I got this some unknown length of time, at minimum ten days, after scaring off the Skittish Bum and then asking about the voice at the bum barrel earlier the day I got it. I was etheric when I got the skill.
I believe I also speak for borkman when I break into inconsolable sobbing.
As much as your wracking sobs are music to my ears, I must say that it's not a question of physical days. Not because I'm not a terrible person, but because that's pretty boring.
Cheers!
Kinak
Well, I did quite a lot of things during that time period; I visited nearly every single zone I had access to, with the exceptions of the Slags Gate and possibly the abandoned building, and completed the Missing Artist quest.
Completing an unrelated quest might be the trigger, since you've offically ignored the situation to go off and do something else.
I believe I scared off the skittish bum before even completing the survivors' quest, though now I can't recall for certain. I've definitely done at least both of the artist quests, though, and the voice is still in the park.
Just got it today - my first encounter in SSP in probably two weeks. A couple weeks before that, I know I tried wandering around the park for a while while sober with no luck.
I did attack the bums a month ago, and they continue to scatter when I find the burn barrel.
Effects
Spooky Music (1)
Ocean Song (7)
Ocean Sight (12)
Halloween Spirit (16)
Sugar Rush (22)
Juryrigged Antenna (44)
Primeval Terror (228)
Facepalm. Just spent 36 energy in the park before realizing I had given up and gotten Shadowy Presence.
Good to hear confirmation that you can still get this even if you attack the bums. I had thought that had locked me out since I hadn't unlocked Boundless P. after so long.
It's possible I made the eye stronger by listening to its words ~10 times, preventing it from fading away?
In the beginning, men were mortal.
I just got the skill. Here's what I did:
Nov. 17: Encountered the Evil Eye in the Park and listened to its words. Then I found the Evil Burning Barrel and demanded answers, thereby scaring away the Skittish Bum. Just in case it sets a flag, I found the barrel again and asked about the voice.
Nov. 18: Ran into Eye while trying to unlock the Buried Lab; listened to its words. Triggered the Omega Order to finish Hel's Suspicions. Spent 8 Energy in Southside looking for bums to talk to but couldn't find them.
Nov. 19: Asked the bums about the voice again. Gave a crate of Eclipse to the Homeless Addict as part of the Dr. Thomas quest. Spent some turns elsewhere. Drank an orange juice sample. (Hey, you never know …)
Nov. 20: Went to Southside Park first thing and got the Solving Itself encounter after a few energy.
(I just got the Quantum Mechanics skill, so my OJ charge was not used by this.)
I suspect the trigger might have been giving clearing out the Buried Lab and then giving Eclipse to the bum. Folks on Eclipse would be able to hear the Eye and maybe get orders to hunt down the Skittish Bum, especially when I have provided a new and abundant supply of both bums and Eclipse.
It'd be nice if waiting a rollover turns out not to be necessary. That'll be a thing to test next time.
EDIT: I doubt it's crucial, but added another encounter with the EEitP to Nov. 18 that I just remembered.
I can't find my post on the subject from a few weeks ago, but I did have Hel's Suspicions completed and had given the bum Eclipse, and I did not unlock Boundless Patience. I can't say for sure whether I did both of those before or after scaring the bum away, though — meeting the conditions in advance would hardly require boundless patience.
But honestly, the fact that you can do both of those in advance makes me skeptical that they're the source of this skill.
In the beginning, men were mortal.