Out of curiosity, do any of the ending decisions add to "A Bringer of Death" quality? I already made my choice, but would be interested to know.
This story seemed exceptional, insofar as it was exceptionally short. Although I enjoyed it, I expected far more content (I personally don’t concern myself with material rewards, so that’s not a complaint I have).
Neither I nor my friend got CP/levels for that Kamin, and between us we chose the two options that would.
I quite enjoyed this one. In fact, I think it might be my favorite exceptional story so far.
Why? While it was a little short, it felt like not a single word was wasted, and your choice of actions was constantly interesting. Plus it was a lot more "actiony" than the others, which I also appreciated for a change.
Not to mention the fourth choice for the ending.
[quote=Kamin the Son]Out of curiosity, do any of the ending decisions add to "A Bringer of Death" quality? I already made my choice, but would be interested to know.
This story seemed exceptional, insofar as it was exceptionally short. Although I enjoyed it, I expected far more content (I personally don’t concern myself with material rewards, so that’s not a complaint I have).[/quote]
To Kamin the Son
I can at least tell you that giving her first place does not.
Also, with all this lore about cousins from the Flint and now The Heart’s Blood, I wonder if it’s ever going to come up that I’m married to a woman of. . .certain needs. I’m sure she might have an opinion on all of this; maybe have even wanted to meet the Bishop.
edited by Shadowcthuhlu on 12/31/2015
edited by Shadowcthuhlu on 12/31/2015
Edit: Trying to fix spoiler brackets and clarified my message
edited by Shadowcthuhlu on 12/31/2015[li]
[/li]
edited by Shadowcthuhlu on 12/31/2015
Edit 2: I must throw myself upon the mercy of the mods in this case. I have been trying for over half an hour, but I cannot get the spoiler code to properly format. I checked the forum guidelines and copied the code from there (and made sure to remove the first space as instructed). I am not sure what mistake I’ve made.
edited by Shadowcthuhlu on 12/31/2015
Echoes start here.
I really enjoyed the writing–dark as it was, it had just the right leavening of humor, and the central character was really fascinating. But I had a few quibbles about mechanics, which follow under the spoiler cut, along with musings about the final choice.
[spoiler]During the investigation, I found clues in Spite, Watchmaker’s Hill, and my lodgings, but I had to repeat one of them to get "a breakthrough" and advance, which was not obvious and suboptimal.
I liked the "Red Temptations" – losing control of yourself as you go – but only naming them at the end was a little weird.
I was really stumped on what to do–I was very tempted to award her first place because the macabre humor of it appealed. But I’d chosen to descend to stop the murders (my Ambition is Nemesis, so it seemed fitting), and I’d come to pity her, so I chose to let her go because I thought she was finished killing. Also if the Thief-of-Faces does come . . . [/spoiler]
There are four possible endings.
Text for #1 (inspired).
Text for #2 (ceremony-less).
Text and rewards for #3 (go).
Text for #4 (award).
edited by an_ocelot on 1/3/2016
Are there any changes to the game depending on what your intentions are before entering the contest?
Not that I noticed being signaled to the player. I think it’s to adjust your state of mind rather than the game’s mechanics.
I thought this story was very elegant, in the sense that it was concisely told and sparely plotted. Still, I also felt that it was a bit short for an Exceptional Story.
[quote=JimmyTMalice]Well, what we saw of the story was certainly interesting, but it seemed a little… underdeveloped.
[spoiler]I would have liked to explore more of this murder society instead of simply seeing a few set-pieces and then everything dissolving into chaos. The ending felt awfully abrupt - I was expecting the chase with the Snuffer to be the beginning of a wider story instead of simply being the end.
The ‘Topic of Conversation’ quality that kept popping up made me think that there would be a more in-depth conversation like the ones with the Bishop in Flint, and it was very disappointing to not really get to talk to the Snuffer much.[/spoiler]
It certainly has its merits, but it has to be the weakest Exceptional Story I’ve played (the others being Flint and Discernment).[/quote]
Flint (the two parts together), is probably the best of the Exceptional Stories, ever, so it may be unfair to compare "Art of Murder" to it. On the other hand, I thought Discernment was weak. It’s hard to compare Exceptional Stories because people’s tastes vary widely.
