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Post by thealmightymudworm on May 1, 2024 1:41:52 GMT
I've added a win tally to the opening post. This is specifically for players who succesfully completed a challenge as set while it was ongoing, regardless of who set the next challenge.
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Post by Gabe Fandango on May 1, 2024 3:17:43 GMT
Alright, I'm just going to post the next challenge without reading much of the adventure (I've only given it a very brief readthrough for the premise and types of endings available). Having participated in a Blood of Zombies LP in a different forum some months back that left a bad taste in my mouth, I'm picking an entry with a zombie apocalypse to see if this provides a better experience: Operation Dead Dawn by Tom Perrett 67 sections Winner goes to the first person to post a playthrough with the successful completion of the game's mission within 24 hours of 3 am. GMT on 15 May 2024. If no player manages to complete the mission by 21 May 2024, first playthrough that reach a surviving ending wins. If no surviving accounts are available, the failed playthrough with the highest zombie kill-count wins. Note that the adventure does not require you to keep a kill count of zombies like BotZ does, so you will have to make the conscious attempt to keep count yourself if you intend to win by this manner.
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Post by Per on May 1, 2024 12:28:49 GMT
Since Lindenbaum voting has now closed, I can offer my estimation of the challenge suitability of the entries, or at least the one that was already chosen. Mild structural and technical spoilers: Obviously suitability ultimately depends on the goals of the challenge, e.g. just get people to play something, get a range of different outcomes, get a range of different accounts, etc. In aggregate, I would rank ODD in the lower third of the nine. It's somewhat linear, perhaps more importantly the ways in which it's not has largely no mechanical significance. Unless there's a sudden increase in participants, you're unlikely to see a failed outcome. Unless you actively aim to, I think it's impossible to fail in combat. At worst, if you make a questionable decision, you end up with a fixed 1 in 6 chance of a death ending. There are a few variations to the "victory" outcomes and some different detours and special scenes some players could find while others do not, so there's that, it just ultimately doesn't have any impact on winning or losing. I guess we will see after we wait (for reasons that still elude me) two more weeks for the challenge to begin.
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Post by Gabe Fandango on May 1, 2024 15:22:17 GMT
There are a few variations to the "victory" outcomes. Only one of the surviving endings explicitly states the mission to be successful, and that's the one I'm counting as victory for the first condition. With regards to the time limit, I just referred to the earlier rounds as a rough guide, so if you guys prefer a shorter wait, I can shorten that.
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Post by Per on May 2, 2024 15:00:02 GMT
Only one of the surviving endings explicitly states the mission to be successful, and that's the one I'm counting as victory for the first condition. That's one available metric I guess (I'm not sure it's possible to make sense of the mission in a wider context), although the adventure is more than a tad arbitrary and cryptic when it comes to the endings. If you save the hard drive and go to 67, the adventure forgets about the drive and says you failed because Falkov died. Meanwhile 64 acknowledges that Falkov is just as dead then goes on to say you succeeded (while neglecting to explain the significance or necessity of the data). If the letter of the mission statement is what's important, then 67 with drive should be considered more of a success than 64, since at least an attempt was made to retrieve Falkov (and the main character expresses as much elsewhere in the adventure).
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Post by Gabe Fandango on May 9, 2024 2:59:40 GMT
Well, that's what happens when I pick a book blindly without giving it a thorough play. We'll see how it goes.
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Post by thealmightymudworm on May 18, 2024 0:50:32 GMT
I've given this a playthrough. I didn't win, (due to sentimentality) but survived.
I'll add some more details shortly, but thought I'd post now in case anyone's competitive spirit is inspired to try for a win before 21st and wrest control of the thread away from me. (I haven't thought what the next challenge might be yet, so if you have a good idea go for it.)
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Post by thealmightymudworm on May 21, 2024 3:44:08 GMT
Playthrough: Having been introduced to a cast of briefly but colourfully described characters, I'm told by the Major that our two teams are to restart the communications with Fort Harrison but also extract the chief researcher and her work. It seems likely that if the latter is necessary, trying for the former is optimistic.
So do we check the perimeter before going in? It seems stupid not to. Both teams? Well yes, if there's something to be known, it's better if we both know it, right? Shut up Nguyen, I'm in charge here. Anyway some keys turn up. I'll take those, you didn't even want to search.
