Instruction Manuals are Obsolete

[corn619]

Why do games still have instruction manuals? Am I the only one that feels like it's some kind of unnecessary vestige?

I love instruction manuals. For one, I like the bits of story they put in. Sure, I might get the same amount, but it gives me that scent of blood in the water to drive me to action before I put in the game.

Next, I personally would like to see less and less in-game tutorials and putting it all back in the manual. About half of the things there are in-game tutorials for I already know how to do thanks to being a massive gamer. The other half I could just as easily pick out of the manual. Even with the tutorials are skippable they usually have an annoying amount of lead-in text before I can say "fuck off, I know how to play".

I hate ingame tutorials as well. I especially hate when they blend these into the game making them unskippable. Most of the time its easier and faster to flip through the book for the answer than to fiddle through the help menus ingame.

[Anayo]

I like in game tutorials that are unobtrusive or optional, like the ones from Crysis and Gears of War II.

[BigTinz]

Ahem.

Manuals are great.

No need for personal insults. -MrPopo

[ieatramen]

I wonder if it's cost effective for them to put tutorials in the game instead of in a manual. Maybe it's cheaper for them to spend x amount of time making a playable tutorial rather than printing out all those pages in a manual.
I remember reading my brother's kid icarus manual over and over and thinking that the komayto looks an awful like a metroid. And then looking at the next page and seeing for the first time: CARTOON BOOBS! Top that in game tutorials!

[CRTGAMER]

I wonder if it's cost effective for them to put tutorials in the game instead of in a manual. Maybe it's cheaper for them to spend x amount of time making a playable tutorial rather than printing out all those pages in a manual.
I remember reading my brother's kid icarus manual over and over and thinking that the komayto looks an awful like a metroid. And then looking at the next page and seeing for the first time: CARTOON BOOBS! Top that in game tutorials!

You brought another great reason of game manuals from a collector point of view ............

The add on documents and Comics add to the value of a game ..............

Anyone remember YARS REVENGE?

Some of these were a pack-in with Atari 2600 cartridges.

[CRTGAMER]

Another thought ................

When I buy Gamecube games Sometimes there is a Nintendo subscription card and or Gameboy Ad included with the instructions. Its a separate 2 pager with game graphic specific to game being purchased.

Gamecube Animal Crossing has all these:
1. Instruction Book
2. Memory Card with Animal Crossing bonus save Open Letter. (The most value)
3. Animal Crossing DS ad
4. Waiting for Mail Nintendo Game Guide ad
5. http://WWW.ANIMAL-CROSSING.COM card announcement
6. Stickers
7. Health Safety Book

Geeze thats a lotta docs ........

Okay I know I'm an OCD Video Game Collector but when I see more than one case on the shelf I look for any add on Docs. If there are no manuals then forget it, I usually would drive that short distance to another Gamestop to at least get the instructions.

Cartridge games another matter though, manuals few and far between making them even more valuable ........

Does this add to the game's value?, Maybe but from a collectors standpoint you bet!

[Erik_Twice]

If you need to know how something plays out you can read the manual and understand it in 5 seconds. The tutotial will take much, much more time.

[Ack]

If you need to know how something plays out you can read the manual and understand it in 5 seconds. The tutotial will take much, much more time.

Plus, if you're a beginner to the whole console scene, the setup diagrams in the front can actually be quite helpful.

[Niode]

If you need to know how something plays out you can read the manual and understand it in 5 seconds. The tutotial will take much, much more time.

Plus, if you're a beginner to the whole console scene, the setup diagrams in the front can actually be quite helpful.

Don't forget to get an adult to help you set it up!

[Scooter]

Alas, manuals do seem to be on their way out. I recently bought Silent Hill Shattered Memories for PS2. The manual containted just about 2 pages of instructions, it is a really thin book. The warranty and copyright information takes up more pages than the actual "how to" data.

In game tutorials can be nice, but only when they don't interfere with the game or are a separate portion of the game altogether like a training area. I recenly acquired Kim Possible for PS2 based on the Hidden Gems guides on on Racketboy. It is a great platformer in the old style and a great deal of fun with a bit of challenge, but every time a new move is required, the game stops you in your tracks and demonstrates how to pull off the move. It really interupts the gameplay. Ever been to a major college or pro football game that was being televised? Remember how irritating and excrutiatingly long the TV time outs were? It's like that.