My Thoughts on a Read Me Manuel

wildhawke11 · 03-02-2008, 09:36 PM

I do realize there is already a thread on the read me Manuel but its already been read by over a 100 people so hopefully some of these who read that one will take a quick look here.

There should be a read me file attached to this 2.5 game. Hell even the buyers of the previous version are asking questions. Just think of how confusing it must be for a lot of the first time buyers. The last thing we want them to say to there friends is. "Its an ok game but it takes hours and hours to understand some of the things in it" This alone could be very off putting to a potential buyer. Don't even think of giving this game in its present state without a read me file to a major game magazine to review or they will slaughter it sad to say.

Us old die hard boxing fanatics can live with confusion because this game is the only realistic boxing simulation on the market. Problem is its not us guys OOTP needs to convince to buy the product but the more casual and maybe new boxing fan.

The advantage here that we have is some of us know how the game works, more so the beta team. To my way of thinking Andreas the programmer does not have to spend all his time working on the read me. Would it really take that much time to take the old read me file from the previous game and adjust it to meet the needs of the present version and then make it part of the download.

mh2365 · 03-03-2008, 03:24 AM

There is an on-line manual that explains every new feature with pictures included right here

New Features

While it isn't perfect, it is available and has been mentioned and linked several times on this board. So the contention that there is no manual is just outright wrong.

stevebydac · 03-03-2008, 06:00 AM

This is the OOTP baseball manual, available for download, with all updates to the game included. The manual is 538 pages, with an index 24 pages long:

http://www.ootpdevfiles.com/ootp/ootpb8_manual.pdf

Now, imagine you are a potential buyer of TBCB 2.5. You might not know about our forum. Try to find the same kind of downloadable, up-to-date manual for TBCB 2.5.

Go to the company website, take a look: Title Bout Championship Boxing

Now scroll down and read: " ONLINE MANUAL We're currently creating an online manual for TB 2.5. There are already some very helpful articles about some of the new features, including a lot of screenshots, can be found here. "

Well, when you click on HERE, it brings you to the same page, no manual, nothing.

There is a 2.0 manual available, plus the update page the poster above me linked to. But you can only get to it (I think?) from the forum, buried in a thread that you have to hunt for. There isn't even a sticky in the TBCB General Discussions. And the manual, again, is for 2.0, and does not have the updates in it so that you can download the whole thing onto your PC. If you get stuck on a new feature mid-game, you have to go online and try to find the update page.

It isn't even remotely close to the caliber of the baseball manual.

Imagine how frustrating that is to a potential buyer or a person who doesn't regularly visit these forums. I LOVE this game, but geez it's not at all easy to learn some stuff about it...

CONN CHRIS · 03-03-2008, 06:57 AM

I put a link to what is available in a stickied thread. It should have been linked from within the game but was not. Perhaps on another update it can be.

I understand that it is utterly inferior to the baseball manual. Most of the poor writing is my doing, I wish it could be better but I haven't the time or talent to put much more in there. Bear made a piece on file creation that has not been uploaded yet but will be. If anyone wants to write something for it, I'll be happy to upload additional articles that could help others - just send me a note and I'll let you know what is needed.

mark1529 · 03-03-2008, 07:13 AM

guys
i'm new to this game and forum
so,i'm sure there will be questions

first thing i looked for after purchase was this forum,second a manual

thanks for the help on a great game

wildhawke11 · 03-03-2008, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mh2365

There is an on-line manual that explains every new feature with pictures included right here

New Features

While it isn't perfect, it is available and has been mentioned and linked several times on this board. So the contention that there is no manual is just outright wrong.

Strange i could not find this the other day my eyesight must be going. Nevertheless i still think a read me file Manuel with the game if at all possible would be the right direction to move in.

mh2365 · 03-03-2008, 02:00 PM

I agree it absolutely needs to be linked from within the game and things from the 2.0 manual should be added to it which will be done at a later date ... when one of us has time.

For Chris it is tax season, for Andreas it is OOTP9 season, for me I am currently running a sales route from 4:30 am to 1:30 pm every day and then come home and work on the company I own. So any free time I spend playing the game rather than working on the manual.

Down the road we will get the manual (2.0 and 2.5) all in one space. The manual for 2.0 was very solid, but some new users might not of had 2.0.

If any new users need it, PM your email address and I'd be happy to send it to you.

***edit - yes I understand these are excuses but sometimes excuses are legit

***

JohntheHammerHeyes · 03-03-2008, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CONN CHRIS

I put a link to what is available in a stickied thread. It should have been linked from within the game but was not. Perhaps on another update it can be.

I understand that it is utterly inferior to the baseball manual. Most of the poor writing is my doing, I wish it could be better but I haven't the time or talent to put much more in there. Bear made a piece on file creation that has not been uploaded yet but will be. If anyone wants to write something for it, I'll be happy to upload additional articles that could help others - just send me a note and I'll let you know what is needed.

I found the new features very helpful (especially setting up new groups) so don't put yourself down.

Syd Thrift · 03-03-2008, 04:28 PM

Am I the only person who sees this thread and gets a vision of a small Latino man tattooing the entire TBCB manual on his body?

endgame · 03-03-2008, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syd Thrift

Am I the only person who sees this thread and gets a vision of a small Latino man tattooing the entire TBCB manual on his body?

Not now, you're not.

stevebydac · 03-03-2008, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CONN CHRIS

I understand that it is utterly inferior to the baseball manual. Most of the poor writing is my doing, I wish it could be better but I haven't the time or talent to put much more in there.

Please, please, PLEASE do not take my comments as criticism of any particular person (I don't know who worked on particular parts of this wonderful game).

My point should have been put more politely.

