Printed Manual

[Keith]

..and a cry goes up from the people....

You guessed it. This is the same old request for printed manuals that actually have information about the game and maybe a bit of history and background.

The manual for Pharaoh was nicely done. Those of us that got the game in the early releases cherish these books.

It may be a matter of expense for the publisher, but it's a matter of perceived value for the customers.
http://members.aol.com/dheitm8612/horus2.gif
Keith Heitmann
http://members.aol.com/dheitm8612/my-cartouche.gif
dheitm8612@aol.com (mailto:dheitm8612@aol.com)
Pharaoh Music Jukebox (http://members.aol.com/dheitm8612/java/pharaoh.htm)

[EmperorJay]

I agree. I really enjoyed the Pharaoh and Caesar manuals and despite their size I actually read them completely and they're the only manuals I've ever read again whena game confused me.

[Ineti]

Did later releases of Pharaoh not have the book?? I had no idea. I love me that Pharaoh manual. :)

I also picked up the strategy guide, but wasn't as impressed with that.

[EmperorJay]

Later versions of the game indeed did not come with a manual (neither do old versions of Caesar). The players who bought those versions got the manual in .pdf format on the CD.

[Pecunia]

The players who bought those versions got the manual in .pdf format on the CD.
Exactly, and I even went through the trouble of printing both the Caesar3 and Pharaoh manual, just to have a paper reference handy when I needed it. Result: a big stack of paper next to my computer :D

[Merepatra]

A nice thick paper manual would be nice, but I would imagine its unlikely. With the smaller size boxes now standard in the US a manual the size of the C3/Pharaoh/Zeus ones just wouldn't fit.

Hopefully though even if we can't get a full sized paper manual we will get a decent pdf one as I really hate games with only a thin pamplet and a readme file with no real information.

[Sinuhe]

With the smaller size boxes now standard in the US a manual the size of the C3/Pharaoh/Zeus ones just wouldn't fit.

Does that mean we should get the manual in Europe? I mean, you get the flap, we should at least be given something you aren't! ;)
Boxes in Europe are still of the same standard size, somewhat smaller than the 'former' (?) US sizes, and without the flap. A manual would certainly fit. :D

[EmperorJay]

Actually, here in Holland (where we get the UK version) all I've seen for the last year (or years) is those DVD size boxes. :(

[Pecunia]

Actually, here in Holland (where we get the UK version) all I've seen for the last year (or years) is those DVD size boxes. :(
Hmm, I can't remember the last time I was in a game shop ... must've been nearly three years ago, Poseidon being the last game I bought.

But.. since you mentioned Europe, Sinuhe, I wonder if Children of the Nile will be released simultaneously in the whole world, or if the US folks will be lucky again and get the game a month earlier than the rest of the world?

[Sinuhe]

Actually, here in Holland (where we get the UK version) all I've seen for the last year (or years) is those DVD size boxes.
Oh yes, I forgot about those. Indeed, many games seem to come in these annoying DVD boxes lately; but those that come in real boxes continue to come in normal sized ones. :) (Come to think of it, our oh-so-kind importers have recently got into the habit of translating the manuals that come with DVD boxes ... a most annoying thing to do when the game is in English!)

But then again, many games seem to come in two versions, one in the normal box and one in the (cheaper) DVD box. I certainly wouldn't mind paying a bit more for a hard-copy manual, preferably of the Zeus style (that is, the one yielding fulfilment in humour for the depressed game player of today). :D

But.. since you mentioned Europe, Sinuhe, I wonder if Children of the Nile will be released simultaneously in the whole world, or if the US folks will be lucky again and get the game a month earlier than the rest of the world?
If it is but a month, I can live with that. But really, why not release it in Europe first for a change? :) Or, if you really must localise it, why not have localisers spell 'colour' with the u and 'realise' with the s and 'fulfil' with only one l and 'learnt' with the t and so forth? That would be worth the wait! ;)

[Pecunia]

Or, if you really must localise it, why not have localisers spell 'colour' with the u and 'realise' with the s and 'fulfil' with only one l and 'learnt' with the t and so forth? That would be worth the wait! ;)
How about they also do a complete set of voices with a nice British accent? ;)

[Nefermenu]

Am alarming amount of games nowadays come in the dvd size boxes :( And there isn't much room for a manual. But of those, Emperor's manual is one of the best I've seen. Plus there was a big, decent PDF manual on disc. Would that be what they do now?

I know it's the money that counts, unfortunately, but, needless to say, there are many many of us who would love very much to get a big manual :D Pharaoh style ;) Pleeeeease? :)

[Reed]

I thought all games released in Europe are using DVD boxes now?

[Celebithil Dae]

*sigh* i miss manuals. Call me nuts, but ive read them just for entertainment purposes only (yeah, i AM nuts). Any paper manual wold be greatly appreciated.

[Keith]

I thought all games released in Europe are using DVD boxes now?They could still shrink wrap the manual to the back of the DVD-style plastic boxes. I'm sure the customers would not care if it was inside or outside the "box" as it were. ;)

Here in the U.S. most games are still in a cardboard box, but a smaller sized box than those of the old Pharaoh game. That smaller box is still large enough for a nice manual to fit in.

