SPOILERS!!!!

Which of the scenarios is the most puzzle heavy? Which ones are the most action heavy? Which one is mainly investigation? Which of them actually uses the decoy stat (influence)?

I really wish the app would tell you a little more detail. When I'm trying to pick an adventure for friends it sometimes feel like reading the menu in another language and trying to order for everyone. There are so few details. Anyone care to help me?Feel free to correct anything I've totally gotten wrong. And that rotten influence stat. If I could make ma character I would put a 0 in that one till they start using it for something other than chasing off ghosts.

The Cult of Sentinel Hill is combat heavy and a race across the foothills of Dunwich. (Combat Heavy, Puzzle light, Investigation extra light, NO influence)

Cycle of eternity (Short balanced scenario with mid range exposure to all elements of the game even a smattering of decoy stat)

Escape from Innsmouth (Puzzle light, Investigation moderate, combat moderate strategy based investigation with one extremely low influence use)

Shattered Bonds

Rising Tide (Extremely Long investigation focused adventure with very little use of the influence stat)

Gates of Silverwood Manor

Vengeful Impulses

Dearly Departed (Combat bases scenbario with a time limit. Heavy combat and barricade usage)

What Lies Within

Dark Reflections

1 hour ago, Bibbles said:

Which of them actually uses the decoy stat (influence)?

"Decoy" stat? - What silly game have you been playing?^^ --- From memory, influence tests are used
in Cycle of Eternity, Escape from Innsmouth, Shattered Bonds, Rising Tide, Dearly Departed,
What lies within, Vengeful Impulses.

I don't remember if there is one in Cult of Sentinel Hill / Dark Reflections and I have yet
to play Gates of Silverwood Manor, so I can't comment on that one.

1 hour ago, Bibbles said:

I really wish the app would tell you a little more detail.

The App doesn't tell you more because that would take the fun out of things.
That's like it's your birthday, your are opening your presents and you already
know what's inside each and every one of them. - Boring. Why even bother?

1 hour ago, Bibbles said:

Which of the scenarios is the most puzzle heavy? Which ones are the most action heavy? Which one is mainly investigation?

Action: I guess Dearly Departed takes the cake in this department, followed by Escape from Innsmouth.
And maybe the end of Cult of Sentinel Hill.

The other ones I know are not that action heavy (what I'd call it anyway).

Puzzles: What do you call heavy here? - The most I've seen is 5 puzzles in one scenario,
but on average, I've seen 3 of them in each scenario. I guess some parts of Cycle of Eternity
and Rising Tide are somewhat puzzle heavy.

Investigation: You mean like, interrogating suspects, find out who the murderer is and stuff?
Rising Tide and Vengeful Impulses are your best bets here.

Edit: Guess I'd add a forth category here, "Looming Horror", and put Shattered Bonds,
What Lies Within and Dark Reflections in.

On 2017-10-26 at 11:14 AM, Lorinor said:

"Decoy" stat? - What silly game have you been playing?^^ --- From memory, influence tests are used
in Cycle of Eternity, Escape from Innsmouth, Shattered Bonds, Rising Tide, Dearly Departed,
What lies within, Vengeful Impulses.

Its just not a stat that comes up often enough nor does it seem to have a very large impact other than fighting ghosts. Coulda been called ghost busting. Im always sorta shocked when there is a character to dialog with and how seldom influence is used. If I made a character Id be hard pressed to put more than a 2 or three in it. Some guys with it maxed out and anyone with an interact with others power is sorta of a odd duck in this game. We've seen guys grab the high influence character and usually they feel shafted at the end. Most are left asking what that stat is even for. I wish every or most NPCs would have a favourable outcome if an influence roll is made.

On 2017-10-26 at 11:14 AM, Lorinor said:

Edit: Guess I'd add a forth category here, "Looming Horror", and put Shattered Bonds,
What Lies Within and Dark Reflections in.

What would you use looming horror to describe?

