Diptych
Administrator
Posts: 3493
5/20/2016
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Ahoy, all! Here's this week's thread for questions and the answers to questions!
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Sir Frederick, the Libertarian Esotericist. Lord Hubris, the Bloody Baron.
Juniper Brown, the Ill-Fated Orphan. Esther Ellis-Hall, the Fashionable Fabian.
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Grenem
Posts: 2067
5/21/2016
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Chris wrote:
Professor Strix wrote:
Grinding is, sadly, a frequent part of Fallen London. However, at the first levels, grinding is not too time consuming. Each of the four places have a souce of the primary materials (whispered hints, moon pearls, wines, rostygold, etc.), and you should have more than enough for the first tasks without much grinding. Have a look in all storylets you have at hand. The first time I had to stop gameplay for some days for grinding was lately, when I was conducting expeditions.
I guess the combination of grinding with the slow action refill just ... chafes. And not in a fun way. I feel the game is explicitly drip feeding me for commerce purposes, which leaves a bad taste in my mouth about something that is otherwise very appealing.
If by for comerce purposes you mean to make money in real life, it isn't. the devs genuinely feel that the action refill is effective for modulating play so that it feels like you're actually needing to work your way through a story and making money in-game feel actually viable. As a new player, i would advise you explore interesting stuff that doesn't have a resource lock, and if it does, make a plan- (click the tassel, it'll put that action under plans. this will make it possible to look at what stuff you wanted to do but needed resources for, and see how far you are from enough) - and move on. In particular, your ambition is supposed to be slow and spread out over the entirety of your career, and requires, at some point in the future, disproportionate resources accordingly.
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Married!:http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/takuza
I will accept all social actions that do not consume free evenings- and i will provide patronage to anyone who requests it, though it will be split between all requesters.
On psudeo-hiatus. Will be inactive and active and fluctuate without warning.
Grinding Favors without cards: http://community.failbettergames.com/topic22266-storylet-favors-grinding.aspx
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phryne
Posts: 1351
5/23/2016
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Passionario wrote:
How many Princes used to be in Hell before the Season of Revolutions?
666
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Accounts: Bag a Legend • Light Fingers • Heart's Desire • Nemesis • no ambition
Exceptional Stories, sorted by Season and by writer ― Favours & Renown Guide
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Passionario
Posts: 777
5/23/2016
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I feared as much. It's going to be a long grind.
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Passionario: Profile, Story, Ending
Passion: Profile, Appearance
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MrBurnside
Posts: 188
5/24/2016
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Skinnyman wrote:
Back with the same question: Is the Wiki information regarding the Scheme: an Orphanage reliable?
I did the math and, with the average values there and an average of 1.7 EPA (money grind one needs ~500E to start) the Midnighter option offers ~3.5189 MW/AP; so I'm interested in the costs for pursuing the scheme, using it and the MW values.
As I don't have enough E to pump the scheme every time I find it necessary to add the EPA when grinding MW.
With the same values, Discussing philosophy, offers ~0.685 MW/AP (and the honey I need for the Yacht) and ToT carousel offers an average of 0.9469 MW/AP.
The formula I used sounds like this:
MW / AP = MW / (AP*(1+extraAp))
The extraAp representing the amount I need to spend to "recover" the E I would get if I grind for money; ~0.705 for ToT and ~0.458 for honey in the Court.
The short answer is: no. The data for orphanages is terrible. I kept data for more then a month of serious grinding and the Orphanage results were all over the place. I don't have all the data anymore but here's what I do have.
After using the Offer some Orphans option about 51 times I got increases as low as 4 (once) and as high as 9 (I think). I tracked it obsessively and it's definitely variable. Average was 6.28.
Invite a Correspondent seems to give 200MWs even and to cost 15 scheme. This puts it in line with the Crooked Cross Salon option. I didn't test Midnighter, but I bet it's the same.
Your estimated MW/act is higher then I'd calculated, but it won't matter for long anyway. I'm sorry I can't be more help, but the ability to track Scheme across levels is essentially nil. You can just keep it on paper and put question marks next to all the times it adds up oddly.
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aegisaglow
Posts: 202
5/21/2016
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suinicide wrote:
I'm going to guess the dawn machine. Like I do for every exceptional story.
That's what I'm hoping for, and it makes sense, too. "Five minutes to midnight" was a cold war phrase for how close the world was to the brink of nuclear annihilation, so it stands to reason that "five minutes to midday" would be equally apocalyptic, and if anything could do that it would be the Dawn Machine.
(I suppose it's not called "the midday machine" but shhhh. "Five minutes to dawn" might be a little too on the nose anyway.)
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Mx. Aglow. Glazier, hedonist, devil-teaser, Paramount Presence. Pursuing their Heart's Desire.
Ms. Lilian Leith. A lady of proper standing, which seems like an increasingly ludicrous thing to give a rat's ___ about. Known (to some) for her Light Fingers.
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mzingalwa
Posts: 15
5/21/2016
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Bertrand Leonidas Poole wrote:
CALLING IT: The next exceptional story is going to be about the neathy clock trade or clocks in some way.
