Discussion The Mystery of the Misty Forest

[Deleted User - 88256]

You need to reevaluate your math
clearing tiles is only half job
second half is revealing tiles
so max you can get without luck (or checking game files, then its far more) are
candle can clear 1 tile and reveal 3 tiles = 4 tiles (or more with luck)
lantern can clear 5 tiles and reveal 9 tiles = 14 tiles (or more with luck)
flask can clear 7 tiles and reveal 9 tiles = 16 tiles (or more with luck)
and because this minigame contain dead ends and moving around to find another path its impossible to do with candles only, unless you are aiming for 3 artifacts total, then its fine

so strategy is obvious, you reveal tiles with flasks and laterns and clear usefull ones with candles

All right, I admitt that I am not familiar with this kind of minigame, so this might be a stupid question. But where exactly are you placing your lanterns and flash flasks?
From the numbers above it looks like you are placing them on revealed tiles with as few revealed tiles around them as possible. This requires the use of at least two candles right before wich is not possible with a ratio of 18/7/7.

So to me the obvious strategy would be :
1) Use 1-2 candles to clear a patch for the lantern / flask.
2) Use lantern/ flask to reveal tiles.
3) Use candles to grab loot.

To reach this efficiency you need to move forward 2-3 tiles between each flask or lantern. (2 before or after flask and 3 between lanterns) Lantern won't help you to move forward, and flask only moves you forward 1 tile. So it's probably better to use candles there, which means ~28 candles for 7 flasks and 7 lanterns alternating flask and lantern. Plus those needed to get the prizes and to get around the obstacles, minus the empty tiles you find when you're moving forward between flasks and lanterns that replace candles. I think there are more prizes and obstacles than empty tiles, so probably you'll need an extra ~14 candles (plus the 18 included in the package) per package to use flasks and lanterns at max efficiency, or ~42 extra candles for 3 packages. To be better buying only packages (so 4 packages instead of 3 packages and 42 candles), you have to be able to replace 24 candles (out of the 96 you get from 2.5 packages + 42 candles, so this is 25% of candles) by 7 lanterns and 7 flasks, which means 1.7:1 efficiency. To replace 2 of these candles by a lantern or flask you need to :

• Either unlock 2 prizes with one item once you revealed all tiles (1)
• Or, when moving forward with candles between flasks and lanterns, be able to replace 2 candles with a flask because :
  • Either you're facing an obstacle and a flask allows to move diagonally (2)
  • Or you see a prize next to you and you use a flask to both move forward (worth 1 candle) and get the prize (worth 1 candle). But to be in this case, you've already used 2 candles after your last big item, hence you're actually already using flask at max efficiency, so you aren't actually replacing candle by flask.

I'm not sure if cases (1) and (2) allow to replace 25% of the candles. This means to be able to use the items efficiently you may need a few extra candles per package. But I think @Dony probably already tested it with several packages and knows if he needed to buy some extra candles

 

[Earwen1]

Are we talking about the same quest ? I'm talking about quest #31. I still don't see any alternative for that one.
You probably mean #16, different quest all together. That one only requires 400 (not 600) spell fragments and luckily has an alternative.

Oops... my bad.


Quest 15 it is...

 

[DeletedUser3314]

Might I suggest that at the start the mark tile is cleared instead of having fog over it !

It's a waste to use a candle on that tile anyway and it only confuses players who ain't familiar with this type op (mini)game where to start (it did for me, partially also because of the hidden candle you get on the other square).

 

[iDavis]

@Lord Soth my guess is that this is only a bug, since the tile with candle in it is not touching any cleared area, it shouldn't be visible and player should indeed start with the very left tile.

 

[DeletedUser3314]

@Lord Soth my guess is that this is only a bug, since the tile with candle in it is not touching any cleared area, it shouldn't be visible and player should indeed start with the very left tile.

I like mine suggestion better. If it's a bug it would cost 1 extra candle to start, so definitely not going to rapport this as such.

 

[Empress Dee]

This is basically a rip-off of a mini-game that has been going on in "Township" for years, only the tools are much harder to come by.
The tools are MUCH too expensive, and waiting to get 410 points to buy tools (the only realistic option if you want all of the evolves IMO), is BOORING.
You would be much better off making tools more easily available/cheaper, even if it took more cats to get to goal.
As it is, I play the mini-game once a day for 5 minutes and am done while waiting to save up enough to buy tools.

 

[Alcaro]

beside collecting goods/ tools/ coins, gaining relics or vision vapors, solving encounters and other really boring stuff, there's no way to come with some new quests? Most of them are coming back to back. If at the beginning was boring (years ago) now are utterly annoying. If years ago the rewards pushed us to continue, now I don't find any reason to struggle to finish this event (actually any event lately). In my mind, a game is the definition of fun + entertainment. Where are they gone?

