For sure! I’m at exactly 4000 Spirit as of yesterday and stopped there. As I said in an earlier post - grinding is grinding. Two weeks of new grind was a fine distraction.
[quote=Bluestocking]
I think I agree with PJ - this has been the least fun of the 3 holidays I’ve experienced. Put all our plans on hold and go grind for two weeks. After experiencing all the masques, (which are amazing, love them) there’s nothing else to do, but also you need to keep on doing it for the best rewards. Whitsun had you wait for your egg to hatch, so plenty of time to develop your own story. Fruits of the Zee could get frustrating at times, if you were trying to get that one specific item from the cove, but there were also the romances to arrange, and once you’d got your stuff you were done with grinding.[/quote]
There’s a balancing act here: On the one hand, you want the Festival to feel like a two-week event and not something that can be completed in a day or two. On the other hand, it’s frustrating to feel like you must be doing ALL festival ALL the TIME for two weeks. I’ve done a Festival or two where the content I want to experience is over fast, and then the rest of the Festival seems like a bore. But the different ways to stretch it out make for very different gameplay experiences.
My own experience of Hallowmas is that it falls into a good spot with that (I hit 2,600 Spirit with about 75% focus). But I have end-game resources and experience with the Festival, and 75% focus sounds fun–either or both of these might be different from other players. I’ve always viewed Hallowmas as the high-focus, frenetic festival (my first Hallowmas was when you could spend Notability for bonus Confessions), and I play it on those terms. I enjoy it, but I wouldn’t want all Festivals to be like that.
Hallowmas and Fruits of the Zee both take up their two-week period simply because of their action investment. Feast of the Rose to a lesser extent, although it’s limited by Cards moreso than Actions so it doesn’t feel quite as much like it monopolizes the game. I’ll also tend to spend some time during Fruits just to wander the festival, after I’m done with progress… Hallowmas doesn’t seem to actually have substantial Festival-related content except for Grind progress. Meanwhile during Fruits if you get chased around by the Mary Lloyd and fall off a pier, the only reason to do so is because that’s how you want to spend your Saturday evening. (Odd that you can’t do that during either Hallowmas or Christmas.)
Whitsun and Christmas both use timegates to make the festival last the duration of the holiday. I’m actually not a fan of Whitsun’s timegate because I feel pressured to augment and incubate my egg as fast as possible (literally seconds if possible) because delays are cumulative. And that means I can’t take my time to experience the augmentation content. Christmas isn’t stressful the same way, all of the timegates are merciful–fixed schedule, several day grace period. (Unless go for a Noman tattoo–but then it’s your own choice to stress yourself out!)
Because it’s a quality that you’ve decided is important. It doesn’t move the story–except possibly in your mind, for your unique character.
[quote=PSGarak]Hallowmas and Fruits of the Zee both take up their two-week period simply because of their action investment. Feast of the Rose to a lesser extent, although it’s limited by Cards moreso than Actions so it doesn’t feel quite as much like it monopolizes the game.[/quote]The thing is, both Hallowmas and Fruits of the Zee are just plain unrewarding as far as the action sinks go. If you don’t essentially want to put your long-term echo grinds on hold for the duration, you’ll basically want to spend as little time interacting with the festivals as possible. Just grab your unique items of choice, view the new content for the year if any, then get out of there. At least with FotR some of the card options are actually good.
[quote=Tsar Koschei][quote=Toran]Spirit of Hallowmass is entirely vanity. You don’t need to do it. It doesn’t (as of last year) give you a reward that matters. Nothing is unique. Nothing is valuable.[/quote]To be fair, players essentially have to figure this out for themselves against the backdrop of the whole festival having been mostly structured around spirit gain.
In light of that, and the exchange of up to 2500 spirit for items at the end, you could be forgiven for expecting to be meaningfully rewarded. It’s only when you actually see what you get and do the math that it becomes apparent the whole thing is a huge waste of time.[/quote]
The rewards are a LOT more meaningful for low-mid game players, though. What some here think is junk, is to me a valuable and scarce commodity.
I will get the 2000 spirit reward for my main and the 1500 for my alt. And due to my "misunderstanding" - or possibly just alternative play style :) - I’ve gained about 15 levels of shadowy, advanced in my tales of mahogany hall almost to Sunday, and gained a bit of SoTC, with the hazards along the way being cashable instead of threatening. I’m pretty happy with that outcome, even though it put my main plans on hold.
[quote=Bluestocking]The rewards are a LOT more meaningful for low-mid game players, though. What some here think is junk, is to me a valuable and scarce commodity.[/quote]Maybe if you’re just starting out, but unless my math is way off we’re talking about EPA probably below 2, and potentially even below 1, here. It’s really pretty dismal.
I’ve collapsed across the finish line just before closing time: 97 Judgments of Suspicion, 94 of Nightmares, 13 of Wounds. All for vanity and fun, sure, but we’re playing a game: it’s all for vanity and fun. (and yes, I did find this fun, and I’m excited to collect quite a lot of high-end Laboratory failure data in the coming weeks.)
