Ok I'm new here.....

[Richard Sharpe]

Title says it all; I am new here-to this world, to this game (Kingdoms), and to modification.

I was recommended the George R. R. Martin's epic fantasy series by several friends. Being that fantasy isn't exactly my genre-though I read Lord of the Rings and found them sort of enjoyable-I never got around to reading them. Then I decided with the viewing of the HBO series preview this summer to finally give these books a chance and what a treat! I freely admit the error of my ways. I am about 350 pages into Game of Thrones, and at the rate I am reading it I will have the entire series finished within a month.

Which brings me here; I was again recommended to this mod by a friend who has read the books and is a gamer. Looking through the screen-shots and reading some of the commentary it seems that I have stumbled upon another significant time killer. It was enough to finally persuade me to acquire Kingdoms. So Lady's and Gentlemen I look forward to playing your game, and hopefully when I finish the four books participating in some of the topics of interest.

Best Regards,
Richard

[Murfmurf]

Enjoy the forums Mr. Sharpe/Bean.

A couple of bits of advice:

- The current downloadable version is waaay out of date, so take that into consideration when noticing any bugs or recommendations.
- Most of the graphics etc are also getting an overhaul.
- Watch out for "Spoiler!" warnings; there are so many great twists and turns in the series it would be a real shame if they were inadvertently revealed to your before you get to them.

Enjoy

[Richard Sharpe]

Enjoy the forums Mr. Sharpe/Bean.

A couple of bits of advice:

- The current downloadable version is waaay out of date, so take that into consideration when noticing any bugs or recommendations.
- Most of the graphics etc are also getting an overhaul.
- Watch out for "Spoiler!" warnings; there are so many great twists and turns in the series it would be a real shame if they were inadvertently revealed to your before you get to them.

Enjoy

Thank you!

I do not plan to even glance at threads until I am finished with the books, I was nearly spoiled within the first five minutes of perusing through. I don't even think I will play the mod until after I have read the books. Since I received them all as a wonderful gift on Christmas, I shall hopefully be fully armed with all of the many twists and turns soon enough!

[Murfmurf]

No problem!

Interestingly enough I bought my brother all the books for Christmas too!

[Lordinquisitor]

While there aren`t many spoilers in the mod i`d say that you should read all the books first.. And then we can maybe present you a new and polished version.

[Sulfurion Blackfyre]

Once you get past over a certain point in the books it has no spoilers anymore (well.. kind of.. depending on the faction you play).

But after you get an overall view on the story (it sure can be confusing sometimes, all those houses, locations, not fully defined maps, etc) this mod can be a real gift on that matter, knowing which character is from where, where is each settlement, etc..

[Richard Sharpe]

Thanks, I ripped through another couple hundred pages today before I have to go back to work tomorrow. This plotting and game of thrones is pretty heavy, isn't it? There is a lot of depth here, I want to push on and finish but I take my time to try and see and guess future plot twists and turns.


So far, it has not been a rousing success!

[Lordinquisitor]

Oh i burned through the books. I got them during some holidays and my day looked like this:

1. Stand up.
2. Read.
3. Eat.
4. Read
5. Go to Bed.

And after i finished them i wished for some kind of "brain reset" button just to have the possibility to read them again without knowing everything.

Then i read them again.. And i noticed that there are a lot of subtle things that you don`t get the first time.

And then i read them another 6 times just for the enjoyment. The series ruined a lot of good books for me; Since even good books can`t usually match a song of ice and fire.

[Heart of Madness]

Ha ha! I've only read them once.

[Alone Elf]

The series ruined a lot of good books for me; Since even good books can`t usually match a song of ice and fire

This can not be exaggerated enough! +rep

[jazstl]

So, when you read them you'll be trapped here with us waiting for HBO series, A new book, AND sure The new release and previews...(We know they wont be out in a month, but I still check the forums twice a day...)

Ow, we poor fellows traped by our own curiosity

[Sulfurion Blackfyre]

Indeed Lordinquisitor, before I used to think stuff like Harry Potter or Inheritance Cycle were pretty cool to read. After reading all the ASOIAF books, everything else seems just futile and empty. The only series that are still respectable for me is LOTR.

Still, there are few stories and fantasy/sci fi settings that can match ASOIAF grim reality. It's like most other fantasies start sounding like they are for children, with all their optimism, and the hero-invulnerability.

But still.. I'm yet to find a fantasy/sci-fi setting that is as dystopian as the Warhammer world. Man that thing makes Narnia a story for babies.

