Holdfast!

[Legate of Mineta]

Welcome to Holdfast, Black Chicken Studios' first *gamebook* (this is not a video game! This is also not an April Fool's joke! ). We wanted to give you a little preview of what will be coming in our KickStarter campaign a bit later in April.

 

As some of you already know, we love unique stories, and after Scheherazade we thought it might be fun to tell a story of Dwarves, honor and life in the Deeps in sturdy, perfect bound form. Here is the introduction to the project:

 

******

 

Down in the deeps of the Stormwall mountains there lay vast kingdoms of worked stone, jeweled lanterns and polished axes. Gon Durul, Halsond and the Westerdeep...their proud halls are no more, their great treasuries laid bare, their warriors slain at the gates, and their crowns hidden away in Seven Helms.

 

Clanless though you may be, the fires of anger against those that have stolen, shamed and injured your people burn as hot in you as in any dwarf. Now, the tale can be told of how a chance discovery in a forgotten tomb will lead you to a ruined fortress, and how, through courage, battle and cunning you will carve out a Holdfast of your people in the Deeps!

 

*******

 

Holdfast is a soft cover adventure gamebook, following in the tradition of the old greats: Lone Wolf, Fighting Fantasy, Tolkien Quest and Fabled Lands. Taking up your ancestral weapons, you'll choose your path to reclaim your homeland through orc-legions, hidden grudges, and nameless horrors from the Deeps. You can delve deep, expand your fortress and confront a mighty army to learn if you have the mettle you need to hold the realms of old. As Black Chicken Studios' first gamebook, we'll be bringing our trademark deep world-building, lore and adventure, along with an innovative tactical combat system, to help you light the darkness below.

 

With over 600 sections, you'll discover many different mysteries, threats and resources to aid in your rule. The book will be printed in landscape format, black and white, with over 50 illustrations. When we go to KickStarter, pdfs will be available at $15, with printed volumes at $25.

 

To whet your appetite, here is a sample page, from the very beginning of the book:

 

 

I believe over the weekend we'll do another update, introducing the combat system. It adds a layer of tactics to the usual dice roll + chart you see in most gamebooks, which should spice up your encounters.

 

Enjoy, and please let us know your questions so we can better direct the campaign!

[freespace2dotcom]

An April Treat, Eh? mm.... Why must you tempt me!!!?

[Legate of Mineta]

Haha! It's what we do.

[Mikka]

Oh man, I remember playing the heck out of Lone Wolf. (As a reminder, boys and girls, you can play them too at http://www.projectaon.org/en/Main/Home ... I've played them online quite a few times.) This should be fun.

 

...I don't know if I have the money for a kickstarter, though. Argh.

[Legate of Mineta]

Project Aon is really a great site for memories.

[Leoshi]

 

I'm not exactly familiar on what gamebooks are so but I have one so err...

 

1) How big is the book going to be?

 

2) What sort of encounters are going to jump at us?

 

3) Does my dwarf's beard play a role in the adventures?

 

4) You said here is a sample page from the beginning of the book but down at the corner it says 29.

[Schwarzbart]

If it is similiar to the Lone Wolf series then its probably around 800 pages in A5 at last if I interpreted the sections right.

[Legate of Mineta]

Leo;

 

1) How big is the book going to be?

 

Schwarzbart's estimates are about right for the standard size, but our book is going to be larger than your conventional game books, so page count is less as more sections appear to a page. We won't lay it out until after the KickStarter is complete, though, as additional content may arise from Stretch Goals.

 

2) What sort of encounters are going to jump at us?

 

Orcs, Ogres, Shadowkin, Dark Elves, [redacted] and, at one point, you'll face down a warlord and his army.

 

3) Does my dwarf's beard play a role in the adventures?

 

You are dwarf, aren't you?

 

4) You said here is a sample page from the beginning of the book but down at the corner it says 29.

 

Oh, there's a preface, the combat explanation and some history before you begin.

[Leoshi]

1) I can honestly say that I do not own a book with 800 pages (except dictionaries).

 

2) Then it's a good thing I'm a dwarf, which means I'm magic-proof. Right?

 

3) Yes but I'm not an Eoin Colfer dwarf.

[Legate of Mineta]

Leoshi;

 

1) Oddly enough, I personally actually have a few (and not dictionaries either!)

 

2) Sadly, no.

 

3) That's just what your beard tells you.

[Leoshi]

2)

[Schwarzbart]

Just a thought as I know for smartphones and tablets the upper limit for a app/ game would be $5 how about spliting the book into 4 parts each sold at $4 with all 4 parts sold at $15 as planed.

Then add a Stretch goal that add a software to emulate the dice and manage the charactersheet for Android and iOS for the PDF versions.

(I have send this also per PM to the Legate but realised I probably should make it public)

[Legate of Mineta]

Would be a very cool idea- we'll need some software to do this, though- our Teams are working on SP2 and Y2 right now, and I'm pretty sure no one wants to divert them.

 

Maybe if we can make some arrangements...

[Eli7]

A gamebook! Nice idea! It's been a long time since i played the last one. I will be looking forward more information, but if is as well written and fun as Academagia and Sheherazade, i will surely support you

[Legate of Mineta]

Eli7;

 

I've been able to read a good bit of the story, and I have to say it's very awesome.

 

There's going to be a new update today or tomorrow, which will also discuss the combat system.

 

Hope you enjoy!

[cj.23]

Delighted to see everything has gone so well, and really looking forward to this!

[Schwarzbart]

After reading the last Project Eternity update I getting curious how the Stronghold works within Holdfast, but we soon get our hand on the alpha and so can see on our own.

[Legate of Mineta]

Schwarzbart;

 

Yep- very soon! Basically, your Upgrades in your Stronghold give you access to various actions. Some are usable during Act II, but most are available during Act III. Based on your Morale, you can use these Actions to turn the tide of battle for you- they're really powerful. Of course, you can try to fight everything by yourself...good luck with that.

[Leoshi]

Legate! Time to setup the threads for Quality Testing!

[Legate of Mineta]

Hey, good idea! When the beta goes out the door, we should create a Suggestions & Improvement thread.

[Leoshi]

Just make sure you tell people where to post the errors they find! (In this forum!)

 

And maybe make separate threads. One for spelling mistakes, one for suggestions and one for ... how do you say ... other issues.

[Legate of Mineta]

Leoshi;

 

I don't know, it's more convenient (at least for me) to have one central thread...but, whatever.

[Leoshi]

Internet connection properly restored!

 

Anyway, Legate! If you prefer a central thread then you have to make sure people label the things they find properly!

 

Example:

 

Spelling Mistake(s):

 

p.g. 1038 / Paragraph 9

 

... the elf are dumb! ... --> Elves

 

Gameplay error:

 

Mighty Axe of Forblazen unequippable!

 

/End Example

 

Things like that ^ It makes everything clean and tidy!

[Schwarzbart]

Leoshi we only get the PDF not the App for beta testing!

So no thing like XYZ is not equippable

[Legate of Mineta]

Leoshi;

 

What Schwarzbart said is correct- the beta is in pdf form, not the app (which is being built by Tin Man Games.)

 

I don't know if they plan to host a beta- I don't think they have before? You never know, though.