Which Format For the Hint Book do You Prefer?

[SamNMax]

I really like the magic pen, but seeing as how it stops working after a while, I'll go with red window.

[mrdriller]

Red window. Sierra hintbook style. (at least the sierra hbs I have)

[UPtimist]

I have no idea what these options mean :P

[Brandon]

Not only does the magic pen stop working after a while, any hints that you've revealed will also fade away completely after a number of years. Like, 20 years. Like, old Sierra hint books that I have.

The red window ones are great, but I also liked various Player's Guides because typically, they had tons of extra content in them, and they were larger than the small, over-thick red window or later Sierra small format hint books.

[AFGNCAAP]

I voted "other", because I never used hint books as such. As far as their digital equivalents go, though, it's a tie between UHS-style (so it would be akin to option 3, I suppose) and walkthroughs. I know most people choose Universal Hint System, because they believe it's the most spoiler-free option, but this claim turns out the less accurate, the less linear game is. If you are not even sure what you are stuck at, reading a walkthrough from the beginning until you stumble upon the first thing you haven't done is safer. Also, some walkthroughs can be better UHSs than the actual UHSs - thanks to the "find" function. :D

Asking at the forums would be the best, but it doesn't work too good with little-known games. :)

[Ninth]

I voted "other", because I never used hint books as such. As far as their digital equivalents go, though, it's a tie between UHS-style (so it would be akin to option 3, I suppose) and walkthroughs. I know most people choose Universal Hint System, because they believe it's the most spoiler-free option, but this claim turns out the less accurate, the less linear game is. If you are not even sure what you are stuck at, reading a walkthrough from the beginning until you stumble upon the first thing you haven't done is safer. Also, some walkthroughs can be better UHSs than the actual UHSs - thanks to the "find" function. :D

Asking at the forums would be the best, but it doesn't work too good with little-known games. :)
All agreed.

[the gnome]

Voted for "a series of small hints", which is being perfectly done by UHS.

If, on the other hand, I were to buy an actual HintBook I'd like both something very well written and with material exceeding a mere walkthrough, and some sort of gimmick...

[artwking4]

A book? I won't pay money for hints. That's what the internet is for, especially UHS.

[stepurhan]

The only hint book I ever had came with the game (Temujin)

I normally use the online stuff myself (especially UHS) but I voted for a series of small hints as the metod I would want if I were to buy a hint book.

[Jelena]

I use the UHS hints. There have been a few occasions where the hints didn't help me, then I've looked at a walkthrough.
So I voted for a sereis of small hints.

[Spiwak]

I dislike UHS, a lot of navigating to get to the one hint I need (meaning, a lot of clicking around). I like to just use CTRL-D on a walkthrough. Or read the section and see what I missed.