Finally it's time to split up so I can focus on myself and my team: Winters and Hart AKA Ghost and Angel AKA Sneaky Dude and Girly Girl. We head into the admin building, find a building plan and start using it to seek the doc. But then we encounter an 'injured' soldier. Angel immediately holsters her gun and runs over to provide treatment which is frankly stupid even before the inevitable revelation. The fort has been compromised by something, and if zombies wouldn't be your first guess perhaps terrorists with suicide belts might be?
We neutralise the zombie. I accept immediately that that's what it is. After all, I'm accompanied by an angel and a ghost. I'm a man of the supernatural world, but the others come round to the idea more slowly. Surprisingly, the ghost is the more sceptical of the two.
We encounter a few more zombies, find what seems to be the right door barricaded and choose to clear it. Gun down a few more zombies, nothing testing, and find Dr Falkov. She doesn't want to explain what's going on (really?) but I insist. We were trying to make unstoppable soldiers and now we can stop them, she explains. D'oh!
Now we need to go to collect her research, so we shoot some more zombies and then shoot some more zombies. Then we take a detour to the armoury (keys are handy) and get better weapons to better shoot some more zombies. (Why were we dispatched with anything short of the best gear to start with?)
Then idiot Falkov jumps forward to unleash more zombies from her office. We take them out, but she is bitten before retrieving her hard drive. I decide to keep her alive and with us, even though this seems like a risk for no reward as there's no way she'll survive long enough to please the Major and we'll have to destroy her too. But we have our orders and I'm trying to win.
Seeking evacuation, we shoot a few more zombies and then from the roof see Corporal 'Viper' Rodriguez in need to saving. (Private 'Torch' Reed and Sergeant 'No Nickname' Nguyen seem to have met a sticky end, although no one ever says so.) Ghost sprints to help while Hart and I shoot some more zombies. Ghost needs my help saving Viper, but it's all good. The helicopter's on its way, so we shoot some more zombies to pass the time.
Then Private Hart reveals that her name is not really 'Emily' but in fact 'Miranda' when she falls over for no reason. Do I save her or the hard drive?
I'm 80-90% sure that I'm supposed to go for the hard drive, but I resent the dilemma and I'd rather be wrong saving Hart than the hard drive so that's what I do. Perhaps the idea is that together we can make a stand then rescue the hard drive whereas separately we'd both be overrun? Ah no, the hard drive is lost.
Then, predictably Falkov turns undead on board the helicopter, but a quick cosh sorts that out. So, Major, four of the six of us made it back from your stupid suicide mission and you can experiment on Falkov's corpse. Stop complaining. What else do you need to know except Shoot Them In The Head?
Comments: – Operation Dead Dawn is 67 refs, but frankly it feels shorter than that because many of the paragraphs just have one 'turn to' exit with no decisions or variation. It starts at section 1 from which you 'turn to' section 2, which leads in turn to section 3. Why even make them separate sections?
– I don't tend to read hard-boiled military fiction (nor do I watch much zombie stuff for that matter). I wouldn't expect to like the style even if it was exactly what the target reader wanted. Tom Perrett clearly wants to paint the scene for you and I think probably has some writing talent. However for me the whole thing is absurdly overwritten, with far more metaphors, analogies and similes than helps the narrative. For example, when we meet Dr Falkov:
'Muscle memory dictates your response as your weapon instantly aligns with the source of the sound, ready to eliminate the threat. But then, the tension is pierced by a voice urging restraint. "Wait, don't shoot," calls out a voice, strained but controlled. The command resounds in the fraught silence, every syllable sharp with urgent clarity.'
That's a three word imperative with three descriptions of how it is delivered. One would do fine; none would be better than three. The over-layering actually reduces the feeling of urgency, which is the absolute number 1 thing you need in a zombie thriller.
– After initially resenting learning the combat rules, I warmed to them a bit. They have potential, but as it stands you have a negligible risk of dying in combat. This is for three reasons: • The abundance of ammo – you start with a fair whack of ammo but can expect to find quite a bit more. • The number of zombies you encounter and the distance you encounter them at means that you are unlikely to have to make use of your close weapon (the metal baton). I didn't before them the forced scenario with zombie Falkov. • A zombie right next to you only causes 1 point of damage out of your 15 each round. This is feeble.
Again, this removes the feelings of threat and urgency.
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Post by Gabe Fandango on May 23, 2024 1:26:43 GMT
Well, at this point, it's safe to announce thealmightymudworm as the winner of this challenge, since he's the only one who posted a playthrough!
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Post by thealmightymudworm on May 23, 2024 2:40:22 GMT
Well, at this point, it's safe to announce thealmightymudworm as the winner of this challenge, since he's the only one who posted a playthrough! Thanks.
