Civ V retail WON'T be in a box

[TheMystic]

Unfortunately manuals these days often get so trimmed that publishers are even chopping out the credits pages from them. Of course it reduces cost, and also allows publishers to claim that they're being more "green" due to using less paper. It just feels weird when you open up a game now only to see 6-10 pages of technical information than anything truly about the game itself.

I suppose some manuals were a bit excessive back in the day, but damn were they fun to read during off-time or before bed. I still have all my old PC games from the 80s and 90s, and some had manuals that reached as many as 150-200 pages. Considering how much information some of them provided, there were times I even felt as if I were getting a $10-15 book along with my game especially when it came to sims.

I think I'll always prefer the bulky manuals of old, and even though you can get just about any game digitally now I still buy physical copies of everything. Collector's Editions usually offer at least a fancy art book, so I buy those up like hotcakes. I'm currently trying to inspire Elizabeth at 2K to get behind at least a Civilization V Collector's Edition, assuming one is not already planned. I feel that Civ V is significant enough in the series to warrant one.

 

[Matty R]

You'll be able to buy a physical medium - you'll just have to register with Steam regardless.

Oh. I didn't realise that. I thought it was ONLY going to be available as a Steam download. I'll read through the threads again. Thanks.

 

[Schuesseled]

Exept of course that the Civilopedia for Civ4 was not actually done terribly well for a manual/tutorial. Was outdated at the time of delivery with quite a few false / differently implemented concepts and generally useless for anything but looking up specific information on e.g. a specific unit or a specific tech or the like. And the tutorial included with Civ4 was a disgrace not to mention the fact that it broke when you tried to save.



You'll be able to buy a physical medium - you'll just have to register with Steam regardless.

what else would you read manual for but to understand the special abilities or classes, or gameplay mechanics?

 

[ori]

But the civilopedia in Civ4 doesn't actually do that in an adequate way: mechanics are not described, some concepts are, but some like wonder obsoletion are completely false as described, other are lacking. There is no how to get started part either. The concepts section in BtS was fine, the original one is not.

 

[StStutter]

I agree: virtual ownership is an entirely new concept and the game companies should just get used to the fact that many people are willing to own a virtual copy that they obtained via bittorrent if they feel that the official version doesn't contain enough nice extras (like a manual) to make it worth paying the extra money.

Oh wait... or did you mean that everyone except the producer should be changing their notion of what ownership means?

Oh wait... I meant everyone including the producer. It is in my opinion a system that has yet to be honed but will become much more efficient for everyone involved once it matures.

And I highly doubt the manual was the tipping factor between stealing and not.

 

[Schuesseled]

But the civilopedia in Civ4 doesn't actually do that in an adequate way: mechanics are not described, some concepts are, but some like wonder obsoletion are completely false as described, other are lacking. There is no how to get started part either. The concepts section in BtS was fine, the original one is not.

You might not get ontp massive details, but it teaches you how to play, and although there is no getting started bit, thats what the tutorial/advisors are for.

 

[h4ppy]

I begin to lose all hope .

@PoM:
I think they are just enforcing the digital release and don't care about the analog stuff .

That might be cute but some of us occasionally wipe our hard drives, switch computers or whatever and don't want to have to rebuy everything. The lack of manual is indicative of the negative effects this trend has had on those of us intelligent enough to have the same opinions as I do on purchasing computer games.

 

[The_J]

I suppose some manuals were a bit excessive back in the day, but damn were they fun to read during off-time or before bed. I still have all my old PC games from the 80s and 90s, and some had manuals that reached as many as 150-200 pages. Considering how much information some of them provided, there were times I even felt as if I were getting a $10-15 book along with my game especially when it came to sims.

Right, some are quite entertaining and fun to read.
e.g. the Arcanum manual, which had a big section about the world it plays in, that was nice .

You might not get ontp massive details, but it teaches you how to play, and although there is no getting started bit, thats what the tutorial/advisors are for.

Am i allowed to cry "simplification"?

And beating deity is about details...

That might be cute but some of us occasionally wipe our hard drives, switch computers or whatever and don't want to have to rebuy everything.

You don't have to rebuy anything.
Just download the steam client, log in, and download your games again.

 

[Kranden]

Box comes with a piece of paper that says

Check gamefaqs

 

[aMoralAtheist]

I read the manual during a long poop. Seriously.

 

[Dig-Doug]

Unfortunately manuals these days often get so trimmed that publishers are even chopping out the credits pages from them. Of course it reduces cost, and also allows publishers to claim that they're being more "green" due to using less paper. It just feels weird when you open up a game now only to see 6-10 pages of technical information than anything truly about the game itself.

I suppose some manuals were a bit excessive back in the day, but damn were they fun to read during off-time or before bed. I still have all my old PC games from the 80s and 90s, and some had manuals that reached as many as 150-200 pages. Considering how much information some of them provided, there were times I even felt as if I were getting a $10-15 book along with my game especially when it came to sims.

I think I'll always prefer the bulky manuals of old, and even though you can get just about any game digitally now I still buy physical copies of everything. Collector's Editions usually offer at least a fancy art book, so I buy those up like hotcakes. I'm currently trying to inspire Elizabeth at 2K to get behind at least a Civilization V Collector's Edition, assuming one is not already planned. I feel that Civ V is significant enough in the series to warrant one.

