Online Manual Needs To Be Updated

methom · 06-11-2015, 06:28 AM

I've searched for this, but didn't find anything, Having just upgraded from OOTP13, I was wondering if there were any plans to actually update the online manual rather than just copy and paste the previous ones, just finding and replacing the OOTPvervion number.

There are now multiple pages that are no longer current, e.g. the team strategy section, so heading to the manual to see how "how astonishingly better OOTP 16 is" was very frustrating as most of the new features/mechanisms are incorrectly represented.

Déjà Bru · 06-13-2015, 12:59 PM

A valid criticism. The manual cannot be instantaneously updated on the day of release as features are still being developed and tested right up until (and beyond) release day. But two and a half months later, to the extent that this OP is correct in what he is saying, then the manual needs to be up-to-date by now.

bigmonk · 06-13-2015, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

A valid criticism. The manual cannot be instantaneously updated on the day of release as features are still being developed and tested right up until (and beyond) release day. But two and a half months later, to the extent that this OP is correct in what he is saying, then the manual needs to be up-to-date by now.

This is interesting conceptually, but not practically. I bought the 15 version of OOTP and I don't use the online manual because it is basically useless. Theoretically, if the manual were updated in the months following release of a new version of the game, then the online manual would match the 15 version of the game. It does not. It gives directions and show screens that don't match the game. I come on this forum and hope that someone will answer questions about gameplay. Which is usually done.

Déjà Bru · 06-13-2015, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigmonk

This is interesting conceptually, but not practically. I bought the 15 version of OOTP and I don't use the online manual because it is basically useless. Theoretically, if the manual were updated in the months following release of a new version of the game, then the online manual would match the 15 version of the game. It does not. It gives directions and show screens that don't match the game. I come on this forum and hope that someone will answer questions about gameplay. Which is usually done.

Yeah I hear you. The manual needs to be kept up-to-date with an excusable lag of perhaps a few weeks after new version introduction to get caught up.

But I don't agree that the online manual is useless. I use it all the time to research and present knowledge to people such as yourself who "come on this forum and hope that someone will answer questions about gameplay."

For "age-old" concepts that do NOT change from [recent] version to version, it is priceless. Especially when somebody asks a question like "How do I customize uniforms?" To be able to point that person to a page in the online manual saves a lot of typing and makes it more likely that person will receive a response.

So let's not give up on the online manual. Let's keep pressure up on OOTPD to update it for the latest bells and whistles in this game!

Bluenoser · 06-13-2015, 06:07 PM

Not sure of current status, but at one time it was all done voluntarily.

As for useless, well it's anything but. There is plenty in it that's still pertinent.

Having said that, even if it were fully up to date, you're far better off coming here and asking questions. The manual only gives one answer, the "by the book" answer. When you asked your questions on here, you get many answers from many people that play many different ways. You're almost assured of finding the answer from someone who plays similarly to you. This gives you a much more "seasoned" answer.

The manual would be best served by pointing out the basic "how to" functions, while getting the nitty gritty on results and settings would be best done on the forums. I find "experience" speaks volumes more than a "book"

Just mho

bigmonk · 06-14-2015, 04:25 PM

I tend to disagree. The idea that a manual is almost correct on the information about a game makes it useless. If you have to read the manual and then by trial and error figure out what is correct and what isn't, you might as well not use the manual. Which I don't. Which is why I find it useless. In point of fact I tried to use the manual to see how to make a template. The manual says to look at the bottom of the Create Game screen. However, on the Create New Game screen, you must instead click on the Advanced Settings button to find the template save and load. Of course I found it, but basically, I was told to 'go fish'. Next, every question is not answered on this forum. I see seen a few threads that had title questions I wanted the answer to and they drew no response. Gamers might be generous enough to answer other people's questions (and many do), yet no one is obligated to answer those questions. It boils down to professionalism. If someone is selling a game, they should offer a manual. The manual should be up to date and accurate.

Bluenoser · 06-14-2015, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigmonk

I tend to disagree. The idea that a manual is almost correct on the information about a game makes it useless. If you have to read the manual and then by trial and error figure out what is correct and what isn't, you might as well not use the manual. Which I don't. Which is why I find it useless. In point of fact I tried to use the manual to see how to make a template. The manual says to look at the bottom of the Create Game screen. However, on the Create New Game screen, you must instead click on the Advanced Settings button to find the template save and load. Of course I found it, but basically, I was told to 'go fish'. Next, every question is not answered on this forum. I see seen a few threads that had title questions I wanted the answer to and they drew no response. Gamers might be generous enough to answer other people's questions (and many do), yet no one is obligated to answer those questions. It boils down to professionalism. If someone is selling a game, they should offer a manual. The manual should be up to date and accurate.

Games without manuals is the norm in this day and age. There are tons of games that give you nothing, and plenty that direct you to their website (forum).

You're right, there are things that are incorrect in the manual, but there are also a lot of things that are correct.

I agree, it needs to be updated.

I'd say it was unfortunate your questions didn't get answered, but it's a rare case when help requests go unanswered on these forums.

methom · 06-16-2015, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

Games without manuals is the norm in this day and age. There are tons of games that give you nothing, and plenty that direct you to their website (forum).

You're right, there are things that are incorrect in the manual, but there are also a lot of things that are correct.

I agree, it needs to be updated.

I'd say it was unfortunate your questions didn't get answered, but it's a rare case when help requests go unanswered on these forums.

I would say that games without paper manuals are the norm, but these are either simple FPS games where all the controls are demoed in the first "how-to level" or they have a fully functional .pdf manual.

