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Post by lordomnibok on Apr 6, 2018 23:20:25 GMT
Greenspine's recent comments have got me thinking. Livingstone dose take a few digs now and then about the difficulty of his books, but how many of his books are really impossible if sticking to the rules? I mean, he has written some absolute classics, so is it just Cots and BotZ that went insane on the difficulty level? And how many books from the series as a whole are impossible? There can't be many. I've played almost all of them but I haven't played some since I was a kid, so I can't recall. (I'm talking virtually impossible, not just really difficult.)
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Post by lordomnibok on Apr 6, 2018 21:18:44 GMT
Commenting more seriously on the art, if you didn't like the illustrations in The Port of Peril, you probably won't enjoy the ones in The Gates of Death either. As for that interview, is it really Ian Livingstone, author of Crypt of the Sorcerer and Blood of the Zombies, claiming that "You’ve got to [...] make it not too hard"? Ah well, sadly i might not love the art then, but I'm sure it will be to some people's tastes. As for Ian, he has been quoted as saying a few things like that recently. A similar equivalent would be Arnold Schwarzenegger talking about the benefits of taking it easy in the gym, but Ian is a legend so I just chuckle in a fond manner. To be fair though, his last book was very doable, so maybe he's just mellowed and decided to take it a bit easier on his new audience.
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Post by lordomnibok on Apr 5, 2018 21:17:21 GMT
Very dark. Almost black. Black. Black.
Black!
Like the endless blackness of space that leads to the chasm of clams!!! 😆 This made me laugh. Thanks Greenspine. I'm not sure I'll be smiling when I see the pics for myself though. Unless the book contains a space alien clam king, in which case it sounds like the illustrations will be impressively accurate. The book's in the post anyway, so I'll be able to decide for myself soon enough. Thanks again for your thoughts. Haha
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Post by lordomnibok on Mar 31, 2018 18:01:23 GMT
Has anyone else had a go at this? I don't want to be begging for feedback, but I know at least four people on here were intending to play it, and soon everyone is going to be disappearing into their shiny new Gates of Death so I thought I'd ask now. I read scorpion swamp as a kid, and i was not happy with it. Your posts inspired me to read it again and I am pleased to say that I am enjoying it. Oddly I like all the things that I disliked as a child, such is the subjectivity of art. i am currently taking a berry back to a wizard who looks like a farmer, plus i have some art commissions to finish, but i look forward to reading your story afterwards and i will then let you know my thoughts. (i have high expectations.) God can wait til afterwards.
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Post by lordomnibok on Mar 30, 2018 21:14:02 GMT
Gates Of Death is on sale in Meadowhall in Sheffield as I flicked through a copy today. It has 470 references but looks, prima facie, to be more a turn and collect Livingstone effort than a Jonathan Greene intricate masterpiece though there in no way to know until analysed. My copy should turn up soon as I ordered at a slightly lower price in case it was rubbish so a damage limitation exercise. It is hard to judge a book at a glance, but your initial thoughts are interesting. What was the art like John? And the physical quality of the book itself? I'm very intrigued.
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Post by lordomnibok on Mar 19, 2018 23:08:50 GMT
I agree with this. I will have to think on it, but I suspect that similarities to The Rings will be found in most ff books. Tolkien's work - particularly The Rings - was epic in its inspirational legacy. I'm not sure what ff would have looked like had Tolkien not toiled away for years at night, writing those books. I doubt we would have Waylander either, nor many other great fantasy books, were it not for Tolkien.
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Post by lordomnibok on Mar 16, 2018 20:40:47 GMT
Charity shop again - 25p!!
I've never heard of this series before but I bought it because
1) I'll buy any second hand gamebook (from the 20th century) 2) My wee boy loves Mario!!
Anyway, we haven't played it yet ( My boy is tied up with my other purchase) but we will!!
Anyone else got any of this series?
