The April A to Z is going to be a gamebook bonanza!

I want Robin Hood and minotaurs
and Napoleon and Dwarves and
giant lego bricks and EVIL and
cowboys and knights and space
ships and tanks and ogres the
SUPREME BEING and
Sean Connery.  Next week we'll
do some really crazy stuff.

Stoked is not a word I would have considered using to describe my self about blogging, but I would definitely use it to describe how I feel about this year's A to Z challenge.  Why?  Quite simply, I got carried away.  In a good way, really.  My theme was the A to Z of why gamebooks are great and I was going to write a few articles and include a few interviews.  Then I decided that I should interview more people to include them in my blog.  Then I decided that I should just interview anyone I've ever interacted with who has anything to do with gamebooks and a few people who I had had nothing to do with.  I basically went on a large email rampage shooting questions in all directions and receiving loads of emails that filled up my inbox.  I just went on and on until I could interview no more.  For my excuse, I quote Terry Gilliam, who, after spending most of the budget for The Meaning of Life on his short, The Crimson Permanent Assurance, his response was 'Nobody told me to stop.'

I love Terry Gilliam's approach to his work.  Why let little things like money get in the way of realising your creative vision.  If we are to create, we should make it big and bold and completely over the top and with NINJAS!

So this is what I have done with my April A to Z.  The gamebook world has been very kind to me in the sense that much of it gave up its time to send me answers to my questions meaning that there will be some days where there is more than one interview and few days where there will be none - so far, the only entry I haven't requested an interview for is Youtube.

However, there may be people out there who love gamebooks who I haven't got in contact with.  If YOU are one of these people, leave a comment or email me at sl1605@gmail.com and tell me which letter that you would like to be featured in along with any links.  The April A to Z is a great time to showcase your website or blog as hundreds of bloggers will be taking part and exploring the blogs who are taking part.

Here are my interviews so far:

Amateurs  (interviews with amateurs from here)
Blogs (interview with Coopdevil)
Choice of Games
Discussion forums (interviews with people from forums here and here and possibly others)

Join the ever growing band of
gamebookers.

Excalibur Junior (Grailquest) (interview with Herbie Brennan)
Freebies
Gamebook Adventures (interview with Neil Rennison)
Harkuna and the Fabled Lands (interview with Dave Morris and Jamie Thompson)
Illustrations
Jasan Barnett (interview confirmed)
Kleptomaniac Heroes (interview with Billiam Babble)
Lone Wolf
Magazines (interview with Gallicus, editor of Fighting Fantazine)
Tunnels N Trolls (Interview with Scott Malthouse and Ken St Andre)
Own Adventure (as in choose your)
Pirate gamebooks that took a while to be released (Jonathan Green) (interview with Jonathan Green)
Quest, Destiny (interview with Michael J. Ward)
Readers (here, here and here) (interview with Murray and Torallion)
Spin offs (here, here and here)
Twitter (interview with SamuelJ, the brains behind Tweet RPG)
Undead filled new Fighting Fantasy books (Ian Livingstone's 30th Anniversary book)
Very comprehensive Gamebook websites (interview with Demian Katz)
Windhammer competition (interview with Wayne Densley)
Xhoromag and other gamebook programs (interview with Xhoromag and Christopher Liu)
Youtube
Zhu Bhajee (interview confirmed)

So if you want to take part, leave a comment or email me on sl1605@gmail.com.  It's going to be epic.

It's fun to charter an accountant.  And sail the wide accountancy...

New Tunnels and Trolls solo!

Good news everybody!  I have released another Tunnels and Trolls solo - Khazan City Chaos.  I wrote this book from the central idea of trying to get your character to spend/lose as much money as possible.  This short (56 paragraph) solo involves you pursuing some bandits to Khazan City in order to recover some royal treasure that you have stolen.  Unlike a lot of gamebooks, you start this solo with loads of equipment and shed loads of cash.  As well as the mission, you have plenty of opportunities to spend your money on magic, equipment, training or just the finer things in life.

