Gamebook Friday: Cannes Festival des Jeux 2024

Last weekend I spent a very enjoyable three days in the south of France at the Cannes Festival des Jeux*. I was there at the invitation of both Scriptarium, who publish the French language version of the Advanced Fighting Fantasy RPG 2nd Edition, and Alkonost Editions, who publish my ACE Gamebooks in French.

Veteran gamebook author Dave Morris, he of Virtual Reality Gamebooks and Fabled Lands fame, was also in attedance with his wife Roz, who is also an author.

A large part of the weekend was spent chatting with French gamebook fans and signing copies of my Fighthing Fantasy adventures as well as my ACE Gamebooks.

Highlights of the weekend included two fabulous meals out with our hosts (and Dave and Roz are excellent company), making lots of new friends, seeing an edition of the French translation of Knights of Doom I don't own, and meeting Emmanuel Quaireau, France's bestselling author of gamebook graphic novels, who publishes under the name Manuro.

But probably the biggest highlight was winning an award at the Prix du Livre-Jeu 2023 awards!

The hordes waiting to enter Le Palais des Festivals et des Congrès de Cannes.

Patrick readying the Alkonost stand.

ACE Gamebooks en Francais - a.k.a. Les Contes tordus de Green.

Florent and Frederic on the Scriptarium stand.

This is the pile of books one fan brought from Paris to Cannes for me to sign.

Guillaume Romero brought this copy of Knights of Doom for me to sign, and it was the first time I had ever seen one. I need to add this to my personal collection!

Emmanuel Quaireau, a.k.a. Manuro, with his latest graphic gamebook,

The Dragon's Stone.

Sunset over the French Riviera.

Making my short acceptance speech at the Gamebook Awards 2023.

And here is the award itself with the re-issue of Night of the Necromancer.

Back row: Laurent Centro, of Alkonost Editions, and Florent Haro, of Scriptarium.

Front row: Roz Morris, Dave Morris, and Yours Truly.

* The Cannes Games Festival - rather like the UK Games Expo but smaller and with more je ne c'est quoi. 

Gamebook Friday: Alko Venturus

Issue #4 of Alko Venturus, the French gamebook and RPG webzine co-written and co-published by Scriptarium and Alkonost, is out now and includes a substantial interview with Yours Truly.

You can download Alko Venturus #4 here and, best of all, it's free!

 

Gamebook Friday: Maps of Titan, the Fighting Fantasy world, by Scriptarium

Those thoroughly decent chaps over at Scriptarium (French publisher of the Advanced Fighting Fantasy RPG) recently sent me a copy of their translation of Titan. One of the highlights of the book is the set of maps that comes with it.

The guys at Scriptarium consulted me on various regions of Titan that I developed, primarily the Old World kingdom of Ruddlestone, but also the Giant's Teeth chain of islands (from the long defunct Saga of the Stormchaser proposal*).

Ruddlestone

The Giant's Teeth

One of the coolest maps is one of the entire FF world with the gamebooks that take place there connected to their relevant locations. (Most of mine appear in the same corner of the map.)

If you're a fan of FF then you should really pick up a copy of Titan, just so that you can get your hands on these wonderful maps.


* To find out more about that you'll have to read YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks.

Fighting Fantasy Fest 2014 - Featuring Scriptarium!

I am very pleased to share with you the news that Scriptarium, the French publishers of Advanced Fighting Fantasy, will be in attendance at Fighting Fantasy Fest 2014 - which is fast becoming the first international convention dedicated to Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks!

You can find out more about the company here, and they also graciously allowed me to use some of their artwork in YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks.

And don't forget the auction that will be taking place at the end of the convention! These are just some of the items that are up for auction on the day.

 Deathtrap Dungeon swords – A pair of swords, made in 1998, to promote Ian Livingstone's Deathtrap Dungeon PC game.

 Fighting Fantasy 50s – Seven of the hard-to-find FF adventures published between 1992 and 1995, all of them in either excellent or mint condition. (One lot.)

The Warlock of Firetop Mountain (Nintendo DS game) – A copy of the Nintendo DS The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, never released in Europe.

