I have looked around the forums but I can’t find a specific subforum to discuss The Silver Tree. Have I not looked well or is there nowhere to do this yet?
I’m about to name my Restless Saker Falcon and explore the world further.
[color=#33ffff]Hi Corran,[/color]
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[color=#33ffff]I’ve move this thread to the forum for discussion of The Silver Tree (and other worlds from Failbetter).[/color]
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[color=#33ffff]We’re eager to hear your thoughts! Carry on! :)[/color]
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[color=#33ffff](Oo - and what have you named your falcon?)[/color]
I do not believe that a forum for it has been established as of yet. (Posted after above post - sorry!)
At any rate, I believe I have managed to get the hang of the game’s mechanics and vibe.
We begin with our protagonist who describes him or herself as hailing from Flanders and a member of a Franciscan Order (not specified). You awake in Karakorum bruised and in possession of a Silver Leaf, and you note that the city is under attack. He or she makes mention of a civil war among the Mongols, and finds a safe place to compose their thoughts. I don’t know if I have come upon the game proper or not, but I think the whole premise of The Silver Tree is making up the history of your character up until this point. So, here is what I have so far…
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Action Points
I was confused by this for a while, but I believe action points and their expenditures have to do with the type of card. Some cards have a small red dot in their upper right hand corner, and all such cards require action points to play I think. In the case of Opportunity cards I think drawing such a card deducts an action point. I am a little uncertain. Regardless, acting in Opportunity Cards costs no action points and they all have an action included that benefits you at no risk. Pinned Cards basically count as locations and require action points to progress in them. -
Raising Skills
Unlike in Fallen London, you do not raise your skill simply by using it. You must accumulate specific resources to take a story that raises the skill, in short, like making money to take a class. -
Inventory
There are no equipment slots like in Fallen London, what you have in your inventory is the extent of your possessions.
So all in all, a more simplified perhaps even fluid experience than Fallen London’s. I am a tad disappointed that the future of the city is out of our hands, but I suppose that was a given regardless. Also, know that when liking a story, that the popup that comes after has some “Tip” options. These are for giving Nex, and I lost one Nex already thinking I could use these tip options to tell the developers about a mistake in a story (two copied paragraphs you see). So don’t click Tip 5 unless you want to tip them 5 of your Nex!
I would also like to formally complain that there are too many buttons on the screen at any one time that allow you to spend money. I liked it better in Fallen London when such activities as refreshing actions and whatnot had their own page
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edited by Owen Wulf on 10/26/2012
[color=33FFFF]I don’t want to give anything away, but the fates of Karakorum, and the people who live there, are very much in the player’s hands. All will be revealed. :)[/color]
edited by Chris Gardiner on 10/26/2012
[color=33FFFF]I don’t want to give anything away, but the fates of Karakorum, and the people who live there, are very much in the player’s hands. All will be revealed. :)[/color]
edited by Chris Gardiner on 10/26/2012[/quote]
Thank you. I also added a small complaint at the bottom of the post I was hoping to attain input on.
I haven’t much to say so far except that I’m enjoying The Silver Tree tremendously, and am presently in the practice of saving up to build my skills and take things very cautiously. Also, my Falcon is called Sparrow, because if you can’t laugh with a Falcon, what can you do? …with a Falcon?
Already quite fond of it. Between this, Cabinet Noir, and Machine Cares there are plenty of ideas for a StoryNexus game.
I’ve been enjoying it thus far. I am taking things more or less carefully on this: As a backer, I’ve got a number of neat items and qualities, so restarting is just a tad more painful than in Cabinet Noir. I know I can re-obtain those 5 times, but all in all I’d rather not. So I am going through with the understanding that whatever happens is likely what I’ll have to live with.
I am very pleased with The Silver Tree so far. I love the art style too! I did see a few Opportunity cards where the text is repeated twice, but I was so blown away I forgot to take note of which ones they were. I’ll make note of them next time I see them.
That suits you well, Sir Frederick. I named my own falcon Boreas, because he moves like the wind. ;-)
If one did wish to restart their character, how would you go about doing so?
I created my character today and do have one thing that I don’t like in regards to the layout.
I don’t like that I can’t easily repeat an action like I can in Fallen London. In order to repeat an action I have to go back into the main screen and do it again. When trying to grind to get enough of something to increase a trait that is a bother.
To answer a few questions: First, if it’s like Cabinet Noir you’ll eventually hit an “ending” of the game, at which point you can start over.
Secondly, you really shouldn’t be using the pinned cards to grind for things. Use the decks instead. You spend 1 action to get 3 cards, each of which can give you something. Also on that note, it is cheaper to raise your qualities using cards (60 goods instead of 90…). Also, in advancing the main storyline, I advanced one using a card, and got a heap of other qualities and such… really, in general it seems that once you use the pinned cards to start the main storylets, that you should then advance them using cards where possible.
I’m enjoying the story as well! The change in mechanics and in tone are really interesting.
Does anyone know if it is possible to discard a card from your hand? I keep getting one card, “Inappropriate Behaviour”, that can only diminish a quality that I’m trying to raise.
Hmm, I had been expecting a model more akin to the original Fallen London, persistent and always ongoing. Do we really have to restart everything at the end of Cabinet Noir? (never played it).
I am just wondering because I am quite fond of my Francisacn Monk.
[quote=Owen Wulf]Hmm, I had been expecting a model more akin to the original Fallen London, persistent and always ongoing. Do we really have to restart everything at the end of Cabinet Noir? (never played it).
I am just wondering because I am quite fond of my Francisacn Monk.[/quote]
I have no idea, but if it follows the same basic structure as Cabinet Noir, then almost certainly. I think the reason we haven’t seen anything similar in FL is because it’s not complete yet, unlike CN and The Silver Tree.
I named my falcon Boreas, by the way.
Hi - you can’t discard cards in Th Silver Tree (or othe StoryNexus games, currently). This is a deliberate difference in design. It allows the very thing you’re seeing - a sort of mini-menace card that keeps returning when you’ve got a certain quality, taking up a card slot until you play it.
Exploring the Place of Whispers has its consequences… :)
Is the Silver Tree game open to the general public or only to Kickstarter backers? Sorry if this is clear to everyone else but I haven’t been following this project closely.
[color=#009900]It is. Backers got a heads-up email ahead of the press release next week, but the news is leaking out to community members and frequent site visitors. Which is fine - we’re very cool with you folk getting a slightly advance experience. :-)[/color]
So, I have a few questions.
First, what is the difference between the two decks? I mean, of course they have different cards, but as far as the purpose the cards serve, they seem equivalent. On both of them there are options that test qualities and raise my trust with people, one option to get some goods, and occasionally one has an option to progress a story quality or increase a stat. This seems different from Cabinet Noir, where there was a clear distinction: The night deck had higher payouts and was the only deck to allow you to raise stats, but failure gave suspicion. I’m wondering if I’m just missing something.
Secondly, I’m wondering how I can raise the Strangeness quality. I’m imagining it’s an option somewhere that I just haven’t seen yet due to insufficient amounts off a given quality?