RuhrRiver Posted August 19, 2007 Share Posted August 19, 2007 I am enjoying the game, but am I missing something in the manual about PBEM? These appear to be the entire set of instructions as to what you do with an email file you receive from someone else: "...a special save game file is generated. The player emails this file to his opponent who loads it on his end..." Is it correct that nowhere in the manual is it explained what "loads it on his end" means? I'm not asking because I'm totally stuck but because I'm hoping that the manual isn't actually this bad on this topic. I counted at least three steps and three pieces of information that I had to guess at in generating my first reply file--and I've played a lot of email with CM games. I can't imagine being a first-time CM emailer and being able to figure out how to play given the above "instructions" which are actually a five-word description--so am I missing some that are somewhere else in the manual? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren J Pierson Posted August 19, 2007 Share Posted August 19, 2007 I don't know if there is other info in the manual, but "loads it on his end" to me means your opponent gets the save game via e-mail and loads it as he/she would any other save game file. I could be wrong, of course. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkEzra Posted August 19, 2007 Share Posted August 19, 2007 The file will be loaded as a "Saved Game" It goes like this: 1. You pick a Game and are prompted to create a password. This creates Game file 01 which is stored as an Outgoing file. You will find this file in CM:sf/Games File...You send this to your partner 2. Your Partner gets the 01 file and saves it in his Incoming File Folder. 3. He starts game and finds file 01 the Saved Game portion of the Opening menu. 4. Partner puts in password and a new file 02 will be generated to be sent to you. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuhrRiver Posted August 19, 2007 Author Share Posted August 19, 2007 Yes, thanks again, Mark. You do know that this is Max, right? : ) My question really is: did whoever write the manual think that a five-word description of what to do with the first email turn you get would be adequate to describe the process to people new to CM, unlike you and I who have played dozens or hundreds of CM PBEM? If this is correct, I can't say strongly enough how user unfriendly this is. You just listed at least three steps. Before I said more, though, I wanted to check to make sure I hadn't missed something. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkEzra Posted August 19, 2007 Share Posted August 19, 2007 Hi Max, No Max..I agree Max the manual info sucks. Written like it was an after thought. 100's more like it, old friend. What happened to your old Handle...Lost in the big crash way back when? And are you gonna post some funny pics w/captions? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sivodsi Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 Another "I can't believe it" moment for the pdf manual was looking for instructions on how to get your guys to grab a javelin. I searched for 'javelin' in the manual and couldn't find a damn thing. Had to go back and load up the training campaign in order to find out. What is the point of a manual then, if it doesn't tell you how to play the game? [much nashing of teeth] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkEzra Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 Hi Sivodsi: That info is in the manual under Combat Commands/ Acquire... The manual seems clear there. My view is: The manual is fine. It is not good explaining the PBEM mode, true. And I suppose we could all find some fault here or there. Overall it's a good manual and compared to most games...It's jam packed with info. Think about the manual of the last game you bought. What size was it How many pages? My last three purchases: BiA, MoH Pacific, Silent Hunter III all had postage stamp manuals. And, oh, by the way...NONE of them worked on my machine. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker765 Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 I don't think the manual is fine as it currently stands. I think the sheer number of questions on using javelins, moving your units during setup, etc in the forums probably gives you a good idea of how many people new to the game are confused. A manual is supposed to explain the common questions on how to play a game. Adding a few paragraphs with the most common questions that keep popping up here would be beneficial. Edit to add: Even just modifying the PDF manual would be good. Don't worry about the printed one since most people do searches for keywords on the PDF. [ August 20, 2007, 08:15 AM: Message edited by: Lurker765 ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sivodsi Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 The instructions under 'acquire' don't include the word 'javelin', and therefore did not pop up when I searched. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmatt Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 This is something we can address easily enough I think in future versions of the manual. Madmatt 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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