Dead Space 3 doesn't come with a manual

[Specineff]

Granted, the manual is available online at https://help.ea.com/article/dead-space-3-manuals and mostly everyone has internet.

Funny thing, it's not on the disc itself either. A couple MB worth of picture files wouldn't have killed EA or Visceral.

Yeah, I know the game has little tutorials so it's not an unforgivable sin, but it reeks of laziness on EA's behalf. I doubt this had anything to do with saving natural resources any more than EA just trying to cut corners.

http://i45.tinypic.com/148ps02.jpg

The booklet says that the instruction manual is conveniently located online, then it gives you the address to go download the PDF, claiming it makes it quick and easy to get the answers you need, and it also helps protect the environment.

[Damocles]

Earth Defense Force: Insect Armaggedon did the same stupid thing.

Save the environment my ass.

[ncc]

To be fair to EDF, it's not Dead Space 3. I'm surprised 2017 got a sequel at all, so the lack of a manual is probably the publishers worrying about breaking even rather than trying to sprinkle some change on their mountain of money.

[CStarFlare]

Who ever takes the manual out of its case? All the information they contain is generally more conveniently accessible in the game if you need it at all. And since you know what an "A button" is, you probably don't.

I know change is scary and all that, but come on. The only time a manual is worth the paper it's printed on is when trying to upsell a used game as *complete*.

[Specineff]

Well, that's fine and dandy with me if they include the manual in the game itself instead of making it available as a separate download. It's not like there's not enough space on a DVD or Blu-ray to put some images and text.

[mesh control]

Less paper, the better.
Download a pdf, geez.

[Ganelon]

Unfortunately, this "environmental friendliness" is common practice now, especially for AAA games. To be fair, I never read manuals anymore so it's not a huge bother but I do have fond memories of browsing through gigantic tomes and pseudo-artbooks in the past. Plus, it's one more thing to feel proud of having over pirates.

Since the Vita has no physical manuals for any of its games, "game and box" is the likely near future for the majority of the industry. At least that's infinitely better than an all-digital distribution medium.

[Skykid]

3DS games commonly have a foldout pamphlet rather than an ints. manual, which is included on the cart instead.

Today it's manuals, tomorrow it's the absence of physical media entire. Please look forward to it.

[Friendly]

"Dead Space 3 doesn't come with a manual"

But Dead Space 3 comes with macro-transactions (tm). Surely that makes up for the lack of a manual.

[drauch]

I don't see why anyone cares, really. Manuals anymore have zero information in the first place, especially with tutorials being so commonplace anymore in game. Last few manuals I've seen were 3-5 pages, with more than half of it legal shit that no one would care about anyway. This isn't the days of 5.25 floppies and giant manuals on how to do everything in SimAnt. That things weighs like a pound and probably cost a fern tree.

[Hagane]

I can't understand how anyone could get upset by this.

Micro transactions, on the other hand...

[caliburxcm]

The manual is in the form of spoon-fed tutorials and a quick check of the controls menu, just like every big title released nowadays.

But Dead Space 3 comes with macro-transactions (tm). Surely that makes up for the lack of a manual.

There are a lot of things messed up about DS3 and, let me tell you the DLC they try to shove down your throat is at the very bottom of my list. More like a complete genre shift, hand-holding, simplified and modernized (turned to shit) entry to the series. Crafting is pointless, I'm handed two health items for every one I need to use, and universal ammo is more than abundant even in hard mode. It's a pure action game now, and a fairly easy one at that.

[brentsg]

Manuals should be day 1 DLC, unlocked from disk for a mere fewbucks.. Ahh, the future..

[Kaiser]

Now you can see why I despise modern gaming nearly entirely, but thankfully there's GOG.com and buying old games off ebay >_> because honestly pretty much fuck nearly all today's games.

- Fuck DLC
- Fuck fast cash-ins
- Fuck all big publishers.
- Fuck the entire firmware/game update bullshit on my consoles.

[Ruldra]

Manuals nowadays are pretty much useless anyway, might as well take them away entirely. No one will miss them.

The old manuals, on the other hand, were the shit. Sadly those are never coming back.

[Specineff]

Less paper, the better.
Download a pdf, geez.

Resources and energy required to make (and power) a device to read such PDF VS resources and energy required to make and read a paper manual. (Which can be made from recycled paper, and is also recyclable.)

