Harlocke wrote:

I probably wouldn't pay money just for that, but it also comes with the monthly story and the house of chimes. If you view each of those separate benefits as costing a $1-3 dollars a month individually, EF is a good value. Buying the story with fate later is more expensive than 1 month of EF, and you don't get the other benefits.

Especially if you take into account the way EF works: depending on which day of the month you sign up, you're almost always able to get two ES for the price of one.
Really, from a purely economical standpoint I'd say EF is almost too cheap! (not that I'm complaining)

Grenen and I started almost at the same time (October 2014) and I only purchased Fate this week. Judging from the forums, I think we are some of the furtherest along players who aren't Extraordinary Friends.

I paid because I enjoy this game and wanted to support Failbetter (although I have no plans on getting EF, just using Fate for stories). I had played long enough that I knew what storylines I wanted to continue (I think suicide and I are speaking of the same two cards on this instance! Perhaps if they were just storylets in my lodgings I wouldn't have felt as much urge to pay for them).

Here's what I managed in a year and a half of playing every day without Fate

- all Stats at 200
- free Content boundary
- end point of my ambition
- best in a slot BDR (23, if you're wondering. I have to agree that BDR is the one place where straight up paying Fate would make it easier as gaining both +2 in slot weapon and companion shapes your playstyle a bit needing a ship on the early end and the home comfort slot requires a certain profession.)
- a nomen this past winter (though I'm not crazy enough to try the tatoo, I could see Grenen trying it next year)
- an Overgoat
- enough cash on hand that I could buy my second Overgoat if I sold almost everything except for the other Overgoat (but I won't)
- highest level player wedding (which is worth about 3000-5000 echoes, depending how costs were split)
- currently Notablity 8, but I've hit 13 before.
- 2 of the 3 five card lodgings (I don't have the 3rd upgradable option)
- Hallowmas is the one place I felt a bit antsy about not having EF as it's time-delimited but even without it I managed the 2nd highest level.
I have to strongly disagree with the idea that the only finished content is paid. The EF Stories are meant to be one-off complete in of themselves, so yes, they're supposed to end. There are plenty of completed storylines with meaningful endings
[spoiler]University, Cheesemonger, Last Constable, Rats, Affair of the Box, and Jack of Smiles, just off the top of my head, and the ambitions require no Fate at all to pursue. [/spoiler]
The drift does seem to be from completed storylines to carousels, as content continues, which I'm kinda ehhhhh on but that's fine - I'd definitely like more to be completed, but I didn't feel that I was lacking content: you can chose to pursue options which are more varied (and this, after all isn't something that paying Fate for really helps, I don't believe). I won't speak for Grenen, but I know they pursue expeditions diligently and I usually do a somewhat ridiculous number of heists a week (I did 18 in about 10 days without doing them full time).


Put it this way: being a non-EF (as I still am) actually means a higher level of engagement with the game: since everyone gains cards and actions alike at the same rate, you have to check in more often so not to "waste" actions or cards.

The pianist and the spirifer felt complete to me. Not that either side succeeded, but it was early game content, and you don't need to change the world to finish a story. The dispute is settled, at least. The labyrinth's main plotline is getting deeper and deeper, and once you reach a certain depth, creating a hound of heaven- which you can do.