It sounds like you and I were both raised on the old school idea that books were keepsakes. I have them from then also and enjoy looking through them occasionally "just because".

I guess the younger generation just have grown up without the wonderful read of books since everything is "online" or "updated" from the word GO!

Aahhh... Memories

DD

 

[civ_king]

It sounds like you and I were both raised on the old school idea that books were keepsakes. I have them from then also and enjoy looking through them occasionally "just because".

I guess the younger generation just have grown up without the wonderful read of books since everything is "online" or "updated" from the word GO!

Aahhh... Memories

DD

Not all of us youngers disregard books, I read 10 000+ pages a year (Ilibrary)

 

[12agnar0k]

Nothing quite like a book, just isn't the same reading off a computer screen, doesn't have that nice book smell either , but this is for entertainment purposes, a manual, no one likes a manual, boring technical stuff no one should read anyway, PFD is fine for that, and Civipedia is all thats needed instead of an old big manual. If you say the civopedia in cIV wasn't good enough for your likes, then you need to suggest that they make the civpedia bigger and better in ciV.

Infact I have a suggestion on an idea for a civopedia. I guess ill go post it .

 

[deanej]

a manual, no one likes a manual, boring technical stuff no one should read anyway, PFD is fine for that, and Civipedia is all thats needed instead of an old big manual.

I always read the manual. Not all of us like to lean the game by guessing and failing; in fact, I think those people are crazy.

 

[Sciguy001]

It sounds like you and I were both raised on the old school idea that books were keepsakes. I have them from then also and enjoy looking through them occasionally "just because".

I guess the younger generation just have grown up without the wonderful read of books since everything is "online" or "updated" from the word GO!

Aahhh... Memories

DD

Keep in mind that we are discussing a video game. It's hypocrisy to bash people who use computers when you're on the internet.

 

[TheMystic]

It sounds like you and I were both raised on the old school idea that books were keepsakes. I have them from then also and enjoy looking through them occasionally "just because".

Haha actually I was just going through some old games a week or two ago, and revisited the manuals for Master of Orion II, Wing Commander, Ancient Art of War in the Skies, Outpost, Red Baron, and Aces of the Pacific.

There was just something special about getting that extra content back then. It allowed you to take the game away from the computer in a way, and try to master it when you just didn't have time to play. For me, game manuals offered a lot of bedtime reading, and of course I wouldn't play a game in the first place without reading through at least once.

I remember when I was maybe five or six searching around outside for spider silk, ginseng, mandrake root, etc. because of the Ultima IV spellbook. I actually thought if I found the reagents I could cast spells in real life.

 

[CanuckSoldier]

Haha actually I was just going through some old games a week or two ago, and revisited the manuals for Master of Orion II, Wing Commander, Ancient Art of War in the Skies, Outpost, Red Baron, and Aces of the Pacific.

There was just something special about getting that extra content back then. It allowed you to take the game away from the computer in a way, and try to master it when you just didn't have time to play. For me, game manuals offered a lot of bedtime reading, and of course I wouldn't play a game in the first place without reading through at least once.

I remember when I was maybe five or six searching around outside for spider silk, ginseng, mandrake root, etc. because of the Ultima IV spellbook. I actually thought if I found the reagents I could cast spells in real life.

Yes but *back then* you had to read the manual to learn what was the 5th word on page 27 so that you could satisfy the DRM of the game

CS

 

[Dig-Doug]

Keep in mind that we are discussing a video game. It's hypocrisy to bash people who use computers when you're on the internet.

Who's Bashing anyone?!? It was a simple comment about reading something from online -vs- a book. If you take offense to that it's your fault not mine!

Yes I use computers too, but a manual just has an allure for me like no other book can just because it does contain info on a subject that gives at least some understanding to the game. The older voluminous books from ages past were great in that most contained back story as well. I happen to grow up during the age of books(for me).

That golden age is past. oh well, I move on... and so should you...

DD

Haha actually I was just going through some old games a week or two ago, and revisited the manuals for Master of Orion II, Wing Commander, Ancient Art of War in the Skies, Outpost, Red Baron, and Aces of the Pacific.

There was just something special about getting that extra content back then. It allowed you to take the game away from the computer in a way, and try to master it when you just didn't have time to play. For me, game manuals offered a lot of bedtime reading, and of course I wouldn't play a game in the first place without reading through at least once.

I remember when I was maybe five or six searching around outside for spider silk, ginseng, mandrake root, etc. because of the Ultima IV spellbook. I actually thought if I found the reagents I could cast spells in real life.

Yup them days were the best!!!

Unfortunately they are gone I fear and companies just don't have the gumption to go back to them to costly I suppose in this economy.

"Wing Commander III" in the movie real was fantastic for it's time and the "7th Guest" was mesmerizing to say the least since it was the best use of CD technology at the time, which was a brand new tech then.

Back to reality Doug!

DD

 

[Frank Drebin]

as long as there's a pdf file on the dvd i couldnt care less about a printed manual.

 

[AlpsStranger]

There's still the option to resist.

If you want to piss into the wind be my guest. There are literally thousands that don't care for everyone that complains about this stuff. I'm really glad that they are still making PC games at all.

If they keep making quality PC games and the only thing I have to complain about is digital distribution and a lack of fat manuals I'll consider myself lucky. You'll be lucky if Civ6 isn't OnLive exclusive or something at this rate.

It's not 1999 and it will never be 1999 again. Let it go.