Okay, the RNG is an issue, but only once you get way beyond the credits

[Kaizze]

I never had an issue with the RNG, I think the vast majority of complaints about the RNG come from people having no idea how little the RNG actually hinders you from progressing, particularly towards getting the credits screen. Not just the credits screen though, there are numerous postgame puzzles that the RNG doesn't bother much.

But I'm now discovering the depth the game goes to, I'm discovering why I've heard things like "I've played for 200+ hours and still find new things" and "I can't believe this only took 8 years to make".

I spoiled myself by looking up a walkthrough to solve a particularly complex endgame puzzle, and the amount of RNG elements you have to lineup to complete it across numerous runs (the puzzle itself REQUIRES numerous runs, even with perfect RNG). To be very clear, this is a very deep into postgame riddle, combining clues from all over the place, I looked it up because I knew I wasn't gonna solve translating a fake language and using a cipher (both things I hate doing). Fun fact, the reward for solving this is a piece to another puzzle, and nothing more, which the depth is WILD and AWESOME.

The problem: The depth requires traversing so much RNG, so many runs. It's based off like Binding of Issac, where you are gonna find secrets and interactions even after many hundreds of hours of playing the game. BUT, the gameplay itself is not fun enough to justify hundreds of hours of repetitive gameplay to stumble upon these things.

My whole point in making this post, I think the depth and breadth of this game's riddle and puzzles are amazing, staggeringly so. I also think the roguelike nature of the game, the RNG-beast does not detract from enjoying the game TO A POINT. I think the developer made a fun game, with a good premise, but went too far. The developer built a universe and web of story, riddle, puzzle - But so much of it is built in a model of gameplay that I think the vast majority of fans will not enjoy enough to experience far too much of it.

Beating a dead horse: I loved my 20 something hours with Blue Prince, it's my favorite puzzle game I've ever played. I WANT to keep playing, I want to try to solve every puzzle and every riddle, but I will not play a fraction of the time required to do so because I do not think the gameplay loop lends itself to chasing that level of depth, I will waste far too much of my time. I WISH the puzzles and riddles and story the developer had created, was in a game like Witness, or Myst, or La-Mulana. So I could attempt to discover it all, without knowing that RNG is constantly eating my progress and time, particularly without the gameplay loop itself being fun and interesting enough to justify.

[[ZSU] Dave247]

Messaggio originale di Kaizze:

Messaggio originale di iClan|AnGeL:

I just discovered something on the 70th day : If you drafted enough times the observatory up to 49 times (I know it's a lot), the 50th times gave me the inkshell. It allow to use stars to reroll rooms during the run, making it easier to get whatever room you need

Oh that's actually huge.. I'm around 70 days in too, but I think I'm only at 30 something stars. But that's a very important upgrade in response to my concerns, perhaps the developer should change it to be rewarded sooner, or have a hint/clue (maybe there is one) that lets you know it exists at all.

There is apparently a clue in the Planetarium about a new constellation appearing at 50 stars, but because that is a hidden blueprint you have to find that first before it will even show up. I've been unable to find anyone mention what the hint/clue is to know to even look for it in the first place.

For those who want to know, you can find the blueprint in the telescope in the observatory. There is a small compartment at the top of telescope, which you can reach by using the wheels to flip it to the platform above you.

[[ZSU] Dave247]

There are also other things available in the later game that I've read which can help to shift the odds in your favour, but all of them either only have a minor effect or that they are temporary and only last for a specific amount of runs. There's also several hoops you have to jump through first to figure out what you should be doing and next to actually do it, with some steps needing to be done in a single run, and require specific rooms drafted in specific orientations.

Some of them are items, so I suppose you could store it in the Coat Check, but by doing so that obviously then means you can't store anything else you might need, such as an important key item for solving a puzzle.

[stevo]

Honestly simple things could make the game more bearable (though wouldn't necessarily fix the mediocre puzzles and discovery value)

Make the coat check room less rare. ( yes I know you can change this via a specific way, but it's so obnoxiously rare you may as well not bother)
increase the running speed by like 500%
Move the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ west wing special room to the actual start of the game would save a minute per run.
Easier access to the special items
Just easier ways in general to bank items for next runs.
Instant restarts instead of having to wait almost a minute for a day to reset.
I also think some of the visual stuff could do with improving. Connecting doorways should be highlighted on the map, because as is, it can be hard to tell when backtracking which rooms are.
I'd honestly take a permanent metal detector-esque item too once you get so far into the game. There's a reason why adventure games give you a "highlight all places of interest" button.

[Badgerlord]

I feel like the RNG could be massively mitigated somewhat by allowing us to permanently start with Ivory Dice, and increase that like we do our allowance.