Ubisoft Goes Eco-Friendly By Losing Paper Game Manuals

Highlightreel
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 10:58:35 AM
Reply

In the voice of Ron Burgundy..."Who carrrres."

But if I had to side, even though I rarely look at the manuals, I'm for keeping the paper. It's just an old school part of owning the game.

Stay classy PSX

22 up, 3 down

Cavan
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:00:43 AM
Reply

smells like cost cutting if u ask me

31 up, 2 down

Ogibillm
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:05:32 AM

i agree with cavan-cost cutting first, green second

14 up, 1 down

chewy102
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 2:26:13 PM

Paper manuals are already useless in most games this gen. It is very rare to find a manual with more than 10 pages without them being either half legal information and adds or filled with copies in other languages.

The best manual Iv seen this gen is for Resonance of Fate. That thing is filled with information and it even has a Hints and Tips section.

1 up, 3 down

ace_boon_coon
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:39:09 PM

mw2 had a crappy a** manual wtf!!!!!

4 up, 0 down

johnld
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:47:10 PM

guess i need to check out my resonance of fate manual. it not that i dont read manuals, i usually get to it right before i start the game.

0 up, 0 down

chewy102
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 6:00:08 PM

@Johnld

ROFs manual tells you just about every little detail anyone would need to play the game. It covers details about combat, hexes, terminals, tri-attacks, bonus shots, smackdowns, and so much more.

With a manual like that, no one should be asking how to do stuff.

3 up, 0 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:04:24 AM
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I will miss the paper manuals. I like having a digital version of the manual available, but come on, the waste of paper in this world is not due to video game manuals.

If we want to save the trees, please stop making phone books. I get a damn phone book on my door step every six months. It goes straight to the recycle.

29 up, 2 down

WolfCrimson
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:09:29 AM

Don't you replace your phone books?

4 up, 15 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:22:00 AM

Wolf, I don't own a phone book. If I want a phone number, I look it up on Google. I didn't thumb you down though. =)

5 up, 1 down

kevinater321
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:55:59 AM

I'm not really sure why he got thumbed down.

2 up, 5 down

LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:00:57 PM

Probably the gays, angry with his beliefs. It happens.

15 up, 5 down

Naztycuts
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 2:14:49 PM

LMAO LV

2 up, 0 down

ace_boon_coon
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:40:50 PM

lol lol lol lol @ LV. what does gays have to do with it?

3 up, 1 down

LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:44:21 PM

Wolf is okay with the murdering of homosexuals so I could see why they would downvote his comments. :)

Last edited by LimitedVertigo on 4/20/2010 3:44:51 PM

7 up, 0 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:48:17 PM

cochise, the gays have been LV's whipping boy for years. Hmmm, in fact, he probably LITERALLY has a whipping boy at home.

4 up, 0 down

ace_boon_coon
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:13:35 PM

lol lol lol lol lol lol ahhh i see i see

4 up, 0 down

BikerSaint
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 @ 7:23:53 PM

Ha, funny you should mention phone books, I just got 4 of them at my door yesterday.

The only reason I can think of on why they left me 4 of em, was they wanted to get home earlier without lugging them all & risking a double hernia, LOL

And I'll bet everywhere they stopped at got at least 4 books each too.

Ma Bell, you've got.....
scammed!!!!!

0 up, 0 down

BTNwarrior
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:07:13 AM
Reply

those cheap bastards, I don't want to have to quit and go to the main menu just to find something in the manual

16 up, 2 down

CH1N00K
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:09:21 AM

Hmm, maybe they could make an ingame manual. hit the start button if while your in a game and have the manual pop up on screen..kind of like a HUD (Head's up Display) You keep playing the game while reading the manual...although I think that's what tutorials are for...

9 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:44:20 PM

PS1 classics have the manual available just by hitting the PS button, they will probably go that route.

2 up, 0 down

CH1N00K
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:07:38 AM
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Though I rarely look at the manuals, I will miss the site of them when you open up the case. If it's just a disc in there it will feel like somethings missing. There are other forms of paper that are more environmentally conscious, why don't they just switch to that instead? Use a more renewable resource for making paper.

Although if they used something like Hemp I'm sure a lot of manuals would go up in smoke, so maybe that isn't a good idea either....

10 up, 0 down

Highlander
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:49:27 AM

Almost all paper comes from one of two sources, renewable forests planted specifically for paper production in northern hemisphere western countries, or recycled paper.

15 up, 0 down

sunspider13
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 2:10:18 PM

See that's what I thought. I'm kinda torn on this issue. I don't mind them being green, but on the other hand haven't they heard of recycled paper?

7 up, 0 down

ace_boon_coon
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:43:15 PM

i think everybody would love hemp manuals *wink wink*

4 up, 0 down

Simcoe
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:54:27 PM

Highlander's right, so is Cavan and Ogibillm (cost-cutting measure first, green second). Northern forests are a renewable resources. If they really cared they'd replace those petroleum based plastic cases with an engineered paper product.

