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Post by tyrion on Jun 27, 2020 9:03:38 GMT
Last round Sky Lord was knocked out. I've just realised that the two books that involve.escaping a siege are both in this group.
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Post by Law on Jun 27, 2020 9:07:45 GMT
Last round Sky Lord was knocked out. I've just realised that the two books that involve.escaping a siege are both in this group. Battlefield Warrior; what dis? I know you're escaping a years-long siege in Battle blade Warrior, is the other in one of the alliterative titles?
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Post by tyrion on Jun 27, 2020 10:12:22 GMT
Stupid autocorrect, should be battleblade warrior. It could be worse, it's just tried autocorrecting it to bottlenose.
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Post by Wilf on Jun 27, 2020 12:24:10 GMT
For once I seem to be in tune with the majority. Sky Lord and Armies of Death are easily my two least favourites in the thirties.
However, this is a really weak run IMO, and random-and-unmemorable Daggers, boring-and-unmemorable Fangs, and downright-bloody-tedious Vault are getting let off the hook too lightly.
No, you read that right. I've no love for Vault Of The Vampire. Or indeed most of Keith Martin's stuff. I fear from Round 3 onwards I'll be the lone voice constantly voting for it, which is almost as mind-numbing a prospect as picking the damn book up...
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kieran
Baron
Posts: 2,453
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
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Post by kieran on Jun 27, 2020 12:53:48 GMT
Armies of Death is just Ian in autopilot. Bland villain, barely used and uninspired mass combat rules, a mini dungeon that's either pointless or ridiculous depending on whether you have a guide, and the scene with the oracle where the random junk you've accumulated happens to be exactly what he's after is ludicrous - as is expecting you to remember how much it cost for no discernable reason.
I think Vault is one of Keith's best books. It's definitely less tedious than his later efforts.
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Post by stevendoig on Jun 27, 2020 13:05:33 GMT
Very interesting.! Although Armies Of Death is hardly a wonderful gamebook, I've voted Fangs of Fury. I feel at least the story in Armies is superior (though the gameplay is pants) Fangs is another very boring slog in my opinion.
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Post by bloodbeasthandler on Jun 27, 2020 13:15:44 GMT
Armies of Death is just Ian in autopilot. Bland villain, barely used and uninspired mass combat rules, a mini dungeon that's either pointless or ridiculous depending on whether you have a guide, and the scene with the oracle where the random junk you've accumulated happens to be exactly what he's after is ludicrous - as is expecting you to remember how much it cost for no discernable reason. I think Vault is one of Keith's best books. It's definitely less tedious than his later efforts. Am I right in saying that if you do NOT go by boat in the first paragraph of this book you lose? [going by boat = get the shield = you don't get killed by the Blog = you get the Crystal]
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kieran
Baron
Posts: 2,453
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
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Post by kieran on Jun 27, 2020 13:29:32 GMT
Am I right in saying that if you do NOT go by boat in the first paragraph of this book you lose? Yes, indeed. Pity, because I find the other route more interesting.
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Post by vastariner on Jun 27, 2020 15:11:16 GMT
Armies of Death is just Ian in autopilot. Bland villain, barely used and uninspired mass combat rules, a mini dungeon that's either pointless or ridiculous depending on whether you have a guide, and the scene with the oracle where the random junk you've accumulated happens to be exactly what he's after is ludicrous - as is expecting you to remember how much it cost for no discernable reason. I retcon a lot of these things being an agent of Logaan, or possibly a Suma in disguise, who knew what your encounters would be, and was testing you out on whether you were worthy of getting to the next stage. So inquisitiveness and not humiliating people is a sign of a positive character.
Harder to see how Ungoth gets into it though...maybe he would think that a genuine Razaak-killer would not avoid Blacksand at all costs.
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Post by The Count on Jun 28, 2020 0:52:01 GMT
Very interesting.! Although Armies Of Death is hardly a wonderful gamebook, I've voted Fangs of Fury. I feel at least the story in Armies is superior (though the gameplay is pants) Fangs is another very boring slog in my opinion. I enjoyed the storyline (as well as art and gameplay) of Fangs far more than Armies personally - though it's only recently I've been able to appreciate the latter somewhat by realising that as a Livingstone effort it will have a path that is narrower and harder to navigate than a tightrope made from the leftover thread from a hotel sewing kit that was accidentally dropped down and retrieved from an unflushable blocked toilet and pretending that I win all the fights. Both are far better than battle blade warrior, which is one of the few books I know I read many times yet struggle to remember anything about aside from the abysmal ending which looks like it's creation is what caused the aforementioned plumbing dilemma.
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Post by Peter on Jun 28, 2020 7:46:41 GMT
Which is the one where you can only eat when instructed, but you hardly ever are, but there are several places where "there is plenty of food, you may refill your lunchbox (but not your stomach)"?
I vote for that one.
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kieran
Baron
Posts: 2,453
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
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Post by kieran on Jun 28, 2020 8:05:15 GMT
Which is the one where you can only eat when instructed, but you hardly ever are, but there are several places where "there is plenty of food, you may refill your lunchbox (but not your stomach)"? I vote for that one. Sounds like Battleblade Warrior to me
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Post by philsadler on Jun 28, 2020 9:15:39 GMT
Stupid autocorrect, should be battleblade warrior. It could be worse, it's just tried autocorrecting it to bottlenose.
Oh yeah! Bottlenose Warrior, the most dangerous dolphin in the wilderness!
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Post by a moderator on Jun 28, 2020 11:20:43 GMT
Which is the one where you can only eat when instructed, but you hardly ever are, but there are several places where "there is plenty of food, you may refill your lunchbox (but not your stomach)"? I vote for that one. Sounds like Battleblade Warrior to me Yes, that's the one. Thanks for the reminder, Pete - I know what I'm voting out next round.
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Post by vastariner on Jun 28, 2020 20:57:02 GMT
Very interesting.! Although Armies Of Death is hardly a wonderful gamebook, I've voted Fangs of Fury. I feel at least the story in Armies is superior (though the gameplay is pants) Fangs is another very boring slog in my opinion. I enjoyed the storyline (as well as art and gameplay) of Fangs far more than Armies personally - though it's only recently I've been able to appreciate the latter somewhat by realising that as a Livingstone effort it will have a path that is narrower and harder to navigate than a tightrope made from the leftover thread from a hotel sewing kit that was accidentally dropped down and retrieved from an unflushable blocked toilet and pretending that I win all the fights. Both are far better than battle blade warrior, which is one of the few books I know I read many times yet struggle to remember anything about aside from the abysmal ending which looks like it's creation is what caused the aforementioned plumbing dilemma. I've written before that Battleblade Warrior was a massive missed opportunity. It should have been a Sorcery epic. Titan! made a point about the siege of Vymorna lasting 10 years, yet you can escape in about four paragraphs. There should have been an entire book about trying to get out unseen; you could even have multiple methods, such as tunnel, espionage, or using a teleport spell (for which, given the distance you need to teleport, you need a set of items).
And then there could have been a book travelling to the mines, a book in the mines, and an Armies of Death as you march back to defeat the siege.
Instead it was a Titan! Greatest Hits...
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