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Post by CharlesX on Aug 12, 2021 20:35:39 GMT
This two-book series (presumably commercially unsuccessful), was an attempt to make extra-large CYOA with maybe 165 page references instead of 120. Book number two was rubbish, but book number one, Journey To The Year 3000, was brilliant and definitely one of the best gamebooks ever written. You awake after 1000 years in suspended animation to a solar system dominated by an evil tyrant. The book was imaginative, tough and intelligent, and didn't have the inane, younger feel CYOA often can have. The artwork is also great.
Btw I don't know whether this should be in CYOA thread or other gamebook series, as it is so strongly close to CYOA. It seems to me comparable to Steve Jackson's Sorcery! works.
So, I guess my point is, were you u also a fan, or were there similar works to Edward Packard's JTTY 3000? There were some CYOA set in a dystopian future, with an aggressive empire and a traitor, but they were unfortunately no better than most CYOA books.
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Post by bloodbeasthandler on Aug 13, 2021 8:51:42 GMT
I haven't got much positive to say, Charles X., but that never seems to stop me. I've got some comments and questions for you though... This two-book series (presumably commercially unsuccessful), was an attempt to make extra-large CYOA with maybe 165 page references instead of 120. Probably it wasn't commercially successful even though they came out in 1987 when gamebooks were still selling well. I'd never heard of them til now, which tells me something. As a selling point having 165 references compared to 120 isn't much of a jump. Not compared to 350 or 400. The book was imaginative, tough and intelligent, and didn't have the inane, younger feel CYOA often can have. The artwork is also great. At an early stage (can't remember what year) I'd written off the CYOA books in favour of Lone Wolf, FF and whatnot for the reasons you mention. I doubt I'd have given these books a second glance. And talking of art (and so including the covers), the CYOA covers did NOT appeal to me. Looking back at them, they are too 'busy', lack focus, contain spoilers, and perhaps worst of all they often show 'you' as a 12 year old boy. I never did read gamebooks to be 'myself as a child' in a fantasy, sci-fi or even contemporary setting. How is a 12 year old from South East England meant to be a samurai in Hachiman, or a ninja-turned-ruler in Way of the Tiger or an adventurer fighting and ransacking his way through a wizard's underground domain? I never did need to see myself 'represented' in this way - YOU have to be a grown man [or woman] or else it doesn't make any sense... unless it's written into the story that you are young, like FF47. Book number two was rubbish, Why wasn't it much good? Were the authors not coordinating the story between themselves? If you are splitting a series between two writers then one can set things up for the other to write the 'pay off' in the next book. Was that happening? |
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Post by CharlesX on Aug 13, 2021 10:38:56 GMT
I haven't got much positive to say, Charles X., but that never seems to stop me. I've got some comments and questions for you though... This two-book series (presumably commercially unsuccessful), was an attempt to make extra-large CYOA with maybe 165 page references instead of 120. Probably it wasn't commercially successful even though they came out in 1987 when gamebooks were still selling well. I'd never heard of them til now, which tells me something. As a selling point having 165 references compared to 120 isn't much of a jump. Not compared to 350 or 400. The book was imaginative, tough and intelligent, and didn't have the inane, younger feel CYOA often can have. The artwork is also great. At an early stage (can't remember what year) I'd written off the CYOA books in favour of Lone Wolf, FF and whatnot for the reasons you mention. I doubt I'd have given these books a second glance. And talking of art (and so including the covers), the CYOA covers did NOT appeal to me. Looking back at them, they are too 'busy', lack focus, contain spoilers, and perhaps worst of all they often show 'you' as a 12 year old boy. I never did read gamebooks to be 'myself as a child' in a fantasy, sci-fi or even contemporary setting. How is a 12 year old from South East England meant to be a samurai in Hachiman, or a ninja-turned-ruler in Way of the Tiger or an adventurer fighting and ransacking his way through a wizard's underground domain? I never did need to see myself 'represented' in this way - YOU have to be a grown man [or woman] or else it doesn't make any sense... unless it's written into the story that you are young, like FF47. Book number two was rubbish, Why wasn't it much good? Were the authors not coordinating the story between themselves? If you are splitting a series between two writers then one can set things up for the other to write the 'pay off' in the next book. Was that happening? I agree the cover for Journey To The Year 3000 isn't the best, I feel it's derivative of Star Wars in a bad way, although I still like the artwork inside. Super Choose Your Own Adventure No. 2 - Danger Zones - is a poor gamebook. The plot is one in which you and your friends trek to dangerous places in the world (so, no relation with JTTY 3000, they're stand-alone works). It isn't by the same author, while Edward Packard wrote book one, R. A. Montgomery wrote book two. I personally reckon Edward Packard is the better author of the two, but that's not the point. The writing is heavily bland and unengaging, the gameplay depends too much on geography and chances rather than people or things you might expect. The work feels dull instead of exciting. And because this is a touch longer than the average gamebook, if anything, the book should be trying to be thrilling. |
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Post by a moderator on Aug 13, 2021 14:44:17 GMT
the CYOA covers did NOT appeal to me. Looking back at them, they are too 'busy', lack focus, contain spoilers, and perhaps worst of all they often show 'you' as a 12 year old boy. I never did read gamebooks to be 'myself as a child' in a fantasy, sci-fi or even contemporary setting. How is a 12 year old from South East England meant to be a samurai in Hachiman, or a ninja-turned-ruler in Way of the Tiger or an adventurer fighting and ransacking his way through a wizard's underground domain? I never did need to see myself 'represented' in this way - YOU have to be a grown man [or woman] or else it doesn't make any sense... unless it's written into the story that you are young, like FF47. The American editions of the Golden Dragon books were dreadful in this regard. The background section has this to say about your character: And this is how the American cover artist chose to depict you: Apologies for the tangent, Charles, but I've never encountered the CYOSA books, so I can't comment on them. As for CYOA, I found The Mystery of Ura Senke to be one of the more mature books in the range. I particularly like that the whole truth about what happened can only be pieced together from multiple attempts - there are various different 'win' endings, but each only reveals part of the bigger picture, and what initially appear to be mutually irreconcilable explanations end up fitting together neatly once you have enough details. |
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Post by bloodbeasthandler on Aug 13, 2021 19:12:51 GMT
The American editions of the Golden Dragon books were dreadful in this regard. What rotten briefs the artist must have been given. Eye of the Dragon is even worse. Embarrassingly bad. |
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Post by vastariner on Aug 14, 2021 9:09:34 GMT
This two-book series (presumably commercially unsuccessful), was an attempt to make extra-large CYOA with maybe 165 page references instead of 120. Book number two was rubbish, but book number one, Journey To The Year 3000, was brilliant and definitely one of the best gamebooks ever written. You awake after 1000 years in suspended animation to a solar system dominated by an evil tyrant. I thought nothing had changed, but they lived underwater. |
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Post by bloodbeasthandler on Aug 14, 2021 9:17:03 GMT
I thought nothing had changed, but they lived underwater. And I'd just like to know what your intentions towards my great-great-great-granddaughter are. Honourable I hope? |
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