No wildfire essence = no second hearth

[AirToob]

I'm ready to set up a second hearth, but it needs wildfire essence which I don't have. It doesn't seem likely that I'll be able to manufacture any in the foreseeable future - trader doesn't have any at the moment - is there any other way I am likely to get some?

I must have started with some wildfire essence - is there a way in which I could have got rid of it by doing something wrong?


I have also found that stone is required to break open some caches, and I have yet to find any that the stonecutter's camp could use. Do some settlement areas have stone deposits? Haven't seen any so far. I must remember not to use stone for anything in my next game...

[kory]

Wildfire essence basically only comes from traders and a few orders (and a few events, I guess). Anyway, in addition to hearths, it is used for making the automation for geysers (and maybe blight posts? haven't checked yet). It also sells to traders decently, but I doubt you did that by accident.

[Samseng Yik]

It is very strange you don't have essence.
The only such possibility I can think off, is you made robot and settle some glade events with it.
Then your last option will be get from trade and order reward.

About the stone, I suspect you still have no idea how to see "current biome resource" ?
Press ESC, look at the left about current biome detail.
No point select useless blueprint for a biome which don't have resource for it.

[AirToob]

Originally posted by kory:

Wildfire essence basically only comes from traders and a few orders (and a few events, I guess). Anyway, in addition to hearths, it is used for making the automation for geysers (and maybe blight posts? haven't checked yet). It also sells to traders decently, but I doubt you did that by accident.

Thanks, I shall wait patiently!
No, I didn't use it for any of those things.

[AirToob]

Originally posted by Samseng Yik:

About the stone, I suspect you still have no idea how to see "current biome resource" ?
Press ESC, look at the left about current biome detail.
No point select useless blueprint for a biome which don't have resource for it.

Great tip - I knew about finding resources in the settlement, but not about seeing what the biome is capable of offering. Thanks.

[AirToob]

Also making a note to self to turn off oil consumption in the hearth(s). I need it to burn down things in opened glades and never have it! I guess I'll learn eventually...

[arjensmit79]

Always embark with stones and indeed use them for caches, nothing else.

As explained, be very mindful of your wildfire essences. Ideally you would want to build 2 extra hearths and automate 1 or 2 geysers. You won't have enough for that, so prioritize this reward in orders (common) and buy from traders if you see any. (rare).

[el Darkness]

In options you have a setting to disable some fuel from being burned when you start a new game. Change the setting to your liking and you will not need to do it in future runs.

[AirToob]

Thanks, guys. Much appreciated.

[That Fish Guy]

You normally start with 5, they sell well and can be used to burn effigies, maybe one of those occurred.

[AirToob]

I very nearly won a long and successful game, with nearly-there resolve well ahead of the Queen's impatience, until the Queen issued her *last* order which had one impossible choice and one for a combo including 15 tools. I only had 14 tools and no carpenter, and an uncooperative trader who never had tools, so I had to watch the game slowly fail for the lack of 1 tool. (Am I right that if you fulfil the Queen's last order, you win?)

I guess this is just learning by experience, but are there any general guidelines on products to make sure are always at a certain level to meet those orders?

[kory]

Originally posted by AirToob:

I very nearly won a long and successful game, with nearly-there resolve well ahead of the Queen's impatience, until the Queen issued her *last* order which had one impossible choice and one for a combo including 15 tools. I only had 14 tools and no carpenter, and an uncooperative trader who never had tools, so I had to watch the game slowly fail for the lack of 1 tool. (Am I right that if you fulfil the Queen's last order, you win?)

I guess this is just learning by experience, but are there any general guidelines on products to make sure are always at a certain level to meet those orders?

Fulfilling the last queen order is not how you win, getting the reputation bar full is how you win. I'm not sure with lower difficulties, but on higher difficulties, the queens orders aren't enough points to win, and even if they were, you often wind up getting reputation points from at least a few other sources anyway. Do not view the queen's orders as mandatory, merely an option.

[arjensmit79]

Originally posted by AirToob:

I very nearly won a long and successful game, with nearly-there resolve well ahead of the Queen's impatience, until the Queen issued her *last* order which had one impossible choice and one for a combo including 15 tools. I only had 14 tools and no carpenter, and an uncooperative trader who never had tools, so I had to watch the game slowly fail for the lack of 1 tool. (Am I right that if you fulfil the Queen's last order, you win?)

I guess this is just learning by experience, but are there any general guidelines on products to make sure are always at a certain level to meet those orders?

No, solving all orders does not make you win.
You need to fill the reputation bar for a win. So make your people happy. The common way to do this without relying on RNG too much is this:
-Produce a single advanced food.
-Over the course of the game, Build 3 hearths, make sure they are all neighbourhoods
-Over the course of the game build your economy while solving orders.
-Build a monastry, guid house or tavern if you get it.
-Also build any service building that offers services wanted by your people
-By year 5ish, when you have done most of your orders and most of the above, start buying all service goods and advanced foods from the trader. Call in multiple traders to buy all their stuff. Do this at the start of the year or use consumption control to keep all your stuff until start of the year. When you release all the goods, everyone is happy and produces reputation, like 4 points per year.

So as you see, it doesn't really matter what you produce, as long as you generate value to trade. Packs of trade or luxury goods are best for that.

[AirToob]

Really helpful, thanks.

[el Darkness]

Orders are best way to kickstart your economy with blueprints and or permanent bonuses (like +1 to all planks production). Usually they will contribute a lot of your Reputation (victory points), maybe even more than half, but by no means they are mandatory. If you send cache to the Queen (you need tools) you will gain Rep. If you solve Dangerous Glade Events you may earn Rep. Trader may sell you Rep for Amber. And most importantly (just after orders) happy settlers will give you Resolve, make them happy, give them food and services they like and they will repay you with Rep.

[AirToob]

Originally posted by arjensmit79:

Originally posted by AirToob:

I very nearly won a long and successful game, with nearly-there resolve well ahead of the Queen's impatience, until the Queen issued her *last* order which had one impossible choice and one for a combo including 15 tools. I only had 14 tools and no carpenter, and an uncooperative trader who never had tools, so I had to watch the game slowly fail for the lack of 1 tool. (Am I right that if you fulfil the Queen's last order, you win?)

I guess this is just learning by experience, but are there any general guidelines on products to make sure are always at a certain level to meet those orders?

No, solving all orders does not make you win.
You need to fill the reputation bar for a win. So make your people happy. The common way to do this without relying on RNG too much is this:
-Produce a single advanced food.
-Over the course of the game, Build 3 hearths, make sure they are all neighbourhoods
-Over the course of the game build your economy while solving orders.
-Build a monastry, guid house or tavern if you get it.
-Also build any service building that offers services wanted by your people
-By year 5ish, when you have done most of your orders and most of the above, start buying all service goods and advanced foods from the trader. Call in multiple traders to buy all their stuff. Do this at the start of the year or use consumption control to keep all your stuff until start of the year. When you release all the goods, everyone is happy and produces reputation, like 4 points per year.

So as you see, it doesn't really matter what you produce, as long as you generate value to trade. Packs of trade or luxury goods are best for that.

Great advice, but the one thing I didn't fully understand was "When you release all the goods...". What exactly does this mean?