Instruction manuals

[Haru_Elric]

No, There is never a case where you read them unless you are stuck, and you can't be arsed reading gamefaqs

 

[TheBarefootBandit]

Unless it's a pc game, I don't read'em.

 

[AddytheGreat]

In all honesty, the only time I ever looked at one was when I had to wait to play the game , so I'd psych myself up by reading the various things you can do.
So, question is... Is there anyone out there who actually reads them thoroughly before playing?

I do exactly the same thing, If a game is installing or something, I will read the booklet, but otherwise, I wouldn't touch the things

 

[GodofDisaster]

Yes, I do read them. After all they are an excellent way to pass the time on that car journey home from the game store.

Also I rarely buy games for the pc but when I do, I read over the mannuel at least five or six times.

 

[EscapeGoat_v1legacy]

I don't usually read them anymore, although I'll always give them a quick flick through pre-playing, just to see if there's anything interesting or quirky in there, like Metal Gear Solid's instructional manga.

Having said that, I still get a bit ticked off when I find a pre-owned game without one. It just doesn't feel like a full game without one, although I'm not sure why.

 

[Valiance]

It depends on the game?

If the manual has useful information?

Or is charming/funny in some way.

 

[Flour]

I never read the things.

There's rarely not some in-game tutorial explaining anything from how to select something to taking off your shoe to inspect that weird growth between your character's toes. In-game tutorials don't really matter though, basically every game uses the same controls and as long as I have two functioning hands and a single working brain cell it's not difficult to figure out that the developers decided to make "Y" the use key.

Plot.. I only care about it in an RPG and in that case forums and the endless fanboy arguments flamewars whether the main character's left or right testicle rescued the princess usually explains spoils the plot better than the single paragraph description in the 6-page manual.

 

[TangyTooTall101]

Usually I read the manuals for a new game I bought on the way home from gamestop.

Or if a friend lets me borrow one, I read through it quickly to make sure there's nothing I'm missing.

I'm guilty of reading through the manual a few days after I started playing, and then I see something I didn't know, and say "WTF I can do that?!" That was from Prototype I think...

 

[Ciarang]

I always tend to read them, it's nice on the way back home on the bus, (where I'd buy the game), to learn some more about it.

 

[orangebandguy]

I always read them, mainly to pass the time of the installation process.

 

[UnravThreads]

Yeah, I guess I do. I've not read them for some games (e.g. NWN), but for games like Mass Effect, Mirror's Edge, UaW? Yep.

They're often rubbish, though. I do remember Halo 1-3 having fairly good manuals...

 

[GrinningManiac]

I read 'em whilst I'm waiting for the game to install, and if I ever suddenly want to find an obscure hotkey I don't know about

They don't make them properly anymore. I remember the manual for Sim City 3000, dear oh Lord, it had a feckin' spine, ladies and gents. It wasn't a pamphlet, it was a book

 

[Jedamethis]

As my brother and I often share games, whoever isn't playing reads the booklet instead

 

[Jenova65]

I don't play the GTA games but the manuals are great! It is nice when they put that bit more thought into it
I don't read them straight away but I do get round to it eventually.

 

[General Vagueness]

I make it a point to read the manual for any game I play before I even put it in the console or computer to give me an idea of what to expect, what the button/key layout is, and get any tips or story tidbits that might be in there-- the Halo manuals are pretty good as far as story.

 

[ae86gamer]

I usually read them if I just bought the game and I'm in the passenger seat.

 

[thejadefalcon]

I always read instruction manuals, usually before even installing the game (or putting it in the console for 360 games). I am a man with brains. Ultimate win?

 

[rhyno435]

I read the epilepsy warning and the instructions saying how to turn your PS3 on and start the game in every manual. That's some good information right there. You never know if Sony might have changed the way you turn on the console.

In all seriousness though, I used to read them, now I just glance at them while the game is installing or updating (In the case of Batman: AA, I glanced at it several times, went and made a sandwich, took a nap, and then played the finally installed game).