How to enjoy gamebooks.
Jul 21, 2016 16:31:53 GMT
thealmightymudworm, stevendoig, and 1 more like this
Post by puppy on Jul 21, 2016 16:31:53 GMT
I’ve been thinking lately about how to enjoy a pencil and paper real honest-to-goodness printed gamebook. As I’ve seen virtually nothing about this topic, I’ve taken it upon myself to contribute some of my thoughts. In this day and age of computerized everything, people in general are jaded when it comes to entertainment. They expect unlimited freedom when it comes to interactive entertainment. Almost gone are the days when people were forced to use their imagination for their entertainment. This is a trend that disturbs me. I’m not sure why, but I feel it necessary to defend the “old” ways. When I’m playing a well written gamebook I get almost breathless with anticipation at times when I’m faced with a difficult decision. I feel a real sense of responsibility toward my created persona. I feel invested in my character’s well-being especially when I’ve made significant progress in the adventure. I feel a real sense of exhilaration when I acquire key items that boost my stats. Especially cool new weapons that make me a real bad-ass in combat! When I die pre-maturely I feel a tangible sense of loss. The key to truly immersing yourself in these games, and that’s what they are in essence, is to slowly read the narrative and try your best to absorb what the author is attempting to communicate. Only in that way can you get truly involved in the story. Pay particular attention when the author is trying to steer you in a particular direction. I’m not saying to be slavish in this sense, just that frequently the author will attempt to aid you in your quest by giving you subtle cues. Don’t ignore these. Also, don’t ignore the artwork. The artist’s contribution to these works shouldn’t be underrated. Try to take it all in. Some of these artists are brilliant and contribute greatly to the narrative. Even the filler bits of art contribute to the experience in my opinion. Like the drawings of swords and piles of coins and the like. If you play these books you know what I’m talking about. It all serves to enhance the sense of immersion. Try to take it all in. Smell the paper. That’s right. SMELL the paper by thumbing through the entire book right next to your nose and breathing deeply. Most of these books are twenty-plus years old and have acquired a wonderful musty smell that is deeply satisfying to me. They are all mostly unique in this regard, so my advice is to enjoy each book’s unique smell while you’re playing it. Like I was saying about the age of these books, wash your hands with soap and water before playing them. Dry your hands thoroughly as well. Only hold the book open with both of your hands. Don’t just use one hand to hold them. This can damage the spine. Some of these books are very old now and if you’ve spent a small fortune collecting a series like I have, you don’t want to risk damaging them further. They were meant to be played, but they’re no spring chickens either. Treat them with respect.
Environment is key when you want to enjoy a gamebook. If you’re constantly distracted by your environment, you can’t enjoy a gamebook properly. I have three children and a wife, so I must pick my gamebook time carefully. I love my family but they’re not conducive to a retreat into my imagination. The timing has to be right. You can have no distractions.
Equally important is gaming equipment. Your gamebook “gear” must not get in the way of your game or be overly complicated. I use a clip board to hold my adventure sheet, a dice tower so my dice don't fall on the floor and I have recently decided upon a mechanical pencil to record my adventure. I used to use a traditional wooden pencil, and don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the smell of a freshly sharpened pencil, but I have settled upon a mechanical pencil with a 1.3 mm “lead”. It never breaks and requires no sharpening. One less thing to distract me. I also have the adventure sheets for all of my gamebooks stored on my computer so I can print them off as needed. They are freely available online for whatever gamebooks you prefer. Also don’t totally rely on the eraser on top of your pencil. You need a “bulk” eraser to clear your adventure sheet when you are starting fresh. I recommend Pink Pearl erasers. They are excellent for quickly clearing an adventure sheet. The built-in eraser on your pencil is fine for changing stats and the like, but for thorough erasure for a fresh adventure you need a bulk eraser. If you intend to actually complete the game, you’ll need some sort of mapping system. Whether that involves actually drawing a map is totally up to you. I use a numbered checklist. I use a sheet of paper that has a list of numbers corresponding to the number of entries in the book I’m playing. As I make choices, I check off the numbered sections that I visit. I also make brief notes about some of the entries so I don’t make stupid mistakes more than once. For example, if a particular choice causes you to lose three stamina points or is an instant death, I’ll make a note next to the entry so I don’t make that choice again. In this way, when I restart the adventure, I can quickly see which choices I’ve already made and can make new ones. If I roll a particularly weak character, stats-wise, I’ll deliberately make choices I wouldn’t normally make just to check off that I’ve been there, but also because I know I’m going to die. I might as well explore as much as I can if I know it’s a lost cause!