 

[Loki Blue]

This is the same thing as Forge of Empires ... this system has been in use there for many months ... and a lot of players love it.

And some players don't. But to each their own.

Spoiler

Suddenly, hunting murlocs in Darkshire is somehow more appealing.

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

Might I suggest that at the start the mark tile is cleared instead of having fog over it !
View attachment 8026
It's a waste to use a candle on that tile anyway and it only confuses players who ain't familiar with this type op (mini)game where to start (it did for me, partially also because of the hidden candle you get on the other square).

I am not sure what is wrong with your picture, maybe it is the bugged version that some Beta players got? Anyway, the candle on the left was not in any fog when I started the event. And it was not for the other members of my fellowship. All we had to do was collect that candle and then continue to the right.

 

[SoggyShorts]

Strong statement. There are more sources of variability now than ever before

True, but it certainly feels more like control&strategy rather than dice tossing.

To reach this efficiency you need to move forward 2-3 tiles between each flask or lantern. (2 before or after flask and 3 between lanterns) Lantern won't help you to move forward, and flask only moves you forward 1 tile. So it's probably better to use candles there, which means ~28 candles for 7 flasks and 7 lanterns alternating flask.

You are missing a huge factor which is free space. There are a lot of squares with no fog that allow you to advance forwards without a candle.
Also, and this might be anecdotal, free candles seem to be found more often than others when clearing.

I've purchased 6 of the 420 packages and so far the ratio has been nearly perfect- Ran down to 0,0,3

 

[Deleted User - 88256]

You are missing a huge factor which is free space. There are a lot of squares with no fog that allow you to advance forwards without a candle.

I mentioned them in the following sentence :

Plus those needed to get the prizes and to get around the obstacles, minus the empty tiles you find when you're moving forward between flasks and lanterns that replace candles.

But, as you also need extra candles to get the prizes and move around the obstacles (these ones can be replaced with flask but that's my last point), I estimated then you'll actually need more than this first estimate, hence the second estimate.

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

@PaNonymeB and @SoggyShorts the thing we all have to remember as we discuss the best method, is that the layout is random between everyone. What may give one person a bunch of obstacles, may give another person a bunch of empty spaces in between the fog. And the layout shifts as it moves to the right. What works well today for you, may be the worst way to do it tomorrow. In other games I have played that use this, there are sometimes stretches of 10+ columns with no prizes at all. Those times are really frustrating as you move along, not knowing there is nothing there. And other times the prizes will be packed in. Earlier today I got four cats within five columns, plus a couple of lost items and a couple of extra lights in with them.

 

[SoggyShorts]

we all have to remember as we discuss the best method, is that the layout is random between everyone.

They are repeating sections though, it's not truly random. All games like this have set "rooms" of multiple columns. It is possible therefore to have an average ratio of items required for the game. since those sections don't differ all that much-- at least in the few hundred hours I've spent in other games like this.
The fluctuations are minor and the basic strategy is the same.

 

[Deleted User - 88256]

All games like this have set "rooms" of multiple columns. It is possible therefore to have an average ratio of items required for the game. since those sections don't differ all that much-- at least in the few hundred hours I've spent in other games like this.

But here it's Elvenar event, so maybe it's full random

 

[Maillie]

My provinces take literally days to scout. I keep getting quests for encounters and the tournament also doesn't start for days. I had a few provinces scouted, but we seem to repeat quests a bit too often. Considering how many quests we need to complete to get just one small package it might be better to have an alternative other than the tournament, which is not available every day.

 

[SoggyShorts]

But here it's Elvenar event, so maybe it's full random

Heh possibly, but if so I've had some insane against the odds layout because I've already seen complete copies twice

 

[Earwen1]

Playing in Chapter I, quest 19 is close to impossible to fullfill.


It's asking for an enchantement, but the MA only comes into play at the end of chapter I.
An alternative would be welcome here.

My provinces take literally days to scout.

Here's your alternative!

 

[SoggyShorts]

Playing in Chapter I, quest 19 is close to impossible to fullfill.
It's asking for an enchantement, but the MA only comes into play at the end of chapter I.

The first province in the tournament will give you a spell, and you have a good chance when visiting players as well

 

[Earwen1]

The first province in the tournament will give you a spell, and you have a good chance when visiting players as well

New players will not all have joined or found a Fellowship, so no tournaments for them.
Visiting others is an option, but how would they know that? This is not pointed out somewhere.
There's no logical, or intuitive direction for that. A tooltip could help, maybe.

Try to see things from the point of view of somebody who plays for the first week, and without experience in another 'live' version of the game.

 

[Dony]

So I won't even need the following FA for a full hut.

I actually think that second building at stage 1 or 2 is better then half of Ancient Craps we can build now in current meta, it gives precious resources for both, fighters and negotiators at no additional difficulty increase for tourny/spire