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Post by slloyd14 on May 25, 2014 18:45:38 GMT
Hi all! This is a copy and paste from a page on my blog. It is basically for people who are looking for people to write gamebooks for them or people who want to write gamebooks for someone, or people who want to help gamebook writers somehow.
So if you want to advertise on here, email me at sl1605@gmail.com with what you want or what you want to do and I will put it here.
Happy gamebooking!
People who are looking for gamebook writers
The people at Playtinum who have made many many great games are looking to make gamebook apps. They are looking for gamebook writers to pay to make gamebook apps. If you are interested, you can contact Harshad Arole at contact@playtinum.co.in.
People offering to help with gamebooks in other ways
Karl D
Karl is a professional proofreader, with a little extra time on his hands, who has offered to waive the standard fees for anyone who is writing a gamebook (in English) and would like it proofread. For more information, or to take him up on the offer while he still has time, email him at kai.alchemy@yahoo.com.
People who are willing to write gamebooks
Victor Cheng
Victor Cheng has written In the Footsteps of a Hero (you can get the doc version here or play online here), Kill the Beast and From the Shadows (in collaboration with others).
If you would like Victor to write a gamebook, email him at vic_scarlan@hotmail.com.
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Post by pouncingpanda on Jun 7, 2016 20:30:16 GMT
I would really like somebody to playtest my amateur FF.
It's called "Blood of the Mandrake" and it's a tribute to the dark fantasy gamebooks of Stephen Hand (Dead of Night, Legend of the Shadow Warriors & Moonrunner). For those that don't know, SH had planned a book called "Blood of the Mandrake" that was to complete a loose "trilogy" set in the aftermath of the War of the Four Kingdoms. Like the previous two, it was to have a very "Hammer Horror" tone.
Well, this is my attempt to finish the trilogy! If people think it's good, I'll try to contact SH and ask him for approval before posting it.
I'm quite proud of the book so far, I think it strikes a good balance between complexity, fairness and fun. There are scary moments but also (I hope!) some dark humour.
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Post by Pete Byrdie on Jun 7, 2016 20:48:32 GMT
I would really like somebody to playtest my amateur FF. It's called "Blood of the Mandrake" and it's a tribute to the dark fantasy gamebooks of Stephen Hand (Dead of Night, Legend of the Shadow Warriors & Moonrunner). For those that don't know, SH had planned a book called "Blood of the Mandrake" that was to complete a loose "trilogy" set in the aftermath of the War of the Four Kingdoms. Like the previous two, it was to have a very "Hammer Horror" tone. Well, this is my attempt to finish the trilogy! If people think it's good, I'll try to contact SH and ask him for approval before posting it. I'm quite proud of the book so far, I think it strikes a good balance between complexity, fairness and fun. There are scary moments but also (I hope!) some dark humour. In what format would I receive the book? I've got some time at the end of this week. I'd love to try it. But I haven't played Legend of the Shadow Warriors or Moonrunner, I hope that's not a problem. I loved Dead of Night when I played it years ago.
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sylas
Baron
"Don't just adventure for treasure; treasure the adventure!"
Posts: 1,744
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy, Way of the Tiger
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Post by sylas on Jun 7, 2016 22:16:00 GMT
I would really like somebody to playtest my amateur FF. It's called "Blood of the Mandrake" and it's a tribute to the dark fantasy gamebooks of Stephen Hand (Dead of Night, Legend of the Shadow Warriors & Moonrunner). For those that don't know, SH had planned a book called "Blood of the Mandrake" that was to complete a loose "trilogy" set in the aftermath of the War of the Four Kingdoms. Like the previous two, it was to have a very "Hammer Horror" tone. Well, this is my attempt to finish the trilogy! If people think it's good, I'll try to contact SH and ask him for approval before posting it. I'm quite proud of the book so far, I think it strikes a good balance between complexity, fairness and fun. There are scary moments but also (I hope!) some dark humour. If your style is anything like Stephen Hand i'd love to read through it and give my thoughts, and even if it isn't i'd like to read it anyway as this is the one trilogy that never got finished. I need closure
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kieran
Baron
Posts: 2,547
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
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Post by kieran on Jun 8, 2016 12:47:40 GMT
Not sure I can commit to extensive playtesting but happy to give it a couple of goes and share my thoughts.
