The Death of the Instruction Manual

Raymond McCrum wrote: "As we head towards the digital age of gaming, I can’t help but feel a certain bitterness. I’m one of the many collectors who cherishes having complete physical copies of my games sitting all neatly organized on a shelf. There’s a certain indescribable charm to it, one that greatly enhances the atmosphere of a gamer’s room. It’s also just enjoyable to check out the back of the box, or have a quick look through the manual, as a quick way to appreciate and revisit a certain title for the memories it brought.

“65,000 eye-popping colors, 60 frames per second and up to four independently scrolling backdrops, all of which pull you into Rayman’s outrageous worlds!”

[TechGear]

manuals where never needed in the first place. Something called the internet? So, this article makes no sense at all... they make it seem like gamers ever cared about manuals.

The only manuals needed are console setup instructions.

[dark-hollow]

i love reading manuals (good, colored ones) before i fire up the game itself.

game manuals like fallout 3 and oblivion are pretty fun to read, and they have some info of some mechanics you might missed.

[Hicken]

So, back in the PS1 days, we could find everything we needed on the internet? Yeah, okay.

I can tell you only recently started gaming. Most of us that have been doing it for more than this generation actually like having manuals. And I think ESPECIALLY JRPG lovers like having their manuals. For years, I wouldn't buy a game that didn't come with an original case and manual. And if I did, I'd keep an eye out, and grab the real thing as soon as I could.

I, personally, look at the lack of manuals within games and get saddened. And it's not about the instructions of how to play being in the manual. They used to contain a little slice of the game. A premise of the story, an introduction to the characters, stuff like that. I liked getting that little window into the game. And it seemed to take more effort to look up a moves list in the manual instead of pausing the game.

Now I buy a game and the manual consists of one sheet of paper.

Sad, indeed.

[jjdoyle]

internet? in the 80s? it wuold have took hour to finds it with speeds then.

[bwazy]

The environment thanks you.

[TechGear]

environment? It would only hurt the environment if the manuals were plastic since plastic doesn't dissolve. I don't understand why people are giving you agrees... due to your uneducated remark.

Manuals stopped because gamers never read. Even old school gamers of that 90's that played Zelda, mario and God of War never read manuals. Those old school titles were too simplistic to even need a manual.

[Wintersun616]

God of War is old school? LMAO!

"manuals where never needed in the first place. Something called the internet?" (from your first post)

When I started gaming, internet connections at home weren't common at all, and they were expensive as hell, using it for something like manuals or guides for games was not an option back then.

[pandaboy]

well what if the paper was sourced from an unsustainable forest? I don't understand why people are giving you agrees... due to your uneducated remark.

[No FanS Land]

@pandaboy : That was clever!

[bwazy]

Hmm, mass deforestation , mass pollution caused by pulp and paper mills, chemicals used in the process as well as a f*** ton of green house gases being released into the air.

You're the kind of person that simply needs to cease existing for this world to keep on thriving.

[NYC_Gamer]

I don't care since never used game manuals anyway

[ColossiSlayer]

Oh Castlevania, Symphony Of The Night, Gran Turismo 1 (2 manuals actually) & The GTA Series manuals are the best ever.

[Tetsujin]

Manuals were nice to read either at work or riding with someone on the way to play whatever new game I bought. I'm surprised some of the newer games have a basic foldout with some very basic controls and legal info, but that's about it.

Now its either some strategy guide, and/or the internet.

[attilayavuzer]

Depresses me too. Some of my best gaming memories are after buying a game and reading through the manual on the way home. Would be so damn excited after reading everything.

[sonicsidewinder]

That fresh manual smell!!

If manuals are abolished, then there should at LEAST be a purchaseable house fragrance of 'Manual Smell' lest we never forget.

Manuals are of course important for 'some' games. Unless they're made for simpletons and require no reading up on to learn. (COD) of course the fans of such games would think,
"Derrr! Yer'dont even neeeeed manuals! Wah, I use me manual to wipe me arse xD"

I like reading manuals, they get your head in gear. Paper based, or digital.

[trenso1]

i love reading manuals. after i bought the game on the way home i would admire the case and art work around it then just read through the manual. even i already knew all the controls its something that i just like doing.

[goldwyncq]

That's my only complain about vita games; the lack of any tangible instruction manuals.

[Kyosuke_Sanada]

I remember when manuals were perfect prologues to gear me up for a title. Games like Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid, and the Shin Megami Tensei series gave impressive artwork (and sometimes concept art which always tickled my fancy...) which made me appreciate the whole package.

Now I received pamphlets from Jehovah's witnesses that are twice the size than recent manuals and to add insult to injury, they are black and white.......

[Kran]

Saving the environment I guess?

Most games ship with digital manuals... not that they're really any good :/

[GrumpyOldGamer]

I still have Atari 2600 games in the box with instructions... Its about collecting... Nostalgia... That is why I think Digital Games suck! No physical games to collect. And sometimes its nice to read game instructions while you are on the can.