Thoughts on Choose your own Adventure stories?

[Turnilk]

So, while working out some kinks in my own work and deciding how the story(ies) should go, I briefly thought about making it/them into a choose your own adventure sort of story. I figured it would take even more work than the usual way to write a story and dropped the idea.

Now I am curious as to what others think about such stories. I personally have a very limited experience with them, and most of the ones I have run into are video game based or online (neopets had a set up that let people make their own, I went through a couple when I still visited that site).

[Sir Icehawk]

There is an audience for them. I just don't prefer them and have only read a few way back when I was little.

[E U R Y D l C E]

I really liked the goosebump ones when I Was younger.

[Turnilk]

I3 a r o q u e

I really liked the goosebump ones when I Was younger.

I had a goosebump choose your own adventure book once. I don't like scarey stories though so it went unread :/ I wonder if I still have it.

[E U R Y D l C E]

Turnilk

I3 a r o q u e

I really liked the goosebump ones when I Was younger.

I had a goosebump choose your own adventure book once. I don't like scarey stories though so it went unread :/ I wonder if I still have it.

I was a big fan of the Goosebumps books, so I read all the ones that I was able to get my hands on.

[Sianserais]

I liked those when I was around 7 or so. I've never seen any meant for an older audience.
Trying to do that with a full-length novel would be ambitious to say the least!

[Turnilk]

Sianserais

I liked those when I was around 7 or so. I've never seen any meant for an older audience.
Trying to do that with a full-length novel would be ambitious to say the least!

I remember reading about a video game with a choose your own adventure sort of thing going on. The description said that if it was all written out, it would be longer than the Lord of the Rings books. Something on that scale would not only be ambitious, but a lot of work.

[Marshmlow1]

choose your own adventure stories are a pain in the a**. I think I read the goosebumps ones before. I don't like the idea of to many variables...personally. Okay, go the wrong way, and the girl dies, or comes out unscathed...And you have a chance at making all these creepy things be actual harmless things, or something murderous. I thought it was kind of dumb.

[Turnilk]

Marshmlow1

choose your own adventure stories are a pain in the a**. I think I read the goosebumps ones before. I don't like the idea of to many variables...personally. Okay, go the wrong way, and the girl dies, or comes out unscathed...And you have a chance at making all these creepy things be actual harmless things, or something murderous. I thought it was kind of dumb.

I can see your point, but not all of them have to be that way. Though, now that you mention it, most of the ones I remember reading have been that way.

[BuiltWilt]

I actually still rather like them. But it's been so rarely seen and used that not a lot of people are interested in the genres they're presented in. If you're able to make it appeal to a big audience, it'll be great--because good writing is always good writing no matter how it's structured.

[Klaark]

I read two. They were fun.

I liked the Where's Waldo books way better, though.

[Turnilk]

BuiltWilt

I actually still rather like them. But it's been so rarely seen and used that not a lot of people are interested in the genres they're presented in. If you're able to make it appeal to a big audience, it'll be great--because good writing is always good writing no matter how it's structured.

Video games that have some choose your own adventure elements to them can draw people in. It can increase replayability somewhat. Since games are a rather popular medium, so that would be one way to go for a big audience. Not sure if it has been done, but it could also be done with movies too, having the person watching picking what scene comes next. Too many branches to the story line could drive the writer(s) insane though. The audience also might not like too many options as it would take that much more time to see everything.

What do you usually get the choose your own adventure stories from? Books, movies, games, something else I haven't thought of?

[Turnilk]

Klaark

I read two. They were fun.

I liked the Where's Waldo books way better, though.

I remember seeing and flipping through Where's Waldo books when I was younger, but I always wondered a about the Where's Waldo books. Who is looking for Waldo and why? Is there even a story? I know as the reader/person-with-a-magnifying-glass I was the one looking for him, but was there any non fourth wall breaking reasons? Why did this guy always wander into ginormous crowds with stalker-like people who dressed like him? (the little bastards)

Well, this was off topic xd

[Sweatpants Princess]

I think it's a fascinating format with a lot of potential!
It's a shame that the only successful ones have been time killers for young kids, but they paved the way for much more ambitious projects, should someone wish to pursue them.
Videogames and text games are a really great tool for storytelling in this aspect, though, much more expansive and less risky than publishing.

[Tsuki Z]

I enjoyed Goosebumps when I was younger. Choose your adventure games are really fun if they're done right.