It took a while, but I'm finally ready to run this! Once again, I'd like to thank Starmaker, whose generosity helped me to acquire this book (and also the rest of the VR series that I was missing) 2 years back, and made this LP possible.
For any possible new readers who are not familiar with this gamebook series, it uses a very simplistic system that doesn't require the use of dice or random number tables. The PC starts by choosing 4 special Skills from a list of 12 to create his character, and has 8 equipment slots that allows him pick up items throughout the adventure. Some of the Skills may require the possession of an item (for example, the Shooting Skill requires him to carry a gun), characters with those Skill will start the game with said item which will take up one of those 8 slots automatically.
All characters start with 10 Life Points and 30 units of money (the currency used in this book is "scads"). Besides these the only other thing the player needs to keep track of are codewords, which are used to record events that the PC goes through during the game.
Now on to this particular book. As usual, let's start with the back cover burb:
So.....as you can see, a futuristic setting, and seems to be a sci-fi/action theme. Now, a bit more background:It is the dawn of the 24th century and the Earth is dying. Gaia, a satellite array designed to repair the effects of global warming, is out of control. A new Ice Age tightens its inexorable grip on the planet. Humanity is on the edge of extinction.
Mankind's last hope is the Heart of Violent, a strange meteorite which has already brought mutation and chaos to the world. Legend says that the one who finds it shall wield the power to reshape the universe.
As the ice sheets spread and the world slides towards the brink, you and a handful of bitter rivals compete in the race for the Heart. Only one can win. Are you ruthless enough to claim the ultimate price?
MAP:
And now, before we get started, we need to create our character, and that means selecting our Skills (and also come up with a name, if any of you have any suggestions). Here are the list of Skills available:In 2023, worsening conditions in the world's climate led to the first Global Economic Conference. It was agreed to implement measures intended to reverse industrial damage to the ecology and replenish the ozone layer. By 2031, an array of weather control satellites were in orbit. For added efficiency, and as a mark of worldwide co-operation, these were placed under the control of a supercomputer network called Gaia: the Global Artificial Intelligence Array. The Earth’s climate began to show steady improvement.
The first hint of disaster came early in 2037, when Gaia shut down inexplicably for a period of seventeen minutes. Normal operation was resumed but the system continued to suffer ‘glitches’. One such glitch resulted in Paris being subjected to a two-day heat wave of such intensity that the pavements cracked. After several months, the fault was identified. A computer virus had been introduced into Gaia by unknown means. The system’s designer began programming an antivirus but died before his work was complete. The crisis grew throughout that year until finally, following the death of five thousand people in a flash flood along the Bangladesh coastline, the Gaia project was officially denounced. Unfortunately it was no longer possible to shut it down.
By the mid twenty-first century, global weather conditions were in chaos owing to Gaia’s sporadic operation. Ice sheets advanced further each year. Australia was subject to virtually constant torrential rain. The centre of Asia had become an arid wasteland. The political situation reflected the ravages of the climate, with wars flaring continually around the globe. Late in 2054, computer scientists in London tried to hack into Gaia and locate the replicating viruses in the program. Gaia, detecting this, interpreted the action as an attack on its program and retaliated by taking over a range of defense networks which allowed it to launch a nuclear strike. London was completely destroyed.
By the end of the century Gaia had routed itself into all major computer networks, taking control of weather, communications and weapons systems all across the planet. Periods of lucidity and hospitable climate were interspersed with hurricanes and arctic blizzards. The US President gave an interview in which he likened Gaia to a living entity: ‘She was intended as mankind’s protective mother, but this “mother” has gone mad.’ Spiralling decline in the world’s fortunes left much of humanity on the brink of extinction. The population fell rapidly until only a few million people remained scattered around the globe – mostly in cities where food could still be artificially produced.
It is now the year 2300. The rich stand aloof, disporting themselves with forced gaiety and waiting for the end. The poor inhabit jostling slums where disease is rife and law is unknown. Between the cities, the land lies under a blanket of snow and ice. No-one expects humanity to last another century. This is truly ‘the end of history’.
AGILITY
The ability to perform acrobatic feats, run, climb, balance and leap. A character with this skill is nimble and dexterous.
