Posted February 28, 2010
E-mail from Subsoap.
Welcome to the Q&A for Faerie Solitaire 2!
We have been working on Faerie Solitaire 2 for some time now. This is the Q&A following up the survey which was made available when we released the preview for Faerie Solitaire 2 last month. If you have further questions after reading this Q&A then please contact me. We will always do our best to consider and accommodate your needs and interests.
Q: What are the prices?
A: Individual episodes will be priced at $6.99 USD. There will be a package deal with all nine episodes available for $49.99 USD (20% savings), and a special lower price of $29.99 USD (53% savings) for those who are on fixed incomes and need the lower price. Owners of the package deal will be sent each new episode the instant they are released and will be able to download them again at any time from their account. If you are in certain circumstances where your income prevents you from buying FS2 at the lower price, contact me and we will work something out.
Q: Why is FS2 being released in episodes instead of one game?
A: An episodic format for FS2 will allow it to have a deeper and more engaging storyline while still providing a longer playtime than FS1. Compared to traditional methods, we are also able to produce more episodes in a shorter timeframe because a great deal of the game's code is already in place for each episode, and this allows us to release more content at regular intervals.
For us, there are two motivations for why we want to try this. We want to release more quality games in less time, and we want to grow our team which in turn would enable us to make even better games. If this initiative is successful, we will be able to do both. We think this is the right choice, but we are still one of the first to try it, so it may not work out as expected. If this turns out to be a bad idea, you can be certain we will do what it takes to fix it. We are absolutely committed to building the best games which give you the best value for your money. We strive to make games at a level well above what you can expect from others.
Q: How does FS2 compare to FS1 in terms of length?
A: Think of the difference as FS1 being a feature film, and FS2 being a TV show. FS1 has its length, and its whole story happens in just the span of the game without anything extra (relatively). With FS2, each episode can be as long as FS1 was. We can pack many more details into the games, and these details allow us much more than what could be possible with just one game. Each episode of FS2 on average will have about as many levels as FS1 had, which brings the total number of locations to ~360. With each episode, we can also include different and interesting variations, and you'll see what this means once you play the games.
Q: Will powerups remain the same in FS2?
A: In FS2, all of the useful powerups are granted from the start of the game to maximize playability and strategy early in each episode.
Q: How are pets different in FS2?
A: Everything about pets is better in FS2. Gone are the days of playing endlessly to find the last pet. Now, they appear in predetermined areas of the game. You'll want to find them all right away because pets are now much more than a nice collectable friend. When a pet is hatched, and fully grown into its adult form it can be sent out on pet quests. On these quests your pet can bring different items (which must be found under stacks in advance!) along with them; however, you must choose carefully which item and pet to send on each quest because, depending on the combination, your pet will either succeed or fail at their quest. Success brings rewards!
Q: Will my progress from FS1 be carried over in any way?
A: Money will not be transferred over because it does not exist in FS2 (!), and pets have dramatically changed in FS2; though, there will be some familiar faces. At some point there will be some bonuses for those who own both FS and FS2. :)
Q: I remember a project called "Faerie Solitaire Desktop Pets." What happened to it?
A: This project has evolved into its own game series: Faerie Tales. We will be releasing more information about FT when information is ready.
Q: What happens if I'm not done with an episode upon the release of the next?
A: Each episode will be a full featured stand alone game. Each episode is independent of the others. You will be able to play each episode individually at your leisure. When a new episode is released, whether you play it or not is up to you. You can complete all the previous episodes or jump straight into the new one. You can play each episode over and over as much as you want. Naturally each episode continues the overall story, so it would be a good idea to play them in order.
Q: Are there timers in FS2?
A: Each episode keeps track of the best time completed in locations, but there are no time based goals, and time does not have an effect on score at all.
Q: Will each episode have replay value?
A: Yes. Playing an episode a few times will be quite a bit more interesting than playing the default versions of solitaire included with your computer over and over. :)
Q: What purposes do the achievements serve? What did the player achieve?
