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Post by terrysalt on Apr 24, 2022 12:13:30 GMT
I'm surprised the sewer snake was so popular! I wonder why we were all drawn to it. Same reason Sorcery! The Seven Serpents was so popular for Q4. Which I don't know either . I thought I'd get mauled on the stone golem and calacorm but they were both unique. I thought the sewer snake was appropriately obscure and it was my worst answer.
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Post by tyrion on Apr 24, 2022 12:19:44 GMT
I should have used detect trap to detect the trap that was detect trap.
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Post by a moderator on Apr 24, 2022 12:26:59 GMT
Not that I want to be all rules lawyer about this (spoiler alert: I do), but... Q3. Name a creature you can fight in The Citadel of Chaos. Correct answers:
Short man: 2 (Philsadler, Tyrion) Dwarf: 1 (Kieran) Q10. Name a creature with the same value for both its Skill and Stamina.
4th Swordsman: 1 (Tyrion) ...creatures? I deliberately avoided human answers for that reason. I think elf, goblin, and orc are also pushing the definition of "creature" a bit. Titan - The Fighting Fantasy World established that humans were created by Logaan. Etymologically speaking, 'creature' means something that was created. Therefore humans are definitely creatures in Titan-based FF gamebooks. Orcs were created by Hashak, Dwarves by Throff, Elves by Galana... The origins of Goblins are less clear, but one theory is that they were also created by Hashak. So most of the species you singled out are by definition creatures, and even the one that's not undeniably so might be.
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Post by Gabe Fandango on Apr 24, 2022 14:01:54 GMT
I'm surprised the sewer snake was so popular! I wonder why we were all drawn to it. It's a straight combat encounter with a mundane real-world animal with no dialogue, interesting loot (or any loot whatsoever) or interesting alternative resolutions to the encounter, making it arguably the most uninteresting or forgettable encounter in a book full of new and original monsters and encounters that come with multiple options on how to deal with them. And it's not even on the true path and easily missable. I suspect all 3 of us were hoping that it's so forgettable that no one else would remember it. Of course, should have learnt from the last 2 games that the more obvious answers are actually the ones players would take care to avoid. The fact that nobody picked Balthus Dire for this question is evidence of that.
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kieran
Baron
Posts: 2,453
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
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Post by kieran on Apr 24, 2022 14:08:56 GMT
Thanks for doing this Sylas.
I must admit, I can't remember there being a garnet in Deathtrap Dungeon or a Sewer Snake in Citadel of Chaos. And certainly didn't know about the two-headed sheep or I definitely would have gone for that!
I stuck to a similar strategy from last time in taking multiple answers from the same book. Though this time my choice (Island of the Undead) fared a lot better than Deathmoor! Just a pity I went with Detect Trap. I did have a bad feeling about it at the time - should have trusted my gut!
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Post by vastariner on Apr 24, 2022 18:14:53 GMT
Are you saying human beings aren't creatures? Why are humans any different from any other creatures? I think a creature to any living thing is whatever that is not that thing.
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Post by vastariner on Apr 24, 2022 18:15:57 GMT
vastariner - the term 'creature' covers everything otherwise there would be no word you could use to substitute it. They are all creatures in Out of the Pit so they are creatures everywhere else too. (I also stated that a some leeway has been given in this round and that Out of the Pit and Titan sources would be accepted. I'm still learning how to make the questions super specific.) Monster? Animal? Varmint?
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Post by CharlesX on Apr 24, 2022 18:34:24 GMT
@sylas: I thought your questions were really good with their in-depth knowledge and originality, I only didn't participate because I'd already done two and the questions were a touch tough (that being the point). I'm actually finalising some questions myself partly based around (a tribute to) The Warlock Of Firetop Mountain, Citadel Of Chaos, and other earlier FF if anyone is interested in doing one so soon after Sylas's and others!
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Post by vastariner on Apr 24, 2022 19:52:41 GMT
I'm surprised the sewer snake was so popular! I wonder why we were all drawn to it. Was it early in the physical book? That might be a reason. Find a book, flick through, boom, there you go.
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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 Apr 24, 2022 21:13:49 GMT
vastariner - the term 'creature' covers everything otherwise there would be no word you could use to substitute it. They are all creatures in Out of the Pit so they are creatures everywhere else too. (I also stated that a some leeway has been given in this round and that Out of the Pit and Titan sources would be accepted. I'm still learning how to make the questions super specific.) Monster? Animal? Varmint? Can't use any of those since that would open up another can of worms. What would be classable as an animal or monster? Would we go only by Out of the Pit classifications or modern day interpretations? Are Giant Sandworms monsters or animals, for example.
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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 Apr 24, 2022 21:15:47 GMT
I'm surprised the sewer snake was so popular! I wonder why we were all drawn to it. Was it early in the physical book? That might be a reason. Find a book, flick through, boom, there you go. The encounter is fairly early but the setting illustration for it is right at the end of the book. No one went for the early Ape-Dog or Dog-Ape either.
