Your Policy on Walkthroughs

[The Space Pope]

Yeah playing a game and using a walkthrough eliminates the whole point of buying a game in the first place imo, to experience it firsthand and feel the wonder and frustration of it. Basically I feel they take the "magic" out of a game, so to speak. Though in games like FF12 I really can't blame someone for using one on the first go, that drop system was just too much for most people, or for referring to a guide for the weapon damage formulas. Basically using a walkthrough to see the more technical aspects of a game are more interesting than having it hold your hand throughout the game, at least to me, and it doesn't give anything away storywise while giving you an edge.

[Markus. D]

Speaking of that "eliminates the whole point of buying etc" ordeal.

I won't touch any of the boss fights that my sister asks me to do in any game ever.

[Darkswordofchaos]

in a game like final fantasy i will usally beat the regular game on my own then use the walkthrough for some of those tricky side quests

[edczxcvbnm]

I use walkthroughs when I need them. That usually means I can't figure out where to go though and I have just about given up on the game.

If I have beaten the game then I probably don't need the walkthrough in the first place but a stupid fetch quest will have me busting out a guide ASAP as to spend as little time as possible on that quest that is really just a time filler because they couldn't make legit dungons for you to go through to get these items!

I was gonna write a walkthrough for .hack//G.U. because I hate the stupid fetch quests to unlock the special stuff. I have the keywords to most of the places I need to go to fight a specific enemy or find a particular animal or whatever. I just don't have them all and got lazy with doing that >.>

[Jessweeee♪]

When I've been stuck for awhile I'll look at one. Nothing drags down an Ace Attorney game more than presenting every piece of evidence and every profile to every statement in a cross-examination to see which one works >.<

[Zeromus_X]

I usually will look at one for "Guide Dang It" things that would be almost impossible to get without consulting a guide or aren't even alluded to in the game itself, etc. Or if I simply get stuck somewhere I'll look at one, annoying puzzles usually do this to me, especially if they're combined with Guide Dang It above.

[ShunNakamura]

For me I sort of detest step by step walkthroughs... uggh. However, Treasure guides I do utilize(to some extent). I also utilize battle mechanics faqs.

How I use the above depends. If it is a game I think I will play lots(Legend of Dragoon was one example, Parasite Eve is another, as is Final Fantasy Tactics) then I go through the game the first time without even bother consulting a FAQ of any kind(heck I don't even read the manual). However, if I think I will only play the game once(very common these days) then I will at least consult the battle mechanics(so that I can have fun with it as I will and avoid getting 'stuck' due to improper setups). Also if the game appears to have a VERY annoying treasure system(as in it takes obscene amounts of OCD/Time to find what you want) then I have no issues using a treasure guide/map. I still don't want a step by step deal though.

[Quindiana Jones]

I may check an online walkthrough if a game has got me completely stumped, though this is rare. I buy official walkthroughs for games that are so awesome that I will never get rid of them.