Help with level 4

[iacomary97]

I usually like finding out for myself, trying new tactics see what works best. But it's the 12th time i retry this scenario and after everything i do it seems i still can't get my reputation higher, and pretty fast i lose because my rep goes to zero. I didnt have any problem before some update happened and i guess a lot of things got changed so i dont know what i'm doing wrong.
What i'm seeing gets me problems is the food. The clients immediatly ask for plates the maids can't serve. I try getting new recepies through the research room but it never seems fast enough. I even tried waiting to open the tavern and get an headstart with the research but then the tavern opened it by itself. And then from normal i lowered all the way to very easy. Still no improvements. I really would like to see the rest of the game and really DON'T look forward to keep replaying this 4th level on repeat.

This is not my first language so i hope i explained everything clearly.

[Peter]

iacomary97, while my primary stance is to leave the game to be your experience, I can give you some tips :D

Tip 1) Research new recipe with 100% slider set towards new recipes.

Tip 2) Have 6 maidens researching and you should be able to research a new recipe in less than a month

Tip 3) Use Research potions to increase research speed.

Tip 4) Hire staff members with research perks. The perk also increases research speed.

Hope this helps!

[Shadowswimer]

also remember to improve your alochol quality by having a bartender work in the workshop aswell. bad mead will give you bad rep too, good mead can give you easily +25 rep.

[Nekochan]

Kinda in the same boat, used to have no issue months ago and even with all food researched and every need met and never getting lower than a 3.5 before or after, at some point rep plummets like a rock for no reason. There was even a few instances of the rep gain from the inspection not being applied ever.

For information
All recpies researched
Mead quality 4 star
Everything but food during inspection gets 4.5 or higher, food gets 3.5
All rooms built in sufficienty quantity
Excess of workers to be honest, all happy
Usually no wait but sometimes 1 or 2 wait pips on the screen
Not seeing any demand bubbles not being met
Plenty of fireplaces and entertainment

[wolf]

Hello there,
I had troubles surviving level 3 and 4 too. I finally found a strategy that seemed to work.
@Peter: I have absolultely no idea how you do finance 6 maidens AND have a good running tavern.... I am generally low on money, just having 2-3 maidens altogether, sharing research and service, maybe having 5 at the very end of the level.

As for my strategy: (SPOILER??? I am not sure... maybe it is)
I had the problem to lose reputation really fast. So I decided to fit my tavern to target groups, using the reservations.
Example: Next to bars and (maybe or not) kitchen and tables, I build an "arcade study".
Now, when reservations arrive, I only accept them for mages. Not for any other group.
Why?
I have anything that Mages need to get their reputation.
Then, when having more money again, I build e. g. a Spa. Now, I also accept the reservations for locals, as they want a Spa and give me their reputation.
I still decline any other group, as I don't have the rooms for them that hey want, e. g. a Gym.
If people that want a gym dont visit me, I don't get the negative reputation from them when not having a Gym.

First of all, I always build a bar or two, and as soon as I can afford ad third or even a fourth bar. That way I can accepte quite a lot of guests, just having a drink, getting a little bit of money and reputaton.
I always have a Bartender for research as the very first thing at all, so the guests get happy at the bar as soon as possible with the better mead.
Additionally, I always build a stage or piano, organizing it that the stage or piano covers as many bars as possible.
Having sleeping rooms, for me, is just kind of bonus for my guests, adding it "quite late", but primarily you have to fit your guest's needs to get the reputation.

Don't forget to turn off the wating-option in the policy window for servies that you don't offer. I never watched it in detail, but as for the description of this option, people not beeing served with the rooms they want, leave early, thus not genrating as much negative reputation.

In a special situation I even did not build any food thing... preferring to have no food at all than offering bad food or people being sad because of not having the food they want yet. Or I just waited building the kitchen until research of food had some progress.

As soon as I forces this strategy, I could beat level 3 and 4 quite easily.
Level 5 need "a little adaption" to this (maybe spoiler if I mention here, but just ask me for details if you want to know ), but works well too.

Hope that helps you :)

[kiwicalifornia]

One thing I do on ALL levels before anything else is to buy a standing clock. That way I can pause the game and take my time researching the layouts and placing my furniture.

