The goal is back where it should've been from the beginning -- loot as much as possible before "time" runs out.
In this particular case, "time" is a limited amount of actions of all kinds. Once you run out, every item in your inventory is totaled for its value and that is your final score, so it's a high scores arcade-y type of thing.
The seed changes every month so the strategies are also gonna change, also the high scores table is finalized for that month.
There are a couple things that add actions or increase item value -- they're definitely rare however.
Areas are gate-locked from each other by a kind of "key item". This varies from seed to seed but it's something you make from materials found in the region you're in. You get instructions for this when you reach the door in question.
Rooms can be gate-locked from each other and also require crafted items to open them. This is set up to always be achievable, however there may be shortcuts.
Magic Shelves
Each area has a magic shelf somewhere -- this will give you a quest of several items to find/craft in the area and once assembled will give you some fairly valuable item. Assembling items on the magic shelf is a fairly good strategy for maximizing loot value value.
Loot Value
Each category is assigned a range of values and the item in question will fall in that range.
Crafted items combine the ingredient values and add a bonus.
Other processes will add a bonus as well. Unless that process has already been done somewhere.
Coins of various types are scattered around. It's likely to find these in every room. They have no value, but picking them up doesn't cost an action.
Throughout the game you'll find coin-operated machines that can scan rooms in various ways. These cost Coins but do not cost actions. This can be a highly useful mechanic for finding something specific.
The origin room for each area has a coin-operated machine that tells you the location of other coin-operated machines in the area -- basically a room name, not how to get there or anything.
Rooms contain fixtures, which contain containers on or suspended from them or whatever, within which are items. They'll also contain transformation fixtures.
Actions scope
Examining stuff in a room to any level of detail (values, properties, etc) doesn't use an action.
Exceptions apply if the fixture or container are buried, hidden or otherwise obscured.
Looting items costs actions. Heavier actions are going to cost more -- you do at least get to see how many it expends before doing it.
Areas are linked together via "Books" in a Myst-like way.
A bunch of keys/doors lead to the "Final Book". This ends the game regardless of the amount of Actions you have list, however you get a substantial value bonus.
There should be puzzle mechanisms that reveal/obscure things, move things around, or swap room relationships. Nothing overly complex, just something to tie into action-use strategy.
The Hall of Records
Whoever got first place within a seed window will get immortalized in the Hall of Records.
This is a large area that shows previous record holders. It displays their name, their most valuable item, and the player can format it to show their name however they want and whatever room description they want.
