Vel Farre
Posts: 27
7/2/2016
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May I get a PM with the results of the more horrific ending as well please?
Oh, and I take it the final choice changes quirks, but by how much?
edited by Vel Farre on 7/2/2016
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Vel~Farre
If you need A Shattering Force to train you, just send a message saying so.
Will likely accept any social action you need if not busy, even occasionaly loitering. Just warn me if it is a harmful one.
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PJ
Posts: 210
7/2/2016
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I liked the mini-game that played out across London. I did not like choosing between keeping my perfect 15 Steadfast or favoring my favorite Urchin gang. I'm sympathetic to the Fisher Kings' cause, but cleaning up the Velocipede Squad was a long, thankless job, and Steadfast is all I have to show for it.
I guess it's fitting that I had to favor The Regiment, since I started with them.
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https://www.fallenlondon.com/profile/Peter%20James
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Mr Sables
Posts: 597
7/2/2016
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PJ wrote:
I liked the mini-game that played out across London. I did not like choosing between keeping my perfect 15 Steadfast or favoring my favorite Urchin gang. I'm sympathetic to the Fisher Kings' cause, but cleaning up the Velocipede Squad was a long, thankless job, and Steadfast is all I have to show for it.
I guess it's fitting that I had to favor The Regiment, since I started with them.
See - I have a feeling you may disagree - that's why I think they shouldn't have told us about the quirk changes . . .
If you think of quirks as a product of our decisions, an element of role-playing, and a natural part of character development . . . telling us what quirks we'll gain/lose undoes all of that, turning the game into something purely mechanical, and people alter their decisions to get the 'best' result for them, instead of what choice feels most natural to them. I know it altered my choice; I was in two minds, but probably would have kept it, were it not for the game telling me 'psst, bad stuff will happen' . . . so I went with the Fisher-Kings instead.
I know quirks are insanely important to some people, so this may be a way of stopping them from going 'you never said -!' or 'I worked hard for that and -!' . . . but - personally - I really dislike this new change, because I think it influences the role-play element of playing, as well as eliminates the surprise we get on seeing what our final choices bring. I love clicking and the suspense of waiting to see the results.
That's probably just me, though.
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PJ
Posts: 210
7/2/2016
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The part I really didn't like was that none of the choices were actually un-steadfast, except for being arbitrarily labeled as lowering Steadfast. I got to 15 Steadfast because of RP decisions; I wouldn't have wanted to make any choices that were really anti-steadfast.
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https://www.fallenlondon.com/profile/Peter%20James
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ClearFavourite
Posts: 50
7/2/2016
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You could argue the Fisher-Kings reducing Steadfast is because they're breaking their bond with Storm for good.
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The Boisterous Bounty-Hunter
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Anne Auclair
Posts: 2215
7/2/2016
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EmberAshe wrote:
You could argue the Fisher-Kings reducing Steadfast is because they're breaking their bond with Storm for good.
You're also going against the wishes of the first two urchin gangs that made you their leader on the understanding that you would win the war and decide which gang would get to make the holy offering to Storm. You're kind of breaking the implicit rules of the contest in giving the offering to a completely different power (and a rather melancholy and treacherous one at that).
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Anne%20Auclair
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Optimatum
Posts: 3666
7/2/2016
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Robin Alexander wrote:
PJ wrote:
I liked the mini-game that played out across London. I did not like choosing between keeping my perfect 15 Steadfast or favoring my favorite Urchin gang. I'm sympathetic to the Fisher Kings' cause, but cleaning up the Velocipede Squad was a long, thankless job, and Steadfast is all I have to show for it.
I guess it's fitting that I had to favor The Regiment, since I started with them.
See - I have a feeling you may disagree - that's why I think they shouldn't have told us about the quirk changes . . .
