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Post by stevendoig on Apr 30, 2019 19:23:24 GMT
Hah!
Well, I don't think six tries has ever taken less time! (50 minutes)
Here is the reportage...
1st Try - 7/22/7
Not much to say, I died on the second reference during a space battle....
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Post by stevendoig on Apr 30, 2019 19:25:31 GMT
2ndtry - 11/2/4/7 - OK, so, I went the other way, managed to destroy a ship, crash landed on a planet after burning off some scary space fungus, met 'Krill' who magicked up my ship and then died fighting another spaceship for him....
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Post by stevendoig on Apr 30, 2019 19:26:23 GMT
3rd try - 10/19/9 - I thought I could try and ignore the scary space fungus this time, but that meant I died....
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Post by stevendoig on Apr 30, 2019 19:31:30 GMT
4th try - 12/21/12 - Nice stats! - doesn't matter because I again got killed by a spaceship on the way to burn off the fungus again.....
5th try - 11/15/19 - OK, this time , I destroy the baddy spaceship that got me during the 2nd try , and guess what? I finally got a chance for some weirdness! Answering a distress call, I went to a space station which had been invaded by orange blobs. Trying to escape, I got the chance to pick up an INCREDIBLE pile of absolute crap without a clue why I should - then , in the middle of me being chased I couldn't resist playing space ball and some snooker. I threw all my crap at a blob and escaped! - Then there was some weird flight sim stuff where I had to choose between pitch, yaw and speed and stuff therefore I was killed by a nuclear mine. (obviously)
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Post by stevendoig on Apr 30, 2019 19:35:15 GMT
6th try - max stats - NOTE not that stats have mattered to much so far as your spaceship stats are fixed. Anyway, after burning the fungus and meeting Krill again, I foolishly rolled a one so his magic didn't work this time and there was a lot of smoke and my ship didn't return so I was stuck on his planet forever.
HMMMM
So, I didn't REALLY get a chance to get a good feel for the book. The space battles are horrendous and I really doubt the book could be completed without cheating, maybe (just maybe) I'll have a no dice playthrough sometime and see what other silly things occur!
FAIL!!!!
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kieran
Baron
Posts: 2,563
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
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Post by kieran on May 1, 2019 8:42:00 GMT
Slight Sky Lord spoiler about what path to take early on: It's better to avoid the fungus path - tougher space battle than the other path and you have a 1 in 3 chance of failing automatically once on the planet. Taking the other route means a slightly easier space battle and although it means you can't avoid the orange blob segment, once you've memorised which items are useful you can't go wrong. But yes this book is way too hard. It regularly kills you for not knowing what Martin Allen is talking about and the space combats are too unforgiving. Luckily you can avoid most of the harder ones. I've managed to get quite far in L'Bastin's fortress but never beaten it. I do genuinely like many of the ideas in this book, but they're mixed up with some absolutely horrible ones. |
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Post by stevendoig on May 1, 2019 19:54:46 GMT
Interesting!, It certainly wasn't as bad a book as I thought/ remembered , however I never really got far enough to make a proper judgement....
Anyway- STEALER OF SOULS
Well worn my copy is, not sure why because I dinny mind ever really enjoying it. I was always annoyed with the nice map on the inside which sets me up for a nice fun overland journey (which hardly ever happens!)
1st try - 10/15/7 - I kill a big bird really early,be nice to a crab, meet a giant, find a building, go down a trapdoor and fail a luck test so get killed by a stone shapeshifter.
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Post by stevendoig on May 1, 2019 19:59:03 GMT
2nd try - 12/18/10 - Thistime I find the Iron Crypts. I press on through a series of pretty dull and uninspired battles (though the illustration for the Diadrone is very nice!), keep getting asked for items I don't have, and find a nice wizard. I then progress through lots of coloured corridors, manage to find a use for my one collected item (crowbar),kill lots of illusions, and find the big baddie! I use a fire globe and then kill him.
SUCCESS!!!
- Wait? was that it?
A whole load of nothing really......
