Did you read your last game manual?

[HMXChrisCanfield]

Just curious: For the last non-rockband game that you bought, did you read the manual?

Obviously, this wouldn't count games that don't have manuals.

And while we're on the question, if you did read all or part of the manual, why? What motivated you to open it in the first place, or keep it open?

[Cpt. Overkill]

I prefer to learn the game on my own, I only look if I need help.

[kiggidykev]

Yeah, I read the Lego Batman book, but only because it was the only thing in arms' reach on the way to the pooper.

[Der_Lex]

Yes, but that was because I was on a train with nothing else to read at the time.

[ThrobingCane]

No i usualy dont read them unles i dont understand the controls

[BaneOfIcarus]

Son of a...you sneaked that "(non-rockband)" in there, but to be honest I skim most of my manuals. I voted without reading, just judged from the thread name.
But it still applies I guess, so I answered it honestly.

[Nourez]

I usually skim through the manuals for games I buy. More for background story and artwork though. I never really read the instructions, almost all modern games have a good tutorial built in, and in the ones that don't, the manual is bogus anyways.

[CheezerRox]

I voted before I read the first post. :(

I said that I skimmed most of the Rock Band 2 manual.

[DethBoxx]

Unfortunately game manuals tend to leave out the information that I am usually looking for, which means I have to look things up online instead. I see this as an argument for making manuals more information-complete, not one for eliminating them, by the way.

[Renrock]

Nope. I usuallay only look at RPG manuals for the art. Most never leave the case.

Only manueal I've looked at recently was RB2 just to see the info on the 20 tracks.

[wesjett08]

One of the first thing I always do when I buy a game is read the manual,Usually on the crapper if they are big enough...

[Inpheksion]

last game i got other than Rb2... was like 5 months ago

(I have GF, and they dont send manuals lol)


But i read it, cuz it was like a 30 minutes ride home when i got the game

[Fault]

I usually play for one or two sessions first, but then I always go back and read the manual - there may be something small mentioned in there that the game doesn't introduce properly, or an option that isn't explained well enough in-game. (Harmonix, this includes 'Video Overscan'. ... And 'Awesomeness Detection', for that matter. :P)

[Der_Lex]

no way reading is for losers.

I really hope this was sarcasm.

[JukeBoxHero]

no way reading is for losers.

Like yourself ;)

[dady5000]

No I didn't.

Not a single page.

Most people don't read them because of their "Do It yourself" attitude.

[Rock_Starman]

Skimmed. It was Disgaea 3 so obviously being the 3rd game I already have enough of an idea as what to do. I normally read the full thing if it's a non-sequel or sequel that changed a ton of stuff.

[Hindesite]

No.

It's was Kirby Super Star Ultra.

Looked at the cover of the manual, though... Forcefully. I had to see it when I opened case to get the game cart out, lol.

[Mex]

I don't read them usually. Most games today have tutorials that teach you what you need to know in a much more entertaining way than reading it.

I remember the old days when you were SOL if you borrowed a game from a friend or bought it used with no manual.

[Dr. Wagner]

I almost never read them unless there is something I can't find out from just playing the game.

Thanks for creating this thread, because I think the current state of game manuals is pretty sorry. The only exception to this seems to be the Grand Theft Auto games (that I know of, I'm not a hardcore gamer). The GTA manuals always have inside jokes and things that are actually worth checking out. The last couple of games have had manuals in the form of faux city guides and come with a map/poster. You can tell the developers put some effort into them.

Why can't other games be like this? Games manuals IMO, should be like liner notes for albums. They should have interesting stuff that fans would want to have. Rock Band for example could put a poster GTA-style, perhaps made out to look like a gig poster. I'm sure fans would dig it.

Right now all game manuals do is tell you what buttons to push and how to save, maybe a little more but not much. What a waste.

[HMXfanboy]

I read every word including the credits.

[Daesania]

I dont read them myself... but i did read the RB2 manual , but thats because my name was in it :P

[Dustincopter]

I dont read the credits, but the other stuff. There's usually something neat hidden in there.

[rocketmanpwns]

Nope, never do. Unless something breaks or I don't know how it goes. I normanly then have a skim through on a MMO game but that about it.

[HMXDave]

Skimmed. It was Disgaea 3 so obviously being the 3rd game I already have enough of an idea as what to do. I normally read the full thing if it's a non-sequel or sequel that changed a ton of stuff.

