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So, about that new manual...

JalilyJalily Member Posts: 4,681
edited September 2012 in Archive (General Discussion)
Any chance of releasing this soon so we have something to read while we wait? :)
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Comments

  • Fake_SketchFake_Sketch Member Posts: 217
    Is the manual confirmed?
  • theJoshFrosttheJoshFrost Member Posts: 171
    If there's no manual, their attempts to recruit new players will fall flat, because BG is pretty confusing is you haven't played AD&D.
  • Fake_SketchFake_Sketch Member Posts: 217
    That's pretty sweet.
  • Tr_ondTr_ond Member Posts: 496
    That`s the magic of Baldur`s gate, The depths of wonder and complexity that is character creation followed by a big scary world you don`t know the mechanics of. It`s an adventure even before you start.
  • Ulfgar_TorunnUlfgar_Torunn Member Posts: 169
    @Fake_Sketch:
    The new manual has been confirmed. Exact details remain a mystery however.

    It's unlikely that they'll release the manual beforehand. The game is coming out in 6 days after all. But you knew that already. Purely wishful, irrational thinking.

    For instance:

    Thinking that they'd release the manual early -> Irrational

    My belief that the developers didn't lose the art assets, that they did do an HD version of the game, and that they're simply holding out on us. -> Totally Rational
  • theJoshFrosttheJoshFrost Member Posts: 171
    Tr_ond said:

    That`s the magic of Baldur`s gate, The depths of wonder and complexity that is character creation followed by a big scary world you don`t know the mechanics of. It`s an adventure even before you start.

    What you call magic, many people would call poor design. :D

  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    Yes, there will be a manual; as Trent tweeted a few weeks ago, in fact, there will be "three epic manuals". As I understand it, the manual will be packaged with the game itself, so you won't be able to read it early.
  • JalilyJalily Member Posts: 4,681
    :(
  • Tr_ondTr_ond Member Posts: 496
    I disagree with most people, so that`s fine by me ;)
    And the nubs won`t read the manual anyway, they won`t read the FAQ either.
    They`ll spam general. Noober invasion. Its coming.
  • Jean_LucJean_Luc Member Posts: 228
    edited September 2012
    theJoshFrost said:

    If there's no manual, their attempts to recruit new players will fall flat, because BG is pretty confusing is you haven't played AD&D.

    I managed to play BG2 at age 13-14 with no prior knowledge of D&D rules or D&D itself for that matter, with Fallout as my only previous cRPG experience. It doesn't take a genius, it's just that most gamers today can't be bothered to make an effort to understand something.
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    I don't think I actually read the manual, not all the way through anyway, until about two months ago. Suffice to say, it's in need of an update. :)
  • JalilyJalily Member Posts: 4,681
    What. I can't be the only one here who liked reading those fat flavorful manuals. :(
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    I was too young to appreciate them when I had them; I skimmed them for the crunch, and then jumped straight into the game. Now I've got them again, so I'm reacquainting myself. There's some nice interjections in there. Elminster's a snarky son of a B, ain't he?
  • MunchkinXQMunchkinXQ Member Posts: 25
    I will absolutely demand for a manual if there's real copy of game. But since only digital edition, I'm OK.

    Still better than nothing.
  • GilgalahadGilgalahad Member Posts: 237
    I still have my original manual all plasticized and protected from falling apart...yet i've only ever really read about 1/2 of it and used those charts at the end a lot to check things like spell progressions and hit die/lvl for each class, things like that.
  • TetraploidTetraploid Member Posts: 252
    When I first played BG I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I mean, absolutely no idea. I'd never even played an RPG before. I'd wandered the countryside for days (real-time and game-time) getting killed by all manner of local wildlife, found a few side-quests and got shouted at by Jaheira, and still had no idea what I was meant to be doing, until the friend who lent me the game suggested that maybe I should obey the massive hints everyone was dropping and actually go to Nashkel. (Where kobolds kicked my ass repeatedly because I had the tactical competency of a walnut and didn't know about memorising spells.)

    Ah, good times. I do miss the days when people were expected to figure things out for themselves sometimes! But...yeah, sometimes having a manual to fall back on is nice too.
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    The original BG1 manual is great. I used it all the time when I was learning the game. Eg, to finally figure out what THACO is, get more lore background on places and characters, etc.

    What with using the ToB engine for EE I can see how the manual needs a rewrite. Really looking forward to it. Hope it keeps the charm of the original manual, though.
  • MatteoTuriniMatteoTurini Member Posts: 105
    edited September 2012
    Yeah, it would be great. So one could kill the time reading the options they'll have for their character, while weeping in silence that the game's not out yet.
  • MrKrisSatanMrKrisSatan Member Posts: 75
    Baldur's Gate 2 tutorial? You mean that horrible dungeon at the start?
  • SabotinSabotin Member Posts: 38
    No, the tutorial was a separate thing. And I also recommend reading the manual. I never did before now and I still learned some new stuff, even though I completed BG countless times already...
  • XzarXzar Member Posts: 215
    Civilization 5 devs released manual before both vanilla and Gods&Kings addon shipped, like a 5 days before each time. It was handy, being able to learn the rules while preparing for game.

    Releasing manual now wont hurt Beamdog either :)
  • ego1steego1ste Member Posts: 88
    edited September 2012
    There was a tutorial in BG2? In BG1 I remember Candlekeep tutorial, but i don't recall any tutorial in BG2.
  • YemethYemeth Member Posts: 36
    bg 2 tutorial was some kind of "prequel" so to speak...there was Xan and Branwen if i could remember correctly
  • MrKrisSatanMrKrisSatan Member Posts: 75
    I need to install BG2 and see this tutorial now lol
  • Metal_HurlantMetal_Hurlant Member Posts: 324
    edited September 2012
    I'm pretty old school and like reading manuals before playing any game. When playing a game, I'll have the manual/reference guide near the keyboard for quick reference. Sometimes will do this with playing a few of my old games.

    I'm not a fan of digital distribution and only have 6 games on steam, which were all games I bought from stores with paper manuals and had to install with Steam.
    Post edited by Metal_Hurlant on
  • Permidion_StarkPermidion_Stark Member Posts: 4,861
    Permidion_Stark said:

    I'm old school. I want a hard copy of the manual.

    And I want a box to keep it in ...
  • kilroy_was_herekilroy_was_here Member Posts: 455
    Didn't the original manual have handwritten notes by Volo in the margins? And then you get to meet him in the game.
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    Volo and Elminster, yep.
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