ABSTRACT
Manuals, journal articles, and other works of technical communication propagated the technical expertise essential to the operation of coin-op computer games, and in this way, helped render the novel machines mundane. Coin-op computer games entered into a well-established segment of the entertainment industry in the United States. Manuals for coin-op machines are generally written for machine operators as the primary intended audience. Manuals for coin-op machines generally frame repair and maintenance as central aspects of the operation of the machines and presume that the operator will complete repairs and do troubleshooting in addition to routine maintenance. Pinball manuals include a diversity of information regarding the machines' technical specifications, and manuals that pre-date the rise of computer games in the coin-op industry demonstrate this as longstanding practice. As a well-established form of technical communication within the coin-op industry, manuals provided a key means of demystifying computer games' inner workings.
