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Fighting Fantasy gamebooks/comics. Anyone a fan?

Started by Michael Knight, 03 August, 2017, 04:08:25 PM

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Robin Low

Quote from: AlexF on 16 August, 2017, 09:08:50 AM
We're reasonably close to persuading the powers that be at Usborne to have a crack at the 'choose your own adventure' thing. Would you be inclined to buy this sort of thing for your little 'uns (if you have any), or is it original FF or nothing as far as you're concerned?

Speaking personally, I loved the FF books mostly for the art and the setting, and was slightly less taken with the actual mechanic of playing through the book. For some reason I loved the heck out of the first Asterix book, though - perhaps because it wasn't as difficult!

Usborne books are among the greatest things in the world, so I would take serious note of their gamebooks. That said, they'd need to have the same feel as the originals, which means getting the art, writing style and challenge right.

Personally, having to play though by the rules is a vital part of the books. It's the difficulty that keeps you replaying, rereading, trying new paths, discovering new locations, monsters and treasure. The early Lone Wolf books were probably better than FF, but I gave up on them as they progressed because I could play though them in a single reading with little challenge.

Regards,

Robin

Dark Jimbo

Quote from: AlexF on 16 August, 2017, 09:08:50 AM
We're reasonably close to persuading the powers that be at Usborne to have a crack at the 'choose your own adventure' thing. Would you be inclined to buy this sort of thing for your little 'uns (if you have any), or is it original FF or nothing as far as you're concerned?

I adored the Usborne Adventure books in my youth (late 80s-early 90s). Not quite 'choose-your-own' but in a very similar vein. Much more visual though.
@jamesfeistdraws

TordelBack

#77
Quote from: Robin Low on 16 August, 2017, 07:11:04 PM
Personally, having to play though by the rules is a vital part of the books. It's the difficulty that keeps you replaying, rereading, trying new paths, discovering new locations, monsters and treasure. The early Lone Wolf books were probably better than FF, but I gave up on them as they progressed because I could play though them in a single reading with little challenge.

S'right. Lone Wolf was a great story and world, but the books seldom offered much resistance. Course some of the FF books were too hard to be much fun (Starship Traveller, for example: I only won that one last year!).

I recently played the Android version of one of the simpler FF books (Caverns of the Snow Witch), which I had blasted through back in my youth, and as a result never really rated. Playing it without the ability to fudge rolls cheat, I found myself bouncing about all over trying to avoid particularly hard encounters, especially when I'd rolled a low Skill,  and finished the book after more than a dozen tries feeling like I'd really explored every nook.

Robin Low

Quote from: TordelBack on 16 August, 2017, 07:40:56 PM
S'right. Lone Wolf was a great story and world, but the books seldom offered much resistance.

In case you, or anyone else, are interested:

http://cubicle7.co.uk/our-games/lone-wolf-adventure-game/

20 quid for the core game is pretty good for an RPG these days.

Regards,

Robin

JamesC

Quote from: AlexF on 16 August, 2017, 09:08:50 AM
We're reasonably close to persuading the powers that be at Usborne to have a crack at the 'choose your own adventure' thing. Would you be inclined to buy this sort of thing for your little 'uns (if you have any), or is it original FF or nothing as far as you're concerned?

Speaking personally, I loved the FF books mostly for the art and the setting, and was slightly less taken with the actual mechanic of playing through the book. For some reason I loved the heck out of the first Asterix book, though - perhaps because it wasn't as difficult!

Sounds like a great idea. I liked the Choose Your Own Adventures because you didn't need pencils or dice. They were a good 'pick up and go' adventure.
The newer Fighting Fantasy books have dice rolls printed at the bottom of the pages which is a good idea.
I liked my Asterix book but you needed the plastic wallet to keep all the bits in!

Colin YNWA

Yeah I have the Asterix books and there's a LOY going on. Which back in the day made them exceptional value, today makes them too much hassle to return to!

Still wonderful produces, one day I will search that Roman camp again.

JOE SOAP

Quote from: Robin Low on 16 August, 2017, 07:11:04 PM
Usborne books are among the greatest things in the world, so I would take serious note of their gamebooks.

USBORNE put up free PDFs of their 1980s computer books. I've just remembered I had quite a few of these.




Robin Low

Quote from: JOE SOAP on 16 August, 2017, 09:24:24 PM
Quote from: Robin Low on 16 August, 2017, 07:11:04 PM
Usborne books are among the greatest things in the world, so I would take serious note of their gamebooks.

USBORNE put up free PDFs of their 1980s computer books. I've just remembered I had quite a few of these.

I had the second of those two.

