EA Sports doing away with printed game manuals

[ScoopBrady]

http://www.geek.com/articles/games/ea-s ... -20110321/

I am a fan of this move. Their game manuals have been a joke for years. Maybe by putting them on the disc they'll bulk up the info contained in them.

[Naples39]

Maybe by putting them on the disc they'll bulk up the info contained in them.

Wishful thinking. Total cost cutting here. I never really use manuals, but it was still helpful to have one or two pages with controller diagrams because these days there are so many functions to learn.

[Teal]

""doing away with manuals to help sa e the environment"...what a joke.

[WillHunting]

Their manual has been useless for years.

[toonarmy]

Yeah, they might as well do this since their manuals are completely worthless in the first place. I always appreciate really nice manuals, but if the manual is going to be crap then there might as well be no manual at all. I'm sure the savings for EA will be passed on to the customer, lmao.

[XXXIV]

Thats EA.

At the cutting edge of every classless move in the videogame industry.

[Aristo]

Yeah, they might as well do this since their manuals are completely worthless in the first place. I always appreciate really nice manuals, but if the manual is going to be crap then there might as well be no manual at all. I'm sure the savings for EA will be passed on to the customer, lmao.

In the way of a booklet of advertising, I'm sure.

Not only has EA's (and every other creator of sports game) manuals been worthless, but they also fail to use their web sites to ever really break down things like sliders and how different things work. For NCAA 11, I would have loved to read some explanations of how different aspects of recruiting work.

But even things like more details on what "awareness" does to affect players, as well as every other rating. They should have all of that kind of stuff online. But instead, it is just up to gamers to test and theorize about most of it.

[Naples39]

Not only has EA's (and every other creator of sports game) manuals been worthless, but they also fail to use their web sites to ever really break down things like sliders and how different things work. For NCAA 11, I would have loved to read some explanations of how different aspects of recruiting work.

But even things like more details on what "awareness" does to affect players, as well as every other rating. They should have all of that kind of stuff online. But instead, it is just up to gamers to test and theorize about most of it.

Good points.

[ScoopBrady]

That's why I'm hopeful that the manuals get better. They are so weak now because they were cutting costs. Now that they have eliminated the costs or printing the manuals they don't have to worry about skimping to keep costs down. A guy can dream.

[TCrouch]

I don't remember which recent EA game it was (Fight Night maybe?) that I opened the manual and it was literally one folded sheet of paper--and all that was inside was licensing stuff. I guess this is the next logical step.

[Teal]

EA Sports manuals have been useless for a long time now, and will continue to be until they decide to innovate and truly do something different. As it is, I've known how to play pretty much every game in the lineup since, oh, the Super NES...

[XXXIV]

I don't remember which recent EA game it was (Fight Night maybe?) that I opened the manual and it was literally one folded sheet of paper--and all that was inside was licensing stuff. I guess this is the next logical step.

EA Sports manuals have been useless for a long time now, and will continue to be until they decide to innovate and truly do something different. As it is, I've known how to play pretty much every game in the lineup since, oh, the Super NES...

They have set us up nicely havent they?

Less and less and less and then nothing. Who is going to miss that leaflet that contained NOTHING of use?

[skinsfan]

Well,then,the games should be packaged in a soft cardboard sleeve now,instead of a big plastic case.

[RobVarak]

Practically speaking, I could not care less. Emotionally, this is a tough blow for all of us who remember opening up PC game boxes with manuals into the hundreds of pages, keyboard overlays, printed maps and a host of extra doodads.

[Rodster]

Well,then,the games should be packaged in a soft cardboard sleeve now,instead of a big plastic case.

I wish they got away from the DVD cases and started using the old style plastic CD cases like they used for the Sega Dreamcast. Takes up less space.

[Rodster]

Practically speaking, I could not care less. Emotionally, this is a tough blow for all of us who remember opening up PC game boxes with manuals into the hundreds of pages, keyboard overlays, printed maps and a host of extra doodads.

[XXXIV]

Practically speaking, I could not care less. Emotionally, this is a tough blow for all of us who remember opening up PC game boxes with manuals into the hundreds of pages, keyboard overlays, printed maps and a host of extra doodads.

The good ole days when taking a dump only extended your gaming experience.

[toonarmy]

Honestly the whole taking a dump while reading a gaming manual is legit for me. I have to read something while taking a dump, and gaming manuals are among the most read things while I pay my respects to the queen.

[greggsand]

I can't recall the last time I "used" a manual while playing. I didn't even realize Red Dead had a massive map in the case until a friend of mine mentioned it. For 2k games, I usually jump open the PDF version on their website. It often has more info in it than the printed manual (I've heard).

[Danimal]

Honestly since I stopped purchasing PC games from brick and mortar stores and use Steam, Impulse and GoG exclusively not having a printed manual is normal for me. I always just put the pdf file on my iPad and prop it next to m,e in case i need it.

[MizzouRah]

Practically speaking, I could not care less. Emotionally, this is a tough blow for all of us who remember opening up PC game boxes with manuals into the hundreds of pages, keyboard overlays, printed maps and a host of extra doodads.

The good ole days when taking a dump only extended your gaming experience.

Those were the good ol days.. games on the Commodore like F14 that had pages upon pages to read.. loved it actually!

[Rodster]

My favorite was the original Falcon 4.0 manual. IIRC the game CD was inside the books hard bound front cover.



Second run print

[toonarmy]

Some of the Flight Sim manuals on the C64 were insanely thick. I remember using close to a ream of paper copying one of them for a friend. Best console manuals continue to be those from Nintendo first party games -- thick, colorful, informative.

[LAking]

The good ole days when taking a dump only extended your gaming experience.

I LOL'd on that one.

[WillHunting]

Speaking of old PC games/manuals, anyone remember those cloth maps from Ultimas? I had those and threw them away when I moved, I am still kicking myself. I love those old RPGs with thick manuals and all kinds of goodies like maps, trinkets and what not.