It is not just a few things that are incorrect in the online manual, it is pretty much everything about the mechanics of the game. Yes the majority of really baseball stuff has not changed (like the names of positions of stats), but these things are external to the game and remain consistent. However, almost all descriptions of the navigation to particular screens are outdated, and I must repeat if you are going to overhaul something as drastically as the strategy mechanics of the game, as 16 appears to have done so you need to either update or remove the manual for circulation.

The current online manual strategy/line-up section is incorrect in almost every way, including things as blatantly incorrect as still describing how to use spot starters in your pitching rotation. and if you are going to keep the F1 shortcut in the actual game to the manual, it should at least open up to the correct outdated section, 70% of the time I have tested this it opens up to a page that is completely irrelevant to the screen I am on.

Ok, if it is difficult to keep up with this ( although I don't see why it should be) just take the manual out, and rely on the forum support to answer questions. Otherwise update it as in it's current form it is pretty much a waste of space and reflects badly on the game,

Déjà Bru · 06-16-2015, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

Games without manuals is the norm in this day and age. There are tons of games that give you nothing, and plenty that direct you to their website (forum).

As soon as I read this, I thought of Minecraft. Not a word of introduction or instruction to start the game - the player is plunked down in the middle of the woods, proceeds to wander around all day, then is killed by monsters in the dark. Who knew you were supposed to pound trees to make wood to build things? That is, until you find the Minecraft Wiki.

Which is very successful setup, obviously. You need SOMETHING with this game - it's too complicated to be suitable for trial and error like some dumb video game. Either an up-to-date, highly searchable online manual, or foster the development of a community-based wiki. There was talk of an OOTPB wiki at one time but I don't know if that ever took off.

NoOne · 06-20-2015, 10:11 PM

i don't read the manuals anyway, unless i am forced, LoL. so, on occasion i feel the op's frustration.

it's defintiely a reasonable expectation when you buy a 'professional' product to expect proper documentation.

yeah new features might be part of the game but those parts of the manual can be written during the development process. i mean, we are talking about a matter of a few sentences of written material per feature, not a stephen king novel. it could be done as the project is developed and take nearly zero extra effort. just saving the comments from the code would make it simple (assuming good commenting is used).

i do like this game, but it's slightly amateur-like in a few frustrating ways - like the manual and the whole community sourced mass-debugging - not just a few things here and there. it should say 'beta,' or something more descript if you prefer, when you buy it on the release date.

06-11-2015, 06:28 AM	#1
methom Bat Boy Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 12	Online Manual Needs To Be Updated I've searched for this, but didn't find anything, Having just upgraded from OOTP13, I was wondering if there were any plans to actually update the online manual rather than just copy and paste the previous ones, just finding and replacing the OOTPvervion number. There are now multiple pages that are no longer current, e.g. the team strategy section, so heading to the manual to see how "how astonishingly better OOTP 16 is" was very frustrating as most of the new features/mechanisms are incorrectly represented.

06-13-2015, 12:59 PM	#2
Déjà Bru Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: United States Posts: 10,456	A valid criticism. The manual cannot be instantaneously updated on the day of release as features are still being developed and tested right up until (and beyond) release day. But two and a half months later, to the extent that this OP is correct in what he is saying, then the manual needs to be up-to-date by now. __________________ - Bru

06-13-2015, 06:07 PM	#5
Bluenoser Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In The Moment Posts: 13,683	Not sure of current status, but at one time it was all done voluntarily. As for useless, well it's anything but. There is plenty in it that's still pertinent. Having said that, even if it were fully up to date, you're far better off coming here and asking questions. The manual only gives one answer, the "by the book" answer. When you asked your questions on here, you get many answers from many people that play many different ways. You're almost assured of finding the answer from someone who plays similarly to you. This gives you a much more "seasoned" answer. The manual would be best served by pointing out the basic "how to" functions, while getting the nitty gritty on results and settings would be best done on the forums. I find "experience" speaks volumes more than a "book" Just mho

06-14-2015, 04:25 PM	#6
bigmonk Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Ohio Posts: 25	I tend to disagree. The idea that a manual is almost correct on the information about a game makes it useless. If you have to read the manual and then by trial and error figure out what is correct and what isn't, you might as well not use the manual. Which I don't. Which is why I find it useless. In point of fact I tried to use the manual to see how to make a template. The manual says to look at the bottom of the Create Game screen. However, on the Create New Game screen, you must instead click on the Advanced Settings button to find the template save and load. Of course I found it, but basically, I was told to 'go fish'. Next, every question is not answered on this forum. I see seen a few threads that had title questions I wanted the answer to and they drew no response. Gamers might be generous enough to answer other people's questions (and many do), yet no one is obligated to answer those questions. It boils down to professionalism. If someone is selling a game, they should offer a manual. The manual should be up to date and accurate.

06-20-2015, 10:11 PM	#10
NoOne Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 7,167	i don't read the manuals anyway, unless i am forced, LoL. so, on occasion i feel the op's frustration. it's defintiely a reasonable expectation when you buy a 'professional' product to expect proper documentation. yeah new features might be part of the game but those parts of the manual can be written during the development process. i mean, we are talking about a matter of a few sentences of written material per feature, not a stephen king novel. it could be done as the project is developed and take nearly zero extra effort. just saving the comments from the code would make it simple (assuming good commenting is used). i do like this game, but it's slightly amateur-like in a few frustrating ways - like the manual and the whole community sourced mass-debugging - not just a few things here and there. it should say 'beta,' or something more descript if you prefer, when you buy it on the release date.