA copyright/trademark. WotC gave up the license in 2010. Now FFG has it and it seems that the language of the license didn't change as the structure/organization of LA hadn't changed. So, still no PDFs.

Smartphone or tablet +1 of many apps x a lot of freakin time = PDF's. if like me you choose not to frequent pirate sites.

Scanner + Computer == digitized copy. Or, a simple LEGO page turner + smartphone camera == digitized copy. Heck, most offices have large printers/copiers that have a scan to pdf function that'll do double-sided scanning and autofeeding.

Which is why PDFs exist. But until FFG can get the license changed. If they can. No PDFs from FFG. But I foresee when the license comes up for renewal FFG asking to be allowed to sell PDFs. And I suspect they most likely will be allowed. Since FFG can say something along the lines of. "The PDFS are currently available for free and we can not stop it. So we make nothing on the PDFs. But if we are allowed to sell them then we can make something off the PDFs our customers are clamoring for. The license comes up for renewal in 2016 if I recall correctly.

Scanner + Computer == digitized copy. Or, a simple LEGO page turner + smartphone camera == digitized copy. Heck, most offices have large printers/copiers that have a scan to pdf function that'll do double-sided scanning and autofeeding.

But yes, that's the basics.

How did this topic pop back up? Holy cow, I started this page ages ago.

I honestly can live without PDFs. I only use it for an RPG I wanted to check out but didn't want to pay $60 for, so I bought the $20 PDF. For something like EotE, I'll buy the books out of a love of how they look on my wall... Ah, my Star Wars shrine... How EotE completes you...

...

Ahem, never mind that.

Castle, people wanted to resurrect a dead post because zombies are the "thing" right now I guess.

Zombies! Where?

(Grabs Zombie apocalypse bag [ZAB] & heads to the bunker)

Zombies! Where?

(Grabs Zombie apocalypse bag [ZAB] & heads to the bunker)

Well if Sith alchemists can create a virus turning people into Rakghouls, zombies could be possible…though the whole zombie apocalypse thing has been done to death….lol!

That's why you have a rakghoul apocalypse.

I don't know exactly how it works, but it has something to do with FFG not buying a Digital Distribution License. That's as simple as I can make it.

Of course, that doesn't explain the Dice App on my phone... which is incredibly awesome, by the way.

Raice, I hijacked the thread fair and square to talk about zombies and how to fend them off. It is no fair going back to a bad thread that is done to death.

Back to zombies. Do you ever wonder, if you became a zombie if your taste buds were resurrected as well?

Speaking of Zombies, check out FFG's new End of the World RPG!

Double Hijack! BAZINGA!

Speaking of Zombies, check out FFG's new End of the World RPG!

Double Hijack! BAZINGA!

I wonder if we will see that available in PDF?

Speaking of Zombies, check out FFG's new End of the World RPG!

Double Hijack! BAZINGA!

I wonder if we will see that available in PDF?

based on the other RPGs FFG does yes it will.

In an Order 66 podcast that I wasn't listening to recently (episode 33, I believe), Sam Stewart was asked a similar question about PDFs. All he said was that (and I'm paraphrasing) they didn't have the resources to do it and wanted to concentrate on other things to make their customers happy. He didn't mention anything about legal agreements and the like.

As I neither have a Juris Doctor, nor access to FFG's legal department files, I have no clue what their arrangements are with Lucas/Disney. Personally, I just don't think it's part of their marketing strategy.