If you think of quirks as a product of our decisions, an element of role-playing, and a natural part of character development . . . telling us what quirks we'll gain/lose undoes all of that, turning the game into something purely mechanical, and people alter their decisions to get the 'best' result for them, instead of what choice feels most natural to them. I know it altered my choice; I was in two minds, but probably would have kept it, were it not for the game telling me 'psst, bad stuff will happen' . . . so I went with the Fisher-Kings instead.
I know quirks are insanely important to some people, so this may be a way of stopping them from going 'you never said -!' or 'I worked hard for that and -!' . . . but - personally - I really dislike this new change, because I think it influences the role-play element of playing, as well as eliminates the surprise we get on seeing what our final choices bring. I love clicking and the suspense of waiting to see the results.
That's probably just me, though.
Several of the last Exceptional Stories had unannounced quirk changes at the end, and quite a few players objected to consequences that didn't always fit their character's intentions. While I agree that focusing on the mechanical side of quirks has issues, in this case it's better to let players choose in whichever manner they prefer, whether based on mechanics or roleplaying.
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Optimatum, a ruthless and merciful gentleman. No plant battles, Affluent Photographer requests, or healing offers; all other social actions welcome.
 Want a sip of Cider? Just say hi!
PM me for information enigmatic or Fated. Though the forum please, not FL itself.
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Mr Sables
Posts: 597
7/3/2016
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Several of the last Exceptional Stories had unannounced quirk changes at the end, and quite a few players objected to consequences that didn't always fit their character's intentions. While I agree that focusing on the mechanical side of quirks has issues, in this case it's better to let players choose in whichever manner they prefer, whether based on mechanics or roleplaying.
I can understand that to an extent . . .
Personally, it still feels odd, as I can't recall any other game doing this. There are many RPG style games that rely on skill counters, or quirks, or levels, or that give random 'rewards' or 'materials' on defeating a boss or a monster, but . . . I have never seen one that says "this is the result of the battle" or "this is the result of your choice" (with perhaps the exception of one, but that only told you whether you're likely to win/lose, not what the result would be).
I guess my upset with this new system is that once you've read it that you can't unread it; I'm wondering whether there could be a compromise? Example, the 'result' text could be the same colour as the background, requiring one to highlight it to see it . . . or maybe it could be in a spoiler box, so people need to click to see it. That way, those that focus on the mechanics and quirks can still know what they're getting themselves in for, but the rest of us can focus solely on role-playing without the distraction of 'oh, I didn't realise I'd lose x' or 'but that would gain me y' . . . because it wouldn't just be there for you to see, whether you want to or not, but something you'd have to click to uncover.
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suinicide
Posts: 2409
7/3/2016
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Maybe the spoilers were only there for this specific choice? I mean, I didn't really feel like any of the options should be changing my quirks. Why would this urchin gamg make me forceful and this one make me steadfast? But in other cases, its usually pretty obvious that a choice will change your quirks, or understandable in hindsight if not that.
(Which brings me to: why does every ES need a quirk change in it?)
edited by suinicide on 7/3/2016
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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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Mordaine Barimen
Posts: 670
7/3/2016
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Because they seem to have decided that the ES are where big choices that can move Quirks past the 10 cap should be.
They don't advertise it as such, however. (Because it seems too mercenary?) The fact that these stories only come once a month, but any given day will have a handful of cards that could lower that same Quirk and render it meaningless. This is an unusual design choice in my eyes, but I can only guess as to what is going on and why from the outside.
I do, however, appreciate the clearer signalling of what the choices will do, having been tripped up by actions in prior Exceptional Stories that hurt an unexpected Quirk. Such signalling is normally done more subtly in the text, but perhaps they had trouble making it sufficiently clear in test runs of the text and didn't want to leave people surprised by the results when it went live.
On the other tentacle, we got some interesting info about the different Urchin gangs and a touch about some more...unearthly...residents. The war system was interesting, but honestly felt like it needed to be more drawn out in scale for the planning and special units uses to make a worthwhile difference. The Big Rat storyline and this one could probably swap their lengths and mechanical complexities to suit one another well...