The addition of a new quality to the Hell faction card seems to indicate that it will be something to do with the brass embassy (athough I certainly would not be upset if your prediction came to be true).
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Mzingalwa
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John Moose
Posts: 276
5/21/2016
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At the risk that this has been asked ad nauseam: any news on the return of SMEN?
I'm under the impression that both Alexis and a large quantity of fans would love to see it return, so I'm not certain what the problem is, exactly. And in case it's something alog the lines of "how to have content that's extremely punishing with little to no rewards and avoid getting tons of complaints and new players leaving the game in disgust after stumbling on it", could a brainstorming thread be useful for ideas?
Feel free to tell me to shut up if the consensus is "leave Alexis alone, he'll do it when he'll do it." What I'm basically asking is whether there's something we could do to help him out.
post-seven-is-the-number-edit: Well, damn. Whoever ends up doing the new Seeking, I can't wait to see it. The idea it might be coming soon is making me emit sound reminiscent of a squeaky-toy, but I'm fine with waiting as FB plots the downfall of every idiot like me who reads "turn away" as "go further." Delicious times.
edited by John Moose on 5/25/2016
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The Master
Posts: 804
5/21/2016
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John Moose wrote:
At the risk that this has been asked ad nauseam: any news on the return of SMEN?
I'm under the impression that both Alexis and a large quantity of fans would love to see it return, so I'm not certain what the problem is, exactly. And in case it's something alog the lines of "how to have content that's extremely punishing with little to no rewards and avoid getting tons of complaints and new players leaving the game in disgust after stumbling on it", could a brainstorming thread be useful for ideas?
Feel free to tell me to shut up if the consensus is "leave Alexis alone, he'll do it when he'll do it." What I'm basically asking is whether there's something we could do to help him out.
SMEN always warns you that nothing good will come from seeking the name and it keeps reminding you, so I don't think anyone one should have the right to say that it's too punishing when you can stop seeking the name when you want and you are warned that horrible things happen when you seek it.
Anyways, I myself haven't heard any mentions of SMEN coming back, and im guessing it probably won't come back soon since Failbetter seems to be flooded with things to do.
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Lolwolfking
A very ruthless and daring doctor of the neath.
No more gift exchanges, im getting too many and I can barely hold these.
He has knowledge of a certain enigma, ask, you will get a clue.
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Bertrand Leonidas Poole
Posts: 335
5/22/2016
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New Expedition, as well. Seeking the Estate of the Imponderable Fellow.
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Gilphon
Posts: 93
5/22/2016
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My memory is slightly foggy, but I seem to remember my stats being all around 110 when I tried it. I seem to recall most checks being Straightforward, but a handful of them were harder.
Which I realize is a vague answer. But if your real question is 'should I grind up my stats more before buying Flint?' then I can tell you that the answer is no.
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Gilphon
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Professor Strix
Posts: 616
5/22/2016
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atuin wrote:
I'm pre POSI; my character is getting into dueling with the black ribboners, and in the process, failing quite a bit of stat checks. (I feel like the RNG is mad at me..)
This leads me to my question: Whats the best way to deal with wounds? In terms of efficiency, and the cost of it compared to the benefit.
I don't like "Find a physician." I'm a bit of a hoarder for currency, and 50 rostygold doesn't seem like a lot if you don't even lose a level of wounds.
Right now, I switch between Time in Bed, and knocking back FF Gebrandt's Tincture of Vigour. Is there anything I'm missing or overlooking or should be doing differently?
Personally, my preferred method to do Dangerous things is to fight/hunt until Airs of London is >90, so I can have a Dreamless Sleep - it lowers wounds considerably and helps with nightmares. Then I can do Watchful things and, when the nightmares are getting out of hand, back to Dangerous stuff, to raise wounds again.
(Don't tell anyone, but you can raise your Running Battle... more easily doing the Venture to save Clay Men from Jack in Watchmaker's Hill. Then, when your Dangerous is higher, than you get back to the docks to do more challenging actions. I don't know if that mathod is more profitable, but it is faster and less punishing if your Dangerous is not high enough.)
I want to stress that I have no idea if those actions are profitable, but they are practical for the purpose of advancing the storyline.
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The Inescapable Professor, London's Most Academic Detective. Open to consultation from Mondays to Fridays, above the Silver Binding bookshop, Veilgarden. Half the payment in advance, half after closing the case. No refunds.
"THIS SATURDAY, in MAHOGANY HALL, delight your eyes with the DARING FEATS of the DAPPER ESCAPIST. Gape at his CHARM and WIT and his CLEVER TRICKS OF ILLUSIONISM. No mirrors used."
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Social actions welcomed. Will take menaces if not currently grinding that one stat. Send them and cross your fingers.
http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Professor%20Strix
My alt loiters suspiciously if you want to:
http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Derek%20Davis
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Danopian
Posts: 7
5/20/2016
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Hello folks. I'm deeply stuck in my quest for a Zubmarine. Spoilers ahead?
