u/NizzoNation

This was his shirt at their concert tonight.

I finally finished my Day One run and (barely) got the trophy of speed. This took me easily over 100 attempts. I wish I'd kept track, but I think it was around 120. It should not have taken that long! I picked up some good tips here recently.

Count me among the many challengers who quickly connected with the game, have a solid grasp of mechanics and win conditions, but just couldn't get everything to come together on this day. I came so close several times. If I listed all the failed runs, I would sound like a poker player lamenting all the bad beats.

Thanks to this sub for pointing me toward streams from people attempting early day challenges (SmallAnt was my fave). Watching people try and fail, try and fail, then eventually try and win was truly so much more instructive than watching only successful runs. You'll find gaps in your game. For instance, I didn't know that you don't need to walk into the Darkroom to trigger the blown fuse; you can just go back to the Utility Closet and toggle the switch off then on, thus saving two steps, which would have saved an earlier run for me.

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As for the run itself. I found a rabbit's foot in the closet, but it didn't give useful procs for a while. I've had several deep runs where it didn't seem to add much value. Sure enough, right away there was nothing in the Darkroom, I felt like I was getting trolled for the umpteenth time. Then I got some immediate actual luck with an early Lab, where the best experiment was two dice for each Shop drafted. This led to me drafting the Kitchen in a bad spot (it was out of the way and I was still poor), but it worked out because I needed both dice to draft the Tomb.

I found a shovel in the Courtyard, then drafted Commissary where I was able to buy the sledgehammer and get two more dice from my experiment. From here things began clicking, but resources were a huge issue, I was low on everything.

I rerolled my south door from the Drawing Room and took Nursery because I needed steps now. Then two rooms later I found Boudoir, and my lucky bunny foot started leveling up when I found a sleeping mask. Then after a reroll, I found running shoes in the Gymnasium. Steps are now likely solved if everything else can fall into place.

Then I draft Patio, and find a battery pack. My next room choices would end the run, so I use my last die and open... the Great Hall. I have two keys left. I just went fully east to west on rank 6, surely I won't go fully west to east on rank 7. But I can't muck about, I have to use a key to continue eastward.

I find the Workshop, I see a security door, and I see my broken lever. I have the power hammer now. Okay, this is possible. My heart starts pounding because all I need is to open the east antechamber door from the Great Hall, then draft a path to that door. Easier said than done because I have one key remaining. But this is doable, my run is alive.

My only choice is Rumpus Room, and the door is locked. I use that last precious key and find the Walk-In Closet, where an absolutely gorgeous lock pick kit, plus one additional key (!), are waiting for me.

This kit gets right into the action more than any kit I can remember in any previous playthrough. It opens three doors in the Great Hall! One has the antechamber lever, and one gives me access to the door heading north. That door is locked, and suddenly my lock pick kit is taking a well-earned nap, so there goes my last key, again.

I find the Foundation, and there are no security doors. But I dig up a key! I'm positively vibrating now. Do I open east or west? I still don't know what the mathematically correct play here is, I think I have two possible security door remaining. I draft west, keyless once more, and find the freaking Locksmith.

Remember that my Lab experiment is two dice for every Shop. I have two rerolls now, which should put in work when drafting a path to the east antechamber door. I still need to move the mine cart and rotate the gears for the Room 46 door, but steps aren't an issue – I have my sleeping mask that I haven't used on a few prior bedrooms, plus I'm wearing my running kicks.

I play slow by nature, so now I'm worried about getting the speed trophy. I think I'm around 45min at this point in the run. I sprint hell-for-leather back to the Tomb, get my many coins, move the mine cart, go back outside, power hammer my way into the basement, push pull and raise the annoying carts, rotate the gears, open the north door, take at least a few seconds to let that beautiful triumphant music lock in, then zip back through the estate to the Locksmith to buy more keys than I could possibly need, plus the special key, which I was hoping would be a silver key, and it was.

Then, with my pockets finally full of keys, of course I draft the Corridor in the best possible place for my circumstance. It opened into the Office, which turned north. I used my silver key, and any of the room choices would have worked. I chose Conference Room out of nostalgia, because it was integral to my run where I first found Room 46.

I finished in 57 minutes. WHEW.

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I adore this game. It fits the shape of my mind, and it tested me in ways that matter personally. Note-taking, deduction, patience, innovation. Blue Prince was not on my radar at all until a friend recommended it out of nowhere. He had already solved Act 3 and decided to stop there, and we had so many lively but guarded conversations around various theories and solutions as I was moving through everything on my own.

I will admit that I looked up how to complete Act 4, but I dug right into the new paired paintings on my own. They were my favorite part of Act 1 and I could not believe we got a whole fresh set in an end game that most people will never see. Just an incredible effort from Tonda and team. Props to anyone who solved the Atelier, I couldn't make time for it, but that community knowledge made my experience better.

It feels weird to be "done". There's still Dirigiblocks and some other new stuff ahead, so I'll return at some point. Within a timely manor.