Notes....................

[The Jinjo]

I know this is kinda stupid, but I'm curious. You know how at the end of almost every instruction booklet for video games there are about 5 blank pages for notes? Well, has anyone actually ever written anything in them? I know i haven't. Like I said, kinda stupid, but I'm just curious :D

[JohnCrichton]

Instruction booklets are for wusses... ;)

[Spike04]

Instruction booklets are for wusses...

They are there for a reason...



I just haven't figured it out yet :rolleyes:

[Sandro]

Instruction booklets? Oh you mean those things that come with the games that no one ever reads?

[Marc]

Wow. It seems I'm the only person here you actually likes reading instruction booklets. Every time I buy a new game, I always read the entire booklet start to finish before even putting the game into the machine. I guess I just have more respect for the artists and programmers who create the games than some people.

And yes, those blank pages are for notes, codes or whatever hints you come across during gameplay. Personally, I've never used them, but it's nice that they are there. I always find myself scribbling notes and codes on whatever paper I have laying around, which is quite foolish now that I think about it.

- Cap

[Dirk Gently]

You know, I always find it funny when someone posts something claiming that they found something new even though it was clearly stated in the manuel. Yes, that has happened, I've seen it many times on the Animal Crossing board at gamefaqs, and yes, I do play Animal Crossing, I'm proud to admit it and I don't care what any of you think.

[The Jinjo]

I used to use my instuction books to draw Sonic the Hedgehog enemies when I was about 8. I never cared about the rest, in fact when I bought Sonic and Knuckles, there were no pictures in the book so I threw it out. So as you can see I never read them. I keep them, but never read them. They were useful a long time ago when people didn't know how to play video games, but now that anyone can pick up a controller and play since games have become as well known as tv, they arent needed. Then again, when my grandmother bought her Gamecube (she went from her NES to Gamecube so it was a big change for her) she read her Luigi's Mansion instruction book all night. She was so confused. However I'm glad to report a month later she was a ghost sucking master, and got a C rank manson! .... and yes....... believe it or not........that was my GRANDMOTHER! :D

[Dark Spider]

I still read the instruction manual. Well, I at least attempt to read the instruction manual. I always stop reading the instruction manual because the anticpation for a new game is too great. Also I find it easier to play as I go along. The game also teaches you the controls while you play anyway...so the instuction booklet is now useless unless you want some tidbits on the game's story or characters.

As for the notes section of the instruction booklet, I never had a need to take notes on a game, so I never use it.

[Shnay]

I never used to read the instruction manuals, but now, as games have become more complex, I find they're much more interesting. I don't read them to find out what the jump button is, I can do that on my own. I read them to see some of the art and design they've put into the booklet and to get any backstory information. For example, Return to Castle Wolfenstein has a really cool booklet design, and Metroid Prime has some really cool story info and detailed artwork in the early pages.

I've never used the notes in the back, and for most games, I don't think you really need to. The only games I think they would be useful for are really open-ended games that encourage exploration. That way you'll know if there's something you want to go back to. But once you have to break out the pen, the game loses a lot of what makes it fun, so I've never bothered with it.

[turbomog007]

I love reading the instruction manuals especially all that stuff about motion sickness and how there not responsible if you get seizures and I do love they make the most basic of things at least a 3 step process that look like it will take about 3 hours to master like perhaps how to make Mario jump or better yet how move using the joystick

[Mad Mary Kidd]

I've always read instruction manuals. My Dad, however, discovered the hard way that he should, when we were playing MGS2. He didn't know how to hang on the railings. :rolleyes: It's stuff like that that justifies them in my eyes, when you have a fairly complicated game; if you have a simple one, it's no big deal.

[Mr. Obsession]

I always read the instruction manual. Usually there's some extra art work or some additional story info, especially in cases where the game developers have planed for the game to be one part in a several part story.


But no, I've never written anything in the notes section.

[Jowy Blight]

Of course I read the instruction manual. Mostly so I can read about the storyline, characters, and look at some of the nice artwork. Yet I have never used that notes area once, I'm starting to wonder if anybody ever does.

[J J Gittes]

I always save my intruction booklets for school. Then I'll bring them out during particularly boring classes. I just hide them in the book. The teachers always think "oh look at him....reading his text book and getting a head start on the quiz in 2 weeks". But I'm actually trying to find out how I can get mario to do a freaking third jump.