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kieran
Baron
Posts: 2,563
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
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Post by kieran on May 1, 2019 20:07:59 GMT
A whole load of nothing really...... I've always liked this one but I'm in a minority I guess. Maybe it's because it was my second FF book and the dungeon adventure was completely new to me (my only previous FF book being Forest of Doom). |
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Post by stevendoig on May 7, 2019 19:48:55 GMT
DAGGERS OF DARKNESS
I bought this book more or less when it came out from John Menzies in Dundee and read it on the bus home. - There wasn't that fascinating!?
Onyways, I don't recall thinking much of this book - but how did I do?
1st try - 11/23/7 - I found the Bogomil folk and rolled badly and got crushed by horses.
2nd try - 11/18/9 - I went a completely different route and ended up meeting the yiglaks (then losing them) then the khorkut who treated me to a wee board game (which I had never coloured in as I laddie so i'm guessing i'd never made it to that reference before) and then another minigame which resulted in a bridge collapsing while I was carrying treasure chests...
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Post by stevendoig on May 7, 2019 19:53:41 GMT
3rd try - 11/20/7 - Tried a different route again which eventually connected with my first go. I met the bogomil, and entered the maze, had a clue from earlier so the maze was a piece of cake and I got a medallion. Going on to Sharrabas, fought a few crappy monsters, used my medallion, fluked my way past a skill 11 baddy and won without having to fight the last two characters.
SUCCESS!!!
Quite enjoyed that! Each playthrough was a bit different, feels like theres plenty more locations I missed and I might come back to it again sometime. Reasonably fair book, although some of the medallion tasks are a nightmare!
Next .... ARMIES OF DEATH!!!!
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Post by stevendoig on May 8, 2019 19:50:27 GMT
YAWN
ARMIES OF DEATH -
Whether this happened elsewhere, but up with me in Scotland, Armies of Death & Portal Of Evil appeared in the shops at exactly the same time, so there you go.
Me and my pal got excited by this book, because we were big Livingstone fans (at the time)and it was a SEQUEL!!! Hence why my copy is really knackered.
anyway
1st try -7/19/11 - Obviously doomed, and I canny mind which is the correct route to travel at the start, so i go by boat. I lose a skill point tosome apples, lose lots of luck and get quickly killed by an axeman in Zengis.
2nd try - 12/21/8 - I go by boat again. I end up at Zengis , buy all the shite from a wee shop (and remember to take note of their values - that part I do remember!) and even find the shapechanger! However, after going to meet the Oracle, I don't have a bracelet with me which is a bit annoying, so I continue on my doomed travels, lose 6 skill points while doing so and get killed by Troll. This playthrough took some time, and wasn't exactly a thrilling experience, so that's enough for tonight!
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Post by stevendoig on May 9, 2019 19:24:36 GMT
OK ,How did I get on?....
3rd Try - 9/22/12- Coz I have no clue, I don't go by boat. I find a hut, save an elf, take a ring and die at the hands of a scary Trickster hag.
aaaarrggh
4th try - 11/18/19 - I go on foot again. I don't get much further because a Goblin on a Wyvern fires an arrow at me, and I die....
5th try - 10/20/9 - Nah, Back on the boat! This time ,i speak to the right person in Zengis and fluke the dice roll required to get the brooch! - I get the info from the Oracle and I need aCrystal - how marvellous. I arrive at a suspicious junction (suspicious as in knowing Livingstone, two of the three paths will be a bastard and mean I wont find what I want.
Anyway, I have no shield and am killed by a Blog.
Which is different.
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Post by stevendoig on May 9, 2019 19:28:06 GMT
6th try - max stats - Alright, I manage the roll again to get the brooch. Back to the suspicious junction and this time I dig a hole, use the key I found in Zengis ,fight a Nandibear and walk out (What was the point?) Anyway, I have a few very dull skirmish battles and meet Agglax. I have no crystal, so I die.... FAIL FAIL FAIL!!! I then looked at Champskees lovely walkthrough and see that I missed the shield right at the start (EACH TIME) That is annoying. I am in a bit of a huff with this book!!! Never mind, PORTAL OF EVIL next -one of my favourites!!  |
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Post by stevendoig on May 9, 2019 19:41:54 GMT
And since I'm more or less half way through my marathon (Core range plus Sorcery) a wee recap
Failures - 10 failures - House Of Hell, Seas Of Blood, Sword of The Samurai, Trial of Champions, Masks of Mayhem, Creature of Havoc, Crypt Of The Sorcerer, Chasms of Malice, Sky Lord & Armies of Death.