As for the birthday present element, I agree for the first two plays. I play this one often and have completed all the adventures 2-10 times. At this point I am more in need of a good menu to select the right adventure for the right night with friends. The difficulty rating is sorta of subjective. We've strolled through a 5 and crashed into a 2.

We ended up doing the Gates of Silverwood Manor. There was some good fights, one puzzle and NO INFLUENCE rolls despite there being a person to talk that. That being said we also did not manage to achieve the good ending.

The Cult of Sentinel Hill (Combat Heavy, Puzzle light, Investigation extra light, NO influence)

Cycle of eternity (Short balanced scenario with mid range exposure to all elements of the game even a smattering of decoy stat)

Escape from Innsmouth (Puzzle light, Investigation moderate, combat moderate strategy based investigation with one extremely low influence use)

Shattered Bonds

Rising Tide (Extremely Long investigation focused adventure, moderate to high puzzles, with very little use of the influence stat)

Gates of Silverwood Manor ( Combat limited puzzles and low to no influence use)

Vengeful Impulses

Dearly Departed (Combat bases scenbario with a time limit. Heavy combat and barricade usage)

What Lies Within

Dark Reflections

6 hours ago, Bibbles said:

What would you use looming horror to describe?

I guess kind of like there is a danger hiding in the shadows and you know something bad is going to happen, but you might not know what exactly or when and where. Like tension and horror are being built up with / as part of the story (or what's going on rather).

---

Well, I'll try to get a little more details here:

6 hours ago, Bibbles said:

The Cult of Sentinel Hill (Combat Heavy, Puzzle light, Investigation extra light, NO influence)

Cycle of eternity (Short balanced scenario with mid range exposure to all elements of the game even a smattering of decoy stat)

Escape from Innsmouth (Puzzle light, Investigation moderate, combat moderate strategy based investigation with one extremely low influence use)

Shattered Bonds (Puzzle light [I think there are not that many and there is only one that you have to do], Investigation light, combat will pop up again and again as you play)

Rising Tide (Extremely Long investigation focused adventure, moderate to high puzzles, with very little use of the influence stat)

Gates of Silverwood Manor ( Combat limited puzzles and low to no influence use)

Vengeful Impulses (There's one puzzle you have to do, more to find, but all those are optional. - Investigation (talking with people) is what you are doing most of time after you've explored the map. - Almost no combat, possibly none, depending on how you play.)

Dearly Departed (Combat bases scenario with a time limit. Heavy combat and barricade usage)

What Lies Within (I can't remember how many puzzles, but I think there are 2 you'll most likely always see/try to solve. - More like exploration instead of investigation, if any. - Combat light to medium, depending on a number of things if I recall correctly. -- Time somewhat limited.)

Dark Reflections (A number of puzzles, but all of them optional. - Investigation light I guess... since it doesn't matter much for your progress or the end game. - Very little combat.)

Concerning Influence... I guess it is not needed to win the game, but there a number of times / places where it can be useful and also help with the overall progress of the scenario; problem is, beforehand, you won't know where and when.

(Also, we have fought Maniacs and Riots with Influence so far. - Just saying. )

On 2017-10-28 at 3:31 PM, Lorinor said:

(Also, we have fought Maniacs and Riots with Influence so far. - Just saying. )

Wow Maniacs. Thats a nice touch and thanks so much for the help. I can't wait for some new adventures.

NICE THE NEW SCENARIOS SEEM TO MAKE GOOD USE OF INFLUENCE. I withdraw my complaint. My poor wife failed an influence roll and......well I wont spoil it for you but it did not make her game go well.

Once I'm through these a few times ill update my spoiler menu. You really should play em a few times without looking at this. I use it only for planning games around the players I have.......Ooo oooo there were enough puzzles that everyone at the table got one. That's amazing in a 4 players game.

Influence is also strangely useful for fighting unarmed against some opponents. Lets you do damage = to successes if I recall.