One of the things I love about Dom3

[Gandalf Parker]

It was one of my early pushes that a manual should not be written by the developers. Or even the experts. IMHO the manual that comes with the game does not have to be perfect in the experts territory down to the last spread-sheet calculation. It needs to be written for newbies. In fact, Im turned off by manuals that make it seem as if the game has already been so analyzed and laid out that there is nothing new to learn about it.

By the time developers, and even beta-testers, get to the point of writing a manual they tend to be too deep into the game to think of newbie questions and give newbie answers. The best manuals I have ever read involved (A) someone with decent writing skills, (B) that started the game fresh, (C) keeping notes with the intention of writing a manual from it.

I commend Illwinter and Shrapnel for going the right route and creating one of the best manuals Ive ever gotten with a game.
(and thats not just because Im in it)

[Bo Jangles]

I also-also agree that the Dom3 manual is great. I know this has been discussed more in-depth in other topics, but I love the overall mystique and mystery the game has surrounding it *because* there's so much to do and understand and create, even a 300-page manual can only scratch the surface and provide the basics. That, to me, is telling of the quality of the game when the manual basically says "Here's what you need to know to get started, now go nuts and have fun."