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Post by offm on Jun 8, 2016 14:58:01 GMT
i am interested to read too , i advogate the use of dropbox, and would prefer if the was pdf format if possible, if not docx will suffice
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Post by pouncingpanda on Jun 8, 2016 23:07:06 GMT
Thanks for all the responses!
It would be a PDF. Am happy to use a Dropbox.
To manage expectations, it won't be ready this week! But I do think that it'll be the full 400 paragraphs when ready.
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Post by Pete Byrdie on Jun 8, 2016 23:58:03 GMT
Thanks for all the responses! It would be a PDF. Am happy to use a Dropbox. To manage expectations, it won't be ready this week! But I do think that it'll be the full 400 paragraphs when ready. Dropbox is just an icon on my phone this sad old bird doesn't understand, but I'd be thrilled (chilled?) to give your book a play if you could email me it ptbyrdie@gmail.com or if someone could tell me what Dropbox is whenever it's ready.
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sylas
Baron
"Don't just adventure for treasure; treasure the adventure!"
Posts: 1,744
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy, Way of the Tiger
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Post by sylas on Jun 9, 2016 0:22:45 GMT
Thanks for all the responses! It would be a PDF. Am happy to use a Dropbox. To manage expectations, it won't be ready this week! But I do think that it'll be the full 400 paragraphs when ready. Dropbox is just an icon on my phone this sad old bird doesn't understand, but I'd be thrilled (chilled?) to give your book a play if you could email me it ptbyrdie@gmail.com or if someone could tell me what Dropbox is whenever it's ready. same boat as you mate. i use it once at most each year and i can never remember how i used it.
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Post by offm on Jun 9, 2016 0:30:01 GMT
Thanks for all the responses! It would be a PDF. Am happy to use a Dropbox. To manage expectations, it won't be ready this week! But I do think that it'll be the full 400 paragraphs when ready. Dropbox is just an icon on my phone this sad old bird doesn't understand, but I'd be thrilled (chilled?) to give your book a play if you could email me it ptbyrdie@gmail.com or if someone could tell me what Dropbox is whenever it's ready. Dropbox is a program where you can drop files and share it with people to download, the free version can give you storage up to 2gb( wish can have more a less 1000 PDF files) a really good program recommended for all. Sent from my SUNSET2 using proboards
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Post by offm on Jun 13, 2016 14:15:31 GMT
i was adviced not to download "unknown files" as of fear of being ransomware, so i am droping out of the offer for the moment being.
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Post by pouncingpanda on Jun 19, 2016 9:46:27 GMT
i was adviced not to download "unknown files" as of fear of being ransomware, so i am droping out of the offer for the moment being. That makes complete sense and I respect your decision. I'm not a baddy, but you have no way of knowing that!
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Post by pouncingpanda on Jun 19, 2016 9:53:42 GMT
For those still interested, here is the blurb from my work-in-progress FF. It's currently weighing in at about 300 paragraphs. Let me know what you think - would YOU read this? One challenge that I've had is that (at the start of the book), there is no "end baddie". The Northlander warlord (warlady?) Byranna is a person just like you - I don't want to make a story about people from a given fantasy country being good or evil! You know Bryanna because you fought against her in the War of Four Kingdoms and came to a truce. Hence, you're being sent to negotiate with her, because she respects you. Of course, there are real villains, but you only find out about them as you progress through the mystery. I realise that this is atypical stuff for FF, so how would YOU spin it? Blood of the Mandrake
A sinister conspiracy threatens Gallantaria!
Twenty years have passed since the War of Four Kingdoms devastated the Old World. The Kingdom of Gallantaria emerged victorious but the scars of war remain. YOU are a veteran of the War called out of retirement for a final desperate mission.
The Northland provinces have united under a strong leader and are marching on Gallantaria! You have a history with the Northlander leader and are the only person who stands a chance of averting a second terrible war. You must venture through a land riven by conflict and haunted by creatures from eerie folklore. But you will soon find that the perils facing your homeland are even deeper and darker than you first suspected…
Two dice, a pencil and an eraser are all you need to embark on this horror-fantasy adventure, which comes complete with its own elaborate combat system and a score sheet to record your progress. It is up to YOU to decide which skills to choose, which routes to follow, which dangers to risk and which foes to fight.
