Game Manuals

[Space05us]

I was always dissapointed whenever i got a game in a big box and there wasnt a huge manual in it. dont know why but I felt like I was getting ripped off. Maybe I got spoiled with Civ.

[Father Beast]

My playing time is too limited for me to stumble about in a game, not knowing what I'm doing. And I don't play enough variety to automatically know how to play every game.

The Price of having a Life.

I will read the manual through before playing, often before installing, but I'll skip the appendices until I actually play some, and then I use it for reference.

[Jamski]

I'll read the manual while it installs, and then start playing. The later on I'll finish reading the manual with a cup of tea, or on the bus or something. Even during the adverts on TV. There's so many moments when a manual can be useful.

Then if its a game with lots of units or spells or skill or something, I'll look stuff up in the manual as I play. I really like a good manual. If its a PDF I'll probably never even open the file though.

-Jam

[Sarxis]

I really like to read game manuals- it helps build up the suspense of playing the game; kinda like an Hors d'Oeuvre.

[BustaMike]

Your banana option is weak and unimaginative.

I'll refer back to manuals after playing for a while. It pisses me off when the info I want isn't there, which seems to happen a lot lately.

[Zero]

I NEVER read manuals.

I preferably dive into game and try to experience it firsthand. No matter how complicated the game is, I'll skip the manual. This probably stems from the fact that I download most games....

Usually if its a game I have been anticipating, my first knowledge will probably come from what i have read online (like ptw, I knew everything I needed to know before playing). After those two, I always refer to game forums (such as apolyton for civ for ex.) for more info.

Only time I'll read a game manual is probably for boredom. Like when my ps2 mainboard got fried... I wanted to play virtua fighter so I just indulged myself by reading the manual and reading stuff online... or there is sava's example.

Strategy guide and maunals SUCK compared to community of good players.

[child of Thor]

It depends on the game................

PacMan i can do without the manual, Civ type game or a flight sim i use the manual from the begining.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I liked the old manuals for Baldur's Gate 1 & 2, Fallout 1 & 2. You don't see those anymore. Part of them was an explination of the world and stuff.

[vmxa1]

I tend to read the whole thing first, even that did not help for Moo3.

[Dis]

I miss big thick manuals. Just looking at the manuals for civ2 and SMAC. oh how I miss those. The thicker and bigger, the better.

Anyways I just got done with Knights of the Old Republic. I started the game before reading the manual. I found the interace crappy, and I stopped playing. but then I read the manual, and then started playing again. I have now finished the game. I still don't like some interace issues, but the game is playable.

I also got NWN: heroes of the underdark. I did read that manual despite the fact the gameplay is the same as the other nwn games I have. But I wanted to read up on the new epic classes and spells. I skip the builder stuff though, since I don't build anything in that game.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Zero
I NEVER read manuals.

I preferably dive into game and try to experience it firsthand. No matter how complicated the game is, I'll skip the manual.

I like to see you play a competent game of Harpoon without reading the manual

[Imran Siddiqui]

I miss big thick manuals.

Hear, Hear! The worst part of getting an XBox is that the size of the game box prevents any large manuals from being made for a game of that system.

SMAC was the best manual ever, especially the reference stuff in the back. SOOOO awesome.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Dissident
I miss big thick manuals. Just looking at the manuals for civ2 and SMAC. oh how I miss those. The thicker and bigger, the better.

I don't mind getting manuals in soft copies, but most manuals are useless. The important stuff are in the "strategic guides" now bloody evil money grubbers.

[Imran Siddiqui]

The old Black Isle manuals were amazing as well. Fallout, Baldur's Gate, those series had some really nice manuals which had notebook spirals, allowing you to fold it over nice .

[Dis]

yep, I like the comments by Volo as well