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Original Unreal Manuals (English & German - MAC / PC)

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User avatar Shivaxi
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Subject: Original Unreal Manuals (English & German - MAC / PC)

Post Posted: 22 May 2015, 19:58

(wasn't sure where to put this, so apologies if this is in the wrong forum)

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I've had these original Unreal manuals for a long time now, and it's about time I was about to properly scan them all in high resolution for everyone. Been wanting to share these for a long time. There are a lot of really interesting things in these manuals, including stuff that isn't seen or talked about elsewhere or in the games. You'll have to read through these to see for yourself, but one of the main things is the prequel story which takes place right before the Vortex Rikers crashes and you wake up as prisoner 849. What's more is that this story seemed to differ between the different versions of the manual, as the German version I have goes on to tell more story and continue it where the English version of the story originally stops.  I also figured this could probably help with the recreation of Unreal for UE4.

Anyway there's a ton to go through really, so I'll start with this zip:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uw8gzvkmzupw5g9/Original%20Unreal%20Manuals%20%28English%20%26%20German%20-%20Mac%20%26%20PC%29%20scanned%20by%20Shivaxi.zip?dl=0

This is all 3 manuals, every page plus front and back covers scanned in high res. I included a but of additional info for each one in a text file, which I'll paste here:

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► Show Spoiler



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► Show Spoiler



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► Show Spoiler



On top of what I already mentioned in the additional info texts, there's tons of extra little info about all the weapons, items, and creatures in the game.  My favorite thing out of all of these are the illustrated drawings for individual things.  It's really neat, and especially how the English MAC manual is presented overall, presented like a log book on the cover, and each page having that crumpled diary paper background.  Really sucks you in.  I'm hoping someone fluent in German and English comes along and translates the German version, to see if there are more differences, like perhaps in the descriptions of the weapons or monsters, who knows.

For those who don't want to download anything directly, I put together a gallery you can view the English manual from on Imgur.  I'm sure most die hard Unreal fans like me though will want to download these for record keeping especially, so I'll leave my Dropbox link up as long as I can (hopefully forever!).

English Manual (online gallery)

Full Gallery - http://imgur.com/a/8tWUv

Cover (Front & Back) - http://i.imgur.com/VnNQwZS.jpg

Table Of Contents - http://i.imgur.com/7OGc4S4.jpg

Page 2 & 3 (Story) - http://i.imgur.com/xPnetrY.jpg

Page 4 & 5 (artwork #1) - http://i.imgur.com/LypvxpZ.jpg

Page 6 & 7 (artwork #2) - http://i.imgur.com/ZidtyWC.jpg

Page 8 & 9 - http://i.imgur.com/iN59qKk.jpg

Page 10 & 11 (artwork #3) - http://i.imgur.com/eRfgRZJ.jpg

Page 12 & 13 (artwork #4) - http://i.imgur.com/MKF1XJ5.jpg

Page 14 & 15 (artwork #5 & #6) - http://i.imgur.com/3XxuCvh.jpg

Page 16 & 17 - http://i.imgur.com/Gcvs7U5.jpg

Page 18 & 19 (Weapons Database) - http://i.imgur.com/2ESbi8R.jpg

Page 20 & 21 (Inventory Database) - http://i.imgur.com/Q8ny0Ei.jpg

Page 22 & 23 - http://i.imgur.com/oujIL8i.jpg

Page 24 & 25 (Creature Database) - http://i.imgur.com/EbZPjs5.jpg

Page 26 & 27 - http://i.imgur.com/L9nb1PO.jpg

Page 28 & 29 - http://i.imgur.com/IkpHVfI.jpg

Page 30 & 31 - http://i.imgur.com/kGvypmG.jpg

Page 32 & 33 - http://i.imgur.com/j5ba2JU.jpg

Page 34 & 35 - http://i.imgur.com/QlpqYJh.jpg

Page 36 & 37 - http://i.imgur.com/wQI8Pkn.jpg
Last edited by Shivaxi on 22 May 2015, 22:05, edited 3 times in total.
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User avatar ividyon
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Subject: Re: Original Unreal Manuals (English & Dutch - MAC / PC)

