GAME MANUALS - Not walkthroughs

[Razor 1]

Steam should start or get the developers to post a manual (pdf's or Wordpad) of games.

In the past when manuals were on CD they were bought with the product. If the developer has one for the game they should be required to post it since they no longer have to print it for the jewel case.

Some pdf's can be found on the internet but it can be a royal pitb to find them.

Who is with me?

[Zekiran]

The developers are entirely responsible for what you see in their game or on their store. Steam cannot "require" anything.

[Aachen]

Messaggio originale di Razor1:

Steam should start or get the developers to post a manual (pdf's or Wordpad) of games ....

Already the developer can (and some so) offer manuals included with purchase.

.... In the past when manuals were on CD they were bought with the product. If the developer has one for the game they should be required to post it since they no longer have to print it for the jewel case ....

Why? What reason should there be to compel such?

Are we talking about rather older titles, I presume?

.... Some pdf's can be found on the internet but it can be a royal pitb to find them ....

Wikis do a lot of the load-bearing anymore, TBH

[B-o-B]

Most games come with manuals on the games store page. Bottom right side.
https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steam/apps/231430/manuals/COH2_PC_MANUAL_EN.pdf?t=1581092141

[wuddih]

Valve/Steam will never enforce a dev/pub to do something.

Messaggio originale di 𐂃 𐂃:

Most games come with manuals on the games store page. Bottom right side.

IF a game has a downloadable/printable manual that the dev/pub uploded to Steam you will find it there, that is correct.

6% aka "most" is not correct though. ~41k games on Steam, ~2.5k have manuals on the store page.

most games on Steam also are actually never physically released
manuals in a printable design are a thing from the past and they are expensive af to produce. printed or not.

[crunchyfrog]

Yeah, Im sorry OP, but everbody is right here.

There's two issues with what you're asking for (well, three to be pedantic).

First off the issue of the manuals themseleves. Valve could never force anything as it ain't their position to do so as others have pointed out. It just doesn't work that way, nor should it.

But more than this, they aren't necessary because the cost-cutting and so on that went with manuals going away, that didn't leave a vacuum as you might think. Games simply incorporated turotials IN the game to manage this (some even just have the manuals in the game). So, the equivalent of manuals or just digital versions of the manuals ARE already there in most cases.

But on top of this, You meed to realise the realities of such things.

Many of the big attractions on the Steam store are indie games - games from smaller teams and smaller budgets to go with that. Back in the day when I wrote for certain gaming publications, I had friends who would write these very manuals. They were extremely costly and time consuming to do.

They were FAR more work than even writing a piece or walkthrough and giving it to your editor to give it the once over. it was refined to the nth degree ofttimes.

So no, this wouldn't be feasible for most either to get to that level of stuff again.

[Razor 1]

Messaggio originale di crunchyfrog:

Yeah, Im sorry OP, but everbody is right here.

There's two issues with what you're asking for (well, three to be pedantic).

First off the issue of the manuals themseleves. Valve could never force anything as it ain't their position to do so as others have pointed out. It just doesn't work that way, nor should it.

But more than this, they aren't necessary because the cost-cutting and so on that went with manuals going away, that didn't leave a vacuum as you might think. Games simply incorporated turotials IN the game to manage this (some even just have the manuals in the game). So, the equivalent of manuals or just digital versions of the manuals ARE already there in most cases.

But on top of this, You meed to realise the realities of such things.

Many of the big attractions on the Steam store are indie games - games from smaller teams and smaller budgets to go with that. Back in the day when I wrote for certain gaming publications, I had friends who would write these very manuals. They were extremely costly and time consuming to do.

They were FAR more work than even writing a piece or walkthrough and giving it to your editor to give it the once over. it was refined to the nth degree ofttimes.

So no, this wouldn't be feasible for most either to get to that level of stuff again.

Thanks for your excellent response, which has a lot of truth.

Unfortunately some games do not, so players are left with a big problem of finding out what each key or function on the game pad or keyboards do.

[Χάρης]

I would like that as well. Maybe they can add a ' We recommend adding a manual ' thingy next to the submit form or whatever it is when a developer publishes a game on steam.

Some games have manuals. Right click on game in Library>Properties. In the General tab the first 3 things you see are

Homepage

Developer

Manual

[crunchyfrog]

Messaggio originale di Razor1:

Messaggio originale di crunchyfrog:

Yeah, Im sorry OP, but everbody is right here.

There's two issues with what you're asking for (well, three to be pedantic).

First off the issue of the manuals themseleves. Valve could never force anything as it ain't their position to do so as others have pointed out. It just doesn't work that way, nor should it.

But more than this, they aren't necessary because the cost-cutting and so on that went with manuals going away, that didn't leave a vacuum as you might think. Games simply incorporated turotials IN the game to manage this (some even just have the manuals in the game). So, the equivalent of manuals or just digital versions of the manuals ARE already there in most cases.

But on top of this, You meed to realise the realities of such things.

Many of the big attractions on the Steam store are indie games - games from smaller teams and smaller budgets to go with that. Back in the day when I wrote for certain gaming publications, I had friends who would write these very manuals. They were extremely costly and time consuming to do.

They were FAR more work than even writing a piece or walkthrough and giving it to your editor to give it the once over. it was refined to the nth degree ofttimes.

So no, this wouldn't be feasible for most either to get to that level of stuff again.