I realize that a very small, hard-working group of guys put this all together. All of us who bought the game realize that and appreciate it. But the reality is that the typical game buyer has expectations as they are about to purchase a game. One of those expectations is that a top-quality game has a manual that can easily be accessed, and that it explains the game well.

And I realize that your small group has a tough time meeting those expectations. It's not easy. We greatly appreciate the hard work.

I'd just politely suggest that the manual gets a bit of priority now that we're moving along...

Thanks again.

mh2365 · 03-03-2008, 06:21 PM

At the end of the day I would assume the options were release the game or delay it 3 months to work on the manual.

CONN CHRIS · 03-03-2008, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevebydac

Please, please, PLEASE do not take my comments as criticism of any particular person

Geeze, I said worse things about it than you did. Seriously, no offense taken here at all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syd Thrift

Am I the only person who sees this thread and gets a vision of a small Latino man tattooing the entire TBCB manual on his body?

I was humming Boat Drinks all day and couldn't figure out why until just now.

03-02-2008, 09:36 PM	#1
wildhawke11 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: united kingdom Posts: 1,952	My Thoughts on a Read Me Manuel I do realize there is already a thread on the read me Manuel but its already been read by over a 100 people so hopefully some of these who read that one will take a quick look here. There should be a read me file attached to this 2.5 game. Hell even the buyers of the previous version are asking questions. Just think of how confusing it must be for a lot of the first time buyers. The last thing we want them to say to there friends is. "Its an ok game but it takes hours and hours to understand some of the things in it" This alone could be very off putting to a potential buyer. Don't even think of giving this game in its present state without a read me file to a major game magazine to review or they will slaughter it sad to say. Us old die hard boxing fanatics can live with confusion because this game is the only realistic boxing simulation on the market. Problem is its not us guys OOTP needs to convince to buy the product but the more casual and maybe new boxing fan. The advantage here that we have is some of us know how the game works, more so the beta team. To my way of thinking Andreas the programmer does not have to spend all his time working on the read me. Would it really take that much time to take the old read me file from the previous game and adjust it to meet the needs of the present version and then make it part of the download.

03-03-2008, 06:57 AM	#4
CONN CHRIS Global Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 28,765	I put a link to what is available in a stickied thread. It should have been linked from within the game but was not. Perhaps on another update it can be. I understand that it is utterly inferior to the baseball manual. Most of the poor writing is my doing, I wish it could be better but I haven't the time or talent to put much more in there. Bear made a piece on file creation that has not been uploaded yet but will be. If anyone wants to write something for it, I'll be happy to upload additional articles that could help others - just send me a note and I'll let you know what is needed. __________________ Check Out My Cards! Last edited by CONN CHRIS; 03-03-2008 at 07:02 AM.

03-03-2008, 07:13 AM	#5
mark1529 Minors (Single A) Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: chicago Posts: 79	read me manual guys i'm new to this game and forum so,i'm sure there will be questions first thing i looked for after purchase was this forum,second a manual thanks for the help on a great game __________________ take care, mark

03-03-2008, 02:00 PM	#7
mh2365 Banned Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: louisville Posts: 14,941 Infractions: 0/2 (101)	I agree it absolutely needs to be linked from within the game and things from the 2.0 manual should be added to it which will be done at a later date ... when one of us has time. For Chris it is tax season, for Andreas it is OOTP9 season, for me I am currently running a sales route from 4:30 am to 1:30 pm every day and then come home and work on the company I own. So any free time I spend playing the game rather than working on the manual. Down the road we will get the manual (2.0 and 2.5) all in one space. The manual for 2.0 was very solid, but some new users might not of had 2.0. If any new users need it, PM your email address and I'd be happy to send it to you. *edit - yes I understand these are excuses but sometimes excuses are legit * Last edited by mh2365; 03-03-2008 at 02:10 PM.

03-03-2008, 03:24 AM	#2
mh2365 Banned Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: louisville Posts: 14,941 Infractions: 0/2 (101)	There is an on-line manual that explains every new feature with pictures included right here New Features While it isn't perfect, it is available and has been mentioned and linked several times on this board. So the contention that there is no manual is just outright wrong.

03-03-2008, 06:00 AM	#3
stevebydac All Star Reserve Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: In a fictional baseball world Posts: 840	This is the OOTP baseball manual, available for download, with all updates to the game included. The manual is 538 pages, with an index 24 pages long: http://www.ootpdevfiles.com/ootp/ootpb8_manual.pdf Now, imagine you are a potential buyer of TBCB 2.5. You might not know about our forum. Try to find the same kind of downloadable, up-to-date manual for TBCB 2.5. Go to the company website, take a look: Title Bout Championship Boxing Now scroll down and read: " ONLINE MANUAL We're currently creating an online manual for TB 2.5. There are already some very helpful articles about some of the new features, including a lot of screenshots, can be found here. " Well, when you click on HERE, it brings you to the same page, no manual, nothing. There is a 2.0 manual available, plus the update page the poster above me linked to. But you can only get to it (I think?) from the forum, buried in a thread that you have to hunt for. There isn't even a sticky in the TBCB General Discussions. And the manual, again, is for 2.0, and does not have the updates in it so that you can download the whole thing onto your PC. If you get stuck on a new feature mid-game, you have to go online and try to find the update page. It isn't even remotely close to the caliber of the baseball manual. Imagine how frustrating that is to a potential buyer or a person who doesn't regularly visit these forums. I LOVE this game, but geez it's not at all easy to learn some stuff about it...

03-03-2008, 06:21 PM	#12
mh2365 Banned Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: louisville Posts: 14,941 Infractions: 0/2 (101)	At the end of the day I would assume the options were release the game or delay it 3 months to work on the manual.