CLOSE COMBAT
The use of a range of martial arts incorporating elements of karate, ju-jitsu and t'ai-chi.
CUNNING
The ability to think on your feet and devise clever ploys for getting out of trouble. Useful in countless situations.
CYBERNETICS
The ability to program and operate computers, almost a forgotten science in the apocalyptic world of the 23rd century.
ESP
The ability to sense danger and read other people's minds. You must possess a psionic focus to use this skill.
LORE
A combination of history, legend and general knowledge which gives you a good basis for dealing with the unknown.
PARADOXING
The ability to mentally affect the normal laws of nature. A slower and less reliable technique than ESP, but with sometimes miraculous effects. You must possess a psionic focus to use this skill.
PILOTING
The ability to handle virtually any vehicle from an air-sled up to a space shuttle.
ROGUERY
Stealth and espionage skills: picking pockets, opening locks, and skulking unseen in the shadows.
SHOOTING
Expertise with long-range weaponry. You must possess a charged barysal gun to use this skill.
STREETWISE
With this skill you are never at a loss in cities. What others see as the squalor and menace of narrow neon-lit streets is opportunity to you.
SURVIVAL
A talent which enables you to cope in desolate and uninhabited regions: forests, deserts, swamps and mountain peaks.
So out of this list, Shooting, ESP and Paradoxing requires an item to utilize them. Note that Shooting doesn't just require a gun, but it also has to be charged. All pre-created default characters start with a gun that has the full 6 charges.
And yes, speaking of pre-created characters, there is a list available for choosing at the start of the book. Note that we do not have to use them. We are free to pick any combination of 4 Skills, the pre-created characters are just for convenience. As mentioned before, all characters start with 10 Life Points and 30 scads, and characters with the above-mentioned 3 Skills will also start with the required items.
Pre-created characters:
The Explorer
Skills: Close Combat, Lore, Streetwise, Survival
Others might mourn the collapse of civilization, but for you it only opens up new areas of mystery in the world.
The Bounty Hunter
Skills: Cunning, Piloting, Shooting, Streetwise
Times are hard and the strong prey upon the weak. It is left to the likes of you to enforce the law.
The Spy
Skills: Agility, Cybernetics, Roguery, Streetwise
Even as world dies a slow death, governments vie with one another for the wealth and power that remain. You steal secrets and trade them to the highest bidders.
The Trader
Skills: ESP, Lore, Shooting, Streetwise
Few dare cross the icy wastes between cities, so a daring adventurer can make a tidy profit.
The Visionary
Skills: Close Combat, Cunning, ESP, Paradoxing
Cursed with second sight, you know that mankind has no future unless something is done to save the world.
The Scientist
Skills: Cybernetics, Lore, Piloting, Survival
Most people understand nothing of the machines created by their ancestors, but you've learned that knowledge if power.
The Mutant
Skills: Agility, Cunning, Paradoxing, Roguery
Born with strange powers, you are more than human. Others would kill you if they knew your secret.
Skills: Close Combat, Lore, Streetwise, Survival
Others might mourn the collapse of civilization, but for you it only opens up new areas of mystery in the world.
The Bounty Hunter
Skills: Cunning, Piloting, Shooting, Streetwise
Times are hard and the strong prey upon the weak. It is left to the likes of you to enforce the law.
The Spy
Skills: Agility, Cybernetics, Roguery, Streetwise
Even as world dies a slow death, governments vie with one another for the wealth and power that remain. You steal secrets and trade them to the highest bidders.
The Trader
Skills: ESP, Lore, Shooting, Streetwise
Few dare cross the icy wastes between cities, so a daring adventurer can make a tidy profit.
The Visionary
Skills: Close Combat, Cunning, ESP, Paradoxing
Cursed with second sight, you know that mankind has no future unless something is done to save the world.
The Scientist
Skills: Cybernetics, Lore, Piloting, Survival
Most people understand nothing of the machines created by their ancestors, but you've learned that knowledge if power.
The Mutant
Skills: Agility, Cunning, Paradoxing, Roguery
Born with strange powers, you are more than human. Others would kill you if they knew your secret.
So....anyone onboard? What Skills should our character possess?