Of course, you don't need pot loads of real cash to buy it - I'm selling this solo for £0.56 (around $0.88) so there is no reason not to go out there and grab it.

I have also reduced the price of my other solo - Temple of the Fool God - to £1.90 (around $2.98) so this is a great chance to get stuck into both solos for 1st level characters (or level 1-2 characters in the case of Khazan City Chaos) of any class - warrior, rogue, wizard, paragon, citizen, specialist -using the Tunnels and Trolls 7.5 edition.


This is also the first solo which includes my house rules for talents, magic and combat (including the use of stunts - saving throws you can do in combat which allow you to perform special attacks).

So what are you waiting for?  Temple of the Fool God has just received a glowing review so you should try that out and then continue the adventures of your character with Khazan City Chaos.  If you have recently read Trollzine 4 you may have played the solo where you get to hang around in a city.  Khazan City Chaos is similar to that (I had no idea that it would) but it includes a quest where you can recover the king's treasure (or run off with it if you like)

So that it all.  The next thing you need to do is download these solos.  You can find Temple of the Fool God here and Khazan City Chaos here.

Trickster profile - The Riddling Reaver

He always gets something off his chest.

The Riddling Reaver is a prominent character in the world of Titan.  He is the prime servant of Logaan, the trickster god and his mission is to make sure that good or evil do not get too strong.  For this reason, he could be your best friend or your worst enemy, depending on whether your side is winning or not.  He pops up on many occasions as an ally, a villain or as a 'wild card' character that could help or hinder you.  The Reaver himself is a flamboyantly dressed human like creature who spends a lot of his time laughing and joking.  Most people would thinks that he is mad.  However, he serves an important role in balancing good and evil on Titan and his madness is just a facade with a devious and dangerous mind beneath it.


The Riddling Reaver as an ally


Magehunter

As long as you don't shoot him (which Logaan himself admonishes you for), then the Reaver gives you a lift in his flying ship and gives you a clue as to where you can find Mencius.  Of course, he doesn't just tell you where to find him.  He gives you the clue in the form of a riddle.  Your direct approach, however, irritates him.

His methods may appear
a bit ropey but he knows
what he is doing.

Slaves of the Abyss


You are just about to defend a village from a swarm of spirit sucking insects when the Reaver falls down the chimney with a rope to help you escape.  He definately knows how to make a great entrance.  You have to take his help to win.  The Reaver also gives you a sense of humour in a bottle, which sounds confusing but  if you use it, it becomes one of the most brilliant ways you will use to incapacitate a villain.



Black Vein prophecy


The Reaver makes a brief appearance in this book.  He pops out of a painting, tells you to change your ways and then does a backflip into a chest.  When you open it, he is not there.  The Reaver also knows how to make a good exit.


The Riddling Reaver as a villain

Opposing the Reaver is a jarring
experience.

In the Riddling Reaver RPG, you realise the full extent and madness of the Reaver's powers.  He ties up the princess with a jar of spiders on her head so that she can't move.  He has several stuffed replicas of himself with humorously deadly stuffings.  He has an army of mutant lizardmen and jelly encased skeletons and he aims to completely overthrow the balance of good and evil on Titan.  In this RPG, the Riddling Reaver is almost Titan's answer to the Joker.

That's all folks!

The Riddling Reaver as a wild card


In Crimson Tide, you find the Reaver posing as a monk on a mountain.  If you fight him and defeat him or answer his riddle, he helps you.  Otherwise, he does not.

And so ends a month of tricksters.  The Trickster archetype is always a fun and interesting character in every story as they usually throw everything into disarray and shake things up.  Great :).

April A to Z update

Hi all,

What started off as me emailing a few people for interviews snowballed into me trying to hunt down literally EVERYBODY online who has had some kind of connection to gamebooks.  So I've made a few changes to the line up.  I have sent off interviews and already got some back, so this is what the line up currently looks like.  Basically, if I have my way, the April A to Z will be like an assembling of The Avengers for gamebooks.


