It would be not as bad for Nintendo games if not having to print a paper manual meant a more comprehensive digital manual, and that was what I expected. I was really disappointed when Fire Emblem Awakening's digital manual only explained things that you could easily pick up just from playing and didn't have anything that I might have wanted to look up the manual for (and which would normally have been included the paper manuals in the old days.)
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I Want My Paper Manuals Back
- Thread starter On Demand
- Start date
IrishNinja
Member
damn, id pay for the option to have some of those printed up & sent from NOA
god yes, OG Diablo book/manual had such great lore!
really not seeing the "prices low" thing, but then pricing structure is a huge broken thing with this industry now to begin with, i just find manuals the smallest part of that equation
fuckin' seriously?
MrCunningham
Member
I like paper manuals too, especially as a collector. I will continue to do them for every physical game we release. In fact, I'm going over the proofs of the PS3 Class of Heroes 2G paper manual for the printer literally right now. We'll be going to print with it very soon (as soon as the game is through Sony Q/A), and I've upgraded the paper it will have from what was used for the Japanese version. Paper feel is a big deal, IMO. Ask Dave Halverson.
Even though the status quo on Vita and PS4 is digital manuals, I completely intend to offer paper manuals for the physical versions on those, too, unless there's some prohibition by Sony on PS4/Vita, which I doubt. I hateses those empty-looking cases.
You guys did a lot of great work with packaging design at Working Designs. Full colour manuals and original artwork. The Popful Mail manual for the Sega CD was really impressive.
Art books collect more dust. They are usually looked at once every so often, even less than manuals.
I'd rather have small manuals than giant game guides. If you want to help the trees, quit making large guides or even more so, large guides for games that dont need them (Madden, Call of Duty, etc). Maybe they dont have to make as many as they would a manual, but i'd imagine they take up at least 3 times the materials.
On that note, who throws away a manual?
petran79
Banned
the one genre still requiring thick paper manuals would be flight simulators.
in-game tutorials do not work in this case
I remember the Super EF2000 manual was almost 300 pages long with detailed info about planes, manoeuvrings, background story, controls etc
Flying Corps too had a 250 page booklet written in 1918 by a RAF Flight Commander
http://www.swift72.co.uk/downloads/practicalflying00andegoog.pdf
in-game tutorials do not work in this case
I remember the Super EF2000 manual was almost 300 pages long with detailed info about planes, manoeuvrings, background story, controls etc
Flying Corps too had a 250 page booklet written in 1918 by a RAF Flight Commander
http://www.swift72.co.uk/downloads/practicalflying00andegoog.pdf
test_account
XP-39C²
I thought i would miss physical manuals myself because of collection purposes, but as time has gone by, it hasnt bothered me at all. On Vita, the manuals for the game are included on the cartridge itself. That is just as effective, in my opinion.
Digital games cost the same because to keep a fair competition with the retailers. But like 95% of the value of a game is the game itself. The box, disc and a potential manual doesnt really bring up the cost that much.
It doesnt cost $10 to produce a small paper phamplet. Games are also getting more expencive to produce, so it wouldnt make much sense to drop the price $10 anyway. I doubt that dropping the price $10 would lead to tons of more sales that will cover up for the $10 less income at least.
Digital games cost the same because to keep a fair competition with the retailers. But like 95% of the value of a game is the game itself. The box, disc and a potential manual doesnt really bring up the cost that much.
I remember when to learn how to play a game, hone your skills, or learn more about the game you used the manual. Now it seems that forced tutorials are supposed to be the replacements. Manuals did very much have a purpose. Unlike tutorials it did not bug or interrupt you. You could learn what you wanted about the game at your own pace or chose to just play the game and see what happens.
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
Wait, you're serious.
Yes, this time wasting paper is good because it's for something else.
Yup, that's right. Completely simplify the problem to make the other side look stupid as fuck. That's producti -
If I had milk, this post would make me laugh it out my nose. The issue isn't about if we can grow more (which, by the way, takes time).
test_account
XP-39C²
I think the same can be said about gaming manuals as well. The manuals might not be thrown, but i'm pretty sure that tons of people never even bother looking at the manual, or at least not for more than a few seconds.
It's disappointing that even Nintendo followed this trend and just includes a one page foldout instead of the lovingly manuals they used to have. What's downright insulting is when they and other companies use the "save the environment" argument and then include thick booklets with safety instructions that nobody ever reads. Those could be delivered by other means as well and they are not mandatory.
Polioliolio
Member
I like paper manuals too, especially as a collector. I will continue to do them for every physical game we release. In fact, I'm going over the proofs of the PS3 Class of Heroes 2G paper manual for the printer literally right now. We'll be going to print with it very soon (as soon as the game is through Sony Q/A), and I've upgraded the paper it will have from what was used for the Japanese version. Paper feel is a big deal, IMO. Ask Dave Halverson.
Even though the status quo on Vita and PS4 is digital manuals, I completely intend to offer paper manuals for the physical versions on those, too, unless there's some prohibition by Sony on PS4/Vita, which I doubt. I hateses those empty-looking cases.
Thank you for understanding. You just made me misty eyed.
Would Sony really be able to stop companies from including a manual in their games?
Air Zombie Meat
Member
I'm over it. Just give me a digital manual thats accessible in game.
Not the same. There's nothing like going to the bathroom with the FF7 manual and reading up on how to equip Materia and use accessories.
Thank you for understanding. You just made me misty eyed.
Would Sony really be able to stop companies from including a manual in their games?
Well, if I were really out there, I *could* imagine it being made too expensive if the manual clips in the cases were omitted and the manuals had to be hand-inserted or the cases were made too thin to accommodate a manual, etc. Basically paranoia scenarios. I don't think they'd prohibit it.
POWERSPHERE
Member
RIP good times
I liked the 3DS case eco-holes. A few games even made use of it for artwork.
Yagami_Sama
Member
I miss the printed manual too 
When I bought my Wii U, I bought it along with a few games, and Mass Effect 3 was one of the games that I was looking forward to play, and
when I open the package, where is the manual ? And this happen with several other games, even Nintendo games, possess just a pamphlet.
When I bought Etrian Odyssey 4, for 3DS. I ask the store if the game were really new, because just had the pamphlet with pin for club Nintendo registration.
When I bought my Wii U, I bought it along with a few games, and Mass Effect 3 was one of the games that I was looking forward to play, and
when I open the package, where is the manual ? And this happen with several other games, even Nintendo games, possess just a pamphlet.
When I bought Etrian Odyssey 4, for 3DS. I ask the store if the game were really new, because just had the pamphlet with pin for club Nintendo registration.
I don't care what all the hip kids are saying. Nothing beats opening up a new game, and smelling the scent of a new full-colour manual. NOTHING. The Legend of Zelda shall forever be etched upon the neural pathways embedded with the olfactory memories of that sexy, shiny little booklet. It was like doubling down on my childhood virginity whilst losing it at the same time.
I doubt the manuals from the 10 or so new games I purchase per year really matter. Probably more paper wasted in the junk mail that hits my mailbox each week.
unempLLOYD
Member
I like to play newly purchased games without knowing what to do.
i don't read the manuals
3DS ones are fine since they're integrated into the look of the case and not screaming THROW ME OUT BUT DON'T FORGET TO RECYCLE ME! Also they don't make your cases flimsy as fuck, unlike the garbage Wii U ecocases.