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Post by philsadler on Jun 19, 2016 11:37:06 GMT
It sounds like a good read!
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Post by Pete Byrdie on Jun 19, 2016 20:17:03 GMT
I look forward to it. It sounds fun.
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Post by pouncingpanda on Jun 19, 2016 21:28:16 GMT
Aw, thanks. Another sneak peek of the Special Skills system. I'm trying to avoid an optimum combination! SPECIAL SKILLS
You served in the Gallantarian army during the War of Four Kingdoms. In surviving this terrible conflict, you learnt skills that will be useful for your coming adventure. These skills mark you out as a veteran and set you apart from the young chancers that think a good sword arm is all that is needed to overcome the terrors of the Old World! Choose two skills from the list below. Your combination of choices will affect the adventure ahaead, but also says a lot about your character’s background. For example, a character with DIPLOMACY and TACTIC might have led an elite infantry unit. A different character with STEALTH and SURVIVAL could have been a scout or ranger. In most cases, you can choose a skill when instructed by the text. However, ARCHERY, SURVIVAL and TACTICS have uses that will not be specifically highlighted and modify the basic rules – read the skill description carefully to understand this.
ARCHERY You served with a regiment of archers during the War and are still skilled with a bow and arrow. You begin your adventure with a longbow and a quiver of 6 arrows (note these on your Adventure Sheet). You can use your bow before some combats, generally those where you have the initiative or some room to manoeuvre. In such instances, your foe will have an asterisk (*) by their name. In such cases, you can choose to fire one arrow before the battle. If you shoot, Test your Skill. If you succeed, you have hit! Roll 1 dice and deduct the amount from your opponent’s stamina. In this way, you may kill some weaker foes before combat even begins! Whether you hit or miss, remember to cross off arrows as you use them. You may well find more arrows in the course of your adventure, but you can never carry more than 6 at a time. Your bow counts towards your limit of carrying two weapons at any time. There may be other opportunities to use this skill, as instructed by the text.
DIPLOMACY You had a leadership roll during the War and retain your ability to negotiate, persuade and bluff. This skill will help you overcome challenges where you can interact with intelligent creatures (not necessarily human!). It is obviously of less use against animals and mindless monsters!
KEEN SENSES Your attuned senses saved your life many times when serving in the vanguard of the Gallantarian army. You notice things that others do not. This skill is useful in many instances, for example searching rooms, eavesdropping, avoiding ambushes and even smelling harmful poisons in the air!
STEALTH You worked as a scout in the War and learnt how to move unseen. This skill is useful for avoiding unwanted attention, whether by hiding or sneaking.
SURVIVAL All soldiers must learn to live off the land to some extent, but you served with troops that ranged further than most. You are a confident hunter and trapper, as well as understanding where to find fresh water. As such, you don’t rely on provisions as much as other adventurers. You may ignore instructions to eat provisions in the text unless the paragraph specifically says otherwise (for example, if you found yourself trapped underground). However, you can still voluntarily eat provisions to gain stamina. You may be offered other opportunities to use this skill in the text, for example in tracking or coping with bad weather.
TACTICS You were in the thick of it throughout the war. You learnt to read a battlefield and use your wits to overcome terrible odds. This skill has two main uses which will not be mentioned specifically in the text. Both serve as modifications of the basic combat rules. • In combats where you must fight multiple foes at the same time, you can fight them one at a time instead. This represents you skilfully manoeuvring and using terrain to your advantage. • If you choose to Escape a battle (when offered the opportunity in the text), you do not take any damage as you flee.
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Post by philsadler on Jun 19, 2016 22:47:36 GMT
You have a professional writing style.
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Post by pouncingpanda on Jun 20, 2016 20:59:48 GMT
You have a professional writing style. Thank you! I write about 3 sections a day as I have my morning coffee. Now if only I could find a better name than DIPLOMACY for the social skill. Something about that word always strikes me as a bit oily, but everything else I can think of (NEGOTIATE, CON, FAST TALK) is too specific.
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Post by philsadler on Jun 20, 2016 22:36:31 GMT
What about: mediation, negotiation, tact, discretion, subtlety, insight or discernment?
