Thanks for the answer about what vitality stat do ^^
I noticed that a lot of those checks are
flavor text
only show up on optional story branches (so some players like me have no idea about it)
present with other options that very obviously check for other stats
So I guess that’s why unlike every other stats I never once feel “Damn, I should have build up this stat!” or “WHAT? What do you mean my stat isn’t high enough!!!”
The part about escaping Williams to save a friend is a big deal, but my favorite enhancement is the stealth device so well no need for vitality there either
I never seen a tussle with Haken though. Did we have to really piss him off to see that scene? And is there a point in fighting against Rost? I feel like using intimidation or diplomacy to get by him work better since Rost later join the battle that way (unless it’s necessary for curing Rost achievement- that I still couldn’t figure out )
So I won’t be able to get the achievement unless I also get the Sonoma’s ending? Do I need also need high academics or diplomacy stats too? But wow, I never thought Sonoma’s ending is a requirement!
Only enough to get him to trust you in the maze (diplomacy).
In the Sonoma ending she’ll tell you that they have the cure for his maddnes and he need to take it three times a day(week?) It will happen even if you choose to leave camp for cabin.
In chapter 6, if you try to cut off the feral drugged pack after observing them, you’ll get attacked by Haken. A high vitality (or a very high combat) allows you to school him, which gives you a significant reputation bump from him.
There’s technically no absolute need to fight Rost. But if you’re not good at academics, intimidation, or diplomacy, talking to him’s not going to do much good.
And yes, as Saprook mentioned, curing Rost requires you bring up the possibility in the first encounter, and ending with Sonoma. The reason for this is that Sonoma’s faction are the only ones who have developed a cure for wolves going full-feral. The government would obviously rather isolate/jail the problem at this point, and General Rivera is more interested in fighting, so she actually appreciates feral werewolf killing machines.
I’d also like to note here that if Bly goes feral here in book 1, the same cure may have the potential to fix her…
I must have missed some story threads somewhere, but I just couldn’t get Not Today, Just Dropping In and Silver Tongue achievements
(Technically I haven’t get Greater Good achievement either, but that’s because I couldn’t bring myself to betray the pack than anything else. )
Speaking of the pack, I like how you make the authority figures in the story actually feel like older relatives who want to look out for the kids, it really show what the story already told us from the beginning - the whole pack is like a family.
Haken wasn’t my favorite character, but damn did it touched me when Haken never fail to show that he care. Whether my wolf is a feral warrior (which Haken mightily approve of but still worry for. ex: suggest killing Justin at the meeting) or a pacifist bookworm/shadow (ex: when he ask my wolf to defend themselves and called them self-righteous kids even when they really don’t see eye to eye)
Haken is like the biggest reason why I can’t go with Willaims who’s actually one of my favorite characters.
You get Not Today by blocking Tiva’s shot.(knock out her gun). You should have 50 combat skill to succeed (but if you always go for combat you should have 70 by that point).
Silver tongue - pacifist play-through with high diplomacy, then side with William. When Haken confronts him during battle convince him to let you and Williams go.
Just Dropping In - when you get captured and in the enemy base you’ll get to a point when you have to choose between going up the ladder/vent or sticking with corridor. Go through vent and you’ll be above enemy soldiers. Choose to attack.(You might to be rescued by Jolon to get this option.)
@DragonDamsel I’m really glad that you enjoyed Haken! I wanted people to be able to see him as a real person, not just a cutout ‘angry alpha male’. I tried to put a decent amount of nuance into him. He cares about his pack and he wants what’s best for everyone. He’s just a real hardass about it.
Specifically for ‘Just Dropping In’, you need to be captured at the end of chapter 9, NOT be the one doing the rescuing, AND you have to be saved by either Bly or Jolon, as they’re the only ones who can detect the alternate passage
‘Not Today’ requires you to attempt to block Tiva’s shot in chapter 3. You need to have a 60 or higher combat score to be 100% successful, otherwise she uses her second gun to make the shot after you slap the first out of her hand.
