Summary: <h4 style="font-weight: normal;">In which SSSH discusses the attention and detail that were put into the manuals and reference books that accompanied the Ultima games.</h4><a id="more-5774440"></a><p style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/id978223252">Subscribe on iTunes</a> | <a href="http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/spam-spam-spam-humbug">Subscribe on Stitcher</a></p><h4 style="font-weight: normal;">Intro</h4><p style="font-weight: normal;">OC ReMix #44: <em>Ultima IV 'trollbash'</em> by Subliminal Labs - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SQBKgHA9jU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SQBKgHA9jU</a></p><h4 style="font-weight: normal;">Podcast Topic(s)</h4><p style="font-weight: normal;">Kotaku — which, granted, is not the most historically literate gaming-focused website — posted an article recently which purported to discuss <em>The Beauty of the Game Instruction Manual </em>(<a href="http://kotaku.com/the-beauty-of-the-game-instruction-manual-1697341910">http://kotaku.com/the-beauty-of-the-game-instruction-manual-1697341910</a>). The manuals — digital and physical — for games like <em>Minkomora</em>, <em>Tomb Raider</em>, <em>We Love Katamari</em>, <em>Mojib-Ribbon</em> (the manual for which is, admittedly, both beautiful and something of a rarity), <em>Final Fantasy 7</em>, <em>Bangai-O</em>, and even <em>Space Assault</em> are discussed in the article. A few other games are mentioned in the comments.</p><p style="font-weight: normal;">Notably absent from both the article and the ensuing discussion? <em>Ultima</em>. What was I saying above about historical illiteracy?</p><p style="font-weight: normal;"><strong>Examples and References</strong></p><p style="font-weight: normal;"><i style="font-size: 10pt;">Ultima 1</i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Manual Design Boards: </span><a href="http://gallery.ultimacodex.com/ultima-1-1986-manual-design-boards/" style="font-size: 10pt;">http://gallery.ultimacodex.com/ultima-1-1986-manual-design-boards/</a></p><p style="font-weight: normal;"><i style="font-size: 10pt;">Ultima Underworld</i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Japanese Cluebook Art: </span><a href="http://gallery.ultimacodex.com/ultima-underworld-japanese-cluebook-artwork/" style="font-size: 10pt;">http://gallery.ultimacodex.com/ultima-underworld-japanese-cluebook-artwork/</a></p><p style="font-weight: normal;"><i style="font-size: 10pt;">Ultima 9</i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Packaging Design Notes: </span><a href="http://gallery.ultimacodex.com/ultima-9-packaging-design-and-patch-notes/" style="font-size: 10pt;">http://gallery.ultimacodex.com/ultima-9-packaging-design-and-patch-notes/</a></p><p style="font-weight: normal;"><i style="font-size: 10pt;">Ultima 9</i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Box Art: </span><a href="http://gallery.ultimacodex.com/ultima-9-box-art-source-images/" style="font-size: 10pt;">http://gallery.ultimacodex.com/ultima-9-box-art-source-images/</a></p><p style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Origin Systems Manual Art and Paintings: </span><a href="http://gallery.ultimacodex.com/origin-systems-manual-art-and-paintings-by-chris-binky-launius/" style="font-size: 10pt;">http://gallery.ultimacodex.com/origin-systems-manual-art-and-paintings-by-chris-binky-launius/</a></p><p style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">More Origin Systems Manual Art and Paintings: </span><a href="http://gallery.ultimacodex.com/more-origin-systems-manual-art-and-paintings-by-chris-binky-launius/" style="font-size: 10pt;">http://gallery.ultimacodex.com/more-origin-systems-manual-art-and-paintings-by-chris-binky-launius/</a></p><p style="font-weight: normal;"><i style="font-size: 10pt;">Ultima Underworld</i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Cover Art Sketches: </span><a href="http://gallery.ultimacodex.com/ultima-underworld-cover-art-sketches/" style="font-size: 10pt;">http://gallery.ultimacodex.com/ultima-underworld-cover-art-sketches/</a></p><p style="font-weight: normal;"><s></s></p>