6 up, 0 down

WolfCrimson
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:12:23 AM
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What? No more manuals? No! I love reading those things on the drive home(during red traffic lights) from the game store. And what if I need to go to the bathroom for some time? I need something to read (newspapers are too inconvenient)

10 up, 1 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:45:59 PM

lol, I never understood why people need to read on the pot.

1 up, 3 down

johnld
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:50:01 PM

@world
Its just time you cant get back, hahaha. i guess might as well get some use out of that time. also, if you're in the can, its an unspoken agreement of "do not disturb". who wants to be bothered by other people when you're reading something interesting, hahaha.

Last edited by johnld on 4/20/2010 3:51:24 PM

6 up, 0 down

BTNwarrior
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:20:14 AM
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I'm betting they are still going to use the cases that have tabs for a manual

9 up, 0 down

TheIllusiveMan
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 6:17:13 PM

Yeah, chances are that won't change. I don't to many devs that make their own cases. (actually I don't know any at all) If not they might just use Blu-Ray cases, which will be odd for games to be in.

0 up, 0 down

maxpontiac
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:21:44 AM
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Hopefully Ubisoft is the only publisher that does this. I like the having the manuals inside the case.

I will say this, there seems to be a big push to go all digital on the horizon.

7 up, 0 down

ace_boon_coon
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:50:03 PM

they have to spring it on us slowly.

0 up, 0 down

Highlander
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:24:33 AM
Reply

The day I agree with someone with a name like Bleszinski, you can plant me in the ground.

There is nothing 'eco' friendly in this move at all. Most paper used in the west comes from either sustainable forests planted specifically for paper, or recycled paper. The hardwood forests of the tropics are used for other things such as furniture, but not paper.

This is less about being 'eco' friendly than it is about spending less on packaging. What the hell is the difference between the digital release and the physical one if all you get is the disc? I used to wonder this about PC games. They used to come with a whole book of instructions and information, then it became a small pamphlet, with the rest on the disc, and now it's whatever fits into a jewel case.

Next thing you know you'll spend an extra $20 to get a 'special' collectors edition with a paper manual, and still have to fork over another $20 for the strategy guide.

I smell BS on this one. It's a move designed to squeeze more money out of the sale, kinda like when airlines started charging for checked baggage, and then drinks on the plane, and now someone wants to charge for carry-on bags. Chip, chip, chip away. Let's see if the sheep will stand for this....Oh, they do, they do stand for it. Yay! more money for us!

19 up, 1 down

Arvis
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:56:15 AM

Hey Highlander, check your Inbox in the forums. I sent you a message.

-Arvis

0 up, 0 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:57:53 AM

Oh, and don't overlook the fact that some airlines are going to start charging you to use the bathroom. I can't see how that could possibly stand up in court.

You will start having people purposely shizoly their drawers in protest on the plane.

12 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:03:52 PM

Pee on the floor. It works for Grey Hound.

:)

16 up, 0 down

LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:07:47 PM

What does it say Arvis? There are no secrets around here.

12 up, 1 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:17:12 PM

Yes, forward me that email. Post-haste.

Jawknee, I just pooped my drawers in protest. Give me paper manuals.

Last edited by MyWorstNightmar on 4/20/2010 12:22:40 PM

15 up, 0 down

johnld
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:55:38 PM

@highlander
you are talking about US right? i'm not sure but i think ubisoft is bases somewhere else so it might be a different situation. but still, havent they heard of recycled paper? when i look/buy games for my collection, theres 3 things i look for, game manual, official game case and cover art, and the game of course. it just makes the game legit for me.

2 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:49:04 PM

Yea johnld, most of the CDs I buy, the artists have opted for recycled packaging. Works just fine and even looks better in some cases.

1 up, 0 down

kraygen
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 6:03:20 PM

I just have to say, I laugh harder reader psx comments than any other time of the day. Keep it up people.

1 up, 0 down

Tim Speed24
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:25:29 AM
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Paper or digital, Just put something in the manual that actually says something.

I get more info on-line in forums about using game features than whats in the manual anyways.

3 up, 1 down

Jawknee
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:26:13 AM
Reply

This will have little to no impact on the environment. The real impact will be Ubisofts wallet. Cheapskates. They ask us to spend $60 bucks on their games the least they can do is insert a printed manual. But it must make them feel good to be "doing their part."

I'm never buying another Ubisoft game anyways so they can do what they want.

Last edited by Jawknee on 4/20/2010 11:29:44 AM

13 up, 1 down

CH1N00K
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:42:14 AM

All the other crap that other game companies are pulling and your not going to buy another UBISOFT product because of a missing game manual? Really? Wow, that's like cutting your foot off because you stubbed your toe.

I'm mildly annoyed over the idea of losing a game manual, but not to the point of not buying another game from them. Besides I want to see another Assassin's Creed so I'll be buying from them again. Or if they make another HAWX since there doesn't seem to be another Ace Combat coming to the PS3.

