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Post by tyrion on Sept 6, 2020 11:40:20 GMT
Standings so far:
16 - Sword of the samurai
15 - Island of the undead
14 - Night dragon
13 - Legend of the shadow warriors
12 - Beneath nightmare castle
11 - Night of the necromancer
10 - Vault of the vampire
9 - The seven serpents
8 - Deathtrap dungeon
Only one vote each, with one elimination unless there is a tie. I've also made the poll so you can't see the results until it's finished.
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Post by peasantscribbler on Sept 6, 2020 13:00:03 GMT
I’ve been voting for Khare, mostly because I find it difficult to isolate how much it contributed to my overall enjoyment of Sorcery. I played through Sorcery last Fall (starting over at book one with each fail), and I’m pretty sure that I reached peak enjoyment while playing Seven Serpents or perhaps the early parts of Crown of Kings. At a certain point I didn’t want to risk exploring after having found a path through the early books just in case I discovered an instant death. Seven Serpents incentivized more exploration because the ending implicitly promised an advantage in Crown of Kings for defeating each Serpent. Maybe if I played Khare again as an individual book I would come to appreciate it more.
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vagsancho
Knight
Posts: 810 
Favourite Gamebook Series: CRYPT OF THE SORCERER
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Post by vagsancho on Sept 6, 2020 13:43:35 GMT
My vote to go is Creature of Havoc.
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Post by sleepyscholar on Sept 7, 2020 2:03:59 GMT
Only one vote each, with one elimination unless there is a tie. I've also made the poll so you can't see the results until it's finished. A clever move. Now my legions of Slaves upvoters won't know what to do! In terms of preference, as I mentioned before I think it would be Creature of Havoc out for me, too (What? That means I agree with vagsancho?). But realistically speaking Slaves has stayed on longer than it should, so I guess I'll be voting for it. Can't have my cherished Marmite reputation being further sullied (I have friends post me out Marmite products, as Marmite is available in Japan, but not Marmite crisps, breakfast biscuits, thins, peanuts, cashew nuts etc). Remember: Slaves of the Abyss sucks seawater! |
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Post by Wilf on Sept 7, 2020 8:43:06 GMT
I have voted for the book that I merely like, rather than the six that I love.
I won't spoil things by saying which one that is, but a clue: it doesn't have a v in its title...
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Post by peasantscribbler on Sept 7, 2020 12:54:52 GMT
Don't listen to sleepyscholar--his views on Slaves of the Abyss have no merit whatsoever! (I suppose that he is entitled to his opinion about marmite.)
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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 Sept 7, 2020 13:49:23 GMT
Slaves of the Abyss is low key fantastic - that's a compliment. The cover is a bit weird to me but I do love the depiction of the endless prison with the Reaver laughing at their despair.
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Post by a moderator on Sept 7, 2020 14:02:31 GMT
Slaves is in my top 3 FF gamebooks, and one of the other two has already been voted out. I won't be targeting it for a while yet.
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kieran
Baron
Posts: 2,547
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
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Post by kieran on Sept 7, 2020 17:18:07 GMT
I feel like I've spent half this contest voting for Slaves. It will probably end up winning the whole thing at this rate!
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Post by tyrion on Sept 7, 2020 18:18:40 GMT
I'm surprised slaves has done so well, not because it is bad (which it isn't), but because I didn't think it had such universal appeal. I know I like it, but always thought other people could take it or leave it. Not as marmite as BVP, but getting there.
I'm still voting for siege of sardath, which came 51st in the poll in fighting fantazine 5. Did it get better since then?
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Post by bloodbeasthandler on Sept 7, 2020 18:28:09 GMT
Slaves is in my top 3 FF gamebooks, and one of the other two has already been voted out. I won't be targeting it for a while yet. Yeah, I'm with you there. It's one of my favourites too. Heroes are brought in to aid a city facing more than one threat, one of which (which turns out to be the most dangerous) is not at first understood. A massive army of the enslaved led by a warlord with unclear motives and powers needs to be scouted, the city warned, and then the warlord dealt with. Intrigue and treachery weaken Kallamehr from the inside (to the extent that even the city guard can no longer be trusted) and the enemy within acts in concert with the exterior enemy. There’s a race against time, the principal traitor is to be unmasked, the old master imparts his last remaining untaught skill to his pupil, the brave heir to the throne tragically goes down fighting, a disturbing impostor is at large in the countryside, and the Riddling Reaver makes an appearance (so he's not dead after all, then!). All this amongst many other things. See how good FF can be, the potential of it? Plots like that make good stories in their own right, let alone forming the basis for a gamebook or interactive fiction which to my mind when done well is a most immersive form of literature. How easy would it have been for the books to be mere variations on ‘kill the orc guard and get d6 gold pieces’... ‘slay the wizard and get the jewels’ ...rinsed and repeated for a dozen books before dying a death ... ? Whichever book gets voted the best, credit due to the originators, the editors and the individual authors for doing a really enjoyable set of books. |
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vagsancho
Knight
Posts: 810
Favourite Gamebook Series: CRYPT OF THE SORCERER
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Post by vagsancho on Sept 7, 2020 19:24:30 GMT
Slaves of the Abyss is a very, very good book!