Some of my most treasured books are the Detective's Handbook (book club edition) and the three volumes of the Good Spy Guide. And then there's the Children's Book of Britain, anything illustrated by Colin King and Stephen Cartwright, the Supernatural Guides, the KnowHow Books of...

Regards,

Robin

Richard

I remember those books! They were great! Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

sheridan

Quote from: Robin Low on 16 August, 2017, 07:11:04 PM
Quote from: AlexF on 16 August, 2017, 09:08:50 AM
We're reasonably close to persuading the powers that be at Usborne to have a crack at the 'choose your own adventure' thing. Would you be inclined to buy this sort of thing for your little 'uns (if you have any), or is it original FF or nothing as far as you're concerned?

Speaking personally, I loved the FF books mostly for the art and the setting, and was slightly less taken with the actual mechanic of playing through the book. For some reason I loved the heck out of the first Asterix book, though - perhaps because it wasn't as difficult!

Usborne books are among the greatest things in the world, so I would take serious note of their gamebooks. That said, they'd need to have the same feel as the originals, which means getting the art, writing style and challenge right.

Personally, having to play though by the rules is a vital part of the books. It's the difficulty that keeps you replaying, rereading, trying new paths, discovering new locations, monsters and treasure. The early Lone Wolf books were probably better than FF, but I gave up on them as they progressed because I could play though them in a single reading with little challenge.

Regards,

Robin

My take: as others have said, Fighting Fantasy actually had some sort of challenge (given, some of it could be quite arbitrary). 

I only ever read the first Lone Wolf book, do remember liking it but also got through to the end on the first go.  Please, please, please don't make it like Choose Your Own Adventure though - if Lone Wolf has atmospheric world-building but no challenge, then CYOA has no atmosphere and no challenge (while FF has the atmosphere and challenge). 

The thing that FF got spot on though, was the presentation - Jackson and Livingstone insisted on getting in their own artists (being White Dwarf / Games Workshop stalwarts) - this presentation is sadly lacking in the latest editions.


Krakajac

Glad to hear someone mention the Spy's Guidebook.  Loved these as a kid.  Had the smaller paperback editions at various points, but tracked down the hardback 192-page edition some time back...published in 1978.










Richard

Does Usborne have a link to that too? I couldn't find one.

Colin YNWA

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 13 August, 2017, 09:45:28 PM

Anyway I got issue 1 from that there eBay and it was bloody good fun, so I've gone back and ordered the rest. Nice one.

The ego of a self quote... anyway got back from my trip to Liverpool (including a visit to the aforementioned Worlds Apart) to a full set of Freeway Fighter and I pretty much loved it. It wasn't perfect, it didn't seem to stretch its 80 pages to maximum potential, it had a few too many, hold on what?!? moments (really he got away with [spoiler]being blow away from the ambulance[/spoiler] to be fine? And does wear its influences a little too openly

BUT

It looks astonishing, Simon Coleby is simply perfect for this. Generates a wonderful amount of atmosphere and more importantly left me wanting more.

So am I right in thinking this a prequel to the book, not read that in years. To be honest the whole thing felt like set up and I want more.

Jim_Campbell

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 17 August, 2017, 08:24:52 PM
So am I right in thinking this a prequel to the book, not read that in years. To be honest the whole thing felt like set up and I want more.

Yes. The idea is that comic leads directly into the gamebook.
Stupidly Busy Letterer: Samples. | Blog
Less-Awesome-Artist: Scribbles.

JamesC

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 17 August, 2017, 08:24:52 PM
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 13 August, 2017, 09:45:28 PM

Anyway I got issue 1 from that there eBay and it was bloody good fun, so I've gone back and ordered the rest. Nice one.

The ego of a self quote... anyway got back from my trip to Liverpool (including a visit to the aforementioned Worlds Apart) to a full set of Freeway Fighter and I pretty much loved it. It wasn't perfect, it didn't seem to stretch its 80 pages to maximum potential, it had a few too many, hold on what?!? moments (really he got away with [spoiler]being blow away from the ambulance[/spoiler] to be fine? And does wear its influences a little too openly

BUT

It looks astonishing, Simon Coleby is simply perfect for this. Generates a wonderful amount of atmosphere and more importantly left me wanting more.

So am I right in thinking this a prequel to the book, not read that in years. To be honest the whole thing felt like set up and I want more.

I've read the first three parts and have loved it. It was great seeing the car from the original cover image of the game book.
It was always Mad Max in all but name so I don't mind that it feels a bit familiar in places. At the end of the day it's an action book and as you've said, Coleby has knocked it out of the park.