Everything is going to be going digital eventually, maybe not this gen, but I think that this generation is the testing platform for other generations to come. We're going to see more stuff like this and Sony is at the forefront with the push for digital downloads.

If we're going to lose our minds over a missing manual, then you are not going to like what is coming...

2 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:55:51 AM

Haha no no, this is a drop I'm the bucket. I won't buy anymore Ubisoft games because they are a lazy developer and their games suck. I've never liked Ubisoft, this is just added baggage.

And with the amount of money, time and effort Sony put behind blue ray, I highly doubt they will be pushing for all digital all the time any time soon.

Last edited by Jawknee on 4/20/2010 11:57:51 AM

14 up, 3 down

T00MuchRazMataz
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:31:28 AM
Reply

Although I really have no idea about those "green" statistics and if all those BTUs and CO2 from making manuals is a lot, I will say it would be a shame to lose the in-box manuals. The guy is right, the manual adds to the game and is part of the experience of buying a game. No one is going to check the digital manual. I see more people going to their computer and looking up their problem on google before going to an in-game manual.

What will happen with this is when you hit the PS button one of the options will be Game Manual and you can flip through the pages. They did this for the Metal Gear Solid(1) digital download.

The REAL crime is that most manuals are no longer in color! Although..I guess if they went digital it wouldn't really cost much to make them in color again... but that's not the point! We want physical manuals in color!

Game manuals should be the first thing you interact with when you purchase a game and it would be nice to see more developers use the manual to engulf us into the game's world/story.

5 up, 0 down

Highlander
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:42:46 AM

Yes, but what about the CO2 and all the BTUs that come from providing the manuals digitally? You have to have the game console and screen active in order to view it, that burns energy and causes excess heat.

9 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:59:22 AM

People seem to forget CO2 is planet food.

10 up, 1 down

Qwarktast1c
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 2:45:49 PM

@ jawknee

yes and its also an evil greenhouse gas that causes global warming which can then cause earthquakes!!

lol, jokes and sarcasm aside this move is totally not because they want to go green, its just a way to cut costs.

6 up, 0 down

johnld
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:59:56 PM

@jawknee
i should do my part too and put my ps3 near a tree/plant. hahahaha. I cant do anything about my energy consumption because my ps3 is fat and it needs what it needs.

1 up, 0 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:06:04 PM

Qwark, check your facts, we are in the midst of global cooling.

Oh, and do your part, fart next to a tree.

2 up, 2 down

FlyingKickPunch
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 6:07:15 PM

everyone knows promiscuous women cause earthquakes

3 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 7:38:54 PM

Ahaha squishy, crimsonwolf might know something about that.

0 up, 0 down

G8GTdriver
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:41:04 AM
Reply

Cut the cost of the game then. This is strictly a cost cutting measure. 13 trees for the whole industry? Please. These trees are grown for paper now. According to Ax Men on the history channel, the one company dropped 500+ trees in one day.

7 up, 0 down

Highlander
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:46:28 AM

paper comes from soft wood which is farmed in western nations like the US, the UK, Norway, Sweden, Canada and others. All those endless tracts of pine forest laid out in precise rows exist so that we can have printer paper, cardboard, bog roll (aka toilet paper), and all the other disposable paper products we use indiscriminately. Then much of that waste paper is recycled into yet more paper products such as cardboard boxes, paper bags and the like. Lot's of that timber is also used by the building industry. But paper especially comes from commercially grown trees planted for the purpose of making paper.

7 up, 1 down

kevinater321
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:00:45 PM

I actually used to work for those companies. I would walk around a field with a belt pocket thing filled with seeds and drop them every so often. Worst job ever but i got a sick tan and some built legs. :P

6 up, 0 down

Tim Speed24
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 2:01:11 PM

They replaced you with a machine.

6 up, 0 down

Simcoe
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:07:38 PM

Ha, right timster118! Machines don't have the dexterity to allow them to navigate around cut blocks! Tree planting is one job that won't be replaced by machine anytime soon! So long as there are college and university students, there will be tree planters!

4 up, 0 down

Tim Speed24
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 5:54:11 PM

That's what the lumber jacks said.

Now there's a machine that cuts the tree down, de-branches it and strips the bark, then cuts it into 8 foot sections in seconds. One Machine!

1 up, 0 down

FlyingKickPunch
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 6:13:18 PM

won't somebody please think of the lumberjacks?!

1 up, 0 down

SmokeyPSD
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:44:14 AM
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Maybe they could go customer friendly, by ditching the most obtrusive DRM model yet.

5 up, 0 down

kevinater321
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 11:59:09 AM
Reply

If they are worried about the environment they should just go all digital, i'm sure the plastic box is worse than the 10 page book inside it.

8 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:01:55 PM

Ah, but it doest really matter if these "green" measures actually make a difference. As long as Ubisoft feels good about it and it saves them some cash, that's what really matters. I'd have more respect for this decision if they were just honest about it.

7 up, 0 down

LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:02:09 PM
Reply

It's all about money, smart move by them.

