Neville
09-11-2016, 01:25 PM
http://i.imgur.com/TdufbD5.jpg?1
OK, first of all, do a quick visit to MobyGames (http://www.mobygames.com) and see if you remember the name of the game correctly. Also check out the different versions of the game, that could become handy.
Now, follow these steps:
1) Is the game new-ish and/or has console versions? Then it's likely that Replacement Docs (http://www.replacementdocs.com) has it.
2) Looking for manuals for an older graphic adventure / text adventure / RPG? Try the Museum of Computer Adventure Game History (http://www.mocagh.org).
3) A game guide will do? This is often true when dealing with RPGs, adventure and strategy games. Then GameFAQS (http://www.gamefaqs.com/) is the place to go.
Still no luck? Then let's see if we can find a manual for a different system. Most of the time they are identical, except for loading / install info.
1) The game has an 8 bit version:
- Amstrad CPC: Try CPC Power (http://www.cpc-power.com/). They often have scanned French, Spanish and English versions of manuals, in PDF or JPG.
- ZX Spectrum: Try World of Spectrum (http://www.worldofspectrum.org/). They have tons of manuals, usually in PDF or TXT, in English or Spanish. It's also a great place if you're looking for maps or walkthroughs for old games.
- C64: Commodore 64 Boxed Sets (http://c64sets.com/) has few games, but with those they have they provide scans of covers and manuals, usually in one JPG per page.
You can join them together later with a free PDF service such as SmallPDF (https://smallpdf.com).
- Apple II: Apple2Online (http://apple2online.com/) has a few PDF game manuals.
2) The game has a 16 bit version:
- Lemon Amiga (http://www.lemonamiga.com) is a site dedicated to this computer. Among other things, they have rescued many manual transcripts from pirate docs disks. No PDFs or fancy stuff here, just HTML.
- Looking for the real thing? Then try Amiga Hall of Light (http://hol.abime.net/). They have tons of PDF manuals, and many of them come in different languages.
- The World's Finest Atari ST Database (http://www.atarimania.com/): Not only a great database, they also preserve many manuals in JPG format, one pic per page.
This can get a bit cumbersome, but as in Commodore 64 Boxed Sets you can join them together later with a free PDF service such as SmallPDF (https://smallpdf.com).
3) The game only appeared for PCs.
Try Google. Seriously. Somebody may have uploaded the manual to a hosting service such as Archive.org, Google Docs, Scribd or an FTP, and if they have the results will show.
4) The game has a console version.
There are many places out there which carry console manuals, but I really thing this should be your last option. Not only console versions are often different from DOS / Windows games in terms of game mechanics, but also the control sections, which usually are the reason to search for a manual in the first place, will be completely different.
If you still want to proceed, do as above and use Google.
OK, first of all, do a quick visit to MobyGames (http://www.mobygames.com) and see if you remember the name of the game correctly. Also check out the different versions of the game, that could become handy.
Now, follow these steps:
1) Is the game new-ish and/or has console versions? Then it's likely that Replacement Docs (http://www.replacementdocs.com) has it.
2) Looking for manuals for an older graphic adventure / text adventure / RPG? Try the Museum of Computer Adventure Game History (http://www.mocagh.org).
3) A game guide will do? This is often true when dealing with RPGs, adventure and strategy games. Then GameFAQS (http://www.gamefaqs.com/) is the place to go.
Still no luck? Then let's see if we can find a manual for a different system. Most of the time they are identical, except for loading / install info.
1) The game has an 8 bit version:
- Amstrad CPC: Try CPC Power (http://www.cpc-power.com/). They often have scanned French, Spanish and English versions of manuals, in PDF or JPG.
- ZX Spectrum: Try World of Spectrum (http://www.worldofspectrum.org/). They have tons of manuals, usually in PDF or TXT, in English or Spanish. It's also a great place if you're looking for maps or walkthroughs for old games.
- C64: Commodore 64 Boxed Sets (http://c64sets.com/) has few games, but with those they have they provide scans of covers and manuals, usually in one JPG per page.
You can join them together later with a free PDF service such as SmallPDF (https://smallpdf.com).
- Apple II: Apple2Online (http://apple2online.com/) has a few PDF game manuals.
2) The game has a 16 bit version:
- Lemon Amiga (http://www.lemonamiga.com) is a site dedicated to this computer. Among other things, they have rescued many manual transcripts from pirate docs disks. No PDFs or fancy stuff here, just HTML.
- Looking for the real thing? Then try Amiga Hall of Light (http://hol.abime.net/). They have tons of PDF manuals, and many of them come in different languages.
- The World's Finest Atari ST Database (http://www.atarimania.com/): Not only a great database, they also preserve many manuals in JPG format, one pic per page.
This can get a bit cumbersome, but as in Commodore 64 Boxed Sets you can join them together later with a free PDF service such as SmallPDF (https://smallpdf.com).
3) The game only appeared for PCs.
Try Google. Seriously. Somebody may have uploaded the manual to a hosting service such as Archive.org, Google Docs, Scribd or an FTP, and if they have the results will show.
4) The game has a console version.
There are many places out there which carry console manuals, but I really thing this should be your last option. Not only console versions are often different from DOS / Windows games in terms of game mechanics, but also the control sections, which usually are the reason to search for a manual in the first place, will be completely different.
If you still want to proceed, do as above and use Google.