But let me see:
It is epic. But Crypt of the Sorcerer is even more epic.
It has good allies. But Crypt of the Sorcerer has an even better ally (yaztromo at his best appearance).
It has a reasonable villain. But Crypt of the Sorcerer has an even better villain (an amazing one).
Well, okay, i am only comparing Slaves with the best of all.
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Post by thealmightymudworm on Sept 7, 2020 21:07:15 GMT
Slaves of the Abyss is a very, very good book! But let me see: It is epic. But Crypt of the Sorcerer is even more epic. It has good allies. But Crypt of the Sorcerer has an even better ally (yaztromo at his best appearance). It has a reasonable villain. But Crypt of the Sorcerer has an even better villain (an amazing one). Well, okay, i am only comparing Slaves with the best of all. OK, I won't vote out Crypt of the Sorcerer this round. |
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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 Sept 7, 2020 23:12:59 GMT
Slaves of the Abyss is a very, very good book! But let me see: It is epic. But Crypt of the Sorcerer is even more epic. It has good allies. But Crypt of the Sorcerer has an even better ally (yaztromo at his best appearance). It has a reasonable villain. But Crypt of the Sorcerer has an even better villain (an amazing one). Well, okay, i am only comparing Slaves with the best of all. We see him tied down helpless in a pentagram, or we see an illusory Yaz who is actually Razaak (oh, so THIS is why it's his best appearance). 'Crypt of the Sorcerer has an even better villain'Not unreasonable to be fair. Razaak has very little personality other than in his appearance, but he is super powerful in dark magic. In comparison, all Bythos tries to do is blow you off. |
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Post by The Count on Sept 8, 2020 0:54:23 GMT
I will be very upset if the brilliant Slaves of the Abyss ends up below the tedious Khare shittyport of craps. Why is this Sorcery leftover still in the running?!? I even prefer the irritating Deathtrap to that overrated crud!
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Post by a moderator on Sept 8, 2020 18:30:26 GMT
Unless 2-3 voters are leaving it very late, this is the lowest turnout yet for the 'final' polls.
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kieran
Baron
Posts: 2,547
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
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Post by kieran on Sept 9, 2020 6:47:51 GMT
Holy crap, was not expecting those results! Three excellent books out in one fell swoop and Slaves lives on (as does Talisman which is also beginning to outstay its welcome).
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Post by Wilf on Sept 9, 2020 8:39:48 GMT
Don't blame me for Talisman - I was the one who voted for it.
Gutted to see both Siege and Creature lose out here. Those two are both in my Top Three FFs (along with The Crimson Tide).
Khare is also excellent, and of the final four, my two favourites seem to be the two most likely to get booted in the next round (House and Slaves).
Terrible result, I feel.
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Post by vastariner on Sept 9, 2020 8:56:18 GMT
The one thing that jarred about Creature of Havoc was that you got such an extensive preface - when your character is meant to know nothing.
I am surprised it is out now. It is one of my faves, it seems to be universally liked, and it is phenomenally memorable.
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kieran
Baron
Posts: 2,547
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
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Post by kieran on Sept 9, 2020 9:40:42 GMT
The one thing that jarred about Creature of Havoc was that you got such an extensive preface - when your character is meant to know nothing. True but it is fun gradually working out how it all fits together. |
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Post by vastariner on Sept 9, 2020 10:20:16 GMT
I wonder whether it would have done better as a post-script...
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vagsancho
Knight
Posts: 810
Favourite Gamebook Series: CRYPT OF THE SORCERER
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Post by vagsancho on Sept 9, 2020 11:14:02 GMT
The one thing that jarred about Creature of Havoc was that you got such an extensive preface - when your character is meant to know nothing. True but it is fun gradually working out how it all fits together. Yes... But a 100 pages preface takes off the desire to even touch the book.. It should be a 5 pages most preface, with the same information. |
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kieran
Baron
Posts: 2,547
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
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Post by kieran on Sept 9, 2020 11:30:01 GMT
True but it is fun gradually working out how it all fits together. Yes... But a 100 pages preface takes off the desire to even touch the book.. It should be a 5 pages most preface, with the same information. You can pretty much ignore it if you want. It's kinda like the appendices in The Lord of the Rings - gives you extra info on the setting and the characters if you're interested, but the story works just fine without it. |
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kieran
Baron
Posts: 2,547
Favourite Gamebook Series: Fighting Fantasy
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Post by kieran on Sept 9, 2020 11:34:23 GMT
I wonder whether it would have done better as a post-script... Maybe but it would be a somewhat different vibe if that approach were taken - instead of meeting a white-haired elf and thinking "a-ha this is Daga Weaseltongue", instead you get to the end not knowing his deal and then having it explained to you. Not necessarily a worse approach, but different. |
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Post by sleepyscholar on Sept 9, 2020 16:29:29 GMT
Bugger.
I didn't expect that. I had a long faculty meeting today and didn't get around to voting -- not that my vote would have actually led to Slaves getting ditched.
I kind of feel bad about Creature of Havoc being out, now. I mean, you can see how I would respect Steve for trying something different with the format (given that Steve W and I tried a similar thing shortly afterwards).
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