Others seem to have already answered most of your questions, but your query about Whispered Hints / Cryptic Clues etc stood out to me.
In Fallen London, ‘Echoes’ are the official currency of the city. (Think of it similar to Dollars or the British Pound.) However, different groups of people within the city value different things. Some groups of people value Wines, some hoard secrets, some trade with Rostygold, some favour drops of Prisoners Honey, and there are some who crave Foxfire Candles like nobody’s business.
As you explore the game you’ll come across different groups - and to one type of people the pile of Moon Pearls you have in your pockets may be meaningless, but they’re politely clamouring for the nodules of Amber you’ve got in your coat.
You’ll eventually get some higher level objects in the same tier - Appaling Secrets is next, for example, after Whispered Secrets and Cryptic Clues. You’ll be able to upgrade up a type to more valuable items, by using a significant quantity of less valuable ones.
Yes, you can sell almost anything to the bazaar for ready cash (Echos) but I’d recommend holding on to your hard earned winnings so they’re available if a storylet uses them. The Advent calendar is contributing some very valuable items you wouldn’t otherwise need for a while, so you could see some of those to buy equipment.
Best advice I can give is go slow, explore the game world. There’s a lot going on, but it’s usually shown to you in bits and pieces (many of which may seem relatively meaningless at the time) and over time you’ll start to put together the bigger picture for yourself.
Also, there’s no imaginary finish line to rush towards - so enjoy it at your own pace. :-)
@Kittenpox: I have seen abstruse references to "winning" the game, though. I don’t see how that’s possible, except in the sense that playing is winning.
"To learn the age-old lesson day by day:
It is not in the bright arrival planned,
But in the dreams men dream along the way
They find the Golden Road to Samarkand."
[quote=malthaussen]@Kittenpox: I have seen abstruse references to "winning" the game, though. I don’t see how that’s possible, except in the sense that playing is winning.
– Mal[/quote]
In my opinion, victory in the game is a pile of tokens earned without suffering. In my case- the tears. Every time i gain a tear, or even an airiag, i have landed another victory. the same with my newspaper, and with helping out noobs, ofc.
[quote=maxington]this is an RPG, there is no wining it is all about the journey.
thanks everyone for the warm welcome.[/quote]
There is both. you lose when [very minor spoiler] stabs you through the chest and you go to the wounds menace area. you win when he doesn’t and you slice him to bits in the duel instead. even if he is a bloody cheater who’s up and moving the next day.
There’s also the journey, but just because you have one doesn’t exclude the other.
It doesn’t say the words "game over" per se but if you are familiar with the seeker fate content scorched by the sun, it is a game over condition complete with account deletion and everything.
My claim is I won the game by hitting an end condition, and everything since then can be considered new game plus basically. edited by NiteBrite on 12/10/2015
[quote=NiteBrite]My claim is I won the game by hitting an end condition, and everything since then can be considered new game plus basically.[/quote]I love this!
NiteBrite is the expert. Not specifically a "Game Over" message, but what do you expect when paying 50 Fate on an option which reads:
[quote]"THIS WILL DESTROY YOUR CHARACTER FOR EVER AT A COST OF FIFTY FATE AND FIVE CARNIVAL TICKETS. THERE IS NO TEXT WORTH READING BEHIND THE BRANCH RESULT. IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO PLAY THIS BRANCH TO CONTINUE THE STORY. DO NOT CONTACT SUPPORT TO COMPLAIN IF YOU ARE RASH ENOUGH TO CLICK THIS BUTTON."[/quote]
[quote=NiteBrite]It doesn’t say the words "game over" per se but if you are familiar with the seeker fate content scorched by the sun, it is a game over condition complete with account deletion and everything.
My claim is I won the game by hitting an end condition, and everything since then can be considered new game plus basically. edited by NiteBrite on 12/10/2015[/quote]
That sounds interesting, would it be possible to share some more information? Is it possible to still do this?(If you are a seeker, at least).
Did going above the Neath actually use the Storynexus game_end_effect and if so, does Fallen London have any persistent qualities that continue across characters? There isn’t any other game_end_effect in FL, is there?
I made a full write up of its effects, but as it is technically fate content I can’t share it publicly. If you’d like to know more send me a forums private message and I’ll share the details that way. (Yes it used game_end_effect) edited by NiteBrite on 12/11/2015