Do you read your manuals?

[LeatherRebel5150 | 1,056]

58 minutes ago, SNESNESCUBE64 said:

Reading the manual is a requirement in the arcade/pinball scene and is typically the first thing I reference when I run into issues. It typically answers questions about the machines and many have the schematics. Some good manuals also have detailed troubleshooting steps and theory of operation. They are a good read.

That said, there is absolutely no way 85% of people on this site read their video game manuals. Be honest!

To be fair it’s not 80% of the people on the site. Its 80% of the 30 people that answered the poll. 

[SNESNESCUBE64 | 541]

Just now, LeatherRebel5150 said:

To be fair it’s not 80% of the people on the site. Its 80% of the 30 people that answered the poll. 

I still think there are several people in that poll lying to themselves

[spacepup | 2,404]

If I'm being actually honest - no.

Back in the day, sure I read parts of them, like NES for example.

But really, after NES, I usually didn't read through the manual unless I needed to reference something or had trouble.  Especially beginning with PS1 and beyond, most games did a pretty good job of explaining what you needed to know.

PS2 is my favorite console of all time and I love the games and have hundreds.  Yet, if I'm being honest, I've probably actually "read" maybe 1% of the manuals.

Now, I love perusing them for entertainment / interest sake at times, but in terms of actually reading them cover to cover, it's just not something I typically do.

People like to complain about the lack of manuals in newer games, but practically speaking, I doubt the majority of the mass-gaming consumers they are targeting, actually care that much.

[spacepup | 2,404]

I'll also add that it really depends on the game and genre.  Even for earlier games, I found myself using the manuals much more often for strategy or puzzle type games, or anything with unique or new mechanics.  Or for fighting games.  But for your run of the mill platformer, I never really found myself needing to read through the manual.  I mostly used them for reference as needed.

[Tanooki | 4,934]

Well I'm one of the honest ones from CUBE's comment.  Both between home stuff, and the Neo-Geo (and pinball when I had that too.)  There's a lot to be pushed from those papers, more so on the commercial stuff to try and DIY a fix not having to find some costly tech.  Also on the pinball side, almost vital, those cards rarely told you most of the ways to rack up a score, but that book of a manual sure spelled it out.  NeoGeo the service and hardware guides do too, but those mini marquees are quite clean and give you a lot, short of special moves for every fighter, but many of those had the bezel stickers or the bezel itself like with Samuai Shodown 1 (which mine has.)

Home gaming, I read the manuals entirely up through the GBA/GC era, more so on the later ones for just the buttons and stuff, but pre-CD era stuff (N64/GBC) back cover to cover as it had useful stuff on top of the amusing bits left from the game.