& 6 where I needed max stats - Deathtrap Dungeon, Space Assassin, Temple Of Terror, Rebel Planet, Robot Commando & Battleblade Warrior.
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Post by a moderator on May 9, 2019 21:32:44 GMT
Back to the suspicious junction and this time I dig a hole, use the key I found in Zengis ,fight a Nandibear and walk out (What was the point?) That's Ian Livingstone sneakily subverting FF convention. If it's got a number on it, it must be important, right? Only, just this once, the numbered key is a total red herring. Okay, it's not the most ingenious trick ever played in a gamebook, but it's not as tiresome as the same book's 'Didn't you memorise the prices? Then FAIL!' shenanigans. |
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Post by stevendoig on May 10, 2019 20:05:23 GMT
Ah, I get it now! Fair enough, I'll give him a bit of credit for that then! |
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Post by stevendoig on May 15, 2019 21:04:34 GMT
PORTAL OF EVIL
Always loved this one! It shows because my book is falling to bits. Very annoying that the reference numbers are not printed in the top corners - did this get corrected on later printings? It also of course first came out with NO NUMBER on the spine - arrgh! How did I cope? I wrote the number on the spine in biro!
Anyway 1st try - 9/17/11 - I remember that theres an order to do things, reckon I did it wrong by heading totown first.... Anyway, I potter around, find two birds (and then I mind that there are TWO places to find birds and ihave a feeling thia isn't the right place - don't find igneolite, don't have a ring of zombie warding, and fail a stamina roll when entering the portal.
2nd TRY - 11/20/11 - I find Gortax, I trek to the wizard, I find the igenolite, and the birds, and armed with lots of stuff , get through the portal etc enter the palace, go upstairs
and die. Hm, bit annoying!
3rd TRY - 10/18/10 - I do everything right this time, meet the big bad and win the day!!!
SUCCESS!!!!
Enjoyed that - good fun!
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Post by stevendoig on May 16, 2019 20:08:16 GMT
VAULT OF THE VAMPIRE. I went on a nice wee day trip with my cousin and our Gran & Grandad and grabbed this book and read some of it on the train on the way back to Dundee. So,erm there you go!No number on the spine again so again I wrote it in biro. My copy is in a no' bad condition ,which is odd because I certainly played it a lot. 1ST SHOTTY - 12/21/9, faith 8 - Great skill, should help me get around. Enjoying mapping this very much. Enjoying the illustrations and enjoying the story in general. I make it all the way to the Count- However, I lost a skill point along the way (though I regained it with the sexy chainmail) I also never found the proper magic sword. Therefore, although I had a skill of 12, The count wore me down with his skill of 13 and I died! Just the one try the night, because that was a BIG playthrough. |
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Post by Pete Byrdie on May 16, 2019 20:50:59 GMT
I don't think I've responded to this thread before, Steven, although I could be wrong. I don't contribute very much, although I frequently lurk. Just in the interests of confirming that your efforts are appreciated, I thought I'd pop in and say that I always really enjoy reading your accounts of your gamebook attempts, and I hope you keep at it. :-)
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Post by stevendoig on May 17, 2019 19:03:35 GMT
Appreciate your comments!
I certainly intend to continue! been slowing up again recently, but I'm really looking forward to the 40's - some of my favourites in there! (Dead Of Night, Master of Chaos, Lich-lord, Shadow Warriors, Moonrunner and Siege of Sardath) NOT looking forward to the 50's- some really stinky books there (My opinion!)
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Post by stevendoig on May 18, 2019 20:14:04 GMT
2nd try - 11/20/8 ,faith 6 Because I made a decent map for a change, I managed to explore and find the book of swords - brilliant! Also by going down a different set of stairs in the crypt I ended up with all the stuff I needed! With bonuses , I had the same skill as the count and managed to kill him (for now....) SUCCESS! Very good, well written book, however I doubt its possible with a starting skill of 10, so I got really lucky there! |
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Post by stevendoig on May 21, 2019 19:19:38 GMT
FANGS OF FURY
I have no childhood memories of this one, though I certainly bought it when it first came out.
