FA questions, a whole bunch of

[Gandelf]

I'm a pretty new player, in a fellowship full of new players, and in one of my worlds I'm responsible for running the FA. I've been asked how long it runs. I dunno, how long does a FA run?

Also, I see that the extremely helpful guide in elevenar gems tells you what you need if you do all 3 paths at each stage. Can you do that? Can we do the first stage 3 times, instead of doing all 3 stages? Assuming that we can do 2 or all 3 paths, is there any benefit to doing so?

That'll do for starters

 

[Ashrem]

I beleive it is five full days. It will start monday and end Saturday at about the same time. There will be a countdown clock in game..

 

[CanDaMan]

You do each stage separately. Once you get to the top and click the chest, you can't go back to the previous stage. We have done it many ways (1-1-1, 3-2-1, 3-3-1, etc.), but the way they score it, and considering the huge difficulty/goods-grab between stages, we believe that you should do all legs on each stage as you go up, until time runs out. You also have to make sure that everyone knows not to click the chest until all legs are finished, as someone ALWAYS inadvertently clicks it.

You can get around it by temporarily making everyone Fellows (except a chosen few), until the event ends. just make sure everyone knows why they were 'demoted', so moral doesn't suffer!

 

[CanDaMan]

Be advised though, that sometimes they have asked you to 'donate' things like KP, gold, or goods. We avoid those like the plague, and do the other legs, or skip the FA altogether!

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

Be advised though, that sometimes they have asked you to 'donate' things like KP, gold, or goods. We avoid those like the plague, and do the other legs, or skip the FA altogether!

Just so you are aware, this one will use all 16 badge types, but I think they no longer use the waypoints that require donations to complete.

 

[mucksterme]

I'd recommend
Since this is your first time
Look at the path requirement for each stage
Choose the easiest path and do just that one
There's no way you'll be in the running for highest score rewards
So better just to concentrate on finishing all the stages

btw

Your FS should be running their 24/48 hour badges right now so you can collect them when the FA begins

 

[Ashrem]

In general, and as long as your team is good at delayed gratification, front loading all the one and two day badges you need is a more efficient strategy. They are less hassle to du during the week for anyone working or at school, and During the last 48 hours it's too late to start more. With all your one and two day badges in place during the first few days, you will seem to moving very slowly at the start, but as the shorter badges start to pile-up, the last few days everything will be moving at an exciting pace and won't come to a screeching halt while you wait for a few more two day badges.

 

[DeletedUser24216]

Anyone know what time it starts? Do events usually start at a designated time?

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

Anyone know what time it starts? Do events usually start at a designated time?

Either 5am or 6am eastern US time.

 

[mucksterme]

In general, and as long as your team is good at delayed gratification, front loading all the one and two day badges you need is a more efficient strategy. They are less hassle to du during the week for anyone working or at school, and During the last 48 hours it's too late to start more. With all your one and two day badges in place during the first few days, you will seem to moving very slowly at the start, but as the shorter badges start to pile-up, the last few days everything will be moving at an exciting pace and won't come to a screeching halt while you wait for a few more two day badges.

Yeah, in the FS I'm in, we should have all the Statues ( 48hr ) we need for the entire FA as soon as it starts.
Unless someone screwed up the math.

 

[NightshadeCS]

Wanted to add that you don't actually have to fully complete a single color path, either. You can jump between paths at the multicolor waypoints, though that requires doing one extra waypoint overall. We sometimes do that to avoid some tough spots. Any which way you reach the summit is fine, but once the flag is pulled for that treasure at the top, that stage is done and partially-filled waypoints will give you 0 points and all those badges are gone.

I agree with those above who suggest you try for one path on each stage this time and see how far you get. Be aware that you may not get all the way through all 3 stages, and that is ok. Set a modest goal for your group so they feel like they have accomplished something.

 

[Gandelf]

Wanted to add that you don't actually have to fully complete a single color path, either. You can jump between paths at the multicolor waypoints, though that requires doing one extra waypoint overall. We sometimes do that to avoid some tough spots. Any which way you reach the summit is fine, but once the flag is pulled for that treasure at the top, that stage is done and partially-filled waypoints will give you 0 points and all those badges are gone.

How do you jump between paths? (I don't remember being able to do that last time, but that doesn't mean much.)

 

[Crow Last Elf]

After the multi-colour waypoints, you can choose which colour waypoint to choose next.

For example, in stage 1, my path could be 10 WP total by going Start; Org; Multi;Multi ;Blue; Blue;Multi ; Blue;Blue;Blue

or it could be 9 total by going Start;Orange; Multi;Org; Org;Multi;Org;Org:Org

 

[NightshadeCS]

How do you jump between paths? (I don't remember being able to do that last time, but that doesn't mean much.)

We have always been able to do it, but some people don't realize it.

As the above post states, it has to be done at the multicolor waypoints (the ones with a symbol showing three colors). Instead of going up the color path you are working on, you can complete a second multicolor one space to the right or left and then continue up the path of that color. This is often why groups opt for the blue path to start, since it provides the opportunity to jump over to yellow or green with only one extra waypoint to complete. (It also is good for grabbing extra points, since the multicolor points are usually worth more than the solid color ones).

This is a great way to avoid waypoints that require extra Elegant Statues or vast amounts of Blacksmiths. My group has often done a combination of green and blue to get to the top on Stage 3.

 

[DeletedUser15476]

I've heard blue is easiest, next green and that orange is the toughest. Anyone know?

 

[DogsHouse]

The spreadsheet and Gems don't match up and we can't plan ahead. Is there a spreadsheet (or something) that we can use? Maybe this question has been answered somewhere else on the forum but I haven't seen it.

 

[mucksterme]

The spreadsheet and Gems don't match up and we can't plan ahead. Is there a spreadsheet (or something) that we can use? Maybe this question has been answered somewhere else on the forum but I haven't seen it.

That's because apparently we are not doing the harder version that Beta did. We are doing a previous version, at least in stage one.

 

[Crow Last Elf]

The spreadsheet and Gems don't match up and we can't plan ahead. Is there a spreadsheet (or something) that we can use? Maybe this question has been answered somewhere else on the forum but I haven't seen it.

Did you look through the previous FAs on Gems? I read that version D should be the one that stage 1 matches

 

[Deleted User - 1599294]

That's because apparently we are not doing the harder version that Beta did. We are doing a previous version, at least in stage one.

GofK has been updated to now show the Version D map

 

[DogsHouse]

Crow, I was out of town last FA. Thanks for everyone's help!