Actually, you'll be glad to hear that the map is by
Russ Nicholson, not me. (As if you couldn't tell, right?) This is the one you've been waiting twenty years for: the map of Ankon-Konu, soon to be opened up to exploration by
The Serpent King's Domain, seventh in the
Fabled Lands series.
Paul Gresty is hard at work on that now and it's shaping up to be the best FL book yet. Don't take my word for it, try the demo for yourself
here.
The Kickstarter campaign was planned and run by
Richard S Hetley, our editor, line producer, and invaluable consultant on the series. I asked for his thoughts on getting this dazzling new map from Russ:
"As always, it's been great to see new work from someone who helped build our favorite game worlds. It's also been interesting watching the notes from Paul, which quite literally were a printout of the old Ankon-Konu map covered with marker and pencil doodles, iterate into something that gives a sense of place. There was only one spot where I thought there was a bit of a hiccup: in Smogmaw of the first draft, there was a mysterious plain triangle sticking out of the top of the city. Was it supposed to be a rooftop? Perhaps a misplaced decoration like a flying bird? Or a gigantic pointy-cap mushroom? Russ took this feedback (I didn't mention the mushroom bit...) with all the rest and made the final version you see here. It communicates very well."
I'm not showing the whole map in all its multicoloured glory here because I think it's only fair that the Kickstarter backers get to see it first - as they will in the hardcover edition to be published by
Megara Entertainment. A few months later Fabled Lands Publishing will release a paperback version, but for that one you'll have to make do with black and white.Still looks pretty spectacular, though, wouldn't you agree?
Very cool. Can't wait. At this rate, though, I'll be long dead by the time I am able to explore the underworld.
ReplyDeleteThere's a certain poetic justice to that.
DeleteThere is indeed. Oh well, at least I've been to Sheol.
DeleteI know the T-shirt: "I've been to Sheol and all I got was a lousy Sword of Life."
DeleteDave, this is slightly off topic, although I suppose it is geography related. Whilst I shall be voting Stay, don't you think if UK leaves EU it should be stipulated we have to join a fantasy world/ commonwealth instead ? Whilst I suppose your vote would be for Tekumel, I would personally go for union with that other off shore Atlantic archipelago Lyonesse, as I quite fancy Princess Madouc as head of state ?
ReplyDeleteEgad, John, if we end up voting Leave we're going to end up in a bastardised cross between the Shire (small-minded snobbish exclusionist xenophobes) and Escape From New York (economic meltdown, every man for himself). Let's not even go there! But if pressed for my ideal home country, I suppose it would be Arthur C Clarke's vision for 3001.
DeleteOh yes I agree - if it's Leave we'll end up like Westeros which is fun to read about but not so much fun to live in. Personally I'll be heading across the Narrow Sea in those circumstances !
ReplyDeleteMy grandparents were from Dublin so I expect that's where I'd be heading. No tax for writers would be a bonus.
DeleteSee you there then ! We live in Liverpool so have got a head start.
DeleteGiven Boris's past statements about Liverpool, maybe he'd allow it to become part of Eire in the (nightmarish) event that he became prime minister.
DeleteI think most people in Liverpool would take that option in the circumstances !
DeleteI shall leave but a simple comment:
ReplyDeleteFabled Lands: The Serpent King's Domain is happening...it is real and not a figment of my imagination :-)
Cheers to all of you for making this happen and I am still glad to help after all these years!
Here, here!
*hear,hear
DeleteThanks for supporting it, Mike. Way back in the day, Star Trek fans' unstinting support finally got it brought back as a series of movies. So FL is a bit like that - it just took a bit longer!
DeleteOh goodness yes, bring this on. I'm trekking across the Great Steppes as we speak so I'm all ready for Ankon-konu.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of sequels, is it too premature to ask about plans/thoughts for this? Seeing the titles of the remaining books is such a tease!
One book per year, it seems.
DeleteI could make my peace with that, although at the current rate there should be news about a KS for Lone and Level Sands very shortly if we want to see that next year.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem churlish to bemoan when we din't even have book 7 yet, but frankly I'm greedy and impatient. Completing the FL series is up there with my top 3 wishes (along with a Dredd 2 movie and another series of Firefly).
Certainly once Serpent King's Domain is ready we can look at doing more. Paul Gresty already has plans for The Lone & Level Sands and he's building quests into book 7 that link to that. However, running these campaigns takes a lot of work and we rely on a team who do it only out of love, so I can't guarantee a new book every year. We'll just have to see how it works out.
DeleteBtw Michael, isn't there talk of a Dredd TV show starring Karl Urban? Or did I dream that?
DeleteIs there anything the wider fan base could do to expedite things or just smooth the journey Dave (other than buy the books)? I'd be more than happy to donate as much of my time and energy as required to support the project. I'm guessing thats impractical but am sure I wouodn't be alone on here in offering support.
DeleteIncidentally, did you and Jamie ever have any thoughts beyond book 12? I wondered whether you'd deliberately left the Unbounded Ocean area unexplored such that it could form locations for books 13+.
And yes, I'd heard the same rumours about a potential Dredd TV series. I imagine it would be dependent on the backing of Netflix or Amazon Prime. Karl Urban seems to love the role and be up for it, though I do wonder how storylines with the Dark Judges, for example, could be effectively realised in a television budget. Still, being produced by one of the new production houses in this way hasn't done any harm for existing series like Ripper Street, so perhaps there's still hope.
DeleteThe sets and costumes would make it an expensive show, no doubt about that. Even by going more character-focused rather than relying on big action scenes, that still only goes so far. It's not the kind of show that would pull in a House of Cards size audience, so I don't see it getting a $100m budget. But with a smart rethink (assuming fans could accept that) something workable could come out of it.