OK I'll pick a challenge shortly. Are people keen for it to be another Lindenbaum entry?
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Post by Per on May 26, 2024 13:11:14 GMT
If you do pick Andrew's winning entry, I will participate, since I found out I misplayed an important rule (due to AUTHORIAL NEBULOSITY) and it might be helpful to check ahead of time so others aren't making the sane error.
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Jun 1, 2024 2:08:52 GMT
With apologies for the needless delay, I'm happy to go with Andrew Wright's winning adventure Are You the Hero?. As I'm not familiar with this at all perhaps Per and/or others can point out any crucial ambiguities about rules/what counts as a win. I guess we will see after we wait (for reasons that still elude me) two more weeks for the challenge to begin. While we've adjusted the rules format and I'm potentially up for doing so again, I don't understand this objection. The challenge begins when you start playing the adventure. Two weeks (in that case) is when the challenge could end, not begin. Players attempting a challenge have always been able to post failing playthroughs before the deadline. Early on in the thread there were quite a few of these with people then trying to/succeeding in then post(ing) a winning playthrough (while knowing that they could win by default with the failing playthrough if nobody posted a successful one). Some of the failures were more interesting than the wins. Now that we've dispensed with the 'post as close to this exact second as possible' requirement, I suppose we could have winning playthroughs posted at any time (in spoilers) up to and including the deadline, if that were preferred and would stop complaints. I think it could be argued both ways. I quite liked the idea that people would focus on having a playthrough ready to post at a particular time with the feeling that someone else might be readying to do so as well, even if they weren't. If someone can post early, that might discourage others from trying more playthroughs even if they're still in with a chance. But who knows? Really the one thing I do feel strongly about is that this shouldn't work on a simple 'first to post a winning playthrough' principle, so that someone who knows the adventure inside-out could do that within a day or two and a new player wouldn't have a chance. Part of the point of this thread is to encourage people to try adventures they haven't tried before. On the other hand I don't want people excluded because they've played an adventure before. A timed embargo seems like the only/best way of getting the balance right.
From 14th June, the first player to post a successful playthrough will win and get to set the next challenge unless one or more players also post a winning playthrough in the following 24 hours, in which case the winner will be decided by a roll-off. From 21st June, if no successful playthroughs have been posted the best failing playthrough posted will win as judged (if there's more than one) by challenge setter or by agreement (or failing that a roll-off).
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Jun 1, 2024 2:11:50 GMT
I suppose we could say that if people are keen to post early successful playthroughs that they will be deemed to have been posted on 14th June at noon GMT.
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Post by Per on Jun 1, 2024 19:36:23 GMT
Now this could just be me, but the rule I found confusing reads: "Whenever you have been wounded during a Battle Turn, you need to test the PROTECTION score of your armour by making an Armour Roll; roll one die – if the result is equal or less than the PROTECTION score, subtract DAMAGE from PROTECTION and the difference, if any, is deducted from your HEALTH score. If the roll is above the PROTECTION score, the armour does not protect you and you must deduct the full DAMAGE score of the weapon from your HEALTH score." Since the rule as written didn't seem to include the roll in the calculation, just check if the result is above or below, I applied it like this, in this example for Protection 3: Roll | Reduction | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
Andrew clarified the rule thus: "It's supposed to be like this. You have Armour 3, and an enemy hits you for 2 Damage. You roll for your Armour. If you roll a 1, you suffer 1 Damage (2-1=1), if you roll a 2 or 3 you suffer zero Damage (2-2=0, etc.), if you roll a 4-6 you suffer 2 Damage because the Armour didn't save you." So the actual, much better table would be like this: Roll | Reduction | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
At the close of the adventure you score from zero to five points depending on how many subadventures you completed, with five obviously being a true victory, and intermediate results, though I think less likely, potentially used to rank less successful attempts. I don't understand this objection. The challenge begins when you start playing the adventure. Two weeks (in that case) is when the challenge could end, not begin. Repeating myself a bit from before, it's roughly like this: For me, the point of the challenge is to have several people playing the same (short-ish, perhaps underappreciated) adventure, not necessarily more than once each, and to see the range of results. I like the idea (even if we're not achieving it here) of throwing enough monkeys readers at a puzzle-style adventure meant to require several playthroughs that one will stumble through to victory on their first attempt. Winning the challenge itself is a tertiary concern at best, mostly a convenient way to get someone to pick the next adventure. When the challenge has been set and I feel like playing, I