Post Posted: 22 May 2015, 21:33

Since I recognize the untranslated words in your partial translation of the "Dutch" manual, I think I should inform you that it's most likely the German one. ;)

EDIT: Also, more critically, it says "Germany" on the back of the cover. :lol:

EDIT 2: I've looked into your scans now. Your German version is a straight translation of the English manual I own, which I believe to be from the "default", most common retail edition of the base game (before RTNP came out). I think there's complete scans of the English version available somewhere; the text offers nothing new, simply translating it.
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User avatar Shivaxi
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Subject: Re: Original Unreal Manuals (English & Dutch - MAC / PC)

Post Posted: 22 May 2015, 21:56

ividyon wrote:Since I recognize the untranslated words in your partial translation of the "Dutch" manual, I think I should inform you that it's most likely the German one. ;)

EDIT: Also, more critically, it says "Germany" on the back of the cover. :lol:

EDIT 2: I've looked into your scans now. Your German version is a straight translation of the English manual I own, which I believe to be from the "default", most common retail edition of the base game (before RTNP came out). I think there's complete scans of the English version available somewhere; the text offers nothing new, simply translating it.


Yeah Bleeder also pointed that out, really stupid mistake considering I first thought it was German, but that's what I get for trusting google translate saying it was Dutch :P I don't get it either, I tried translating with German first and it didn't work, but it worked with Dutch...goddammit google translate lol

Anyway fixed the first post at least. But if what you say is true, then my English version must be newer, and they changed the story a bit later on I suppose. It is weird that they would describe you in the story originally already having a weapons supposedly, encountering the Skaarj and getting outside the ship. So I still wonder if the game was going to start already outside the ship at some point. But I mean why would they give away that encounter with the first Skaarj? It was one of the most memorable parts of the game and your first encounter with a creature. Also did I translate that right, that they call the first Skaarj you see "she"? lol (@Sana If you have the English version of my German version, can you post the story? Curious to see what it actually says, my translation came out horrible). I really just love all the bits of lore in this Manual and the illustrations/drawings. That's what intrigues me the most. So I figured I'd scan these since I've been putting it off for years. Hopefully someone else finds these useful or interesting if they haven't seen this yet.

Makes me wonder how many people actually still have their original Unreal copy/manual

Also am I the only one wondering what the hell this means? "Razorjack: Secondary Fire: Skilled users can employ English to alter the trajectory of blades after they leave the weapon." English?! rofl :lol:
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Waffnuffly: If there is any purpose for the god damned ocean, it is for us to eat it.
Jet_v4.3.5: I want to be Lincoln and kick Satan's ass. Emancipate and Proclimate on his ass.

User avatar ividyon
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Subject: Re: Original Unreal Manuals (English & German - MAC / PC)

Post Posted: 23 May 2015, 03:20

Looking at it more closely, the German version does have some extra paragraphs.

This is the original story from the English manual:

This is the best part: the anticipation. Slowly, laboriously, but insistently, you ascend toward the boundless turquoise sky. As the struggling coaster the peak of the hill, you raise your hands above your head in defiance of your frantically pounding heart. Time, and the entire world, stands still for a moment. And then ...
Wooosh! Toward the ground you plummet, the sky you faced a moment ago now at your back. The coaster trembles as it races downward and the air fills with the delighted screams of those around you. You close your eyes and drink in the feeling of pure, rapturous freedom that engulfs you.

Crash! Your eyes snap open as you are pitched violently from your bed onto the cold metal floor of your cell. The ship is trembling and the air is filled with the screams and shouts of the prisoners in the cells around you. As you gather your senses, you quickly remember where you really are. The Vortex Rikers. The rankest prison transport vessel this side of the Milky Way, and the furthest thing in the universe from the freedom in your dreams.

But something is not right. Emergency lights are flashing on and off in the walkway beyond your cell. A sulfurous, burning odor invades your nostrils and stings your eyes. You pick yourself up off the ground, holding onto the iron bed frame for balance as the floor shudders beneath you. Looking through the plasmagated entryway of your cell, you see guards and officials running up and down the walkway like frantic worker ants.

"Hey, what the hell's going on!?" you shout.

