I must say that the manual for CK2 is the best yet. It's informative, well-written and has some wit, which is extremely nice in a 60-page manual. The Civilization ones were always 200 pages of extreme boredom.
I must say that I was disappointed by the manual. Compared to EU3 and HoI3 it's really lacking in content, it's simply way too short. I know it has 60 pages but I think the amount of actual content in the manual must be a 1/4 of what EU3 and HoI3 had. These two manuals had two main sections, one that goes over the interface elements and the other (more detailed one) that goes more in depth and explains the mechanics. It seems like the CK2 manual is mainly just about a tour of the interface.
I have some experience with manuals. The one this game deserves would amount to a book - daunting and tough to digest.
I suggest a series of focused strategy guides and related Q&A threads each covering some substantive area of in-game player activity and assuming basic famliariity with the general interface. They could grow and be updated independently. Some ideas :
"Chancellor's Handbook" diplomacy, building relations, handling alliances, claims, declarations of war, peace resolutions, rebellions etc.
"Spymastery" the spymaster's role, plots, asssassinations, monitoring characters and developments (including message management)
"Art of Warre" everything about raising troops and fighting with them, including the roles of buildings and technology
"Stewardship" including economics, development, and general running the country
"Successful Succession" covering types of marriage and effects, succession laws, etc.
"Laws of the Realms" covering the other laws and effects, voting, and especially sort out apparent conflicts of laws where a player may be in several de jure areas. This would include teaching how to figure out what successsion laws in multi-de jure area realms will apply.
"Dynasty Building" including how dynasties work, how to use the UI to manage dynasties, strategic marriage, child education etc.
Religion could probably be touched on in various places where relevant. So could managing vassals and their opinions, although wisdom on that could also be consolidated in one place.
The problem with something like that is every balancing patch, every dlc, every expansion can greatly strengthen or diminish those strategies. Making the guides useless.
I personally don't want to be told strategies, just to understand all the mechanics so I can make my own strategies.
Uhh they had much much MUCH (infinitely) more information and control over the situation than we are given, whereas the "magic" part in this example comes to where the player has to make guesses as to how an action might effect an outcome.Personally, I'm happy to not have all the numbers in plain view. Why would you want them unless you want to learn how to exploit the systems in the game? The rulers we're playing didn't have a magic abacus that told them how to deal with their vassals, offspring, lieges, council members...etc. Learn by trial and error...stop worrying about the "gamey" parts as I've heard those exploits referred to here as before. Enjoy the bloody game!
Again, that's just me.
Uhh they had much much MUCH (infinitely) more information and control over the situation than we are given, whereas the "magic" part in this example comes to where the player has to make guesses as to how an action might effect an outcome.