Jonathan Green's Blog, page 24
June 17, 2022
Gamebook Friday: Le Pirate de l'au-delà
Available now from Gallimard Jeunesse is a new edition of the French translation of my fourth Fighting Fantasy gamebook Bloodbones.
What makes Le Pirate de l'au-delà different from the original English edition - apart from the fact it's in French - is that it features bonus content focused on the setting of the adventure. On top of that, it also features cover art by the awesome Paul Mafayon.
So, if you're a fan or a Francophile, follow this link to pick up some fantastic pirate booty now!
June 10, 2022
Gamebook Friday: ACE Gamebooks and OnTabletop at the UK Games Expo 2022
A week ago today, I was busy selling out of copies of The Wicked Wizard of Oz and NEVERLAND - Here Be Monsters! while stocks of Dracula - Curse of the Vampire and 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas were getting low too. That's right, it was the UK Games Expo 2022!
It was great to catch up with people again after three years, and special thanks must go to my friend Scott who helped look after my stand*, meaning I could actually get a look around and see all** that the Expo had to offer.
Scott - on brand as ever!Highlights of the weekend included signing a first edition of my first book Spellbreaker , which was published 29 years ago this month, meeting GTG Vicki in person, Olly Mc and John Robertson's playthrough of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain , cocktails and Japanese food on the Saturday evening, and being interviewed by OnTabletop at the Thursday press preview, which you can watch here...
* Even though he was actually on his honeymoon!
* Or at least some of.
June 2, 2022
ACE Gamebooks at the UK Games Expo 2022
This weekend, I am at the UK Games Expo at the NEC in Birmingham. Unusually, I have three books that are new to the Expo this year - Beowulf Beastslayer, 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas, and Dracula - Curse of the Vampire - plus the 'TWAS RPG.
You will find me at Stand 2-T10 from Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th June, sandwiched between Ace Brushes and Atlantis Miniatures. So if you're coming along, do stop by and say hello.
Click to enlarge.In other ACE Gamebooks -related news, the special collector's edition hardback of Dracula - Curse of the Vampire is now on sale. You can find out more here .
“This is the Rolls Royce of gamebooks!”
Chris Halliday, TTRPG designer and author
June 1, 2022
Jubilee Weekend Sale
Experience the Classics as you have never experienced them before!
May 31, 2022
Dracula: Curse of the Vampire LIVE - Part 6! (again)
It's the sixth part of Ken Boyter's live readthrough of Dracula - Curse of the Vampire tonight. Yes, I know Part 6 was two weeks ago, but that was really Part 5, because the Part 5 show was cancelled due to technical difficulties, so tonight's performance is definitely Part 6.
If you're free at 7:00pm GMT this evening, do join the livestream on Facebook to see if Ken, in the role of Count Dracula, can get the better of the Vampire-Hunters and make it back to Transylvania.
And, of course, the 125th anniversary special collector's edition hardback of Dracula - Curse of the Vampire is available now , and selling fast. So, don't miss your chance to grab one of these very rare, soon-to-be-collector's-items now.
May 30, 2022
Secret Project: Playtest #2
So, having revised the rules following on from the first playtest, I gave the new card game another spin. I reduced one stat and the number of cards in each Player's hand. However, I am still considering increasing the quantity available of a particular type of card in the deck, and making the game for up to six Players, rather than just four.
I wasn't very far into the second playtest when I realised that nowhere in the rules does it explain what the icons on the cards mean and, as a result, had forgotten about one of the benefits of one of the icons. Clearly that is the most obvious change that needs to made before playtesting again.
This time the game lasted for 20 minutes, with Player K being knocked out by becoming the victim of everyone else's attacks. Player F left the proceedings unexpectedly early, leaving Player L and Player S to fight it out between them. In the end, Player S won, but only because Player L suffered the same sudden end as Player F.
Once I've made those fixes to the rules, I think the game will be ready for some more intensive playtesting sessions involving people who have never played it before.
Wish me luck!
May 29, 2022
Secret Project: Playtest #1
Last Christmas, I created the prototype for a new card game. I was hoping to playtest it with the family over the festive period, but in the end that didn't happen. So, I put it to one side and, with everything else that's going on this year, pretty much forgot about it. That was until this week...
Next weekend, I will be attending the UK Games Expo for the first time in three years, and meeting up with some likeminded friends. In the past, on a Saturday night, we've borrowed some games from the Games Library at the Expo and ended up in fits of laughter as we attempt to play them. However, this year, I hope to be able to persuade them to help me playtest my new card game.
With that in mind, I got out my prototype deck, reread the rules, and set about playtesting it myself. I'm really glad I did, because it immediately helped me see where the rules need clarifying - something I probably wouldn't have realised so easily had I playtested it back over Christmas - and possibly where there might be some balance issues.
The game itself lasted about 30 minutes, not including the rereading of the rules. Player L was knocked out very quickly, on the draw of two cards, while Player K, who was hanging on by the skin of their teeth for most of the game, ended up the winner, with Player S meeting the same fate as Player L, only much later in the game, and Player F being worn down by a relentless war of attrition. A completely unexpected outcome, but quite a satisfying one.
As a result, I am now drawing up Version 2 of the rules and considering rebalancing the deck. Once I've done that, I hope to playtest it myself again before heading to Birmingham. I thought it might be interesting to others, as well as helpful to myself, to keep track of how the playtesting goes, hence this blog post, and the others like it that I will write from time to time, hopefully until the game itself is released. So, watch this space...
May 25, 2022
Happy Dracula Day!
26 May 2022 marks the 125th anniversary of the publication of Bram Stoker's seminal gothic horror novel Dracula.
To commemorate this momentous occasion, from today you can purchase a seriously limited collector's edition of Dracula - Curse of the Vampire, the gamebook based on Stoker's novel. And as an homage to the original, the cover is yellow with red text. To find out more, click this link.
May 20, 2022
Gamebook Friday: The UK Games Expo 2022
Two weeks today, I will be at the UK Games Expo for the first time in three years, and I can't wait! Usually, I have one new book out at each Expo, but this time, because I've not been to one since 2019, I have three ACE Gamebooks that are new to the con, and the 'TWAS RPG.
I will be at Stand 2-T10 from Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th June, sandwiched between Ace Brushes and Atlantis Miniatures. So if you're coming along, do stop by and say hello.
Click to enlarge.In other ACE Gamebooks -related news, next Thursday, 26 May, the special collector's edition hardback of Dracula - Curse of the Vampire goes on sale, to mark 125 years since the publication of Bram Stoker's Dracula . You can find out more here .
“This is the Rolls Royce of gamebooks!”
Chris Halliday, TTRPG designer and author
And lastly, this Gamebook Friday, congratulations to Michael J. Ward, whose DestinyQuest: The World Companion funded on Kickstarter in just four hours and is starting to unlock various Stretch Goals. If you've not seen it yet yourself, click this link .
Don't forget, tickets for Fighting Fantasy Fest 4 are going fast, so make sure you grab yours today .
May 17, 2022
Dracula: Curse of the Vampire LIVE - Part 6!
It's been some time since Ken Boyter's last live readthrough of Dracula - Curse of the Vampire, due to a few technical issues two weeks ago. So tonight's session is Part 6, even though there have only been four so far.
If you're free at 7:00pm GMT this evening, why not join the livestream on Facebook to see if Ken, in the role of Count Dracula, is able to get the better of the Vampire-Hunters ranged against him?
