The description on the shop *reads* like I'll consume the same amount of fuel (i.e. have the same fuel efficiency, especially since that stat *does not change* between most two engines) per distance traveled.

Except it really doesn't... that's an unjustified inference. It only says that both of these things will increase, and they do. It also says this is "essential for large slow ships". If you want to infer something beyond what the description says, why not that larger engines aren't essential for small fast ships? Because they really aren't. The effect on the starter boat is much less than on heavier craft.

I'll agree, tentatively, that this could be better explained in game, through the tutorial or the advice for captains book. But at the same time, power is really the most meaningful stat that can be shown. But the game doesn't lie about this, any more than it is lying about the other things it doesn't explain (lamps consuming fuel, etc.) which, while useful to know, can be discovered independent of a tutorial, assuming you aren't unjustly biased against seeing them in the first place, and are paying attention.

edited by Olorin on 2/14/2015

I just expected a game with this intriguing of a backstory and writing to provide more feedback and information than it does. I'm here for the writing, and I feel like the writing is dropping the ball. Eight+ identical unchanging events is defined as 'progress' somehow, and that just doesn't feel right.

Master Polarimini wrote:

*gasp* note what is requested where on a paper

I know this setting is steampunk and everything but that just seems like taking the archaism too far. Plus then I'd have to find it again and who could possibly do that on my desk?

Problem is, almost all of those story lines are something I don't know how to advance. I need some sort've "Strange Catch" (two of them, in fact, and no idea how to get it), a "Serpent Trap" (no idea how to get it), two live specimens (incredibly expensive, but I can afford it, it'll be the only thing I can do now at this point so I'll do that next, goodbye 1000 echoes), expensive coffee beans and a lot more Iron (only a 32% chance to succeed, and considering the costs, I'm wary of trying at that percentage chance), and I need to visit somewhere virtually out of my range (and entirely undiscovered).

So yeah, three entirely unachievable things, two very expensive things, and a thing out of my current range, all for my officers. (One officer has no goal or story, it seems.)
edited by Moleculor on 2/13/2015

You need the mirrorcatch box to build the serpent trap. If you're seeing the request for the mirrorcatch box, clay men, etc., you're seeing what he needs. If you can't remember which shop sells mirrorcatch boxes, check the wiki.

It's generally a bad idea to do things that anger the gods in the game, unless you like being cursed.

Try playing chess in the port where that's an option. That leads to a quest that is one way to get Apocyan. Be patient; you have to repeat the chess action multiple times before you get the quest hook.

Yeah, that's a tough combination of requests. I admit to sometimes just buying the silk in London even though that's a loss in Echoes, because most ways of getting either silk or Romantic Literature are a pain in the ass.

Keep running Sphinxstone (it's profitable even before you reach the end of the story), and something different will happen. Keep visiting the sisters and something different will happen there, too.

Although they're definitely not useless before that -- they're a cheap way to get the gods' attention, which is useful in a number of places.

It's not literally any item. It's any item that's one of the colors listed. You'll know from the item description.

Generally, figureheads are found on ships... That's not a very useful hint but eh. Keep your eyes open. There're some easier ways to get this colour, though.

If the Cosmogone and Apocyan hints are too cryptic to solve, then you probably haven't found the locations they reference yet. Because they are obvious. Painfully so.

The others, eh... yeah. Peligin might give you an idea, if you've found that location and were paying attention to the description.

That's... not really an exploit, but okay.

The nets in London are for defending against torpedoes, not using them, so your lack of forward slots doesn't impede their function.

That's not what I'm talking about though. Why bother with a rod or with nets when you have cannons?

Mt. Palmerston has cheap fuel, and a quest there that I don't believe requires anything special to start. With your map, I would go to Hunter's Keep, optionaly swing through Venderbight, then Demeaux, then Godfall, then Palmerston.

That said, what do you think would be helpful in providing new players with more information about what to do (without making the game too easy to be challenging)? And do you think there's a way to make information that's already explicitly in the game (like what the Tireless Mechanic needs to build the serpent-trap) clearer?

Whoever put the book pages together knew one of the pages (Pelgin) was less scrutable than the others, and included a note. Seen anything that resembles the description? Try poking around there.

If something has a quality, it's progressing, even if you can't see it.

You'll have more freedom to explore if you get a cash buffer. If only someone needed very expensive things they have a lot of to be moved a short way. Just because its not enthralling doesn't mean it can't help you get there.

Vanderbligt (or however it's spelled) has another quest you can do. It will take some supplies, but give you a profitable way to learn about the east.

After all that, how about a nice game of chess. Or a lot of nice games of chess.

Moleculor. What does the shop description for the Iron & Misery Company (the one that sells most of the engines) in London say?

I didn't have to intuit this. I read a tool tip on one of the loading screens (where I get a lot of "AHA!" moments when playing new video games) saying that bigger engines have shoddier efficiency.