[James]

The last time I used the notes section of a instruction manual was for Super Return Of The Jedi on the SNES.. so it's been a time..

[bfmusashi]

Wow. It seems I'm the only person here you actually likes reading instruction booklets. Every time I buy a new game, I always read the entire booklet start to finish before even putting the game into the machine. I guess I just have more respect for the artists and programmers who create the games than some people.

Right on, brotha! I too usually read the instruction booklets from start to finish when I get a new game, just so I'll have a basic idea of how to play. Unless, of course, the manual is insanely long.

As for the Notes... Well, last time I used that section was back in 1996 to play Quest for Glory 4, so...

[Nin-Nin69]

I allways make sure the instruction manuals are in my games, otherwise if ya try to sell them, the value goes down. People still don't understand this because they have the internet and they don't need the instruction manual when they can do a certain move or jump in a certain fashion. Well I truly respect the creators of these games and thus I'd read the manuals before playing any type of game I've never played before, unless its easy or a sequal to a certain game.

About the notes section, its for writing down your progress in the game, level codes, or cheat codes. I suggest if you do, use a pencil so you can erase them later on if you happen to play the game again in a different fashion. Otherwise if you don't care about the notes section or the instruction manual, then do as you please. :D

[2Divine]

The last time I remember writing anything in the notes section of an instruction manual is back in the 8-Bit Nintendo days, when games like Metroid and Kid Icarus gave you a password to write down so you could continue your game later.

This was back in the day when I was still using 5-inch floppy disks, too. If you had told me that someday we'd use something called "memory cards" to save our games, I would have balked and called you a nutcase.

[Conekiller]

I love the instruction manuals! they are usually a good source for the official game art (I'm a sucker for Official art) and little tidbits into the story that the game sometimes doesn't expand upon : how would you have known that Samus was on on planet Zebes in the first Metroid without reading the Manual, or that her name was Samus for that matter?

What was up with the the bookelt for Megaman 1 saying he could duck. I got hit so many times before I decided it was an error and MM couldn't EVER duck (untill MMX6)

[ohmrbill]

As others have mentioned, I like reading the instruction books because of all the cool art and extra story tidbits (although I never read them before I actually start playing the game).

I'll also check back to it of there's a concept in the game I'm not quite grasping, or to see if there’re any extra features I've missed.

[guinaevere]

2Divine and I are on the same page, although the last time I used the Note Pages on the 16-bit The Lost Vikings games.

As to the question of who reads the instruction books, I do. (I'm a natural bookworm and read just about whatever is placed in front of me.)

But it's also helpful for preparing for a new game. True, most games have a basic intro to game control section at the beginning of a game, but those aren't necessarily complete or entirely helpful. I go bonkers when my older brother gets all frustrated at a game, and he hasn't even read the basic controls.

I'd like to see someone pick up a Janes flight sim and not read the instructions.

[skojoe]

My policy for the booklets is if one of my friends is driving and I have a new game I will read the book in the car. Otherwise I play the game first and dont read it until a couple days later.
As for the notes section... I do not think I have ever written in the notes section of any book. I am one of the ones who writes on little scraps of paper that get forever lost in the void known as anywhwere but where I think they are. Thinking about it the notes section makes sense but still who wants to be that orginized...

[2Divine]

Originally posted by guinaevere
2Divine and I are on the same page, although the last time I used the Note Pages on the 16-bit The Lost Vikings games.

:eek: YES!!!! Awesome!! The Lost Vikings was a great game!! I remember jotting down TONS of passwords for that game and its "cousin" Rock 'N Roll Racing...although I didn't write them in the instruction manual.

Sweet memories... :rolleyes: ;)

[Novdeloth]

Oh, wow, this is bringing back all sorts of memories. Back when I was a hardcore gamer, I read the instruction booklets. Well, just the first few pages that gave character bios and the story. Then I jumped right into the game. I would read the booklet for any tips and descriptions of the levels, but that was pretty much it. Never used the notes section.

And like a handful of gamers here, on the way home from the store, I'd open the box and pull out the booklet to read it, or I'd take it to school. ;)