How did everyone do with the aura time? I'm up to Feb 13th now. I always have trouble getting it very far in the winter, so I think this is the furthest I've gotten. 

I did pretty well I think...was able to max out my aura without too much trouble but I have also been prioritizing being on Rare maps the entire event and that really helps. 

My golem goal this year was to get as many Ultimate Charms as I could via scarfs and get a really good set of Bountiful Beanstalk supplies so I can wrap that area up shortly. Other than that, a few niche goals like getting the portal parts I need to crown the Monster of the Meteor and replenish my Dust supply.

I was a little bit disappointed during the Christmas event because the one I item I needed were just plain ol' Magic Beans. They really weren't dropping off of the Golems much. 

So now I'm just sitting here on the beanstalk with my Dumpling Cheese and Candles raking in as many Magic Beans as I can get. I have a ton of fertilizer saved up so pretty soon I'll be hitting the Great Hall Floors back to back. 

^^ That's good! I've been taking a break from the Beanstalk because I figured out I could minluck the Pernicious Prince if I got to 42+ luck (plus my auras and other things) so figured it was worth it...so I've been getting my lantern high elsewhere. I feel very confident that I'll get all the Geese that I need to wrap up the area by the end of the event.

I got my Infinite Dark Magic Mirrors trap today! Just need the theme and I'm done with the Beanstalk. 🙂 (Unless they add more to it again.)

I can't seem to finish the Chinese New Year event these days, so I tried to save up candles for next year to try and get a jump. Birthday event starts on the 27th I think.

This year was the fastest I think I've ever hit 500ft. All I did was arm the Dumpling Cheese and lit the normal candles at the same time, while hunting at the normal Beanstalk area. Interestingly enough it kind of was self-sustaining so I didn't really have to do anything. 

I didn't QUITE manage to finish up the Beanstalk during the CNY but today I bought the Bountiful Beanstalk Journal Theme and that was the final piece. I'm done with the exception of Easter Eggs, so yeah. 

The egg hunt has begun! I've already gathered most of the interface eggs. I'm in the toxic spill for a map, but I'll probably head back to the beanstalk to start there. 

I had all the new eggs in pretty short order. Then I helped Kat finish up her M1000 Team Research Expedition map. Then I did my solo map. Now I'm just sitting around twiddling my thumbs waiting for the M1000 mouse to be released tomorrow, followed by the new area at the end of the month. 🙂 

I really appreciate everyone's help with that map. It was crazy. I'm surprised I pulled off the ascended elder. I ended up with somewhere around 90 unique eggs this year including the new ones. 

What do people think about the new section so far? I've gotten through to level seven and I'm hoping I have enough parts for a "final* when this section finishes.

What do the numbers under the droid and the boss mouse mean?

So far so good. 🙂 Although I think you and Gymfan and myself are the only three in there so far from NWeb. Way back in the day I liked more difficult and strategic areas, but in my current stage of life, simple is better. LOL

Posted by: @starkat

What do the numbers under the droid and the boss mouse mean?

It's the progression (if you catch a mouse) and regression (If you ftc) from a master mouse encounter. So depending on cheese, condensed creativity, and master magus wand things you have armed and activated, that's how much your "magic points" moves after every hunt. 
So for example, right now I have Apprentice Ambert Cheese armed with nothing else turned on, so I gain 9 magic points (I guess is the term) for every mouse I catch. The first level in here starts at 0/33, so every time I catch a mouse it moves up by 9. In four hunts, I hit 36/33 and then I get to face the boss. If I miss at this level, my magic points move backwards by 1. Make sense? 

@fantasia somewhat. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around it. The game play is a bit weird compared to what it has been, but I'll adjust. I'm probably going to make one loop through and then go help finish a map I'm on. I haven't really noticed a difference when arming the aura from the M1000 mouse. 

So far the new area feels a lot like a combination of different areas; maybe a bit like Iceburg? where you have to progress through different levels to reach the mini-boss and other mice can push you back or move you forward. 

The new base made me chuckle; it matches my current Prestige base so it will be the last upgrade I get in the area. I suppose it's all the more motivation to keep farming/saving Ultimate Charms so I can go back to the vRift and try for T17 or maybe even T18. I did start a run since I had about 300 UC's, but "bailed" after the second Total Eclipse mouse because my odds weren't good enough. I'll leave and try again soon; maybe after I've spent some time in the new area. The nice thing about doing 100% UC runs; you don't have to be dependent on auras or events so I can start/stop whenever I want. 

I did do my first Final Exam in the new area and was able to get enough Sapphires for a Codex upgrade; I decided on Shadow luck. I haven't decided on what upgrade order I'll go in but I'm hoping I can get a codex every other Final Exam run at minimum. And then save up for that base. 😀 It'll actually be nice to swap it out with my Prestige base, I guess...I never really used the Adorned Empyrean or Ruby base because they were underpowered compared to my Prestige, so I missed out on the pretty art. So it will be nice to have a different base to look at for awhile.

In other news, I feel like I've made some good progress on my mini-goals of completing all the traps, bases, skins and collectables in the game. I've only got one trap missing (Rune Shark Trap; stupid Sand Dollars are so annoying to farm) and I *had* all the bases until the new area came out. 😀 I've got two collectables to go and maybe 30 trap skins? Maybe I'll have them all in a few years lol!

I'm doing pretty good so far. I bought a couple of the extra special packs to get that initial boost, but then realized maybe I shouldn't have done that because I'll finish up this area quickly (with maybe the exception of catching those rare mice). I have both of the Shadow Codices now as I was having more trouble with the shadow mice. Arcane next and then Forgotten.

Posted by: @gymfan15

The new base made me chuckle; it matches my current Prestige base so it will be the last upgrade I get in the area.

Yeah, my Prestige base is still better but only just barely with its base stats. I usually have some kind of rift charm armed to get those bonus stats as well. But I suspect the next time a new base is released it will finally surpass my good ol' trusty Prestige Base.