probably also feel like typing up and posting the result. But when I begin, I don't know whether I'll play more than once or whether I'll win. If winning means I can't post, then I feel I may as well wait until I can, increasing the risk that by that time, I either won't get around to it or the contest will be moving on anyway. That's just me. But even if we assume multiple contestants that feel strongly about winning the challenge, and also assume the delay is just about right to make it fair for those who aren't familiar with the adventure and those who are, the "post closest after the deadline" thing still has absolutely nothing to do with the playing of the adventure. It's a way to pick a nominal winner, but the activity itself is completely arbitrary even in the best of cases. That's why I've said it seems clearly superior to just allow people to post whenever they want to and then name the winner randomly among all successful attempts. Holding results until a certain point specifically to increase participation doesn't seem like a great idea to me: if someone would choose not to play if they had more information, why should we try to make them do it anyway? Furthermore, if I know I can win an adventure, then blitzing through it to win the challenge also seems pointless, though I could see playing anyway to present the result out of competition or just as a demonstration of the solution to the people who fell into spiked pits and such. I wouldn't mind anyone else playing and winning as fast as they could, if they feel like it. I suppose we could say that if people are keen to post early successful playthroughs that they will be deemed to have been posted on 14th June at noon GMT. That would effectively be my preferred rule. Personally I would also be fine with saying they count as being posted at midnight after the 14th, so that any successful early posters would have a roll-off among themselves only if there's no roll-off among any people properly posting on the 14th. Before that, of course, I would like to see some additional interest in the challenge, because if we're still talking 0-2 people playing each time, all of this is theoretical. Might it be possible to draw in any of the people participating in the Frenzy throughout 2022 and 2023?
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Post by Gabe Fandango on Jun 21, 2024 9:40:47 GMT
Playthrough: Character generation by point assignation: I assigned the minimum of 1 gold, saving the rest for stats. The stats seem to serve an almost identical role to the SKILL/STAMINA/LUCK in FF (except with a smaller STAMINA range), so I'd prioritize more on MIGHT and FATE, giving 10 points to each and 9 to HEALTH.
The rules say that MIGHT and FATE may be raised above their starting values, but doesn't say anything about HEALTH in that regard. Should I assume that it can't? I guess I will until I see evidence that says otherwise, although the temptation to eat both meals I have right at the start to raise it to 11 is strong.
I start the game with 4 locations offered to me where I can visit to look for a quest. Making the conjecture that civilized areas will have easier quests, and smaller locations will have easier ones than the larger, I started with the Black Dog Tavern.
I'm quickly struck by a sense of déjà vu, due to having played another work written by the same author and quickly realizing that he's lifted a near-identical location and quest from that other work and placed it in this one with different names and slightly different descriptions. Still, I wouldn't be surprised if he'd decided to switch the answer to the final puzzle to trap his longtime readers, many of whom he'd expect to have read both books, so I resolved to read and the note down the descriptions of the characters here anyway.
I visited the market and spent my only coin on a sling, but soon got back more 5 gold by helping the local merchant clear out the zombie of the former pastor from his church. From the design of the book, I figure I can visit the market again at a later stage, so did not spend any further gold here since I'd probably need them inside the inn, so instead headed for it. Before entering, I helped the potboy remove a Giant Frog from the well to earn another 4 gold. Both combats so far have been easy with no damage done to my hero, but there's been no Hero points for either of them either. I forgot to even use the sling I just bought.
Entering the inn and buying a drink each costs me a gold. Some conversation with locals reveal the presence of a malevolent Shapeshifter and that a tiny flaw that will always be visible in its disguise (of which I was already aware due to having read the author's final work). I went to bed and thankfully did not go through the 3 night encounters that would take place in some location that is eerily similar to this place in some alternative reality. In the morning, the locals discovered that the Shapeshifter struck again, and I had to identify the culprit while its disguised in the form of one of the locals before suspicion lands on me. As half-expected, the culprit is not the same one as in the alternate universe. In fact, I haven't come across any descriptions of 2 of the listed suspects in my playthrough due to the choices I made last night, but the description given makes it obvious which one of them is most likely to display the telltale "flaw", so I identified the right culprit. It's shapeshifter form is tough, however, only slightly weaker than me, and with better armour which prolonged the battle a bit, and by the end took nearly half my HEALTH before I prevailed. Still, that's one quest completed, and I gained a Hero point and a bit of gold and food for my troubles.
