Monday, August 29, 2022

August news and upcoming September news

 Hi all! Sorry for the lateness - there has been much to do both in and out of gamebooks this week. 

If you want to personally berate me for being late,  I will be at Fighting Fantasy Fest 4 on the 3rd September.

UPDATE: There are now Livestream tickets available for £10 (+£1.37 booking fee)

Fighting Fantasy Fest 4 Tickets, Sat 3 Sep 2022 at 09:00 | Eventbrite

Enjoy!


New releases


Fighting Fantasy

Yes, there are two Fighting Fantasy books being released in September. Available for pre-order now.

Shadow of the Giants by Ian Livingstone

When an ancient artifact is discovered inside Firetop Mountain, its evil magic unleashes terrifying Iron Giants upon the world. In a race against time, YOU must find the only person who knows how to defeat them. Where does he live? Will he help? Will YOU survive?

Fighting Fantasy: Shadow of the Giants : Livingstone, Ian, McCarthy, Mike: Amazon.co.uk: Books


The Secrets of Salamonis by Steve Jackson

YOU, the hero, travel to the city of Salamonis to make your fortune. But will you join the Strongarms and travel across Allansia, guarding merchant caravans, or will you study at the famous Halls of Learning? Will you enter Bu Fon Fen in search of Cauldronweed, or rid King Salamon's Mine of the pests that plague it? Will you bring Cardinal Zyn to justice, or set off in search of the horn of the Black Unicorn? And just who is the Shivering Man, and what does he have to do with the mystery of the screaming sky? It is down to YOU to uncover the secrets of Salamonis!

Fighting Fantasy: The Secrets of Salamonis: Amazon.co.uk: Jackson, Steve, Bettin, Tazio: 9781407188492: Books


Red Ruin Publishing

There is a new Dragon Warriors solo from David Donache

You've come to Hambleton following a rumour, of a beast, coming down from the tor and terrorising the inhabitants of the moor. A few choice questions around the inn confirms that the rumours are true, but the beast has yet to come as far as Hambleton, it is Brengate, the moorland village, from which the whispers come.

Suitable for characters of 1st or 2nd Rank of any Profession.

The Beast of the Black Tor by Red Ruin Publishing (itch.io)


Usborne Adventures

Curse Breaker is the second gamebook in the Usborne Adventure gamebook series. It is out on September 2022.

This magically illustrated gamebook plunges you into a story with a difference - one where the hero is YOU.

But as you stare out at the stars from your prison cell window, you're not feeling very heroic. You, a city guard, thrown in jail because someone whispered a word in your ear. Just a single word...

Then your cell door creaks open, and you're let loose on an epic adventure where every choice is yours, and your survival depends upon the decisions you make. Who to fight? Who to trust? In a world that's unravelling before your eyes, the mystery goes deeper than you could possibly have dreamt.

Curse Breaker | Usborne | Be Curious



Choice of Games

Noblesse Oblige is now available on Steam, Android and iOS with 20% off until September 1st!

Noblesse Oblige: a Crème de la Crème Adventure is a 140,000-word interactive Gothic romance novella by Hannah Powell-Smith, a standalone story in the “Crème de la Crème” universe. It’s entirely text-based, without graphics or sound effects, and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

Noblesse Oblige—Find romance amid secrets in a lonely estate! - Choice of Games LLC

Heart of Battle is now available on Android and iOS.

Heart of Battle is a 255,000-word interactive gladiator romance by Fay Ikin, where your choices control the story. It’s entirely text-based—without graphics or sound effects—and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

Heart of Battle—Battle for love as a gladiator! - Choice of Games LLC

Paranormal Preparatory School is now available on Steam, Android and iOS

This boarding school for supernaturals isn’t hell, but it is on top of it! Can you make peace between the vampire and werewolf students, close the portal to hell, and save the world?

Paranormal Preparatory School is a 340,000-word interactive comedic dark fantasy novel by David Spain. It’s entirely text-based, without graphics or sound effects, and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

Paranormal Preparatory School (choiceofgames.com)

A Mage Reborn: Book One is a new hosted game

“A Mage Reborn: Book One” is a thrilling 154,000-word interactive fantasy novel written by Adam Alamsyah. It’s entirely text-based—without graphics or sound effects—and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

A Mage Reborn: Book One (choiceofgames.com)

Pride and Prejudice and Murder is a new hosted game

“Pride and Prejudice and Murder” is a 210,000 word interactive murder-mystery novel by Abigail Shaffer Fuller and Michael Gray, where your choices control the story. It’s entirely text-based—without graphics or sound effects—and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

Pride and Prejudice and Murder (choiceofgames.com)


Choose Your Own Adventure

Choose Your Own Adventure has some books available for pre-order which will be released on the 4th October.

They are:

Dregg Disaster: An Algebra 1 Gamebook

Brooklyn Mermaid

Antarctica!

COMING SOON! – Chooseco LLC (cyoa.com)

Samuel Isaacson

Samuel Isaacson has released and interactive poem.

Guilt of Years Emerging: A melancholic, interactive poem about loss, life and hope : Isaacson, Sam: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Darkness on a Foreign Shore: Unravel Your Destiny Book 1 (1) : Jordan, G R, Clarke, Jake Caleb: Amazon.co.uk: Books


Zines

Fighting Fantazine

After a 5 year hiatus, Fighting Fantazine issue 17 is out! You can get it free!

Home (fightingfantazine.co.uk)


Podcasts

Fantastic Flights 

The latest episode is Star Strider

Fantastic Fights — Haunted Phonograph


The Podcast From Firetop Mountain

The next podcast will be Appointment with F.E.A.R (to broadcast at 7pm BST on 29/08/2022)

The Postcast from Firetop Mountain - YouTube


Events


International Gamebook Day 

International Gamebook day was on 27th August (Fighting Fantasy's 40th birthday!). There were several interviews with people in the gamebook community (not just Fighting Fantasy ones!). The videos can be found at the Storymaster's Tales.

The Storymaster's Tales - YouTube


Fighting Fantasy Fest

This takes place on the 3rd September at the University of West London in Ealing. I will be there, so if you go, come and say hi!

Fighting Fantasy Fest 4 Tickets, Sat 3 Sep 2022 at 09:00 | Eventbrite


Gamebook creators

David Grophland has created a free gamebook creator called Gordian. 

Gordian Book imports a Twine game (either a Twine Archive, or a Twison/Twee version), and converts it to a gamebook output by numbering and shuffling the paragraphs, and converting links to the appropriate "turn to page x" form. Once converted, you can view the game in the browser, download as a standalone HTML file (e.g. for further editing), or export it as a simple PDF. (See Workflow notes).

Gordian: Home (gordianbook.art)


Interactive Fiction

Who better to tell us about what's going on in the world of Interactive Fiction, than Emily Short?

Mid-August Link Assortment – Emily Short's Interactive Storytelling (emshort.blog)


Adventures in social media

I found Solo Adventures with Livi on Youtube. As well as solo games, Livi also reviews gamebooks, such as Heart of Ice and The Shadows Tooth.

Solo Adventures With Livi - YouTube