|
Post by schlendrian on Jun 16, 2019 16:09:55 GMT
Never played khights of doom and bloodbones, but I have difficulty to believe that any of those could be better than this extraordinary FF book. At least Bloodbones shouldn't be too hard to aquire, so there really is no reason for uninformed opinions, even if they are - as is the case here - correct
|
|
|
Post by jnicol on Jun 17, 2019 23:39:13 GMT
I just completed Howl of the Werewolf for the first time. What a wonderful book! It is deserving of all the praise that has been heaped on it. I don’t know if this is place to post lengthy reviews, but here goes...
Howl of the Werewolf is the 4th FF book I have read since rediscovering the series, and it is fascinating to jump straight from Warlock to Howl and see how far things have come.
The book oozes gothic atmosphere. Green’s lengthy paragraphs let him construct a detailed plot, and it is obvious that he did his research into werewolf folklore. I am a fan of his writing style too, which is evocative without being florid.
The book’s design is non-linear, and has an open world feel to it. The reader is not railroaded into taking a “true path”, and there are numerous ways to reach the final showdown, depending on the level of risk you want to take and how many side quests you want to undertake. There is not a shopping list of items required to win, though certain items will certainly smooth the path to victory.
The Change and Alarm mechanics brings to mind the Hours mechanic from Bloodbones (the only other Jonathan Green gamebook I have played). Change tracks lycanthropy’s hold on your mind and body, which adds a sense of urgency to the narrative. I found it easy to keep my Change to a low level, so none of my characters transformed into a werewolf, but my guess is that to do so would mean game over?
In terms of difficulty, I found Howl surprisingly forgiving. It took me five attempts to finish the book, and most of my deaths were due to pushing my luck rather being overwhelmed by enemies. To be honest, I felt a little overpowered once my character was buffed with armour, magical weapons, and the ability boosts which are awarded as your character’s lycanthropy progresses. The final confrontation felt somewhat underwhelming as a result, but in the story’s final moments it is revealed that there is another, more challenging way to win. Located throughout the book are four other big bad guys to confront, and five magical artefacts to discover, which allow you to perform a magic ritual to dispatch your nemesis rather than going toe-to-toe. This gives the book a lot of replay value, and a way to scale up the difficulty once you’ve won on “easy mode”.
Speaking of difficulty, I like how Green tweaked the Skill rules to create a tighter spread (8-10), meaning that bad initial rolls don’t doom your attempt like they might in other other FF books.
Martin McKenna’s art is fantastic, and helps to support the dark atmosphere that Green has created. The illustrations are drawn white on black, which gives them a moody feeling, and evokes old fashioned engravings or wood cuts. I’m not sure if that was a stylistic decision, or the artist’s usual method, but it is a perfect match for the book’s setting.
Other than the gameplay being a little easy, the only negative thing I have to say about Howl of the Werewolf is that I might have spoiled the rest of the series for myself by reading it so early in my playthrough of the books! It will be a hard act to follow.
|
|
kieran
Baron
Posts: 2,458
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
Member is Online
|
Post by kieran on Jun 18, 2019 2:05:57 GMT
I found it easy to keep my Change to a low level, so none of my characters transformed into a werewolf, I feel this is the book's greatest weakness. The risk of becoming a werewolf permanently should have been a lot higher to add to the tension but the Change score feels like a formality. A couple of lesser niggles I have with the book are that some paths are quite short and dull compared to others and there seems to be too few illustrations for the greater number of sections. Apart from those points this is an excellent book. For some reason I enjoy Bloodbones more though I admit it's technically inferior.
|
|
|
Post by jnicol on Jun 18, 2019 3:24:46 GMT
A couple of lesser niggles I have with the book are that some paths are quite short and dull compared to others I looked at champskees' solution after finishing the book, and was surprised how many of the encounters can be skipped entirely. I imagine that it would be disappointing to stumble upon the optimal path during one's first playthrough, since you'd miss out on a big chunk of the book! My adventure was more meandering, and I spent a fair while exploring the side quests, so I didn't feel shortchanged.
|
|
|
Post by philsadler on Jun 18, 2019 7:58:44 GMT
Speaking of difficulty, I like how Green tweaked the Skill rules to create a tighter spread (8-10), meaning that bad initial rolls don’t doom your attempt like they might in other other FF books.