3 up, 2 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:21:22 PM

Then we can chastise them for lieing at least right?

You have been for the all digital all the time movement for years, so your vote doesn't count. Don't you have a hard drive you should be backing up right now? =)

3 up, 1 down

LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:28:58 PM

Lol, have to admit I was doing that earlier this morning...but just a couple hundred files.

You're mean!

3 up, 1 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:32:44 PM

When you move, what will take longer, moving all your furniture, or packing up all your hardrives in bubble wrap. And how will you transport them, with all your other household goods, or will they be transported via a seperate trip? Will the box/boxes not only be bubblewrapped inside, but will they be bubblewrapped on the outside? Will you drive the vehicle, or will you demand someone else to drive so that you can hold the boxes still?

And don't tell me you haven't thought about it already. I am sure you have this all mapped out weeks in advance.

Last edited by MyWorstNightmar on 4/20/2010 12:33:44 PM

2 up, 1 down

LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:45:29 PM

Multiple trips...and lots of packing has already been done. I enjoy packing and moving and I'm really good at it. All the external hard drives simply get packaged in their original boxes as do all my electronic components, minus my computers. The hardest thing to move is the furniture my dad has build for me and my plants.

Oh and Biker Saint I haven't forgotten to email you my new address so you can eventually mail ICO back to me.

3 up, 0 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 1:01:18 PM

I'd offer to help if for no other reason than to see the special furniture your dad made for your plants. Do they have their own couch?

Homemade furniture is the worst to move as it is so damn heavy. Whenever my cousin is going to move, I don't answer his calls because his dad made all his furniture.

4 up, 1 down

Hitch
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:34:53 PM

@myworst I think he means the plants are hard to move in addition to the furniture his dad made for him. Not furniture for the plants lol.

@LV Limited I told you a long time ago Bikersaint let me borrow that game and mailed it to me.

2 up, 2 down

LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:46:57 PM

Hitch,

My penis, your butt, outside, NOW!

5 up, 2 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:55:10 PM

LOL, Ben, give me a way to give LV MORE than 1 thumbs up please! Good laugh, thanks!

4 up, 0 down

ace_boon_coon
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:07:58 PM

@ LV

sodomy is not allowed lol lol lol leave that to the xbots

4 up, 0 down

Hitch
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:15:41 PM

Hold on let me take a sh*t first... Is it ok if I don't wipe? I'm trying to save paper...

Last edited by Hitch on 4/20/2010 4:16:09 PM

6 up, 2 down

SuMtOnE
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:11:37 PM
Reply

hmm losin the paper manual... won't the value of the game drops as well... i want my paper manual doh

4 up, 0 down

tridon
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:16:05 PM
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I'm personally not happy about this. Digital manuals drive me bonkers (see PS One Classic off the PS Store). I hope other companies don't follow.

3 up, 0 down

JackC8
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:35:12 PM
Reply

I really don't care about the manuals as long as they give us some in-game thing to replace it. I am just so sick of this eco-crap though. For chrissakes, you're saving 13 trees. If you want to be eco-friendly, you could easily plant ten times that number of trees in an afternoon. If I spent a coupe hours planting some trees, would every gaming site on the net publish a flippin' article about me? It's just assinine.

5 up, 0 down

Nynja
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:37:26 PM
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Some games require manuals. Just too much information to figure out without one. I have issues with EA and their 2 page manuals that don't explain much of anything aside from the button mapping.

At least Ubisoft will be including a soft copy, but I whole heartedly agree with Jaffe. Ubisoft should offer users the option to download/print game manuals from their website.

4 up, 0 down

Alienange
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:37:41 PM
Reply

Gimme a break. No one reads the manuals. The best manual we've had this generation of consoles was found in Dragon Age. Other than that, it's a bunch of four page leaflets showing how to use the obsolete PS3 memory card slots.

Besides, in-game manual is a better idea than me having to get up off my ass to go find the manual in its case.

So what if Ubisoft saves money? Who cares? How does that affect your life? Other than them having more money in their pockets to make more games for you?

I think this move is brilliant. Nobody who downloads songs from iTunes complains that the CD cover art is digital.

3 up, 5 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:42:46 PM

I will not give you a break.

No one reads the manuals? I read FF13's manual cover to cover. Don't take my manual away from me. You can take my freedom, but I want my manual.

8 up, 0 down

Alienange
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:52:08 PM

When I heard about the 20 hour tutorial in FFXIII the last thing I wanted to do was also read the manual.

Glad you enjoyed it though. What's in there?

2 up, 2 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:57:55 PM

Pretty pictures.

7 up, 0 down

Hezzron
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 1:18:49 PM

The issue here isn't "Do we like or need game manuals?". It's Ubisoft touting themselves as an industry leader in going "green" by doing away with them. It's a cost saving operation, and they're trying to camouflage it by making themselves out to be Captain Planet.

13 trees is going green? Gimme a break!

10 up, 0 down

Highlander
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:49:42 PM

Re Gimme a break...

