BUY the Strategy Guide

[JonahFalcon]

I think the Strategy Guide is a worthwhile purchase, because reading it for all those months gave me an idea of how to do my first few turns. It made some practical applications of how to use the menus, in details, instead of just describing what they were and did.

Yes, it's nice to have the tech list and many stats, as well as the hints on diplomacy, but to me, in retrospect, the real benefit was letting me know HOW the game was played before I had it.

Now that I've played the game for 2 weeks, I've re-read it, knowing what the pictures and lingo (ie. DEA) mean, and I'm more "in tune" with what is going on now.

[krait23]

I for one won't buy any strategy guide that contains info that *should* be in the manual. Seemingly all recent games just leave a lot of important info and stats out of the manual and put it into a so called strategy guide which is sold seperately. No way I am going to support that practice. And if you say its nice to get techlists and stats, I assume that the MoO3 Strat Guide is no exception....

Lata
Krait

[Grumbold]

I wouldn't mind it having that information provided it then went on to have serious in-depth strategy advice. The only comments I've seen on the strategy guide lead me to believe its not capable of providing that. I'll expect the factual information about how to play the game to be available on websites very shortly so a strategy guide with no strategy will just be a waste of paper.

[Stuie]

I have never purchased a so-called "strategy" guide. It is for me to figure out the best strategies, that's the game.

[darcy]

BUY the Strategy Guide

Hell no. Documentation belongs in the manual, and I won't pay extra for it. Let's not support those shoddy business practices, shall we?

[Jamski]

Why buy it ? You'll get a better guide by reading the 'poly forums (in a few weeks after we've all digested it )

-Jam

[Xelvonar]

I've purchased three Prima guides in my life.

1. Civilization III. I felt it was crap. It contained next to no strategy, and almost all the the info was already in the manual, or could be deduced easily in the game.

2. Simcity 4. Extremely useful for learning how the guts of the game works. So much goes on below the surface, and its hard to see why what you choose to do has any affect on your city.

3. Moo3: Cause I couldn't stand the wait and I needed SOMETHING. I suspect it will end up being somewhat useful. It doesn't have any deep strategy, but it has useful tips for getting started.

Why buy it ? You'll get a better guide by reading the 'poly forums (in a few weeks after we've all digested it )

So in essence, I agree. The deep strategy that I was looking for was not in the guide.

-Xelvonar

[Epistax]

I'd buy it if there was a real point, but seeing what time it came out, it probably has little to nothing to do with the final project.

The moo2 strategy guide rocked.

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by krait23
I for one won't buy any strategy guide that contains info that *should* be in the manual. Seemingly all recent games just leave a lot of important info and stats out of the manual and put it into a so called strategy guide which is sold seperately. No way I am going to support that practice. And if you say its nice to get techlists and stats, I assume that the MoO3 Strat Guide is no exception....

Lata
Krait

I completely disagree with you. Stats, charts, and raw information are what strategy guides and websites are for. Manuals are play guides that tell you how to play the game, and should not have any more raw numbers and formulas then is needed, just decriptions.

[delmar]

Everything I might need to play the game should be in the game. Not in the manual, not on web sites, not in strategy guides; in the game. If it's not, that means that the designers of the game are lame.

If that information is sold for extra money, that simply means that someone is trying to squeeze out a few extra dollars from you.

Nothing's wrong with either approach, but I agree with Darcy/Krait/etc that we shouldn't support the latter.

[JonahFalcon]

However, the Strategy Guide is just that - a STRATEGY guide, and helped me understand HOW to play.

[Yodasplat]

Originally posted by darcy

Hell no. Documentation belongs in the manual, and I won't pay extra for it. Let's not support those shoddy business practices, shall we?

Amen to that!

[JonahFalcon]

Nope. I for one don't need raw numbers - and frankly, they're useless. Can you imagine trying to calculate the raw numbers during the game? That's why it's a COMPUTER game, not a board game.

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by delmar
Everything I might need to play the game should be in the game. Not in the manual, not on web sites, not in strategy guides; in the game. If it's not, that means that the designers of the game are lame.

Yes, that is also true. Good tool-tips and an in-game encycopedia can be all you ever need if it's designed properly. (MOO3 seems to have both of these, can't say how good they are without playing though)

[Grumbold]

So do I have to throw a double six to win this battle, or what?