Wheres the booklet?!

[Savage]

50 bucks only gets you a disc and piece of paper saying the manual is on the disc. you dont even get a map like u did with sh3/4 :( im kinda bummed.

[Sailor Steve]

That's not good. Back in the '80s LucasArts' Their Finest Hour came with a huge manual about the game, including the story of the Battle Of Britain, inlcluding lots of photographs.

Times change, and not always for the better.

[Nordmann]

I'm assuming this is the standard retail edition? No manual, and they want £26.99 for it, that's just ridiculous. This is looking more and more like a bargain-bin job.

[gutted]

That's not good. Back in the '80s LucasArts' Their Finest Hour came with a huge manual about the game, including the story of the Battle Of Britain, inlcluding lots of photographs.

Times change, and not always for the better.

Yup. That game is what got me interested in WW2.

I still have all my old game manuals packed away in the attack.

[Sgtmonkeynads]

Sad.

Out of all the games I have bought over 25 years of gaming, the only reading material in my bathroom is still the book from SH3.
Did you guys hear that Pacific Fighters is available now ?

[malkuth74]

Sucks we don't get a map at all. All other SH came with maps with the Routes of the Shiping, and Airplane coverage.

UBI is such a cheap bunch of... Insert bad word.

Seriously. Come on..

Yeah mine just came in and I opened the box and thought they forgot my dam manual. LOL. Nope online.

And on the cover says. A PERMANENT INTERNET CONNECTION IS REQUUIRED TO PLAY THE GAME.

Guess they wanted to cover there butts legally. LOL.

[Méo]

I'm assuming this is the standard retail edition? No manual, and they want £26.99 for it, that's just ridiculous.

I remember back in 1994 I paid 80$ for a SNES game.

Inflation wise, it would be something around 130$ today.

So 50$ today is no drama for me (I know it is for some people).

If I wanted the manual and the map, I would have opted for the collector's edition.

[Savage]

one other thing im not seeign voices english/german.... anyone see that option somewhere that i missed????

[Méo]

one other thing im not seeign voices english/german.... anyone see that option somewhere that i missed????

When you install the game, go for the ''custom'' install.

[malkuth74]

one other thing im not seeign voices english/german.... anyone see that option somewhere that i missed????


That my friend is part of the installation process. It ask you to install english and or German voices.

Its one of the first options that pop up. I choose custom too. So that might be it.

[kylania]

one other thing im not seeign voices english/german.... anyone see that option somewhere that i missed????

It's apparently only an option when installing the game I've read.

[Nordmann]

I remember back in 1994 I paid 80$ for a SNES game.

Inflation wise, it would be something around 130$ today.

So 50$ today is no drama for me (I know it is for some people).

If I wanted the manual and the map, I would have opted for the collector's edition.

Yes, and that was because the technology at the time was expensive, especially consoles (which still are today). Most of the PC games I have bought over the past few years are at or below £20 on release, with a few exceptions (EA for example, love their moneybags).

Seriously, SH4 CE was £17 on release! Now they want £26.99, for what appears to be (gameplay wise) an inferior product. That may make sense to you, but sure as hell does not to me.

[Savage]

one would think Full would mean full and not partial.... ok gonna try custom.....

[GermanGS]

Has anyone checked that bonus DVD??????????

[Nisgeis]

Has anyone checked that bonus DVD??????????

If you mean the doc, then yes, but it's only available in the US. If you mean the soundtrack CD, then no, but that's in the collector's edition, which isn't out in the US. :doh:

[Panser]

That's not good. Back in the '80s LucasArts' Their Finest Hour came with a huge manual about the game, including the story of the Battle Of Britain, inlcluding lots of photographs.

Times change, and not always for the better.

Back then games companies knew how to get people to buy the games rather than pirate them (Don't copy that floppy, anyone?): Providing value for money and desirable extras.

[Mack674]

Yeah this is garbage - Just firing up the game now and havnt tested anything yet but what the hell is this? No Manual? Really? I mean ive noticed them getting lighter and lighter over the years but just cut them out entirely now?! No maps anymore either.... disappointing. Maybe they used the extra money they saved and put it into game development... hah...

As for the bonus DVD, its called "Lost and Found: The legacy of USS Lagarto". I was hoping for something about U-boats when I first saw bonus dvd and thought "hey cool!" but no... it isn't, it's an american sub lol whatever

[Nisgeis]

Printed manuals being deleted were bound to happen, cos of cost, weight and the envrionment dude. There is actually still a manual, it's just not printed. From what I hear it's pretty bad, but much better than SH4's manual, which was like someone took the SH3 manual, put it in a blender and then sticky taped it back together.