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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 Apr 24, 2022 21:17:42 GMT
@sylas: I thought your questions were really good with their in-depth knowledge and originality, I only didn't participate because I'd already done two and the questions were a touch tough (that being the point). I'm actually finalising some questions myself partly based around (a tribute to) The Warlock Of Firetop Mountain, Citadel Of Chaos, and other earlier FF if anyone is interested in doing one so soon after Sylas's and others! Cheers. I'll try to make them simpler next time if I do another one. I think yours is a good idea though. Balances out the fairness for those who don't have access to the whole series.
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Post by vastariner on Apr 24, 2022 21:46:55 GMT
Are Giant Sandworms monsters or animals, for example. Copyright infringements.
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Post by Peter on Apr 25, 2022 9:21:41 GMT
For the spell, my first choice was HOW. Should have gone with my instinct.
For the creature with multiple heads, I thought most people would think of the calacorm first, then go for a completely different book. I went for another creature in the same book – a tactic that worked this time.
Great quiz Sylas. They have all been challenging and fun.
My questions are ready to post. How much mental recovery time does everyone need before they go again?
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Post by Wilf on Apr 25, 2022 9:31:01 GMT
My questions are ready to post. How much mental recovery time does everyone need before they go again? *checks forum hourly to see if the next round is open*
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Post by CharlesX on Apr 25, 2022 10:04:28 GMT
My questions are ready to post. How much mental recovery time does everyone need before they go again? Tbh I have misplaced my copy of TWOFM meaning my planned Unique Answers Game cannot go ahead, at least for while 🐑, so maybe after yours?
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Post by a moderator on Apr 25, 2022 12:30:30 GMT
My questions are ready to post. How much mental recovery time does everyone need before they go again? I've also put together a new set of questions, so if you wait for too long, I might jump in.
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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 Apr 25, 2022 22:15:39 GMT
Good to go if you guys are.
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Post by Peter on Apr 26, 2022 7:10:16 GMT
Here is my attempt at the Unique Answers Quiz. I have tried to set the scene for each question, so there is more reading involved with this one. The part in bold is the question that must be answered.
Unfortunately I will have to exclude the Clash of the Princes pair of books, as I have no knowledge of these books at all. So the only acceptable source material is the 69 Fighting Fantasy titles and the 4 Sorcery books. Apart from that, the rules are the same as the previous quizzes. You can do background research from anywhere you like, as long as your answers are found in the books.
I have tried to dispel ambiguities, but feel free to question me. I will accept any answer that meets the criteria. My decisions will be final, but I will consider any reasoned argument before making my final decisions.
1. Most of the titles in the series see YOU starting the adventure with some equipment to help you handle the many dangers you may encounter. The details of this equipment list vary from book to book, often including weapons, potions, and maybe some sort of energy replenishment component. Name one book in which you do not start the adventure with a sword. (For clarity, this means a book in which a sword is not listed in the rules as part of your starting equipment.)
2. Some authors have only been called upon once to write in the Fighting Fantasy series, while others have contributed multiple titles. Considering the repeat writers, name the second Fighting Fantasy book by an author (by chronological publication date).
3. A catchy title is a good way to grab people's attention and boost sales. Some common tactics include rhyming, repeating letters, and using superlatives. Fighting Fantasy has often used one particular approach, so there are plenty of options for this question, which is to name a book with an alliterative title. (To define alliteration, I will accept titles such as "Land of Legends", "Wild Witch's Water" or "The Prince of the Prairie", but not titles like "The Book of Best Breakfast Foods" or "Mythmakers").
4. The procedure for rolling your character stats is well-known to Fighting Fantasy readers. But through the series there have been variations to the basic standard. Some books have extra stats to roll, some have even changed the way stats are determined. Name one book in which one or more of the three main attributes are not determined in the usual way. (To dispel arguments, "the usual way" means SKILL 1d6+6, STAMINA 2d6+12, LUCK 1d6+6.)
5. Knowing where YOU are going in an adventure is important. Some books take you on long journeys covering hundreds of miles, others are confined to a small geographical area. To assist in navigation, many books have included maps of various sorts, some detailing a specific area, town, or even a single building you may investigate, while others cover the entire region within which the adventure takes place. Some are displayed on the inside cover, as part of the introduction to the story, while others are revealed to you during the adventure. Name one book that includes a map of all or part of the area you can explore during the adventure.
6. In many books, YOU are joined by a companion for part of the adventure. Their assistance may be significant or it may be quite trivial. Sometimes these colleagues stay with you for an extended period, other times the partnership is quite brief. Name a book in which you can have a companion who travels with you and then dies. Also please name the companion.
7. In some books there are situations where YOU find yourself vulnerable to potential attack from a number of different foes. Name a book where you need to roll a die (or dice) to determine which of several creatures you must fight. Please help by also stating the reference number.
8. Remaining unrecognised or undetected is often a desirable objective in adventures. Disguises of varying sorts can sometimes be adopted. In some books you need to impersonate somebody else, while in others you simply want to avoid being noticed. Name a book in which you can disguise yourself or alter your appearance, to make yourself unidentifiable. Include a description of the disguise.
