What changes would you like in FF reprints?

[CharlesX]

We've already had some exchanges about whether it's best to reprint FF rather than use an alternative system, or get more new FF out. If old FF were reproduced though (either in print or digital), what kinds of changes would you like to see?

   While I get Curse Of The Mummy introduced a handful of new errors with its reprint, I appreciate an authentic, real effort was made to amend the difficulty (in contrast to say Revenge Of The Vampire). Obviously it would be great if errors could be done away with. Newer illustrations that are high-quality, by distinctive, great artists.

   Creature Of Havoc reprints have introduced new errors, other Jackson and Livingstone reprints - indeed most FF reprints - have done very little\nothing in terms of either doing away with errors or amending difficulty level. It would be pretty wonderful if there could be an 'alternate version' of Crypt Of The Sorceror that is actually playable (instead of fans here writing Decrypting and Revised versions). Similar with Eye Of The Dragon, if we could know which Skill bonuses were intended as Attack Strength, and the ambiguity-ridden Port Of Peril.

   I haven't played the App versions but my understanding is they have the Skill bonuses backwards, where they disregard Caps and so become more of a problem than they were in the paperbacks.

[sylas]

Jun 4, 2024 20:13:03 GMT CharlesX said:

We've already had some exchanges about whether it's best to reprint FF rather than use an alternative system, or get more new FF out. If old FF were reproduced though (either in print or digital), what kinds of changes would you like to see?

   While I get Curse Of The Mummy introduced a handful of new errors with its reprint, I appreciate an authentic, real effort was made to amend the difficulty (in contrast to say Revenge Of The Vampire). Obviously it would be great if errors could be done away with. Newer illustrations that are high-quality, by distinctive, great artists.

   Creature Of Havoc reprints have introduced new errors, other Jackson and Livingstone reprints - indeed most FF reprints - have done very little\nothing in terms of either doing away with errors or amending difficulty level. It would be pretty wonderful if there could be an 'alternate version' of Crypt Of The Sorceror that is actually playable (instead of fans here writing Decrypting and Revised versions). Similar with Eye Of The Dragon, if we could know which Skill bonuses were intended as Attack Strength, and the ambiguity-ridden Port Of Peril.

   I haven't played the App versions but my understanding is they have the Skill bonuses backwards, where they disregard Caps and so become more of a problem than they were in the paperbacks.

What would you like for your alternate version of Crypt to make it playable?

[CharlesX]

Jun 4, 2024 20:22:31 GMT sylas said:

Jun 4, 2024 20:13:03 GMT CharlesX said:

We've already had some exchanges about whether it's best to reprint FF rather than use an alternative system, or get more new FF out. If old FF were reproduced though (either in print or digital), what kinds of changes would you like to see?

   While I get Curse Of The Mummy introduced a handful of new errors with its reprint, I appreciate an authentic, real effort was made to amend the difficulty (in contrast to say Revenge Of The Vampire). Obviously it would be great if errors could be done away with. Newer illustrations that are high-quality, by distinctive, great artists.

   Creature Of Havoc reprints have introduced new errors, other Jackson and Livingstone reprints - indeed most FF reprints - have done very little\nothing in terms of either doing away with errors or amending difficulty level. It would be pretty wonderful if there could be an 'alternate version' of Crypt Of The Sorceror that is actually playable (instead of fans here writing Decrypting and Revised versions). Similar with Eye Of The Dragon, if we could know which Skill bonuses were intended as Attack Strength, and the ambiguity-ridden Port Of Peril.

   I haven't played the App versions but my understanding is they have the Skill bonuses backwards, where they disregard Caps and so become more of a problem than they were in the paperbacks.

What would you like for your alternate version of Crypt to make it playable?

Rather than write a wholly different gamebook in the manner of the Decrypted version, I would just make most of the encounters and do-or-die rolls fairer, change some Skill bonuses to Attack Strength bonuses. It'd probably look similar to the Revised version.

Incidentally, I also feel Trial Of The Champions should be made easier, I would say for example you should have some potion or provisions or something after you get into the Trial, the Tongue should have a 1 in 6 chance of attacking instead of 1 in 3, the Gauntlet test should be easier, the encounters should be easier.

Most of the design isn't bad at all, what's wrong is more the difficulty. Ultimately they could even move onto easing difficulty in less well-known reprints such as Seas Of Blood (and obviously Masks Of Mayhem), I know this requires tough writing calls by rewriters (with the hope the end product is better than the original instead of being somehow worse), but I see it as happening eventually.

With Seas Of Blood I would favour a Howl Of The Werewolf system where your Crew Strike is 10 through 12.

[scouserob]

Not much beyond error correcting and rule clarification.

Blocking off loops or clarifying unclear mechanics with a simple sentence or two.

Both the new gamebooks were great but both could be improved by clarifying the rules of say, the Rune Sword in Giants, or when you are able to do the hidden training in Secrets (which is obvious only in hindsight).

Attack Strength v Skill boost clarification for the earlier gamebooks.

[sylas]

Seas of Blood would've benefitted from slightly reworking your Crew stats. Crew Strike is more balanced at roll 1d6+8 and Crew Strength is better at roll 1d6+12.
Crew Strength should also benefit from healing with the number of days passing just like your Stamina does. Slaves should be worth more Gold when sold, as should the rewards you get from gambling.

[CharlesX]

Jun 4, 2024 22:55:11 GMT sylas said:

Seas of Blood would've benefitted from slightly reworking your Crew stats. Crew Strike is more balanced at roll 1d6+8 and Crew Strength is better at roll 1d6+12.
Crew Strength should also benefit from healing with the number of days passing just like your Stamina does. Slaves should be worth more Gold when sold, as should the rewards you get from gambling.

Hi

While I agree with your suggestion about Crew Strength along with your other advice I'm wondering about narrative justification for gaining Crew Strength (because unlike Stamina, it's probably literally dead people), for those like me who try to pretend FF has real-world explanations. 

   Real, historical pirates recruit from ships they conquer, so perhaps that's an alternative or something else to think about.

[sylas]

Jun 5, 2024 13:07:46 GMT CharlesX said:

Jun 4, 2024 22:55:11 GMT sylas said:

Seas of Blood would've benefitted from slightly reworking your Crew stats. Crew Strike is more balanced at roll 1d6+8 and Crew Strength is better at roll 1d6+12.
Crew Strength should also benefit from healing with the number of days passing just like your Stamina does. Slaves should be worth more Gold when sold, as should the rewards you get from gambling.

Hi

While I agree with your suggestion about Crew Strength along with your other advice I'm wondering about narrative justification for gaining Crew Strength (because unlike Stamina, it's probably literally dead people), for those like me who try to pretend FF has real-world explanations. 

   Real, historical pirates recruit from ships they conquer, so perhaps that's an alternative or something else to think about.

An alternative could be to increase the number of slaves you manage to capture so that the majority you gain per humanoid encounter is 0-10 (2d6-2). From these slaves, you may choose to press-gang any number of them into your Crew effectively restoring their Strength in numbers (but not raising over initial limit).