[Drifter]

Anyone remember the thick Aces of the Deep ring-bound manual? That was great. Included U-boat history, tactics, etc. Those were the days... :arrgh!:

[Paajtor]

Glad I still have my map from SH3:D

[SteamWake]

'Wheres the booklet?'

Under my chair... at least thats where previous ones ended up.

SH has really had a bad rep with the manuals. Its a cost cutting thing you know :03:

[Sailor Steve]

Anyone remember the thick Aces of the Deep ring-bound manual? That was great. Included U-boat history, tactics, etc. Those were the days... :arrgh!:
And the copy of the real KM map? Still have two of them.:sunny:

[FIREWALL]

Did any of you notice when installing and getting to the pdf manual part they "Ubi" had the crass to provide a "Kinkos" direct link to the printers. :roll:

Now that took some balls. :down:

[LiveGoat]

That's not good. Back in the '80s LucasArts' Their Finest Hour came with a huge manual about the game, including the story of the Battle Of Britain, inlcluding lots of photographs.

Times change, and not always for the better.

You said it. I remember the first time I opened Falcon 3.0 Gold. All that printed document goodness. I recently pulled it out of storage and was surprised how heavy the box was with all that stuff (manuals , maps, etc..).

Even though I lost my Janes 688 game a long time ago I still keep the manual on my shelf, along with the Janes f-15 manual, just to remind me of the pride game makers had then. My all time fave manual has to Aces of the Deep, though, with Aces over Europe coming up second, oh and Red Baron 3, oh and remember flying Corp?! They included a reproduction of a pre-WWI pilot's manual!

Now I'm depressed.

[razark]

That's not good. Back in the '80s LucasArts' Their Finest Hour came with a huge manual about the game, including the story of the Battle Of Britain, inlcluding lots of photographs.

That was a classic. Up until I moved last weekend, I had the map tacked up on the wall by my desk, next to the SH3, SH4, and Task Force 1942 maps.

Probably learned more about the Battle of Britain from that manual than anywhere else.

[jhelix70]

I'll predict that SH6, whenever it comes out, will be either download only or completely online...there won't be even a dvd, much less a paper manual.:shifty:

[Portman]

I just opened mine up and was shocked at the lack of a manual. I figured I'd have something to read while it installs and I fight the urge to play when I should be sleeping. :D

I loved the manual from SH3 and read that thing front to back at least twice, and I can't remember the SH4 manual (I have the gold edition now so it's understandable) but this is just a joke. Hell, they could have at least put something like a voucher to mail in for the soundtrack&manual for $5.

I just hope this isn't the norm for UBI PC games or I will get annoyed.

[Turbografx]

Printed manuals being deleted were bound to happen, cos of cost, weight and the envrionment dude.


Why? If they could do it a few years ago why not now? It was not bound to happen, companies decide to make it happen. IT just a way to extend profit at the expense of quality. It's like no one cares about quality in anything these days, not in cars, games etc, its all junk.

I too remember the time of ring bound or paperback manuals. From my own collection Alpha Centauri and Gangsters, amongst others, came with manuals resembling telephone books. I even remember some games came with cloth, yes cloth maps, as well as other trinkets e.g. decoder, brooch, aluminum coins etc etc

[JScones]

PDF manual only? And Publishers wonder why so much piracy... :doh:

[Cougar46]

Why? If they could do it a few years ago why not now? It was not bound to happen, companies decide to make it happen. IT just a way to extend profit at the expense of quality. It's like no one cares about quality in anything these days, not in cars, games etc, its all junk.

I too remember the time of ring bound or paperback manuals. From my own collection Alpha Centauri and Gangsters, amongst others, came with manuals resembling telephone books. I even remember some games came with cloth, yes cloth maps, as well as other trinkets e.g. decoder, brooch, aluminum coins etc etc

The lack of a manual effects the quality of the product? I love those old school thick manuals with loads of info as much as the next guy, I still have that monstrosity from Jane's USAF sitting on my bookshelf. But to say it effects the quality of the product seems a bit brash. I'm not buying a game for the manual that gives basic history lessons or a map of an area, they're little gimmicks and addons to give you the impression that they're actually worth something. You buy the game for the game, what comes with it shouldn't have any bearing on your determining of the products quality. It's like saying a Porsche is inferior to a Hyundai because the owner manual isn't as thick.

