Fantasy gamebook app: PROTEUS - THE TOWER OF TERROR

Discussion in 'Upcoming iOS Games' started by AppEndix, Feb 3, 2014.

  1. AppEndix

    AppEndix Well-Known Member

    Dec 26, 2012
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    #1 AppEndix, Feb 3, 2014
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2014
    AppEndix LLC and Wimborne Publishing are thrilled to announce PROTEUS, a series of interactive fantasy and sci-fi gamebook adventures for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The first release, Proteus – The Tower of Terror, is planned for spring 2014.

    Teaser Video:


    Based on the adventure game magazine periodical of the same name, published in the late 1980s in Great Britain, PROTEUS has reached somewhat of a cult status in the following years with its series of unique adventures in every issue. AppEndix LLC has adapted the rules and stories into beautiful interactive apps, including such features as:

    - animations
    - atmospheric audio effects and music
    - animated dice rolls and finger-swipe combat system
    - interactive quest sheet
    - automatic bookmarks
    - audiobook function
    - and more…

    Says Martin van Balkom of AppEndix: “Our philosophy in designing the game engine was to stick to a gamebook feel rather than trying to turn it into a video game, and all additional effects are meant to enhance the reading experience, not replace it.

    Except where adaptations and improvements to the original texts were necessary, such as to iron out logic errors and typos, all of the original art and stories are restored fully in an easy and fun to play interactive app version. Not only that, for the first time the stories will additionally be translated and available in German, Spanish and Italian languages in addition to English.

    For more information and news about the upcoming Proteus apps, please find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AppEndixLLC

    Proteus - The Tower of Terror

    Written by David Brunskill, the first Proteus adventure pits you as a student at the Academy of the Grand Wizard Eleutheria against an evil and powerful Wizard called Belenghast, the Ruler of Darkblood. Armed with your own Dexterity, Strength, and Courage, a sword and torch, and a number of magical potions, you will ascend the Tower of Terror until you arrive face to face with the evil shape-shifting Wizard.

    About Proteus

    Proteus was published in the late 1980’s as a periodical “complete solo adventure game magazine in which you play the role of the Hero”, originally by IPC Magazine Ltd. and later by Wimborne Publishing. With a focus on Fantasy and Sci-Fi, each magazine’s story provided different rules and options. As stated in the magazine itself: PROTEUS was an ancient Greek God who could change his form to avoid foretelling the future, so you can see our scope for adventures is endless.

    About AppEndix LLC

    AppEndix LLC is The Interactive Book Company; a startup company bringing back popular gamebooks of the past decades, and adapting them to the mobile platform. Besides the innovative “Crime & Puzzlement” solve-them-yourself mystery books by Lawrence Treat (#1 iPhone Game in China in November 2013), AppEndix LLC is also publishing the Sherlock Holmes Solo Mysteries gamebook series (#1 Game and #2 Paid App Overall in Spain in Oct ‘12, and #1 Dice Game in numerous countries).
     
  2. AppEndix

    AppEndix Well-Known Member

    Dec 26, 2012
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    We are currently looking for a couple of beta testers for PROTEUS - THE TOWER OF TERROR. If you are interested in the adventure gamebook genre, and have an iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch running iOS 7.0 or later (not jailbroken), respond here or via PM at facebook.com/AppEndixLLC. Prior experience as beta tester (Testflight etc.) is an advantage but not required.
     
  3. AppEndix

    AppEndix Well-Known Member

    Dec 26, 2012
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    Is it hot in here?!!

    So, things are heating up!!! Proteus - The Tower of Terror is very close to release (it's actually finished, just pending Apple's approval).

    Proteus- The Tower of Terror is using our new gamebook engine v3.0, based on our past Sherlock Holmes gamebooks, but completely rebuilt from the ground up. It comes with a lot of new features, just to name a few:

    - adjustable text size (Dynamic Type)
    - Bookmarks (save your progress at any point)
    - custom dice designs (see screenshot for some coming designs)
    - improved VoiceOver support (audiobook style)
    - and much more...

    Stand by for more very soon...
     

    Attached Files:

  4. benjiboy

    benjiboy New Member

    Jul 27, 2014
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    retired
    UK
    Hi guys,

    Very interested to see this.
    I've been working on a conversion system for the Proteus gamebooks for several months. So far I have converted issues 1,2 and 4 and 5 is W.I.P. The conversion tool is written in VBA, and given a text input file I reckon to produce a runable game in a couple of weeks.
    I have opted for a web based output as that makes the game universal, but have been considering also producing a Gamemaker target generator so the code and game resources can be made secure.
    I've not animated anything, (yet) as my HTML5 isn't up to it.
    Are you going to aim for anything other than Apple platforms?
     
  5. AppEndix

    AppEndix Well-Known Member

    Dec 26, 2012
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    Yes, AppEndix owns the license to all platforms for Proteus, including iOS, Android, PC/Mac and web. We started with iOS only but plan to port to Android and others.

    You will need to be careful not to use any of the copyrighted materials of Proteus, including any text, images and trademarks. Wimborne Publishing, who owns the copyrights, and that we licensed the rights to use the content from in our apps, is pursuing those pretty vigorously from what I've heard.
     
  6. benjiboy

    benjiboy New Member

    Jul 27, 2014
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    retired
    UK
    What a sad response.

    I was kind of hoping for a meaningful discussion there, rather than a blank wall lined with spears, but hey ho, it's your choice.
    Issue 5 finished, issue 6 WIP.
     
  7. AppEndix

    AppEndix Well-Known Member

    Dec 26, 2012
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    Sorry, I don't understand what you mean.
     
  8. drelbs

    drelbs Well-Known Member

    Jun 25, 2009
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    What did you expect?

    You're working with copyrighted text, and talking to a developer who has paid to license said text from the copyright owner. The way laws are written they would actually have to respond as such - they can't give you permission as they don't own the material.

    There's nothing preventing what you're doing as a hobby, but if you intend to distribute it, you really need permission from the copyright owner. For a good example of people doing it the right way look at Project Aon where people are working, with Joe Dever's permission, to provide access to the Lone Wolf series of gamebooks online.
     
  9. ZeroVoid

    ZeroVoid Well-Known Member

    Dec 4, 2011
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    They were warning you that the company THEY licence from, not themselves, pursues copyright pretty seriously. There was no spears there, and you should've known that what you're doing probably isn't the most legal thing in the world.
     

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