Hard copy "manual" with physical order is somewhat under whelming

[mercerre]

I guess after the online manual and the version contained in the 1.2.4 patch, I was expecting a more substantial manual than I received in my physical shipment. It consists of sixteen 4 X 7.5 inch pages. Of the 16 pages, three are blank and entitled "Notes". A further one and half pages are devoted to credits. Technical support takes a third of a page. All it tells one is if one experiences problems, run DxDiag and email the file to support@1cpublishing.eu. The remaining two thirds of a page are dedicated to web addresses for Battlefront.com and these forums as well as acknowledging twice that the program uses Speedtree technology. That leaves ten and a half pages that actually talk about the game. One of these is an index page. One page lists some of the default game keys. This leaves eight and a half pages to address the main menu and what each selection entails, how to setup a multi-player game, and how to install, license, running the game as an administrator, and unlicensing the game.

For what its worth, the printed manual does contain the basic information for someone familiar with Battlefront's elicensing process, and running Vista/Win7 programs as an administrator to get Kursk 1943 running. It gives one no information on how to play the game. You will have to print out the .pdf version of the manual to get any of that information.

[Paulverisor64]

I guess after the online manual and the version contained in the 1.2.4 patch, I was expecting a more substantial manual than I received in my physical shipment. It consists of sixteen 4 X 7.5 inch pages. Of the 16 pages, three are blank and entitled "Notes". A further one and half pages are devoted to credits. Technical support takes a third of a page. All it tells one is if one experiences problems, run DxDiag and email the file to support@1cpublishing.eu. The remaining two thirds of a page are dedicated to web addresses for Battlefront.com and these forums as well as acknowledging twice that the program uses Speedtree technology. That leaves ten and a half pages that actually talk about the game. One of these is an index page. One page lists some of the default game keys. This leaves eight and a half pages to address the main menu and what each selection entails, how to setup a multi-player game, and how to install, license, running the game as an administrator, and unlicensing the game.

For what its worth, the printed manual does contain the basic information for someone familiar with Battlefront's elicensing process, and running Vista/Win7 programs as an administrator to get Kursk 1943 running. It gives one no information on how to play the game. You will have to print out the .pdf version of the manual to get any of that information.

That is a real bummer. That is the reason why I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of my pre-ordered CD copy.

Must be a tree shortage.

[Emperor Elliott]

I guess after the online manual and the version contained in the 1.2.4 patch, I was expecting a more substantial manual than I received in my physical shipment. It consists of sixteen 4 X 7.5 inch pages. Of the 16 pages, three are blank and entitled "Notes".

I thought it would be more than 16 pages

[mercerre]

If it will make you feel better, I guess you could count the colorful front and back covers with their blank interior backs as another four pages bring the total page count to twenty, but I think that's stretching it.

Boy, did they hook me with the news that there would only be one run of the physical game copy with a printed manual. Little did I know how little those words would mean upon first laying eyes on the liliputian sized manual. But I pre-ordered and I really can't complain. I've had the full manual of 93 pages for several days to read after I printed it. And it is feature complete. So the size of the manual issued with the physical copy is no big thing

[kondor999]

This is why people pirate PC games, unfortunately. If the digital copy is just as good as the physical one - the publisher has unwittingly erased all the value of legitimate ownership.

I still cherish my wonderful manuals from the Jane's simulators, and Battlefront's own Combat Mission series. No one would ever think to pirate those - the incredible manuals and play aids add so much value to the experience.

When will PC publishers ever learn?

[Centauro]

Oh, no! I was waiting for the Kursk full printed manual of my phisical release ... are you saving on manuals like other software houses?

Why on earth did I bought the phisical version if there is no manual inside? For the CD case? Are you pulling my legs?

Thats too much. You've lost a customer. ****. S*H*I*T* !!!

[Moon]

As mentioned in the other thread:

Sorry to hear that you guys feel "cheated". It certainly wasn't our intention to mislead anyone. Unlike previous manuals which were designed by us, the print and PDF versions were supplied by 1C this time around. Not that it makes any difference of course.

We have learned from the last "misunderstanding" about physical goods (where people complained that the CM British Forces module came without a manual) and added an info bar to each product page since then, to make it more clear what is and what isn't included. I guess we're going to add page counts for the next releases.

Martin

[Moon]

This is why people pirate PC games, unfortunately. If the digital copy is just as good as the physical one - the publisher has unwittingly erased all the value of legitimate ownership.

No, people pirate PC games regardless. We have learned this lesson the hard way with T-72, which was massively pirated (it was released by us without a copy protection) and yet it came with a large 80 page or so manual.

[Junglist]

Wow, what a disappointment. A proper manual was the reason I pre-ordered and spent the extra money for shipping. I can't help but feel this was sold under false pretenses, especially with the claims that the manual was a limited run thing and all. This stuff won't win you back any disgruntled fans.