A: Achievements are a sort of a goal based meta game usually without any greater purpose. In FS2 they have a little more of a purpose, but we'll release more information on that later.
Q: Will these episodes be released at the same time each month, or will the dates of release change?
A: Once the first few episodes are released, the release date for the last of the episodes should be more regular. We are aiming for the middle of each month.
Q: Are there still things hidden under stacks?
A: Yes, and there are more things to find in FS2 too; all of these things have a purpose. Locations of items are in fixed positions instead of randomly placed. We made this change to avoid player frustration when something is needed to be found to continue the game. You'll know you didn't clear a stack and can try the hand/location again to focus on other stacks. This also allows people to write guides and share with each other the exact location of things to find.
Q: My game froze at times when playing Faerie Solitaire 1 / the game was not always smooth.
A: If your game was affected by this bug please contact us! We've been trying to figure out the cause since FS1 was released without success.
Q: I would prefer to just buy the whole game all at once.
A: All episodes can be purchased as a package and each will be delivered to you to your e-mail the instant they are released. Each episode is longer and better than FS1 was on its own and will be able to be played independently without need of any other episode. These episodes can be downloaded from our site as many times as you need to download them in the future.
Q: Can I save the first Faerie Solitaire on a CD for a backup copy?
A: Yes, and if you ever need a new download of FS contact me, and I will get it for you.
Q: Can I share a copy of the game with a close friend or family member?
A: Yes, and we encourage you to do this, especially for people who normally would not be able to afford the game, though for those who can afford the game it would be better for us if they buy their own copy! :) This does not grant you permission to distribute the game online to any number of people. Please do not abuse our trust and goodwill.
Q: Who is Subsoap?
A: We are a few young developers who want to make games especially for you. Thank you for making this possible! :)
Q: Will each episode be updated like FS was when it was released?
A: Yes. We will maintain each episode and add improvements where they are needed. Updates will always be free of additional charge and will be available for you to download at any time on our site.
Q: When in February will it be released?
A: A number of factors have contributed to the first episode (The Wizard's Grimoire) not being released as soon as we want it. One factor is that we have not finalized a deal with one of our biggest partners. We are hoping to release very early in March, but I cannot guarantee a specific date. I personally apologize for the delay! This delay will not significantly change the release schedule of the episodes, but multiple episodes may be released sooner together because of this. As a member of our newsletter, you will be the first to know when Faerie Solitaire 2 : The Wizard's Grimoire is released. If you want to play sooner, contact me and I will see about getting you a pre-release copy / playable preview of the game sooner than later.
Q: Some levels in FS1 were too hard, as there were too few cards left in the deck.
A: In FS1 the deck size was always fixed, so if there were many cards on the field, less cards would be in the deck. In FS2 we have enabled double deck sizes on some of the larger layouts. Also, we have changed the game to allow players of all play styles to enjoy the game as they want to play it without limitations or blocks.
Q: Will there be a Mac version?
A: Yes, but only available upon request for the time being. There is a Mac version of Faerie Solitaire 1, and it too is available upon request, but there were some bugs which made us not want to release it publicly (currently only fullscreen is unsupported, the rest of the game works flawlessly). It's possible that in the future both games will have officially released Mac versions. Once everything is set up on our site and when you purchase the PC version, you will also be able to download the Mac version without extra charge. The same goes for localization, which means when you buy the English version, you can also download any of the other translations of the game which we release without extra charge. We're still planning to release the localizations of FS and will be releasing FS2 in multiple languages as time goes on.
Q: Will the new content keep people playing until the final episode?
A: We think so. There is special and unique content added in every episode, and the story has been developed to be compelling and interesting for the whole series.
Q: Does FS2 have DRM?
A: FS2 does not have any sort of DRM and neither did FS. We do not like DRM and feel is unnecessary.
Q: How many pets are there in all?
