Monday 9 August 2010

news

The 'link' to an iPhone version of 'The Warlock of Firetop Mountain' as mentioned in last post, makes me mention a 'new' iPad and iPhone version of the the first book in 'The Fabled Lands Series' - 'The War Torn Kingdom' produced by Megara Entertainment in France.

My Maps and some of my original illustrations have been converted into colour by other artists and the results are certainly unique as you'll see from those I've posted below.

 First the new title [opening page] for 'The Fabled Lands' - 'The War Torn KIngdom' created by Megara Entertainment and its artists.
next my version of the Maps now coloured and with borders added by others.
Here are some of the original pictures that have been recoloured. First 'places'.
I especially like what has been done with this one [above].  Now for 'character' scenes.


Of course Megara Entertainment's artist's have created, for this new version of Dave Morris and Jamie Thomson' s epic game, artwork of their own.

Below are a few examples [the rights belong to Megara Entertainment and cannot be copied without permission].
This version iPad and iPhone version of 'The War Torn Kingdom' is due for release around Christmas [I believe] from Megara Entertainment.

If you can afford, or have, one of those beasties then do check it out. I sadly cannot - now altogether as the violins reach a crescendo in the distance - 'AH, shame!' .

Right to finish, a couple of related pieces from other books in the series. Dave and Jamie gave me a free hand with the illustrations which were usually more vignettes than large works, but this format allowed me to 'show' panel views, coinage, and so on. As Dave put it, if memory serves , more like a travelogue than scenes from the traditional even conventional game that was prevalent then.
so that's about it for now.

PS - With Dave's nice comment [that he added below] still ringing in my ears - I add one more picture. The original B&W of 'the shops of Conflass'.

19 comments:

  1. Oohhhh! That's an app to look out for. I have the Citadel of Chaos iPhone game (more colouring-in of your original artwork) but haven't sat down and played it much yet - I only bought an iPod a couple of weeks ago and went on a splurge of downloading games for it so have a big backlog. One day, when I've put some hours into it, I'll review it on the blog.

    I have to say I'm not familiar with Fabled Lands, but your post blogs are intriguing me. One to look out on eBay for perhaps.

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  2. The FL books were imo some of your very best work, Russ - and that's saying a lot. One of the things I like is that you used a slightly different style in each book, so they really do have the feel of depicting different nations and cultures.

    That one of the shops of Conflass is one of my top faves btw.

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  3. sorry for my poor english...
    i follow you with rss, i love your work mr Nicholson, you are my favorite gamebook illustrator, you put so much details in your illustrations(i love you too mr Morris, for your Fabled lands serie, and your virtual reality serie)
    i hope the Iphone FL will be ready soon (and i hope the others books, included 7 to 12 will be released too...)

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  4. My wife has the iPod so I'll have to 'borrow' it for a while and check out that app.

    I love the illustrations. They did a fairly decent job of adding color but I love your pure B&Ws.

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    Replies
    1. Confession, well 2 confessions: 1 I prefer mine.
      2 delay in reply as message just found!

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  5. Btw Coopdevil - Fabled Lands books go for about £100 each on eBay. (I know, I know - Jamie and I wish we'd kept a box full of 'em!) Anyway, it might actually be cheaper to buy an iPad :)

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  6. Agh. I gave my 2 fabled landsbooks away years ago. Sob.

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  7. Another bit of trivia: that cute cookie in the firebird armour, with the ponytail and fetchingly mascaraed eyes - that's an illustration of General Grieve Marlock. Who has therefore become Lady Grievella Marlock in the new version!

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  8. Thanks for posting! Some really cool artwork there.I was oggling it for ages!

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  9. Ohhh... I usually support the Royal Side in my game. But maybe I will go for Protector title this time. The ability to use it to beat that galley captain around his ears was sure fun. :)

    Joseph Snape

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  10. The original art work was one of the best aspects of the Fabled Lands series. There was something tremendously evocative about those black and white illustrations. They managed to combine a richness of detail with an austere quality, making them the perfect compliment to the prose. The detail tempted the imagination down a multitude of paths, the austerity left enough space for those journeys to be worthwhilse.

    Sadly the reworked artwork falls short of this standard.

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  11. I've never read the Fabled Lands series, but have been a Fighting Fantasy fan for some 20+ years. That's where I know of your art, Mr Nicholson. :)

    Am excited about new gamebooks for ipad/iphone, and looking forward to Fabled Lands.

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