I found this really disappointing. I mean we all know that some books are a joke with certain stats, but there must be a way to rectify that without dumbing the whole thing down so that it doesn't really matter what stats you roll because they will be so similar to any others. It's a real shame and I don't think it's the way forward at all. I consider it a way of correcting a problem by introducing another problem: most of the rolls are fairly pointless because most of them will be the 'same.'
|
|
kieran
Baron
Posts: 2,458
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
Member is Online
|
Post by kieran on Jun 18, 2019 11:31:59 GMT
Speaking of difficulty, I like how Green tweaked the Skill rules to create a tighter spread (8-10), meaning that bad initial rolls don’t doom your attempt like they might in other other FF books.
I found this really disappointing. I mean we all know that some books are a joke with certain stats, but there must be a way to rectify that without dumbing the whole thing down so that it doesn't really matter what stats you roll because they will be so similar to any others. It's a real shame and I don't think it's the way forward at all. I consider it a way of correcting a problem by introducing another problem: most of the rolls are fairly pointless because most of them will be the 'same.'
Ideally it should be possible for a Skill 7 character to get through if they do everything right, while a higher Skill should allow you to get away with a few mistakes. Not many books that's true for though.
|
|
|
Post by bloodbeasthandler on Jun 18, 2019 19:05:47 GMT
As a bit of a side issue, but they should long ago have ditched the 6 + d6 generator for the SKILL score. A spread between 7 and 12 inclusive is just too great. 7 + d3 or 8 + d3 would perhaps be the solution.
|
|
|
Post by johnbrawn1972 on Jun 18, 2019 20:56:45 GMT
As a bit of a side issue, but they should long ago have ditched the 6 + d6 generator for the SKILL score. A spread between 7 and 12 inclusive is just too great. 7 + d3 or 8 + d3 would perhaps be the solution. Genuine skill and attack strength bonuses that were unambiguously worded did ameliorate things to a degree so if you found the right route the ending should be attainable rather than unbeatable. My favourite example of this has to be Night of the Necromancer where you can win easily if you exploit the mechanics with a minimal character. To an extent even Citadel anticipated how things could be done where choosing the correct spells radically shifts the probabilities in your favour.
|
|
|
Post by Pete Byrdie on Jun 20, 2019 14:04:05 GMT
As a bit of a side issue, but they should long ago have ditched the 6 + d6 generator for the SKILL score. A spread between 7 and 12 inclusive is just too great. 7 + d3 or 8 + d3 would perhaps be the solution. I'm an advocate of abandoning a range of attribute levels completely, unless one is given options of different character types (classes).
|
|
vagsancho
Knight
Posts: 809
Favourite Gamebook Series: CRYPT OF THE SORCERER
|
Post by vagsancho on Aug 3, 2019 8:16:06 GMT
THE INFERNAL CABALA. I LOVE IT.
|
|
sylas
Baron
"Don't just adventure for treasure; treasure the adventure!"
Posts: 1,678
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy, Way of the Tiger
|
Post by sylas on Aug 3, 2019 9:32:23 GMT
The easiest way to counter the Skill range problem is to cut down on unavoidable combats.
|
|
|
Post by Wilf on Aug 3, 2019 11:04:20 GMT
The Skill range might not be a problem with the right structure.
I've long wanted to see a gamebook with four different paths to victory - one that needs a high Skill, one a high Stamina, one a high Luck, and one winnable on minimum stats but requiring lots of items, clues, and secret references.
Not sure any FF has done that yet, which is a pity, because it would make sense of having pre-rolled characters (as in the second Wizard series) as each would need a different path to win.
|
|
sylas
Baron
"Don't just adventure for treasure; treasure the adventure!"
