I am completely surprised (shocked?) to discover that DTG (well, actually, Skyhook Games) has actually provided a user's manual for the Cane Creek route! Thanks, folks! This unexpected development may even induce me to shell out thirty bucks for the privilege and pleasure of playing "there & back again". Am I going to critique this marvel? Of course I am. SG has, unfortunately, opted for the manual layout initiated by Rivet Games for their DB BR 204, resulting in a smaller page format. While attractive, this layout results in 10 beautifully reproduced images of the AC4400CW's cab that include nicely highlighted numerical indicators followed by three pages of lists and explanations of each feature. It would be, I suppose, possible to make one's rodent scurry back and forth from photo to feature, but the process is extremely awkward. Mind you, the old familiar DTG manuals were not much better than this, but a more accessible format could surely be found. The SD40-2 receives the same treatment, but in far fewer pages, pictures, and captions. Eventually, the level of frustration soars to this absurd level on page 40: "Note: We've highlighted switches/controls to interact with using a simple reference code. The leading letter refers to the panel and the number refers to the switch/control on that panel, as shown on pages 20 to 23. For example A5 means refer to Panel A, and it's the control labelled 5 in our image (pages 10 to 19)." Hopefully, DTG will return to the practice of providing manuals, perhaps with a more useful format. Thanks to Skyhook for the effort and example.
Here's a sample page for the kind of manual I had in mind when I wrote my OP (click link below). The text resolution isn't very good, but this is just a sample.
Given that digital distribution imposes no physical page limits, it makes no sense to shrink the format down to CD scale (as was done with the TSW2 manual)
Agreed. It’s the rush to finish and lack of attention to detail that spoils things. Once the manual is written it wouldn’t take half an hour to do a proper job with a small image indicating the item referred too. I found myself replaying an introduction to a german loco three or four times because I couldn’t find the reverser. The helpful on screen indicator was nowhere near it’s correct position.