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I Want My Paper Manuals Back

O

On Demand

Banned
I'm noticing the trend of not including manuals with games that started at the end of the 7th generation is continuing into the next with PS4 and XB1. I like reading the manuals of games because it tells you the basic stuff about the game like controls, how the all the features of the game works, and a mini synopsis of the story. Putting all that into a digital manual is not as effective. First, they don't even include all of what i mentioned. They literally just have the controls. And not everyone want's to download a manual.

I think the best example of a good manual is the GTA series and Fallout 3. GTA has everything i said above plus descriptions of what goes on in the games world and advertisements of some of the stores you'll see in the game. Fallout 3 had little funny comic segments of how to survive in the wasteland (the manual was even called "Vault Dweller's Survival Guide"). Bethesda even include every single Special, Skill, and Perks that you get on each level. Basically if you wanted to know about Fallout 3 all you had to do was read the manual. It's that detailed. I still read it till this day when i go back and play it.

I was so disappointed when i found out GTAV wasn't going to have a manual with the game. Rockstar claims it was too much stuff to put in. Well they could of included it with the collectors editions at least. It wasn't even available on all OS's on day one. Not everybody has an iphone to download the manual if you can believe that. And who wants to go through 100 pages on a phone? Or even sitting in front of a computer. A paper manual is so much simpler.

So is this the end for paper manuals? Do any PS4 and XB1 game have a manual at all? It would really suck if Bethesda doesn't haved one for Fallout 4 or the next Elder Scrolls game.
 
You may have to print you own. I made my own guide for a fighting game and it took quite a while because of combos, stats, etc.

You can can always "borrow" artwork from online manuals, format and print.
 
Pay for the game guide if you want artwork and info together.

Otherwise the trees not being used for something that may get read once at best is a good thing.
 
I like full color manuals as much as the next guy. But if cutting out manuals keeps the price of games from going up, then I'm okay with it.
 
MormaPope said:
Pay for the game guide if you want artwork and info together.

Otherwise the trees not being used for something that may get read once at best is a good thing.
Click to expand...

This is another thing i want to bring up. They say it saves money but i don't see those savings passed on to the consumers. Games are still the same price.
 
Japanese game seem to have paper manuals with full colour and everything. :|

Not that it matters, since I don't bother reading manuals anymore since I learn better from playing.
 
IMO if they continue this trend

games better go down to 49.99

clearly they are saving money doing this

why ask for 59.99?.

Also why are digital game 59.99?
 
Tons of paper are wasted on meaningless shit like ad flyers that get thrown without even being read, bureaucratic crap, the list is endless.

Game manuals are a source of happiness, how can you consider the minimal amount of paper required a hazard is beyond me.
 
There was nothing like the feeling when you got home with a new game, cutting the shrink wrap off, opening up the case and popping out the manual, relaxing and giving it a look. You could even take the experience to a whole other level if you took it in to read while sitting on the throne.

My main issue with them being digital now is that half the time I forget they're there and don't even look at them. I do like the way Nintendo does theirs though, I hope the rest follow the same path.
 
I'll let manuals turning into a single sheet of paper (if you're lucky) slide but only if eco-game cases fuck right off and never come back.
 
With modern games they are pointless. Back in the day they actually needed them for instructions and back story. Now all that is included in the game like it should.
 
In before the hippie 'saving the world because of video game manuals' posts. Oh, liberal-gaf.

I could get on board with the digital manuals if you could access them anytime you wanted. The 3DS and Vita both get this right, you just hit the home button and the option is there. Not so on the consoles, though I haven't used an Xbox One so maybe that has it. But if I can't access the manual whenever I may need it, they may as well not exist at all. Either fix this shit guerilla, or bring back the paper manuals.
 
I miss the manuals too, but honestly, you never look at them more than once or twice. At least I didn't. I loved looking at them in the car after buying a new game as a kid though.
 
Despite the bleak look once you open the case, I don't really care, even as a collector. Digital manuals can be cumbersome once you actually need them though :/
 
DidntKnowJack said:
In before the hippie 'saving the world because of video game manuals' posts. Oh, liberal-gaf.

I could get on board with the digital manuals if you could access them anytime you wanted. The 3DS and Vita both get this right, you just hit the home button and the option is there. Not so on the consoles, though I haven't used an Xbox One so maybe that has it. But if I can't access the manual whenever I may need it, they may as well not exist at all. Either fix this shit guerilla, or bring back the paper manuals.
Click to expand...
Same exact way on the Wii U as well.
 
On Demand said:
This is another thing i want to bring up. They say it saves money but i don't see those savings passed on to the consumers. Games are still the same price.
Click to expand...

