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Post by bloodbeasthandler on Dec 23, 2016 11:52:41 GMT
Someone make Stephen Hand do his gamebook 'Blood of the Mandrakes'.
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Dec 23, 2016 20:49:13 GMT
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Post by bloodbeasthandler on Dec 24, 2016 12:16:23 GMT
I wasn't ... but I am now! Thanks.
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Post by pouncingpanda on Dec 26, 2016 17:37:45 GMT
Thanks for remember, Mighty Mudworm!
My completely unofficial Stephen Hand tribute is nearing completion and I'd love to get some volunteers to playtest it in Jan before submitting it to the Fantazine.
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vagsancho
Knight
Posts: 809
Favourite Gamebook Series: CRYPT OF THE SORCERER
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Post by vagsancho on Jul 6, 2019 16:48:54 GMT
Gornt or Hustings? Which one is better?
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Post by vastariner on Jul 6, 2019 21:27:42 GMT
Hustings. There was a buttle there.
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Post by bloodbeasthandler on Aug 25, 2019 8:26:32 GMT
Hustings. There was a buttle there. Do you know, I’d not noticed that before? It got me looking at the Titannica page seeing if I could spot any more. Apologies if this has been covered in a previous post or the Fighting Fantazine...
Petulengro – probably named after Claire Petulengro – the astrologer Guignol the archaeologist’s name (fittingly) inspired by the Grand Guignol horror theatre? Quite amusingly the giant rat Bransell must be named after Brian Ansell, previously the Citadel Miniatures boss, and at that time boss of Games Workshop! That tree monster the Mahogadon – a play on the word mahogany and the drug mogadon [from titannica: Although strong, it does have vulnerabilities. Sleeping draught absorbed by its roots returns the Mahogadon to its dormant state] The name Parcleasus inspired by the real Paracelsus no doubt (with a connections to Rosicrucians - mentioned in FF48 Moonrunner] Monty Caphisto looks like a play on Monte Christo and Mephisto The name Smegg suggests Stephen hand was a Red Dwarf fan.
The name of that gambler Bartolph rings a bell from another book, a Michael Moorcock one [?], but I can’t remember or am misremembering. Or maybe it’s just from Shakespeare, Bardolph. There must be more.
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Post by Wilf on Aug 25, 2019 16:31:47 GMT
Hustings. There was a buttle there. Quite amusingly the giant rat Bransell must be named after Brian Ansell, previously the Citadel Miniatures boss, and at that time boss of Games Workshop!
New fact! Good fact!
Isn't there a Bran-Sell in Starship Traveller, too?
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Post by bloodbeasthandler on Aug 25, 2019 17:23:56 GMT
Quite amusingly the giant rat Bransell must be named after Brian Ansell, previously the Citadel Miniatures boss, and at that time boss of Games Workshop!
New fact! Good fact!
Isn't there a Bran-Sell in Starship Traveller, too?
Yeah! And the Darvillians - presumably the descendants (or ancestors?) of Peter Darvill-Evans.
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Post by vastariner on Aug 26, 2019 13:31:39 GMT
The name of that gambler Bartolph rings a bell from another book, a Michael Moorcock one [?], but I can’t remember or am misremembering. Or maybe it’s just from Shakespeare, Bardolph.
There was a Botolph in the Warlock comic strip Arkenor & Max. Surely taken from Bardolph.
Most of the Starship Traveller names are GW of Steve Jackson.