Amateurs 
Blogs
Choice of Games
Discussion forums
Excalibur Junior (Grailquest)
Freebies
Gamebook Adventures
Harkuna and the Fabled Lands (interview with Dave Morris and Jamie Thompson)
Illustrations
Jasan Barnett
Kleptomaniac Heroes
Lone Wolf
Magazines
Tunnels N Trolls (Interview with Scott Malthouse)
Own Adventure (as in choose your)
Pirate gamebooks that took a while to be released (Jonathan Green)
Quest, Destiny
Readers (here, here and here)
Spin offs (here, here and here)
Twitter
Undead filled new Fighting Fantasy books (Ian Livingstone's 30th Anniversary book)
Very comprehensive Gamebook websites
Windhammer competition (interview with Wayne Densley)
Xhoromag and other gamebook programs (interview with Xhoromag)
Youtube
Zhu Bhajee

This is getting very exciting.  I'm looking forward to April with great anticipation.  Until then, happy gamebooking!

Trickster classes in RPGs and gamebooks

In many gamebooks, you are a warrior who deals with problems by swinging a sword at them and faces their opponents in fair combat, but that is not the only way to achieve victory and you will not come across enemies who share your skills and values.  There are some careers for which all is fair and you will have to be quick witted to deal with them.  Here are some classes that would suit the trickster mentality.


Rogues


The rogue class is a catch all term for a character that uses their agility to avoid blows in combat rather than face it head on.  Rogues also have a large number of skills which are usually devoted to getting things that other people do not want you to get.  Rogues could be anything from dexterous burglars to charming con artists.  You play a rogue in several gamebooks.  for example, in the Blood Sword gamebook series, you could play a trickster which is a rogue like character.  You also get to play a rogue in the Fighting Fantasy book Midnight Rogue.

Bards

The bard is a Dungeons and Dragons class which mixes some stealth, some magic and some martial abilities with their unique bardic music abilities.  Most of these abilities combine to make the bard an excellent support class for the group - the bard's music improve rolls and their spells include healing.  Bards can be described as the best choice for fifth member of a party of adventurers including a fighter, cleric, wizard and rogue.

In flavour terms, bards are charmers who make friends easily and can really get a party started.  They are all nonlawful as their trade cannot be restricted by laws.  Bards are always on the lookout for adventure following their whims to the next load of excitement.

Arcane Tricksters

We're moving into magic using classes now.  Arcane tricksters are rogues who use arcane magic to supplement their abilities.  Being able to pick pockets and disarm traps from a distance, become invisible and cast spells without speaking or gesturing must be infuriating for an opponent.





Illusionists


Illusion is all about manipulating appearances, the classic staple of a trickster.  If you do it enough, then your opponents will question everything they see and hear.  They will be thrown into confusion and disarray.  Your encounter with Thaum in Talisman of Death is a great example of how illusions can be put to good effect.










Enchanters


Enchanters manipulate the mind.  Making people go against the rule of law is what the trickster likes to do and enchanters can make people do what they want.  You can play an enchanter in The Blood Sword series.





Next week, we will look at the Riddling Reaver, a famous Trickster across the gamebook world of Titan.  Until then, happy gamebooking!

The A to Z of why gamebooks are great

Good morrow to you all!  I feel compelled to make yet another blog post riding on the back of the great Windhammer announcement.

I am going to do the April A to Z challange again.

Last year, when I wrote about one gamebook villain per day, I opened up the gamebook genre to many people and got myself several new followers and page views.  People said that they liked the posts but they had very little idea about what a gamebook is.

So this year, I aim to write posts that do not require much gamebook knowldege.  I got my idea from Tin Man Games with their post 2012 - the year of the gamebook.  I then realised that there was tons of great gamebook stuff going on.  It seems that there was some wonderful gamebook news or product every week - from Infinite Universe to Fighting Fantazine to Ian Livingstone's 30 year anniversary book.

