Printing Datafiles?

[metalman42]

So, I might just be a cheapskate here, but how does everyone go about preparing datafiles for players? I'd print them from the pdf but that's a whole ton of ink for 30-some characters. And we'd only end up using 4 of them! I wish they were printed front and back in the book and then perforated so you could just rip them out...

I thought about printing up blank sheets for everyone and then having them copy their chosen heroes down, but that seems unreasonable. Especially for the first game, I want the character choosing process to be as painless as possible.

So what have you guys done? Just bite the bullet and print them?

[Duck Call Lass]

I just printed the front pages.

Then I put them all in sheet protectors, and hold on to them myself between games so I can use them for con games and future sessions and so on.

[Mystrich]

I'd print them from the pdf but that's a whole ton of ink for 30-some characters. And we'd only end up using 4 of them!

You realize it's possible to just print the ones you need. You go to File > Print > Pages: ___
And then type the page numbers you want printed.
Example for Captain America:

http://i50.tinypic.com/2yjyhki.png

[Supplanter]

It may also be possible to set the printing options to not print the background, if that's the ink you're worried about.


Jim

[MidnightBlue]

As others have said, you might ask players to decide on characters before the game and just print the ones you need for the game, then keep them afterward. Printing in black and white would save your color ink.

If you have regular players, take up an "ink donation." I know we've done this with various groups that I've been in. If our GM was footing all the cost for our fun, we'd sometimes help him out as we could.

You could also have players copy down their characters on their own paper/character sheets just like any other created character in any other RPG.


I do know that I for one would NOT be a fan of removable datafiles in a game book. I buy these things for the long haul and would hate to have a book where after extensive use or lending the pages started coming out. I'd also hate to buy a used book somewhere down the road and find out that I don't have all of it because there were removable pieces.

Just some thoughts.

[Cam]

This is why I included the printer-friendly datafiles for the Basic Game with the DriveThruRPG PDF. You did get those, right? We'll do them again for the Civil War Event Book and other products with hero datafiles.

Cheers,
Cam

[Rune]

This is why I included the printer-friendly datafiles for the Basic Game with the DriveThruRPG PDF. You did get those, right? We'll do them again for the Civil War Event Book and other products with hero datafiles.

Cheers,
Cam

Would you concider making a printer-friendly variant of Thor (and possibly the Hulk when that dlc is released). Not the whole pdf, just the two pages actually containing Thor.

And relating to this I'd be all up for bying a product from you that just contained a most of the charater datafiles printed in colour and on high quality glossy paper. Maybe sort of a "Watcher pack" containing seperate datafiles and other goodies for the table.

(In a perfect world you would also release character packs with more info and advice on a character, as well as several files describing the character in different events and eras, but I guess this is the collector/fanboy in me talking more than anything else).

[metalman42]

Thanks for all the ideas! I hadn't really considered printing only the datafile page. I guess that makes the most sense - players can look through the book to find a hero they like, then I'll hand out the datafile.

Sadly, just printing the ones I'd need isn't really an option, as I wouldn't be near a printer when we game. My players have no experience with the system and I don't want anyone getting stuck with a character they won't appreciate.

Midnight, you're totally right about the sheets coming out after time. Maybe my ideal solution would be a separate product that would be just a shrinkwrapped folder full of datafiles.

[Cam]

metalman42, did you somehow not get the PDF via DriveThruRPG? There are several files you can download when you purchase it. One of these is the printer-friendly hero datafiles that have no blue backgrounds.

Cheers,
Cam

[Mystrich]

Thanks for all the ideas! I hadn't really considered printing only the datafile page. I guess that makes the most sense - players can look through the book to find a hero they like, then I'll hand out the datafile.

Sadly, just printing the ones I'd need isn't really an option, as I wouldn't be near a printer when we game. My players have no experience with the system and I don't want anyone getting stuck with a character they won't appreciate.

Midnight, you're totally right about the sheets coming out after time. Maybe my ideal solution would be a separate product that would be just a shrinkwrapped folder full of datafiles.

For my first game (and I did so because it was suggested on here on teaching new players) it may be better to have people choose heroes they like or know about before stats. If your players mostly know the movies or cartoons, so be it. They'll be playing someone they like rather than someone with good stats. For example: My table ended up with Human Torch, Spiderman, Iron Man, and Shadowcat. No one at my table knows Ms Marvel or Armor, so they weren't even considered. And that's perfectly fine.