I’ve also considered making your starting city one of the variant start conditions that come with different legacy options. So if you travelled to Rome or Cairo, the scenery might change, along with the local rules. It’s always exciting in something like Elder Sign: Omens to see the board change. But one of the ideas I was turning over – which has just become much more likely now that we’re better-funded – is that your office moves. You’ll need maps or clues to find the things you might try multiple approaches to solve obstacles you might have to deal with the ramifications, like curses or vengeful rivals.
In the prototype, you do this with Strathcoyne’s Library, and it’s very simple, but ultimately I want multi-stage situations with varying outcomes. At the moment, the plan is that you dispatch followers to find locations (the Tomb of the Amethyst Imago, or the Wreck of the Christabel, e.g.) and break into them, and they bring you back stuff. Whether you go there in person or not is still something I’m considering. “How expansive will the world of Cultist Sim be in terms of locations and exploration? More of a “stay around town, discover its dark secrets” or will we be going off to explore distant ancient ruins and hamlets to summon entities and gather knowledge? I guess, will it be more Fallen London or more 80 Days?” It’s more Fallen London than 80 Days you are conducting operations from your study. You’ll need to lay your plans – or conduct your protective rites – and wait for them to take effect. The key thing is that this runs at war-of-occultists speed, not action-movie speed. In the finished version, these will be slightly livelier antagonists, like Investigators and Detectives and Hauntings, or your own problems, like Appetites and Nightmares. In the prototype, it’s really simple – you can suffer a Malady which will chew up your health, or you can be under investigation by the Suppression Bureau, which will end the game unless you can divert it with bribes or scapegoats.
“Will there be direct combat (or at least as direct one can be against eldritch antediluvian evil)? If not weapons against enemy cultists and authorities, perhaps rituals and rites to battle and defend against horrors?” Not combat combat, not hit rolls and damage points, but there is opposition, yes. Perhaps the biggest takeaway is that when the Kickstarter ends, Alexis is planning to look at ways he can make the game more narratively and visually interesting with the additional funding he has received. More details on Cultist Simulator features and gameplay: combat, exploration, and the legacy system. A person of little significance: Currently accepting all non-harmful social actions, at least until I learn better. Those could easily play an expanded role.
Two other potential random factors from the non-graphic prototype were Explore options which let you browse flea markets for potentially magic items like a Cinnabar Amulet - I won't be surprised if that returns in the full game - and the possibility of randomly discovering a Tattered Map, which would allow you to send your followers on expeditions to discover more powerful items. Great exploration of possibilities, Anne! BTW, given its presence (though tenuous) in the non-graphic prototype and given that AK has mentioned it several times, I think you can add to the list of random factors the possibility of "Romantic Attention" and romantic affairs, probably conflicting with the goal of gaining occult power. Fallen London » Off topic: The Surface Discuss topics unrelated to our games here - as ever, be courteous and have fun! Alexis Kennedy's Cultist Simulator Clifton Royston Posts: 110