Xenonauts Manual

For the public build (as in the current build), there will be a link on the launcher linking to the game manual. I've not yet put together the public manual for the game, although there is a pre-order version floating around somewhere.

For the public version, it needs to be a short and easily-understood guide to the game explaining the functionality of each screen without going into too much detail. Does anyone want to help draft the text? I can do it, but I'm going to be a bit busy with the other Kickstarter stuff...

Count me in if you need any writing done, Chris.

It's here, for our convenience

I'll help, just tell me what you need.

Is anything happening at this front? I'd like to give it a go, I have a pretty good idea how to approach this and I'd like to use screenshots from the 9.5 build to better illustrate some points but I don't want to waste time if it's already being worked on.

OK, so what I need is a document up to 10 pages long that explains how to play the game to a complete newbie. Labelled screenshots encouraged. Go go forum community!

Ok. Should we collaborate gents?

Split into sections we might look at something like this?

-Main Menu

-Geoscape

-All the tabs

-Air Combat

-Ground Combat

-Funding dynamics maybe?

Anyone want to claim dibs on something?

I should probably do a one-page introduction that explains the structure of the game and how everything fits together.

Yes. Actually I think 10 pages might be a bit modest. The tabs alone would take up most of the space, since one would need a pretty big screenshot for each one to illustrate properly.

We can have a seperate page for each tab, but we'll want a one-page primer for each section of the game (Geoscape, Air Combat and Ground Combat) before we go into full detail on each page.

Indeed. Ze little grey cellz, they are working, non?

I'm thinking of using screenshots in this manner. Drawing lines all over it to connect to descriptions would be messy with such a big interface imo.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11258902/xenonautsreports/geoscapenmbrssmall.png

*Has started a bit on Air Combat*

OK - I've done the basic summary / overview screens and put together the basic formatting. You can find it here:

http://www.xenonauts.com/manual.html

Hopefully that gives you some idea of the vibe we're going for. People are welcome to start submitting content for the more detailed screen descriptions?

To be honest, writing the manual isn't THAT much of a chore now I've got the formatting sorted out so I'm sure I'll get it done even if nobody has the time to chip in.

Heya, I've been out of town for the past 50-ish house (May holiday thing) but prior to that I was working on a preview. It was meant to be pretty screenshot reliant but can easily go along with any text, kinda like a quick reminder.

In any case this is it:

You need to "view image" since a part is cut off by the forum. Images can be reduced to 50% size and still maintain good readability/clarity.

I don't think we should have the text actually on the image, rather just a numbered label and then the text detail on the page below. It'll stop things getting so cluttered.

I don't think we should have the text actually on the image, rather just a numbered label and then the text detail on the page below. It'll stop things getting so cluttered.

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You're right, it is cluttered, but from an instructional design perspective it would in fact be better to have text and pictures clearly associated and close to each other. The Xenonauts manual is not a school textbook, however, so just keep the "classic" style.

A lot of manuals put numbers on an image next to various things and below the image they describe, by number, what you are seeing. Not sure how "cluttered" that would make it look but I have seen that done a lot.