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Post by Khan on Apr 27, 2020 2:55:27 GMT
Hey guys, not sure if anyone is still active in this thread but really appreciate everyone's input on this great book. This is the second FF book that I've ever read (First is #41 Master of Chaos) so both books have a special place in my memory. What I liked about this book is: 1a). You have multiple routes to victory, but mainly the SE/SW main trade route options. Also when you are running in Royal Lendle, you can choose LEFT/FRONT/RIGHT option which will make a difference later in the game, but the results are not permanent. 1b). The excellent illustrations within the game and especially the ominous cover title pumpkin heads. I think most people mistook these as the Shadow Warriors before they actually went deep in the book. I remembered as a kid this cover page was one of the ones that really stuck in my mind, if not the best one. The dark, ominuous and rainy background, the scary looking pumpkin heads, and the Asian yellow fonts really stood out even to this day. On the other hand there are two things I didn't like: 2a). One of the SE/SW path is much harder, as most reviewers have already concurred, and it's a pity that I have never taken the hard path, as a few initial tries almost resulted in death or getting lost in the maze. Also the fact that if you take the easier path, not only is it much easier, but you also get rewarded with an item which is VERY VERY GENEROUS even in most FF books I've read. Therefore, to me the two-path option is irrelevant, as I have only played the easy route. I was randomly flipping through pages and I realized that you an get the Ring of Rabbam with the hard route, but the amount of luck and effort needed does not justify the reward, especially when I said the other route is MUCH EASIER AND the reward is MUCH BETTER! 2b). When you get the SPEAR OF DOOM you have to roll 1D6 + 5, so if you are really unlucky and roll a 1, your chance of winning the game is much slimmer. All in all this is still one of the best FF to date and as mentioned before, will have a special place in my heart.
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Post by The Count on Apr 28, 2020 0:26:47 GMT
One of the best FF books in terms of atmosphere, story, game play, balance of difficulty and artwork.
Having two routes adds to the replay value, and the titular Shadow Warriors are very difficult foes without simply being Skill 12 giving a good challenge no matter what your stats are.
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kieran
Baron
Posts: 2,458
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
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Post by kieran on Apr 28, 2020 7:04:32 GMT
One of these days I will beat it by the more difficult route!
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Post by Khan on Apr 30, 2020 5:15:13 GMT
One of the best FF books in terms of atmosphere, story, game play, balance of difficulty and artwork. Having two routes adds to the replay value, and the titular Shadow Warriors are very difficult foes without simply being Skill 12 giving a good challenge no matter what your stats are. Completely agree with you Bro. This book is neither too hard nor too easy and just about right in terms of everything. This is one of the books where I don't bother playing until I get good stats coz I know it will be a waste of time, even going on the easy route.
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Post by Khan on Apr 30, 2020 5:26:35 GMT
One of these days I will beat it by the more difficult route! Good luck on that Bro I know I'm the same I always wanted to "Be a Man" and go the hard route but then after seeing the hermit will say "Oh WTH why bother..." Not that I mind going the hard route as it's just trial and error in the nightmare maze and then slightly easier in the Dark Elf cavern, but it's just too ridiculous to give up the RING OF DESTINY on the easy route. Stephen really made me feel like Rambo when I spent 4gp in Royal Lendle to get the 4/6/2 BATTLE AXE, and after getting the RING OF DESTINY I basically dish out 6 dmg per attack round, thus effectively ending most battles in two rounds. That's no different than spraying your enemies with a .50 Cal in Rambo IV...
However, the funny thing is after reading #44 LotSW a few days ago, I'm reading #43 KotLL and even though there are multiple routes to winning the game, with the quickest one around 35 paragraphs, I still enjoyed going the long route and obtaining every single artifact and rescuing most villagers on the island. This is completely unnecessary but most readers including myself seem to enjoy it. So I'm not sure why such a big difference between the approach to #43 KotLL and #44 LotSW. If I have to guess, #43 is super easy so although it's sort of a waste of time going the long route and obtaining artifacts that have no effect on the final outcome in the game, the writing makes it a picnic to enjoy when going the long route. #44 the long route is super hard and you get lost or easily killed by the Nightmare Master or killed off by the Dark Elves, and again not being able to get the RING OF DESTINY.