I was then directed to a central hub section to pick a new quest. A new quest is now unlocked, and I assume that's either going to be the last one or the most difficult one. The fact that I have the option to retire at any point after 1 quest makes it likely to be the latter. I also have the option to purchase a hovel for 10 gold, which I have just barely enough after the last quest. With the book design being so similar to the Fabled Lands series, if houses work similarly as well then it's certainly worth it. I went ahead with the purchase and am once again left with just a single coin. Still I can now gain full restoration of Health after each location/quest, which is not a bad bargain. I then continued with my prior reasoning that smaller and more civilized areas are likely to feature the easier quests, and went to the village of Little Grimbling.
The quest there is to slay a Troll. The local inn costs 1 Gold, which is all I have, so I skip it and visited the village Outfitter. There I was advised to get a light source as the Troll is unlikely to be underground. I spent my last gold on a candle, reasoning that I should get something back once I kill the Troll. Heading for the High Moor to begin my troll hunt, I took the low road through the mist, and easily passed the required Fate test, especially with the boost I received from the previous quest. I was given 3 places to search, and reasoned that the cave is the one that likely leads underground to the Troll, but decided to check on the other 2 locations first anyway. A battle with 2 robbers left me with 3 HEALTH, causing me to consume 3 meals to regain all of it. I looted some gold and a numbered key, so the danger may well be worth it. An encounter with a wight which was dispatched much more easily brings my Fate up to 12 and gains me more gold and a shield. I then used my light source to enter the cave and my boosted Fate allows me to completely avoid a trap and face the Troll. This is the first time I actually remember to use my sling to score a first hit before combat begins. The troll didn't manage to get a single blow in due to luck of the dice, and I come away with some armour, and then looted more gold from its chest. The actual reward gained from the grateful villages for my success is mediocre, but the loot from the troll's lair makes up for it. Another Hero point gained.
Town of Burraham next, and I upgraded my weapon to a sword and my armour to Plate, while selling my old weapon and armour. Also got a lantern. There are 3 quests available here, and I went through them in order, first attempting to hunt down some cult that worship the Snow Witch Ice Hag and a IceFrost Demon. As it turned out, neither of those deities make an appearance, and my mission simply involved finding the cult's hideout and getting rid of their high priest. With my Fate still at sky-high level, I easily track it down by following a dodgy disciple from the temple district. Another successful Fate test later, I found a way into the temple executed my hit. I missed my sling-shot this time, but my improved armour negated 2 blows he scored on me and I finished him off in short order. I looted his silver circlet, which the book makes a point of telling me allows me to increase my Might above its starting value...doesn't the rules already state that Might can be inscreased above starting value anyway? Need some clarification here. Not that it matters yet, since this is the first time I get to raise my Might, but it makes me question whether I have been using those Fate boosts as the book intended. Anyway...no Hero point yet. Apparently I have to complete all 3 quests in the town to get that. Probably makes for easier score management, but it's weird that individual heroic acts in a place with larger population is worth less than ones accomplished in smaller locations...
I was next hired to be an accomplice in stealing from a temple. My partner is said to be a Half-Gork which I guess to be a specific species in a fantasy world established by the author, but I'm not told what a Gork is. Still, I assume she knows her job, and followed her instructions when told to cause a a diversion to allow her to sneak in and disarm the traps. I was attacked by a temple guard for my effort, and he has decent armour too...this can take a while. Fortunately, I rolled higher than his protection for both of the first hits I scored on him, allowing me to finish him off in 2 rounds. Entering the temple, I had to deal with 2 more guards, and I was able to deal with each just as quickly. The heist is completed, and much gold is gained. I head back to the market and upgraded my shield to the best available as well.
This leaves me well-equipped to take up the final quest in town - becoming arena champion! My first opponent didn't manage to get a single blow on me thanks to my circlet and went down quickly. The second opponent's armour negated some of the damage I did on him, which extended the battle quite a bit, but it was still a one-sided battle with me scoring all the hits. That makes me the arena champion, and I finally gained that elusive Hero point, as well as more Fate bonus than I really need at this stage.
