Echo Bazaar - Royal Bethlehem Hotel Appreciation Group

[RearAdmiral]

[release][h2]The Basics[/h2]

Echo Bazaar is a browser based game in which players assume the role of a newly arrived visitor to the so called “Fallen London”, the City itself now located a mile or so undergound. [b]The game requires it is linked via Facebook or Twitter.[/b]

The game is largely open ended in what the player decides to do, but with individual character "ambitions" (VERY long storylines that result in huge rewards) and a "main storyline" that eventually makes itself known as players reach the level caps.

With a limited number of actions a day, players have adventures and pursue various ambitions via “Storylets”, small and self contained segments of prose in which players are given a choice, the odds of success depending on their statistics.

[quote][url=http://i52.tinypic.com/oa90rp.png][IMG]http://i52.tinypic.com/oa90rp.png[/IMG][/url]
[i](Click to enlarge)[/i][/quote][/release]

[release][h2]Statistics[/h2]

[b]Dangerous[/b] – The character's combat abilities, including Pugilism, Marksmanship and Endurance. A dangerous character is a formidable opponent, and examples include Zailors, Soldiers and the various thugs and fighters that inhabit Fallen London.

[b]Watchful[/b] – The character's intellect and perception, including the art of deduction. A watchful character has a sharp mind, and may turn their talents towards academic pursuits or even the deductive skills of an investigator.

[b]Persuasive[/b] – The character's natural wit, charm and artistic ability. Persuasive characters can associate themselves with Fallen London's Bohemian population, fraternising with Poets and Actors and other people of dubiously artistic inclinations, or they may find themselves placed with the upper echelons of society, with Fallen London's hedonistic and decadent High Society.

[b]Shadowy[/b] – The character's subtlety, cunning and ability to conceal themselves. Shadowy characters are well connected with Fallen London's criminal population, which includes smugglers, thieves, urchin pickpockets, spies and other people of ill repute.

Storylets are unlocked by these statistics reaching a certain level, and while there is no penalty to grooming oneself as a generalist, it is generally advised that players focus on one or two skills (although it may be necessary to groom the other statistics to a certain degree).

While it is impossible to achieve a “Game Over” screen, there are still a number of hazards present in Echo Bazaar, which can have a number of undesirable (or perhaps even desirable) effects on characters. These include (MINOR SPOILERS!):

[quote][i]You're looking a bit tatty around the edges...[/i][/quote]

[b]Wounds[/b] – The higher this value is, the worse the character's health. When this value reaches 8 the character dies. Fortunately death is not necessarily the end in Fallen London, although it is still something of a hindrance. Wounds are most often encountered by failing “Dangerous” storylets.

[quote][i]In the street, you pass a tall, cheerful man with a brisk manner, a stovepipe hat and a row of bright brass buttons down the front of his coat. He winks familiarly as you pass and spreads his hands: eight fingers.

You've seen him before. Of course you have. He was beside your bed when you woke this morning. Or were you still asleep?[/i][/quote]

[b]Nightmares[/b] – The Neath is not always a particularly pleasant place, and exposure to its less pleasant aspects can sometimes leave characters with Nightmares. Failing high level Watchful Storylets, witnessing disturbing acts or scenes or having recurring (often frightening) dreams cause this value to rise. When it reaches 8 the character goes insane.

[i][quote]The stories told of your exploits have become too shocking, even for the nocturnal tastes of Fallen London. Your lodgings are daily besieged by journalists, Constables, and clergymen. Young ladies and gentlemen are lining up to claim that you have depraved and despoiled them. Certain other ladies and gentlemen are complaining bitterly because you haven't depraved and despoiled them. [/quote][/i]

[b]Scandal[/b] – A somewhat inevitable by product of being “somebody” in Fallen London, a character's outrageous, debauched, obscene or crass behaviour can get people talking, which may in itself lead to unwanted attention. Allowing one's scandal value to rise too high will result in a maelstrom of attention, and Fallen London will be practically inhabitable until it all dies down. Scandal is usually accumulated by failing high level Persuasive Storylets.

[i][quote]The authorities are taking too keen an interest in your activities. [/quote][/i]

[b]Suspicion[/b] – While Fallen London is a somewhat chaotic place to live it is still far from lawless, and while there are those that willingly break the law there are those that will do their best to enforce it also. Suspicion signifies a character's infamy and criminal reputation, if it reaches 8 then a character will be imprisoned. Suspicion is usually earned by failing high level Shadowy Storylets.[/release]

[release][h2]Links:[/h2]

[quote][url=http://echobazaar.failbettergames.com][b]Echo Bazaar, the game itself.[/b][/url]

[url=http://echobazaar.wikidot.com/] The Echo Bazaar Wiki, contains spoilers![/url]

[url=http://www.failbettergames.com/[/url]The Failbetter Games website[/url]
[/quote][/release]

I've probably missed some stuff. I'll try and get some more setting info up, such as faction descriptions.

[theseltsamone]

I played this for a month a while ago. I really like how well written everything is. I ended up quitting because of the limit on actions, though.

[RearAdmiral]

[QUOTE=theseltsamone;31941718]I played this for a month a while ago. I really like how well written everything is. I ended up quitting because of the limit on actions, though.[/QUOTE]

It works best as something you have a go at in five or ten minute bursts every so often. Out of curiosity, what kind of characters do you guys play? I've got a Detective type with a focus on Watchful and a secondary focus on dangerous, and they've come to the Neath to find the person that killed their brother. Add onto that a high melancholy and subtle and I essentially have Robert Downey Jr's Sherlock Holmes if he was more depressed and he took advantage of honey addicted heiresses. :v:

Oh and if he was also half insane.

[sp]CLEFT THEE HIDE FOR ME[/sp]