Fallen London is dangerously brilliant - think of browser games like Kingdom of Loathing, but with a spectacular depth of storytelling and complexity. It also has an interesting rapid-feedback structure; instead of things like lengthy 'fights' everything runs on probabilistic outcomes.
...would you happen to know if Ambition: Enigma is real? No hints, but one of the devs suggested it wasn't and I'd like to at least know if there's actually something to look for.
The wiki implies it's probably real, and links to two relevant things, but doesn't go further - Enigma is locked down almost as hard as Seeking The Name there.
I hadn't read it until just now, but that's a really good piece. It's a fascinating quest, to the point where I have a second character for it and have seen it discussed in several places. I think StormingTheIvory had a pretty good essay, despite being a source I usually have serious issues with.
It's an utterly bizarre quest. I think there's an important hole in game design literature centered around things like Seeking and I Wanna Be The Guy. It's this whole school of consciously abusive game design that completely contradicts basic principles. Seeking The Name is even weirder than most, because you can't even justify it in terms of skill challenges. The best analogue I have is the self-destruct button in Starship Titanic, which is literally just a big red button you can hit to lose the game.
RPS is the first source I've seen offer a justification for this sort of behavior. If a game can't be genuinely punishing, then what's the point of putting up challenges in the first place?
...would you happen to know if Ambition: Enigma is real? No hints, but one of the devs suggested it wasn't and I'd like to at least know if there's actually something to look for.