For reasons that I will explain later, I decided to skip the Forest and head for FiretopSmokeypeak Mountain to kill some random warlock and probably loot him after that. Entering the cave with my lantern lit, I encountered a Gork Guard, and am finally told that a Gork is a green-skinned hulking brute. Unless that only applies to this particular Gork? I have no idea. He becomes the first opponent in a long time to finally get pass my enhanced armour to get a hit on me, but that's not enough to win him the fight. Using a meal to regain most of the lost HEALTH from that blow, I proceeded straight ahead north, and soon run into a second Gork Guard. Okay, another green-skinned hulking brute, so I guess it describes the species. Unless this is an identical twin brother of that other guard I fought. Anyway, this one I finished off without taking a single blow. I headed west and encountered an iron door, which I was able to open with my Brass Key. This gets me into the magical laboratory, where I picked up a Periapt of Purity which apparently auto-destroys any 1 Bone Clone, of which I have yet to meet any. I continued ahead and still didn't meet any Bone Clones, but did meet a Hell Drake. My Tower Shield deflects, its fire breath, and battle was joined. Once again, my Plate Mail protected me from damage that it would otherwise have inflicted on me, and I won the battle without a scratch. Continuing on my way, my sky-high Fate allows me to laugh at an ineffective Deathtrap Spell and walk right into the Inner Sanctum to encounter the Zagor of this Bizzarro reality, Azorg. With both of us having thick armour, we hammer at each other ineffectively for a bit. Well, it's mostly me hammering on him, although he did get a couple of blows in, one of which was absorbed by my armour and the other drain 1 point off my high Fate. This can get tedious fast. I guess it's time to put that huge Fate boost to use. Even with that, things progressed slowly. I should have upgraded my weapon instead of holding on to my one-handed weapon to allow for use of a shield. Finally, many rounds later, I finally got enough blows past his armour to take him down.
Lots of gold and fine loot gained from this quest, but I have no intention of making further use of them, since I decide to retire after it, ending my adventuring career with 4 Hero points. It's not the best score, as I probably skipped 1 point by not doing the Forest quest. I'm hoping that someone else has gained the full points, and if anyone does, hopefully that player would be considered the winner and set the next challenge, since I'd rather not have the same players host the challenge all the time. Will probably attempt the remaining quest on my own in a later playthrough.
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Jul 8, 2024 1:50:32 GMT
Playthrough: Character generation by point assignation: I assigned the minimum of 1 gold, saving the rest for stats. The stats seem to serve an almost identical role to the SKILL/STAMINA/LUCK in FF (except with a smaller STAMINA range), so I'd prioritize more on MIGHT and FATE, giving 10 points to each and 9 to HEALTH.
The rules say that MIGHT and FATE may be raised above their starting values, but doesn't say anything about HEALTH in that regard. Should I assume that it can't? I guess I will until I see evidence that says otherwise, although the temptation to eat both meals I have right at the start to raise it to 11 is strong.
I start the game with 4 locations offered to me where I can visit to look for a quest. Making the conjecture that civilized areas will have easier quests, and smaller locations will have easier ones than the larger, I started with the Black Dog Tavern.
I'm quickly struck by a sense of déjà vu, due to having played another work written by the same author and quickly realizing that he's lifted a near-identical location and quest from that other work and placed it in this one with different names and slightly different descriptions. Still, I wouldn't be surprised if he'd decided to switch the answer to the final puzzle to trap his longtime readers, many of whom he'd expect to have read both books, so I resolved to read and the note down the descriptions of the characters here anyway.
I visited the market and spent my only coin on a sling, but soon got back more 5 gold by helping the local merchant clear out the zombie of the former pastor from his church. From the design of the book, I figure I can visit the market again at a later stage, so did not spend any further gold here since I'd probably need them inside the inn, so instead headed for it. Before entering, I helped the potboy remove a Giant Frog from the well to earn another 4 gold. Both combats so far have been easy with no damage done to my hero, but there's been no Hero points for either of them either. I forgot to even use the sling I just bought.
Entering the inn and buying a drink each costs me a gold. Some conversation with locals reveal the presence of a malevolent Shapeshifter and that a tiny flaw that will always be visible in its disguise (of which I was already aware due to having read the author's final work). I went to bed and thankfully did not go through the 3 night encounters that would take place in some location that is eerily similar to this place in some alternative reality. In the morning, the locals discovered that the Shapeshifter struck again, and I had to identify the culprit while its disguised in the form of one of the locals before suspicion lands on me. As half-expected, the culprit is not the same one as in the alternate universe. In fact, I haven't come across any descriptions of 2 of the listed suspects in my playthrough due to the choices I made last night, but the description given makes it obvious which one of them is most likely to display the telltale "flaw", so I identified the right culprit. It's shapeshifter form is tough, however, only slightly weaker than me, and with better armour which prolonged the battle a bit, and by the end took nearly half my HEALTH before I prevailed. Still, that's one quest completed, and I gained a Hero point and a bit of gold and food for my troubles.