I have everything that I need except for 4 more Bejeweled Lenses, and lack the 4 Magnificent Diamonds needed to acquire those. I was encouraged to grind expeditions in the Forgotten Quarter to find them, but after many, many of those I have received none, and in the course of doing so used up all my Favours: Criminals to do the less time-consuming Thieves' Cache expedition. To get a renewable source of Favours: Criminals, I was encouraged to form a gang, but at the last step of doing so I'm required to have 5 Favours: Criminals. Ha.
So, I've come to this: the Master Jewel Thief has been courting my attention for over a year. I've abused his interest and led him on so I could get a steady stream of Ostentatious Diamonds that he gives me when ignored, but I don't want his love. I know that if I make a union with him, however, opportunities will arise to go on romantic heists with him - to get diamonds. Magnificent and otherwise. Should I begin a marriage of convenience with him that I have no desire for, knowing full well that I'll spurn him later, for the good of the glorious Zubmarine? Or is there some other option I'm missing? Should I keep repeating the Shrine of Deep Blue Heaven expedition and hope to RNG for 4 diamonds to eventually drop?
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Bertrand Leonidas Poole
Posts: 335
5/20/2016
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Oh, I feel sorry for you. At one point, I had about 12 Magnificent Diamonds, and I wasn't even trying to get them on purpose. I decided to go for the zubmarine sort of casually for kicks, because I already had more than enough diamonds. For me, the hard part is not getting the diamonds, it's getting the Contraptions. And also getting the 1000's of moon pearls.
And a few days ago, I noticed I had a surplus of 2 more lenses than I need for the submarine.
Guess I must have just had a strange run of expeditions months ago.
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Grenem
Posts: 2067
5/20/2016
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Danopian wrote:
Hello folks. I'm deeply stuck in my quest for a Zubmarine. Spoilers ahead?
I have everything that I need except for 4 more Bejeweled Lenses, and lack the 4 Magnificent Diamonds needed to acquire those. I was encouraged to grind expeditions in the Forgotten Quarter to find them, but after many, many of those I have received none, and in the course of doing so used up all my Favours: Criminals to do the less time-consuming Thieves' Cache expedition. To get a renewable source of Favours: Criminals, I was encouraged to form a gang, but at the last step of doing so I'm required to have 5 Favours: Criminals. Ha.
So, I've come to this: the Master Jewel Thief has been courting my attention for over a year. I've abused his interest and led him on so I could get a steady stream of Ostentatious Diamonds that he gives me when ignored, but I don't want his love. I know that if I make a union with him, however, opportunities will arise to go on romantic heists with him - to get diamonds. Magnificent and otherwise. Should I begin a marriage of convenience with him that I have no desire for, knowing full well that I'll spurn him later, for the good of the glorious Zubmarine? Or is there some other option I'm missing? Should I keep repeating the Shrine of Deep Blue Heaven expedition and hope to RNG for 4 diamonds to eventually drop?
Buying bags of low quality diamonds at empire adornments generally gives 45 flawed diamonds- but rarely, though frequently enough people consider it a good use of cryptic clues, you recieve 44 and a magnificent diamond instead. Given that the odds of diamonds are one-in-four from expeditions, you've been spectacularly unlucky.
(if you want favors criminals, an effective but less-than-profitable source is either an alluring accomplice or a ruthless henchman. neither one's card is common, but the ruthless henchman adds ~0.8 criminal favor cards, and the other adds ~0.5. Together they also add a conflict card at half frequency as well.)
--
Married!:http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/takuza
I will accept all social actions that do not consume free evenings- and i will provide patronage to anyone who requests it, though it will be split between all requesters.
On psudeo-hiatus. Will be inactive and active and fluctuate without warning.
Grinding Favors without cards: http://community.failbettergames.com/topic22266-storylet-favors-grinding.aspx
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suinicide
Posts: 2409
5/20/2016
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He's trying to figure out how you could build a railroad in London/parabola I believe.
edited by suinicide on 5/20/2016
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/profile/sunnytime
A gentleman seeking the liberation of knowledge, with a penchant for violence.
RIP suinicide, stuck in a well. Still has it under control.
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Blaine Davidson
Posts: 388
5/21/2016
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Professor Strix wrote:
I don't know if we have been unlucky, or if something is amiss lately.
It comforts me in a small way to know that others have been stricken with bouts of poor luck.
The Fidgeting Writer has generally been kind to me but my last seven Lenses have yielded nothing.
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Blaine Davidson, a reserved and sensible woman with a fondness of collecting rarities.
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suinicide
Posts: 2409
5/21/2016
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I'm going to guess the dawn machine. Like I do for every exceptional story.
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/profile/sunnytime
A gentleman seeking the liberation of knowledge, with a penchant for violence.
RIP suinicide, stuck in a well. Still has it under control.
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Blaine Davidson
Posts: 388
5/21/2016
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Bertrand Leonidas Poole wrote:
CALLING IT: The next exceptional story is going to be about the neathy clock trade or clocks in some way.
I'm more interested in knowing what possible story could require a business card, a piece of antler, and a unique soul.
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Blaine Davidson, a reserved and sensible woman with a fondness of collecting rarities.
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