[jwilliams]

Ummmm I'm always a fan of huge game manuals...

but if they want to make the manual lite.... it should atleast tell you about how to play the game... from what i understand from posts (i dont have the game) its very basic to the point that alot of people dont even know how to aim torpedos.

[Nisgeis]

Why? If they could do it a few years ago why not now? It was not bound to happen, companies decide to make it happen. IT just a way to extend profit at the expense of quality. It's like no one cares about quality in anything these days, not in cars, games etc, its all junk.

The jewel cases they all use now are too small for a proper manual of yester-year and would need a cardboard box. Cardboard boxes are extraordinarily expensive, due to the cardboard rush of 2009.

It's all about quick profit, which is why it was inevitable. Distributors and sellers don't want big products, as they take up lots of storage space. One 'old style' cardboard box for Grand Prix 2, which is the same size as all the rest of my old games, takes up the same space as six modern DVD jewel case boxes. That's a lot of storge space to lose. You want a printer manual, you have to pay extra. People don't want to pay extra.

[reaper7]

It's all about quick profit, which is why it was inevitable. Distributors and sellers don't want big products, as they take up lots of storage space. One 'old style' cardboard box for Grand Prix 2, which is the same size as all the rest of my old games, takes up the same space as six modern DVD jewel case boxes. That's a lot of storge space to lose. You want a printer manual, you have to pay extra. People don't want to pay extra.

I got X3 Terren Conflict last year, great game. Came with a 120 page booklet in a slim boxset about double the thickness of a dvd case.
And whats more the game was cheaper than most PC relases.
No reason for simulators to ship without one. Its not like there pick up and play. At least ship with a decent PDF version that we can print ourselves.

http://i30.tinypic.com/10zz0q1.jpg

[Gatt]

This lack of a decent manual is really a shame.

Strange non pre-view/review noticed it ... isnt it? :nope:

Shame on you UBI, I'll buy when the price will drop to 1/3. I guess its only a matter of weeks :yep:

[Arclight]

So I guess I'm the only one that did get a manual. :hmmm:

Not a bad one either, though you'll still have to learn to work the TDC yourself; manual only goes into detail on getting a solution with aid of that minimap... enough to get you playing without scratching your head too much, but not enough for the 'hardcore' crowd. :)

[Safe-Keeper]

PDF manual only? And Publishers wonder why so much piracy... :doh:Yeah, 'cause all illegal game downloads come with printed manuals:DL.

[urfisch]

50 bucks only gets you a disc and piece of paper saying the manual is on the disc. you dont even get a map like u did with sh3/4 :( im kinda bummed.

i prefer to download games. if i compare the normal retail price here in germany (49,95 euro) and the price at d2d...37 euro...its like hell and heaven. and the poor people who buy the ce version for 60(!) euros...with some "additional" stuff. lol...this is nothing else than thievery.

:nope:

:know:

[Turbografx]

The lack of a manual effects the quality of the product? I love those old school thick manuals with loads of info as much as the next guy, I still have that monstrosity from Jane's USAF sitting on my bookshelf. But to say it effects the quality of the product seems a bit brash. I'm not buying a game for the manual that gives basic history lessons or a map of an area, they're little gimmicks and addons to give you the impression that they're actually worth something. You buy the game for the game, what comes with it shouldn't have any bearing on your determining of the products quality. It's like saying a Porsche is inferior to a Hyundai because the owner manual isn't as thick.

It doesn't necessarily affect the quality of the game but rather the product as a whole.

Also, these manuals were not just gimmicks, they were detailed explanations of the game and how it plays. Maybe simulators these days just aren't complicated enough to warrant such a manual.

[Noren]

Ah, the the sweet dream of a jouicy manual full with extra details and background information!!!!!!!!!

That seems to be a thing of the past, a nice rememberance of my childhood.
A simulator would need it, and it would enhance the game in many ways for me as a player and paying customer.

[OakGroove]

Also, these manuals were not just gimmicks, they were detailed explanations of the game and how it plays.
^
I remember buying Falcon3 about a month before my first PC, a 486SX25, just to read the 342p printed manual. Then came Falcon4, with a Manual thick as a telephone book - it kept me occupied for weeks, and left me somewhat puzzled after reading it the first time. I felt like going through flight school. Those days are long gone, as is product quality and replayability. We all know good titles today are few and far in between. What surprises me, even by todays standards, is the "SH5 Collectors Edition" not shipping with a printed manual, with even the .pdf seems to be lacking content. 20$ just for a N.I.C.E. box and a few skins is obscene, imo.

