The end of manuals

[Centrale]

So I picked up Halo 4.  (I realize there may be some Halo haters among us here, but the series is excellent and it's an ongoing tradition for one of my old friends and I to play it -- among other things -- online once a week.) Anyhow, I knew it was going to be a couple of days before I got a chance to start playing it, so I decide to just read through the manual.  But there is no manual!  I had read that Ubisoft was phasing out manuals, but hadn't heard about it for other publishers.  I guess they'll save a ton of money by continuing to charge full price without having to print up however many millions of manuals.  But it sucks.  I regularly bust out manuals from games 20+ years old to read through just for enjoyment.  I remember PC games in particular having book-sized manuals back in the day, but even the booklet ones are interesting to read and look at.  Now that era is ending, and the rest of the box and disc won't be far behind.  Blughh...

[segaismysavior]

They should at least include an in-game, digital manual. Not having one at all is ridiculous, though most games do feature tutorial explanations as you play... but not so much in Halo 4.

It took me over an hour to figure out to do aerial tricks in a Banshee, cause they keep changing the damn button for every game. Searched online, and not a single internet post/site mentioned that it's LB. Not even halowaypoint.com's "online manual" mentions specific controls. They must expect you to mess around with the vehicles in Forge, or be obliterated in SP/MP until you figure it out.

[crackdude]

eh.. I used to be bothered by it, but manuals are truly useless. I only read them for fun.

[Barry the Nomad]

Current gen manuals were never really a big deal for me. Mainly, I like it when classic games come with the manuals. Can't really think of a game this generation that really made me want to read the manual. Typically its the limited edition stuff that comes with the worthwhile booklets anyway, with art and full color and stuff. Like Sakura Wars So Long My Love for PS2.

[Centrale]

They should at least include an in-game, digital manual. Not having one at all is ridiculous, though most games do feature tutorial explanations as you play... but not so much in Halo 4.

It took me over an hour to figure out to do aerial tricks in a Banshee, cause they keep changing the damn button for every game. Searched online, and not a single internet post/site mentioned that it's LB. Not even halowaypoint.com's "online manual" mentions specific controls. They must expect you to mess around with the vehicles in Forge, or be obliterated in SP/MP until you figure it out.

Yeah... speaking of which, how do you even get to Forge?! 

eh.. I used to be bothered by it, but manuals are truly useless. I only read them for fun.

Isn't fun enough of a reason for anything relating to games?  Besides, manuals are also good for the artwork.  I guess less so in this day and age, when they just show screenshots and in-game models, but they used to be full of original artwork and/or design artwork.  Occasionally you'll find one that's written in a bizarre way, like the Sega Master System card F-16 Fighting Falcon is written, uncharacteristically, in a funny and sarcastic way.

Anyhow, I guess the next point is, first the manuals go, next everything else goes.  And it's just a visible form of the huge psychological adjustment to go from buying something that has a physical presence to 'buying' something that you ultimately don't legally own at all, and may be permanently tied to one device.

[crackdude]

Eh.. If console gaming follows the Steam model there is absolutely nothing to complain about. More money to devs, cheaper gaming to us.


Psychological adjustment? There are far bigger issues in each one of our lives every single day, why would anyone burn brain cells worrying about videogame packaging is beyond me..


Sorry if I sound violent, but that's the raw truth really.. As long as I play the games, all else is bollocks.

something that you ultimately don't legally own at all

Not true, not even by a long shot.
You may physically not own it (not true as well, since you have the games on you HDD), but you have the legal right to access said content.


This issue in videogames will go down as it has in the music, movie and book industries: people will just live with it.


The thing that's most bothersome is DRM. Now that is fucked up.

[segaismysavior]

Yeah... speaking of which, how do you even get to Forge?! 

It's in the Multiplayer (Infinity?) menu, under Spartan Ops (I think). It was really annoying though not knowing which maps were designed for full custom levels. Ravine, Erosion, and Impact are the new "Forge World" maps.

[Centrale]

Psychological adjustment? There are far bigger issues in each one of our lives every single day, why would anyone burn brain cells worrying about videogame packaging is beyond me..

Oh, wow.  Thanks for the newsflash! 

