My Next non-FF Gamebook thread - [LP] vs [LR]?

Stories about games that you run and/or have played in.

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Which of the below series would you like to play/read through next?

The Blood Sword series
5
100%
The Storytrails Adventure series
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 5

SGamerz
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My Next non-FF Gamebook thread - [LP] vs [LR]?

Post by SGamerz »

As mentioned in my last LP thread, I'm contemplating running either of the two series below for my next gamebook playthrough. They will be very different: one is a lengthy 5-book series with a complex multiplayer system (Blood Sword) and the other is more of a simple CYOA-style with no other mechanism other than choosing your paths.

The Blood Sword series is ideally designed for 4 players, each playing a different character class (Warrior, Trickster, Sage and Enchanter), each with their own stats and special abilities. The game can be run with less characters. Characters can "level up" via a fixed amount of experience points gained at the end of each book and split evenly amongst the party, so if there are lesser characters, not only do they start at a higher level, but they also each stand to gain more exp at the end which enables them to level up more. Of course, more characters simply means more versatility, and IMO more fun.

Unlike the Heroquest series that I run not long ago, individual character options can play a more significant part. For starters, there are information available only to specific characters. For example, instance, there might be the option for a Sage character to read an ancient piece of parchment. The book should then be passed to the Sage player, who's the only one who gets to read the meaning of the parchment in that "restricted" section. Words that are in italics are only seen by that player, while words in common non-italicized form must be read to the rest of the party. In a LP thread, I'll probably present it like this:

SAGE:
You decipher the faded runes on the parchment.
It tells you that the safe route to the Emblem of Victory lies beyond the gold door.
The Sage player can choose whether or not to share that hidden information or keep it to himself.

There will also be certain (rare) occasions where the party can get split up, or when characters are forced to make their options without consulting one another. One example is when the group is confronted with a portcullis that is coming down, and the heroes have a split second to decide whether they want to run through to the next room or hold back. Each will have to make their own decision without telling the other, and what happens to each of them will be explained in different sections of the book. In such a case, I will probably have the players post their choices in spoiler-boxes.

There are also other complicated rules like encounters and combats, which I will go into details if we have enough people interested to play. Basically, I think the main obstacle to playing this is having to coordinate between a large amount of players, not all of which can be around to post every day, which can potentially kill the game if it stalls too much. That's why my hope is to get about 2 players for each character (although that's probably too ambitious). I think we should have at least around 6 people (2 "backups" of sorts) who are interested enough.

The Storytrails series is, like I said, more of a simple CYOA style. They are not a continuous series, each is its own story, so I'll not be running all of them. (I have more than 10). I may go through about 2-3 books, since they are all really short (ranging between 30+ to 50+ section per book). Although relatively simplistic, and not exactly groundbreaking in terms of story or gameplay, I consider the quality of Allen Sharp's writing to be of significantly higher level than the average FF book. It also appears to be targeted at somewhat more mature readers than kids, although there are nothing in the books that will warrant an adult/non-PG rating. The stories are all told in the 1st-person, which is different than the 2nd-person perspective used in most gamebooks. Due to their lengths and limited number of sections, the adventures tend to be rather linear, but I feel they were mostly handled and written in a way that it doesn't feel too restrictive.

Not much more to say about this series.....so, which do you guys prefer?
Starmaker
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Post by Starmaker »

Posting to declare interest in both; didn't vote.
SGamerz
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Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:45 am

Post by SGamerz »

That's 5 votes in the poll, +1 poster (Starmaker). 6 is the minimum number I was looking for, though I did hope for more. Perhaps more will join after I start the game. I hope. I'll get the game thread started, but note that due to the complexity of the rules, I may not be able to get all the info-dump out today. I'll start with the character descriptions, and players can start 'registering' for their characters in the meantime! :tongue:
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