#41, #43 and #44 are all my earlier books and thus have great sentimental values to me, not to mention the difficulty levels are around medium, making them enjoyable for me as a beginner back in the good old days... :-)
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Post by Law on Jan 27, 2021 15:07:38 GMT
One of these days I will beat it by the more difficult route! Good luck on that Bro I know I'm the same I always wanted to "Be a Man" and go the hard route but then after seeing the hermit will say "Oh WTH why bother..." Not that I mind going the hard route as it's just trial and error in the nightmare maze and then slightly easier in the Dark Elf cavern, but it's just too ridiculous to give up the RING OF DESTINY on the easy route. Stephen really made me feel like Rambo when I spent 4gp in Royal Lendle to get the 4/6/2 BATTLE AXE, and after getting the RING OF DESTINY I basically dish out 6 dmg per attack round, thus effectively ending most battles in two rounds. That's no different than spraying your enemies with a .50 Cal in Rambo IV...
However, the funny thing is after reading #44 LotSW a few days ago, I'm reading #43 KotLL and even though there are multiple routes to winning the game, with the quickest one around 35 paragraphs, I still enjoyed going the long route and obtaining every single artifact and rescuing most villagers on the island. This is completely unnecessary but most readers including myself seem to enjoy it. So I'm not sure why such a big difference between the approach to #43 KotLL and #44 LotSW. If I have to guess, #43 is super easy so although it's sort of a waste of time going the long route and obtaining artifacts that have no effect on the final outcome in the game, the writing makes it a picnic to enjoy when going the long route. #44 the long route is super hard and you get lost or easily killed by the Nightmare Master or killed off by the Dark Elves, and again not being able to get the RING OF DESTINY.
#41, #43 and #44 are all my earlier books and thus have great sentimental values to me, not to mention the difficulty levels are around medium, making them enjoyable for me as a beginner back in the good old days... :-) Saving up all my nine charges for the Spear of Doom and unleashing it on those masked menaces in vengeance for everyone they slaughtered was immensely cathartic...
Though I think the final curtain for the Circus of Dreams went more like this!
Scratch that. It's more the Bounty Hunter manning the Ethereal Projector and zapping near 400 scumbags!
This may be the best holy spear FF game-book next to KoTLL, CoK and KoD.
The entire book has one of the best tones in the whole line-up. An autumnal end-of-days ambience reminding me of 'Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice' or Berserk's 'Lost Children' Arc.
And redeeming the Big Bad instead of slaughtering him. Forgiveness in the aftermath of war... It's powerful, poignant stuff. What with him probably being able to enjoy a life reborn for a few more years at most...
Paragraph 90 was definitely a favourite with the Pagan atmosphere from Looking Glass's 'Thief' on steroids. Not to mention Titan Himself making an appearance as the Horned God.
I don't think the stakes have ever been higher than facing Death's Emissary. He who is above every Demon Prince in the universe.
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Post by bloodbeasthandler on Mar 12, 2022 10:14:39 GMT
I watched the Hammer Horror film 'The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires' the other day. I think Stephen Hand got a few ideas from the film for LotSW.
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Post by philsadler on Mar 12, 2022 11:26:46 GMT
I watched the Hammer Horror film 'The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires' the other day. I think Stephen Hand got a few ideas from the film for LotSW.
OMG. I watched that a few days ago too! What on earth are the odds?
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Post by bloodbeasthandler on Mar 12, 2022 13:09:37 GMT
I watched the Hammer Horror film 'The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires' the other day. I think Stephen Hand got a few ideas from the film for LotSW.
OMG. I watched that a few days ago too! What on earth are the odds?
There's no doubt about it, the odds are steep. Not as steep as beating Razaak in hand-to-hand combat though... Things I spotted from the film... The similarity in the title: Legend of the [insert names of the evil lieutenants here] Going to the aid of a far-off village being menaced by an evil lord and his supernatural followers. Some of those lieutenants being encountered and defeated before the big showdown at the end. The physical appearance of the shadow warriors is very similar to the vampires in the film. And seizing an item from the lieutenants (mask or medallion) kills them off fully. The arch-villain raises the dead in large numbers. Arch villain is defeated by a spear. In LotSW it is the shadow warriors who have individual masteries of different weapons. In the film it is the heroes. And if you want to see another film that has inspired a certain plot line of FF44, I'd recommend you watch They Live (a film by John Carpenter) if you haven't already. It's on Youtube. Don't read up on it beforehand, just watch it.