Saprook got ‘Silver Tongue’ 100%. That’s a very rare achievement and requires convincing Haken to leave Williams alone on the ‘joining Williams’ ending bracket.
@Saprook@GreekWinter Thanks for helping me with my achievements problem. I don’t even realize I need to stop Tiva with the combat option (I always use the diplomacy option when I wanted to stop her) and I always thought the ‘Just Dropping In’ achievement is from joining Haken’s attack during the battle.
I guess I have to let Greater Good and Silver Tongue be, I just couldn’t bring myself to betray the pack Unless the sequel managed to convince me otherwise, I could live without those achievements.
This is kinda unrelated, but unlike a lot of people, I actually like the DC ending bracket the most and I find getting there so damn difficult! From the responses on this board I thought getting that ending bracket would be inevitable but it’s so hard.
But then again maybe my play style could be the outlier here. The activist ending is the only ending I could get reliably although it’s supposed to be the second most difficult ending to get. I ended up activating the cabin in the woods option through the military intervention 3 times in a row when I was trying to get a DC ending. And honestly I activated the joining Williams opening dialogue chain more time than I could count.
Did the ending algorithm detect which ending we want to get and go out of its way to deny us? The first time I finally get a DC ending is when after realizing that it’s stupid of me to rage quit after getting the option to go live in a cabin since I could always just turn down their offer, I decided to take it easy and aim for the camp ending instead…but yeah somehow that’s when I finally get the DC ending I want
And despite being a jerk and allowing Bly to be captured so many times, somehow I could activate the events where we could found Bly turning feral only twice? The first time was when I was romancing Bly and the second time is I got to rescue Tiva. I love that event chains but somehow I just couldn’t activate it again.
Looking at the Steam achievement percentages, it seems pretty clear that the DC ending brackets are by far the most common for people to get. More than I wanted actually. But yeah, it would all depend on play style.
I’m astounded that you got the military to take you to the cabin 3 times. That’s actually a pretty rare event. Like, I’d be surprised if 1/100 playthroughs saw that. Interesting to hear how people’s playthroughs go so differently!
I would really like to know if we could get Lapu as a LI in the second book, I understand how some people don’t like him but personally I think there is a lot more to him and I was just curious if it would be a possibility
3 playthroughs And always ended up with same ending that has no sense to my play through. However, I am a role-player I act in role as my character would do if were real. Your endings are tailored specifically to metagamers. People who only look stats and numbers to get were they want without care about if is in role or not.
The only logical ending to my character would be the activist ending as I played a PURE pacific and diplomatic route without attacking anyone voluntarily. Ironically, that DESTROY any opportunity of go with the people who I want helping all the damn game because I have to be nasty with Soldiers… Stuff have no sense at all. Because I want a peace and a non violent solution. So go there punching soldiers doesn’t seem very diplomatic to me. I won’t do it so I am stick with an ending who forces me to fight even if I try to flee.
I really love your wonderful writing I just hope next game I could have an ending who make sense and I hope don’t being forced to fight because I wasn’t rude enough to a poor soldier whom was not responsible for his orders and want return home.
I’ve actually got a relationship with Lapu planned for book 2. It won’t be incredibly robust, but it will have room to expand. Poor, poor Lapu. He’s going to need a lot of comforting by the end of book 2…
Glad you enjoyed it! Not sure what you mean by ‘fund’, but I assure you, book 2 is in progress!
@poison_mara I really appreciate your feedback! Writing Haven Rising has been a huge learning experience for me, and knowing how you feel about the way the endings are designed will help inform the design of the sequel.
I would like to note, however, that you don’t need to fight the military to get the activist or Sonoma endings. If your rep with the activists is higher than the military, you should be good to go. The ending where you go to Anna’s father’s mansion IS hard to get, I’ll admit, but if you take every opportunity to court the activists you should be able to meet them at least during the end of the fighting.
)
I’m not sure how much she’d like it though. 
Ouh… This makes me happy.Is it gonna be on a specific route only or all of it?