Turn to 400 blog

[slloyd14]

This is another hilarious play through blog. It takes long hiatuses between posts, but I just discovered it did a post last month!


turnto400.blogspot.com/2024/01/16-seas-of-blood-by-andrew-chapman-1985.html

[Per]

Updating is good and cool, but this time I felt like he was largely describing the book everyone would want SoB to be, but a lot of people find it manifestly isn't. E.g.:

Ideal: Pick your own plundering, explore the seas at will
Reality: Very few places allow the efficiency needed to reach Nippur and win

Ideal: Best scoundrels and cutthroats around
Reality: Duuhhh what be around these parts oh no me fall into pit

Ideal: Thematic immersion in bronze age setting
Reality: Antiquity theme park next door to Arabian Nights theme park next door to mediaeval theme park next door to 1600s theme park

Ideal: Ship and crewmates
Reality: You have to walk alone into this mini-dungeon as well

Ideal: Exciting scavenger hunt with gold pieces ticking up
Reality: Yet another instant death

[CharlesX]

Feb 2, 2024 23:39:42 GMT Per said:

Updating is good and cool, but this time I felt like he was largely describing the book everyone would want SoB to be, but a lot of people find it manifestly isn't. E.g.:

Ideal: Pick your own plundering, explore the seas at will
Reality: Very few places allow the efficiency needed to reach Nippur and win

Ideal: Best scoundrels and cutthroats around
Reality: Duuhhh what be around these parts oh no me fall into pit

Ideal: Thematic immersion in bronze age setting
Reality: Antiquity theme park next door to Arabian Nights theme park next door to mediaeval theme park next door to 1600s theme park

Ideal: Ship and crewmates
Reality: You have to walk alone into this mini-dungeon as well

Ideal: Exciting scavenger hunt with gold pieces ticking up
Reality: Yet another instant death

The instant deaths were a breaker for me. Several times you'd see these insane "push(pull)" or "lift(drop)" where it wouldn't surprise me if the author himself flipped a coin before deciding which was the correct outcome, because there is absolutely no clue in the manner of a bad CYOA.