Good day!  I posted before when I and my friends in Megara Entertainment launched a gamebook on Kickstarter (Arcana Agency: The Thief of Memories), and posted again recently to preview our NEW project.  We've now launched!  We ask your help in bringing forth a new collector's edition of a classic gamebook series: The Way of the Tiger.

The project is here:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1615043334/the-way-of-the-tiger-gamebooks-new-collectors-edit
Or: http://kck.st/1fGcCUR

A free 100-PAGE DEMO is here:

http://www.megara-entertainment.com/avengermegarademo.pdf (full quality)
http://richardhetley.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/avengerlowres.pdf (smaller file)

This project is the revival of a classic series of six books published in the 1980's by Mark Smith and Jamie Thomson.  These "Choose Your Own Adventure"-style games put the reader in control of a ninja, Avenger, in a world of weird fantasy.  The books present a detailed combat system based on martial arts moves, and a rich story with mythic ambience (and beasts) derived from Japanese, Nordic, and Eastern European cultures.  With the involvement of the authors, not only does Megara Entertainment plan to bring it back (the Kickstarter edition would be the first reprinting after almost 30 years), but also to expand it beyond the original six books.  Interested readers and gamers can pledge to the Kickstarter through October.

There's a lot happening and we really want people to join us on the journey.  We hope you'll take a moment to look, share the demo file, and pledge if you can.

Thanks for lending your ear!

Some covers and interiors:

http://richardhetley.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/tiger-project-image.jpg

http://richardhetley.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/interior-1.jpg

http://richardhetley.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/interior-2.jpg

Quick update: two days in . . . we're FULLY FUNDED!  Many thanks to everyone who's visited, shared, pledged, and otherwise made this possible!

Now what we're doing is "a campaign of stretch goals," trying to spread the word so we can make as much FUN STUFF as possible.  In particular, we've had a lot of old fans pledging for the full series, and we're trying to find those interested in lower pledge levels.  At our "standard" level, we're offering three books: one hardback of your choice and the two new "extension of the series" PDF books.

Know anyone who might lay down a little money for a lot of fun?  If so, please share our link.  Thanks again, and thanks in advance!

The Way of the Tiger is now halfway through our Kickstarter campaign.  Thanks to our kind backers, we're at more than TWICE our goal!

We've received publicity from famed gamebook authors and aficionados:

http://herbiebrennansbookshelfblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/gamebook-news.html
http://www.lloydofgamebooks.com/2013/09/way-of-tiger-kickstarter-has-begun.html
http://www.thebrewin.com/blog/entry/the-way-of-the-tiger-kickstarter-guest-post-by-david-walters (which links to three blogs in succession)
http://jonathangreenauthor.blogspot.com/2013/10/gamebook-friday-way-of-tiger.html
http://www.ashtonsaylor.com/2013/10/the-gamebooks-world-in-six-months.html

. . . And appeared in the massive gamebook news source, Fighting Fantazine (issue #12):

http://www.fightingfantazine.co.uk

Mind you, that issue also includes a review of our LAST gamebook project, Arcana Agency: The Thief of Memories.  With a free giveaway of the Arcana Agency PDF if you're fast enough on the e-mail . . .

So things are going well, but we'd still love to be able to afford even more exploration of the world of Orb.  Can you spare $15?  That's the minimum pledge for a book, and would net you the full-quality PDF of our new prequel.  We've posted "insider material" for the prequel, including these sample images:

http://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/projects/579370/posts/617794/image-337418-full.jpg

http://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/projects/579370/posts/617794/image-337419-full.jpg

http://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/projects/579370/posts/617794/image-337420-full.jpg

Like what you see?  Then please take a look, spread the word, and pledge if you can:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1615043334/the-way-of-the-tiger-gamebooks-new-collectors-edit

Thank you for your kind support!

Hello, all.  Our project is into its final week with THRICE our funding goal!  This means four stretch goals down, and we're getting to explore and expand The Way of the Tiger beyond the already-beautiful game world we knew as children.  We're also offering new pledge levels, including a chance to own Mark Smith's original materials from when he created the world of Orb in the first place!

Publicity continues.  You can see me personally in this video from Virtuacon, the online gaming convention:

http://plus.google.com/u/0/events/cmohv996q343ljim5f3s26oiqss (see 22:15)

I was interviewed by DJ Grandpa for "the unofficial Kickstarter Podcast":

http://bedrockcommunications.blogspot.com/2013/10/dj-grandpas-crib-show-about-something.html (see 39:40)

And just today, original author Jamie Thomson appeared in interview in magazine SciFiNow:

http://www.scifinow.co.uk/news/51756/way-of-the-tiger-gamebooks-return-via-kickstarter

We're seeing new backers every day, but we're about to close the doors on the Kickstarter and get to work.  If you could spare $15 before the end of October, or just tell your friends about our project, we'd be greatly appreciative.  Remember, you'd be supporting print gamebooks with gorgeous illustrations like these:

http://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/assets/001/163/129/6ac174149a32fac415b5bbc9da43eb9e_large.jpg

http://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/assets/001/163/135/01dee80133e76d5bf6584909ad8f5eae_large.jpg

http://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/assets/001/163/140/8e1648f2c680e7548a4a7049c8c611c6_large.jpg

Please take a look, share your thoughts, share the project, and pledge if you can:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1615043334/the-way-of-the-tiger-gamebooks-new-collectors-edit

Thank you yet again!

With less than 48 hours left, we wanted to post one last time to share The Way of the Tiger.  We've passed enough stretch goals that our backers are getting a heap of freebies: background files on characters in the game, a commissioned map by fantasy artist Leo Hartas . . . basically, details of the world itself which longstanding fans would be eager to see, and a "deluxe" experience for newcomers.

Original author Mark Smith also talks about the past and future of the series in interview in magazine SFX:

http://www.sfx.co.uk/2013/10/29/way-of-the-tiger-interview

So The Way of the Tiger has a bright future, but this is the last chance to get involved yourself.  Please look if you haven't yet, and please pledge if you are able.  Thanks for joining us on the journey!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1615043334/the-way-of-the-tiger-gamebooks-new-collectors-edit

Whew, it's over!  Many, many thanks to those who backed or shared our project, because we just finished with 450% funding and seven met stretch goals!

If you missed the campaign but are still interested, you might keep an eye on our project updates or follow us on Facebook.  We now begin (continue, really) the long process of editing the books and filling them with art.  Your input would still be appreciated, and of course in the end all these books will go up for sale to the general public.

Thanks for your time this past month, and here's to the future!