Buying the books (and "donating" to Rich)

[littlebum2002]

After I read the online strips numerous times, and read about the important print-only moments I was missing (not even mentioning the 2 entire prequel books, but more like the "true" introductions, the "other" prophesy, the underwater adventure, etc.); I realized I had to get my hands on those books. Here, I want to describe the steps I took to do so, which for better or for worse (probably worse) pretty much explains a lot of the problems content producers experience today.

Step 1: try to obtain the information freely. I scoured "those sites" (you know which ones) hoping to find someone who had paid money for the content, then scanned every single strip I wanted to read and chose to give it away free so I wouldn't have to pay anything. Unsurprisingly, this person did not exist. As this was my usual method of obtaining content, it didn't strike me as immoral or illegal.

Step 2: try to obtain the information as cheaply as possible. Seeing that prices for the books on Amazon were about half the cost of the official store, I of course bought them there, read them a couple times, then re-sold them for a net cost to me of a few dollars a book. Score! (Again, this is my usual recourse whenever Step 1 fails, I thought nothing of it)

Step 2.5: all this was happening around the time of the Kickstarter campaign. As I was unfamiliar with Kickstarter at the time, the whole thing seemed like a scam to me. I am now kicking myself for missing out on the Kickstarter-only content!


Step 3: At this point, I was getting REALLY into the strip, and Rich had his injury, and was struggling to get everyone everything they promised them, and I thought "this guy works really hard, I should send a donation or something to express my appreciation". Then i read a post where Rich expressed his desire that people not donate money to him. I questioned this, as at this point I thought the work was definitely worth giving a donation to pay him for his time.

Step 4: A little lightbulb goes off in my head. Why am I trying to get stuff for free, and at the same time trying to donate money to this guy? . I went to the online store, purchased the entire book collection, and have them proudly displayed on my bookshelf.


I'm amazed that paying full price for something makes perfect sense, yet I am so unaccustomed to doing it that it never even crossed my mind prior to this point as a possibility. It honestly made more sense to me to steal his content, then give him money for the privilege.

So because of Rich's "no donations" policy, I finally realized how much piracy hurts content producers, and have changed my ways. Well, I'm trying to at least.

I just wanted to share my story. I hope you possibly learned something, or at least laughed at how stupid I was. I love actually owning the books now, and I've forgotten how nice it is to curl up with a good book as opposed to curling up with an e-book on a tablet.


Now, if you don't mind, I'm going off to finish reading Snips, Snails and Dragon Tales.

[grandpheonix]

Thats kinda how i felt when i got my promotion. I always called myself i pirate for the obvious reason, but now i try to purchase everything the correct way. Spotify, netflix, hbo go, and hulu. I love oots and when the next kickstarter begins, im throwing down!

[CRtwenty]

I admit that I pirated some of the book a while back when they were out of print but I bought them later when they became available again.

I've enjoyed OotS for years so there was no reason for me not to support it with my money. Also they look snazzy on my shelf. I'm glad to see others agree with me.

[littlebum2002]

Also they look snazzy on my shelf.


Agreed. I'm very impressed with the quality of these books.

Of course, my wife and my friends who aren't "in the know" make fun of me for buying stick-figure comic books, but the joke's on them, right? They're missing a heck of a good story.

On that note, my wife asked if she would enjoy reading the story, and I think she would, but I don't know where to get her started. I have the feeling that reading the first book, packed with obscure jokes about rules from a game she never played, will turn her off from a great story. I guess I could start her off at the start of the 2nd book, couldn't I? They do a summary in the beginning, after all, and she can always go back and read the 1st book once she gets involved in the story.

[CRtwenty]

Agreed. I'm very impressed with the quality of these books.

Of course, my wife and my friends who aren't "in the know" make fun of me for buying stick-figure comic books, but the joke's on them, right? They're missing a heck of a good story.

On that note, my wife asked if she would enjoy reading the story, and I think she would, but I don't know where to get her started. I have the feeling that reading the first book, packed with obscure jokes about rules from a game she never played, will turn her off from a great story. I guess I could start her off at the start of the 2nd book, couldn't I? They do a summary in the beginning, after all, and she can always go back and read the 1st book once she gets involved in the story.

Well if she's played any sort of RPG or Fantasy genres game she should get most of the jokes without D&D knowledge. But starting with book 2 shouldn't be an issue.

[ChristianSt]

Agreed. I'm very impressed with the quality of these books.

Of course, my wife and my friends who aren't "in the know" make fun of me for buying stick-figure comic books, but the joke's on them, right? They're missing a heck of a good story.

On that note, my wife asked if she would enjoy reading the story, and I think she would, but I don't know where to get her started. I have the feeling that reading the first book, packed with obscure jokes about rules from a game she never played, will turn her off from a great story. I guess I could start her off at the start of the 2nd book, couldn't I? They do a summary in the beginning, after all, and she can always go back and read the 1st book once she gets involved in the story.


I kinda don't get this whole book 1 bashing. It is a fine book, and with the new intro it starts much better anyway. I also think that the plot really thickens rather fast (thanks to the Linear Guild).
I really like the "small town arc", so starting there isn't bad (and it doesn't really need that much of book 1 in the beginning), but imo it is best to read book 1 rather soonish than later.

