Does anyone pay full price for strategy guides here? (and other musings)

I'm just wondering, since we seem to be obessed w/ penny strategy guides, it doesnt' seem like anyone actuall pays full price anymore for them. I just bought a full priced FFX-2 guide yesterday, and I'm actually feeling guilty. I mean, w/ the 16.99 (or 15.99, can't remember) I spent on one, I could've gotten 1,699 penny guides!! Just...the trouble is finding that many ^_^;

That also brings me to another point, why do companies like Brady and Prima still make these guides? W/ stores clearing them out so often, I can't imagine these companies making a profit. Remember the Disgaea strat guides? After they went OOP, I browsed the publisher's web page and found out they were discussing a 2nd ed (which is already out) might not happen because of the printing costs. Well, obviously they got around that, but...seriously, strategy guides don't seem to be something you want to make when you're out for money...'

Finally, one last question...does anyone else get any other guides beside RPG guides? I buy any guides I come across provided the price is right (under 5). But I'm willing to shell out maybe a bit more for RPG ones. But what's the point of making one for say...Terminator? I just got one of these @ GS for a penny, and I know that game didn't do so well. To actually charge 15 for it is ludicrous. What was Prima thinking?????! And fighting ones...I have about 3 Tekken books and one Soul Calibur II. I find them no more useful @ a guide than just merely looking @ the pics...really, who the hell pays 15 for them?

Right, anyways done for my rants for now. Does anyone actually understand? I might edit this mess if needed. ^_^;

I feel that using a strategy guide ruins a game. I don't condone cheating in any way and think it represents a sign of weakness. I buy games for fun as well as for a challenge. If I cheat my way though it I feel I have cheated myself out of my time and money. I admit that I have had to reference a guide a time or two, but not before spending at least 4-5 hours on a particular piece of a game. Screw strategy guides is what I say.

Don't worry, I expect to get yelled at for this post as most people these days seem to use guides to coast through games and then claim that they beat them.

You could have bought a few games with the $17

I have never purchased guides and never will. There are plenty of quality, free guides on the net.

i think its pointless to pay so much for guides, when the information youre looking for is free on the internet, or in countless magazines, which i get free. but i

i like guides for some things, like weapon stats in ffta. i used to use them to beat a game, or to cheat badly. now i dont. my mom bought me a guide for wind waketr accidentally and i told her to hide it so i wouldnt be tempted to look at it. i still get rpg guides though.

I'm sure the prima guides thrust on umwitting parents by EB employees make things nice and profitable

LoL, that's true. I saw someone buy a crap ass guide for a crappy game. And it was indeed an unwitting parent @.@ I wanted the FFX-2 guide because I was missing a lot of hidden classes, and it's true that I could've used a guide on gamefaqs.com, it wouldn't have all the pretty pictures now, WOULD IT?!??! But actually, it's to use on my 2nd time through the game. Right now, I'm missing *a ton* of secrets throughout the game since I'm not very through or observant. Buuuut, you people are right, it does take away enjoyment from a game using a guide simulataneously through the first time. When I got my first guide evar (Parasite Eve), I immediately used it in conjuction to playing the game. All of the story/boss battles/etc was spoiled. I'm never ever doing that again @.@

Also, another reason I collect guides is because if I ever wanna sell/trade my RPGs..(not happening in this lifetime though ^_^), they add to the value of the games substatially (SP?). IE: Disgaea guide. I bought one for 15 purely for the resale value. I sold it on Amazon for 55 @.@ Sooo...there? ^^;; Actually, I find it *REALLY* amazing, that sometimes the guide is actually more than the game itself! That's just so ridiculous...Suikoden I game- 30 average. Guide= 60 average. Go figure -_-

this thread makes no sense, you rant about how people buy guides but then post after post you make you tell us a new guide or two in your collection. apparently you are the reason they sell guides.

The only guide that I've bought in years was the guide for FFX-2. At the time, the game hadn't been out very long in the states, and all the available guides were either for the Japanese version, or very poorly translated rip-offs of the Japanese versions. There was enough inconsistency between the NA release game and the Japanese guides to make me pull my hair out.

Other than that, I haven't spent money on strategy guides in years. www.gamefaqs.com is your friend (usually).

If I really need help on a game, I just head over to GameFAQs. To hell with those really expensive 17 dollar wastes of paper. However, if one is really nice (FFXI, Arc The Lad: TOTS) I'll pick it up...maybe.

Most strategy guides are poorly written anyway.

I bought one for Hitman 2, but that was after being stuck for a few months. I only used it for help on 2 levels I hadn't beaten, but I did use it to replay levels and end up with every weapon in my shack. It didn't hurt that I had a $10 gift card for Barnes and Noble.

I haven't bought a guide since FF IX. I used to use them to get through games, but now I try to only use them when I'm stuck for a while and can't figure something out.

The last guide I bought was Splinter Cell...Not the new one but the old one...It really helped on those REALLY hard parts but other than that it was a waste...I have breezed through SCPT and I thank the guide for the original because it told you how to execute things the best...It really helped online the most though...I WILL KILL YOU ALL!!!!...jk

Now I just use my insider subscription for guides...I love IGN!

Whenever I'm stuck now, I just go onto Gamefaqs and use a guide there.

Gamefaqs.com is my source as well. Don't see the need to cough up the money for a print guide. Heck I can get a whole game for $15.

I always feel better about myself when I manage to get through a game without using a guide. (But my will is pretty weak!)