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[This message has been edited by The Unholy Avenger (edited 01-19-2005).]
I prefer to try and figure out how to play games by myself but failing that I feel better having a manual that can help me out.
Not really, usually the game explains itself 99% of the time during the intro phase so you don’t really need to read the manual. Although I’m not adverse to reading it if it’s interesting, I like the manuals for the game fallout since they always put jokes and other things in it
For games that have manuals like the Fallout games (which are fun), I always read them first. I normally play the game first, then read the manual later. Unless there are functions that are hard to find or understand.
For RPGs I always read the manual first, like for the Final Fantasy games, where the battle systems always have features that aren’t obvious.
[This message has been edited by AG3 (edited 12-03-2004).]
well, maybe i didnt make myself clear enough, what i wanted to know is how many of u ask for the help of the manual (when u dont understand something, etc)
if we take it as “just cause i got nothing better to do” i also read the manual (what i like to read the most is the “units” “character” page/s (with the introduction/description/strenghts/weakness of each one) because they usually put a little history behind it
I can’t say that has happened to me so far.
However, there are plenty of cases where the manual contains only the bare minimum you need to start a game and know the interface, without explaining fuctions, causes & effects and such, and where it becomes necessary to seek out info on the net in order to understand stuff.
As an example: Despite its thick manual, Master of Orion 3 had an extremely steep learning curve because the documentation contained very little useful info (IMO). The “how and why” to a lot of things were missing, and I personally found the entire thing to be so overwhelming that I simply abandoned the game after a few days of trying to enjoy it.
Well, the point is that I rarely have to seek explanations to things that actually are in the manual, I mostly look up the things that aren’t in there to begin with.
I read the manual. Often before playing, sometimes after playing it for the first time.
If I have a question that relates to the gameplay, I look in the manual. That’s 100% smarter than logging on to the net, asking your question on a message board, waiting several hours for your response, and then getting.
Besides, the manual often contains some backstory or interesting info about some things.
For RPGs, it sometimes also contains spoilers of the first part of the game, so I tend to skip that until after starting the game. Though I find myself reading it anyway if I take the bus home, which takes an hour…
I read manual also, while installing the games. After that play the game and if I didin’t get it read a manual again…
same as computermania…i read them during installation because i have nothing else better to do while it installs
well, i usually play B-games while installing (especially when they are 4, 5 or 6 CDs games or DVDs games)…
…Also, i’m a PRO at ‘KILLINGTIMEism’ so i dont really have a time when i dont have anything to do (but that doesnt means that what i’m doing is always something productive.)
ha ha…KillingTimeism.
I thought it was the game’s function to make it “user friendly” so if you have to touch anything in a manual, if you have to read a manual, doesn’t it defeat the purpose?
In any case, almost all the time when you have to read a manual to figure out something, it’s probably too complicated already for a manual.
I usually read the manual. Not only because it often contains interesting information, but because it’s kind of a habit. I often play rather complex games, where you have to read the manual, if you want to do anything sensible. So I take a look even at manuals of simple games, as you never know what you may find within.
quote:
Originally posted by BluntWeapon:
I thought it was the game’s function to make it “user friendly” so if you have to touch anything in a manual, if you have to read a manual, doesn’t it defeat the purpose?
Yeah, yeah, you try to operate a realistical APG-66 without reading the manual and I watch.
It’s a Radar…how hard can it be
Oh, no! You got me!
Now I have to think up a new riddle for you…