Posts: 1,678
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy, Way of the Tiger
|
Post by sylas on Aug 3, 2019 20:36:34 GMT
The Skill range might not be a problem with the right structure. I've long wanted to see a gamebook with four different paths to victory - one that needs a high Skill, one a high Stamina, one a high Luck, and one winnable on minimum stats but requiring lots of items, clues, and secret references. Not sure any FF has done that yet, which is a pity, because it would make sense of having pre-rolled characters (as in the second Wizard series) as each would need a different path to win. It would be nice to have that range in Fighting Fantasy but it hasn't happened yet. The closest gamebook I can think of that does this correctly is Jonathan Green's 'Alice's Nightmare In Wonderland'. In that you have points to assign to: Agility, Logic, Combat, and Endurance. There is a slightly different path for near-maxing out on any two attributes, so having a high Combat and Endurance will favor a different path to a character with high Logic and Endurance, for example.
|
|
|
Post by philsadler on Aug 4, 2019 7:50:54 GMT
I had a go at fixing this 'problem' in my own books (well the last two: House of Pain and Deathtrap), in that I gave the reader a lot of extra choices as achievements listed after the initial character creation. I listed them as achievements to make sure the reader knew that these were extra things they could try if they found the book too difficult or, conversely, they wanted a further challenge:
Character Achievements
Easy Character Achievements
(In order of perceived difficulty from easiest to hardest, although 'Champion' is recommended for those seeking the genuine challenge that the book has been structured for):
'Beginner' Start with a SKILL of 6 a LUCK of 6 a STAMINA of 12 and distribute 12 points between them but not above the maximums of 12 SKILL, 12 LUCK and STAMINA 24. Now beat the book.
Tick if you have completed this achievement [ ]
'Novice'
Roll a die for SKILL and then LUCK and consult the following table on both occasions:
1-3 = 9 SKILL/LUCK 4 = 10 SKILL/LUCK 5 = 11 SKILL/LUCK 6 = 12 SKILL/LUCK
Next roll a die for STAMINA and consult the next table:
1-3 = 18 STAMINA 4 = 20 STAMINA 5 = 22 STAMINA 6 = 24 STAMINA
Now beat the book.
Tick if you have completed this achievement [ ]
'Easy'
Use a SKILL 11, LUCK 9, STAMINA 16 character. Now beat the book.
Tick if you have completed this achievement [ ]
'Medium'
Use a SKILL 10, LUCK 10, STAMINA 20 character. Now beat the book.
Tick if you have completed this achievement [ ]
'Hard'
Use a SKILL 9, LUCK 11, STAMINA 24 character. Now beat the book.
Tick if you have completed this achievement [ ]
'Expert'
Use a SKILL 9, LUCK 9, STAMINA 18 character. Now beat the book.
Tick if you have completed this achievement [ ]
Standard Character Achievement
'Champion' (recommended)
Roll up a character in the normal way (this is the suggested way to play the adventure). Now beat the book.
Tick if you have completed this achievement [ ]
Difficult Character Achievement
'Conqueror'
Use a SKILL 7 character but roll for the other statistics in the usual way. Now beat the book.
Tick if you have completed this achievement [ ]
Extreme Character Achievement
'Hero'
Use a SKILL 7, LUCK 7, STAMINA, 14. Now beat the book.
Tick if you have completed this achievement [ ]
|
|
vagsancho
Knight
Posts: 809
Favourite Gamebook Series: CRYPT OF THE SORCERER
|
Post by vagsancho on Aug 9, 2019 18:12:30 GMT
I do not see one single flaw in this gamebook.
|
|
vagsancho
Knight
Posts: 809
Favourite Gamebook Series: CRYPT OF THE SORCERER
|
Post by vagsancho on Aug 9, 2019 20:13:56 GMT
Not everything is logic. Howl of the Werewolf is an absolute masterpiece. A fantastic book. Without one single flaw. Absolutely fantastic. Night of the Necromancer has flaws, however it is probably even better.
|
|
sylas
Baron
"Don't just adventure for treasure; treasure the adventure!"