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Post by pouncingpanda on Jun 21, 2016 21:42:50 GMT
Maybe Negotiate. Thanks.
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sylas
Baron
"Don't just adventure for treasure; treasure the adventure!"
Posts: 1,744
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy, Way of the Tiger
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Post by sylas on Jun 22, 2016 21:18:45 GMT
or just SOCIAL SKILLS
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Post by pouncingpanda on Jun 23, 2016 8:09:34 GMT
Thanks Silas. This was my first choice, but after a few instamces of writing "do you have SOCIAL SKILLS?" I felt sorry for the readers that would have to answer "No"😁
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Post by pouncingpanda on Jul 6, 2016 13:10:13 GMT
Question to the floor - how many "instant death" paragraphs do you consider fair (assuming 400 paragraphs total)?
My sense is that around 25-50 is reasonable, especially because my book doesn't have any mandatory hard combats.
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Post by philsadler on Jul 6, 2016 14:23:44 GMT
Well just remember that 40 is 10% of the whole book which sort of means that one in every ten refs will kill you. That is way more than enough. I think though that it's more important to give clues about a potential death rather than just saying "You opened the wrong door, now you die." Also, it doesn't have to be deaths but large deductions in stamina or skill or luck or having all of your food taken or being poisoned and losing 1 stamina per ref. In short, not every instant death reference has to mean that you die on the spot. You could just badly wound the player.
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Post by Pete Byrdie on Jul 6, 2016 15:56:37 GMT
I don't favour instant deaths much. They're an unsatisfying way to end an adventure in a way that dying in battle isn't and they prevent further exploration which isn't necessarily prevented by simply doing something dumb and losing STAMINA or otherwise learning you've gone the wrong way. In a sense, I think inflicting instant deaths on a player is a bit of a cop out. Punish the player for dumb things or to demonstrate they've gone the wrong way, but keep taking them along a winding route. Gamebooks arent about dead ends. 25 should be plenty.
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Jul 6, 2016 16:35:35 GMT
Without doing any comparisons, my feeling is that 25 is quite reasonable whereas 50 is harsh. As Phil indicated it partly depends on whether falling into them is pure luck or partly due to poor judgment. How many times do you want the average reader to get squished before they complete the adventure?
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Post by pouncingpanda on Jul 6, 2016 22:11:16 GMT
Really good replies, thanks!
I think I'd like readers to finish it on 2nd-3rd attempt but not first. The adventure is basically a mystery and I've tried not to make the deaths arbitrary!
The Special Skills should allow some reply and allow people to play to their strengths.
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Post by pouncingpanda on Dec 17, 2016 20:12:23 GMT
An example "death" from the book. This is what happens if you manage time poorly!
Something is terribly wrong.
The first thing that alerts you that something is amiss are palls of smoke over Ashrigg. You tether your horse in the shelter of a rocky outcrop and creep closer to you investigate.
Heart hammering in your chest, you realise that the smoke comes from dozens of cooking fires. Before you, the full might of the Northlander army is drawn up on Ashrigg. The four clan banners flutter proudly above the stone circle – the white eagle of Macvaire, the wildcat of Dalmaen, the stark red mountains of Kilgour and the bright chequer pattern of Kembel.
Swarms of pikemen, archers and crude siege engines stand in defensive formation on the hillside, commanding the road below. As you watch, the first waves of hardy Northlander cavalry ride south to begin raiding the farms around Kinver.
You are too late. Blood has already been shed. Soon, Bryanna will sweep over Kinver and invest Caspar. The full might of the Gallantarian army may well triumph, but the chance for peace in the Old World is lost.
Crouching like a frightened rabbit in the heather, you may yet escape and find somewhere to hide from the ensuing slaughter. But your mission has failed and your end, when it comes, will be without honour.
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Post by elnombre on Dec 27, 2016 12:02:29 GMT
For an alternative to "Diplomacy" how about the term "Speechcraft" as used in the Elder Scrolls games?
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Post by offm on Aug 7, 2017 11:47:24 GMT
i was adviced not to download "unknown files" as of fear of being ransomware, so i am droping out of the offer for the moment being. That makes complete sense and I respect your decision. I'm not a baddy, but you have no way of knowing that! Sorry if i misdjudge that is just that we see creepy thing on the net nowadys , how is the project going by the way.
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