Guides

[center][img]https://flightrising.com/html5/runestones/images/title/spr_mainLogo.png[/img] [font=optima][size=6][b]Fishes' Guide to Runestones of the Arcanist[/b][/size][/font] [img]https://i.postimg.cc/3JLw3G78/Divider-640x50.png[/img] [emoji=arcane rune size=1] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/gde/3247849/1#post_3247849]Graphics[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/gde/3247849/2#post_54394595]Achievements[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/gde/3247849/2#post_54394596]Tips and Tricks[/url] [emoji=arcane rune size=1][/center] [size=4]Hello Flight Rising! I saw a few of the Fairgrounds minigames getting some guides now that new Achievements are out, and I thought I would put my hand in the ring. Basically, I have played this game a lot since the achievements released, and I figured I could share some of the little tips that I gathered in my time of grinding for that coveted score achievement.[/size] [emoji=arcanist's runestone size=1] [font=optima][size=5][b]Intro[/b][/size][/font] [size=4][b]Runestones of the Arcanist[/b] is a simple memory card matching game. Using the Arcanist's runestones, [emoji=arcanist's runestone size=1] a player will click on a card to flip it over. When you match 2 of the same element, you will clear both cards and earn points. Your goal is to get all cards cleared from the board in the fastest time possible.[/size] [emoji=arcanist's runestone size=1] [font=optima][size=5][b]Graphics[/b][/size][/font] [size=4]As the title of this game implies, there are many runestones to keep track of here. Some are even elements that do not appear as an elemental Flight. They are pictured here:[/size] [columns][img]https://i.imgur.com/HhENY3X.png[/img] [center][b]Blood[/b][/center][nextcol][img]https://i.imgur.com/zAYwCmS.png[/img] [center][b]Chaos[/b][/center][nextcol][img]https://i.imgur.com/pSgdY4B.png[/img] [center][b]Clan[/b][/center][/columns] [columns][img]https://i.imgur.com/WD4PFYT.png[/img] [center][b]Cloud[/b][/center][nextcol][img]https://i.imgur.com/3A4TdpN.png[/img] [center][b]Life[/b][/center][nextcol][img]https://i.imgur.com/TA4kJjb.png[/img] [center][b]Metal[/b][/center][/columns] [columns][img]https://i.imgur.com/dem5H9n.png[/img] [center][b]Mind[/b][/center][nextcol][img]https://i.imgur.com/zw5J0sp.png[/img] [center][b]Pillar[/b][/center][nextcol][img]https://i.imgur.com/wJrTASe.png[/img] [center][b]Spiral[/b][/center][/columns] [columns][img]https://i.imgur.com/P45myId.png[/img] [center][b]Time[/b][/center][nextcol][img]https://i.imgur.com/3SHrvPA.png[/img] [center][b]Truth[/b][/center][nextcol][img]https://i.imgur.com/4ZSzf2F.png[/img] [center][b]Venom[/b][/center][/columns] [center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/QdTZvKdn/Venue-Big2.png[/img][/center] [size=4]With this in mind, I thought it would be a good idea to post some of the commonly confused ones. The colors and icons can look very similar when at the smaller sizes, so I wanted to compare a lot of the ones I struggle with. You can find the full image database right here at [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/gde/2135618/1#post_25992852]FR Image Assets by Starrlight[/url]. Without this I likely couldn't have made this post...[/size] [columns][img]https://i.imgur.com/dem5H9n.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/WjbOHH7.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/RkOseoU.png[/img] [center][size=4][b]Mind, Shadow, and Spirit[/b][/center][/columns] [size=4]Straight away, these 3 all have similar color hues. Shadow and Spirit also have names that start with S, which can be confusing at small text sizes. Remember that the symbol for [b]Mind[/b] is more straight and angular than the other 2 elements. [b]Spirit[/b] is a lighter hue of purple and has a slight gradient tint.