When you get it, read the manual

[rhofman]

I spent late last night and today reading the manual cover to cover. Thanks to those who posted the 8 meg file. (gotta love cable modems)

The backstory is interesting for those of us who like the idea of deep backstories but it is unessential for gameplay.

The rest of the manual is not nearly as bad as the postings in this forum suggested. It is a user manual, that's it. It goes through all the various sections that we've been reading about for months and in some cases years.

I don't have a complete grasp of how everything fits together but at least now I'm more confident in the fact that it actually does fit together.

As for not having huge spreadsheets of stats included I agree that would be nice. However, looking over manuals of games from the last few years suggests that is simply not the standard today.

I would recommend reading the manual BEFORE playing. While reading it becomes apparent just how much stuff is going on in each of the empires.

Can't wait to get my grubby not so little hands on it.

[BraerFox]

Thanks for the url to the manual.

[rhofman]

Borrowed from Dmitry who borrowed it from...

[Alexfrog]

not only read the manual , read the README that comes with it (you'll find it in the installation folder post-install)

[Dracil]

I posted the link yesterday only to have my thread locked down (and later edited) within a couple minutes.

[Jamski]

Yesterday was pre-release. Today is not. And the same link is now on the official IG forums.

Good, innit?

-Jam

[Dracil]

Pre-release, maybe.

As for the link being on the IG forums explanation, where did you think I got the link from when I posted? IG forums of course, yesterday (just 4 minutes before midnight, according to the forum time), during the "pre-release" period.

But whatever, at least people have the link now.

[Grumbold]

Heh I even managed to stand the 4 minute lag on the IGMoo forums to find and download it, so thanks Dracil.

[JonahFalcon]

The readme is actually more informative to me than the manual, rhof...

[rhofman]

The readme has more specific information. I think for a macro view, seeing the "big picture" if you will, reading the manual in advance will help.

[H Tower]

what's the fun in reading the manual before you play? I plan on getting my arse handed to me half a dozen times or so before I win a game or at least end in a stalemate. THEN I'll read teh manual and do this How could I have missed that?!?

[rhofman]

I prefer to have my a** handed to me because I haven't developed a solid strategy. Getting my a** handed to me because I don't know what I'm doing doesn't appeal to me.

That said, have fun getting spanked H.

[Grumbold]

I don't mind getting beaten because I havent RTFM, but staring in bewilderment at the screen trying to work out how I should even start is something I want to minimise

[rhofman]

Just to be clear.

RTFM = Read The F***ing Manual

[Dmitry]

I hope this link is alive: http://decepticon.rh.ncsu.edu/readme.txt

And i'll receive my copy of moo 3 tomorrow For 4 $ Of course it's not fully legal, but there is no way to get it in Russia so early...