So the creators of Gamebook Adventures now have the Fighting Fantasy license... http://tinmangames.com.au/blog/?p=2280 What will this do to the world of gamebooks and iOS games? Discuss. [EDIT: May a mod please capitalise the "f" on "Fighting"? Thanks.]
I have yet to play any gamebooks on iOS, although I played them in my youth (aged 9/10) from Cretean Chronicles (best written), FF, GrailQuest (my personal favourite), Lonewolf, Maelstrom and Steve Jackson's 'Sorcery' series (I really wish to play this series again, more than any other). Wasn't too keen on 'Way of the Tiger' series. I have read a number of reviews of Tinman's gamebooks, and am heartened that gamebooks have had a revival on iOS (perfect platform for the revival), and that a renowned developer has picked up the FF license. FWIW, I doubt I will play the FF series. Aside from the artwork (which in the case of Warlock of Firetop Mountain) was superb, the books are too linear and a number of them are quite weak. Citadel of Chaos and Starship Traveller being particularly weak. Really pleased for Tinman because the FF series will really compliment and improve the profile for their existing gamebooks. Also, Tinman will really support and develop the genre on iOS. I felt the attitude of the previous developers was to add them as a cash cow and milk them for all they were worth. I suspect that when I get some free time, I will pick up the odd gamebook or two over summer, for reading / playing material.
Fantastic news! For a while there I was afraid that the guys doing the Kindle Active versions got it. Please please please release some books other than the first couple! (How 'bout the new one coming out?!? ) Are the Sworcery! books included?
It may be worth mentioning that we are totally stoked about this news. So much so that we have put our entire catalog on sale for a day or two. (android ones too!) So tell your friends and complete your collections! Cheers! -Ben
Sounds awesome! Can't imagine anyone better to get a license like that; TinMan Games have proven they're the best with iOS gamebooks time and again.
Hey Drelbs, Actually we are just doing the very newest 30th anniversary book, Blood of the Zombies, and House of Hell. You can read the full release here on gamasutra: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/pressreleases/171058/Tin_Man_Games_to_develop_Fighting_Fantasyrsquos_30thAnniversary_gamebook_on_iOS_and_Android.php Cheers! -Ben
This is great news on so many levels! First of all, it will give TinMan, GA, Dredd, a huge exposure, FF being so iconic in the world of gamebooks, and that means (hopefully) a lot more of TinMan's works coming our way. Secondly, it will at least give FF the respect and quality the serie deserves. Between unfinished series (sorcery!), awful universal conversions (Big Blue ones), and general very poor follow up on the books when they were released, I think the books deserve the high quality treatment that is now the trademark of TinMan. I applaude the release of Blood of the Zombie right away instead of another version of Warlock, and I hope you'll be able to mix sure sellers from the old days and more recent books like Night of the Necromancer (one of Green's very best effort in my opinion). However, no need to say that the absolute priority should be the realease of the entire Sorcery! series, huh? By the way, are you also interested in acquiring the rights for other series of old? Like riotgirl mentionned, some of the other titles were very good, an I'd happily give an arm or two (ok, more 10 dollars) for an adaptation of Grailquest.
I would love to see them acquire GrailQuest, but we can all dream! In any case this is great news and I am glad Tinman acquired them. As an avid customer of both brands who owns the full catalog of both series, I look forward to the future, as I always (sorry to say) considered Tinman the better of the two!