9. There are many places where YOU may need to figure out a puzzle or unravel a conundrum to determine the best (or only) way forward. Some of these challenges require mathematical ability, some call on your powers of logical deduction, while others reward your observational skills. Name a book that has a code that you need to decipher in order to progress in the adventure. (This does not include situations where you simply learn a secret number, there must be some actual puzzle-solving.) Provide some details of the code as well please.
10. The original formula for Fighting Fantasy included the instruction "turn to 400" to indicate the successful completion of the adventure. Any other ending was considered to be a failure. However, this feature was not maintained throughout the series – some books end on a different paragraph number, and some even have multiple "victory" endings. Thinking of these books, and considering what constitutes victory, name one book that has more than one successful ending. Most endings are clearly divisible into success or failure, and the questionable ones have been debated enough that there should be little argument about which books meet this requirement. If possible, provide reference numbers of some endings so I can check.
Please PM me with answers by the close of play next Tuesday (3 May). You can change your answers any time before the deadline. Judging may take a few days, as I am unfamiliar with some of the later titles. Like Kryten with next week's laundry, I apologise in advance for this.
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Post by a moderator on Apr 26, 2022 13:24:25 GMT
For question 2, are co-authored books 'by' both credited authors, or is the writing team to be considered the author?
In question 9, does your use of the phrase 'need to decipher in order to progress' mean that only books in which deciphering a code is essential for success are acceptable answers, or are books in which code-solving is helpful but non-mandatory also acceptable?
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Post by Peter on Apr 27, 2022 2:43:09 GMT
Ha ha. I thought they were good questions but I have had several queries already.
Q2: Co-authoring counts as writing a book. The question asks for "an author", so this is not about writing partnerships. I am looking for the second time a particular person is credited with authorship. Whether or not they shared writing duties in either book is not relevant.
Q3: The alliteration has to be the same letter. "Sealing the Ceiling" isn't right; "Kicking the Cat" is also completely unacceptable.
Q7: Any situation where dice rolls determine who you fight. There are several places where your actions are determined by rolls rather than having a free choice. Any of those will fit the definition.
Q8: This is about a change in your appearance – a situation where you seem to be someone (or something) else. Wearing different clothes, putting on a crown and pretending to be a king, or magically changing yourself, are some examples that meet the requirement.
Q9: I decided that allowing only essential code-cracking will lead to arguments ("is it absolutely essential?"), so I changed the wording to allow non-mandatory codes as well. Any situation where deciphering a code lets you through, or helps you understand something, or teaches you things, will suffice.
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Post by terrysalt on Apr 27, 2022 5:10:51 GMT
So solving a code to gain an item wouldn't count?
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Post by Peter on Apr 27, 2022 7:18:15 GMT
So solving a code to gain an item wouldn't count? All those kind of things count. Where ever you need to resolve some kind of code in order to gain some kind of benefit. Finding your way through The Maze of Zagor does not count as deciphering a code.
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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 Apr 27, 2022 15:02:22 GMT
For Q6 if the companion only follows you for about a couple of sections, does that still count?
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Post by bloodbeasthandler on Apr 27, 2022 18:10:17 GMT
I'm finding my initial thoughts in answer to these categories gravitating towards the earlier books. They must be the ones most etched into my memory.
Is everyone else getting this?
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Post by terrysalt on Apr 27, 2022 20:26:51 GMT
Yeah, same here. The ones I read as a kid are more firmly embedded in my brain than ones I read as a teen or adult.
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Post by Peter on Apr 27, 2022 22:26:17 GMT
Make sure you are answering the question.
Q6: A companion who travels with you - the time isn't specified, only that they travel with you (and then die, in the book).
Q10: I have even confused myself with this one. Look at it this way: Some endings are complete successes, some are partial successes, some are positive endings of some sort. The question asks for multiple successful endings, not multiple 100% successes. Just give a rational reason why you think it is successful in some way.
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Post by Gabe Fandango on Apr 28, 2022 1:16:10 GMT
I still think Qn 10 is the most controversial of the lot. When I first saw it, my initial reaction was like, "Wow, there're only like 3-4 books that allows for this, how the hell are we supposed to get unique answers on that?" But after my queries, it seems like it's possible to make arguments for almost all the books (at least 90%) simply because the players can have their own definition of what they consider to be success.
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Post by terrysalt on Apr 28, 2022 4:40:46 GMT
I still think Qn 10 is the most controversial of the lot. When I first saw it, my initial reaction was like, "Wow, there're only like 3-4 books that allows for this, how the hell are we supposed to get unique answers on that?" But after my queries, it seems like it's possible to make arguments for almost all the books (at least 90%) simply because the players can have their own definition of what they consider to be success. My hero always aspired to being eaten by a ghoul. That's definitely a successful ending!
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Post by Wilf on Apr 28, 2022 6:21:21 GMT
Some of these comments are influencing my answers. Just sayin'.
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