Posts: 1,678
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy, Way of the Tiger
|
Post by sylas on Aug 9, 2019 23:37:34 GMT
Challenge Mode 1 - Double ALL increases to Change
Challenge Mode 2 - As mode 1 but also halve ALL decreases to Change (rounding fractions down), and you do not start with a Lantern
|
|
|
Post by johnbrawn1972 on Aug 16, 2023 17:42:20 GMT
Challenge Mode 1 - Double ALL increases to Change Challenge Mode 2 - As mode 1 but also halve ALL decreases to Change (rounding fractions down), and you do not start with a Lantern Is it possible to lose your Lantern?
|
|
|
Post by johnbrawn1972 on Aug 16, 2023 17:55:16 GMT
I have now finished my 8/12/7 system. I have made one adjustment and that is if you lose a luck point it is better to go for the Silver Dagger. The -3 stamina and -1 skill penalty is pretty brutal so I want to have 7 luck for a 58% chance of avoiding having to face the Lurking Horror at parity. Also if you have to make a luck roll when you have 2 stamina the odds are, as a matter of course, slightly more in your favour.
Provisions should not be an issue as you should have at least a 90% chance, and more likely a 97% chance, of avoiding the Carnivale. Even if you enter the Carnivale and fail the skill roll you should just about have enough provisions to see you through.
|
|
roidhun
Wanderer
Ironic, self-deprecating nerd and geek extraordinnaire.
Posts: 78
Favourite Gamebook Series: The Legends of Skyfall (Yes, really!)
|
Post by roidhun on Aug 16, 2023 18:19:30 GMT
I'm more than a little conflicted about the Carnivale being there at all. I get that just about every book set in the Old World continent is homaging the way 1970s Hammer horror movies depicted the 18th Century, but freakshows were one of the cruellest inventions of the dark side of the human imagination, ever. Should they still be depicted in fiction at all, except to utterly condemn them?
|
|
Jonathan Green
Squire
Posts: 47
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
|
Post by Jonathan Green on Feb 29, 2024 18:25:28 GMT
Greetings, Howl of the Werewolf fans.
Is anyone aware of any errata in the book? I have the chance to fix any errors before a new Danish edition is published but am not aware of any errata myself.
Thanks in advance and I look forward to reading your comments.
|
|
|
Post by CharlesX on Feb 29, 2024 19:30:19 GMT
Hi Jon
I didn't notice errors reading Howl Of The Werewolf but the Titannica entry lists three (so, shows what I know):
46) - "north-west, south-west, north-east and north-west" should read "north-west, south-west, north-east and south-east". (It is stated even in same reference Maun path is south-east, yet the signpost is north-west as is miswritten)
(104) - "you much Test your Skill" should be "you must Test your Skill". (You might as well correct this) (310) - "or the one that is to your right (turn to 459)." should be "or the one that is to your right (turn to 496)." (i.e. a link error - if you turn to 459 as instructed you will realise at once you are in an incorrect reference).
My apologies for quoting such a secondary source. The second one is a very minor error so well done for only letting about two technical errors seep through a bigger-than-average gamebook.
|
|
Jonathan Green
Squire
Posts: 47
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
|
Post by Jonathan Green on Feb 29, 2024 19:35:34 GMT
Hi Jon
I didn't notice errors reading Howl Of The Werewolf but the Titannica entry lists three (so, shows what I know):
46) - "north-west, south-west, north-east and north-west" should read "north-west, south-west, north-east and south-east". (It is stated even in same reference Maun path is south-east, yet the signpost is north-west as is miswritten)
(104) - "you much Test your Skill" should be "you must Test your Skill". (You might as well correct this) (310) - "or the one that is to your right (turn to 459)." should be "or the one that is to your right (turn to 496)." (i.e. a link error - if you turn to 459 as instructed you will realise at once you are in an incorrect reference).
My apologies for quoting such a secondary source. The second one is a very minor error so well done for only letting about two technical errors seep through a bigger-than-average gamebook.
Thanks, Charles. :-)
|
|
|
Post by worldsapart on Mar 1, 2024 2:31:49 GMT
Hi Jon,
I've also found a secondary source. Unfortunately, I haven't read your book (yet!) and can't judge how useful the errata could be. It's on a French website, but part of the errata is about the original version. You'll find it (in French...) in the bright yellow frame on the left of the page.
|
|
|
Post by worldsapart on Mar 1, 2024 2:32:41 GMT
|
|