Does anyone remember this? The Lone Wolf game book series created by Joe Deaver???
There was a period of time in lower secondary where I was absolutely hooked on these gamebooks. Right down to the basics, a game book is something like those RPG that is widely available now, except its in words and you play it with your eyes & a pencil & paper. A game book is played in such a way:
1. There is often a stats page where you can fill in your HP (health points), EP (endurance points), items which you collect, weapons, skills etc that you have.. As this is always changing, it is advisable one copies the pages onto a blank piece of paper. And use a pencil. 🙂
2. Read the opening of the game where there will be a history & a setting where this particular book is set on. At the end of the intro, there will be a line that tells you which section to go to. Flip to that section.
3. At almost every section, there will be a choice-point. Here, you pick an option that you think you should/want to go. Sometimes this option is simply a directional option i.e. NSEW. It could also be based on what skills you have or what items you have. Some options lead you to find useful items/skills etc and some options lead you straight to death.
4. There will always be a battle somewhere in your course of the game. The battle is fought (usually) by pitting your EP & HP against that of the other party, and using a random number generator.
5. The purpose of the book is to fulfil what task had been given to you in the beginning of the book. There will always be a fixed ending section. But not necessary a one-way route to it..
We (rather, I) always cheat. I’ve never “fought” a battle and I’m always backtracking sections when I die, or when I meet with something I don’t like. I usually try out a few options before “picking” the one that I want to follow in the end.
Kinda sad but aaahh.. If I tried to complete the book dutifully, it will take me days! days on end boy! Hohoho. Well not really, probably 1 day I suppose, have never tried it so I wouldn’t know. Hahah.
And recently I’ve been wanting to pick it up again.. Simply cos it’s the fun-est thing that I did after my kiddo days.. Like reading Nancy Drew & Hardy Boys.. Or watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Captain Planet on TV. Or playing zero-point & hopscotch with my neighbours.. Or playing 5-stones & catching downstairs with strange kids.
Those days, we read books & played with kids outside the house. Those days we read Pride & Prejudice & Little Women…
And I’m such a boy-girl mix… Cos Lone Wolf = BOY thing… Nancy Drew, hopscotch etc = GIRL thing..
Gee. lol.. ;p