PDF Manual

[UglyElmo_MatrixForum]

The manual is well done, but to print it out using the dark background would be cost prohibitive. Is there somewhere where I could print out a text-only format, or a different format which does not use the dark background. If not, then will there be plans or a means given so we can convert it ourselves?

I enjoy reading during my down-times, when I am not near a computer, so a physical version of the manual is best for my purposes. If the boxed edition contains such a printed manual, can I upgrade my digital-only to the boxed edition? It would be worth the extra cost.

Thanks for your help, and the game looks great thus far. I am familiarizing myself with the interface, and will soon be playing through my first campaign.

[SephiRok]

Hey,

The boxed copy does contain a printed manual! I'm not sure how you would go about upgrading from your digital version, you should contact Matrix Games support and they'll sort you out.

There's a printer friendly version of the manual in the Documents folder. You can also grab it from here: http://pandora.proxy-studios.com/media/ ... iendly.pdf

Cheers!

[Hertston]

Erm.. the manual seems to have some pages missing? Like the stuff about how you actually play the game???

We have

Pages 1-10, Epilepsy warning, installation, modding, support

Pages 11-18 Timeline (blurb)

Pages 19-63 (!!) Factions/backstory (more, and more, and more.. blurb)

Page 64-65 Credits

Really good game. Bloody awful attempt at a manual. What were you guys thinking? [:-]

[PDiFolco]

ORIGINAL: Hertston

Erm.. the manual seems to have some pages missing? Like the stuff about how you actually play the game???

We have

Pages 1-10, Epilepsy warning, installation, modding, support

Pages 11-18 Timeline (blurb)

Pages 19-63 (!!) Factions/backstory (more, and more, and more.. blurb)

Page 64-65 Credits

Really good game. Bloody awful attempt at a manual. What were you guys thinking? [:-]

Good humor, indeed it looks like a ... nonmanual? antimanual ? [:D]

[tgb]

As one of the beta testers I posted that the manual seemed like a joke when I first saw it. I was hoping they would have completed it for release. Hardly seems worth printing and including with the boxed version.

[Erik Rutins]

FYI, the in-game encyclopedia is intended as the main source of more detailed gameplay info.

[robc04_1]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

FYI, the in-game encyclopedia is intended as the main source of more detailed gameplay info.

That is pretty light on explaining the details of the game too. The basics are easy enough to pick up because the UI is pretty good and the hint messages cover a lot, but they sure didn't explain anything in detail. When I saw the manual I thought they left it that way by mistake. This is a strategy game, not Assassin's Creed 3.

[lparkh]

I agree the encyclopedia is inadequate. For example, pollution. Key game concept yet where is even an explanation of how it is caused? Or how it can be tracked?

[ASHBERY76]

Tool tips tell you what is the cause.Too many people.

[mikeCK]

What does unhappiness do? What are the effects of pollution?

Stuff like that is what as ual is for and in game encyclopedias are insufficient. With the ability to create PDF manuals instead of printing them, there really is no excuse

[willgamer]

ORIGINAL: ASHBERY76

Tool tips tell you what is the cause.Too many people.

It's a little more complicated than that...

the job the person does that determines the amount of pollution that person generates;

a scientist generates the least pollution per person; a factory worker the most.

[willgamer]

ORIGINAL: mikeCK

What does unhappiness do? What are the effects of pollution?

Stuff like that is what as ual is for and in game encyclopedias are insufficient. With the ability to create PDF manuals instead of printing them, there really is no excuse

All this is mapped out in some detail when you mouse over the people/job icons in the upper left hand corner of the city details screen.

[PDiFolco]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

FYI, the in-game encyclopedia is intended as the main source of more detailed gameplay info.

Even if it's good, it's not an excuse to not have a manual. I haven't bought the game yet and wanted to have a look at its mechanisms, and as tehre is no demo I need a manual [;)]

[FroBodine]

Developers, please write a manual, for heck's sake! There is no excuse for not giving us a real manual that explains everything. You have seen all the confusion, so proper documentation would be greatly appreciated.

This is keeping me from buying the game.

I know it's just my $30, and a drop in the bucket for you guys, but I am done purchasing games without proper documention. Done that too many times.

[dougo33]

ORIGINAL: jglazier

Developers, please write a manual, for heck's sake! There is no excuse for not giving us a real manual that explains everything. You have seen all the confusion, so proper documentation would be greatly appreciated.

This is keeping me from buying the game.

I know it's just my $30, and a drop in the bucket for you guys, but I am done purchasing games without proper documention. Done that too many times.

I agree - I jumped the gun and bought it one day one not knowing there was not going to be a manual or tutorials. The idea of pointing people to YouTube as a substitute for a manual is somewhat uninspiring for a game buyer. If I had known there was no manual and that the civpedia was rather sparse I would have held off on buying the game. It should not be that hard for them to create a PDF version and upload it. Paradox does it all the time with their games.

[stormbringer3]

I was going to buy until I learned that there was no manual. I bought Advanced Tactics Gold Edition instead.
I'm going to keep following this game. If I see where they add a PDF manual I'll probably buy.

[mikeCK]

ORIGINAL: PDiFolco

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

FYI, the in-game encyclopedia is intended as the main source of more detailed gameplay info.

Even if it's good, it's not an excuse to not have a manual. I haven't bought the game yet and wanted to have a look at its mechanisms, and as tehre is no demo I need a manual [;)]

Well, I see that they are unhappy, but don't see what that means. The point isn't whether I can eventuate figure the game out, I would like to know how and why things work without fishing around for tool tips and trial and error. It's a dead horse at this point but the lack of a manual is an omission

[willgamer]

ORIGINAL: mikeCK


... It's a dead horse at this point but the lack of a manual is an omission

I actually like the in game tool tip system and enjoy just poking around to discover the rules.

Having said that, I don't agree with essentially no manual. I seems to me that taking the text from the online help, adding an index, and slapping it into the current (empty) manual would have been a good start.

Yes, I know it's not "just that simple", but it's probably better than turning off some potential customers that have certain (reasonable) expectations.

I'd really like to see this game sell and grow because, as Flaviusx wrote elsewhere, it's a gem in the rough that could be a major hit with a little more fleshing out.

[mikeCK]

Don't get me wrong, I love the game, I just like to read a manual before I start a game. At this point, it doesn't matter too much to me as I have pretty much figured stuff out

[Dragoon.]

I find the tooltips explain most things, although it's missing detailed background information about mechanics, which leads to confusion how things actual work.
Like pollution. Maybe in an extended tooltip it should not only show the source but also explain the process how it's created. Instead of me shifting workers around to get actual numbers how much pollution each different production unit creates.