[LiarsSlaughter1]

still can't finish it on normal. It's just level 4 and I'm already stuck. I don't like that. I'm sick of the game already because of that

[kiwicalifornia]

Originally posted by LiarsSlaughter1:

still can't finish it on normal. It's just level 4 and I'm already stuck. I don't like that. I'm sick of the game already because of that

Try playing a couple of levels on easy first to help you get the hang of things.

[LiarsSlaughter1]

Originally posted by kiwicalifornia:

Originally posted by LiarsSlaughter1:

still can't finish it on normal. It's just level 4 and I'm already stuck. I don't like that. I'm sick of the game already because of that

Try playing a couple of levels on easy first to help you get the hang of things.

I got through the other levels without being fired on normal. I tried the things wolf said on level 4 but it still isn't enough. I might try it on easy but I'm not into it that much right now

[Shaihulud]

I gave up on both level 4 and the game period. I uninstalled it, as there is no balance. I lose in less then 10 minutes due to idiots spamming me with orders for crap we do not serve, and taking a 16-20 rep hit each time, usually every few seconds. and the inspection results not applying, oh and non stop fights. (30 rep hit each time) one of the worst designed levels in the whole game. Any level where you have to do it an ecact way to pass is simply poor programing.

[Nuker1110]

Originally posted by AFO-P Shaihulud:

...orders for crap we do not serve...

1. Plot out your dining facilities (kitchen/tables) but don't finalize them.
2. Set up a 4-oven workshop.
3. Slide research bar all the way to "new dishes".
4. Staff workshop with maidens.
5. Live off of booze and bed income while researching 2-3 new menu items.
6. Build kitchen and tables.

[karma827]

Don't forget, you can also buy food you don't have through Trade offers (in the Research panel, atm), when you have an admin room.

Also, before you have the first couple menu items, and before you have trade offers, I recommend setting your Food Policy to Leave, and ensure you have a fireplace in the path people use to approach your tables, or near your entrance if you don't have any tables. This will ensure people are automatically a little happier than when they arrived, which can often give you a little buffer. Remember, the biggest thing that makes customers unhappy is waiting.

[Two Finger Joe]

Don't let your maidens take orders till the research for all the guests' food demand is ready. Guest will sit happily at their table and can wait patiently quite long, which gives you the time to to the research with lot of maidens dedicated. You can hire a lot of cheap maidens and let them go, if they demand too much, just hire new ones till the research is done, to save money. Trade offers do not help always, because they often come too late or don't cover the current demand of your guests.

[karma827]

Agreed @Two Finger Joe. Trade orders are definitely not a "reliable" way to save yourself.

I always start a level looking at how many maidens I can hire, and restart the level if it's less than 4, though I prefer to have 6 or more. I also always start with a research workshop with at least 6 ovens, and I make all my maidens learn the Research Nerd perk first (I always build a starting training room that can accommodate 8 people learning, so I can train all maidens and some handymen at the same time). The time savings in the end is worth it. And I save my blue potions until I have 6 maidens with the research perk researching. I don't even build a kitchen until they've researched rabbit stew, or even skewers. Once I have a kitchen, I hire a separate maiden, who learns the Tip Master perk, to run a couple tables. The whole time I leave my Food policy on Leave. As you have more activities in your tavern, people will move on to those more often than leave anyway.

[Titanius Anglesmith]

Sorry to necro-post but this topic recently helped me. I did some trial and error on all the advice above, and I can honestly say I think the three biggest factors were:

1. No tables/kitchen until I'd researched all the recipes. A lot of the advice was "get at least 4 maidens" which is tricky on level 4 since you only get one maiden at a time to hire, but eventually you can do it.

2. The fireplace by the door - this was a gamechanger for me. I'd done it on previous levels but was clearly taking for granted how much of an impact this was having. @karma827 props for this call!

3. @wolf 's recommendation above to focus on targeting groups you can satisfy with rooms - this worked well for me to keep money coming in, just make sure that you a) are upgrading the mead, and b) have at least 3 adequately staffed bars and don't accept too many groups as leaving them waiting will hammer your rep.

As a side note, I was originally annoyed by the fighting, but I think with the fireplace this actually evens out. The -30 suffered by the loser of the fight can be cancelled out by the +rep from the winner.