The Death of the Manual - Some New Games Come Without Them Now...

[BlastProcessing402]

I can't even remember the last time a game I got had a manual that was actually worth having. Probably back before Working Designs went under. Those sonsamaguns knew how to make manuals!

A lot of old PC games had really great manuals too, but of course they went the way of the dodo a decade or more back.

So, while I think it kinda sucks, I can't really get too worked up over losing something that hasn't really been so great lately anyway. Now, when they stop including discs in there, that's when I say "screw you guys, I'm goin home." Digital downloads aren't MY future.

[SparTonberry]

Digital downloads aren't MY future.

Heh, I've got a lifetime supply of physical games already.

... and yet I still keep buying.

[j_factor]

I agree with you, but others will just tell us to check online.

Now I feel old, because I remember when people online used to say "RTFM".

[Mr Smith]

Reading the instruction manual was one of the highlights of a new game. It was almost a right of passage, as you got to understand in depth the new world you were about to inhabit. I suppose things such as ingame tutorials render such things obsolete now.

[Lady Jaye]

Lego Star Wars III doesn't include a manual -- the booklet formerly known as a manual only has the control scheme for the game. The rest of the pages are legal info.

[Loremaster]

Lego Star Wars III doesn't include a manual -- the booklet formerly known as a manual only has the control scheme for the game. The rest of the pages are legal info.

I'm guessing it repeats several times in Spanish and French? Seems like most manuals do that. Both Onechanbara games, Cursed Mountain, and quite a few others that just aren't coming to mind right now. Seems only games like Halo or oddball Japanese games get decent manuals now [say what you will of the games themselves, but Halo games have pretty damn good manuals].

[Aussie2B]

Seems only games like Halo or oddball Japanese games get decent manuals now

It's really hit or miss for niche Japanese games. Like with Nippon Ichi, it's usually trilingual, black and white, and just cheap all around. Nintendo manuals are filled up with trilingual stuff too. It mostly comes down to the publisher now. Some publishers always go cheap, and others usually do a decent job.

[Lady Jaye]

I'm guessing it repeats several times in Spanish and French? Seems like most manuals do that. Both Onechanbara games, Cursed Mountain, and quite a few others that just aren't coming to mind right now. Seems only games like Halo or oddball Japanese games get decent manuals now [say what you will of the games themselves, but Halo games have pretty damn good manuals].

I live in Montreal, so by law that booklet does have a French component (legally, games sold here must include a manual in French, although I guess that if there's none in English, they don't have to include one in French). The game itself is localized in French anyway.

[The 1 2 P]

Seems only games like Halo or oddball Japanese games get decent manuals now [say what you will of the games themselves, but Halo games have pretty damn good manuals].

I said on the previous page that the Halo and Gears of War manuals are some of the best produced manuals today. I would expect nothing less from a $60 AAA game. Too bad Activision didn't get that memo. They use the tutorial level instead but so does Halo and Gears. But they still provide thick full color manuals.

[crazyjackcsa]

I always liked a good manual, colour or otherwise. When I was a kid, I'd read the manual on the way home from the store in the car. Or (and I still do this, 20 years later) I play the game, until I get stuck (because I don't know what to do) . Then I put it aside for the rest of the day and read the manual over breakfast the next morning.

I still do that. For a full price game, I like a little back story, a character introduction, controls, nice colour photos and the like.

[HYB]

I was disappointed when I opened up my copy of Mortal Kombat. No new game manual smell . I have always loved skimming through manuals so not including them is disappointing. I was especially disappointed with Alice Madness Returns lacking a manual because that's one game I'd expected to have a quality one.

[Ludwig]

Now I feel old, because I remember when people online used to say "RTFM".

Probably many will still include a manual as PDF just for the sake of it even if they don't put one in in physical form anymore, RTFPDFM doesn't have the same "ring" to it though.

I remember when i was younger, the first thing i did usually was looking through the manual, especially with the PC games of the 90's and early 00's when they still came in big boxes. Some of them been written rather well and entertaining, and the artwork often was pretty darn cool. I especially remember the original Diablo 2 Manual as quite exciting because of the artwork. What they did was cutting costs: "One page less - two now - nono 4 pages less - smaller". That's how they made them crap and wonder why they still should include one.

[kupomogli]

I can honestly say I've probably read through less than 10 instruction manuals for consoles I've own since the PSX. Prior to that I used to read alot of the instruction manuals I own, but usually because how many information and how well it was displayed.

I know I'm not the only one who probably thinks that the instruction manual on the original Final Fantasy is an interesting read, more so because I might read it at a time I can't, or don't want to play the game, but the instruction manual just draws you in like if you were infact playing the game.

And aside from "finding where to go" I think this is the reason why people collect strategy guides. I don't own many guides, but if I ever look at one, it's to read through it, not to find out where to go, etc. The only strategy guides I own are of my favorite games.

I think that all manuals should be done like Gurumin A Monstrous Adventure. Not only does the game have a full color instruction manual detailing about the characters, your weapons, everything about the game, it also has an in game instruction manual. The in game instruction manual isn't just square is for attack, x is to jump, etc, but it's extremely detailed where it shows off pictures of actions taken, etc. Think Super Mario Bros. 3 on NES with the instruction manual showing off the butt slide, etc. On Gurumin, you even have an in game manual for what special attacks you've acquired. Link shows some of the in game manual and special attack manual.

http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/8018

[MarioMania]

I love reading & looking at Manuals

[Zing]

Are manuals less in demand because they have become lower quality over time, or have manuals become lower quality over time because they are in less demand.

[Icarus Moonsight]

Flight from quality, because it's a pain in the ass. Don't want to print a crappy layout, nasty looking tri-lingual manual? Just don't print one period.

[joshnickerson]

It looks like Super Mario 3D Land will not have a physical manual, but rather a digital one... in Japan, at least.
http://tinycartridge.com/post/122055...an-interesting

No idea if the US will follow suit, but it looks like the days of the manual are numbered now

[Colorado Rockies]

It looks like Super Mario 3D Land will not have a physical manual, but rather a digital one... in Japan, at least.
http://tinycartridge.com/post/122055...an-interesting

No idea if the US will follow suit, but it looks like the days of the manual are numbered now

Bummer. Nintendo was one of the few companies left that did high quality colored manuals.

[jb143]

Manuals have been loosing their magic for some time now. I never cared as much for the "how to play the game" parts of the manual, but all the other goodies in them..which is pretty non-existent now. The last game that I actually really liked the manual for was Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb.

[Icarus Moonsight]

Just an aside, my car came with a manual... I've never even looked at it. I did however buy a Chilton strategy guide for my car and that has gotten heavy use by comparison.