A: There are 45 pets in total with each episode adding five new pets to the total. Each pet must be found, hatched, grown to its adult stage, and then can be sent out into the world on quests.
Q: Will FS2 be released on X portal?
A: Possibly. All release dates are not guaranteed.
Q: Will the game work on older machines?
A: Yes. If the first game worked then this one will work too. The game is in part design to work on as many different types of computers as possible.
Q: When will the prequel be released?
A: It will be released some time after the last episode of FS2 is released and likely before the end of the year. It will be FREE to those who are subscribed to our newsletter before FS2's first episode is released (we are keeping a list of everyone who is subscribed and will send codes to those people so they can download the game without charge), but otherwise will be priced at $6.99 for everyone else. So tell all of your friends to subscribe to our newsletter now to secure their free copy of the FS prequel!
Q: Is FS2 a relaxed or skill based game?
A: It's both. It can be played casually, or it can be played for the best score possible. We've designed it so casual players will not be blocked from being able to continue play at skill gates without interruption. Those who want to get perfects on every hand, and get the best score possible on every level will be able to do so.
Q: What are puzzle doors?
A: Puzzle doors are fun distractions between solitaire levels. Puzzle doors each present different and interesting challenges, and once they are solved, more content is unlocked. A collection of items is required before an attempt can be made at solving a puzzle door. These puzzle door items are found under stacks of cards during normal solitaire play. Puzzle doors are not obligatory and can be skipped once all of the items for that door are found (but where's the fun in that!?)
Q: Will different difficulty levels be included in this game?
A: There are no set difficulty levels like there was in FS1. FS2 introduces a new end-of-hand scoring system that allows each player to play at their own pace. Its design allows you to play the game at your skill level. If you wish to play just to have fun, you are able to, and if you want to try for the best score possible, you can do that too.
Q: Will there be other forms of solitaire included?
A: Yes, and each episode will include different bonus variations. If you have a variation you really enjoy, there's still a chance we will be able to add it to a later episode, so please let us know.
Q: Will I still be able to play FS1 after getting FS2?
A: Yes.
We have been working on Faerie Solitaire 2 for some time now. This is the Q&A following up the survey which was made available when we released the preview for Faerie Solitaire 2 last month. If you have further questions after reading this Q&A then please contact me. We will always do our best to consider and accommodate your needs and interests.
Q: What are the prices?
A: Individual episodes will be priced at $6.99 USD. There will be a package deal with all nine episodes available for $49.99 USD (20% savings), and a special lower price of $29.99 USD (53% savings) for those who are on fixed incomes and need the lower price. Owners of the package deal will be sent each new episode the instant they are released and will be able to download them again at any time from their account. If you are in certain circumstances where your income prevents you from buying FS2 at the lower price, contact me and we will work something out.
Q: Why is FS2 being released in episodes instead of one game?
A: An episodic format for FS2 will allow it to have a deeper and more engaging storyline while still providing a longer playtime than FS1. Compared to traditional methods, we are also able to produce more episodes in a shorter timeframe because a great deal of the game's code is already in place for each episode, and this allows us to release more content at regular intervals.
For us, there are two motivations for why we want to try this. We want to release more quality games in less time, and we want to grow our team which in turn would enable us to make even better games. If this initiative is successful, we will be able to do both. We think this is the right choice, but we are still one of the first to try it, so it may not work out as expected. If this turns out to be a bad idea, you can be certain we will do what it takes to fix it. We are absolutely committed to building the best games which give you the best value for your money. We strive to make games at a level well above what you can expect from others.
Q: How does FS2 compare to FS1 in terms of length?
A: Think of the difference as FS1 being a feature film, and FS2 being a TV show. FS1 has its length, and its whole story happens in just the span of the game without anything extra (relatively). With FS2, each episode can be as long as FS1 was. We can pack many more details into the games, and these details allow us much more than what could be possible with just one game. Each episode of FS2 on average will have about as many levels as FS1 had, which brings the total number of locations to ~360. With each episode, we can also include different and interesting variations, and you'll see what this means once you play the games.