In all cases she (or anyone else starting with reading the books) should skip any author commentary. They heavily spoil the book content and should first be read after the ark (or best the whole book).


to "packed with obscure jokes about rules from a game she never played". I have (unfortunately) never played D&D, though I play(ed) my fair share of other P&P-RPGs. I think most of the jokes are fine if you have some sort of contact with RPGs in general. (Sure you maybe don't know what "I got a 4!" should mean, if it would be posted outside of any context, but in the strip it is clear that it is a failed check.)

[Throknor]

"donating" is pretty insulting. Is it "donating" when you pay for a car? Is it "donating" when you pay for a flight? Is it "donating" when you pay for your dinner out? Is it "donating" when your employer pays you for a week's work?

Something was produced by someone and they decided to sell it. Paying for that is called "buying" it. It's what grown-ups in a civilized society do.

[Keltest]

"donating" is pretty insulting. Is it "donating" when you pay for a car? Is it "donating" when you pay for a flight? Is it "donating" when you pay for your dinner out? Is it "donating" when your employer pays you for a week's work?

Something was produced by someone and they decided to sell it. Paying for that is called "buying" it. It's what grown-ups in a civilized society do.

In this case his desire to donate money to Rich was independent of his desire to have the books, until he realized that Rich gets money if he buys the books.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

Also they look snazzy on my shelf.

That they do indeed. They smell nice too. :smallbiggrin:

[littlebum2002]

Well if she's played any sort of RPG or Fantasy genres game she should get most of the jokes without D&D knowledge. But starting with book 2 shouldn't be an issue.

She really doesn't play many video games, and doesn't play ANY RPG's. Gods know I've tried. So she's going to be utterly lost in a lot of the jokes.




I kinda don't get this whole book 1 bashing. It is a fine book, and with the new intro it starts much better anyway. I also think that the plot really thickens rather fast (thanks to the Linear Guild).
I really like the "small town arc", so starting there isn't bad (and it doesn't really need that much of book 1 in the beginning), but imo it is best to read book 1 rather soonish than later.

In all cases she (or anyone else starting with reading the books) should skip any author commentary. They heavily spoil the book content and should first be read after the ark (or best the whole book).


to "packed with obscure jokes about rules from a game she never played". I have (unfortunately) never played D&D, though I play(ed) my fair share of other P&P-RPGs. I think most of the jokes are fine if you have some sort of contact with RPGs in general. (Sure you maybe don't know what "I got a 4!" should mean, if it would be posted outside of any context, but in the strip it is clear that it is a failed check.)

First, I'm not bashing Book 1, I love it.

Second, I had never played D&D by the time I started reading the strip. (The strip got me started on D&D, not the other way around). However, when I read it I had played many RPG's and could figure out a lot of the jokes. She's not really a video game person, so I think she won't really get a lot of them.

Third, I think the small town arc IS the beginning of Book 2




"donating" is pretty insulting. Is it "donating" when you pay for a car? Is it "donating" when you pay for a flight? Is it "donating" when you pay for your dinner out? Is it "donating" when your employer pays you for a week's work?

Something was produced by someone and they decided to sell it. Paying for that is called "buying" it. It's what grown-ups in a civilized society do.

That ... was pretty much the entire point of this post.

[nogall]

I kinda don't get this whole book 1 bashing. It is a fine book, and with the new intro it starts much better anyway.

what new intro? I'm curious about this...

[Ceaon]

what new intro? I'm curious about this...

Buy the books then :smallwink:

[Oort]

I kind of have a personal rule about not pirating stuff, but the problem is that I literally have 7 dollars to my name right now. Shame it'll probably be years before I can get the books.

[Jasdoif]

what new intro? I'm curious about this...Dungeon Crawlin' Fools opens with nine pages of intro comics before strip #1, which is much more of an actual introduction than the cast page here on the website. With the intro, the book lacks the "abrupt opening" feel that strip #1 can induce.

[Nilehus]

I pirated SoD... But only because I had bought it a couple years before. Unfortunately, my daughter decided it was her favorite book ever and... Improved it.

After I return from boot camp, I'm going to get the entire set. And they will be kept 6 feet off the ground at all times. :smalltongue:

[littlebum2002]

I pirated SoD... But only because I had bought it a couple years before. Unfortunately, my daughter decided it was her favorite book ever and... Improved it.

After I return from boot camp, I'm going to get the entire set. And they will be kept 6 feet off the ground at all times. :smalltongue:

In their defense, they DO look like a big coloring book. I'm halfway tempted to color them myself.

My kids love the books. I read them like story books. They're only 2 and 3 though, so some of the wordy parts lose their interest.

[2.5 cats]

I own the full set, but I recently "donated" to Rich Burlew by buying a second set of books and giving them away as a prize in a recent gaming tournament which I ran. (As a bonus, the guy who won them is now a big fan! :smallcool: )

[Nilehus]

In their defense, they DO look like a big coloring book. I'm halfway tempted to color them myself.

My kids love the books. I read them like story books. They're only 2 and 3 though, so some of the wordy parts lose their interest.

My daughter's only a year and a half, so she doesn't really like non-giant picture books. Still, she chose SOD over all my other books, so she has good taste!

[snowblizz]

In their defense, they DO look like a big coloring book. I'm halfway tempted to color them myself.

Had you participated in the Kickstarter you'd have your very own OOTS colouring book. I do.

[Zar Peter]

Had you participated in the Kickstarter you'd have your very own OOTS colouring book. I do.

Well, you could also "donate (http://www.ookoodook.com/store/product176.html)" some money to get them :smallwink: