Mr. Secrets
Posts: 101
7/2/2017
|
Whenever possible, I avoid flash lays. However, as this election has forced me into doing about 17 of them, I would like to take the time to talk about them in depth. Before we start I would like to mention that I theoretically like the "fluff" behind Flash Lays. Discarding your current identity in order to sneak into someone else's life to learn their secrets is a neat idea conceptually. However, the mechanics behind them are atrocious and turn flash lays into action sinks that can easily take a full candle or more. For those who are not exceptional friends, that is a huge deal and the reward is certainly never consummate to the actions spent.
My problems with Flash Lays are several fold, and so I will be listing them in bullet point format below:
- 1: Flash Lays prevent you from taking other actions. Now I am listing this first because there are very few other activities in FL that completely consume your character and prevent them from checking their opportunity deck, performing social actions, or attempting other actions. This makes sense in regards to what a flash lay is according to the game's fluff, however in terms of crunch this is terrible. Nothing other than a menace popping or sailing out from London takes you so completely away from the game. Short Stories (which are also quite the action and resource sink) at the very least allow you to leave and come back when you have actions to burn, however once you begin a flash-lay the only options are victory or restarting from scratch.
- 2: You cannot discard cards in a Flash Lay, which leads to a serious problem given that some of the cards are absolute crap. I am not even talking about the obstacles that auto-play, I am talking about the cards that can only give you 3 points of progress. With the goal of 75 (assuming you manage to draw and hold the card that ends the game) each one extends your time in the Flash-Lay considerably, either you need to draw 2.33 of them to equal out a full 7 point card or they end up as a wasted action because a 7 card comes along and pushes you over the 75 needed. For characters that cannot auto-succeed on the 7 point cards and are forced to play the 3 point cards, Flash Lays are double the number of actions at a minimum. This is a problem for folks with just one candle, since that takes a flash lay and turns it into an activity that might all day long to complete.
- 3: In addition to several of the cards being absolutely awful and the fact that you cannot discard cards, you are limited to only 3 cards in your hand at a time. This is especially frustrating for folks who have saved up enough to gain the coveted 5 card lodging, but only exasperates the above problem because you cannot safely hold onto the crappy cards in order to speed up the Flash Lay. If you had a 5 card hand, Flash Lays would be a snap since you could safely hold onto the poor cards and then only bother to play Up Your Sleeve and 7 point advancements. Not only does this fact reduce the strategic elements of a flash lay, but they also make higher level characters grumpy when they see their huge housing investment come to nothing in this instance.
- 4: The random nature of obstacles is a bundle of crap, as I have gotten flash lays which have pushed multiple menace's up to 3 simply by playing the two starting obstacles over and over every draw attempt, and then adding in the "you have too much X" auto-play card to boot. Sure, after 5 of these play you might have enough Up Your Sleeve to remove the obstacles but 5 menace increases (even 3 in a row) that occur randomly is frustrating. Especially when the dice gods decide they hate you this particular morning. This could be avoided if Obstacles only triggered after so many actions, or if they only triggered on action failures, or if they had an internal timer that at least prevented them from being drawn one after another. Instead, you can just be obstacle trained for 4-5 actions and that is before you decide to add in extra obstacles for progress (never do this, it ruins your life).
- 5: Up Your Sleeve is not common enough and is not on the right cards, as there are only a few ways to gain up your sleeve (necessary for advancement on a few cards and for removing obstacles) and they are mostly tucked onto cards purely about gaining Up Your Sleeve. If instead these options were divided up and placed onto the lower advancement cards (or if you want to be mean the higher advancement cards) then players would need to make meaningful choices about what they want to do. Do they play the quick advancement, or try to gain Up Your Sleeve to remove the obstacle and progress that way? As it is, a Flash Lay is just a mindless click fest of "Does this give me 7 progress, 2 Up Your Sleeve, Remove my Menaces, or at least get this card out of my hand? Ok, play it"
Anyway, if this was tl;dr to sum it all up: In my opinion Flash Lays are boring action sinks but they do not need to be. Simply changing the cards to provide meaningful choices, or giving the players the ability to discard cards, or giving the players their lodging in card draw, or changing flash lay progress to a reasonable level (3 gain on a 75-100 point limit is LAME guys) would be enough to make them fun or at least action friendly. As it is, I cannot think of something more likely to make me roll my eyes and grumble while playing than being forced to do a flash-lay. And I just did 17 of them. Do not get me wrong, I enjoy election season but the flash-lays are so painful that I always save them until last. I would rather go on 20 cases in a row than do a single flash-lay. Their only redeeming quality is restoring your opportunity deck to full and I've no interest in paying 16+ actions for that when I can luck into a party that just flat doubles my deck.
With that rant over, what are your thoughts on Flash Lays? Should they be changed, am I stick in the mud, do you agree, disagree? Discuss.
--
Mr. Secrets - We Are In Our Ascendance. There Will Be Ten And Then All Shall Be Well And All Shall Be Well And All Manner of Things Shall Be Well.
The Straveling Solider - The Straveling Soldier, The Straveling Soldier hates and hates the beings Solar.
|
|
|
+11
link
|
Vesbeni
Posts: 8
7/3/2017
|
I actually have to agree with you on this one, the flash lay just feels like a big action sucker without really any real benefit to it. The idea is pretty good, pretending to be someone else but the way they go about it feels frustrating and boring. The whole "up your selves" may as well be tossed out because by the time i get enough to remove a obstacle, i already got over 100 points. I just wished it was replaced with something worth while, or at least more chances for up your sleeves so we can quickly move pass the flash lay.
--
http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Vesbeni
|
|
|
+6
link
|
Kaijyuu
Posts: 1047
7/3/2017
|
Isn't it an infinite deck? Allowing discarding means you can just keep drawing until you get the best card(s) over and over again. Or a non-infinite deck and we get the awful situation that the Nadir/Polite Invitation zones have, where you sit around waiting for your deck to refresh before you can do anything.
--
Be of good cheer. Our contacts have assured us that your sins are forgiven.
|
|
|
+5
link
|
Catherine Raymond
Posts: 2518
7/3/2017
|
Parelle makes a good point. Heists (undertaken in Spite) also keep you from doing anything else till done, and also have a three-card (almost completely) no-discard deck. However, you get plenty of opportunity to build up Casing and buy stuff to make it easy(ier) to get good outcomes from cards, so it's not as painful as a Flash Lay can be.
Other situations that take you somewhere you cannot escape until done: Pickpocketing expeditions in Spite (though they have a rather short fixed duration); Zailing the Unterzee (though again, you get the chance to shorten the trip with certain preparations in advance); all of the locations where you get sent if a primary Menace goes above 8 (Slow Boat, Mirror Marches, Tomb Colonies, Royal Beth).
I agree that, of all of these, the Flash Lay is the least fun, partly because one's efforts to manage Menaces can be frustrated by the RNG and partly because the cards and storylets involved are so generic that they're dull to play. I think that the best way to change the Flash Lays would be to let the player prepare for them, analogously to the way s/he/y prepares for Heists. You could even use Casing as the quality whose points buy you assets that make successes in playing the Lay cards easier (e.g., researching your Mark's tastes; learning about your Mark's friends/colleagues; etc.).
--
Cathy Raymond
http://fallenlondon.com/Profile/cathyr19355
Catherine Raymond aka Mrs. Rykar Malkus http://fallenlondon.com/Profile/Catherine%20Raymond (Gone NORTH)
|
|
|
+4
link
|
Vavakx Nonexus
Posts: 892
7/3/2017
|
I might be in the minority on this, but Flash Lays and their length really don't bother me nearly as much as the people here. I just walk in with 20 and use them all up, ending up either at the exit already or rly close to it.
At least, they bother me less than having to write a short story as a Campaigner, which is 30-40 actions spent throwing away resources for a 60% chance at the resources you need.
I do agree that Up Your Sleeve is largely pointless in its current state, and dealing with obstacles needs to cost less of the quality and generally not a disappointing reward for your actions during a Flash Lay.
--
Amets Estibariz, the Moulting Eidolon: Cradled by a sun all their own.
Blabbing, the Hobo Everyone Knows: The One Who Pulls The Strings. A Clarity In The Darkness.
Charlotte and the Caretaker: A family?
|
|
|
+4
link
|
PSGarak
Posts: 834
7/3/2017
|
For me, the surprising this is that I actually enjoy every other part of the game that uses Flash Lay mechanics except for the actual Flash Lay. I like the Finishing School, I like the Zee, and I think there was a part of Flint that was mechanically similar. In fact, I almost wish it was used more (partly because that would mean more deck refreshes!).
I think the problems with the original Flash Lay originate in the fact that there's too much content. This is an odd complaint to have, and one that I doubt could apply to anywhere else in Fallen London, but I think it's an actual problem for Flash Lays. The original Flash Lay feels like it lacks direction, and perhaps is a bit bloated. By comparison, Zailing feels more directed, and the Finishing School is extremely tight and compact.
The fact that Progress builds slowly is related to having so many cards that we could see. Being so beholden to the RNG is exacerbated by the excess of cards. The feeling of lack of control and direction is caused in part by the RNG, and caused in part by juggling too many qualities (two progress, three menaces, a few obstacles, and a quirk).
Meanwhile I've never really felt engaged by the narrative, because the Mark is kind of anonymous (necessary to make the content re-usable), and because the progression cards feel so random and disconnected.
Whatever other mechanical changes might be made (and I agree that it should take less actions), I think that slimming down the content needs to happen.
--
http://fallenlondon.com/Profile/PSGarak
|
|
|
+3
link
|
annalibertas
Posts: 161
7/4/2017
|
Personally I like flash lays, and for the most part Failbetter's provided alternatives pretty much wherever they come up
But I rarely fail any of the checks which, i'm sure, makes them seem much shorter and therefore more fun
--
https://www.fallenlondon.com/profile/Anna%20Libertas
Accepting all social actions & boxed cats
https://www.fallenlondon.com/profile/Julliah%20Randolph
Alt, will accept all social actions whenever I log on
|
|
|
+3
link
|
SamNorrey
Posts: 41
7/5/2017
|
To me, with a maxed character, the only gripe is never seeing an Opening. I mean it literally - in all the Flash Lays I've ever played, from first playing around with them when they were introduced, through all the Exceptional Story uses, to last and this year's Election, I have never had one Opening card. Actually, make that two maxed characters, though the other mostly played them just in Elections.
Of course the problem is that with that much Up Your Sleeve you're most likely to just finish the Flash Lay by the time you manage to put an Opening in the deck, either automatically by reaching the hard target, or with some luck, by playing the ending card. Probably Openings should have a high frequency to offset this, and maybe solving Obstacles could be reduced in both difficulty and reward, like Saklad has mentioned before. Something like 3/6 UYS and only 15 Flash Lay's Progress?
Other than that, for me it's only mildly annoying, but I never actually seek it out by myself, only play it to reach some unique content, like Exceptional Stories, or Election dirt.
--
http://fallenlondon.com/Profile/Sam~Norrey
|
|
|
+3
link
|
Leonora Rothwood
Posts: 17
7/5/2017
|
Vavakx Nonexus wrote:
they bother me less than having to write a short story as a Campaigner, which is 30-40 actions spent throwing away resources for a 60% chance at the resources you need.
THIS. I won't derail this topic, but believe me, I could rant for a while...
I'm an EF with relatively high stats, so I also have less of a slog than most, but I can't remember the last time I got to even create an Opening, let alone see one. Up Your Sleeve is severely useless and needs to be rebalanced.
The more people complain, the more likely this is to change, right?
--
Leonora Rothwood, the Ink-Stained Wanderer
|
|
|
+3
link
|
Professor Strix
Posts: 616
7/3/2017
|
I also agree that flash lays are too big and too boring for too little a payout during the elections. I always sigh when I see one. I mean, they are a big challenge when your stats are low, and I suppose that you can get a thrill out of them when you are a newcomer (they could be a step of the Shadowy or Persuasive career), but when you have to do them again and again and AGAIN and your stats guarantee that you will always suceed, a flash lay is mind-numbly boring.
Maybe election flash lays could be different from regular flash lays and give more progress per card, or have a lower goal (say, 30 or 50 instead of 100)? This way, they would be shorter. This could be compensated by putting more obstacles in them, so they would not be too easy, but not so action-intensive as they are now.
--
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."
---------
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
|
|
|
+3
link
|
An Individual
Posts: 589
7/3/2017
|
I'm in the same boat with Flash Lays. I generally regard them as a huge, boring action sink and the rewards are pretty minor compared to the time invested in them. I wa dreading being a fixer for this event, but have been lucky enough with opportunity cards that I'll get away with only doing the 6 to learn about the campaigns.
One of the more subtle things they might be able to do to make them more bearable would be to either increase the availability of up your sleeve or reduce the amount of up your sleeve required to clear obstacles. Obstacles are annoying, but they give you a huge progress boost when cleared. Building the system more around dealing with and clearing obstacles instead of the boring incremtal progress from cards would make them more interesting and more tense and you have to fight off the menace gain that will fail the challenge.
--
An Individual's Profile
The RNG giveth and the RNG taketh away.
Goat Farming or Cider Brewing? This browser extension may help.
Want a Cider sip? Please refer to this guide before requesting.
Scholaring the Correspondence? A Brief Guide to Courier's Footprint.
Contemplating Oblivion? First Steps on the Seeking Road.
Gone NORTH? Opened the gate? Throw your character in a well.
|
|
|
+3
link
|
Parelle
Posts: 1084
7/3/2017
|
Heist instead of Flash Lay. It doesn't have the infinite deck and auto draw, but they're a lot shorter and more fun.
--
Parelle, Lady Joseph Marlen. The Singular Librarian. A Midnighter, a Player of the Marvelous.
pages from a dusty bookshop: a badly updated FL changelog | Useful Guidance and Explanations
|
|
|
+2
link
|
Isaac Zienfried
Posts: 364
7/2/2017
|
Well, you are a stick in the mud. Trust me, we smell our own.
You bring up a few good points, though. I usually don't have much of an issue with them because of Exceptional Friendship and 200 in every stat (I really should start a second character, I guess, or send this one NORTH and redo it all, but I've got cold feet).
Being unable to access other actions makes sense, I think. It really means you have to be invested in the Flash Lay. That being said, you're right in that the investment doesn't completely match the rewards. You're also right about some cards being crap compared to others, but part of me thinks that should be kept because it's the nature of a Flash Lay while another part thinks Obstacles being auto-drawn already gives enough fickleness of fate to the mechanics. At least it's not like the Pickpocket's Promenade.
My tentative input is to increase the rewards a bit and allow for the discard of non-Obstacle cards. After all, this would allow lower-stat people wanting to take it slowly and safely the option to do so, while higher-stat people can use their charm and manipulative talents to turn over marks like it's going out of style.
Then again, this is a casual post I'm making while working on other stuff, so it's entirely possible I'm not thinking it through and there's something stupid in what I said.
--
Isaac Zienfried, 'The Vacillating Belligerent.'
A gentleman of complicated loyalties, complicated morality, and complicated goals.
But really, it's hard to keep things simple down here!
|
|
|
+2
link
|
Harlocke
Posts: 506
7/5/2017
|
Perhaps Up Your Sleeve should linger between Flash Lays, capping at 8. That way you can accumulate it in one Flash Lay, and spend it in the next one to create an Opening early on, so you actually get use out of it.
--
I welcome social actions, and can visit your salon as an author.
http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Harlocke
|
|
|
+2
link
|
Plynkes
Posts: 631
7/15/2017
|
Just playing through a few of the seasons of Exceptional Stories that came out before I became an EF, and I must admit I really don't like it when Flash Lays turn up in the middle of one. It really just feels like filler, something to keep me busy and pad it out. If the actual cards were specific to the story but merely used the same mechanic I would probably feel very differently about it, but they aren't. It's just the same old flash lay stuff.
Probably had done one too many during the election, because when one popped up just now blocking the road in my story I said a naughty word. 
I wonder if this was an experiment that was dropped? I can't recall it happening in the more recent ones (but then again my memory isn't very good so maybe it did).
--
"Then tell Wind and Fire where to stop, but don't tell me."
|
|
|
+2
link
|
Tystefy
Posts: 450
7/4/2017
|
*reads title*
*immidiently skips all comments to post own comment*
Well if you believe you can only gain confidence by swindling people, you should get help. That's a bad habit. Try therapy.
--
Will sometimes return to post absurdity.
|
|
|
+2
link
|
Estelle Knoht
Posts: 1751
7/15/2017
|
There was some mass complaints along the lines of "keep these Flash Lays up and we will unsubscribe", then the Flash Lay was dropped starting from Five Minutes To Midday, where the Flash Lay (con a devil for their key) was replaced with the shortest Detective case in the game.
--
Estelle Knoht, a juvenile, unreliable and respectable lady.
I currently do not accept any catbox, cider, suppers, calling cards or proteges.
|
|
|
+1
link
|
Captain Kaladin
Posts: 21
7/11/2017
|
I played a ton of flash lays to get 77 queer souls for my seeker, and I have to agree that a lot of the cards are really useless, and it makes it not fun and also really odd? Like, why do some cards give 7 progress for free to a high level character, but the cards that give you an obstacle only give you 5 progress in return?
