'TWAS - The Roleplaying Game Before Christmas Review

I can't quite believe it's almost a month since my last blog post. That's not like me at all, but then I have been rather busy. One of the things I've been busy with is prepping my next ACE Gamebook for Kickstarter, and another is a new supplement for 'TWAS - The Roleplaying Game Before Christmas.

Yesterday, a review of the 'TWAS RPG appeared on the G*M*S Magazine YouTube channel. It's not a review of the game itself*, but more of an unboxing. And Paco has lots of great things to say about Tony Hough's artwork and Mark Stoneham's layout.

If you would like to buy a signed copy of the paperback of the 'TWAS - The Roleplaying Game Before Christmas core rulebook, which comes complete with an entire campaign entitled Krampusnacht, then follow this link to my eBay page.

* Hopefully that will come later.

Dragonmeet 2013

Today I dropped by Kensington Town Hall for Dragonmeet 2013 with two of the next generation of gamers* in tow.

We had barely entered the building when we bumped into Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone CBE, who were giving the first seminar of the day on the early days of Games Workshop. It was a surreal experience to later find ourselves sitting in said seminar with FF and GW artist Tony Hough, the Tin Man himself Neil Rennsion and Mr Joe Dever, the creator and writer of the classic Lone Wolf series of gamebooks.

Mr Joe Dever and Yours Truly

We weren't there for long but did manage to catch up with Graham Bottley of Arion Games (and take delivery of my copy of Maelstrom: Domesday, that I'd backed via Kickstarter), say a quick hello to Jay Wallis of Greywood Publishing, FF fans Stuart Lloyd, James Aukett and John Berry, Dominic McDowall and Andrew Kendrick of Cubicle 7, one time artistic collaborator of mine Ralph Horsley, and Paco Jaen of G*M*S Magazine. Oh, and buy a lot of dice of course**.

Tony Hough, Neil Rennison and Stuart Lloyd

FF fans James Aukett and John Berry

Graham Bottley of Arion Games

Messrs Jackson and Livingstone did reveal one interesting snippet about the future of Fighting Fantasy, involving a possible game involving miniatures of FF monsters, and possibly being crowdfunded. So, backers of YOU ARE THE HERO, watch this space...


* And maybe even games designers, judging by the way they were changing the rules of 'Loopin' Louie'.

** But then why wouldn't you?

YOU ARE THE HERO around the Interwebz

I've been interviewed for various websites and written guest post for other people's blogs about the YOU ARE THE HERO Kickstarter and some are now starting to appear.

First up there's my post about Indie Publishing on William King's blog (yes, the William King of Gotrek and Felix fame!).

Then there's an interview with G*M*S Magazine.

And last, but not least, there's Matt Sylvester's interview with me over on his blog.

Still to come... More guest blogs and an interview with STARBURST magazine!

Gamebook Friday: G*M*S Magazine

I first met Paco Garcia-Jaen at Dragonmeet 2011. He interviewed Neil Rennison and myself about Tin Man Games' Gamebook Adventures, an interview that later formed part of a podcast.

We ran into Paco again at this year's UK Games Expo where he interviewed the two of us again, this time on camera. And the video of the interview is now up. (Our bit begins at about the 12 minutes 40 second mark.)



And while we're on the subject of Paco Garcia-Jaen and G*M*S Magazine, Paco also reviewed Temple of the Spider God back in December. I liked these bits in particular:


The story is, to say the least, gripping... The story is just fantastic, the writing is very appropriate... providing plenty of descriptions clear enough to help create a good visual reference in your mind of where you are and what’s happening. And it is a lot deeper than you expect too. It was only after the first time I rushed to the end, and the book begun to ask me if I had items I should have collected in the way, that I realised how much more to it there was. And I had to start again. With pleasure. 


If you are a parent, you must buy this book and read it with your children... If you are one of those lucky ones who grew up with Fighting Fantasy, this is the time to have a good time again. Great story, easy mechanics and a ton of fun! (5 out of 5 Stars) 


You can read the complete review here.