Which leg?

...cymbals...

Thank you, thank you. I'm here all week.

2 up, 0 down

Hezzron
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:43:20 PM
Reply

This removal of a game manual is just the "lube" to get gamers ready to be bent over a barrel when they play the "green card" to get rid of game discs and push for the even more financially beneficial "all digital downloads".

10 up, 1 down

Alienange
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:55:02 PM

I hate to say it, but you're probably right. When it happens, my days of buying new games will be over. I'll just play MW2 with friends until I'm dead. Like what PC gamers are doing with WoW.

7 up, 1 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:56:59 PM

Let it be known, Hezzron is the first to bring up the slippery slope theory.

Ubisoft better not see me in a dark alley anytime soon.

8 up, 0 down

Tim Speed24
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 2:06:37 PM

@Alienange

"What's that in the corner Gandpa?"

"That's a PS3 that plays Blu-ray disc games."

"What's a disc Grandpa?"

"Leave me alone I'm Playing MW2"

12 up, 0 down

Naztycuts
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 2:29:00 PM

@Hezzron EXACTLY! combine what you mentioned with my post on the pay for demos idea the EA geniuses thought up and you see the industry gearing up for the 'Digital Revolution'

@Nightmare If you're talking about the slippery slope being the slip into the digital download age then I would have to say paying for demos would be the 'spearhead' and ideas like eliminating game manuals and phasing out the rest of the physical media are the next logical steps for the businesses to cost cut and turn more profit, I bet their profit numbers are through the roof when they dont have to buy a million blu ray's and dvd9's to produce multiplat games not to mention the other physical expenses they'll be eliminating.

4 up, 0 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:32:42 PM

Nazty, then their games better be a lot cheaper, cuz I am going to have to buy huge hard drives for all my games, and huge hard drives to back up my huge hard drives. That would be insanity. Look at poor Limited, he has all those games on hard drives, and backed up hard drives. All that digital download has him in the poor house. He can't even afford good furniture, his dad makes it all for him and his plants.
We will have to go back to Atari level graphics to keep the file sizes small enough. Maybe 3D Dot Heroes is the first step to get us used to bad graphics again. If what you say is true, I will jump out a 1 story window.

3 up, 1 down

Alienange
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 9:18:35 PM

@ timster118 - I'll be damned if that won't be true in my case. All digital is retarded in my opinion. Game manuals going digital is hardly a concern, but games? Nah.

Anyways, thanks for the laugh.

1 up, 0 down

Karosso
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 12:44:24 PM
Reply

I don't really care much, never look at the manual these days.
Can Jaffe just shut the fu** up about everything and go finish whatever the hell his working on?

1 up, 6 down

FullmetalX10
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 2:16:01 PM
Reply

Noooo!! Not the manuals!
I always read those on the back seat going from the city back to my home, I must admit that the manuals these days aren't nearly as fancy as those in the old days, which were several years ago.

Let's for a moment take Kingdom Hearts 1's manual and God of War III's manual.
Kingdom Hearts:
Lovely color cover, Nice Color artwork as the background for every page in the manual. All in all, many colors and attraction points, besides multiple pages of useful information.
God of War III:
Lovely color cover, Boring gray pages with letters and an occasional (a total of 2) colorless Kratos picture seen in the game on one of the 8 pages, opposed to Kingdom Hearts' 25 page colored manual.
Granted Kingdom Hearts is an RPG and God of War III an action game, I still it's manual should be way better looking, it's a piece of art, it belongs with the game itself.

All in all, I don't only think modern day manuals shouldn't go, I think they should go back to the older manuals, with more information, more artwork and better overall attraction.
Just face it, a manual is a part of the experience a development team worked hard on, it shouldn't be left behind, also it shouldn't be digital, that just doesn't work for me, it should be the little book next to the game in the case, like it's supposed to be.

4 up, 0 down

Scarecrow
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 2:28:48 PM
Reply

This is why the last Ubisoft game I bought was for the Gamecube

Ubisoft can rot for all I care

6 up, 3 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:58:29 PM

I was wondering who else bought a gamecube besides me.

3 up, 0 down

ace_boon_coon
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:09:49 PM

lol @ gamecube

3 up, 0 down

LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:31:24 PM

I did for RE4 and I never regretted it.

4 up, 0 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:33:39 PM

Are you going to move the Gamecube with you, or leave it as a house warming gift for the next renter?

0 up, 0 down

Scarecrow
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:48:03 PM

I'll keep it:
-Killer 7
-Tales of Symphonia
-Wind Waker
-Metroid Prime
-RE4 (just like LV)
-RE1 (remake)
-RE0
-Beyond Good and Evil
-Pikmin
-Animal Crossing
-Viewtiful Joe
-Mario Sunshine
-SSBM

And a few other gems I could still get
ps2 was just sick, but Gamecube was the 2nd best console out there.

0 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:52:29 PM

I bought 2 myworstnightmar. I loved the game cube. I actually played my gamecube more then my ps2 after ffx.