I really liked this! But then again, I liked Neighborhood Necromancer.
It is very concise, save for the odd bit in the investigation phase where you had to repeat once. On the other hand, it does give me the odd feeling that it is supposed to come before Flint.
I didn’t love this one, to be honest. I’m not sure if it’s because it was so short or because Flint was so great, but something about it just fell flat for me.
I liked this bloody little amuse bouche quite a bit, actually – especially the twist in how the topics of conversation were overlaid onto the physical space of the chase through the tunnels; that really gave the feel of being trapped in a looping action scene, the opponent yelling various plot points at you.
However, I want to make one recommendation for anyone who hasn’t played it yet:
This exceptional story should be played while listening to fast, dissonant cello music. Maybe a Shostakovich cello concerto. Or this solo: Zoltán Kodály, Sonata in B minor for solo cello, Op.8, mvt. III, performed by Sebastian Bäverstam - YouTube
As an Exceptional Story I don’t have any qualms about the length. However…
I’m at the end and I’m rather annoyed at my options. Compared to most Londoners, my character is a bit fusty, and despite the gifts of Stone is rather appalled by the whimsical treatment of death in the Neath, and both fights it and avoids it studiously. I’ve actually lost access to a number of stories because in the “resets” I reset things back a bit far, and the new arrangements are making my character go and kill for Mr. Inch in order to progress back into things like the Labyrinth, something he just won’t do.
So my gameplay is stuck with four options. Two are outright unacceptable – Trodgmey came underground to stop this nonsense, not to perpetuate it. One solves the problem of a particularly warped Cousin, but requires death. One follows Trodgmey’s morals, but lets the Cousin go.
What Trodgmey really wants to do is apprehend this twisted freak and hand her over to his dear associate Sophia and her partner Soap. (AHEM FAILBETTER FOLKS MORE SOPHIA CONTENT PLEASE KTHXBYE) I suppose I’ll have him let her go, but I’m not happy about it.
[quote=an_ocelot]Echoes start here.
I really enjoyed the writing–dark as it was, it had just the right leavening of humor, and the central character was really fascinating. But I had a few quibbles about mechanics, which follow under the spoiler cut, along with musings about the final choice.
[spoiler]During the investigation, I found clues in Spite, Watchmaker’s Hill, and my lodgings, but I had to repeat one of them to get &quota breakthrough&quot and advance, which was not obvious and suboptimal.
I liked the &quotRed Temptations&quot – losing control of yourself as you go – but only naming them at the end was a little weird.
I was really stumped on what to do–I was very tempted to award her first place because the macabre humor of it appealed. But I’d chosen to descend to stop the murders (my Ambition is Nemesis, so it seemed fitting), and I’d come to pity her, so I chose to let her go because I thought she was finished killing. Also if the Thief-of-Faces does come . . . [/spoiler]
There are four possible endings.
I’m inferring that this is the text for #1.
If I’m correct about the above, then I haven’t seen anyone echo #2 yet.
Here is the text and rewards for #3.
And this looks like the text for #4.
edited by an_ocelot on 12/31/2015[/quote]
Number 2 was chosen by Stroller.
edited by RandomWalker on 12/31/2015
I was a bit too hasty in choosing the ending I liked, and now have no idea which, if any, were unlocked by my Essences from the Prison of Flint. Could somebody tell me?
The Essences are going to be used after next months story, with the vial of murderers blood from this one, and whatever you get from the next one.
I was half expecting an option to lecture the S____r at the end of the chase. I suppose issuing an award will do.
edited by Passionario on 12/31/2015
Thank you! I thought we could use them to unlock an extra bit at the point where we get those rewards, but on rereading it became obvious that you are right.
I think I got these mixed up–that’s the inspired version, and not the without ceremony version? (My fault for not being more specific about what I meant, and relying on my notes about the order of the options, which hardly anyone would have in front of them.)
edited by an_ocelot on 12/31/2015
After what I did during the Soul Trade & Cheesemonger storylet, I’ve got more than a vial of murder’s blood.
I’ve got about 5 quarts of the stuff.