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I'm sorry, but due to policy clarifications, I will no longer be giving detailed mechanics advice on the forums.
If you still need help, try the IRC channel.
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phryne
Posts: 1351
7/3/2016
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Well, it's no surprise I loved this one, since Urchins are my favourite people in the game and my Closest To faction...
...Which, of course, means I'm never going to finish this story. No, I'm going to keep my Urchin gang companions instead! 
   
Therefore, I would ask for a PM linking to all possible endings, please. Not interested in rewards or quirk changes - I'm only in it for the words! 
By the way, I didn't mind the fiddly mechanics at all!
Apropos something else, I decided to archive the two randomizer qualities. This is what I can confirm:
[spoiler]
Airs of Mischief: The Urchins are at war, and all of London is their battlefield.
2-6 - A knot of spidery legs lands on the cobbles with a squelch. Somewhere, urchins are experimenting with a sorrow-spider catapult.
17-23 - A troop of urchins race by, bellowing a war song. The language is terrible. The key is worse.
30 - Constables cordon off an alley where urchins have daubed a dangerous Correspondence-symbol. Bystanders avert their eyes.
38 - Constables puff, pointlessly, in pursuit of fleet-footed urchins.
44-47 - Urchins gather on opposing rooftops. An exchange of catapult fire! Citizens scurry for shelter.
68-69 - A sudden wind - dry as bone - rattles the windows.
78-84 - Two streets away a shriek as shrill as a train-whistle rises. A hansom's horse brays in panic.
94-100 - Feet hammer on the rooftop. Roof tiles shatter on the cobbles.
Reports from the Front: The tides of war are ever-shifting.
1-19 - All is quiet. The enemy are regrouping.
20-39 - A Shrill Scout returns with a thorough, if squeaky, report of enemy movements.
40-59 - Running feet in the street outside - civilians fleeing a rival gang's soldiers.
60-79 - No news, today. Your troops have worked out how to get the lid off the marmalade again.
80-100 - Your sentries have spotted movement on neighbouring rooftops.
[/spoiler]
I think I'm missing at least one level description from Airs of Mischief. If someone has that, please post here or PM me...
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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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Om
Posts: 1
7/3/2016
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My favorite parts of the story were the explorations of the times the urchins acted like children, even though they were in a serious situation, especially
[spoiler]When the knotted sock use a knife on the regiment's commander "to show them we mean business" and for a few horrified storylets you're carrying around this matchbox containing something that will make the regiment *have* to surrender and it finally turns out they just shaved off his moustache.[/spoiler]
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Om Looking to start the tournament of lilies. Usually open to scandal dupes.
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spacecatte
Posts: 42
7/3/2016
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I wouldn't mind a pm for the ending where you make the offering to Storm, if anyone wouldn't mind sending it!
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"That cat is walking around in a space suit."
The SpaceCatte, a capricious feline claiming some absurd things.
Agent Wicket, a Fist of the Bazaar who is far too serious for her own good.
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Anne Auclair
Posts: 2215
7/3/2016
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I'm a little curious why the exceptional story advertisement is still advertising Five Minutes to Midday.
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Anne%20Auclair
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Luminen Walker
Posts: 172
7/4/2016
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I think that they forgot to update the advertisement banner this month.
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1 - Cpt. Martin Walker, a Paramount and Marvellous Dreamer.
2 - Ariana Crivelli, a silent and sagacious lady.
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Katistrophe
Posts: 29
7/4/2016
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Optimatum wrote:
Robin Alexander wrote:
PJ wrote:
I liked the mini-game that played out across London. I did not like choosing between keeping my perfect 15 Steadfast or favoring my favorite Urchin gang. I'm sympathetic to the Fisher Kings' cause, but cleaning up the Velocipede Squad was a long, thankless job, and Steadfast is all I have to show for it.
I guess it's fitting that I had to favor The Regiment, since I started with them.
See - I have a feeling you may disagree - that's why I think they shouldn't have told us about the quirk changes . . .
