City of Thieves adventure book analysis and play

When I played Zork, the text based style reminded me of the old school role playing adventure books that were popular several years ago. In these books you would be given a scenario, a number of items of equipment, dice related stats (i.e.: Stamina, Skill, luck, etc.) before setting off on a non-linear journey through a dungeon or city. Beginning at point 1, the player is presented with a small paragraph describing their situation. They then have to select an option and move to the enclosed page for the option they have chosen. Continuing like this they must attempt to complete the goal of their scenario. 

Again, with Zork, to properly examine the gameplay mechanics of this genre I decided to play one of these adventure books: Ian Livingstone’s City of Thieves.

The game, being non digital, requires:

-A pencil and Eraser

-A character sheet (within the book this is found)

My Character Sheet

-Two dice

-And the book itself

By rolling between one or two dice and adding a number, the player’s characters stats are determined. These are:

Skill (The characters skill with a sword in battle)

Stamina (the characters “health” determining how much damage they can take)

Luck (at points in the book the player is presented with chances to test their luck. By testing their luck they can achieve things easier and without battle. Furthermore in battle, the player can deal more or less damage depending on luck. However if they fail to roll their luck or lower in a die roll, the averse happens – they take more damage, deal less damage and often suffer additional consequences of trying to test their luck.)

When I began playing I rolled a high number for skill and stamina but not for Luck. Beginning my “quest” at the gate to the city I talked my way past the guard, and began traversing my way through the city. After a period of exploring, I was ambushed by three dwarf thieves. Having rolled a high enough luck roll they fled. I was then given the option to continue or give chase. Choosing to give chase, it ended with my character being captured and all my gold being taken. This immediately highlighted to me the unforgiving nature of the choice system and how the player’s choices lead to sometimes drastic consequences. The book itself tells the player that there is only one safe route through the “City of Thieves” that will allow even the worst character to succeed. While as a player it was frustrating to have such a drastic consequence happen early on, due to the un-bias way in which the options are presented it was only my own fault as to that fate.

Nevertheless, I continued with my “adventure” choosing my options carefully until, being distracted by conversation I lost my place in the book – rendering the adventure over. This is one of the biggest flaws of the adventure book because if the player forgets where they are in the book they cannot continue.

My first mature experience with the book (having played it several years earlier when as a child I often cheated and would keep a finger firmly on the page I had been on in case the consequences were not to my liking) was certainly interesting and I enjoyed a number of the gameplay mechanics:

-The choice and consequence system. While it was sometimes harsh, I thought the way the choices were presented was intriguing. Unlike modern video games where you are often given clear cut choices but they are shoehorned into the idea of Morality as characters and music might point to a certain choice being “good” or “bad”, City of Thieves presented simple choices that were driven by the players feelings. At points I would not explore areas for I felt there might be a bad consequence for my character and at other times given my state of affairs I would do anything and see where it would take me.  So a game where the players choices have distinct consequences but would be driven by their own wants and desires is something I might aim for.

- The Luck system.  As briefly mentioned the player would be given points whereby they could “test their luck” to achieve a goal (be it sneaking onto a ship or avoiding an ambush). This added a risky side to the game that was different. I don’t know how it could be applied but I think that my concept should include some form of tense action – be it leaving something up to chance or having to make a quick decision.  

- The Scenario. City of thieves didn’t really explain the player’s character but rather it placed the player into a situation and the avatar of their actions was the nameless character (the situation being to kill a mighty foe but having to traverse a corrupt city full of danger to do so). It made hints about what the player should try to do, but never forced them down a particular route – or at least never appeared to do so. Ultimately this, like Zorn, gives the illusion of freedom whilst ultimately moving through a linear set of events to a final climax.