Just imagine the "buzz" if word got around that the game actually came with a honest-to-god printed manual with real game play info in it. What a novelty!

http://members.aol.com/dheitm8612/horus2.gif
Keith Heitmann
http://members.aol.com/dheitm8612/my-cartouche.gif
dheitm8612@aol.com (mailto:dheitm8612@aol.com)
Pharaoh Music Jukebox (http://members.aol.com/dheitm8612/java/pharaoh.htm)

[Jayhawk]

How about they also do a complete set of voices with a nice British accent? ;)

That makes me wonder if the locals will a charming Egyptian accent....

I thought all games released in Europe are using DVD boxes now?
Some half of them still seem to appear in cardboard boxes.

[Ken Parker]

Our documentation takes modern packaging requirements into account -- and that means DVD box restrictions on manual trim size and thickness in the worldwide marketplace. The days of book-sized paper manuals chock full of flavor text and illustrations are, alas, past. However, Tilted Mill hired a fulltime writer (me) to ensure that all of the information you want and need is readily available in a pleasing and convenient format. All of the game's documentation will work together to exceed your expectations. Trust me. :cool:

[Ineti]

The days of book-sized paper manuals chock full of flavor text and illustrations are, alas, past.

That's really unfortunate.

All of the game's documentation will work together to exceed your expectations. Trust me. :cool:

Sounds good, Ken. I imagine it'll either be a robust in-game feature, or perhaps a PDF file?

Thanks for the news.

[Jayhawk]

All of the game's documentation will work together to exceed your expectations. Trust me. :cool:
As you haven't failed us yet, I seriously doubt you will do so this time.

:: wonders if maybe part of the extended manual, i.e. the bits with extra flavour, won't just be part of the TM:CotN site ::

[Keith]

Our documentation takes modern packaging requirements into account -- and that means DVD box restrictions on manual trim size and thickness in the worldwide marketplace. The days of book-sized paper manuals chock full of flavor text and illustrations are, alas, past. However, Tilted Mill hired a fulltime writer (me) to ensure that all of the information you want and need is readily available in a pleasing and convenient format. All of the game's documentation will work together to exceed your expectations. Trust me. :cool:I hear what you are saying, let's face it a manual can come in just about any physical size as far as trim size. I have a few here that would fit nicely shrink wrapped to the back of a DVD plasitc box or inside one of the new smaller cardboard boxes.

Unfortunately, I don't find PDF files particularly convenient. The only thing that would make it more convenient than a PDF file is if there was a in-game option to view a "built-in" manual, something similar to the Pharaoh-style popup help/info screens, but al little larger and in a plain easy to read font...my eyes aren't getting any younger.

Also, you may want to consider some option to allow the choice of font size in all game fonts for the manuals and in-game text. I am currently helping a visually impaired person that loves to play these games and so far I have helped him modify the Emperor MP Lobby files for a larger font size and a yellow background because white backgrounds make it difficult for him to read. I am sure people with this sort of problem would appreciate it.
http://members.aol.com/dheitm8612/horus2.gif
Keith Heitmann
http://members.aol.com/dheitm8612/my-cartouche.gif
dheitm8612@aol.com (http://mailto:dheitm8612@aol.com/)
Pharaoh Music Jukebox (http://members.aol.com/dheitm8612/java/pharaoh.htm)

[Josh]

While I really appreciate the printed manuals, I support anything that can lower the cost of a game while still giving the developers their share.

While I would like a manual, if it shaves five bucks off the purchace price, I can live without it, and so could the majority of people (sadly) While the day of the printed manual is gone, the days of the PDF file and school laser printer live on! :D

[Keith]

While I really appreciate the printed manuals, I support anything that can lower the cost of a game while still giving the developers their share.

While I would like a manual, if it shaves five bucks off the purchace price, I can live without it, and so could the majority of people (sadly) While the day of the printed manual is gone, the days of the PDF file and school laser printer live on! :D
I'm just the opposite. I'd be willing to pay the extra $5 to get a decent printed manual with quality information.
http://members.aol.com/dheitm8612/horus2.gif
Keith Heitmann
http://members.aol.com/dheitm8612/my-cartouche.gif
dheitm8612@aol.com (mailto:dheitm8612@aol.com)
Pharaoh Music Jukebox (http://members.aol.com/dheitm8612/java/pharaoh.htm)

[Nefermenu]

Surely you know the game costs just as much in the store, whether it includes a manual or not :p It's just a matter of... if the company (-ies) can make a proper manual, or are willing to do that. And cut down a little of their share ;)

It may well be just a coincidence, but IMHO all the best games do have a manual. Not that it's always (necessarily) been needed to play the game, but the game itself has been better too.

I like all the CBs, and Civilization, and AOE and so on. They all have big manuals. Settlers III somehow didn't quite have that... something, lasting value. And guess what? It didn't have one. Maybe, just maybe, it tells us something about the company itself and how serious they are about their work.

Don't get me wrong, with the track record that Tilted Mill has, we don't have to worry about that. We all know CotN will be quite a game! I'm sure of it.

But those coincidendes... makes you wonder, doesn't it? :p