Manual

[Llyranor]

Hi,

As a newcomer to the series (sold after trying out the Red Devils demo), how detailed can I expect the manual to be? I'm hoping it'll be a good read in order to get up to speed.

Also, just to be sure, it will be available as a pdf if I get the digital download version, correct?

Thanks!

[Arjuna]

Llyranor,

Welcome.

How detailed - very. Though we will be providing a Getting Started Manual, which includes an Intro Tutorial, that will be easy to follow and ease both newcomers and existing HTTR users into the game. We'll be including a series of saved games with both the Intro and Advanced tutorial so you can start from exactly the same point as in the manual. The Advanced Tutorial takes you through the more complex features and introduces you to the fundamental principles of operational warfare. The Refence Manual covers all aspects of Game play and what's going on under the hood. It has an extensive set of Annexes, including one with a set of the common tables used for planning purposes.

All documentation will be in pdf format, with hyper linking and there will be both screen and print versions.

All up the documentation will comprise:

• Getting Started ( incl Intro Tutorial ) - 90 pages ( A4 wide, US Letter long )
• Advanced Tutorial - 90 pages
• Reference Manual - 208 pages
• MapMaker Manual - 54 pages
• ScenMaker Manual - 72 pages
• MarkShot's Top Tips - 20 pages

So that's a wopping 535 pages. Enjoy.[:)]

[Llyranor]

Okay, that's pretty cool [:D] Many thanks!

[ravinhood]

I find it hard to accept the word "manual" when it doesn't come in printed form. PDF form is more like a rules guide than a manual. I guess it helps sales along as an illusion making people think they are getting a printed 'manual' when all they are getting is text messaging.

[Marc von Martial]

ORIGINAL: ravinhood

I find it hard to accept the word "manual" when it doesn't come in printed form. PDF form is more like a rules guide than a manual. I guess it helps sales along as an illusion making people think they are getting a printed 'manual' when all they are getting is text messaging.

[&:]

A manual is a manual, wether printed or digital. The content down to the bullet point is the same.

[sterckxe]

ORIGINAL: ravinhood
I find it hard to accept the word "manual" when it doesn't come in printed form. PDF form is more like a rules guide than a manual.

There are always 2 versions of the same pdf file - one optimized for on-screen reading, the other for printing. I guess you could print it out so it would feel more like a manual to you. I'm not unlike you that I also prefer printed manuals for more convenient reading, but the last printed manual I got with a game (The Star and the Crescent) was so cheaply done that I really prefer to print it myself these days.

Let me also add that the COTA pdf's are more than just manuals, they also do a very good job teaching what this "operational level" thing is all about. They explain you what operational level warfare is all about and then show you how this is represented (or abstracted) in the game/interface.

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

[Agema]

Long manuals on .pdf are what your place of work's printer is for.

[MarkShot]

ORIGINAL: ravinhood

I find it hard to accept the word "manual" when it doesn't come in printed form. PDF form is more like a rules guide than a manual. I guess it helps sales along as an illusion making people think they are getting a printed 'manual' when all they are getting is text messaging.

I have to disagree. My mini-guide threads are "text messaging" - meaning pretty much stream of conciousness; rambling; minimal formatting; and lacking a high degree of overall organization.

The PDFs are in every way high quality/professional level documentation worthy of not just a game, but of any commercial software product. A great deal of time has gone into their planning, development, and review to create a result that is readable, useful, and accurate.

Someone commented that it was long ago stated that COTA would be offered at around $60 USD (now I think $49.99). Well then, that is a $10 USD savings that can be used to towards the printing of the doc set if one chooses.

[JudgeDredd]

That is indeed a non-tangible saving...agreed, but the cost of a manual by the company producing a game is cheaper due to bulk than it is singularly for an individual.

Posted elsewhere, so nuff said.

[Crimguy]

Anyone who has HTTR knows that printed manuals are not always better. My left eye is still trying to come back into focus after reading that small typeface[:D]!

I like pdf just fine.

[simovitch]

ORIGINAL: Arjuna

All documentation will be in pdf format, with hyper linking

On screen hyperlinking is a signifcant tradeoff to having a printed manual, IMHO.

[Banquet]

I would rather have a printed manual as well. I rarely read pdf's all the way through because I find it tedious reading manuals on screen. When I'm sitting in front of a computer screen I want to be playing the game. When I'm lying in at the weekend, having breakfast, having a bath, etc - that's when I catch up on the manual.

