New FFTD begining, better than the original (Spoilers?)

[EvilRedEye]

Therein lies the problem, I don't think FotW will be much different.

FftD is now 450 pages, whereas FotW is at 320 pages (with, purportedly, a mini-adventure in there too).

This suggests that book 2 is of same length as the original. There may be changes, but I can't see how there could be anything as sweeping as book 1.

Oddly, according to Amazon's page count that renders the new FotW 30 pages shorter than the original...

 

[AguilaSaber]

There may be changes, but I can't see how there could be anything as sweeping as book 1.

Well, a change in the possibilities in the Tarnalin Tunnel would be welcomed. Right now, the original book can be summarized like this:

Do you have Animal Kinship? Follow the Noodnic by turning to section A.
If you don't have this discipline, you need a magical weapon. Do you have the Magical Spear? Then fight the Helghast by turning to section B.
If you don't have Animal Kinship or the Magic Spear, your life and quest end here (well, in the Tarnalin Tunnel), no matter what you do.

Hmmm... it depends, the latest revised Red Fox version is as follows:

Entrance of Tarnalin:

Do you have the magic spear?

If no, you are dead.
If yes, and you give it away. Then: Do you have Animal Kinship?

If no, you are dead.
If yes, follow the Noodnic and you may survive.

I think the fight to get the magic spear from the wounded Helghast should be easier, it is wounded after all. The fight against the Helghast in Tarnalin should be a real fight, not an auto-win because you have the Spear.

Not sure if this has been considered for change though.

The original version of the book let you meet the Noodnic if you didn't have the Magic Spear or did not give it away, thus if you gave it away to Rhygar you were doomed. The revised edition, reversed the sections but this change resulted in that you had to obtain the magic spear.

 

[Silver Fox]

Nah, after all the hype I have to say I'm not all that impressed by the new beginning to the book.

I don't really know what I was expecting, but what I didn't want was a host of +1 CS weapons and 'grenades' being bandied about. Sorry, I know Joe started out as a D&D player, but less than a dozen sections in getting to choose from a list of +1 CS weapons just seemed like an easy way of ensuring Silent Wolf made it to the same point where the original book left off.

The extra sections could easily have been added by fleshing out the actual journey to Holmgard rather than adding some fairly characterless interactions with two or three (and I have to say I hate the names) Kai Masters and Warriors who you know are going to die like extras on an episode of Star Trek.

Unfortunately after all the waiting I have to say the re-vamped book is such a disappointment that I certainly won't be getting any more collectors editions, though I might pick up the softbacks when they come out just so I can complete the series including the last 4 books. Though I'm not holding my breath for those.

 

[Hellebore]

Nah, after all the hype I have to say I'm not all that impressed by the new beginning to the book.

I don't really know what I was expecting, but what I didn't want was a host of +1 CS weapons and 'grenades' being bandied about. Sorry, I know Joe started out as a D&D player, but less than a dozen sections in getting to choose from a list of +1 CS weapons just seemed like an easy way of ensuring Silent Wolf made it to the same point where the original book left off.

The extra sections could easily have been added by fleshing out the actual journey to Holmgard rather than adding some fairly characterless interactions with two or three (and I have to say I hate the names) Kai Masters and Warriors who you know are going to die like extras on an episode of Star Trek.

Unfortunately after all the waiting I have to say the re-vamped book is such a disappointment that I certainly won't be getting any more collectors editions, though I might pick up the softbacks when they come out just so I can complete the series including the last 4 books. Though I'm not holding my breath for those.

I'm not terribly big on the names either, but to be fair on the 'star trek red shirt syndrome' if you hadn't already known the story, those characters dying would not have been as shallow as you make it out to be.

My favourite parts are actually much more subtle. The expansion of the Prince Pelethar encounter, the detail about the bridge etc, all were really great. I also liked the tiny little note that it was Lone Wolf's actions turning on the beacon that caused Pelethar to be at the bridge in the first place.

I always found it a little strange that the military had reacted so fast to the invasion, but the Kai beacon makes much more sense.

Hellebore

 

[Sunfire]

From what I recall with FOTW, the 'whether or not you had a magic spear' was determined by if you chose to 'take the left path' or 'take the right path'. But throughout the series there were very few times where taking the wrong random turn would instantly kill you - a factor that was very frustrating in the Fighting Fantasy books.

For FFTD, I thought the final fight with the Helghast was a bit hard. Assuming not many people have Weaponskill with a small pointy stick, any character with a low weaponskill (less than 16) would be very lucky to survive (or maybe there is a way without fighting it, but haven't found it yet). Perhaps the Xbow bolt moment should have impaired the nasty chap's combat skill?

 

[simkn]

As a lifelong fan of Lone Wolf, I loved the new sections. However, I felt the new sections were intended for the fans, and not for newcomers. Case in point: I wanted to introduce Lone Wolf to a friend by reading the first book to them aloud, making the decisions together, etc. I chose the new FFtD, and in retrospect, I probably should've chosen the original FFtD. The reason for this is that the original, while less sophisticated, was perfect for what it was: a straightforward introduction to the nature of a gamebook, with minimal complications (i.e., no +1 weapons and no grenades) and lots of choices right off the bat (with few long sections). I also felt the amount of detail concerning Sommerlund and its rivers and bridges, the Kai and the Monastery, the Prince, etc, were a bit overwhelming for someone that is just sitting down to their first-ever Lone Wolf adventure. As an introductory LW adventure, I felt the original FFtD was ideal. The new FFtD read like a more advanced LW book from later in the series (like a Magnakai or Grand Master book).

All that said, as an old fan, I was thrilled beyond words that I had the opportunity to roam the streets of Holmgard for the first time ever. ;-) Plus I think the whole monastery scene is a nod to old-time fans, especially those that have a copy of the Magnamund Companion and could visualize the cutaway drawing of the monastery as we are exploring the very rooms.

All in all, it was great for the pre-existing fans... and let's face it, that's perhaps primarily who will be reading these new books. Though of course I hope a new legion fans will be drawn into the LW universe, if kids these days don't find a gamebook overly quaint by comparison to the fancy video games of the modern day.