Thoughts? I haven't read it, but let us know what you make of it. I'm always looking around the charity shops but I never see gamebooks. Conclusion: A) Everyone in London loves their gamebooks too much to part with them. B) You and Mudworm live round the corner from me and get to them all first
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Post by lordomnibok on Feb 20, 2018 21:02:40 GMT
I think Phil is probably right on this, but I'm pretty sure you would be in infringement territory nonetheless. Some companies are really hot on this sort of thing - like Disney - whilst other brands are more relaxed. I've had my knuckle's rapped by Warner Brothers before over something similar (naughty me), so you have three options as I see it. Ask them first. Don't do it. Or take a chance, but be prepared to remove it if they ask you to do so. I imagine you would be okay with FF, but after my run in with Warner Bros. I've learnt that its not always the best thing to make assumptions. (They just told me to remove it or else they would take action. So i removed it. Fast. Then all was good.) Hope this helps. It seems I am making an infringement after all I just got a notice to get it removed from the site. Sent from my SUNSET2 using proboards Yes. It's a shame but it's not hugely suprising. They are within their rights to ask, so I would politely do as they say. Your site will still look good.
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Post by lordomnibok on Feb 2, 2018 20:05:12 GMT
Greetings fellow adventurers, my name is Ed and I've been addicted to FF since around 1983-84. I've recently begun my own FF blog here : fightingfantastical.blogspot.ie/ Welcome to the forum fellow addict.
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Post by lordomnibok on Jan 24, 2018 22:13:26 GMT
I have never laughed so much at reading. "Deduct 1 from your attack strength every other round because the creature is so boring you forget that you have to attack it" Thanks mate. I was wondering whether anyone had given it a go yet – how are you getting on? haha Sounds great. Don't forget to use the spoiler option though if you're going to chat about it in detail, I haven't read it yet so don't give too much away
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Post by lordomnibok on Jan 15, 2018 1:20:17 GMT
Awsome! Well done. I'm seriously looking forward to reading this. I shall be holding off for a short while though as I want to wait until I've got enough time to get the dice out and do it properly. (Its pretty long; if you write any more this length you could consider pitching it to the editor. Just a thought.)
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Post by lordomnibok on Jan 11, 2018 11:26:39 GMT
No book could be worse than Appointment with FEAR. Haha! But I thought you loved that book Vag! 😂
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Post by lordomnibok on Jan 11, 2018 11:07:25 GMT
Also, according to the original rules of 32 starting stamina, you have literally no chance of winning? Is nobody else slightly disgusted at this? I wouldn't say i was disgusted, more disappointed. This was my least favourite book of the lot, by a long way. Fighting Fantasy has given me so many gems that I usually focus on the many glowing titles for which I am grateful. However, you are right to voice your exasperation; forums like these are effectively free Focus Groups packed with the thoughts of a niche target audience; as long as concerns are constructive and not nasty then they should be heeded. They are lucky to have this resource. Valid concerns such as play testing etc should absolutely be taken seriously. High standards = happy customers = higher sales = more ff.
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Post by lordomnibok on Jan 6, 2018 23:31:32 GMT
I'll PM the queen
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Post by lordomnibok on Jan 6, 2018 17:30:30 GMT
Someone once told me that Crypt of the Sorcerer was the only ff book that they ever completed without cheating because the game play was so fair... (I would have loved Phil to have been there.) I chuckled internally and assumed that they had never really read it. But I am not completely sceptical of all claims of victory. I once watched my girlfriend comfortably win about eight rounds in a row against an opponent of equal skill; she had insane luck on every roll and she went into the fight with something like 2 stam and won easily. It was ridiculous, so I concluded that maybe it was possible to defeat ol' Razza after all, if the moment was right. But if the chqp in question did complete it he should definitely get a letter from the queen or something. I'm sure that more people reach 100 than win fairly at this book.
