Oh Booklets? Where Hath Thine Glory Gone? D:

[dreamcast4ever83]

Hi, so, as most of you on here may know, I'm a game collector; I collect games, systems, everything. I am really upset to see how much the quality of books and game cases have decreased. Don't get me wrong, if you buy a collectors edition normally, they're really nice. But seriously, WTF happened?

I was looking back at some of my Sega Saturn games and Sega CD, Playstation, etc... and they are all so beautiful. The cases are solid as hell, the books are all in color, and have everything necessary to glorify a game, good or bad. Some of the titles are raised, too! They're all just beautiful. Nowadays, they don't even give you a damn book! They say "Go to this website and download it!" What kind of shit is this?!?

When I would buy a game, I had a ritual of opening my games, taking out the inserts, and reading the books in anticipation, or at least looking through them before I even play. It wasexciting and nice to have. I would then put the book back carefully so it did not get bent, and I felt special having it, feeling like the programmers gave a shit about their art.

Now, it's just a bunch of crap! Most games don't give you books, and if they do, it's 3 fucking pages with nothing on it. Some may say "Its for the environment, saving trees," Well I say bullshit! If they wanted to fix the environment we would use an alternative method of gasoline, but that will never happen, 'cause the oil companies to lose money, so don't feed me that crap!

Also, some say its to lower the cost, to keep games cheaper. Well, thats also crap, 'cause games are just as pricey as they've ever been! (unless it's Nintendo.) The real reason is 'cause they're cheap and they know by saving the dollar or less it costs to produce a book (times millions), they're making a ton of extra money. However, that's also crap, because the video game industries are larger than the movie industries, right up there with internet marketting! So do they really need to pinch pennies? Honestly that sucks, and it's just unattractive (not to mention shitty for collectors). Things have become way too impersonal over the last decade or two. Honestly, what's happened to passion? Sure, there's a lot of passion and effort that goes into games, but there's no harm in glorifying it with the art of the game. Honestly, being in a world of ruled by the internet, things are impersonal enough. There's a certain nostalgia and warmth you get when you pick up an actual booklet, feeling the pages, seeing the art of the world you're about to experience (and the smell is nice, too). So, basically, what I'm trying to say is... "Stop being lazy, cheap fucks and give me a damn book, alright!?"

-- With Love, Travis. :3
PS: You shall Never Obtain the Necronomicon!
- Then: Stacked with With Beauty

Now: nothing
" " (<<< This is how thin it is... SHAME) - Now; Only Worth Face Value

[flojocabron]

yeah the companies are being lazy.

Some of us here like manuals, but for others they are fancy coasters.

I've seen very thin manuals that just say the basic controls.

and they have a whole page of "To get the full manual go to Https:/Game/manual/.com

So sad.

Yeah maybe they do this just to save on paper, But when It goes to the used/ secondary market, (ie gamestop) they throw away the box, and the manual comes along for the ride.

Bottom line is that games manufacture needs to be profitable and the manual is the first to go. Followed by those damn ECO BOXES!

May as well enjoy it now before games go fully 100% digital and we may not even have a disc or boxart. Just a damn download voucher.

[Key-Glyph]

I had similar thoughts recently! I can't remember what game it was, but I think it was for the X-Box 360, and it just had giant black pages with only a few words on each. I found this even more annoying than "there is no manual" or even "go download it," because the company actually decided to put the work into printing something up but then didn't see the need to put any information inside of it. Did they think tangibility alone was the point? Did someone phone it in? I mean... why even bother? All it did was make me sad to see the lack of effort and the wasted opportunity.

I am very attached to my manuals as well. When I learned how to read I devoured any written text around me -- comic books, the backs of cereal boxes and shampoo bottles, street signs, you name it -- and some of my first reading materials were video game boxes, inserts, magazines, and strategy guides. When buying used games nowadays I always try to get it in box (or sleeve) with manual. If I can't and I really care about the particular title, I try to complete it later.