DeleteWrt more FL books after 13 - we never considered it. If they had been successful enough back in the day, I'd have probably wanted to start an all-new series. I'd do now by preference, but it's not what the fans want.
Thanks for your offer of help. It probably wouldn't be practical, but it's appreciated anyway!
HI Dave, are you going to release FL 3-6 in the large format edition? Many Thanks David
ReplyDeleteI'm certainly intending to, David. I can't say when, as it depends on finding a spare weekend and those are few and far between at the moment. I'm not even sure how I'll find the time to typeset FL7 (in two formats - that was a rod for my own back) but at least that's a way off yet.
Deleteok Dave, thanks for reply :)
DeleteHas anyone ever toyed with the idea of releasing a sanctioned version of the Fabled Lands computer app? I found a used copy of Book One way back in the day and enjoyed playing through it as many times as I could, frustrated as I was by having to turn back at the points where the stories went on into the other books. Years later I was able to play through those books as well after having found the app online, what with the books out of print for so long and hard to find. What if the computer app was spruced up and sold? I feel like this is a natural progression. I am an avid gamer of all types of games, but I lack the shelf space in my small apartment for physical copies of all the games I play, so I would welcome the opportunity to give money to the creators of this series to play a version of the game on my computer, with the additional benefit of not having to use pen and paper nor dice. I hope this avenue will be seriously considered, as once the work is done to code the app it could be sold ad infinitum, and eventually hopefully fund the completion of the rest of the books in the series, to be released in some form or another. I must journey on to the ends of the earth. Dangor or bust!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you're right. Print gamebooks have a minuscule following these days, but apps that have evolved out of gamebooks comprise a viable business. Hence all my posts about what is needed to make a good gamebook app. (Short version: no virtual dice, no retro paper FX or simulation of distracting/quaint elements, use lots of dialogue, have the player's top level of navigating the story occur on the map.) The FL books are ideal for adaptation to digital form. I have been strongly recommending that to the board of Fabled Lands LLP for several years now. Maybe one day they'll read all the reports and financial projections I've given them!
DeleteI really, really hope they do take advantage of this situation because in my eyes they're sitting on what basically amounts to a goldmine. The first six books are already written, and the basic structure of a working digital version of the gamebooks has been out for years, so now the time is ripe to put two and two together and make something happen. I'm quite sure a nice, polished version of the FLAPP could be released before the hard copy of Book 7, which would make it easier to finish that book with the additional revenue stream, since as of now I believe you all are just volunteering time and energy when you can in between your paying gigs. Anyways, it seems I'm preaching to the choir when it comes to you. Godspeed Dave, I can only hope that they read those reports and projections as well.
DeleteAnd it's not just the Fabled Lands series. The company also controls the rights to Blood Sword, Duel Master, Heart of Ice, and Way of the Tiger... any and all of which could make fine apps. But I should add the qualifier that the code and art and design need to be right. There's no point in just releasing a text version. I'm sure the FL LLP board will continue to look for a developer capable of doing all those gamebooks justice.
DeleteThe characteristics you mention for a good gamebook adaptation into app form sound a lot like inkle's 80 Days, Dave. And given you already have an existing relationship with them they would sound like a good option. But I guess that's so obvious that the fact it hasn't happened yet means there's a fly in the ointment.
DeleteSounds like the board need to take the leap of faith that defines all truly successful entrepreneurs. If everyone was surprised about the runaway KS success of book 7, might lightning not strike twice for Fabled Lands?
Bear in mind that leap of faith is also characteristic of many failed entrepreneurs, though, Michael :-)
DeleteEagle-eyed readers of this blog will have already noticed that the previous post set out my wish list for a gamebook app, in the form of Legend-set mystery/horror adventure Winter's Rage. But that's a personal project, nothing to do with Fabled Lands LLP.
Just my two cents:
ReplyDeleteFLAPP is very playable and even editable (HTML).
Even someone like me with little programming knowledge can make additions to it.
I am sure it wouldn't be that hard to make an official version.
I think that's true, Davide, but to get it to being a commercial product would take a bit more than that. Moving the character around the map and dropping into locations/encounters, just for starters.
DeleteI think there's confusion between what used to be called the FLAPP and is now called Fabled Lands Java and the actual Apple App Store Fabled Lands App (which seemed cool in theory, and I was sad it didn't come out in an Android version).
DeleteThat being said, I really think digital sales are the way to fund the rest of remaining books. I know I would much rather pay a fee for simple access to play the game on my computer digitally rather than for a physical book which would take up the already limited space in my apartment (although it would be a really, really nice book). I just want to be able to give back to the creators whose work I appreciate so much, as they have so graciously given their blessing to the way I was introduced to these works, this fan-made Java application, and I would love to see that come full circle and fund further explorations in the Fabled Lands. Dangor, here I come!!!
I get the feeling there are two markets for gamebooks. The 30- and 40-somethings buying these books the second time round are motivated by nostalgia and want a physical copy. They're the collectors. Then you've got the new players, who might be any age and are just as happy to buy digital versions which do all the tedious book-keeping and dice rolling for them.
DeleteInkle showed that the second group is potentially much larger, but to reach them the designers have to break out of the box of thinking of these things as "books on a computer/tablet/phone". To do a digital gamebook well means designing it as digital from the ground up. It can't just be a conversion job. The snag then is how do you do a print version? My Frankenstein app is really a gamebook but it would never work in print - not without stripping away three-quarters of the experience, anyway.
It's not insuperable. Jamie and I are talking to an app developer about new versions that would go a lot further than the ill-fated Megara app. And at the same time we'll think about how new content could be used to make print versions too. Because I know how painful it can be to see a glaring gap on the bookshelf :-)