Ubisoft Eliminating User Manuals

[Irridium]

But... I like reading the manuals...

Manuals have not been 'proper' manuals in a long time. I mean, where's the telephone book? They only have like 4 pages in these days anyway!

Exactly. I like having a beefy manual to read. That means the game may actually have deep gameplay.

You call these skimpy things manuals? More like pamphlets...

 

[Nevyrmoore]

I miss the good old days of 90's games that came in big pretty boxes with hundred+ page user manuals that had concept art, in-depth exploration of game mechanics and stories set in the universe of the game. Some of them even came with sound-tracks. I mean sure, it was wasteful in a way, but I still have them and look through them now. I didn't just throw them away or leave them in the case.

What about the manuals of Elite and Elite 2? Complete guides to flying, fighting, trading, etc., as well as information on all the gear you can get your hands on. I loved reading that, wondering if I'd ever be able to get a Large Plasma Accelerator.

 

[TheNumber1Zero]

But I love Manuals, I tend to read them Mid-Game and when the game is off, among other times where reading via the Main Menu is highly inconvenient.

I detest this idea.

 

[Pandalisk]

I love manuals, they are bloody damn useful, and easier to navigate than digital manuals.
Plus i love the side backstory they give to characters and such in the front pages.

I personaly hate steam for the fact that the games i download dont have paper manuals (I know full well there is nothing they can do and i forgive them for invoking my pettiness)
I have to open the game controls in the main menu, and that is just damn annoying.

 

[Knight Templar]

This means players will not be required to go online to figure out how to play the game

But they will need to be online to pay the game, so that's a moot point.

 

[Yog Sothoth]

I am so done with Ubisoft at this point... Draconian DRM, dumbed-down new Splinter Cell game, and now... this.

Games are notoriously under-documented these days anyways... I hate, hate when a game has features that are not explained in detail and users are just left to figure it out on their own.

And I'm not buying their "eco-friendly" bullshit excuse, either...

 

[Jared]

Both good and bad...I can see why they are doing it. But, it means more information will need to be on discs

I can see the reason for it though, and I suppose the premise at the very least

 

[Brad Shepard]

I never read the things in the first place, so eh.

 

[AfroTree]

Oh gawd if all of this 'Eco Packaging' keeps up we are just going to be left getting our games in these.

Why are you complaining?!

them holders are bitchin tight dawg!

/bad gangster talk

But seriously that shit would be awesome

and.

yeah

That kind of defeats the purpose of reading the manual when you're not on the console ... Nice one

I agree with this

I loved reading them in the car when you got the game new

 

[DividedUnity]

Eh manuals have been going down hill for a while. the ps3 ones are ridiculously thin.

I loved having them to read on the way home from the game shop. Its not like Im gonna be buying Ubi's games anymore anyway (>,<)

 

[porschecm2]

Chalk this up as another reason I'll not be buying Ubisoft games. I love my paper manuals.

 

[Cody211282]

Oh gawd if all of this 'Eco Packaging' keeps up we are just going to be left getting our games in these.

God I know, the flimsy cases with the plastic taken out are already annoying enough, not to mention easy as hell to break.

"Ubisoft is continually looking for methods to be a more environmentally conscious company, and the implementation of digital game manuals will be beneficial for both the environment and the consumer" I'm calling bullshit, they are just to damn cheap to print them out, if I'm paying $50-60 for a new game I better be getting a damn manual with my game.

 

[squid5580]

Manuals have not been 'proper' manuals in a long time. I mean, where's the telephone book? They only have like 4 pages in these days anyway!

2 of which are credits.

I dunno on one hand it is a great idea. Reduce production costs, the enviromental impact and might save a few cents on shipping.

On the other hand I don't want to pause or quit a game to refer back to the manual if I need to.

 

[Snotnarok]

This makes no sense, none of this eco crap with video games. I want you Escapists to REALLY think hard about this. How many games have you EVER thrown out? How many Manuals have you thrown out? This isn't ecofriendly this is bullshit-tastic

"We're saving money till Digital Distribution takes over hurf durf"

I still have my first video game, if I don't want a game I sell it and what happens then? Someone buys it.

 

[NoNameMcgee]

Don't care, I prefer Digital Distribution anyway, and I don't get no manuals with those. I didn't realize anyone even read manuals.

I still quite like Ubisoft. They've made some of my favorite games, like the Prince Of Persia series, Splinter Cell and Assassin's Creed. I don't care about a lack of manuals and the DRM doesn't even bother me much (although I realize it's stupid, it's no reason not to buy a great game)

 

[seamusotorain]

I miss the good old days of 90's games that came in big pretty boxes with hundred+ page user manuals that had concept art, in-depth exploration of game mechanics and stories set in the universe of the game. Some of them even came with sound-tracks. I mean sure, it was wasteful in a way, but I still have them and look through them now. I didn't just throw them away or leave them in the case.

I agree. Unfortunately, we now have to pay an extra 10 euro for that privilege.

 

[Ironic Pirate]

Damnit! Well they better not have loading times anymore, because manuals are the only form of entertainment I have near the PS3.

 

[Spaghetti]

Manuals for PC games are superfluous anyway as they just tell you the basic controls before the game tells you them in the first mission/level anyway.
I remember a time when the manual would give you some backstory, a run down on the charachters and maybe some artwork to boot. They really are a waste of paper nowadays.

That said, I'm just going to be bitter and add this to my increasing list of complaints against Ubisoft because despite what I said above, I DO like my paper manuals. Gives me something to read when the game installs.