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Post by philsadler on Mar 12, 2022 13:37:21 GMT
I saw They Live and it was pretty darn good. Did you know it has one of the longest fight scenes in cinema history?
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IoannesKantakouzenos
Traveller
Being slowly eaten alive by a Ghoul
Posts: 105
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy (Aventuras Fantásticas)
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Post by IoannesKantakouzenos on Mar 29, 2022 15:58:15 GMT
This book, in its Portuguese version, was flawed because the translator changed all the names in the final map (the one of Karnstein's surroundings in Para 282) were translated but the paragraph numbers weren't changed, so when you chose the right place and did the math, you'd end up in the wrong paragraph. The fact haunted this book for me for years until I discovered what was wrong, since I enjoyed it pretty much.
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Post by slloyd14 on Oct 8, 2022 7:07:28 GMT
I love this book. There's loads of great items to get, including a possible chase with a tax collector and his guards. The shadow warriors are terrifying foes. You can get a powerful magical weapon and I love all the Hammer Horror themed monsters. Also, as is typical of Stephen Hand, you don't just win by beating someone to death,
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Post by misomiso on Oct 8, 2022 10:52:11 GMT
Yes this one is a big favourite. Does anyone know what Stephen Hand is going now at all? He never seems to have gone to any of the conventions and I can't find any online prescence anywhere. ty
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Post by slloyd14 on Oct 8, 2022 12:58:30 GMT
Yes this one is a big favourite. Does anyone know what Stephen Hand is going now at all? He never seems to have gone to any of the conventions and I can't find any online prescence anywhere. ty There was a falling out with him and SJ and IL. He probably won't do anything FF related again.
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Post by CharlesX on Oct 8, 2022 13:11:39 GMT
Yes this one is a big favourite. Does anyone know what Stephen Hand is going now at all? He never seems to have gone to any of the conventions and I can't find any online prescence anywhere. ty There was a falling out with him and SJ and IL. He probably won't do anything FF related again. Stephen Hand was perhaps almost too good for a slightly commercial series such as FF. I wonder what else he did, as he doesn't seem to have a Wikipedia page. Apparently he did do at least three Games Workshop games, which were all reviewed 3-5 stars out of 5 (not surprisngly).
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sylas
Baron
"Don't just adventure for treasure; treasure the adventure!"
Posts: 1,678
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy, Way of the Tiger
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Post by sylas on Oct 8, 2022 22:02:11 GMT
Stephen Hand definitely wants nothing to do with FF unfortunately. I don't know what the fall out was about but I've heard that asking him anything to do with FF is a bad idea.
He also created the boardgame Fury of Dracula amongst a few others.
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tom
Squire
Posts: 23
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Post by tom on Apr 19, 2023 9:25:57 GMT
Can you use the Spear of Doom to automatically defeat individual Shadow Warriors in combat? I would assume so as the text doesn’t state they are exceptions. As vessels of their masters will I assume you defeat them by giving life to the dead.
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Post by CharlesX on Apr 19, 2023 11:01:57 GMT
Can you use the Spear of Doom to automatically defeat individual Shadow Warriors in combat? I would assume so as the text doesn’t state they are exceptions. As vessels of their masters will I assume you defeat them by giving life to the dead. Definitely, for those reasons you've given. I would say they were the primary use for the Spear Of Doom other than defeating Voivod to win the gamebook, as they very much some of the toughest enemies you will face going via either possible path (I would only use them against the Pan-Terric Behemoth or Nightmare Master if I have lots of charges and my stats aren't brilliant).
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tom
Squire
Posts: 23
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Post by tom on Apr 26, 2023 19:02:04 GMT
This is probably my favourite gamebook. So atmospheric. Hand has a wonderful writing style, helped by McKennas art, that no other FF author for me has quite matched. Although Jackson is the king of red herrings and squeezing every possible trick out of gamebooks.
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