[/size] [columns][img]https://i.imgur.com/cgs9jpD.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/OBL9dsa.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/3SHrvPA.png[/img] [center][size=4][b]Earth, Fire, and Truth[/b][/center][/columns] [size=4]Earth and Truth are generally more confused with each other, but at smaller card sizes they all can get mixed. [b]Truth[/b] uses three curved lines straight downward, which is different than the other emblems which are more centered. [b]Fire[/b] is more orange than it is brown. Which brings us to...[/size] [columns][img]https://i.imgur.com/OBL9dsa.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/pSgdY4B.png[/img] [size=4][center][b]Fire and Clan[/b][/center][/columns] [size=4]Both of these are orange and swirly. You can tell they are different hues of orange: Fire is more gold-orange and Clan is more red-orange. Also note the two circles below the Clan icon; the Fire one doesn't have that. Reading from left-to-right, the [b]Fire[/b] [emoji=fire rune size=1] emblem turns [i]going inwards, pointing left.[/i] The [b]Clan[/b] emblem turns [i]going inwards, pointing right.[/i][/size] [columns][img]https://i.imgur.com/HhENY3X.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/5LUAoRn.png[/img] [center][size=4][b]Blood and Plague[/b][/center][/columns] [size=4]This is definitely one of the more irritating and confusing ones. The colors are VERY similar, especially at smaller sizes. So what do you do to distinguish them? Well, [b]Plague[/b] [emoji=plague rune size=1] at least has swirly bits and circles. [b]Blood[/b] [emoji=scratch size=1] looks a lot like the Scratch attack stone, so I associate those two. Also, Plague emblem glows slightly brighter red; but distinguishing the symbols is the easier thing to do. So do that.[/size] [columns][img]https://i.imgur.com/WD4PFYT.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/TA4kJjb.png[/img] [center][size=4][b]Cloud and Metal[/b][/center][/columns] [size=4]Once again, similar colors. These 2 are also both non-Flight symbols, so that might make them less recognisable. However, the good news is these symbols are quite different in structure. [b]Cloud[/b] [emoji=cloud size=1] has many curved lines and [b]Metal[/b] has many straight, jagged lines.[/size] [columns][img]https://i.imgur.com/uOdGxvN.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/wJrTASe.png[/img] [center][size=4][b]Lightning and Spiral[/b][/center][/columns] [size=4]Both of these are pretty large emblems, so it can be easy to confuse them, especially with the similar colors. [b]Spiral[/b] is more greenish than the other one. [b]Lightning[/b] [emoji=lightning rune size=1] is also more jagged.[/size] [columns][img]https://i.imgur.com/B6pCN4q.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/4ZSzf2F.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/pR8Xt6f.png[/img] [center][size=4][b]Nature, Venom and Wind[/b][/center][/columns] [size=4]I hope you like green. [b]Nature[/b] [emoji=nature rune size=1] has the benefit of the tree and leaf imagery here, so if you can recongize that it helps a ton. Venom and Wind are similar in that they have slanted and curved lines to make up the icons. [b]Wind[/b] [emoji=wind rune size=1] is more yellow-green. If you read these from left-to-right, the [b]Venom[/b] icon lines go from [i]top-left side to the bottom-right side[/i]. Wind goes from [i]bottom left to top-right.[/i][/size] [columns][img]https://i.imgur.com/WxIsPRC.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/P45myId.png[/img] [center][size=4][b]Light and Time[/b][/center][/columns] [size=4]These 2 are easier to tell apart. [b]Time[/b] [emoji=hourglass size=1] has more triangular structure, and [b]Light[/b] [emoji=light rune size=1] has more straight lines.[/size]

