Manuals - stop using two columns please Paradox

[Nats]

I have recently been reading all my gaming manuals on an Ereader and it really mucks things up when you have extremely large pdfs with pages that are split into two columns. I mean even when you read it on a laptop its a pain having to read in columns as you constranty have to scroll up ad down - a single column would be fer better to read. But on Ereaders like the Kindle you have to convert the document first to read them properly and firstly Kindle doesnt allow you to convert massive docs over 30mb and secondly using two columns per page really messes with the conversion process.

So please Paradox can you consider doing your manuals from now on with single columns for us who read them on the computer or Ereaders - which is everyone considering we dont get paper manuals anymore. And if you could reduce the size of the electronic ones so they can be emailed to Ereaders that would also be great cheers.

 

[MannheimCouncil]

I read a lot of manuals and RPG books on my computer (desktop and laptop) and I vastly prefer two or three columns. I see little reason to change the current layout, but then again I wouldn't know why you'd read manuals on a an E-Book reader. So maybe I'm no longer the target audience.

 

[James_Manring]

I use nothing but my computer, and I too have found the multiple column manual to be annoying. I zoom in quite a bit to try and make it full screen but that does leave much to be desired. My vision isn't the best, so maybe I would have to magnify it anyways. That being said, if the columns were expanded to full pages and the text was made a bit bigger for future manuals I would be much happier.

 

[unmerged(75409)]

I use nothing but my computer, and I too have found the multiple column manual to be annoying. I zoom in quite a bit to try and make it full screen but that does leave much to be desired. My vision isn't the best, so maybe I would have to magnify it anyways. That being said, if the columns were expanded to full pages and the text was made a bit bigger for future manuals I would be much happier.

same here. two column layout is for print but I doubt many people still print their paradox manuals!!

one-column layout would be MUCH preferable.

 

[Mivo]

I mostly use the iPad for reading documents (manuals and books) these days. Two columns aren't a huge problem for me, but given the choice, I'd definitely prefer a one column layout, as well.

 

[AdkEric]

I read a lot of manuals and RPG books on my computer (desktop and laptop) and I vastly prefer two or three columns. I see little reason to change the current layout, but then again I wouldn't know why you'd read manuals on a an E-Book reader. So maybe I'm no longer the target audience.

Agreed.

One of the big disadvantages of an E-Book reader is the screen size is limiting. Perhaps releasing a .txt version of the manual would be good for those folks who insist on using them, I don't think it would be ideal to change entire formats that are generally superior to accommodate them. I've actually always thought it would be nice if there was more (not less) info per page in Paradox manuals as well as those from most other companies. The font size is already quite large, no doubt to accommodate those who don't see well.

A larger screen is what you folks who have issues with multiple columns need.

 

[tului]

I think with the growing use of tablets, phones and whatnot they should offer a stripped, text only PDF, single column as well as the "normal" manual. I prefer reading the manuals on my Galaxy S3, then I can reference it as I play. While I can zoom and pan to read 2 columns, it is not ideal.

 

[anonymouswolfm]

...which is everyone considering we dont get paper manuals anymore...

Do they now have a policy of not including a paper manual in their boxed games? If that's the case is there any official statement made by Paradox in that regard?

Sengoku (published in 2011) and Crusader Kings II (Feb 2012) both come with a paper manual but not HOI 3 (2009). I wonder what the situation is for other games.

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I find paper manuals vastly more satisfying to read than e-copies.

 

[almogo]

Sengoku (published in 2011) and Crusader Kings II (Feb 2012) both come with a paper manual but not HOI 3 (2009).

Maybe that's why Sengoku and CK2 had such awful manuals, so they can be included in the box and not cost too much to print?

I'm one of those freaks who actually enjoys reading manuals and comparing Sengoku and CK2's manuals so HOI3, EU3 and Victoria2's really makes me sad. I hope that's not a future trend for Paradox.

 

[unmerged(425486)]

reading is for nerds

 

[Pellaken]

I want to throw my support behind this as well. Frankly, stop using PDF-look-alike-paper-manuals altogether. Make a manual suited for computer viewing.