Closing an educational gap - Ian Livingstone et al.

[beowuuf]

Not many people have those last books

I can put in a general request over at Project Aon and see what comes up.

[linflas]

That's the point. Those are so rare that I can't find their covers on Google Images at a descent resolution. Well, thanks for requesting at Aon

[Gambit37]

I suspect that you'd need to source your own books and scan them in

I had a look on eBay but couldn't see anything: they rarely come up for sale.
EDIT: Here's one, no picture though:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Trail-of-the- ... 968wt_1139

While on eBay, I saw this, a rather over optimisitic valuation of 3 original Warlock magazines!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3x-MINT-1984- ... 483wt_1201

[linflas]

thanks for searching, but I got a few PM's with beo

[Gambit37]

Oooh, really? Exciting! So there really do exist some copies that have been scanned?

[linflas]

Beo told me some Aon members scanned those covers for use in the website.

[beowuuf]

Yes, I believe the PA people have the scans for eventual use (after all, they scanned the books to OEM them) but need copyright holder /estate holder permission to use them. I thin it's for something in the future

[Gambit37]

I finally got around to playing some of Livingstone's "Blood of the Zombie's" book. Re-started three times, it's quite brutal, but to be honest I probably won't bother trying to finish it -- the writing is absolutely terrible. Yeah, I know it's for kids really, and I shouldn't criticise it by adult standards, but it's not very well written at all. Talk about cashing in....!

[linflas]

And there are some errata too, validated by Ian himself..
- you must start with higher stamina : add 20 instead of 12 to your score (2nd edition corrects this)
- your stamina can go over initial level
and.. http://fightingfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/B ... ies#Errors

[Gambit37]

I'm actually playing the Android app which corrects the stamina problem. Still brutal! Zombies only have 1 stamina point and can be killed easily when single, but groups are tough. You take one point of damage for every zombie you don't kill each round. So if there are 12 and you only kill 5, you take 7 damage. Looks like you need grenades to take out groups, or you're pretty much dead.

[Zyx]

the writing is absolutely terrible.

Yes, but I liked the humor of § 197.

[Gambit37]

You mean: "If you have a chainsaw and would rather cut your way through the door..." ???
Or the infinite loop error?

[Gambit37]

Remember that funny blog "Fighting Dantasy" where the guy re-read all the books as an adult and made notably amusing comments on them?
Well, I found another one. Here's Forest of Doom, for example:
http://turnto400.blogspot.co.nz/2010_08_01_archive.html

[Zyx]

Oh, I don't know, maybe the humor is only in the french translation, §197 was like:
Amy is hysterical.I If you would like to call her Amy, turn to 312. If you would you like to call her Amelia, turn to 38. If you don't care about semantics and have a chainsaw, turn to 203.

[Gambit37]

Ah, yes, only in the French tranlsation. In English, the option is what I wrote above: "If you have a chainsaw and would rather cut your way through the door..."
It sounds like the French version is better

[beowuuf]

Lol, sounds like the german translation of monty python films where they added jokes offscreen

[Gambit37]

This could be interesting, a documentary about FF, here's a teaser video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEvH12X95hE

Unfortunately, it looks like the only way the documentary will get made is if you fund it through Kickstarter (not live yet)
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mmb ... n=293c5e5a

Oh, and returning to "Blood of the Zombies": I've tried playing the app on hardcore mode several times and found it impossible. So I started again on "Medium" mode which doubles your stamina and got pretty close to the end, but of course needed an item from right back at the beginning of the game that I hadn't picked up. Typical bloody Livingstone. Bastard.

[Gambit37]

Woo, I got to the end of Blood of the Zombies, killing the boss dude. And STILL failed, because apparently I didn't find and kill every last zombie.
AAARGH! ****ing Livingstone, I presume!

[Gambit37]

That FF documentary on Kickstarter is now live:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mmb ... ntary-film

[oh_brother]

Woo, I got to the end of Blood of the Zombies, killing the boss dude. And STILL failed, because apparently I didn't find and kill every last zombie.
AAARGH! ****ing Livingstone, I presume!

Yeah, that stuff drives me crazy. Have you tried the Gamebook Adventures like "As Assassin in Orlandes"? They are fun, and fairer.

[Gambit37]

I've played the one you mentioned, it was quite good. Might try the others some time...

[Gambit37]

Tin Man Games, who make Gamebook Adventures for Android and iOS, mentioned above (and who made Livingston's Blood of the Zombies app), have secured the rights to convert more FF to gamebook format:
House of Hell coming before Christmas apparently, with Forest of Doom and Appointment with FEAR next year: http://tinmangames.com.au/blog/?p=2635

The one I'm still waiting for is Sorcery though:
http://www.inklestudios.com/misc/press-sorcery/

[oh_brother]

And also "yet another 80s based gamebook series that has a bit of a cult following". Wonder what that could be. Lone Wolf? I cannot think of many other possible candidates...I liked GrailQuest, but I have never heard anyone else talking about it.

[beowuuf]

There could be three Lone Wolf games (not gamebook conversions) coming to mobile devices relatively soon *fingers crossed*

[Gambit37]

I'd kill for a decent version of something like Seventh Sense on Android.
There *are* some unofficial Android Lone Wolf apps that use the Project Aon texts, but the app design leave a lot to be desired.
The Tin Man Games gamebook engine is pretty cool and very usable, so if they also got licences for Lone Wolf, I'd be in heaven

[Gambit37]

That Fighting Fantasy documentary on Kickstarter is running out of time and they are nowhere near funding.
In a last ditch desparate bid, the founder drops in to the Dragon's Den to try and raise the cash in this cleverly edited video using clips from the TV show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xthdqGtC-yo

It's amusing, but clearly the campaign to make this documentary has not resonated with enough people. I doubt they will raise the funds through kickstarter; hell, I was a big FF fan and even I don't want to invest in it since I pretty much know the story anyway and I don't think it really warrants a documentary.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mmb ... ntary-film

[Gambit37]

Fighting Fantasy author Johnathan Green is writing a book chronicling the history of FF. He wants your KickStarter money to make it happen:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/141 ... e-the-hero

This looks much more appealing to me and I'll probably make a contribution

[linflas]

looks way more interesting. hope for french translation ...

[Gambit37]

Ooooh, that FF book on Kickstarter just updated that the John Blanche has agreed to have some of his work in the book. Loved his work on Sorcery!
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/141 ... sts/372067

I seem to be having some kind of second childhood.... actually, more realistically, it's probably my third

[linflas]

i'm pretty sure Green will have his funds now