vagsancho
Knight
Posts: 809
Favourite Gamebook Series: CRYPT OF THE SORCERER
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Post by vagsancho on Nov 20, 2022 9:58:05 GMT
In what way was it well designed? Are you sure you don't just like the author and not the product? I AM sure. Blood of the zombies is a very good book, Port of Peril isn't...
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CharlesX
Baron
Posts: 2,196
Member is Online
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Post by CharlesX on Nov 20, 2022 12:31:40 GMT
In what way was it well designed? Are you sure you don't just like the author and not the product? I AM sure. Blood of the zombies is a very good book, Port of Peril isn't... Weird, I always thought Port of Peril was an underrated FF by Livingstone (in spite of some design inconsistencies), because I like the setting and adventure. It's less of a one-road crawl than Blood Of The Zombies, Eye Of The Dragon or a certain other Livingstone FF with the word Crypt in the title. Takes all sorts, I guess.
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Post by alziel on Dec 24, 2023 13:19:26 GMT
OK - chiming in here, as I have just played this for the first time, using the Tin Man app, which has been installed on my phone for a few years without ever being opened.... Firstly, it's important to note that the Tin Man app does NOT allow your Stamina to exceed its Initial score, even though the book rules allow for this, so for anybody who plays the app version, be aware that you will be stuck with the Stamina score that you roll up at the start as your upper limit! Secondly, the app has three modes, Hardcore, Medium and Free Read (I always ignore the last option on these apps, though this book might be one reasonable exception!). It's also worth noting here that, unlike other FF apps, the 'Hardcore' mode is the one that emulates the book as designed by Sir Ian - and uses the updated 2d6+20 rules for rolling Stamina! That's how broke the gameplay for this book actually is! Finally, I decided to use champskee's guide right from the off, as I'd heard just how insanely difficult this one was and wanted to give myself the best possible chance. Anyway, I started off with 'Hardcore' mode, having rolled a 'decent' (LOL!) Stamina of 29!! Oh dear.... As I am sure happens to most people on their first attempt, I died to the swarm of 17 zombies with weapons on the stairs... Second go around, I chose 'Medium' mode. This mode allows you to roll Stamina as 2d6+40, PLUS every time you find any Medpacks, you will always get one extra, AND every Medpack will restore 4 Stamina (I believe that the book has some that only restore 2 Stamina). So, off I go, with my Stamina of 48 this time..... AND, I managed to beat the game!!! With 5 Stamina remaining, and no bookmarks used. So - yay! for that! My closing thoughts? The story itself, some of the characters and some of the encounters and set-pieces were brilliant! Nothing especially creative, as pretty much everything is pulled from existing horror movie tropes, but that's fine - I wasn't expecting much, so I really enjoyed what I got as a result. Plus, the app really enhances the experience with great music and sound effects, especially the weapon sound effects during battles! I also thought that Sir Ian got quite creative with some of the fight encounters at times, considering the simplicity of the fighting rules! However, as practically everyone here (except for Vagsancho, maybe?) has already said, the gameplay is broken. It's impossible to beat this game without cheating or fudging the rules/dice rolls. Statistically impossible. Champskees even proved this with his probability number crunching, something that I'm sure that scouserob could also confirm. I'm wondering if anybody has managed to beat Hardcore mode on the app. Even with the 2d6+40 Stamina and the extra Medpacks that the app provides on Medium difficulty, I only just scraped through, and I definitely got lucky with some of my dice rolls! Anyway - I think this is a horribly flawed gem. Great story, creativity, atmosphere, let down by a horribly broken and unfair rules system. I would recommend that the book be played as the Medium setting of the app recommends (2d6+40 Stamina, all Medpacks provide +4 Stamina and every time you find some, give yourself one extra) - but I would ALSO lift the restriction on Initial Stamina that the app enforces. That way, I think the book would be challenging enough without being unfair, and be enjoyed much more than it is by most.
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