And even though I've done about a hundred and fifty flash lays at this point, I don't think I've ever gotten the reward for converting an obstacle. Considering obstacles only show up at above 30 progress, and most flash lays end at 75 progress, the 25 progress you get from removing an obstacle usually just finishes it?
And of course, sometimes you get really unlucky and end up wasting a huge number of actions drawing worthless cards. Nothing's worse than being at 98 progress and having to spend 8 actions complementing a chef to get the cards out of your hand. And then finishing the flash lay with 123 progress and an opening you'll never get to see.
edited by Captain Kaladin on 7/11/2017
--
How many goldfish is too many goldfish? 77,777?
|
|
|
+1
link
|
Skinnyman
Posts: 2133
7/12/2017
|
maleclypse wrote:
So out of curiosity has anyone done the math on switching between 5 card and Remote lodgings once a week for deck concerns? That seems like 6 wasted actions a week but it might be worthwhile.
I can't really remember when I started working on Acquaintance: Sardonic Music-Hall Singer 10, but I think it was around January-March. Let's say it was January (best scenario) so that gives us 6 months in which I used Sardonic Music-Hall Singer help card about 300 times. I do draw 80-100 cards per and and the average is that only this card popped around 11.5 times per week.
It is a lot and I noticed that this card has about 130%-180% frequency while the Ask for Help card is about 120%-130% frequency, but there are many more City Vices cards.
I am lucky enough and don't have the Entanglement with an Old Friend card so let's take this scenario where only one Vice card doesn't exist. This gives us about 3 cards (the two singer cards), 0.2 from weasels card, another full one from Orthographic Infection (keeping Nightmares at 3 for Dream card), one more from Decadent Evening and let's add the Plea from an Old Friend.This takes us to 6 Vice cards.
Considering the number of times the Help the Sardonic Music-Hall Singer and a 150% frequency means that I get about 46 Vice cards per week from an average of 630. Now, reduce two more cards from the fact that you'll hold only 2 in hand (instead of 4) we get about 7% of useless cards can be avoided by moving to a remote location. And remember that this is the best scenario and the percentage may be higher.
May not sound bad, but while I was working on my achievement I became aware of the amount of Vice cards and they are very annoying! Conclusion: move to a remote if you don't have mood cards or other that you wish to keep in hand!
edited by Skinnyman on 7/12/2017
--
ESs items and quality requirements sheet. Please check if there are errors or if something is missing
Achievement list if you're feeling bored!
I am accepting Plant battles, Neath's Mysteries card, Starveling Cats and boxed cats.
No suppers, no second chances gain and no need to cure my menaces!
|
|
|
+1
link
|
Sara Hysaro
Moderator
Posts: 4514
7/3/2017
|
Ditto on the stockpile of 20 actions before dropping into a Flash Lay. Doing it that is a good way to refresh your deck during the election if you still need to Advance Your Career, too.
--
http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Sara%20Hysaro
Please do not send SMEN, cat boxes, or Affluent Reporter requests. All other social actions are welcome.
Are you a Scarlet Saint? Send a message my way to be added to the list.
|
|
|
+1
link
|
Mr. Secrets
Posts: 101
7/3/2017
|
Do heists provide Dirty Secrets Parelle? Because that is what I have been farming and goshdarn if I could heist I'd have done that in a heartbeat. Flash Lays are just that bad.
And yes, the deck is infinite because it is the only way to progress. You MUST play a card from the collection, if you get stuck in the Nadir without the right cards you can always leave and come back next week. In the party, you can either toss and wait or just advance time to when you care about it. Either way, those two zones are Ok because they use your lodgings which give you more than 3 cards to work with. In a Flash Lay it is 3 cards and you cannot possibly hold onto the bad cards to encourage the good ones (when you find the Confessional Evening you must hold onto it or risk action waste) which leaves you 1 card slot to hold a bad card you don't want to draw again.
They just aren't fun.
--
Mr. Secrets - We Are In Our Ascendance. There Will Be Ten And Then All Shall Be Well And All Shall Be Well And All Manner of Things Shall Be Well.
The Straveling Solider - The Straveling Soldier, The Straveling Soldier hates and hates the beings Solar.
|
|
|
+1
link
|
LillianAranach
Posts: 45
7/3/2017
|
It also seems as though when you turn an obstacle into an opportunity, the opportunity never shows up, usually because it's already too late in the Flash Lay. This is a quite upsetting because you take a while to grind that much up your sleeve, but you never get the fruits of your toil.
