Current Events > ITT : We lament the loss of traditional instruction manuals in games.

(+) Yeah! (+)

I think the last game I purchased with a really good instruction manual was maybe Oblivion?

Remember getting a manual and wanting to read that entire thing on the way home? Getting back story even for games like fucking Mario and Sonic titles? They tell you in the manual how to play the game, so you don't need some introductory bullshit level that just grinds your gears?

*sigh*
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I really don't care. I couldn't be arsed to read them these days anyway.

I still remember going to Target with my mom in October 2002 for Vice City. I spent the whole ride home reading the manual. They were the best
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Only the loss of the ones in-color
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Well yeah, we won't feel the loss of crappy ones.
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Take a moment to remember the smell of a new instruction manual.
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I got many used games as a kid on account of being broke and many if not most didn't even have that booklet/manual and the only handful of times I went out of my way to look at one because I couldn't figure out some control or mechanic the booklet wasn't helpful...

I knew some people that used the notes section for cheats but I always just wrote it on regular paper and would just fold it and sit it in the box myself. I used to sometimes use the memory card slot in PS2/GameCube boxes for that.
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This actually bothers me about modern games
Then sometimes I order an old one, and open it... "feels good man"
Pokemon Blue was my first video game, other than computer. I read that thing like 100 times
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Jeff AKA Snoopy posted...

I think the last game I purchased with a really good instruction manual was maybe Oblivion?

Remember getting a manual and wanting to read that entire thing on the way home? Getting back story even for games like fucking Mario and Sonic titles? They tell you in the manual how to play the game, so you don't need some introductory bullshit level that just grinds your gears?

*sigh*

It's even worse if you replay the game and have to sit through unskipable tutorials again.

I remember my brother couldn't find me a Wii for Christmas back in 06 but he got me the games I wanted. I read the instructions for Twilight Princess and Red Steel (lol) religiously.
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Snes had some legendary manuals:

Chrono Trigger's had a list of techs, character intros, a short beginning walkthrough.

Illusion of Gaia had a list of all 50 red gem locations.

Link to the Past pretty much set the stage for Zelda games when it came to lore.

PS1 and PS2 booklets tended to be good as well. It was during the PS3 era that they started skimping on just about everything.
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Remember the instruction manuals for PC games? Some of the 90's games came with manuals that were like novels because they not only went into detail over the game mechanics but added in lore for characters that were not in the game.
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KFHEWUI posted...

Remember the instruction manuals for PC games? Some of the 90's games came with manuals that were like novels because they not only went into detail over the game mechanics but added in lore for characters that were not in the game.

Baldur's Gate games had GREAT manuals.
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Jeff AKA Snoopy posted...

KFHEWUI posted...

Remember the instruction manuals for PC games? Some of the 90's games came with manuals that were like novels because they not only went into detail over the game mechanics but added in lore for characters that were not in the game.

Baldur's Gate games had GREAT manuals.

So did Guild Wars and its expansions. Each one was a lore goldmine.

I remember Gen 1 pokemon games actually had a guide up until the first gym in the manual. Those were so great.

I remember the Jak and Daxter manual came with a huge fold out map of the in game world. I was amazed and used it all through out the game. Very immersive.
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top tier reading material while pooping
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Microsoft used to do some damn good manuals back in the day. Full of color and lore. It was the first loss when Mass Effect transferred to EA. ME1 had a nice manual. ME2 had nothing.
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Jeff AKA Snoopy posted...

KFHEWUI posted...

Remember the instruction manuals for PC games? Some of the 90's games came with manuals that were like novels because they not only went into detail over the game mechanics but added in lore for characters that were not in the game.

Baldur's Gate games had GREAT manuals.

So did Warcraft 3.
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iron jojo posted...

Take a moment to remember the smell of a new instruction manual.

I got Samus Returns the other day and was thinking about this...I miss that nostalgia.

Nothing will ever beat getting Metroid Zero Mission for Christmas and having a nice shiny manual explaining Zero Mission while also promoting Fusion and Prime + a few of the other really big GBA titles at the time.
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man i forgot how good the oblivion manual was. any other games with god tier manuals like that?

I think a little piece of paper with a blurb about the story would be enough. Just enough to get the player invested in the outcome. It wouldn't add much to production costs.
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How else will I learn Aeris' last name and blood type?
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Mikablu posted...

Jeff AKA Snoopy posted...

KFHEWUI posted...

Remember the instruction manuals for PC games? Some of the 90's games came with manuals that were like novels because they not only went into detail over the game mechanics but added in lore for characters that were not in the game.

Baldur's Gate games had GREAT manuals.

So did Guild Wars and its expansions. Each one was a lore goldmine.

I remember Gen 1 pokemon games actually had a guide up until the first gym in the manual. Those were so great.

Some Genesis games also did this.

Sword of Vermilion had a 106 page manual.

Phantasy Star II had a 110 page manual.
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Those were the days.
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Donkey Kong Country 2 and Vice City were standouts in my life.
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