When you get a new game (or appliance I suppose), what do you do? Personally I always play the game first and then read it later when I want some backstory or comments on weapons/characters (this comes under option 4). So good escapists, what is your relationship with instruction books, and what do you like to see in them?

(You can share anecdotes involving instruction books about anything, but videogames are suggestable)

I'm going to have to go with the original idea here of reading them when I've already beaten the game so that I don't find out about that uber-weapon before I ever see it. I find I like a game a lot more if I go into it expecting nothing. Especially if it's a hard to find item that's touted throughout the manual as the cat's sexual reproductive organ.

I like to leaf through it quickly before playing, then I usually read the whole thing later. I loved the instructional manga in the MGS3 manual. Would've been cool if they made the whole thing like that.

I read them in case I've missed out a key feature of the game. I'm glad "I read them on the toilet" is the majority vote also.

I try not to read the manual and it works great for everything but Civ games.

I think instruction manuals have been outdated for about five years as far as games are concerned, with game developers taking great care to ensure that the learning curve is a difficult one. The last ting they want is for the player to get frustrated and return the game to the retailer, thus eliminating profit and any future profits to be made from expansion packs and sequels.

I mostly just leaf through them when a game is installing for all the pretty graphics, but as snark said I find myself consulting the manual for civ games (although Civpedia makes this redundant most of the time).

Sometimes I read them before I play a game. Sometimes while I'm playing them. Sometimes after I've beaten them, and sometimes never. I went with "Depends on the game." but the game really has nothing to do with it. I don't know why I only read it for some games.

Random: Woot! 100th Post!

I tend to read them about half way through, normally out of curiousity.

Some instruction manuals are quite interesting, containing art work or are just fun to read like those from donkey kong country.
I also like them better when in full color, just adds something to the whole package.
I rarely use them for help.
but I don't wish them gone, they are part of game imho

I am in the "Read them on the toilet" group. And I usually don't read it till I am kicking ass and want to not miss a thing, or if I feel lost or stuck then I'll read it. Let me tell ya, there isn't a whole lot of things more shameful than a face palm when you have a revelation while dropping a deuce.

I always tend to read mine on the crapper. You're playing a decent game and nature calls, thats what I call efficiency:P

I miss the 150+ page instruction books from the days of yore. You can hardly call what game manuals have become now "books."

More like booklets.

:[

I read mainly for the controls and important game mechanics so I can start the game off without being confused. I have to read the instructions so I dont sound like the person online asking how you do said action when they can easily go to their options an CONFIGURE your controls. It's always annoyed me in online games when people ask the most redundant questions.

If I get really stuck I read them, but normally I will still just try loads of things before giving in to them

Wow, an option so very fitting, I honestly do read them on the crapper, not before I play the game.

I don't know whether it's an obsessive compulsion or just a habit but I always read the instructions before I play, no matter what.

I've been known to let my brother play my games before I do just so I can read the instructions. Even if it's a game that I would already know the controls/back story too. E.g. all FPS and sequels such as Metal Gear.

Typically I read manuals constantly, but nowadays games are stuffed with tutorials in the beginning so I haven't read one in a while. (Excludes all PC games)

ultra_v_89:
Wow, an option so very fitting, I honestly do read them on the crapper, not before I play the game.

Well done comrade, we have much in common (by much I mean 1 thing).

It depends on the type of game. How ever sometimes the manuals are completely worthless, like SC4's.

I read it later for the backstory and the gun descriptions. Only reason i get game guides is to read extra story parts.

The what now?

I ever read the instruction booklets when I get absolutely stuck... or it is easier for me to check the back cover of the booklet for the control keys, because Esc is too far away. Also, sometimes for the fluff, which in some cases is worth the read.

On the toilet. Only time I'll read a manual before playing a game is if it's taking ages to install, then I'll read it just to keep me occupied. If I need to go to the toilet during a game though, and I havn't read the manual yet, I'll usually take it. I only read manuals for the background fluff though, and not for learning how to play it. I just prefer to learn controls and such as I go along, which I why I also never play tutorials.

And @ Eggo: I agree. I loved when manuals used to be mighty indepth tomes instead of the thin little reference booklets they seem to mostly have now. I liked the bigger boxes too over the thin cases. I know it probably makes sense from an enviromental point of view, but I always thought it added a nice touch when a game came in a big box with CD's, a massive manual, and mabye a fold-out map or poster or something.

Never. well almost never. Last time I did was Ratchet and Clank 3 which spoilt the game by telling me which weapons will become available....and it did sort of ruin the experience of spending all your bolts on a weapon only to realise you don't have anywhere near enough bolts for the super-fantastic one that comes next.

Its a shame so many PC games now come without a paper manual. They say that the manual is in PDF form to be enviromentally friendly, but don't they realise lovely dry paper is a tiny carbon storage device?
BTW. Anyone read the Edge article about instruction manuals?

Calmaveth:
Its a shame so many PC games now come without a paper manual. They say that the manual is in PDF form to be enviromentally friendly, but don't they realise lovely dry paper is a tiny carbon storage device?
BTW. Anyone read the Edge article about instruction manuals?

Apparently not....
What is Edge?

stinkychops:

Calmaveth:
Its a shame so many PC games now come without a paper manual. They say that the manual is in PDF form to be enviromentally friendly, but don't they realise lovely dry paper is a tiny carbon storage device?
BTW. Anyone read the Edge article about instruction manuals?

Apparently not....
What is Edge?

Edge is a highly reputable English games magazine.

Anyway, I read the instruction booklets just for kicks sometimes. I usually won't buy a used game if it doesn't have the booklet, since I like leafing through it at times.

Sometimes on the ride home (if I'm not driving), I'll open the box and satisfy my urge to play.

I always read the manual, even if it's completely pointless to do so.

I'll always, always, ALWAYS read the manual before I even put the disc in the console. I have no idea why, exactly, it's just compelling stuff usually. Basically, I like the pretty pictures of the guns. Oh, and there's no denying the beauty of new game manual smell.

I wonder how many people have skim-read the manual, got stuck on a game & then had toilet epiphanies?

Like that moment when you force a big one out & simultaneously realise that you have to hold the trigger & press X to do a special auto target block counter.... it's like time stands still & everything in the universe makes sense. Beautiful.

Buddhism? Pffft! I'll take a manual on the crapper over years of self-enlightenment any day of the week!

I always check them to see if they got a little backstory in there.
Also love checking out concept art if it's in there.
I love it when they put art in the interior of the box.

Yeah, although the Orange Box is almost infallible, I was kind of disappointed upon cracking it open on the bus home, to find no manual. I think if they really cant blow the cash to print a 16 page, black n white booklet in there, at least put a PDF on the disc. I'd still without entertainment on my ride home, but it'd give me something to read while installing.

PFT. Who needs instruction books? Just click buttons and see what they do or follow the tutorial if there is one.