Explanations of what the significance is of the icons on the task bottoms, and a verbiage question.

[Gankatron]

I know, ...it was meant to be played completely in the dark, but my limited amount of time to game would be greatly enhanced if I knew more about entry level game mechanics (please feel free to provide clarification under spoiler mask or provide me a link with basic explanations).

1) What do the icons (some with numerical values) represent at the bottom of the tasks?

At first I assumed that would be the resulting pay-off for doing the task, but I just had one with icons at the bottom right side that would have added up to 10 cards (assuming the numerical values following some of the icons were multipliers), but the result yielded no reward cards so it seems I was working on a false assumption.

I tried to answer this basic game mechanic question by searching online, but the guides gave general explanations of card types but nothing specific like a pic with arrows to explain how to properly read a card.

2) In general, how much of the flowery occult verbiage of card descriptions and results are meant to be unraveled, that is, for most descriptions should I be trying to decipher the entire passage word for word, or does there tend to be one or two hints immersed in the atmospheric, but largely fluff (from a purely game mechanic POV), prose?

To make up an example, I don't want to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to analyze every aspect of how the Maleficent Wrench Keeper quested to repair the Ethereal Camshaft of the Infernal Engine only to find to his horror that behind him the Tenebrous Slug lying in ambush slimed the path from the Eternal Compost Heap, which he was able to evade through his undying Passion for Cosmic Kale, when the only point was to suggest I should next seek out a passion-based solution for this path.

Thanks!

[kaibarnard]

If you hover over them -most give you a good idea, but some - even I don't know yet

The numbers are generally an indication of 'power' so a heart 2 lore fragment is the lowest level a heart 14 is the max same for ingrediants, tools and followers - a book may have the auctionable symbol and a 'value' of 1,2,3 giving you an idea of it's comparative value

As for the lore...1st play through or so I couldn't tell you want a name, a long or an hours was...then I started to piece together more and more - then the various hours start to mean more, then the names...then events, etc - the lore adds a lot more, but read it at your own pace...

[cswiger]

Well, there's a Beginner's Guide on the Cultist Sim wiki here:

Guide[cultistsimulator.gamepedia.com]

The lore is the backstory to what you are doing. You will choose a path and thus need to follow it to win, but you don't have to read every lore card in detail to keep heading more-or-less the right way. This being said, once you get up to Forge lvl 6 and so forth, the descriptions start becoming more important. They start making suggestions about how to summon specific spirits using proper combinations, and you want to pass various gates to enter the Mansus.

High level Knock lore will open almost anything, so it can act as a skeleton key.

[kaibarnard]

...personally just a touch of knock is normally enough, just a little...assistance....while not the only way - it's easier IMHO

[cswiger]

Sure, even Knock 2 will do for many low-level spirits...just need to find Neville or Enid to lend a hand. Even so, the Icon of St. Agnes from Lockwood Fen at Knock 4 is probably the most useful early tool.

Higher level Knock lore is more useful for entering the various Mansus gates than for summoning.

[Vanagandr]

1. The icons at the very bottom are a sum of the aspects of the cards involved.

For example, Manual Labour with one Health has Ability, Ingredient and 2 in Heart, all from the Health card.

Usually they're not relevant, except for those times (Expeditions, rituals) when you need to reach certain thresholds - in which case, it shows you how much you've added already, which gives you an idea of how much more is needed.

The icons within the lighter blue part of the box are connected to what the box is doing. For ex. if you open up the Time Passes verb, you can click the icons to see what season is going to come up next.


2. This is tricky. Some cards have descriptions a little like "A sloshing can of petroleum. [This may fuel machinery, or fire magics.]" in which case, the stuff in parentheses is gameplay instructions. Other cards are more elliptical. Others are simply fluff, even if it's delicious fluff.

For the most part, I'd say to read it, but not agonise over it too much. As you play, and read things, things will gradually start to become more clear, but information tends to be spread across several sources.

Later on, in a second playthrough or after getting fairly deep in, you start to notice things while re-reading.


However: in the case of books, it pays to read the book card description, the text that comes up while putting it in a Study box, and the text that's shown after it's finished being studied. Not building a conspiracy-theorist connection board or scrawling BUT THE HOUSE HAS NO WALLS in your own blood or anything like that, though. Maybe taking a note or two if something seems particularly relevant.


Also, you can click the aspects on a card for more information.

[Gankatron]

Thank you, those were just the answers I was looking for!