[Turbografx]

^
I remember buying Falcon3 about a month before my first PC, a 486SX25, just to read the 342p printed manual. Then came Falcon4, with a Manual thick as a telephone book - it kept me occupied for weeks, and left me somewhat puzzled after reading it the first time. I felt like going through flight school. Those days are long gone, as is product quality and replayability. We all know good titles today are few and far in between. What surprises me, even by todays standards, is the "SH5 Collectors Edition" not shipping with a printed manual, with even the .pdf seems to be lacking content. 20$ just for a N.I.C.E. box and a few skins is obscene, imo.

:yep: Yeah, most "collectors" editions these days are really just a nice box. Most of the stuff you get in a nice collectors edition today came standard in many games 20 years ago e.g. Ultima Series.

[iambecomelife]

It doesn't necessarily affect the quality of the game but rather the product as a whole.

Also, these manuals were not just gimmicks, they were detailed explanations of the game and how it plays. Maybe simulators these days just aren't complicated enough to warrant such a manual.


Exactly. I owned several of the games mentioned so far (Lucas Arts' Battle of Britain, Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe, Falcon 3.0) and I absolutely loved the amount of detail in the manuals. You knew that the games' producers were truly interested in their field and had in-depth knowledge about the technology being simulated. In many cases they were combat veterans (or collaborated with veterans) to make sure that the games were as accurate as possible. To this day I love reading my Lucas Arts manuals. Quotes from men who were actually there, diagrams of tactics, strategic analysis - the works. More practically, you got more than a bare-bones intro into how to play the game - if you took the time to read, you would be fairly well prepared.

IMHO a game's manual is more intimately tied into product quality than a car's user manual - it's a reflection of the expertise/passion that its developers have for the subject being covered - especially in the case of a simulation. With "Jutland", Storm Eagle Studios proved that it's possible to design a modern PDF manual that's thorough and a good read. Unfortunately, SES seems to be a rare exception.

To beat the car analogy into the ground, a game with a sparse manual is like a Porsche that ships from the factory with a cracked windshield & scratched finish. Neither of those things would make the car unsuitable for its purpose, but they certainly would cause you to reflect on issues such as Porsche's quality, reputation, pride in work, and whether or not you as a customer truly got what you paid for.

[TheDarkWraith]

Here's the kicker to me: I opened the PDF so called 'manual' that's located under \Support\Manual. I read it. Let me quote a line from said manual: "The complete list of keyboard controls is given at the end of the manual. In-game,pressing the F1 key will show the help menu and the complete list of keys."

So I read the whole manual - what a POS it is! There's nothing to it - and is it just me or did I not see this complete list of keys mentioned above?? So we have an unfinished game AND an unfinished manual to boot. WTF?!?! :nope:

[pzGrenadier]

I got my SH5 from UBI digital store and I have to say the manual for the this version is the worst manual I've ever seen. 6 pages out of the total 35 pages is about the background information on the crew members. Guess how many pages they used on explaining the TAI? 1/4 of a page! What about getting a firing solution? Half a page.... This makes me wonder did I bought a simulation game or an RPG hack-n-slash game that the only important information about the game is introducing you to the NPCs.

Besides, even if I wanted to fork out another $10 for the gold version, that product is limited to US and Canada only. I just don't understand the logic behind this, so the $10 from the rest of the world is not as good as $10 from US or Canada?

Now my only hope is that the game itself is in better quality than the manual they included.

[mstang67]

Pretty bad when the game manual isn't even half as good as the supermod manuals for SH3. Hope you modders keep up the amazing work, because obviously the game producing companies can't. $50 for a game and some extra dvd I'll probably never watch. Buncha crap.

[Gatt]

Fantastic! Out of about 30 pages, 6-7 are for crew characters descriptions!

Almost half a page is for the cook Olaf!

I love those UBI idiots :rotfl2:

[JScones]

FWIW Australian copies contain a printed booklet (btw has it been officially released here yet? If so, does any Aussie have the boxed version?).

[TopcatWA]

I purchased the on-line version & I must admit that I am very disappointed with the quality of the game (including a lack of full manual instructions) but since it is money spent I will perservere & hope the modders come up with some great improvements as with SHIII & IV. :hmmm::hmmm:

[Flanker15]

FWIW Australian copies contain a printed booklet (btw has it been officially released here yet? If so, does any Aussie have the boxed version?).

Yeah it's out and the collectors edition has an extra book and the map too.

[FIREWALL]

Did any of you notice when installing and getting to the pdf manual part they "Ubi" had the crass to provide a "Kinkos" direct link to the printers. :roll:

Now that took some balls. :down:

Again for the ones that missed it.