If they had put an electronic manual in the game, I'd only need to fire up the system when I need to consult it. Downloadable manual means I have to fire up my computer on top of my gaming system if I need to consult something while playing. More energy consumption can't be that beneficial for environment.

[system11]

I bet they didn't reduce the price despite the manufacturing cost going down.

Seriously though, have you read a modern game manual? There's often nothing in them of any use past the control map and a bunch of safety warnings for epilepsy / tidal erosion / famine.

[ZellSF]

If anyone's upset by this: what were you hoping to get out of the Dead Space 3 manual?

[CStarFlare]

How much do you really think the manufacturing cost of an individual mass-produced manual is? Whatever they save they probably lose answering complaints that "you forgot to put the manual in my DS3."

Less paper, the better.
Download a pdf, geez.

Resources and energy required to make (and power) a device to read such PDF VS resources and energy required to make and read a paper manual. (Which can be made from recycled paper, and is also recyclable.

It's safe to assume that the device you would need to read the doc is on anyway, and that the power consumed would be minimal compared to the power it would take to manufacture the paper copy. And even if not, if only 5% of people ever refer to the manual it would still be a net environmental win since you don't waste resources on those who would never glance at it.

[gct]

I thought that recent Command & Conquer collection didn't even come with discs. Just a box with a card inside telling you where to download your game. Ha ha!

[Specineff]

If anyone's upset by this: what were you hoping to get out of the Dead Space 3 manual?

The same I expect when I buy a newspaper: more than just a web address telling me where to get the information I just paid for.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Who ever takes the manual out of its case?

Things like internet and GameFAQs are not here to stay forever.

[BIL]

^Awww man I love manuals from the 8-bit to PS2 eras. Ridge Racer 64's taught me HOW 2 DRIFT.

[ncc]

- Fuck the entire firmware/game update bullshit on my consoles.

Confirming that the industry has forgotten how to release finished products.

[CStarFlare]

Who ever takes the manual out of its case?

[img]http://i46.tinypic.com/11ke3wh.jpg

Things like internet and GameFAQs are not here to stay forever.

Ok, so the guy who scans them takes them out of his case.

If anyone's upset by this: what were you hoping to get out of the Dead Space 3 manual?

The same I expect when I buy a newspaper: more than just a web address telling me where to get the information I just paid for.

Your primary goal when purchasing a newspaper is the information it contains; the vast majority of the value of a game purchase is for the game. It's a poor comparison.

Not to mention, online newspaper subscriptions lol

EDIT: I'll just stop here and say that I consider most gaming manuals to be like lettuce on a hamburger - too insubstantial to improve the sandwich but it's there because that's what you put on a hamburger. Manuals are garnish; games come with manuals because game comes with manuals, not because they benefit the consumer. (Maybe the food comparison isn't really necessary.)

[Stormwatch]

I thought that recent Command & Conquer collection didn't even come with discs. Just a box with a card inside telling you where to download your game. Ha ha!

I'd immediately return it as fraudulent. In fact, I'd STILL return it even if it was a physical copy, but contained any DRM.

[TransatlanticFoe]

Manuals have been mostly useless this generation. They're occasionally needed for RPGs and the like but action games? Nah. Tutorial, dumb first level or prompts throughout the game.

I miss proper paper manuals. Or physical games in general looking forward it seems, having bought Mass Effect 3 for the code in the box because Origin insisted on downloading the installer and did nothing whatsoever with the disc.

I never found FIFA 12's "online manual". I just kept getting a document with the safety information in about 6 different languages. No tutorial mode either so I had to look up half the game online, having not played a FIFA game since 06.

[Obiwanshinobi]

I don't know who that "consumer" is. Manuals benefit me, but then again, I read books and like having those things around.
Making manuals is an art form that I wish to thrive on. I like a good manual, which mostly just adds certain glamour, but sometimes defines the line between "cheating" (looking up superplays and guides; if you think it doesn't deprive us of anything precious, that's like, your opinion) and learning by oneself.
While I think games nowadays should be self-explanatory, making them effective at that is another art form altogether. Games that are the right kind of self-explanatory are a rare breed.

[Ed Oscuro]

I was just enjoying the poor print overlay on the cover of the Wand of Gamelon booklet

Add that to the list of things the Internet won't mess up...

[KAI]

Haven't touched a game manual in 17 years (Star Fox 64).