Topic by Tourney 2024-03-12 23:20:56

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This is not quite audio game news, but I figure this is as good as any a place to post the news.

The Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition system reference document, containing essentially all of the core rules, has been released in Braille format. You can get the files for free from DriveThruRPG at this address:

https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/pro … d-Tutorial

Since it's all electronic, I suppose you'll need your own braille printer or other device to actually read it. If that's an option for you, I figured you might enjoy it.

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Reply by stewie 2024-03-13 20:59:11 (edited by stewie 2024-03-13 21:04:47)

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I don't get the best impression from this as it is presented. Firstly it is labeled as a pdf (bad tagging hopefully given text further down the page?) Additionally this line "◦ Game Master Guide: Essential GM rules, minus harmful content." I don't know what this means, but it comes across as if it is censoring content arbitrarily and as if it isn't an official product (I'm not too sure how this would avoid copyright issues as this isn't a WotC product.) An additional minor point is that I'm fairly sure some services like Bookshare have the core rulebooks in accessible form already (though I'm not 100% on that one and having easier access than that would be good for everyone.)

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Reply by zkline 2024-03-13 21:07:05

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Yeah. To be perfectly honest I've felt for a while that this project was a solution in search of a problem.

I realize OP has no involvement and just wanted to spread the word. I just question the premise behind it, much as I love the idea of RPG material in Braille.

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Reply by stewie 2024-03-13 21:09:21

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Yeah, I didn't mean to imply that any of the points I brought up were related to the OP. The books also don't seem to match the actual srd material (the names and formatting seem pretty different?)

Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic.

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Reply by zenothrax 2024-03-14 14:45:39

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I know for sure BARD has the 3 core books (Player's Handbook Dungeon Master's guide and Monster Manual), along with the young adventurer's guides, Tasha's cauldron of everything and Xanathar's guide to everything also being available. I also could've sworn they had the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, but I don't see it anywhere.

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Reply by zkline 2024-03-14 16:41:16

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DND Beyond also has (very readable) HTML versions of everything they offer as far as I know.

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Reply by CritterPup 2024-03-14 17:44:23

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Yeah, D&D Beyond has this for free as an HTML. You just don't get the core rulebooks, but I'm pretty sure you can get a ton out of the basic rules alone.

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Reply by zkline 2024-03-14 18:14:48

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Yeah. If you buy the DND Beyond books, which are ridiculously expensive but that's another argument, you can read them pretty well.

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Reply by Tourney 2024-03-15 00:26:41

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Well, since it's free anyway I downloaded the files to see what they offer. There are no PDF files at all. I know it said that at the top of the page but that's because the publisher needed to put it in a category and there wasn't a good one.

What is does include, for separate downloads when you place an order, are a zip file containing containing the documents in BRF format, and another zip file containing editable BrailleBlaster files. There are a few miscellaneous documents that I didn't bother to read for game developers that discuss the topic of converting their own files into braille file formats.

So no PDF files. That being said, the interface to get to the proper download page is a bit cumbersome. Still, the files are there. A player's guide, a GM guide, a monster file, and one for spells. I have no idea if that matches the format of the official SRD release, but I'm sure all of the SRD information is collected into the files mentioned regardless.

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Reply by claudiogaranzini 2024-03-15 09:43:52

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hi guys. In your opinion, what's the best game like d&d we can play on Android? I mean, is there a sort of an online kind of game we could experiment with? I like D6D but can't play it for not having a crew to play with. I'm searching something to play in my spare time, when I can, just to learn the D&D meccanics. Thx for your help.

Claudio

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Reply by Jeffery Mewtamer 2024-03-16 00:53:53

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I was under the impression BARD only had the core books in audio format.

Anyways, I don't use braille, so have no clue what, if any, advantages BRF has over other formats, but as far as I'm concerned, having more formats available is generally a good thing... I for one, would love if more eBooks were available as ascii plain text with separate files per chapter/other divisions and don't particularly care for any of the widely used eBook formats.

That said, my understanding is Wyrmworks wants to improve accessibility in the TTRPG space across the board and I suspect the SRD was picked as a first target for conversion for Braille because its something both highly relevant to the hobby as a whole and which wouldn't require a licensing agreement to put out there for feedback from those who would find such conversions useful.

As for it being listed under the PDF category, I bet gold to silver the Drivethrough folks just assume most eBooks offered on their service are going to be PDFs and they just don't have a generic eBook category... that, or they have categories for other common formats, but no "other formats" category.

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Reply by drums61999 2024-03-16 05:04:40

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I have dnd beyond, and those books are perfectly readable. There, however, are times when running that I wish I had hardcopy of the rules to refer to as it would be quicker than looking them up online.

thanks,
Michael

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