Oh, the event’s actually ended for some people? I just woke up and started squeezing out a few final grinds frantically. If it closes for me at noon, I’m going to feel awfully silly about the 6 Wounds I’ve just accumulated.
It’s still running here and I’m in one of the advanced time zones. I think folks are just anticipating its end sometime today.
I’m at 2403 Spirit and I will be extremely put out if it doesn’t last at least another hour or two
[quote=elderfleur]I’ve collapsed across the finish line just before closing time: 97 Judgments of Suspicion, 94 of Nightmares, 13 of Wounds. All for vanity and fun, sure, but we’re playing a game: it’s all for vanity and fun. (and yes, I did find this fun, and I’m excited to collect quite a lot of high-end Laboratory failure data in the coming weeks.)
[/quote]Uhuuuuu, glad to see you made it to 7777! Big congratulations.
Now, before the lab update, my plan was to use Hepahesta to grind Cartographers and not only because of a good EPA. But because failing that action yielded 2 less research only and the most important part was that it didn’t increase Disgruntlement. All changed…
What is your plan on getting Watchful back? :D
[quote=PJ]I’m at 2403 Spirit and I will be extremely put out if it doesn’t last at least another hour or two[/quote]You can do it, mate! 2-3 hours left I think. If you have played enough SMEN go for the Hungry option because that’s the fastest. Few clicks there won’t damage your watchful that much.
edited by Skinnyman on 11/8/2021
I actually spent two Darkdrop coffees just because, even if it’s going to be open for a few more hours, I’m not going to be awake for them. But I’m ending at 2538 Spirit
[quote=PJ]I actually spent two Darkdrop coffees just because, even if it’s going to be open for a few more hours, I’m not going to be awake for them. But I’m ending at 2538 Spirit[/quote]Way to go, mate, way to go! :)
Never truly gone
The mask goes into its box; your costume folded neatly and put away. The cheaper items will fade, of course, with the passage of time and the things they’ve endured this Hallowmas. But even those have served well for their season.
Next year things may be different; you may be different. But for now, you may take a moment’s pleasure in the looking over of your Hallowmas garb, and reflection on all you’ve done this year. And then to bundle them all away, to wait until Hallowmas calls once again.
The Moth, Wingless
You now have 1 x The Moth, Wingless.
The Moth
Your ‘The Moth’ Quality has gone!
The Queen’s loyal knights
You do not recognise the Queen. She is no one of consequence – not a debutante nor an artist, hostess nor a campaigner. Her hands beneath the gloves, are lined – labourer’s hands. Her hair is brown and unkempt.
“I’ve been watching you,” she says, “You’ve not been afraid to look into places you shouldn’t.” She smiles, pleased to encounter a kindred spirit. “You’re bold. Unafraid of what others might think. I know a place you’d be welcome.”
She tells you of a secret society that meets occasionally. A place for those who play the game of red chess. Poets and magicians and all those who have made a crimson promise in dream. She calls it the Order of the Ones Who Will Not Be Caught Red-Handed, and furnishes you with their address.
A Member of the Order of Those Who Will Not Be Caught Red-Handed
You are a member of the Order in good standing. Equip this in your Affiliation Slot in your Possessions to gain access to the special features of this Affiliation.
Accepted a Hallowmas Award!
An occurrence! Your ‘Accepted a Hallowmas Award!’ Quality is now 1!
Hmmm… my Knight of Hallowmas is level 8: The Bear.
However, I don’t see it anywhere on my profile page.
Edit: Found it, it’s scrapbook item that you can equip.
edited by fishandchips on 11/8/2021
Here are the top known levels
- Azothi - 19336 -> Knight The Knight of Hallowmas: The Scarlet Physic (level 43)
- nil (Ysrthgrathe) - 17467 -> The Knight of Hallowmas: The Sum of All Secrets (42)
- Skinnyman - 12673 -> The Knight of Hallowmas: The Harder Heart (38)
- mp - 11622 -> The Knight of Hallowmas: The Glass Eye Collector (30)
- elderfleur - 7777?
[quote=Skinnyman]Here are the top known levels
- Azothi - 19336 -> Knight The Knight of Hallowmas: The Scarlet Physic (level 43)
- nil (Ysrthgrathe) - 17467 -> The Knight of Hallowmas: The Sum of All Secrets (42)
- Skinnyman - 12673 -> The Knight of Hallowmas: The Harder Heart (38)
- mp - 11622 -> The Knight of Hallowmas: The Glass Eye Collector (30)
- elderfleur - 7777?[/quote]
Mine was 3333, Level 8: The Bear.
edited by fishandchips on 11/8/2021
[quote=Skinnyman]5. elderfleur - 7777?[/quote] I only made Level 6 last year (The Cat), so I’ve tumbled up to a meagre 23, which is felicitously between known values to the wiki (until now!), and also a title I quite enjoy: The Knight of Hallowmas — A Knower of Things Best Left Unsaid.
Is the Knight of Hallowmas title cumulative year on year?
I assume it to be so, since the title doesn’t have a specific year number attached to it.