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Author Topic:   My God...it's full of words!

Stormhound posted 02-12-99 09:35 AM ET
I'd like to thank FIRAXIS for doing something that seems almost unheard-of in the modern age of computer gaming: putting out a good manual with their game. I've seen far too many that don't give you enough information up front, but this is one of the good ones. Online help is a wonderful thing, but there are times and places when the manual is the only viable option.
Despite having had the demo for almost two months, and the access to information there, I still sat down and read a good chunk of the manual before playing the game...you never know what you're going to miss. So my hat's off to FIRAXIS...thanks for a good manual for a great game!
Zorak Zoran posted 02-12-99 09:45 AM ET

I like the thick little book, but I'll probably do what I did with all the previous Sid games: ignore the book and play the game. Then I'll come back four months later and learn that I could do this or that, and it will put a whole new spin on the game. It's like letting crumbs collect in your beard; leave yourself some tasty nuggets for later.
I played Civ for more than a year before I thought to click on the entertainer...
"Hey, that little guy changed color. Crazy."
iratheous posted 02-12-99 12:00 PM ET
tick tock tick tock... I'm just waiting fro the printable index to appear... I don't know enough about the game yet to find answers using the table of contents..
Moonpie posted 02-12-99 01:15 PM ET
I must agree with IRA. The manual may be the best in the world...but I find it damn frustrating when i want to find some specific information and then I have to read the manual because there isn't an appendix.
Good manual if you like to read thick ones before the game. But in the manual it says to just play, not read it. I would think an appendix would have been in order with a comment like that.
Still a damn good game though.
nlyn
SMAC KAMI posted 02-12-99 01:53 PM ET
I was also impressed with the manual. Although I knew most (or almost all) of the info contained in it because of this and other web pages and because of the demo, I still think that they did a wonderful job. Although the same artwork is used many times, the artwork is great and colorful. Kudos to you all. I have bought a number of EA sports games and they always drop the ball in their manuals. So I thought that is was strange to see thier mark on the back of the manual.
Great job again
SK
Old_Guy posted 02-12-99 02:18 PM ET
I like the manual too, but I do have one small gripe--the screenshots can be somewhat illegible on certain pages. No big deal, since once you're playing, you'll know what to do.
More importantly, the manual is actually a good REFERENCE. It's not something you just read and then forget about. I'm sure I'll always go back and check the Appendices for all the table information.
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Author	Topic: My God...it's full of words!
Stormhound	posted 02-12-99 09:35 AM ET I'd like to thank FIRAXIS for doing something that seems almost unheard-of in the modern age of computer gaming: putting out a good manual with their game. I've seen far too many that don't give you enough information up front, but this is one of the good ones. Online help is a wonderful thing, but there are times and places when the manual is the only viable option. Despite having had the demo for almost two months, and the access to information there, I still sat down and read a good chunk of the manual before playing the game...you never know what you're going to miss. So my hat's off to FIRAXIS...thanks for a good manual for a great game!
Zorak Zoran	posted 02-12-99 09:45 AM ET I like the thick little book, but I'll probably do what I did with all the previous Sid games: ignore the book and play the game. Then I'll come back four months later and learn that I could do this or that, and it will put a whole new spin on the game. It's like letting crumbs collect in your beard; leave yourself some tasty nuggets for later. I played Civ for more than a year before I thought to click on the entertainer... "Hey, that little guy changed color. Crazy."
iratheous	posted 02-12-99 12:00 PM ET tick tock tick tock... I'm just waiting fro the printable index to appear... I don't know enough about the game yet to find answers using the table of contents..
Moonpie	posted 02-12-99 01:15 PM ET I must agree with IRA. The manual may be the best in the world...but I find it damn frustrating when i want to find some specific information and then I have to read the manual because there isn't an appendix. Good manual if you like to read thick ones before the game. But in the manual it says to just play, not read it. I would think an appendix would have been in order with a comment like that. Still a damn good game though. nlyn
SMAC KAMI	posted 02-12-99 01:53 PM ET I was also impressed with the manual. Although I knew most (or almost all) of the info contained in it because of this and other web pages and because of the demo, I still think that they did a wonderful job. Although the same artwork is used many times, the artwork is great and colorful. Kudos to you all. I have bought a number of EA sports games and they always drop the ball in their manuals. So I thought that is was strange to see thier mark on the back of the manual. Great job again SK
Old_Guy	posted 02-12-99 02:18 PM ET I like the manual too, but I do have one small gripe--the screenshots can be somewhat illegible on certain pages. No big deal, since once you're playing, you'll know what to do. More importantly, the manual is actually a good REFERENCE. It's not something you just read and then forget about. I'm sure I'll always go back and check the Appendices for all the table information.