I think we all have a tacit understanding that there are more important things in life than issues surrounding video games.  However, in the context of a forum devoted to video games, I think it's reasonable to express opinions about what we feel is important about video games, packaging included.  Lord knows I've patiently waded through many threads in which things like a certain character's eye color was passionately debated.  I'm just bringing up the fact that something that used to be provided, and arguably has value, is now being phased out.

For me, I guess I have shifted into a perspective of a collector somewhat.  These games have other types of value for me beyond simply playing the game. 

It's in the Multiplayer (Infinity?) menu, under Spartan Ops (I think). It was really annoying though not knowing which maps were designed for full custom levels. Ravine, Erosion, and Impact are the new "Forge World" maps.

Thanks for the info!  Maybe I'll print this thread out and tuck it into the box.   ;D

[crackdude]

Sorry if I sounded off as rude, but it's just the way I feel..


I used to be a collector too. But as simply a gamer, the whole debate of physical vs digital is obsolete. I simply buy the cheapest one. And recently more often than not, it's the digital release that gets my buy.


As a collector, there's no fun in collecting regular versions anymore. And special releases always have some sort of booklet or something.

[mylifewithsega]

I'm a collector, so I like having instruction booklets. Admittedly, I'm much more selective now then I was a few years back. Games I'm unsure about, or flat-out dislike, are generally "cartridge only". My favorite titles (Flashback, Rise of the Dragon, Soul Star, Zaxxon's Motherbase 2000, Panzer Dragoon Saga, Ghost House, etc) must be complete.

There are rare circumstances I throw my arms up and just say fuck it, like with Outlander. It was a favorite from my childhood, it was $5 and hard to find in stores. I'd like a complete copy one day, but I'm glad I have the game.

I do like having instructions though. I remember when I was little and my mom and I would Toys "R" Us, looking for games. I couldn't wait to play that shit, so I'd rip the plastic off and read the instructions. It got me hyped on the ride home. Also, they're very helpful when your internet is inconsistant and you need a hard copy to figure out how the 3-button layout works for Shadow Squadron....

That's another thing, as a collector, a hard copy appreciates in value; a file sitting on your hard drive does not. You spend damn near the same amount of money for something, yet you can't trade/sell it later if your're financially jammed up or wanna' leave something behind for your friends or family.

Digital has it's place, but I don't feel it should complete replace physical media. That's me though.

[Barry the Nomad]

When it comes to Saturn and SEGA CD games, I'm less likely to care if it has a case and manual or not. Mainly because they are so f-ing big that I already ran out of room on my shelf for Saturn and SEGA CD games. I still, however, prefer the case if it is an important game (Burning Rangers, NiGHTS) or a series I love (Panzer Dragoon, Sonic). I do have all the AM2 fighters, but they are all disc only.

Games that have gimmicks in the books, like Comics, are definitely worth it!

AJ - can you think of any other SEGA games with comic books in the manuals? I know of Mighty Max and Flashback. It might make for a fun article.

[mylifewithsega]

Games that have gimmicks in the books, like Comics, are definitely worth it!

AJ - can you think of any other SEGA games with comic books in the manuals? I know of Mighty Max and Flashback. It might make for a fun article.

I totally agree there. I kinda' wish Fighting Masters were complete, because it came with trading cards tucked away in the manual.

As for comics, besides Flashback and Mighty Max, I can't think of any. I mean, I'm sure there are more games available for Genesis and Sega CD that have comics, but nothing's coming to mind just yet....

Gimmie' time.

[Centrale]

Atari really got into the comics angle back in the last couple of years of the 2600 era.  They had some kind of ongoing partnership with DC Comics to produce a series called Atari Force.  But as I recall, the story had little if any connection to the game it came in, and you had to buy certain games to get a complete set of the comic... not something I had the financial wherewithal to accomplish as an 8-year-old.   

One would expect that Comix Zone came with a comic, but I've heard it actually came with a tenuously-related music CD.

[Barry the Nomad]

The Atari iOS app has the complete comics for Swordquest, I tried reading them but they just got too weird. lol

[Gagaman]

If they insist in not having manuals in the boxes, can they at least make the boxes thinner so i can fit more on my shelf? Hahaha.