3 up, 0 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:55:47 PM

Oh, I love me some Pikmin and Pikmin 2. I hear they are coming out with a Pikmin 3 for Wii.

I guess my point was tongue in cheek, but also, I play my Gamecube games in the Wii now-a-days.

Last edited by MyWorstNightmar on 4/20/2010 4:57:04 PM

1 up, 0 down

Naztycuts
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 2:32:58 PM
Reply

Nice spin Ubisoft! Can you please take my discs from me next? I want to download all my games! NOT!

6 up, 0 down

Ultimadream
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:14:57 PM
Reply

I aprove of this, I can say i very rarely look in the manuals for games. I would not mind it being digital.

1 up, 7 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 3:57:45 PM

Wait, they put games inside of manuals? Since when?

8 up, 0 down

johnld
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:05:58 PM

great, I hope you'll be happy when they decide to sell us games in paper sleeves. maybe just a small sticker to say that the game is new while they're at it. you may not read the manuals but a lot still do.

6 up, 1 down

sha4dowknight05
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:03:53 PM
Reply

Ubisoft, saving more trees than people money.

6 up, 0 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:11:38 PM
Reply

Someone needs to camp out at Ubisoft and root through their unrecycled trash. I bet there are tons of pop cans and paper. Bastards.

5 up, 0 down

Lairfan
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:12:49 PM
Reply

Wow, the digital age is starting already? That was quick.

I still don't like how the industry is "evolving" towards digital media, but with the way game manuals are nowadays (boring, not much info on the game, etc) I'm actually not against digital manuals. MGS4 pretty much had a digital manual, and that was even better than the real manual was. So as long as they're all like that, I have no complaints.

0 up, 1 down

RadioHeader
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:18:25 PM
Reply

How can these people be so greedy? Games must be so cheap to manufacture compared to the cartridge days yet here we are paying the same prices, and now they won't even give us a penny's worth of paper to go with our penny's worth of plastic.

4 up, 0 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:21:05 PM

Penny for your thoughts?

1 up, 0 down

RadioHeader
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:33:35 PM

A whole penny's worth? ...gimme a few days.

1 up, 0 down

LightShow
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:26:14 PM
Reply

all the information you need to play a game is usually in the game anyways, whether in on-screen prompts or in a full-on tutorial. i havent touched the manual in years.

1 up, 0 down

rogers71
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:28:18 PM
Reply

For everyone that is in favor of all digital games, get back to me in a few years when ISP's starting capping your DL limit. You can see that all digital games are inevitable and that goes for ISP caps.

As soon as game companies feel the need to eliminate discs, ISP's will see the need to cap your limits. This in-game manual is definitely the first step on a downward spiral.

If you think that games are expensive now, wait until you have to pay for a game and then pay your ISP because you went over the cap. Just a thought.

5 up, 1 down

aaronisbla
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:59:43 PM

I'd hate to get to a point where all games are downloaded digitally. That being said...

What does that have to do with removing paper manuals? This is a slippery slope argument if i ever heard one. Removing the paper manuals and putting them on the game itself eventually leads to digital downloadable games only? Wow, really? Did you truly think that one through?

2 up, 2 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:33:48 PM
Reply

I like having a manual as a collector, but I guess I won't lose any sleep if they make them all digital. But, yeah this is a cost cutting maneuver not a Green thing.

5 up, 0 down

Qwarktast1c
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 10:03:57 PM

the only green that is trying to be saved is the the green in ubisoft's wallet

2 up, 0 down

aaronisbla
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 4:55:51 PM
Reply

Honestly I'm not seeing why some people are so worked up over this. So what if it's just to save them money, why get so worked up over this extremely small issue when there are other things that deserve your attention?

0 up, 3 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 5:02:21 PM

Because this is the article on PSX right now, and when more are posted, we will get worked up over the new articles.

We are calling BS on Ubisoft, because they say it is a way for them to go green, not to save green(backs) as we all think.

If a business does something that we the consumer doesn't like, we have an obligation to speak out about it, not just say, "ahhh whatever".

5 up, 0 down

aaronisbla
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 5:14:21 PM

so you have no real reason to get worked up over it? Look at the overreaction of Rogers71 that i commented on a couple posts up. All that for the removal of paper manuals? I do look at manuals but its not a dire situation that deserved over 100+ comments, or even an article imho

Also, Bulletstorm is the new article, just sayin

Last edited by aaronisbla on 4/20/2010 5:15:04 PM

1 up, 3 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 5:40:51 PM

I definately have a reason to get worked up over it. I want paper manuals. Ubisoft doesn't want them, I do. Therefor, I get worked up over someone trying to take them away. Worked up enough to comment on it at any rate, but not enough to boycott a good Ubisoft game that comes out.

Rogers gave a good explanation of his oppinion, and was not rude about it. Good on him. It was his oppinion, and he put some thought into it.