[Murfmurf]

Indeed Lordinquisitor, before I used to think stuff like Harry Potter or Inheritance Cycle were pretty cool to read. After reading all the ASOIAF books, everything else seems just futile and empty. The only series that are still respectable for me is LOTR.

Still, there are few stories and fantasy/sci fi settings that can match ASOIAF grim reality. It's like most other fantasies start sounding like they are for children, with all their optimism, and the hero-invulnerability.

But still.. I'm yet to find a fantasy/sci-fi setting that is as dystopian as the Warhammer world. Man that thing makes Narnia a story for babies.

I dunno, I think everything can be enjoyed for values it has. Ie, Harry Potter is a very easy world to access that appeals to a wide audience, but the writing is sub-par and the storyline generally aimed at motifs accessible to families and children. That may make it unenjoyable to some, but extrememely entertaining for others.

With fantasy, there's so many worlds to choose from, and so many different styles, that once you find one that's really great, it's hard to compare others. I read LoTR first (as everyone does), and then went on to Feist, who I really enjoyed at the time (12-13 y/o). I went back recently and I found it full of deus-ex-machina, clichéd characters and worlds, and generally a bit dull. But I realised I still enjoyed it once I recognised it for what it was.

Generally, once you've read aSoIaF, you'll fall out of love with "typical" fantasy novels; those full of elves and goblins, maniacal wizards with names beginning with "M", golden-haired heroes and one-dimensional female charaters. However, there are many other fantasy series out there that, whilst different from Westeros, have brilliant worlds. Try The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. It's brilliant, and written exquisately in the first-person (which some people may not enjoy, but I find fascinating.)

I also find it's better to read a different genre after a fantasy series. For instance, I recently reread the series, and now I've just finished One-Hundred Years of Solitude and have just started The Snows of Kilimanjaro, after which I'll probably try another fantasy, and my mind will be refreshed to the genre, so that I won't compare everything to aSoIaF!

Just realised I've rambled. Giving up smoking makes my fingers busy.

[Sandy]

Indeed Lordinquisitor, before I used to think stuff like Harry Potter or Inheritance Cycle were pretty cool to read. After reading all the ASOIAF books, everything else seems just futile and empty. The only series that are still respectable for me is LOTR.

Still, there are few stories and fantasy/sci fi settings that can match ASOIAF grim reality. It's like most other fantasies start sounding like they are for children, with all their optimism, and the hero-invulnerability.

But still.. I'm yet to find a fantasy/sci-fi setting that is as dystopian as the Warhammer world. Man that thing makes Narnia a story for babies.

I think in terms of dystopianness (is that a word!?) R.scott bakkers prince of nothing series beats warhammer into the ground and then does unspeakably nasty things to it involving skittles.

[Edric Storm]

I won't be eagerly awaiting the HBO series, that's for sure!

Welcome aboard Sharpey.

[Sulfurion Blackfyre]

@Sandy, never heard of it o.o

@Murfmurf yeah I've read The Name of the Wind, and altough I enjoyed it very much and I'm waiting for the second book, it does not have the same rich world Westeros or Middle Earth has I think. Anyway it's not that I don't like HP or Eragon, I just don't find them as attractive as they were when I didn't know better. Of course when you put them in their own league and don't make comparisons, they are all good.

Anyway I have started my own fantasy book together with a friend (altough it's now just me pretty much), which I hope I can publish somewhere in the future, I've even made some maps, symbols and lots of lore and background.

[Sandy]

@Sandy, never heard of it o.o

@Murfmurf yeah I've read The Name of the Wind, and altough I enjoyed it very much and I'm waiting for the second book, it does not have the same rich world Westeros or Middle Earth has I think. Anyway it's not that I don't like HP or Eragon, I just don't find them as attractive as they were when I didn't know better. Of course when you put them in their own league and don't make comparisons, they are all good.

Anyway I have started my own fantasy book together with a friend (altough it's now just me pretty much), which I hope I can publish somewhere in the future, I've even made some maps, symbols and lots of lore and background.

Read the Darkness that comes before the first book in the series - if you like it you'll love it.
Good luck with your book. Ive often wondered about writing one myself but have never got round to it.

[Heart of Madness]

Alright, time for this thread to be gone, he learned his leasons. Happy reading!

[History_Buff]

I agree to watch out for spoilers. I made the mistake of reading too much on line and many of the twists were spoiled for me because I initially did not think I would read the series. When the next books come out, I intend to look at nothing online about them until I am finished reading said book

[Richard Sharpe]

I caved and installed it, and completed the first book in the same night. Such quality.