Prima Launches Game Guides on Steam

[Andy Chalk]

Prima Launches Game Guides on Steam

Prima [http://www.valvesoftware.com] have teamed up to release a new series of Prima game guides that can be viewed from within videogames on Steam.

You know what Prima game guides are, right? They're those things people used to have to buy when they got stuck on tough spots in videogames, before the internet made all that stuff free. They're still around, believe it or not, and in what I guess is an attempt to move with the times, Prima has teamed with Valve to create a new series of digital guides now available on Steam that are viewable at any time during gameplay through the Steam overlay.

There's not a whole lot more to say about this one so I'm going to cut right to the obvious question: Why? "Real" Prima guides are nice for game fans who want to collect everything they can get their hands on, I suppose, or for folks who just enjoy some game-related reading on the can now and then. But going digital is a bit hard to fathom because if you're on the internet anyway, you're already up to your eyeballs in answers to just about any question you could possibly ask and you don't have to pay a dime for any of it.

I suppose convenience is a factor. Being able to view the guides directly through Steam might be handy, although "alt-tab" never struck me as all that complicated either, and not having to wade through the brackish waters of stupidity that clog Google is definitely a plus. But is this really the sort of thing that appeals to... well, anyone who might actually be interested in an online game guide?

Prima guides for store.steampowered.com [http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Age-Origins-Pc/dp/B001IK1BWC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1276706350&sr=1-1].


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[reg42]

Interesting... I would never pay $20 for something that tells me what's on GameFAQs, but I'm sure there's a market for them.

 

[Galaxy613]

Talking about slow. They should've made the change 5 years ago.

 

[ultimateownage]

You don't even need to alt-tab out of your games any more, just use steams in game menu to bring up the internet.

 

[khaimera]

Its a shame to see business crushed by the internet. But its kind of each company's fault for being so slow to change with the times. As my salary continues to get cut in this economy, I will stick with free anything for the time being.

 

[Jared]

This Is actually quite awesome. Long time coming but, on steam I am sure it will do well!

 

[Deofuta]

Well, I dunno about this. I may be crazy, but I actually enjoyed this guides mainly as an easy read before going to bed and such. I loved the back story and really getting into the game. I know, I am a massive nerd, i get it

Also, wouldn't it be hard to look something up AND play at the same time, at least be a little more annoying? I am going to have to opt for the book here.

EDIT: Especially if it costs the same as the books.

 

[Ringwraith]

Nice idea, though personally I'd much prefer having my own copies of the books, as I much prefer physical copies of things, and so I can flick through it anytime and not have it tied to having my computer on and of course while playing a game.

I read (game) manuals all the time... if anything has them these days, some have unhelpful hotkey shortcuts cards or something and nothing else.

 

[AngryMongoose]

It'll probably involve shift tabbing anyway, and Steam has an inbuilt browser for that.

You don't even need to alt-tab out of your games any more, just use steams in game menu to bring up the internet.

Oh damn, beaten to it..
Err.. quick, think of something witty!
Prima?.. err... Mo' like... ... ... Sucka! Right guys?

 

[The Zango]

1. Why would I buy somthing that I can get legally for free?

2. Why would I even get a guide? Most of the fun that come from beating games is overcoming the obstacles by yourself.

 

[rembrandtqeinstein]

While this is fine to supplement their printed products it would be a terrible strategy to go all digital. They would be drowned out by the other sources of pure information like gamefaqs and game/developer specific forums. If anything they should make their books even fancier, signed by the developers, come with a T-shirt, and charge twice as much.

 

[PhunkyPhazon]

Will people seriously buy this? This would have been a nifty idea ten years ago, but now there's simply no point to paying for a digital guide.

 

[Caliostro]

I suppose convenience is a factor. Being able to view the guides directly through Steam might be handy, although "alt-tab" never struck me as all that complicated either,

Worst part is, you don't need to alt-tab as is. Shift+Tab gives you the steam overlay, which I'm guessing is where this will be running... Right next to the "web browser" button which pops up google for you to type things like "[game name] wiki", "[game name] FAQs", or the classic "[Game name] walkthrough".

So ultimately, this is just "Would you like to pay 20 bucks to have someone else google that shit for you?". Why no, I would not.

 

[DividedUnity]

I dont even know why these things are still around. Really they are not worth it. Unless its a final fantasy game and thats merely because its easier to have all the info on hand instead of googling each piece. Aside from that I would pay even for this

 

[the_tramp]

I saw these earlier and honestly couldn't fathom why anyone would bother. Here, I'll save any curious people £6.49/$9.99 - www.gamefaqs.com

I accept Paypal as payment

 

[GundamSentinel]

Meh, I'm not too bothered. Prima guides are usually crappy. Piggyback has way better ones. That, and I often buy them for the art. Having them digitally kind of defeats the purpose.

 

[Tom Phoenix]

I agree with the author. Thanks to the Internet and GameFAQs in particular, I seriously doubt Prima is going to get anywhere with their guides. It is both cheaper and more convenient for people to just check for the answers they seek on the Internet. So if Prima stubbornly refuses to get on with the times, they will just end up bankrupt.

Having said that, they could potentially make some money by catering to the import gamer demographic. While there are brave souls that have provided translation guides for many (Japanese) games, translation in itself is very difficult and time consuming and translation patches are not that common (especially for newer titles). So if they covered this role, some people might be willing to pay for their services.

Sure, it's a niché market, but it's still better than one that no longer exists.

 

[DTWolfwood]

Id buy it since im lazy and the prima guides are prettier to look at than the whitewall background of most faq and walkthroughs on the internet. Assuming the Prima guide on steam will be more or less the digital copy of the actual paper guide, having it overlay over the game while your in it is pretty damn convenient to say the least.

Alt+tab doesnt work all the time. a lot of games will alt+tab out fine but when u decide to fullscreen the game again, it'll a)freeze up, b)crash, c)have graphical hiccups, d)change your desktop resolution, e)change your ingame resolution. In most case all of the above apply one way or another and i just get all peeved. so even with the free guides online i tend to print them out to have the physical copy of the thing in my hand.

Ill handed to them for having the forward thinking to change with the times. I honestly think this is a great idea. and if its half price all the time, than its an even better idea with the steam overlay being very convenient.

Prima Guides are still around folks so OBVIOUSLY ppl are still buying them and to have it on ez access means they'll get money a quicker way with probably less overhead to deal with than the paper medium.

edit: the hardcore gamers perspective is always so narrowly skewed. Just like to point that that the hardcore demographic are probably the only ones whom actually use the internet for guides and walkthroughs. Where as all of the middle aged men i know who play games still buy the guides either as a gift from the wives to them or as a GUIDE for themselves to use. Plus the Prima Guides often have back story and insights into a game that a internet FAQ just lack. NPC and Environmental details and layouts of various character(s)

 

[joshthor]

dont care. not the worst thing that could happen, but i wont ever buy one. the steam overlay lets you pop right into a web browser to google guides if you really need them.

 

[DTWolfwood]

On the other hand...

if this turns out to be just something that pops up the steam browser and sends u to a website with the prima guide on it rather than say a full blown feature like the friends list. I would cry foul play and not bother with such a thing. and since its a PC thing and ppl who still play PC games are probably the most hardcore of gamers around this idea is pointless XD