Mine was also Disgaea 3. I read the manual cover to cover (except for the parts in French) before playing the game.

I do this for all games that I am really excited about or have been waiting for for a while. I like to drag it out and really enjoy the anticipation of playing the game. It's sort of a ritual of mine.

It really pisses other people off though when I get a game they want to play/see being played. They're like, "Just play the damn game already!"

[Highlandlassie1]

Read any and all manuels.

No reason not to.

[Keebler]

I read every manual, mostly start to finish. Mostly out of curiosity and the desire to be comprehensive in my knowledge of a game. But I can't say the manuals have ever really made me realize something I didn't already know.

[Khiro]

Always. Not reading it means you're not interested in the game, and an interest should always be shown! Plus, i find i enjoy the game much more when i know ALL of the controls, and don't stumble around like an idiot till the end and THEN find out you can double-jump.

Of course, that's just my opinion. I always atleast TRY to read it before i start, or after i finish my first session.

[Transbrak]

The last game I bought besides rock band 2 was gta 4

I looked at that for the humor and the big giant map(if thats even part of the manual)

but normally no

[HPLabonte]

I reads all of thems, katie.

I think the last thing in a manual I read was a list of songs in that game, might have been MLB08

[grumpypariah]

last one, Too Human, i planned on reading it. picked it up during lunch, and left it in the car. so, i think.............yep, i came her to post useless drivel, as i usually do, instead.

[AnarchyintheUK]

I voted yes because there has been times before were I read all of it, except some of the legal crap at the back. GTA IV for instance I read it all because its not really a manual its more of a litle guide book to the virtual city and the last game I bought was Uncharted Drakes Fortune and I read that manual because the controls mucked me up big time, so yes in answer to your question.

[Apples]

Agree with this. The only thingI do like is the "quick reference" sheets that show all he butons and what controls they map to.
I prefer to learn the game on my own, I only look if I need help.

[Der_Lex]

Agree with this. The only thingI do like is the "quick reference" sheets that show all he butons and what controls they map to.

Posting on the forums while on vacation... addict :D

[FallenAce]

I like to read the manuals because they provide background story. I also like the jokes and overall-goofiness you get to see in manuals you don't always get in the game.

A company that did fantastic manuals was Working Designs, who closed in 2005. They were my favorite video game translation company ever, and I had really hoped to work for them once I got out of college. Unfortunately, I graduated in 2004 and they were on the way out then.

[lawrence1103]

i only read it if i don't know the controls, other than that no. i catch on pretty quick

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[benson111]

I tend to read every one i get. I am a uber-nerd, and must know more than everyone else about the game. :o The booklet will almost always contain something that will take you a week or so to figure out. So any leg up i can get ( O.o ) i will take!

[kanrei]

I still haven't read my first one, but I also have not beat my first game. I wonder if there is a connection...

[Wolfee360]

No, Madden you don't need to read lol.

[ExpertDrummer]

LOL,I dont even remember the last game I got(non-rockband)...IDK but I never read the manual,well besides Halo and Resident Evil.(If I needed help with controls)

[sattyriasis]

I always try and read the manuals, if only to look at the pretty pictures (if it has any). Can't remember what it was exactly, but I'm sure last game I bought I found out something pretty helpful by looking at the manual that I think the tutorials didn't mention.

[JB4GDI]

If it's a new game, or a game that's a part of a series where there's been significant changes (like Resident Evil 4) I will read the whole thing. Usually I'll do it to become familiar with the controls and what the creators think is worth mentioning. I also do it to maybe find tips or tricks that most people wouldn't notice on a first playthrough. Since the last game I bought was Metal Gear Solid 4, I read the whole thing and actually found out some useful stuff.

Also, sometimes the manual is actually funny and worth reading because it doesn't take itself too seriously. I seem to remember the We Love Katamari, Rock Band, and WarioWare manuals being like this. Also the Warioware manual came with stickers and activities and stuff which made it instantly awesome.

If the game is part of a series though, I'll usually just skim through most of the manual. I mean, in the case of Mario Kart DS and Command & Conquer 3, I know how it works after 10 years of playing the others, so I'll just skim through and see if any weapons changed, or any gameplay stuff was added.

I have noticed though that there seems to be less and less of a reason to pick up the manual because so many games use tutorials now. I mean, I still will read them for the most part, but it doesn't seem as enjoyable as it used to be back in the day.

-Jaime