--
They say, "There is a delightfully delectable corruption about Aranach, and she seeks to spread it, all the while revelling in truth and sin in equal parts."
http://fallenlondon.storynexus.com/Profile/Lillian%20Aranach
|
|
|
+1
link
|
Plynkes
Posts: 631
7/3/2017
|
I find flash lays tiresome too, but I really think all that's needed is to reduce the target number. For me it's the length of time that makes them annoying. If you made easy ways to get the cards you want (such as being able to skip through the infinite deck) that might be a bit too much like an "I win" button. The setbacks and menaces ought to be there if you want it to be at all interesting too.
Just don't have them take so damn long.
--
"Then tell Wind and Fire where to stop, but don't tell me."
|
|
|
+1
link
|
Myrto
Posts: 209
7/5/2017
|
navchaa wrote:
SamNorrey wrote:
To me, with a maxed character, the only gripe is never seeing an Opening. I mean it literally - in all the Flash Lays I've ever played, from first playing around with them when they were introduced, through all the Exceptional Story uses, to last and this year's Election, I have never had one Opening card. Actually, make that two maxed characters, though the other mostly played them just in Elections.
Of course the problem is that with that much Up Your Sleeve you're most likely to just finish the Flash Lay by the time you manage to put an Opening in the deck, either automatically by reaching the hard target, or with some luck, by playing the ending card. Probably Openings should have a high frequency to offset this, and maybe solving Obstacles could be reduced in both difficulty and reward, like Saklad has mentioned before. Something like 3/6 UYS and only 15 Flash Lay's Progress?
Other than that, for me it's only mildly annoying, but I never actually seek it out by myself, only play it to reach some unique content, like Exceptional Stories, or Election dirt.
Yes, exactly. Has anyone seen this elusive opening? Maxed player here who's done a fair number of flash lays too and it's like an incredibly rare success with nothing to show for it.
I had no idea there was such a thing! I've never seen it, and I've played a fair number of these damned things, both with a maxed stats character, and with alts who have varying levels of stats.
--
Myrto, a mysterious veteran spy who is only on their own side. Married to navchaa!
Edith Alpha Doyle, social climber with grand ambitions; Correspondent who would be happy to assist you in whatever way she can.
, teenage orphan who came to the Neath to pursue a career in crime; monster-hunter. Currently on the Seeking road.
|
|
|
+1
link
|
lady ciel
Posts: 2548
7/5/2017
|
I don't bother turning obstacles into openings anymore. I just take the 25 progress option using 5 Up Your Sleeve.
--
ciel
Sorry RL means I am not a very active player at the moment. No social actions unless you are prepared to wait and definitely no sparring or other mult-action things.
No Calling Cards or boxed cats please. Will take dupes on the affluent photographers. Other social invitations welcome. Parabolan Kittens usually available, send me an in-game social action saying you want one and I will get one to you as soon as possible.
storynexus name - reveurciel
|
|
|
+1
link
|
aegisaglow
Posts: 202
7/3/2017
|
Catherine Raymond wrote:
Parelle makes a good point. Heists (undertaken in Spite) also keep you from doing anything else till done, and also have a three-card (almost completely) no-discard deck. However, you get plenty of opportunity to build up Casing and buy stuff to make it easy(ier) to get good outcomes from cards, so it's not as painful as a Flash Lay can be.
Other situations that take you somewhere you cannot escape until done: Pickpocketing expeditions in Spite (though they have a rather short fixed duration); Zailing the Unterzee (though again, you get the chance to shorten the trip with certain preparations in advance); all of the locations where you get sent if a primary Menace goes above 8 (Slow Boat, Mirror Marches, Tomb Colonies, Royal Beth).
Heists don't limit you to three cards, which gives you a lot more flexibility. Also, they can be completed much more quickly and have a much better reward compared to the time invested. They also have a slightly larger range of outcomes--more Making Waves if you make more progress, more Suspicion if you make noise, a couple of different rewards (including a secret hidden one).
Bringing up the Menace areas raises another point: while the text rewards during the campaign have a bit of lore, the Flash Lays themselves don't have much of anything that could only happen in Fallen London. The focus on mundane methods is one of their strengths, but the text could be more strongly linked with the world in which all the PC's other adventures take place. (Also, as a Glassman I think it would be really cool to gain progress by taking some honey/stepping through a mirror and insinuating myself into my target's dreams.)
edited by aegisaglow on 7/3/2017
--
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.
|
|
|
+1
link
|