[center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/9XYMNSnq/Divider-213x50-4.png[/img] [emoji=arcane rune size=1] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/gde/3247849/1#post_3247849]Graphics[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/gde/3247849/2#post_54394595]Achievements[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/gde/3247849/2#post_54394596]Tips and Tricks[/url] [emoji=arcane rune size=1][/center] [emoji=arcanist's runestone size=1] [font=optima][size=5][b]Achievements[/b][/size][/font] [b][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/game-database/achievements?name=runestones&display_type=&category=&sort=default_asc&submit=Apply]All Runestones achievements[/url][/b] from game database [gamedb achievement=385]- Play the Runestones of the Arcanist Fairgrounds game [gamedb achievement=386]- Clear [b]level 3[/b] in the Runestones of the Arcanist game [gamedb achievement=387]- Clear [b]level 10[/b] in the Runestones of the Arcanist game [gamedb achievement=388]- Achieve a score of [b]at least 50000[/b] in the Runestones of the Arcanist Fairgrounds game* * Note that for the Runestone Rockstar quest, you have to [b]clear one full level[/b] with a score greater than or equal to 50,000. So once this score is seen on the score screen at the end of a round at least once; you should be OK.

[center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/9XYMNSnq/Divider-213x50-4.png[/img] [emoji=arcane rune size=1] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/gde/3247849/1#post_3247849]Graphics[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/gde/3247849/2#post_54394595]Achievements[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/gde/3247849/2#post_54394596]Tips and Tricks[/url] [emoji=arcane rune size=1][/center] [emoji=arcanist's runestone size=1] [font=optima][size=5][b]Tips and Tricks[/b][/size][/font] Personally, I like to play this the same way I play Glimmer and Gloom. That is: [b]start at the top left corner[/b], and go down from there. y'all can post after this ^^

I don't know if these tips will work for everyone, but since I've seen some people struggling to clear above level 5, here is how I play runestones as someone without a great short-term visual memory.

First: starting with level 4, I don't have music/tv/etc on the background while I play, as it interferes with my concentration and memory.

Second: again, starting after level 4, I take short breaks between each level. Playing each level, one after another, can make the runestone placements from each different level blur together in my head, and thus make it much more difficult to remember the placements of the stones in the particular level I'm working on.

These don't have to be long breaks - a minute or two usually works fine (although I tend to need longer breaks at the higher levels) - but I make sure I do something that's not a puzzle, just to help reset my brain. For example, I will do a level between steps when I'm cooking, or between stretches. Or for example, I'm playing it while I write these tips, and I'm playing a round between every few sentences.

Third, I use the following specific method to clear runestones:

I go through the first four runestones, and remember the specific order of the stones by repeating it out loud, over and over, as I go through flipping over the rest of the stones. (This is why background music/tv interferes.)

E.g. "Time, light, fire, arcane. Time, light, fire, arcane. Time, light, fire, arcane."

(You can use this technique by doing more or less than four stones, but I've found four stones works best for me.)

I then continue to go in order, left to right, top to bottom, flipping over the rest of the stones. Once I hit a stone that matches one of my first four, I match them. I then continue flipping where I left off, but change the mantra to no longer include the removed stone.

E.g. If I flip over the second fire stone, I will match the two fire stones together. I will then continue down the rows, now repeating, "Time, light, arcane. Time, light, arcane. Time, light, arcane."

Once I only have one stone left in the first four, I start again from the beginning with a new first four stones.

E.g., once I also match light and arcane, I will go back to the top left of the board, beginning with the first stone, Time. I will then flip over the net three stones in the left-to right, top-to-bottom order I've been using and make that order my new mantra.

So the new mantra might be, "Time, clan, shadow, pillar. Time, clan, shadow, pillar. Time, clan, shadow, pillar."

I then repeat this process until I have cleared the whole board.

If I turn over a stone and I think I know where the stone's match is, but it is not one of the stones in my mantra, I do try to match the stones.

E.g., if I am going through the board with the mantra, "Time, clan, shadow, pillar," and I turn over the blood stone, and I remember the blood stone was right after the pillar stone, I will match the stones. And then continue on flipping over the stones in order.

However, I only do this when I am sure it will not interfere with my memory of the first four stones. AND, I don't allow myself to get distracted trying to hunt down a match.

To return to the previous example - if it turns out the blood stone was NOT right after the pillar stone, I may flip over one other stone in the vicinity to double check (e.g. the next stone after the stone I thought was the blood stone), but that's it - if it doesn't match, I forget about it and go back to the method.

This method can feel very slow at first - I might get three-fourths of the way down the board and have only matched 2 or 3 stones. But I can go down the board very quickly, because I'm not trying to remember any stones other than the first 4. Furthermore, each subsequent repetition of the board goes faster and faster, as there are fewer stones to flip over (and I remember more of the placements of the other stones as I see them over and over, even when I'm not trying to remember them).

For an example, as I said, I played the game while writing this post. I just finished level 16 with a total score of 52,500 (enough to get the Runestone Rockstar achievement). It took me about 50 minutes total, but that includes the break time, in which I wrote this post, made and drank two cups of tea, ate dessert, and got distracted scrolling social media for a bit.

I hope these tips help someone! Let me know if you would like me to clarify anything.

@Ista Been using your tips and they are working pretty decently for me! Except that I can't seem to get past like... Level 13 xD
I hope it's just a matter of practice, but it just feels like I'm not quick enough sadly! With a bit of bad luck maybe :p

I feel like the delay on mobile is really bad.

[list][*] I find that on a touchscreen/mobile I can move my fingers to the next tile faster than I can move a mouse/trackpad [*] On mobile I go fullscreen to prevent the screen from sliding around when I'm zoomed in and playing [*] On PC I don't do fullscreen/zoom in too far so I don't have to move my mouse as far [*] If you get an incorrect pair, don't immediately move your eyes to the next tile. Get your mouse/finger over to the next one, but still look at the incorrect pair to help you remember them just a bit better [*] Go in an order and say the name of every tile. I start at the top left and go down the column, then go to the next column [/LIST]