Video Game Manuals

[Opinionated]

Do you actually read them? Or do you not read the manual, then have to sit through the overly long tutorials and complain about how long the tutorials are when you could've just read the manual?

Personally, I like the manual. It's a chance for the developer to blend information and flavor together. Give you a jump-start on getting immersed in the game and hey, maybe be entertaining to read.

Question the second: Anyone have any all-time favorite manuals?

[Miss Moonlight]

Yup. I read them and collect them.

[GameGeeks]

I used to read them on the way home from the store as a kid till I could play the game but now I don't. Most games force you through a tutorial in game anyway so they're pointless now.

[Lily Rock]

Yeah, expect, if i've played them b4(free trials or so) i don't need them, in L4D2 i read it, three times to get it stuck to my head, MW2 had tutorial in beginning, so i got knowledge from there.
WoW i had to read some times to, i have manuals for many games, and i have mostly read them, expect if it's game's that i can't play/other reason.

[Eris]

Back when games had manuals that were more like books (with way over 100 pages), I used to read them. Now that they're a 10 page pamphlet full of stuff I'll learn in the tutorial of the game itself, I don't.

The manuals to Fallout 1 and 2 were quite awesome. They even had cooking recipes.

[GameGeeks]

Hey, now you can work on your cooking skills in real life. If you fail, just dump points into the cooking skill.

[Skylar1]

Of course. I like the ones with awesome game-art the most. Can't get that from a Dl.

[Eris]

The Baldur's gate manuals were awesome as well. They easily had 30 pages of back-story each.

[GameGeeks]

I love those manuals. Also love the gender bending belt in 1.

[Furore]

As stated by others, the Baldur's Gate series had great manuals (for me the commentary from Elminster and Rolo had me smiling every so often) but I've also loved some of the manuals of old that featured game art, game secrets, mini posters, lore and many other things. I remember in the mid 90s as a kid it was almost as great a joy to open a new game box and find decent collectibles and quality manuals than it was to play a game itself. These days I'm lucky to get a manual in a PC game and I usually only get collectables and other bonuses when I purchse the special edition of a game.

Looking at my shelf I still have plastic Army Men from some of the games on my shelf and if I recall correctly their manuals weren't half bad to read neither.

[Zetsubou-Billy]

when i pop in a new game and it has to download some data or has a patch. I grab out the manual and start reading.

[Kisarose]

when i pop in a new game and it has to download some data or has a patch. I grab out the manual and start reading.

Same here =O
I also like to look at the pretty pictures.

[Light Buster]

I do. Gives me helpful information that I don't know.

Example: EX Focus.

[JIMBO.]

I liked

the metal gear ones that was like manga's

the GTA travel guide style ones

the Jak and Daxter with Daxters hints.

warcraft had good art.

alot of the final fantasy had good ones too.

[RaShayRitto]

these days its hardly necessary as almost every game does the in-game tutorial thing. i'll read it if it has other things like character info and lore

[HyuugaNeji]

Yep, I read them everytime. I actually get angry if I lose my manual to my games lol.The only one I didn't bother to read was Modern Warfare 2. It was like what, 5 pages long? It's not worth the time nor the effort to read it.

[-GAZKUL-]

usually just skim, though with shooters i never read it as the controlls are pretty standard with FPS'

[Owl]

I think out of all the games I've ever played the only one that's ever been useful is the manual to a game called Demon's Souls. If anyone has played it... it can get very.. uh. wthbbq? at any time. Not reading the manual to that game is like trying to land a 747 on a runway before the age of 3. Hopefully you take my advice if you ever play! :)