For me its the fact that tress aren't being wasted in one way, not that the price remains the same or goes down.
 
Old paper manuals are nice, but it's such a waste of environment when barely anyone reads them and they just sit there. A lot of electronics don't have any major manuals either any more. It's just such a waste. All in all I think it's good that we don't waste our resources on manuals when they work even better when digital (easier to get it in your language; easier to update; easier to search for keywords).
 
How about a link to a downloadable manual you could save via pdf so you could access it via your phone/tablet/computer or print out if you chose? I'd like that option myself.
 
I've never played a game where I've needed to look at the manual, the games do a great job of teaching you the controls.

I'm all for their removal, saves money during printing of the game and has less of an environmental impact.
 
I want my printed manuals back too. And manuals can be printed on recycled paper, actually everything can be printed on recycled paper, even though i have no idea why they don't.
 
With the way PS4 (and I assume Xbox) are set up, digital/interactive manuals are a whole lot better. There are spaces on a game's "hub" on PS4 when you press down on the tile, where developers can post updates/guides. For PSOne games, digital manuals are accessed when you hold down the PS button. Games like Resogun have a digital manual that launches from the game tile on the XMB.

With constant patch updates for even single player games, and ever changing add ons and DLC, digital manuals are a lot better. Besides, with forums and Youtube videos (Xbox does a great job of using Bing to search up game-related help/Achievement guides), everything is better and more convenient digitally.
 
DidntKnowJack said:
In before the hippie 'saving the world because of video game manuals' posts. Oh, liberal-gaf.

I could get on board with the digital manuals if you could access them anytime you wanted. The 3DS and Vita both get this right, you just hit the home button and the option is there. Not so on the consoles, though I haven't used an Xbox One so maybe that has it. But if I can't access the manual whenever I may need it, they may as well not exist at all. Either fix this shit guerilla, or bring back the paper manuals.
Click to expand...

The Last Of Us has a crappy digital manual you download from the XMB.

MormaPope said:
Pay for the game guide if you want artwork and info together.

Otherwise the trees not being used for something that may get read once at best is a good thing.
Click to expand...

Those game guides cost a little bit of money to be buying all the time.
 
I used to read them religiously when I was a kid, but nowadays I don't really care about them. Sad but true.

Though I will admit that some of them look great, like the one for Wario Land: Shake It, with those little stickers that you can put everywhere to customize your manual.
 
Carnby said:
I like full color manuals as much as the next guy. But if cutting out manuals keeps the price of games from going up, then I'm okay with it.
Click to expand...

Shit like that will never happen, making the prices higher and cutting expenses on manuals just nets them more power. You think these people want to give you cheaper games? hell no they will push to get the most money out of you.

They got rid of manuals, they saved cash yet the games arnt going down in price.
Digital sales, you'd think they would go down in price since they dont have to print games on cd's yet all digital games go for 60+ dollars hell even the digital Destiny game is listed at 99$. Yet they kept saying moving to digital would bring the prices down.
They got rid of cheat codes, now you have to buy them (they call those microtransactions now)
 
This is not a "special edition". This came with the game...

1dCgM48.jpg
 
Completely agree OP, I used to love pouring through game manuals thanks to their art work, bits of story info, and insight into gameplay mechanics. Plus their just fun to read. The only right way I've seen digital versions done is on the PS VITA. The manual is on the game card itself, so no internet connection required, the manuals seem to contain the same kind of formatting that a print version would have so all the content is there. I hate the PS4's way of doing it where it has to open it in its browser to view it. What if I'm not connected to the internet, or just want to check out the manual without having to boot up the console, then launch it from the browser?

As far as the "save the trees argument" goes, it's not like the manuals were a waste, there are plenty of instances of wasted paper resources elsewhere in the world like every day office use where billions of docs are printed then immediately disposed of, usually without recycling. I won't buy the "nobody uses them anymore" comment unless an actual survey could be done of a large sample size of gamers who were used to actually seeing and using them from a few generations ago. Otherwise these companies didn't stop giving us manuals because we complained about them being there, they stopped likely to save money although it's not like we've seen those savings passed down in lowered game prices, even if it might only translate to a dollar or two.
 
Dragon1893 said:
Dude, really?
Click to expand...
I dont think that's any more ridiculous then believing video game companies are ditching paper manuals because they care about the earth, rather than cutting costs anyway they can. Which is fine, save your three cents a copy, but don't give me some bullshit line about saving the fucking trees, EA.
 
On Demand said:
This is another thing i want to bring up. They say it saves money but i don't see those savings passed on to the consumers. Games are still the same price.
Click to expand...

What? By virtue of them staying the same price, they're inherently cheaper. You think the price of game development is a constant?
 
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