Oh, and yes, while you are technically correct, Bulletstorm was posted by Ben a whopping 8 minutes after this one, and if you feel that article insterests you, by all means, comment on that one. It didn't catch my interest though. =)

Last edited by MyWorstNightmar on 4/20/2010 5:42:54 PM

6 up, 0 down

aaronisbla
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 7:32:57 PM

his opinion was a slippery sloped argument and that's why i commented on it. It makes no sense that this would be the first step into the digital distribution age. Whether his explanation was good in your opinion doesn't change the fact that its pretty silly to think that

It as much of a slippery sloped argument as those that were saying " First Sony removes the other OS feature, what next, Blu Ray and Games?"

Last edited by aaronisbla on 4/20/2010 7:34:43 PM

1 up, 3 down

Captain Cod
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 6:00:10 PM
Reply

Damn. Gaming just isn't going to be fun without going to a store and buying a game in anticipation. But we've got a while for that to happen.

But anyway, sucks for the manuals. To me it's like the law of nature to have a manual. Words of irony, I know.

I'll especially miss the decent manuals. Or the ones that were so thick that it needed more than just a stapler to stick them together. MGS4 is a perfect example of both.

The one thing I can see being cool though is more concentration on the inner case/box cover art. MGS4 is yet another perfect example.

2 up, 0 down

FlyingKickPunch
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 6:09:49 PM
Reply

one time i brought my PSone and FF7 to my friends house, and after i got home i realized i had lost the manual...i cried and cried, and he couldn't find it. one day about a week later, his mom cleaned the living room and found it tucked up under the seat cushion.
the moral of the story: don't get rid of paper manuals!

7 up, 0 down

kraygen
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 6:11:29 PM
Reply

This is the complete wrong direction for game manuals to go. We all know this has nothing to do with the environment.

If anything game manuals need to be bigger with much more information, artwork, hints, and tips.

Instead of coming up with obvious lies, come up with good game manuals.

2 up, 0 down

Oyashiro
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 7:03:48 PM
Reply

Dammit... I'm going to have so many people returning games now asking for a replacement because "This was missing its manual".

5 up, 0 down

Alienange
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 9:26:42 PM

I can see that happening. I can also see people thinking you're just trying to rip them off when you tell them the "manual's on the disc."

2 up, 0 down

BikerSaint
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 7:07:31 PM
Reply

I'm a collector damn it, and I "WANT & NEED" my paper manuals!!!!

If Ubisoft was really doing it ONLY to go green, then they'd also have no problems lowering the prices on any stuff they try to DL at us(yes, that include the manuals!)
Since they're also saving tons of money, then so should we partake in those very same savings too.

But so far, not one of these company's that's talking smack about going DL(& taking stuff away from us) has stepped up, offering to share with us, any part their "HUGE" windfall.

The same DL game shouldn't be the same price as a $60 disc game!
It should be $15 cheaper, or at the very least, $10 cheaper!

Think about it... they have very little overhead with a DL version of a game....
1. They DON'T need to buy discs....
2. They DON'T need all the equipment used to press the game onto discs....
3. They DON'T need a warehouse, or it's added utility bills.....
4. They DON'T need trucks to ship it, or the added gasoline/diesel fuel shipping expenses or surcharges......
5. They DON'T need carboard cartons, plastic cases, shrink-wrap, little security strips, or any other packaging......
6. They DON'T NEED a middleman...
"BUT WHAT THEY DO NEED, IS.......US!!!!

Ya know what? I'm already hating DL crap. If they aren't trying to squeeze every nickel & dime out of it, then they're being all Slim Shady by cutting out parts of their games to re-sell back to us later on as extra DLC $$$$$$$.

It's going to be the death of gaming collectors
(I know I'm slowly dying inside, every time I read more & more of this DL sh!t).

F*ck DL Gaming!!!!!!

Last edited by BikerSaint on 4/20/2010 7:11:05 PM

8 up, 0 down

Oyashiro
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 7:41:22 PM

A DL only future is a future where I no longer buy new games. Period.

Give me a physical copy, or give me death!

6 up, 0 down

MyWorstNightmar
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 8:17:33 PM

It takes the mobility out of gaming too. I can't take a game to a friends house, or swap games for that matter.

5 up, 0 down

JcBball717
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 8:30:54 PM
Reply

HAPPY 420!!!!!

0 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 8:47:03 PM

and me without a stash

0 up, 0 down

DeathOfChaos
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 @ 9:00:22 PM
Reply

Why not just make the booklets out of recyclable paper instead? Wouldn't that be pretty much the same in terms of eco-friendly?

1 up, 0 down

BikerSaint
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 @ 1:26:38 AM
Reply

DeathofChaos,

The only greening that Ubisoft's thinking about is what's going to be lining the insides of their pockets!

It's all about the dead presidents man....
..those Benjamin's, Grants, Hamilton's, & every extra Washington too.