Q: Will powerups remain the same in FS2?
A: In FS2, all of the useful powerups are granted from the start of the game to maximize playability and strategy early in each episode.
Q: How are pets different in FS2?
A: Everything about pets is better in FS2. Gone are the days of playing endlessly to find the last pet. Now, they appear in predetermined areas of the game. You'll want to find them all right away because pets are now much more than a nice collectable friend. When a pet is hatched, and fully grown into its adult form it can be sent out on pet quests. On these quests your pet can bring different items (which must be found under stacks in advance!) along with them; however, you must choose carefully which item and pet to send on each quest because, depending on the combination, your pet will either succeed or fail at their quest. Success brings rewards!
Q: Will my progress from FS1 be carried over in any way?
A: Money will not be transferred over because it does not exist in FS2 (!), and pets have dramatically changed in FS2; though, there will be some familiar faces. At some point there will be some bonuses for those who own both FS and FS2. :)
Q: I remember a project called "Faerie Solitaire Desktop Pets." What happened to it?
A: This project has evolved into its own game series: Faerie Tales. We will be releasing more information about FT when information is ready.
Q: What happens if I'm not done with an episode upon the release of the next?
A: Each episode will be a full featured stand alone game. Each episode is independent of the others. You will be able to play each episode individually at your leisure. When a new episode is released, whether you play it or not is up to you. You can complete all the previous episodes or jump straight into the new one. You can play each episode over and over as much as you want. Naturally each episode continues the overall story, so it would be a good idea to play them in order.
Q: Are there timers in FS2?
A: Each episode keeps track of the best time completed in locations, but there are no time based goals, and time does not have an effect on score at all.
Q: Will each episode have replay value?
A: Yes. Playing an episode a few times will be quite a bit more interesting than playing the default versions of solitaire included with your computer over and over. :)
Q: What purposes do the achievements serve? What did the player achieve?
A: Achievements are a sort of a goal based meta game usually without any greater purpose. In FS2 they have a little more of a purpose, but we'll release more information on that later.
Q: Will these episodes be released at the same time each month, or will the dates of release change?
A: Once the first few episodes are released, the release date for the last of the episodes should be more regular. We are aiming for the middle of each month.
Q: Are there still things hidden under stacks?
A: Yes, and there are more things to find in FS2 too; all of these things have a purpose. Locations of items are in fixed positions instead of randomly placed. We made this change to avoid player frustration when something is needed to be found to continue the game. You'll know you didn't clear a stack and can try the hand/location again to focus on other stacks. This also allows people to write guides and share with each other the exact location of things to find.
Q: My game froze at times when playing Faerie Solitaire 1 / the game was not always smooth.
A: If your game was affected by this bug please contact us! We've been trying to figure out the cause since FS1 was released without success.
Q: I would prefer to just buy the whole game all at once.
A: All episodes can be purchased as a package and each will be delivered to you to your e-mail the instant they are released. Each episode is longer and better than FS1 was on its own and will be able to be played independently without need of any other episode. These episodes can be downloaded from our site as many times as you need to download them in the future.
Q: Can I save the first Faerie Solitaire on a CD for a backup copy?
A: Yes, and if you ever need a new download of FS contact me, and I will get it for you.
Q: Can I share a copy of the game with a close friend or family member?
A: Yes, and we encourage you to do this, especially for people who normally would not be able to afford the game, though for those who can afford the game it would be better for us if they buy their own copy! :) This does not grant you permission to distribute the game online to any number of people. Please do not abuse our trust and goodwill.
Q: Who is Subsoap?
A: We are a few young developers who want to make games especially for you. Thank you for making this possible! :)
Q: Will each episode be updated like FS was when it was released?
A: Yes. We will maintain each episode and add improvements where they are needed. Updates will always be free of additional charge and will be available for you to download at any time on our site.
Q: When in February will it be released?
