The Candlefinder Society stories sound like a fantastic idea. I’m really looking forward to playing them, particularly since I enjoyed Stripes of Wrath.
EDIT: One other change that I suggest would be to unlock all location requirements for accepting social actions. i.e., if I send out a bunch of tea invitations, I don’t want to feel like I have to stay in London in order for the recipients to accept them, lest they get the dreaded “One of you is in the wrong location for that” whilst I’m off gallivanting around the Unterzee, Parabola, etc.
I feel that the current setup limits the ability to use some social actions without potentially annoying other players, particularly some of the older pre-Beatrice’s actions such as sending surprise gifts which are locked to London only.
If it’s not a spoiler, could someone mention the identities of the 5 detectives (other than the urchin mentioned above)?
Or at least say if the Honey Addled Detective is one of them? Since I’m a big Holmes fan, getting to do Cases with him in my early days is still one of my favourite memories of FL, and I’d be thrilled to do so again!
Even better if they’d write in a storyline to wean him of his addiction (perhaps using Dr. Schlomo - a la the 7% Solution), and put him back in his top form.
I know delays are inevitable with game development, but it seems Firmament chapters are getting pushed back with a frustrating regularity.
For example, there was supposed to be one between Estival and Fruits.
Which was already a delay.
We got crabs instead.
Again, I understand. S—t happens, deadlines can’t be met for unpredictable reasons. Unfortunately, that does not lessen the disappointment or sense of being jerked around.
It may be better to take the, “when it’s done”, route rather than publishing release dates that are not certain.
Regarding Firmament: I’ve only played the prologue up to the point where you get your airship, but haven’t actually used the thing yet. I’ve decided I’ll play through this once it’s all out there, fully completed.
I think one reason why Evolution didn’t impress me that much was the drawn-out nature of its release. There were other reasons, but that certainly played a part.
They haven’t slipped? Back in May they said they were hoping for roughly one chapter between Festivals. A goal, not a promise, and an approximate one at that.
By and large, they usually do caveat release schedules for exactly the reason you’re saying. Estival was also estimated, not promised, for July.
There wasn’t time for people to finish a full new chapter between when Estival officially closed and when FotZ started (a one day gap). There literally was not space, ans we get it a week after FotZ. It’s really not a delay tbh, although the other one certainly is.
I think this storyline is a MUCH more self contained one (each chapter is about the length of an ES with a new exciting activity added to the game, which is so fun!) if that makes any difference!
Wasn’t that May announcement around the time a chapter (2?) was slated for release? I remember being annoyed by it because I saw it while trying to figure out why I wasn’t seeing the new chapter yet. Like how I was expecting Firmament #3… when this roadmap was released.
Maybe that’s what’s bugging me. I have an expectation based on the last announcement, but when it comes due there is silence followed by, “here’s the new schedule!”. That’s not fun. Better would be an announcement beforehand that the release has been delayed, followed up later with the new roadmap.
I don’t think that has mattered in the past. I could be wrong (stranger things have happened), but I seem to recall being torn between a festival and a new chapter of the Railroad.
An approach that may have been rethought since.
And then there are the fixed-schedule ES’s that come out no matter what else is going on. Although they are a special case, and I suspect quite a lot of planning and stress is involved.
Besides, let’s not pretend that players at the Firmament level are going to spend much time on Mutton this year. I just left, probably won’t be back till the next part of the festival.
Anyhow, let me reiterate that I do get it. I came to accept delayed releases more decades ago than I care to count. I think I’m just annoyed by how and when I’m finding out about the Firmament delays, just like turning up at the store only to find out Daggerfall has been pushed back another season.
But I am empathetic and forgiving.
Edit: Maybe I’ve been spoiled by how fast the railroad stations opened. It was an expectation-setting series of events.
This is exactly what I did with Evolution. I figured I’d have mostly forgotten what would have happened between chapters even if I did try to echo them on my profile, so I waited for the whole thing to come out and then marathoned it. Going to do the same with Firmament.
Thank you very much! I was hoping that the honey-addled detective was in there. So much to enjoy!
Another old-timer TES fan here. To this day, I sometimes dip back into Arena and Daggerfall out of nostalgia. And to hear the music again!
I agree that scheduling announcements could have been handled better, but I’m glad the next part of Firmament won’t overlap FotZ, as I treat it as my character’s annual summer holiday, and I always hate to have those spoilt by work!
I imagine balancing them for the right breakpoints while considering other changes is annoying. Like: “The tomb-colonist’s dogs”. I thought I was focusing a lot on renown (admittedly across all factions) and not on dangerous as I was Making My Name and still found getting to 15 renown before going over 118 modified dangerous nonsensical, especially considering the pre-110 bookseller. I bet that card was around before the renown revamp that predates me.
And anyhow: we’re postponing the release of Firmament Chapter 3 by one week, until Tuesday the 1st of October. We know a lot of you have been looking forward to this one; we are too, but we need a little longer with it. Thanks for your understanding!
They say that things can be produced good and fast, or good and cheap, or fast and cheap, but never all three. Firmament is free. I know which of the remainder I’d rather have!
I’d rather pay tbh but I get why that isn’t the route they’ve gone!
I’m always happy to pay for more content for the game, and in fact might do so this week since I have an unexpected free week now! Any suggestions on a new activity story? The only one I have is the whiskered ways.
To this day, I sometimes dip back into Arena and Daggerfall out of nostalgia. And to hear the music again!