If you think of quirks as a product of our decisions, an element of role-playing, and a natural part of character development . . . telling us what quirks we'll gain/lose undoes all of that, turning the game into something purely mechanical, and people alter their decisions to get the 'best' result for them, instead of what choice feels most natural to them. I know it altered my choice; I was in two minds, but probably would have kept it, were it not for the game telling me 'psst, bad stuff will happen' . . . so I went with the Fisher-Kings instead.
I know quirks are insanely important to some people, so this may be a way of stopping them from going 'you never said -!' or 'I worked hard for that and -!' . . . but - personally - I really dislike this new change, because I think it influences the role-play element of playing, as well as eliminates the surprise we get on seeing what our final choices bring. I love clicking and the suspense of waiting to see the results.
That's probably just me, though.
Several of the last Exceptional Stories had unannounced quirk changes at the end, and quite a few players objected to consequences that didn't always fit their character's intentions. While I agree that focusing on the mechanical side of quirks has issues, in this case it's better to let players choose in whichever manner they prefer, whether based on mechanics or roleplaying.
I started out feeling a bit ambivalent about the quirk changes being announced, but in broad strokes I agree - with the urchin gangs being only mostly fleshed out in this story, it would have been a bit hard to tell what choice would result in what, and for someone not strongly decided on the issue it could've been an unpleasant surprise to lose a prized quirk. And I'm with you on the unintended consequences - a friend of mine took a Magnanimous hit on the whatwasit with the Stags due to misreading the option, and probably wouldn't have misread that if the Magnanimous hit had been hinted at.
I don't think giving consequences might necessarily deter people from taking the more character-appropriate choice (might make it harder to decide, certainly, especially on choices you don't feel strongly about, but not impossible). In this story, the in-character option for me matched the one that gave the quirk I preferred, so there's a fortunate match there. Five Minutes to Midday, though... a friend who was surprised by the Steadfast hit one option gave warned me about it beforehand. Steadfast is the quirk I have the most in, and I'm quite attached to it. Except the one with the Steadfast hit was the only in-character option, so I bit the bullet, took the hit and acted in-character. So I guess the point I'm trying to make is that it doesn't have to become metagaming when the effect on quirks is known... I also kind of preferred knowing I'd take the hit beforehand - it was more "this is going to suck, my poor quirk" than "WAIT WHAT WHAT THE HOW COULD YOU", but that might be an individual thing.
edited by Katistrophe on 7/4/2016
edited by Katistrophe on 7/4/2016
edited by Katistrophe on 7/4/2016
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PersephoneRavenwing
Posts: 5
7/5/2016
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Is there a way to clear this story off once I've started it, or will it stay there forever until I finish it?
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Mordaine Barimen
Posts: 670
7/5/2016
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Have you gone far enough in the House of Chimes for it to tell you that it is unlocked to play at your leisure? If so, it will remain until you finish it.
If you haven't gotten that far, it will go away in a month when the new ES arrives.
--
I'm sorry, but due to policy clarifications, I will no longer be giving detailed mechanics advice on the forums.
If you still need help, try the IRC channel.
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Optimatum
Posts: 3666
7/5/2016
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Are you an Exceptional Friend? If so, I'd recommend at least playing the intro bit in the House of Chimes; otherwise to play the story after the month ends, you'd have to buy it for 45 fate when it becomes available.
If you're not an ES, just play the global storylet and it should vanish.
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Optimatum, a ruthless and merciful gentleman. No plant battles, Affluent Photographer requests, or healing offers; all other social actions welcome.
Want a sip of Cider? Just say hi!
PM me for information enigmatic or Fated. Though the forum please, not FL itself.
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Ian Hart
Posts: 437
7/6/2016
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PersephoneRavenwing wrote:
Is there a way to clear this story off once I've started it, or will it stay there forever until I finish it?
If your question is "can I get rid of the pinned storylets without finishing the story?" then the answer is no.
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http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Antifinity
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