Finally I know this has been a bit of a philosophical rant but I’ve never read anything like it and I feel it’s high time someone spoke out for the many people out there who feel the same way. I hope I’ve contributed in some way. If you are a fan of this format, please support any and all efforts to keep it alive. If you hear of any new gamebooks being published in the traditional way, buy one. Look on Kickstarter for any new gamebook projects and consider backing them. This art form is a part of our culture. The medium I want to say, is irrelevant, but its not. This particular medium is evocative, tangible, satisfying and beautiful. It looks good, smells good and stimulates my brain. Pure escapist bliss.
Environment is key when you want to enjoy a gamebook. If you’re constantly distracted by your environment, you can’t enjoy a gamebook properly. I have three children and a wife, so I must pick my gamebook time carefully. I love my family but they’re not conducive to a retreat into my imagination. The timing has to be right. You can have no distractions.
Equally important is gaming equipment. Your gamebook “gear” must not get in the way of your game or be overly complicated. I use a clip board to hold my adventure sheet, a dice tower so my dice don't fall on the floor and I have recently decided upon a mechanical pencil to record my adventure. I used to use a traditional wooden pencil, and don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the smell of a freshly sharpened pencil, but I have settled upon a mechanical pencil with a 1.3 mm “lead”. It never breaks and requires no sharpening. One less thing to distract me. I also have the adventure sheets for all of my gamebooks stored on my computer so I can print them off as needed. They are freely available online for whatever gamebooks you prefer. Also don’t totally rely on the eraser on top of your pencil. You need a “bulk” eraser to clear your adventure sheet when you are starting fresh. I recommend Pink Pearl erasers. They are excellent for quickly clearing an adventure sheet. The built-in eraser on your pencil is fine for changing stats and the like, but for thorough erasure for a fresh adventure you need a bulk eraser. If you intend to actually complete the game, you’ll need some sort of mapping system. Whether that involves actually drawing a map is totally up to you. I use a numbered checklist. I use a sheet of paper that has a list of numbers corresponding to the number of entries in the book I’m playing. As I make choices, I check off the numbered sections that I visit. I also make brief notes about some of the entries so I don’t make stupid mistakes more than once. For example, if a particular choice causes you to lose three stamina points or is an instant death, I’ll make a note next to the entry so I don’t make that choice again. In this way, when I restart the adventure, I can quickly see which choices I’ve already made and can make new ones. If I roll a particularly weak character, stats-wise, I’ll deliberately make choices I wouldn’t normally make just to check off that I’ve been there, but also because I know I’m going to die. I might as well explore as much as I can if I know it’s a lost cause!
Finally I know this has been a bit of a philosophical rant but I’ve never read anything like it and I feel it’s high time someone spoke out for the many people out there who feel the same way. I hope I’ve contributed in some way. If you are a fan of this format, please support any and all efforts to keep it alive. If you hear of any new gamebooks being published in the traditional way, buy one. Look on Kickstarter for any new gamebook projects and consider backing them. This art form is a part of our culture. The medium I want to say, is irrelevant, but its not. This particular medium is evocative, tangible, satisfying and beautiful. It looks good, smells good and stimulates my brain. Pure escapist bliss.