So I will devote my A to Z to showing everyone just how wonderful gamebooks are.  Here is my list:

Amateurs 
Blogs
Choice of Games
Discussion forums
Excalibur Junior (Grailquest)
Freebies
Gamebook Adventures
Harkuna and the Fabled Lands
Illustrations
Jasan Barnett
Kleptomaniac Heroes
Lone Wolf
Magazines
Tunnels N Trolls
Own Adventure (as in choose your)
Pirate gamebooks that took a while to be released (Jonathan Green)
Quest, Destiny
Readers (here, here and here)
Spin offs (here, here and here)
Twitter
Undead filled new Fighting Fantasy books (Ian Livingstone's 30th Anniversary book)
Very comprehensive Gamebook websites
Windhammer competition
Xhoromag and other gamebook programs
Youtube
Zhu Bhajee

Until then, happy gamebooking!

2012 Windhammer Prize announced. Here is why you are entering.

Woot!  The new guidelines for the 2012 Windhammer prize are out.  Apart from the slight change that the length limit is now 23000 words rather than 40 pages (probably because some idiot was pushing the boundaries with small font because he wrote a really long introduction about a dystopian future in his entry) it's all the same great stuff.  Submit a 100 paragraph gamebook with the chance of Glory and Renown along with a cash prize.  The entries submissions start on 1st August and the deadline is on the 7th September.

Oh yes, and the writers who win and get merit awards will be published by the awesome Tin Man Games.

WHAAAAT?  

This is even more reason to get typing.  If you've ever thought about writing a gamebook or if you have had one shelved away for ages, this is a great opportunity to enter the competition.  Windhammer was one of the things (Andrew Wright being another) that inspired me to write my own gamebooks and publish this blog.  As well as the potential prizes, the community of readers have always offered great constructive feedback on my work and it is just so affirming to know that people out there have taken the time to read my work, comment on it and enjoy it.

So really, get typing.

You're still here?  What's wrong?  Is it time?  Do you think that it may take a lot of time to write the book?  It won't.  You don't have to go up to 100 paragraphs.  Garden of Bones  by Alec Worley is a merit award winner with 50 paragraphs.  00:04:23 by Colin Blackwood is a great gamebook full of tension with only 30 paragraphs.  So far all the winners have 100 paragraphs in their book, but you might change that.

However, if you are worried about all that paragraph randomisation and organisation, there are solutions to that problem too!  There is a comprehensive list of gamebook creation programs here  (scroll down a bit) and some are discussed here.  I use ADVELH.

So time is not an issue.  All you need is an idea.

You need ideas I hear you say?  You can get your ideas from anywhere.  Sorcery! was inspired by a trek through Asia, Starship Traveller has Star Trek influences.  Freeway Fighter has some Mad Max leanings whereas it's easy to see where the inspiration for Appointment with F.E.A.R comes from.  You can get ideas from anything.  All you have to do is imagine some choices that you could make and what will happen next. Believe me - 100 paragraphs will fly by in no time.



Still here?  It's the game system you need ideas for?  That's OK.  You can keep it simple.  The minimum you need is an inventory list and Kieran Coghlan won a merit award with such a simple system with Waiting For the Light.  You don't even need to create your own system.  It seems that the Virtual Reality  system (inventory limit, skills to choose from and health points) is a simple yet very effective system to use and two books have utilised it to great effect:  The Bone Dogs by Per Jorner won the 2009 award and Above the Waves by Zachary Carango won a merit award in 2011.




For inspiration on the wide range of gamebooks that have been entered to the Windhammer competition, you can get the complete list here.

OK, if you think you need more help, read my How to write a gamebook posts.  They may help.



Also, have a look at the great blogs on gamebooks and what makes them good by successful Windhammer entrants.  Andrew Wright, who won in 2011 has written two posts on what he learnt from the Windhammer Prize and Ashton Saylor who has won two merit awards (here and here) has some very deep posts on gamebook theory.

Still here?  You shouldn't be.  Get writing!