A: A number of factors have contributed to the first episode (The Wizard's Grimoire) not being released as soon as we want it. One factor is that we have not finalized a deal with one of our biggest partners. We are hoping to release very early in March, but I cannot guarantee a specific date. I personally apologize for the delay! This delay will not significantly change the release schedule of the episodes, but multiple episodes may be released sooner together because of this. As a member of our newsletter, you will be the first to know when Faerie Solitaire 2 : The Wizard's Grimoire is released. If you want to play sooner, contact me and I will see about getting you a pre-release copy / playable preview of the game sooner than later.
Q: Some levels in FS1 were too hard, as there were too few cards left in the deck.
A: In FS1 the deck size was always fixed, so if there were many cards on the field, less cards would be in the deck. In FS2 we have enabled double deck sizes on some of the larger layouts. Also, we have changed the game to allow players of all play styles to enjoy the game as they want to play it without limitations or blocks.
Q: Will there be a Mac version?
A: Yes, but only available upon request for the time being. There is a Mac version of Faerie Solitaire 1, and it too is available upon request, but there were some bugs which made us not want to release it publicly (currently only fullscreen is unsupported, the rest of the game works flawlessly). It's possible that in the future both games will have officially released Mac versions. Once everything is set up on our site and when you purchase the PC version, you will also be able to download the Mac version without extra charge. The same goes for localization, which means when you buy the English version, you can also download any of the other translations of the game which we release without extra charge. We're still planning to release the localizations of FS and will be releasing FS2 in multiple languages as time goes on.
Q: Will the new content keep people playing until the final episode?
A: We think so. There is special and unique content added in every episode, and the story has been developed to be compelling and interesting for the whole series.
Q: Does FS2 have DRM?
A: FS2 does not have any sort of DRM and neither did FS. We do not like DRM and feel is unnecessary.
Q: How many pets are there in all?
A: There are 45 pets in total with each episode adding five new pets to the total. Each pet must be found, hatched, grown to its adult stage, and then can be sent out into the world on quests.
Q: Will FS2 be released on X portal?
A: Possibly. All release dates are not guaranteed.
Q: Will the game work on older machines?
A: Yes. If the first game worked then this one will work too. The game is in part design to work on as many different types of computers as possible.
Q: When will the prequel be released?
A: It will be released some time after the last episode of FS2 is released and likely before the end of the year. It will be FREE to those who are subscribed to our newsletter before FS2's first episode is released (we are keeping a list of everyone who is subscribed and will send codes to those people so they can download the game without charge), but otherwise will be priced at $6.99 for everyone else. So tell all of your friends to subscribe to our newsletter now to secure their free copy of the FS prequel!
Q: Is FS2 a relaxed or skill based game?
A: It's both. It can be played casually, or it can be played for the best score possible. We've designed it so casual players will not be blocked from being able to continue play at skill gates without interruption. Those who want to get perfects on every hand, and get the best score possible on every level will be able to do so.
Q: What are puzzle doors?
A: Puzzle doors are fun distractions between solitaire levels. Puzzle doors each present different and interesting challenges, and once they are solved, more content is unlocked. A collection of items is required before an attempt can be made at solving a puzzle door. These puzzle door items are found under stacks of cards during normal solitaire play. Puzzle doors are not obligatory and can be skipped once all of the items for that door are found (but where's the fun in that!?)
Q: Will different difficulty levels be included in this game?
A: There are no set difficulty levels like there was in FS1. FS2 introduces a new end-of-hand scoring system that allows each player to play at their own pace. Its design allows you to play the game at your skill level. If you wish to play just to have fun, you are able to, and if you want to try for the best score possible, you can do that too.
Q: Will there be other forms of solitaire included?
A: Yes, and each episode will include different bonus variations. If you have a variation you really enjoy, there's still a chance we will be able to add it to a later episode, so please let us know.
Q: Will I still be able to play FS1 after getting FS2?
A: Yes.