1st try - 8/16/10 - I didn't last very long, I got killed by my bodyguard who had the same skill as me.
2nd try - 9/14/12 - I went a different way and ended up on a baddies ship. It started to sink and I drowned because I couldn't roll a double in time....
3rd try - 10/14/10 - Certainly got a bit further, I jumped down some wee holes and carried around some blocks, I the had too jump a gap, and I was carrying too many blocks so I died...
Not a fun book so far. Its not BAD either, just dull! Will try again tomorrow!
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Post by stevendoig on May 22, 2019 12:26:46 GMT
4th try - 7/20/8 - oh dear... I actually dropped down to skill 5 by the end, but I gamely struggled on and annoyingly (considering I kept managing to find different places to go) I ended up on the sinking ship again, failed to roll a double and drowned.!
5th try - 11/15/10 - Seemed to be going well, collected quite a few black cubes, learned how to get white cubes, learned about the wee stick men. Unfortunately, I stayed beside some flames rather than run through them and was burnt to death
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Post by stevendoig on May 22, 2019 12:29:45 GMT
6th try - MAX STATS - OK, I rolled well, fought lots of boring baddies, did NOT find out how to collect white cubes, did NOT find oot about the stick men, and ended up with only ten black cubes. I fought Jaxartes a few times, then found the Fangs of Fury! However, I had NO clue, and after using up my 4 remaining black cubes and all my stamina trying to find the correct combination, I died!!
FAILURE!!!!
How dull!!! - Cracking book coming up next though!
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Post by stevendoig on May 23, 2019 18:00:45 GMT
DEAD OF NIGHT.
Bought this when it came out, always loved it, still do. I loved the map and the various choices that came with it.
anyway
1st TRY - 11/22/11 Okay, this was a bit easy! Having picked up absolutely no items, and having fought only one baddie (horned skeleton) -I won! Getting the clue about what to look for when I met Myurr obviously helped, as did only having an Evil score of ONE (which I picked up at the start). The only time I could easily have failed was when I had to add up all the relevant items/ things I did in Axmoor - my total only came to six, but I rolled four.
Short but sweet, though I missed out on loads of guid stuff!
SUCCESS!
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Post by stevendoig on May 25, 2019 18:42:41 GMT
MASTER OF CHAOS
Another favourite of mine (at least the first half). I mind getting it when it came out and initially judging it by the cover - i.e I presumed it would be rubbish!
1st try - 10/20/10 - I did well, made lots of money and left before my notoriety made it a must. However, I failed to find a bed in Rahasta and got killed by mutants while sleeping outside...
2nd try - 8/19/12 - Knew my skill would cause me bother here - and indeed it did coz I got killed by the Necromancer....
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Post by stevendoig on May 25, 2019 18:49:05 GMT
3rd try - 12/19/10 - Stuck to a similar playthrough, and got killed by the Fire Demon because I never had a magic sword!
4th try - 11/19/19 - OK, this time, I found the way underground, and I found an abundance of magic swords (ok, two) however, I had no iron key, so I failed!
5th try - 9/17/10 - I found the iron key! However, even with my skill boost, I was killed by a creature called a zoalinth due to a heap of very poor dice rolls...
6th TRY - MAX STATS - Ok- I made it! Although I'm guessing I missed out on some stat boosts coz I faced off the big bad with a matching skill of 13, good rolls, lots of ways to recover stamina and facing him with max stamina meant I won through -then I killed the dark elf, and YET AGAIN I never encountered him throughout any of my playthroughs (even though the text suggests I have!!)
SUCCESS!!!
Next - a lot of peoples favourites - but certainly not mine!
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Post by a moderator on May 26, 2019 16:44:26 GMT
How do you propose to handle stats on your sixth try at the next book (assuming you don't fluke a victory on an earlier attempt)? What with the requirement to fail the first Luck roll making max stats a liability. |
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Post by stevendoig on May 26, 2019 18:12:37 GMT
How do you propose to handle stats on your sixth try at the next book (assuming you don't fluke a victory on an earlier attempt)? What with the requirement to fail the first Luck roll making max stats a liability. Good question - answer below! |
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