I've actually always had this weird ritual of reading all the packaging and inserts that come with video games before I actually play, including things like the health and safety precautions booklets that come with every single Game Boy cartridge. A part of this is because I'm generally uncomfortable diving into a game before I'm briefed on its controls and expectations, but I also use the reading stage as a sort of psych-up zone. It gets me immersed and pumped to play!

[Erik_Twice]

Also, some say its to lower the cost, to keep games cheaper. Well, thats also crap, 'cause games are just as pricey as they've ever been!

Games have never been cheaper. A NES game costed around 90-100$ when you consider inflation, far more than any game nowadays.

[Hobie-wan]

Manuals and CD booklets are perfect light reading for a trip to the can. Long enough to take care of business, not so long that your ass starts falling asleep.

[TheyCallMeTheSwede]

Also add the fact many gamers nowadays are so spoiled with there in-game tutorials, which pretty much destroy the purpose of manuals, I used to read manuals to know how to play...not anymore. I even would go to the option menu and see the controls and see which does what...not anymore.

[dreamcast4ever83]

Also, some say its to lower the cost, to keep games cheaper. Well, thats also crap, 'cause games are just as pricey as they've ever been!

Games have never been cheaper. A NES game costed around 90-100$ when you consider inflation, far more than any game nowadays.[/quote

I'm refering to the consumer. Also when i bought nes or snes games they were always right around 40-50bucks each which is the same as now.

Little off subject dude that was not the point

[Erik_Twice]

I'm refering to the consumer. Also when i bought nes or snes games they were always right around 40-50bucks each which is the same as now.

A dollar in 1985 was worth twice than a dollar today. Hence the 50$ you paid for your NES games are equivalent to spending 100$ today. Games are now much cheaper.

[Menegrothx]

In-game tutorials and cutscenes tell you everything nessecary about how to play the game and what the storyline is about so there is no need for an elaborate manual anymore these days. Back then there were a lot of games that you simply could not understand or play if you didnt read the game manual, like computer RPGs. And because of limited space etc, many games that werent based so much around the storyline, like Castlevania IV for example, didnt really have anything in game that would explain you what is your ultimate goal, who are you etc. You could read it up from the manual if you felt like it.

We sure dont get stuff like this anymore

The game's manual is entitled The Modern Day Book of Health and Hygiene, a parody of 19th century medical texts. It contains information necessary for solving prescription puzzles.

-Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist

I think some horror game on PC had a plastic insect in the game box and when you opened the game to read the manual, it fell out I love how old manuals were often themed after the game like the one in Freddy Pharkas. Some times they also had downright hilarious humor, like Gex for the 3DO which had like 6 full pages dedicated to the back up story of the game (2D platformer !), telling about how he moved to California where he was surrounded by white picket fences and white supremacists etc... I think it also said that he did ”services” to lonely housewives for money. You sure don't see stuff like that in a platformer game that is ”meant for kids” nowadays

[isiolia]

In-game tutorials and cutscenes tell you everything nessecary about how to play the game and what the storyline is about so there is no need for an elaborate manual anymore these days.

Mostly this, I think. In-game stuff is in many ways superior - you can't lose it without losing the game, it can be as extensive as the developers want it to be, and it's something the developers can ensure a player sees if they want. By having the player follow along with action, it reinforces the instruction as well.

Don't get me wrong, having a lovingly packaged game bundled with lots of goodies is still nice too, but (mostly) that's where collector's editions come in. Realistically, the extra $20-30 means you're paying "adjusted for inflation" prices for a new game, versus the same $50ish that games have cost since the 80s. Could also work the strategy guide into that equation.

There are exceptions anyway. The Witcher game boxes, for example, are loaded full of extras even in their normal versions. Other games include extras with their first printings only, but still don't carry a premium price. Conversely, plenty of games back in the day came with little in the box too.