After picking up the BradyGames Guide to UMvC3, i thought about the idea of releasing a general guide to fighting games. The UMvC3 guide is great, with lots of information, but if they made a general guide it would allow them to get into more detail about things that go across all games. How to implement frame data, plinking, tips for cancelling, and option selecting. I think a book like that could be a very useful tool for people like me who are mid tier players online that wish to grasp these concepts but dont want to go wading through the internet for good tutorials. If they made it like they did the MvC 3 and UMvC 3 and got people who are top players in the community i feel like they could come out with a pretty comprehensive guide. Do you think there is room in the market? Or are there too many websites already devoted to this kind of thing that it wouldn't be worth the time and money? Websites like Crosscounter.com release some videos and DVDs but even those tend to be centered around one game(marvel 1.0/2.0) or even specific characters( The Crosscounter Guide to Ryu). The only real problem i could foresee would be differences between game makers, but even then you could release specific guides(the guide to capcom fighters, etc) or divy up the book between different fighter engines.

Honestly that kind of stuff really is all over the net, including Giantbomb's own guide database. The only real step left would be to have it be the one standardized version since just about everybody likes their own way of explaining things.

As far as actual market for these things, unless you have the blessing of the game maker or is someone famous like the people on cross counter most people ain't gonna make a dime on these guides. That's not to say there is no market. The only catch is you have to do pro-bono work to get established in the beginning and only then would people maybe pay for your shit when you are accepted into the fighting game community (still not a guarantee that what you get out of it money wise is worth all the hours you put in. Maybe its worth it for the love of the game, and all the new people you will meet and such).

@StaticFalconar: I dont think your point about about needing the blessing of the game maker is really valid. Since im talking about generalities across games im sure something could be worked out. You'd still have to get permission to use screenshots and stuff. But Hell, capcom only tacitly gives permission to the FGC anyway. If they wanted to be dicks im sure Capcom could show up at crosscounter studios and fucking wreck shop(Especially if SOPA passes).

The Bradygames guides for MvC and UMvC are widely accepted by the FGC, because the work was done by people inside the community. UltraDavid always his UMvC guide when he commentates Wednesday Night Fights, and there are several times i've seen people carrying it around on the stream at tournies. Capcom even gave the team a special dev build of the game that allowed them to advance animations frame by frame, and do other stuff like see hitboxes, stuff they'd never allow the general public to see. I think if they did the same formula with generalities about the games it would generally be accepted by the community, and working under the banner of bradygames gives accountability to the project that would allow access to the games that the FGC alone would never get.

Your point about the stuff being all over the net is a good one, but i think there is still space for all that info complied into a book. Its always nice to have a book around when you cant get to the computer, its also probably a bit easier for greenhorns who, dont want to scour the net.

 Capcom even gave the team a special dev build of the game that allowed them to advance animations frame by frame, and do other stuff like see hitboxes, stuff they'd never allow the general public to see.

Usually BradyGuides are really not worth buying, but this thing is really good. The information is on the net, but it's not anywhere near as well presented as it is here. It's annoying having to hunt down info across a variety of different forum threads and posts, plus some of it can be incorrect.

It's called the bible for a reason. ;)