Like Sagrim-Ur, I do feel that Albert’s off-screen decision felt like a sudden unexplained change of direction after his earlier (ahem) undying loyalty, and could have benefitted from a bit more foreshadowing or explanation. (Adding something like “I’d have gone with them if I could, but the Widow… No, I mustn’t talk about that, not even to you.” to the epilogue would probably suffice.)
But I did also love the idea, and the characters - I really wish we could have seen more of the sisters as elderly mischief-makers around town (although I suppose that time being the flexible thing it is in the Neath, that’s not impossible).
Like many others, I would have liked more choice, and more feeling that I had real influence on events. BUT, to counter that,
(a) we’ve had a lot of amazing new content this year (even if, yes, much of it is for everyone - a FL where all the good stuff was reserved for EFs would be smaller, meaner, less fun, and IMO much less worthy of support) and
(b) it’s been an utterly horrendous year for everyone, what with one thing and another. That includes those at FBG, who have nonetheless produced the aforementioned amazing new content. Constructive criticism is one thing, but we players do also need to remember that the FBG staff are humans living through the same /[censored/] times as the rest of us, and that they’re probably finding it just as hard - and can’t even get quite the same liberation by spending time in the Neath! (After all, they work there, in a sense.)
I disliked all mentions of the grandson and "his" inheritance but I still enjoyed the story very much. My favorite exceptional stories are the ones that make me fall in love with the characters, like HOJOTOHO! and Por Una Cabeza. I loved the Prankish Octogenarian and the Jaded Sister so much that I kind of understand Albert’s sentiment at the end; it’s a bit sad that they aren’t really who they were anymore, probably, but I’m still happy with the idea that they’re out there somewhere having new adventures together. And I’m ecstatic about getting to see the Gracious Widow living up to her name. She was always my favorite out of the three underworld bosses. The way she said that she expected better of me but was still letting this one slide because I was "assisting my elders" made me smile.
Hello! I just started playing Fallen London again after a 3 year break and I purchased the November Exceptional Story but I can’t figure out how to access it? Is it a card in the opportunity deck? Do I have to go to a particular location? I feel like I’ve looked most places… but I must be missing something!
Welcome back! FYI, the storynexus.com links in your signature are outdated.
The start of the Exceptional story should be a gold-bordered storylet visible almost anywhere in London. If the fate was actually spent and you don’t see it even though you’re in London proper, then an email to support might be in order.
I really liked this story. I haven’t yet experienced most of the lore people mention though. To me, it was a story about the experience of ageing, rather than "what comes after death and how is that comparable to living". A story about something universal rather than specific to Fallen London lore. I think about it more in Real Life terms - do you accept the inevitability of ageing or do you rebel against it? How do you rebel against it? Because the story isn’t just about the Widow’s drink of immortality, but about how the Octogenerian and Jaded sister and Albert act in the face of their ageing and the weight of all the past experiences and changes that occurred throughout their lifetime. And well, even if some of you know, the characters themselves seemed unaware of the "lore points" and it’s not a point you can bring up in discussion with them. Maybe the writers should have come up with a response that takes that into account, if the player character has seen enough. But what you as a player know with regards to lore is irrelevant if the actual characters have no idea.
I didn’t like the common gamey gimmick of periodically going "hey, what do you think about the issue, is A or B right?" And then you get to influence the characters’ decisions to the point they lose most of their agency. Why would someone’s most important decision in life hinge on an opinion of some random dude you just met? Of course without it there would be almost zero interactivity but I don’t mind much if the story is good, and sometimes story gets worse if you shoehorn too much player influence.
And if some points were less convincing I also think it’s OK. I mean, people have sometimes worse takes or behave irrationally, we all have emotions, fears, complexes and insecurities that make as far from the purely rational minds we think ourselves to be. And I believe that this, rather than reason, is what makes characters human and interesting. edited by The Unzeen on 1/15/2021
Once again, two strangers were looking at me to make the most important decision of their lives for them. I really hate it when Exceptional Stories do this, and how often they do it. I might be in a minority with this view, but I enjoy just being along for the ride well enough, and making decisions only where they concern my character. I really don’t need this overpowered "decide everybody’s fate" moment every month. Is it too much to ask, if stories have to be built this way, to at least add an option for a blunt "Make up your own mind!" rebuttal? edited by phryne on 1/17/2021
I am entirely with you on this one. Even though I loved this story that was certainly its weakest moment. But, lets look at the larger picture here, it’s not just the Exceptional Stories - it is a very common design/writing trend in games as such. Therefore I wouldn’t blame the author as much for adhering to it. People are used to it, and perhaps many like it (though these two notions are often connected), but it creates a very unnatural and "gamey" situation solely for the sake of bestowing the player with "choose your own adventure" and "express yourself in this moral dilemma" powers. But, like I said in my post, it diminishes the agency (and thus believability) of the characters themselves.
Esp. since it doesn’t make sense for them to trust an (almost) complete stranger with this.
To work the choices into a story in a more natural way is a difficult thing. And, in fact, might go underappreciated in the end, because the ways in which we naturally affect our fate are usually more subtle than the games usually present . For example to me one of the most natural incorporation of choices was in "Spec Ops: The Line", partly because nothing prompts you "this is where you make a choice" you just kind of do and then realise there were options there, sometimes to your own horror. But people ignored or disliked it because "it doesn’t REALLY change anything". They WANT the power to affect the destiny of everyone around them and the world as such. But to me it was definitely one of my favourite choice systems, exactly because of how natural and subtle it was. edited by The Unzeen on 1/23/2021
My feelings about this ES is pretty much the same as about the last: interesting characters, but overall it was too linear with too little meaningful choices to make. Even though I am here for the stories, I got a bit tired while playing it. I’d rather read this as a short story, and not make any choices at all, than play it the way it was executed. Immortality is a very intriguing concept to ponder on, and the questions the story raised (inheritance and its implications, being a burden on society, elitism of immortality in FL) were interesting in nature, but they were presented in a very watered down way, which is a pity. Although, knowing what awaits after permadeath, little would convince me immortality is a bad choice in FL, and thus, the story’s end was decided from the beginning. I definitely would have made different choices had I not seen the Far Shore before.
Mostly I am sad; I really like the ESs that deal with the common sides of London’s life. They needn’t aways (or even for most of the time) be heavy on the (deep) lore; the everyday is just as fascinating. I mean, a chance to perform robberies with elderly people, partake in exchanging secret messages via flowers, playing a guinea-pig to entrepreneurial urchins and so forth-- this is exactly the side of FL I enjoy the most!
All in all: splendid writing, wonderful characters, but felt like reading a story. Which in essence is not bad, just not what I have come to expect from FL or ESs.
How blooming odd. I’m sure I made a comment on this thread, but there doesn’t seem to be one by me. Suddenly I’m not sure any more at all.
Didn’t like it. Too linear and not fun at all mechanically. It was just clicking from one storylet to the next for about five storylets, then telling the NPCs what to think. Rinse and repeat. I might have got into the theme a bit more, if the the way the story was presented hadn’t been such a dreary gaming experience. For me the best ESs are the ones that combine good writing and concepts with fun mechanics. Even fun mechanics with a mediocre story is usually enjoyable. But just the story with virtually no mechanics? Well, falls flat for me.