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Post by lordomnibok on Dec 18, 2017 17:36:25 GMT
Creature of Havoc was the best fighting fantasy gamebook ever written. It was also the first one I purchased and played, the third I ever read, and as a result gave me high expectations of the fighting fantasy series that was impossible to really ever meet! Saying that, I always loved and collected the series for years. But the latest versions released, illustrated by Vlado Krizan, aren't the same in terms of quality. I think Ian and Steve are hiring cheaper artists to save money; and it really shows! I solved Creature of Havoc with the original faulty entrance reference to Darramouss's room. My curiosity meant that after I'd exhausted all the obvious options, I simply tried the Strongarm's pendant randomly at all the dead-ends until I found the way onwards. At the time I thought it was deliberate; but with hindsight it's a mistake that Steve missed! Great book anyway and fond memories! I'm not sure that it was Steves mistake, I think it may have been an error created by the editor. I'm sure I read that somewhere. But either way, yes, interesting book with some creative & unique ideas.
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Post by lordomnibok on Dec 9, 2017 11:04:27 GMT
The PowerMaster 2000 (evil upgrade from the PowerMaster 9 Steam Hoover Series) refuses to clean the tea stain which is a hideous reminder of your last brutal adventure! What will you do??! Find out in the thrilling sequel to Cup of Death. (Book comes with three options and an exciting illustration!!!)
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Post by lordomnibok on Dec 8, 2017 9:24:08 GMT
I love the fact that this book is about a mysterious receptacle for tea. I'm looking forward to the helpful walkthrough and stat breakdowns Champskees. ;D
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Post by lordomnibok on Dec 5, 2017 23:17:51 GMT
You're advise is probably right. In many ff books, like Deathmoor, you can go off on unnecessary side quests which ramp up the difficulty but make it more fun for a high skilled character, but I'm not sure that POP is really the best book for this approach as you are pinned down to the main route for the most part. It's hard to stray off the path for a lot of it without dying almost immediately, but I am sure there are at least a couple of villains you could kill who could otherwise be avoided, just to make the world that little bit safer.
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Post by lordomnibok on Dec 5, 2017 21:40:13 GMT
Could someone please be kind and post a route that is a challenge for A Character whose Stat rolls where, due to the best luck I've ever had when rolling A Fighting Fantasy Characters Stats, A 5+6 or 11 for Skill, 2 6's+12 or 24 for Stamina and A 3+6 or 9 for Luck?. Please and thank you I'm sure someone could come up with a suggestion for you, but its tricky because the linear nature of POP makes it hard to explore without running into insta-deaths. It is quite an interesting idea though to contemplate the 'hardest' achievable route through a gamebook rather than the easiest. My alternative solution to Deathmoor touched on that theme, and I also tried that approach with Hovel of the Vampire: Sometimes completing a book via a tougher route can be more satisfying...
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Post by lordomnibok on Nov 30, 2017 14:37:47 GMT
How much time do you need to read from the begining to the end a fighting fantasy book, like for example deathtrap dungeon or caverns of the snow witch? I am asking in average, and i am asking for an answer in hours. Think it varies a lot (Starship Traveller would take me about 30 mins, Legend of Zagor about 4 hours) but I'd say 90 mins - 2 hours is about average for me. This is interesting. Just to confirm, is that when you are taking the optimal path but still rolling the dice and fighting as per the rules?
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Post by lordomnibok on Nov 25, 2017 11:43:03 GMT
How much time do you need to read from the begining to the end a fighting fantasy book, like for example deathtrap dungeon or caverns of the snow witch? I am asking in average, and i am asking for an answer in hours. Quite a few variables in there vag, but maybe I'll time myself when I read the next one. I can say though that if I'm reading a tropical Gamebook, I'll try to read it in a summer heatwave, or if it is a cold gloomy Gamebook that is in a rain swept region, I'll read it in the winter months. It adds to the immersive quality. Also, if a Gamebook is set over a longer time period I will try to read it in smaller chunks over a longer period so that I get more of a real-time sense of the scale of the adventure. That may seem a little obsessive, but I have a passion for this genre, so why not.
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Post by lordomnibok on Nov 25, 2017 11:14:52 GMT
It was God, Himself, who wrote the Background of - The Ressurrection of Razaak - by my hand.