It would be nice if, in addition to having the option of paying $10 more for a physical shipment, there was also an option of paying something more for a printed manual. Despite HttR's manual being small (dimensions wise) it was also a very neat size to put in the back pocket and read a bit here and there while out and about. That is probably the most read manual I've got.

Even printing the manual isn't the same. I just end up with an unmanageable stack of lose leaf A4 pages that are contantly getting mixed up and generally looking messy and winding up the girlfriend.


btw, glad to hear Markshot is getting some tips in there. I'm sure they'll be excellent. 533 paqes in total.. WOW! [:)]

[MarkShot]

My only regret with the documentation set is we failed to beat out Sonalysts' Dangerous Waters which came in at 570 pages! Perhaps I should have written more tips?

[Banquet]

Only 38 pages more then! I'm sure we can find that from your fantastic AAR's and forum posts!

[iaidoka2]

ORIGINAL: Agema

Long manuals on .pdf are what your place of work's printer is for.

Amen to that - especially when it is a fancy colour laser printer which will print out in book format making it easy to bind etc[:)]

[MadScot]

I'd much rather have a game that comes with a pdf that gives me the option to print it in a large legible type face or read on-screen versus some companies that produce unreadable manuals (grey on grey typeface - brilliant - with a grayscale image superimposed) AND refuse to provide pdf versions as an anti-piracy feature EVEN WHEN THE SUPPLIED MANUAL IS PHYSICALLY INCOMPLETE DUE TO A COLLATION SNAFU.

No arguments from me on the manual format choice.

[Scott716]

You guys crack me up...why don't you just bend over and say yes please may I have another..lol..(note Animal House reference)..I'm sorry, but it's going to cost me $59.99 to get this game with no manual..that's a joke...I'll be damed if I'm going to sit at my computer and read the whole PDF, 500 and something pages(and that's better for you eyes?)...Do you guys have a life who can do this?... Not to mention if I do print 500 pages that will burn out my cartridge..another $30...not to mention paper cost....so great about $80 or so at this point...what a deal!!..I just bought Birth of America..from Ageod..a very small company..at way higher currency rates..with a nice glossy manual for less then this..yes the manual is smaller but still..does it really have to be 500 pages?..and your not shipping from France. Matrix has always had this we can't do manuals excuse and thanks but you have to eat the cost of a manual yourself. Maybe if you didn't have your slate so full you could do justice to the really good games like this and dump some of the crap you guys take on.
If I was Panther I would look elsewhere for a publisher..you guys have to much talent. Heck I saw earlier posts from a few days ago where they didn't even know how Matrix was going to sell it....just seems very half assed to me.

[Fred98]

ORIGINAL: ravinhood
I find it hard to accept the word "manual" when it doesn't come in printed form.

Here in the office all manuals are in electronic form.

-

[ravinhood]

ORIGINAL: Marc Schwanebeck

ORIGINAL: ravinhood

I find it hard to accept the word "manual" when it doesn't come in printed form. PDF form is more like a rules guide than a manual. I guess it helps sales along as an illusion making people think they are getting a printed 'manual' when all they are getting is text messaging.

[&:]

A manual is a manual, wether printed or digital. The content down to the bullet point is the same.

Well I call your attention to Websters Dictionary' definition of what a manual is:

"A handy BOOK for use as a guide, reference, etc."

Sorry no mention of digital text messaging as being a manual.

[JudgeDredd]

Is there no chance Matrix / Panther Games could review the PDF/printed manual isssue?

I'm not requesting this to flame, or to run down or anything else....just that I'd rather have a nice handy A5 manual printed on nice glossy paper than a PDF. I understand the benfits of PDF, but I cannot read for any length of time at a screen. I do it all day programming, I don't want to do it when I'm at home. A manual I can read a bit in the morning over breakfast, read a work (rest my eyes from the screen), read in bed. A4 manuals are a BIG no no....too much paper, too much cost (ink, paper) and the extra cost of having decent quality paper so it doesn't curl up the further you get into printing because of heat generation, colour etc.

A printed manual is a must for me. It's clear you can't play this game to any decent standard without the manual. Any chance on a rethink?

And for Madscot
The fact that some companies provide a manual in terrible format is no reason to end manuals printed by companies. They should just get the game returned with the tag "Your game does not have a legible manual...sorry".