1 up, 0 down

Fane1024
Saturday, April 24, 2010 @ 3:03:33 PM

Ubisoft's money is multi-colored (Euros and Canadian dollars, mostly). ;P

0 up, 0 down

bridgera
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 @ 2:09:05 AM
Reply

So tired of these publicity stunts of hoping on the Green Bandwagon of doing almost nothing then press releasing it.

2 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 @ 12:31:29 PM

Funny too because Global Warming is now nothing more then a fraud. People still act liked they can save the planet by not including paper manuals in their games. Pathetic human beings have become. Each generation always feels the need to latch onto some doomsday scenario.

2 up, 1 down

bridgera
Friday, April 23, 2010 @ 12:55:48 AM

"Global Warming is now nothing more then a fraud"

No it's not. Go to Google Scholar, search for Global Warming, read scientific papers in published peer reviewed journals until you are bored.

"People still act liked they can save the planet by not including paper manuals in their games."

Ya, that has no real impact.

1 up, 0 down

just2skillf00l
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 @ 2:43:54 AM
Reply

I pay for physical media. $55 for the bluray disc and the other $5 for the booklet. If you take out the booklet then the price of games should decrease by $5. This sounds utterly ridiculous but when you take something away from your consumer you better be prepared for the consequences that follow. This is the core of what I wanted to get at...

0 up, 0 down

___________
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 @ 3:16:49 AM
Reply

mmmmmm heres the million dollar question.
does ubisoft really give a royal sh*t about the environment, or are they just using that as a excuse to save some cashola?
yea, i thought so.
ubisoft are officially the industries most hated, most tight a$$ed publisher!
and i thought EA and activision were bad!
from now on anything ubisoft = torrent!

0 up, 1 down

Jawknee
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 @ 12:33:49 PM

Answer: No. None of these people who champion on behalf of the planet do. They care more about themselves and how good it makes them feel to be "doing their part." Environmentalists and bad for humans and the planet.

1 up, 1 down

___________
Thursday, April 22, 2010 @ 7:40:38 AM

yeah i know there all a bunch of hypercritical!
i remember reading somewhere that Al Gores house electricity in one night to power a whole US state or something along those lines.
dunno if its true, but i would not be surprised.
another prime example, a few years ago we had strict water restrictions we were not allowed to water the garden between a certain time.
so a photographer pulled up parliament house with a clock and took a photo of the parliament house water sprinklers on watering the garden.
so its ok for them to do it, but not us?

0 up, 1 down

BikerSaint
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 @ 7:58:59 PM
Reply

Hey Ubisoft,
Show us all some real environmentalizim....

....go hug every tree that's within 18 inches of a screaming chainsaw.

And please start all your tree-bark fondling in Texas(it's only right, seeing how you've just put us in the mood for another Massacre movie).

0 up, 1 down

RebelJD
Thursday, April 22, 2010 @ 3:46:29 AM
Reply

With hand held games already going straight to digital downloads, I don't see why losing paper manuals is such a big deal. Now I'm starting to see Kojima's vision of "console days being numbered" but it's more like "physical games being numbered". PSP Go had the right idea, too bad they had to pioneer the damn thing and offer ONLY digital download. The PSP Go is ahead of its time...there are still too many consumers who need their "old school" fix (backwards compatibility) and need of a physical product. Slowly but surely though, it'll all change, once it becomes and industry standard.

Now if the rest of the worlds market would catch the fu** up...

0 up, 0 down

whooka
Thursday, April 22, 2010 @ 11:52:18 AM
Reply

The green framing of this move sounds nice but it's just to make production costs cheaper while the price of retail games will probably just increase as time goes by. More money for the publicly-traded company at the user's expense (anyone surprised?). While I agree paper manuals are more of a nostalgic sort of thing (I still remember the old Ultima manuals and maps that came with the games), it's important consumers don't lose perspective or fall mesmerized under the Ubisoft's 'green' motivation claims, just remember while they make great games they, like every other company, are trying to get as much money out of you as possible. That is why publicly-traded companies exist by nature. It's got nothing to do with art, etc, we just get lucky when a game is great.

Kindle is a perfect example of this corporate gouging. While I don't think the books should be free by any means, new books cost as much as or sometimes MORE as a wireless download then they do actually buying them in paper/print form. I think this pretty much signals the end of the 'paper conservation' era woes. It's got nothing to do with actual, physical paper supplies but everything to do with money money money!

Artists and publishers deserve their profits but also deserve to be called on it when they pull greedy moves like this. I'll keep buying games that are worth buying either way but won't fall into their 'we love the earth' line of b.s.

0 up, 0 down

iceblade007
Thursday, April 22, 2010 @ 11:48:32 PM
Reply

I'm all for green, but I don't agree with this move. Just like I don't agree with having no hard copy of my game, using space on my games machine and using up my internet downloads with the so called up coming digital age. I don't want to have to go to my computer everytime I want to check something out in the manual or have someone new to the game want to read how to play. And what of those of us who do not have access to computer? It is purely a narrow minded solution. Use recycled paper!!

0 up, 0 down

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Ubisoft Goes Eco-Friendly By Losing Paper Game Manuals

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