Thanks for your excellent response, which has a lot of truth.

Unfortunately some games do not, so players are left with a big problem of finding out what each key or function on the game pad or keyboards do.

Oh I definitely hear you on that one.

It's far from perfect. There are a number of games that do a poor job of explaining things indeed.

I'm a game collector, no scratch that, let's be frank - hoarder. I love to buy games and keep them, so Steam is far from my main thing. So plenty of old physical games, and plenty of physical games I've bought used.

Some of those are truly lovely, like Alundra on the PS1, which not only has a nice thick instruction manual but it also includes a separate booklet offering a detailed walkthrough of the first chapter to get you off the ground. Plus a separate map.

However, some games (especially nowadays) have no manul at all, and if it did it's missing. Can be a right royal pain in the arse sometimes. Especially when you're older like me and youre halfway through a game you haven't touched in months and you forget what the hell does what.

So I definitely hear you.

[Tito Shivan]

Messaggio originale di crunchyfrog:

But more than this, they aren't necessary because the cost-cutting and so on that went with manuals going away, that didn't leave a vacuum as you might think. Games simply incorporated turotials IN the game to manage this (some even just have the manuals in the game). So, the equivalent of manuals or just digital versions of the manuals ARE already there in most cases

One has to keep in mind manuals also require updating.
I kind of miss the day when games came with a paper manual, but back then games were mostly static pieces of software. They didn't really change much overtime.

Nowadays games keep adding functionalities and stuff through time. That means the manual also has to be updated after each iteration of content addition. In this regard written manuals (PDFs) have been largely outclassed by Wikis, for example.

Messaggio originale di crunchyfrog:

It's far from perfect. There are a number of games that do a poor job of explaining things indeed.

That moment when you discover there's a shortcut for that thing you've tediously made for 100's of game hours... We've all been there. User Experience or taking for granted a player is well versed in the genre of the game is an often underrated factor in game development.

[Gus the Crocodile]

Messaggio originale di Zekiran:

The developers are entirely responsible for what you see in their game or on their store. Steam cannot "require" anything.

Valve can require whatever they like, it’s their store. Which is not to say they should, but they definitely can.

[crunchyfrog]

Messaggio originale di Tito Shivan:

Messaggio originale di crunchyfrog:

But more than this, they aren't necessary because the cost-cutting and so on that went with manuals going away, that didn't leave a vacuum as you might think. Games simply incorporated turotials IN the game to manage this (some even just have the manuals in the game). So, the equivalent of manuals or just digital versions of the manuals ARE already there in most cases

One has to keep in mind manuals also require updating.
I kind of miss the day when games came with a paper manual, but back then games were mostly static pieces of software. They didn't really change much overtime.

Nowadays games keep adding functionalities and stuff through time. That means the manual also has to be updated after each iteration of content addition. In this regard written manuals (PDFs) have been largely outclassed by Wikis, for example.

Messaggio originale di crunchyfrog:

It's far from perfect. There are a number of games that do a poor job of explaining things indeed.

That moment when you discover there's a shortcut for that thing you've tediously made for 100's of game hours... We've all been there. User Experience or taking for granted a player is well versed in the genre of the game is an often underrated factor in game development.

Y'know, I SWEAR you're the bane of my existence .... in a nice way, of course.

Whenever I think I've got a reasoned answer, along you come with something that I feel daft for missing out.

Frankly it's awesome. I just never thought of the oh so obvious point about "live service" (ugh, how I despise that term) games being fluid.

[Crazy Tiger]

Messaggio originale di Tito Shivan:

Nowadays games keep adding functionalities and stuff through time. That means the manual also has to be updated after each iteration of content addition. In this regard written manuals (PDFs) have been largely outclassed by Wikis, for example.

Too true. A manual for Stellaris would have changed completely by now, for example.

[crunchyfrog]

Messaggio originale di Crazy Tiger:

Messaggio originale di Tito Shivan:

Nowadays games keep adding functionalities and stuff through time. That means the manual also has to be updated after each iteration of content addition. In this regard written manuals (PDFs) have been largely outclassed by Wikis, for example.

Too true. A manual for Stellaris would have changed completely by now, for example.

Lol, I was just thinking about games like 7 Days to Die.

The manual, if such a thing would have existed, would end up looking like my fridge door.

"Chapter X - Oh, and another thing....."

Basically a manual of post it notes.

[Crazy Tiger]

Messaggio originale di crunchyfrog:

Messaggio originale di Crazy Tiger:

Too true. A manual for Stellaris would have changed completely by now, for example.

Lol, I was just thinking about games like 7 Days to Die.

The manual, if such a thing would have existed, would end up looking like my fridge door.

"Chapter X - Oh, and another thing....."

Basically a manual of post it notes.

Sounds like the crafting notes for Rune Factory, research list for Evil Genius and such things.

[crunchyfrog]

Messaggio originale di Crazy Tiger:

Messaggio originale di crunchyfrog:

Lol, I was just thinking about games like 7 Days to Die.

The manual, if such a thing would have existed, would end up looking like my fridge door.

"Chapter X - Oh, and another thing....."

Basically a manual of post it notes.

Sounds like the crafting notes for Rune Factory, research list for Evil Genius and such things. :lunar2019grinningpig:

I had totally forgotten about Rune Factory, damn you. I need to play that now.

That's my morning sorted - rooting through boxes to find where I stored it.