Why are you looking at me Starvling cat?

[Professor Smarmiarty]

So pretty sure I'm massively behind the times, but over the weekend starting hitting some Echo Bazaar. If you haven't heard it's a free browser game where you explore a subterranean victorian style London full of mystery and intrigue.
On my first few days I've broken out of prison, hunted down an escaped devil for the agency of Hell, starting hanging out with bohemians and anarchists (what else would I do?), learnt the secret language of tatoos and lingered on the brink of madness.
Also I've been to lots of dinner parties and played chess (once you have friends on their you can invite them to come do stuff iwth you and get lots of rewards).
One of the best things is the major NPCs all have twitter feeds in character which are hilarious.
The major problem with the game is its slow pace- you can make a maximum of 70 actions a day and you can have 10 actions recharged at a time. Once used an action takes 6 minutes to recharge so once you've run through your actions you need to wait an hour to use them again (or a good chunk of the day if you hit your 70) which is massively frustrating. It has a simplistic art style but works pretty well and the descriptions and the world are all very flavourful, intriguin and comic.
So anybody playing?

[PyrosNine]

I am playing as myself, PyrosNine.

I am a perceptive and persuasive individual not entirely skilled in physical roughhousery but am quite shadowy in my movements.

I saw it on the Extra Credit's "non violent gaming", but I thought that Extra Credit's point was stupid because the gameplay style used could equally be used for violent gameplay and has, because it all goes down to stats and grinding, albeit a more real world thing.

I dunno. Seems novel, but not different from any other Casual apps on Facebitter.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Haven't een the extra credits but I don't see how non-violent and violent gameplay would be fundamentally different, they both going to need game mechanics which could work each side. But games these day tend to skew towards violence so non-violence is nice in a game even if it uses the same mechanics- I don't relaly see how you could avoid that.

[Aerozord]

Haven't een the extra credits but I don't see how non-violent and violent gameplay would be fundamentally different, they both going to need game mechanics which could work each side. But games these day tend to skew towards violence so non-violence is nice in a game even if it uses the same mechanics- I don't relaly see how you could avoid that.

make a game based around being an attorney

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Wait a second while I open my magical game maker!

If I was making an attorney game (I haven't played Phoenix Wright or know how they work) I would have lots of minigames about investigating, and interogatting witnesses and preparing which give you bonuses in the main trial where people present cases and you can call out objections, throw in evidence, have different lines to take questioning- basically lots of timing opportunities, dialogue options. I don't think it would work that well, probably wouldn't make it.

[Azisien]

This sounds kind of cool, maybe something I can do on my phone while on the bus. Will check it out.

EDIT: You can find me on there as Mustachio!

[BloodyMage]

I can't stop playing. I hit my limit a lot, and I've already went insane once, and went back to prison.

Evidently, I have nothing better to do...

[Azisien]

I guess you have to be facebook friends to do stuff together? Bah.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Or twitter feeds. If you need a partner folow me, my twitter feed used to be gems of SMB wisdom but lay dormant for a year and is now just my Echo Bazaar account.

[Azisien]

Well twitter search didn't bring up that username. Maybe inactive? Mine's Azisien unsurprisingly.

Whoever will Mustachio play chess with?

[Kim]

I will join just so you don't have to be lonely.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

My twitter name is PontificateJosh if you want to add me. I did have a BHS one but I forgot the password so I set up this one solely for EBazaar.
I warn you I'm unbeaten at chess.

[Azisien]

Why good sir, I have no qualms with losing a friendly game of chess.

Of course, as you watch so intently the board and the many complexities and levels of the strategies you have planned, what you've missed are the invisible strings of Mustachio pulling ever so gently on you and your entire network.

Cheerio!

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Wracked by nightmare, I dare not sleep. I can no longer see, I can no longer hear, I can no longer breathe. Only in the sanctity of chess, the unfolding of plans, the patterns of the piece, can I find order and logic in thier shattered world. On the board there are no spiders in my eye or mirrors in my hands.
But even in this state, I cannot, I must not lose. For I am triumphant, for now.... for now....

[Azisien]

A well earned victory by suspiciously fidgety friend, we should make this a weekly affair! There are many strategies I could learn from a true, if a bit rank, chess master.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

OH GOD! WHY DOES IT BURN SO! LAUDANUM! I NEED LAUDANUM!

E: Protip: Fuck nightmares.

[BloodyMage]

I feel like I'm the the only person using facebook to play this game.

Well, me and my friend which I persuaded to join.

[Azisien]

The little re-do bonuses for doing events with friends are really damn handy. Definitely going to continue throwing out numerous suspicious loitering invitations!

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Oh dear. I seem to have a little problem in my house... Ah nothing major or disgusting like a massive horde of talkative rats I'm waging brutal war against or anything. No nothing like that. But I might be indisposed for a hwile.

[Geminex]

Watch out for any cats named maurice and you should be fine.

[Azisien]

Mustachio is apparently beginning to starve after a mushroom race. This is madness!

[Professor Smarmiarty]

I seem to have acquired 20 ridiculous hats via means unknown. If anything would like to be fantastically attired, I am a vendor tailored to your needs. And easy to find, unlike certain lurking individuals.

Edit: 3 days I have fought, and still they come. These rats are never ending. Every waking action I fight, slowly I drop their numbers but still they come.
3 days of actions- taken rats from 19 to 15 :(

[Azisien]

Whispers of me linger on every street corner of Spite, but is Mustachio there? Who knows.

All that is known is that Constables have fanned out in the dozens in search of this madman. My stolen honey will be costing dens for months now.

I knew they would come. But the cats told me weeks ago.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

There are lingers of blood, a touch on the breath, some poisons hang on the air- but he emerges- thinner than he was, a touch on the small side, - thousands of rats strng from his waste, followed by- is that?, yes it is- a fabled Rattus Faber Chief- a bit worse for wear is he, disgraced ashamed. A roar lets out, London awakes- for he is back. He has returned. Victorious.

A well earned rest, I thought, after my week long war. And it is a festival after all. But word of my extend stay at the Carnival, ahem, pleasure gardens has spread round and so I'm going to have to make an unexpected stay in the resident tomb colonies till things die down. Won't be long!