e-book readers - the Future of roleplaying?

MfA · Post by **MfA** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 9:42 pm

IMO the next generation of D&D should come with full support for digital play in a maptool sense, with digital maps (they already make maps for modules any way) and animated monsters (doesn't need to be super high quality, hell they could try to license game assets of old games like TOEE and NWN) and electronic charactersheets and rules reference for the popular tablet/mobile platforms (windows/android/iPhone).

LCOS based pico projectors are about to get very cheap ... if they could sell a projector which you could put on the table to project module maps with animated monsters on the table top for under 100$ I think it could be a success and make table top gaming a lot more sexy. The electronic character sheets and automated DM tools would also take a lot of the book keeping out of gaming.

Meikle641 · Post by **Meikle641** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 6:39 am

Didn't see another thread dedicated to e-readers, so here we go.

I've seen a refurbished/used Kobo for cheap around here, but I'm wondering what downsides there are compared to other brands. Like, can I use books I got from Amazon? If not, is it possible to easily convert them to the right format?

Josh_Kablack · Post by **Josh_Kablack** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 4:03 pm

I can't speak too Kobo as a brand specifically, but if just about any Android device with access to either Google Play or the Amazon App Store can install Challenger Comics Viewer and the free version of Moon+ Reader, which between them handle any standard ebook file type save for .lit. Oh wait, neither of those handles .doc formats nor .rtf, so you'll also need something like Open Office for Android if you want to read stuff you're writing yourself. All of those are free apps

Conversion is possible, but not always easy nor wise when you're talking about rpg texts where layout involves columns, sidebars, inset boxs and art and other layout that can get screwier than simple character by character text conversion.

hyzmarca · Post by **hyzmarca** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 4:23 pm

Kobo's OS isn't android based, so that won't work. Nook's is, and can be modded to run a full version of android (though hardware is limiting)

You won't be able to use amazon book without stripping the the DRM. That's not terribly difficult, though. And once you do that it's rather trivial to convert the AZW to Mobi or Epub and sideload it.

It's inconvenient, though, compared to downloading directly from the cloud.

Josh_Kablack · Post by **Josh_Kablack** » Fri Jun 19, 2015 12:23 am

Well, I don't know how cheap "for cheap" is for you, and I don't know what shipping outside of the US adds, but a quick glance at Newegg shows refurbished tablets as low as $35.

Meikle641 · Post by **Meikle641** » Fri Jun 19, 2015 3:03 am

I'm eventually going to get a tablet eventually (something android based), but I've no idea. Plus that'd be for business stuff, mostly. I'm wanting an e-ink e-reader for reading in general, since they have way better battery life.

hyzmarca · Post by **hyzmarca** » Fri Jun 19, 2015 3:16 am

Josh_Kablack wrote:Well, I don't know how cheap "for cheap" is for you, and I don't know what shipping outside of the US adds, but a quick glance at Newegg shows refurbished tablets as low as $35.

If you get a $35 tablet your eyes will try to kill you. Believe me. The easiest way to reduce manufacturing costs on a tablet is to buy shit screens that are physically painful to look at.

ckafrica · Post by **ckafrica** » Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:47 am

Consider screen size. I've had both 7in and 10in and while I liked the 7 for portability (it fit in my pocket nicely) the larger screen is better for rpg book formats IMO.

Meikle641 · Post by **Meikle641** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 4:53 am

Got a 5 inch Kobo Mini today. It seems okay for now. Small, but easy to fit in a pocket. I'll spring for a big e-reader at some point, but this will do.