I was then directed to a central hub section to pick a new quest. A new quest is now unlocked, and I assume that's either going to be the last one or the most difficult one. The fact that I have the option to retire at any point after 1 quest makes it likely to be the latter. I also have the option to purchase a hovel for 10 gold, which I have just barely enough after the last quest. With the book design being so similar to the Fabled Lands series, if houses work similarly as well then it's certainly worth it. I went ahead with the purchase and am once again left with just a single coin. Still I can now gain full restoration of Health after each location/quest, which is not a bad bargain. I then continued with my prior reasoning that smaller and more civilized areas are likely to feature the easier quests, and went to the village of Little Grimbling.
The quest there is to slay a Troll. The local inn costs 1 Gold, which is all I have, so I skip it and visited the village Outfitter. There I was advised to get a light source as the Troll is unlikely to be underground. I spent my last gold on a candle, reasoning that I should get something back once I kill the Troll. Heading for the High Moor to begin my troll hunt, I took the low road through the mist, and easily passed the required Fate test, especially with the boost I received from the previous quest. I was given 3 places to search, and reasoned that the cave is the one that likely leads underground to the Troll, but decided to check on the other 2 locations first anyway. A battle with 2 robbers left me with 3 HEALTH, causing me to consume 3 meals to regain all of it. I looted some gold and a numbered key, so the danger may well be worth it. An encounter with a wight which was dispatched much more easily brings my Fate up to 12 and gains me more gold and a shield. I then used my light source to enter the cave and my boosted Fate allows me to completely avoid a trap and face the Troll. This is the first time I actually remember to use my sling to score a first hit before combat begins. The troll didn't manage to get a single blow in due to luck of the dice, and I come away with some armour, and then looted more gold from its chest. The actual reward gained from the grateful villages for my success is mediocre, but the loot from the troll's lair makes up for it. Another Hero point gained.
Town of Burraham next, and I upgraded my weapon to a sword and my armour to Plate, while selling my old weapon and armour. Also got a lantern. There are 3 quests available here, and I went through them in order, first attempting to hunt down some cult that worship the Snow Witch Ice Hag and a IceFrost Demon. As it turned out, neither of those deities make an appearance, and my mission simply involved finding the cult's hideout and getting rid of their high priest. With my Fate still at sky-high level, I easily track it down by following a dodgy disciple from the temple district. Another successful Fate test later, I found a way into the temple executed my hit. I missed my sling-shot this time, but my improved armour negated 2 blows he scored on me and I finished him off in short order. I looted his silver circlet, which the book makes a point of telling me allows me to increase my Might above its starting value...doesn't the rules already state that Might can be inscreased above starting value anyway? Need some clarification here. Not that it matters yet, since this is the first time I get to raise my Might, but it makes me question whether I have been using those Fate boosts as the book intended. Anyway...no Hero point yet. Apparently I have to complete all 3 quests in the town to get that. Probably makes for easier score management, but it's weird that individual heroic acts in a place with larger population is worth less than ones accomplished in smaller locations...
I was next hired to be an accomplice in stealing from a temple. My partner is said to be a Half-Gork which I guess to be a specific species in a fantasy world established by the author, but I'm not told what a Gork is. Still, I assume she knows her job, and followed her instructions when told to cause a a diversion to allow her to sneak in and disarm the traps. I was attacked by a temple guard for my effort, and he has decent armour too...this can take a while. Fortunately, I rolled higher than his protection for both of the first hits I scored on him, allowing me to finish him off in 2 rounds. Entering the temple, I had to deal with 2 more guards, and I was able to deal with each just as quickly. The heist is completed, and much gold is gained. I head back to the market and upgraded my shield to the best available as well.
This leaves me well-equipped to take up the final quest in town - becoming arena champion! My first opponent didn't manage to get a single blow on me thanks to my circlet and went down quickly. The second opponent's armour negated some of the damage I did on him, which extended the battle quite a bit, but it was still a one-sided battle with me scoring all the hits. That makes me the arena champion, and I finally gained that elusive Hero point, as well as more Fate bonus than I really need at this stage.