But your voice is lost among the equally panicked shouts of your fellow prisoners and the wailing of the ship's alert siren. The ants tripping over each other in the walkway don't even glance at you.
You know from experience that trying to break through the plasma gate will only result in frustration and a nasty headache. If this bucket is going down, I'm not going to die like a caged rat in this stinking cell, you tell yourself. I've got to get to the emergency shuttle.

Just then, the cell block's head guard pauses outside of your cell to scrawl something in his ever-present log book.

"Hey Ash, what the hell's going on!?"

"What do you think's going on genius? We're going down. Now shut your yap and strap yourself in."

"Are you insane? Turn off the gates! Let us get to the shuttle!"

Ash's smirk and amused snort before he walks away fill you with almost enough rage to burst right through the plasma gate and tear his head off.

"Ash! Ash, open the damn gates! Don't leave us in here! Wait a minute! Open the friggin' gates you son of a-"

A tremendous jolt rocks the ship and sends you hurtling across the cell into the rear wall. You feel the sickening introduction of bone to iron, and then, nothing at all.

Later - perhaps hours, perhaps days - you wake up. Your body is battered and torn, but somehow, you have survived the crash. The plasma gate is disabled. Beyond the entryway of your cell, freedom beckons.

But where are you? Has anyone else survived? And what awaits you beyond the confines of the crumpled Rikers?

There's only one way to find out, you say to yourself.

Slowly, laboriously, but insistently, you emerge from your cell ...


And this is my translation of the followup:

As you peek around a corridor bend, you spot a monstrous creature with reptilian traits among the smoldering debris.

You storm from cover with your weapon locked and loaded, firing a few warning shots.

The beast turns its heavy skull in your direction and fixates you with its curious gaze. It doesn't seem particularly impressed, yet it still dashes from your line of fire with a single leap.

After you've searched the belly of the ship for survivors without any success and treated your most critical wounds, you leave the wreck and - for the first time - gaze upon an unknown world; a world in which enemies and dangers lie in wait. If you want to survive here, you mustn't rely on your reflexes and steady aim alone, but you must also adapt to alien cultures and find allies. On your own, you don't have the slightest chance, so observe well and consider carefully who you take in your sights... it might turn out to be a friend.


As for the RazorJack segment you mentioned, it simply describes the regular alt-fire. The weird sentence you see is a result of Google Translate.

What I find curious is that the Rifle's alt-fire description literally says "Triple mud explosion, less precise and recommended in enclosed rooms." in German. Mud explosion? I have no idea how they translated "Triple burst of slugs" into "Dreifache Schlammexplosion". The paragraph added to the story was also full of weird hyphen usages, most of which I had to replace with semicolons in my translation (which still look awkward).
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Subject: Re: Original Unreal Manuals (English & German - MAC / PC)

Post Posted: 23 May 2015, 04:02

I have the original CD with its inner jewel book and the main manual (the latter is a bit torn and taped up, but still mostly intact). That version of the manual is also included scanned in .pdf form on GOG if you've purchased UGold.

I have the original RtNP standalone CD and case booklet (which doubles as a manual) as well.

I also have a demo disk with the Unreal Soundblaster demo on it, with extra maps for DM and some other curiosities that I haven't looked at in a while.
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User avatar Shivaxi
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Subject: Re: Original Unreal Manuals (English & German - MAC / PC)

Post Posted: 23 May 2015, 04:20

ividyon wrote:As for the RazorJack segment you mentioned, it simply describes the regular alt-fire. The weird sentence you see is a result of Google Translate.



no no...that wasn't from the German version or google translate. That's literally what it says in the English version of the manual.

Read here:

http://i.imgur.com/Q8ny0Ei.jpg

Also note that English is spelled lower-case..."english"...
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Jet_v4.3.5: I want to be Lincoln and kick Satan's ass. Emancipate and Proclimate on his ass.

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Subject: Re: Original Unreal Manuals (English & German - MAC / PC)

Post Posted: 23 May 2015, 12:02

I have the hypothesis that the original idea was that you were going to be able to steer the Razorjack's blades using voice commands or typed them somewhere, probably the console.
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