I'm glad to hear he's into FF.
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Post by lordomnibok on Nov 24, 2017 10:19:50 GMT
I have read the background of this book - Ressurection of Razaak - once again. Amazing. Magical. Superb. Welcome back. For a moment, when I saw that you had posted in this thread, I thought you were going to say you had finished writing the whole book, hence your quietness for the last few months.
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Post by lordomnibok on Nov 9, 2017 21:22:11 GMT
I tried to find that 'Rule of the Zombies' and I couldn't. Anyone have a copy? I just did a search for you. I didn't open it but it looks like you can get it here. www.fightingfantasygamebooks.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1408&Itemid=67I wouldn't have thought this would be your sort of book Phil, although I must admit I'm quite tempted to check it out myself for a laugh. Just out of curiosity, did you play BotZ? I'm not recommending it I'm just curious
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Post by lordomnibok on Nov 4, 2017 21:51:05 GMT
My God. This must rate as the most pathetically 'designed' adventure in all of FF, including all of the amateur games too. The design of Blood of the Zombies seemed worse to me, I can't say at all for definite that it is harder than Crypt because I gave up on BotZ so quickly, but it was crazy. The book that Greenspine described sounds nuts, the absurdity it made me laugh though.
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Post by lordomnibok on Oct 30, 2017 19:20:52 GMT
My playthrough and review blog can be found here: torallion.blogspot.co.ukSo far I've done the first 7 Fighting Fantasy books and am currently lost in a marshy area somewhere. The blog has been neglected lately due to work commitments but the pace should start picking up again soon. Thanks torallion. I enjoy these type of play-through-reviews so I've been reading yours this eve. I would have been more generous to Citadel's design score, but I did read that book inside out, and its all subjective which is part of the fun of it. Very enjoyable though so thanks for posting.
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Post by lordomnibok on Oct 27, 2017 20:45:03 GMT
I can be quite the geek (yes to the IQ also), and I'm also pretty good at fighting. Not that I fight often; I wise man will avoid fights as much as possible. Not that I'm that wise either. But if it couldn't be avoided, I'm not too worried. Unless of course, guns are involved or telekinesis or some other cheat like up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, A, B. Yes! Even the most mighty geek can be vulnerable to a psychotic button bashing air head. They can often prove to be the most alarming of enemies. Down, right, punch usually sorts them out though.
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Post by lordomnibok on Oct 21, 2017 12:18:47 GMT
My solution to this adventure has taken on-board many assumptions due to the poor execution of the rules. My assumptions are as follows: - You do not start with any provisions. - You do start with a potion of your choice. - A gold coin can substitute a copper coin. - Yaztromo’s blessing sets your statistic to the value prescribed i.e. ignore the usual maximum skill/stamina/luck rules here. - No other skill bonuses allow you to exceed your initial skill. . Agreed. Plus starting with minus 3 stam (starvation) on your initial score as I've mentioned before. Messy rules. I got waylaid for a while and only just finished this book. The +3 skill with the venom sword was particularly jarring as it was pointless despite being specifically designed to slay my enemy, but I'm glad that pop could be completed without cheating. I don't like pistols in ff though, I don't know if anyone agrees? Also, does anyone agree that this was a huge leap upwards from Blood of the Zombies? I think so. (P.S. Page 267 should surely have read "middle finger.").
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Post by lordomnibok on Oct 16, 2017 16:32:36 GMT
Midnight Rogue was one of my favourites when it came out, but having just read it again, I feel this book was such a missed opportunity. There should have been a lot more of the unique element - the stealthy exploration of a benighted Blacksand - and a lot less of the generic dungeon-crawl. The atmosphere in the first section of the book is great, and is perfectly complemented by John Sibbick’s artwork (which pays homage to Iain McCaig’s City of Thieves work). I just wish there was more to it than three locations. Yes, this is obviously subjective, but I also found the beginning fantastic and I wanted more of the book to be like that. The ending did not impress me but the beginning was very, very memorable.
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