For reasons that I will explain later, I decided to skip the Forest and head for FiretopSmokeypeak Mountain to kill some random warlock and probably loot him after that. Entering the cave with my lantern lit, I encountered a Gork Guard, and am finally told that a Gork is a green-skinned hulking brute. Unless that only applies to this particular Gork? I have no idea. He becomes the first opponent in a long time to finally get pass my enhanced armour to get a hit on me, but that's not enough to win him the fight. Using a meal to regain most of the lost HEALTH from that blow, I proceeded straight ahead north, and soon run into a second Gork Guard. Okay, another green-skinned hulking brute, so I guess it describes the species. Unless this is an identical twin brother of that other guard I fought. Anyway, this one I finished off without taking a single blow. I headed west and encountered an iron door, which I was able to open with my Brass Key. This gets me into the magical laboratory, where I picked up a Periapt of Purity which apparently auto-destroys any 1 Bone Clone, of which I have yet to meet any. I continued ahead and still didn't meet any Bone Clones, but did meet a Hell Drake. My Tower Shield deflects, its fire breath, and battle was joined. Once again, my Plate Mail protected me from damage that it would otherwise have inflicted on me, and I won the battle without a scratch. Continuing on my way, my sky-high Fate allows me to laugh at an ineffective Deathtrap Spell and walk right into the Inner Sanctum to encounter the Zagor of this Bizzarro reality, Azorg. With both of us having thick armour, we hammer at each other ineffectively for a bit. Well, it's mostly me hammering on him, although he did get a couple of blows in, one of which was absorbed by my armour and the other drain 1 point off my high Fate. This can get tedious fast. I guess it's time to put that huge Fate boost to use. Even with that, things progressed slowly. I should have upgraded my weapon instead of holding on to my one-handed weapon to allow for use of a shield. Finally, many rounds later, I finally got enough blows past his armour to take him down.
Lots of gold and fine loot gained from this quest, but I have no intention of making further use of them, since I decide to retire after it, ending my adventuring career with 4 Hero points. It's not the best score, as I probably skipped 1 point by not doing the Forest quest. I'm hoping that someone else has gained the full points, and if anyone does, hopefully that player would be considered the winner and set the next challenge, since I'd rather not have the same players host the challenge all the time. Will probably attempt the remaining quest on my own in a later playthrough. This is a good read.
While I understand that you'd prefer it if someone else leapfrogged you, we've probably waited long enough now. You'd better set a new challenge. (Incidentally, while this 'hero points' thing makes things ambiguous but we should probably count your playthrough as a 'win'.)
Since it's come up, I've often felt that the strongly enforced restriction of SKILL and LUCK to their initial values is a by-product of trying to ensure that people don't use provisions to exceed their initial STAMINA, especially if they eat 10 at once and waddle through a fight with a more skilful opponent.
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Post by Gabe Fandango on Jul 9, 2024 5:50:45 GMT
Maybe it will help if someone else can name a book that he or she found and is interested in playing recently? Just so it won't be the same couple of players switching the hosting back and forth.
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Post by Gabe Fandango on Jul 13, 2024 0:50:46 GMT
So I guess there's just no interest in playing amateur (or any) gamebooks in general?
I can certainly still set a new challenge, but if there's no recommendation from anyone by tomorrow, I'd just pick another of the Lindenbaum entries, since they're at least comparatively newer works.
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Post by tyrion on Jul 13, 2024 10:54:38 GMT
I played through all the lindenbaum entries during the competition, so I've not been keen to play them again. Especially with lots of other things going on.
I am on holiday soon, though, but that brings the problem of trying to play a gamebook on a small screen. Hyperlinks make it easier.
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Post by Gabe Fandango on Jul 14, 2024 11:17:43 GMT
Which is why I asked for recommendations. If you have any, please do name them.
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Post by Gabe Fandango on Jul 16, 2024 7:02:03 GMT
I've resumed work again this week (6 days per week, 12 hrs per shift), so I'm likely not going to be here often from this point, so in the absence of better suggestions, I'm sticking to my original plan. Even if I've found other new books I'm personally interested in playing (which I haven't), there's no point in my recommendation, since I'm the host this round, not a player. Since there's no point in dragging out a challenge that no one has expressed much interest, I'd keep the time shorter and the condition simpler. Next book up for challenge: Heart of Keros by David Donachie From between now and 24 July, first player that posts a playthrough which ends with him or her having truly found the treasure of Keros. If no one manages that, the first player that posts a playthrough ending in the PC reaching section 100 wins. If no one manage any of the above, first player to post any playthrough wins. If no one is sufficiently interested to even post a playthrough by 1 August, the first person who recommends a new book that receives sufficient interest from 2 or more other players can take over as the next host.
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Post by Per on Jul 16, 2024 16:03:41 GMT
I still intend to play Andrew’s adventure again at some point, and may post the result here or in some other appropriate thread, but it needn’t affect the challenge schedule.
H of K is an excellent choice for the challenge (though I already played it myself).
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