User/Reference Manual

[bdito]

Now that 1.0 has been announced I think it's time for a proper user manual or reference manual. It doesn't need to go into explaining how to play (that's what the tutorials are for) but it should certainly list some of the more common aspects of the game. As a newbie I was left to rely on the user wiki and youtube videos.

Every time a new version is released there are a myriad of threads asking what a facility upgrade does, what pilot upgrades do, how contracts work, etc. Now that 1.0 is implementing a lot more I see more of the same coming.

KasperVld explained the 0.90 things in a thread which is great, but there needs to be an official manual for people that don't use the forums.

[Alshain]

I can't remember the last time I got a game with a user manual. Diablo II? Not since in-game tutorials became a thing.

I think this is about as close as you will get.

[AbacusWizard]

I love user manuals for games and I think the industry overall has made a big mistake in abandoning them... but for games of great complexity like Kerbal Space Program (and Dwarf Fortress, for that matter), I think a wiki does work better, simply because of the huge amount of cross-referencing that tends to happen. When I'm looking up information on, say, Ike, I don't just want information on Ike--I want to see its surface gravity, how that compares to the surface gravity of various other worlds, and lists of thrust and ISP of various engines, preferably all simultaneously open in different tabs that I can view side by side.

[SaturnV]

We have full-functional tutorials, wiki, Q&A forum, far more than enough.

But I still want to get a manual pdf, just like those lovely tiny books! You can print them, while you can hardly print the whole wiki.

Like the one from Fallout 3, did you know how beautiful it is?

[razark]

I grew up on games that came with huge manuals, even for games that had tutorials.

Hundred page+ manuals that would explain the not only the game, but simulator manuals that went into strategy and tactics for both my side and the enemy side, the background of the vehicle, the background of the campaign, entire history lessons if it was a historical setting, etc.

I miss those.

[AbacusWizard]

I have especially fond memories of the manual for SimCity2000. That wasn't just instructions on how to play the game; it was a fascinating and well-written thesis on architecture, urban planning, and the history and future of City. I used to take it with me to read on long car trips as a kid.

[Capt Snuggler]

I have especially fond memories of the manual for SimCity2000. That wasn't just instructions on how to play the game; it was a fascinating and well-written thesis on architecture, urban planning, and the history and future of City. I used to take it with me to read on long car trips as a kid.

Oh yeah! have to agree, user manuals were great. the thicker the better.

I remember an old DOS flight sim I had back in the day (f19 stealth fighter?). That was a proper book and had pages and pages of target identification charts and specs.

squad could print manuals and sell them in the KSP store.

they could be big ring binders like in the Soyuz, with velcro and everything:

[eddiew]

I miss the days when game manuals had a bit of game-lore in them... things that drew you into the story behind the game, rather than just told you about keyboard commands and mouse clicks. Syndicate, UFO Enemy Unknown (and sequel) and Frontier Elite II really stand out in my mind. You got a little thin one for the keyboard commands, then something akin to an in-character commander's briefing booklet, a technical document covering weapons and vehicles, and sometimes some associated short stories. For a less money (even allowing for inflation) that the average triple-A title now, in which you're lucky to get a PDF file.

But back on topic: yes, documentation on KSP is lacking. Modders are especially guilty, and one reason I haven't tapped half the potential of the mods I have installed is that I don't know how; but Squad could really do with taking a few days to teach the world how to play the stock game. And you know, in text as well as videos. Sometimes I just want a few illustrated pages I can skim through until I find the bit I need, rather than have to watch a 20 minute instructional video

[Fel]

I can't remember the last time I got a game with a user manual. Diablo II? Not since in-game tutorials became a thing.

I think this is about as close as you will get.

I can't remember the last time I got a (complete) game that didn't HAVE a user manual that could be found and downloaded separately. Now, this manual may be a bare bones barely worth the time it took to read, but it is a manual none-the-less

I'd also note that in-game tutorials have been "a thing" since the late 90's... and those games had manuals.

Really, this "trend" (if it really is one) is more about not caring enough about your customers to hire a writer. If a game is simple enough that it doesn't need a manual, that is just not caring about making an interesting piece of writing for your customers and again a bad company.

Wiki's are NOT user manuals. Wiki's are elaborate walkthroughs (spoilers). Wiki's exist ONLY to RUIN your game experience by telling you EVERYTHING and making no effort to hide information that should be hidden.

I miss the days when game manuals had a bit of game-lore in them... things that drew you into the story behind the game, rather than just told you about keyboard commands and mouse clicks. Syndicate, UFO Enemy Unknown (and sequel) and Frontier Elite II really stand out in my mind. You got a little thin one for the keyboard commands, then something akin to an in-character commander's briefing booklet, a technical document covering weapons and vehicles, and sometimes some associated short stories. For a less money (even allowing for inflation) that the average triple-A title now, in which you're lucky to get a PDF file.

Most any of the old games had a professional writer on their staff and would do neat gimmicks with the manual. I remember Zeus's manual read exactly like a book; introducing features in way of conflict to the main character. Fallout talked as if you were a survivor, Baldur's Gate had all these fun quibs thrown in.

but Squad could really do with taking a few days to teach the world how to play the stock game. And you know, in text as well as videos. Sometimes I just want a few illustrated pages I can skim through until I find the bit I need, rather than have to watch a 20 minute instructional video

A month or so, really. Making a good manual is a large amount of labour. I suspect Squad will use the bad company antic and say "Oh look, we have a wiki, shut up" rather than get someone to actually work with to craft a decent manual.

Edited January 29, 2015 by Fel