 Ian Livingstone's Deathtrap Dungeon – A limited edition copy of the Ian Livingstone's Deathtrap Dungeon PC game, from 1998, complete with a copy of the gamebook and card game of the same name.

 Casket of Souls – A rare, mint condition copy of the hardback edition of Ian Livingstone’s Casket of Souls, published in 1987.

The Warlock of Firetop Mountain poster – A rare, framed, promotional poster for The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, produced by Puffin Books in 1982, signed by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone.

Dicing with Dragons – rate US editions of Ian Livingstone’s book, one hardback and one paperback.

So don't delay, grab your ticket today, while there's still time!

Fighting Fantasy Fest 2014 and the bustling markets of Port Blacksand

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to wander the markets of the infamous City of Thieves, whilst being jostled by Troll Guards, wary of pickpockets as you peruse the unusual wares on offer? Well you can experience something like it (minus the guards and the pickpockets) at Fighting Fantasy Fest 2014.

There are a number of traders coming along to tempt you with their fine wares, so best make sure there are plenty of gold pieces in your backpack on the day. Among the traders are:

• Otherworld Miniatures - who have produced the highly collectible Zagor miniature that will be in every attendee's goodie bag.
• Leisure Games - purveyors of only the finest board games.
• Snowbooks - publishers of YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks
• FightingFantasy.com - Jamie Fry will have FF gamebooks both old and new for sale on his stand.
• Arion Games - publishers of Advanced Fighting Fantasy Second Edition.
• All Rolled Up - suppliers of gamebook gaming accessories, who will have some very special, bespoke items for sale.
• Scriptarium - French publishers of Advanced Fighting Fantasy.
• Legend Photography - who will take your FF-themed portrait, props included.

You will also be able to chat to Martin Gooch about his plans to turn Deathtrap Dungeon into a live action movie, as well as the Tin Man himself, Neil Rennison, about Tin Man Games' plans for future FF apps, not to mention Inkle Studios about their Steve Jackson's Sorcery! apps.

So don't delay. There are barely two weeks to go. Buy your ticket today.

Fighting Fantasy Fest 2014 - The Schedule!

Here at is at last, what you've all been waiting for, the schedule for Fighting Fantasy Fest 2014, taking place on Sunday 7 September at the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel in Ealing, West London.

~ ~ ~

10.30am – The event opens and Registration begins.

11.15am – Welcome to the event you've all been waiting for...

11.30am – Tin Man Games presentation - A very special preview of some of Tin Man Games' forthcoming FF apps.

12.00pm – The History of Fighting Fantasy - A talk by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, with Philippa Dickinson, their editor on the original FF gamebook, The Warlock of Firetop Mountain.

1.00pm – Lunch - Join us for a flagon of Cloud Ale at the Black Lobster Tavern.

2.00pm – The Art of Fighting Fantasy - The Fighting Fantasy artists, in conversation with Jonathan Green.

3.00pm – Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks and YOU ARE THE HERO mass signing.

4.00pm – Fighting Fantasy Costume Competition, followed by the Fighting Fantasy Auction (with auctioneer Ian Livingstone).

5.00pm – Your adventure ends here… The event closes.

~ ~ ~

During the day you will also be able to enjoy Advanced Fighting Fantasy gaming sessions, courtesy of Arion Games, take part in a Swindlestones tournament, with Inkle Studios, and have your fantasy-themed portrait taken by Legend Photography.

Traders who will be there on the day include Otherworld Miniatures, board games specialists Leisure Games, FightingFantasy.com, French AFF publishers Scriptarium, purveyors of gaming accessories All Rolled Up, Pure Evil Miniatures, and Snowbooks, publishers of YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks (which will also be launching on the day).

If you've not bought your ticket yet, you can do so here.

Gamebook Friday: Défis Fan­tas­tiques!

An intriguing package arrived from our Gallic cousins yesterday, courtesy of Florent Haro and Scriptarium - French editions of Graham Bottley's updated Fighting Fantasy RPG a.k.a. Défis Fan­tas­tiques (en France).

To find out more about Scriptarium's FF (or should that be DF) revival follow this link. To find out more about the English language edition of AFF 2nd edition, follow this link.