Cogmind News

Welcome to Beta 12! Embrace the new Scrap Engine to create unique parts by feeding it other items, and explore significantly expanded Garrisons with major new rewards.

With the huge Beta 11 already completing our full balance pass and turning out quite well, Beta 12 is just the first step towards many new features to come in what is essentially our second "post-1.0 cycle." Although originally planned to include one brand new map, the Beta 12 concept was then expanded to two maps, then three maps, and in the meantime patrons voted for a Garrison expansion... That became a big deal on its own, so what I've done here is package up a separate Garrison + Scrap Engine update to release early, allowing you all to play with these features while I get back to working on all the content related to the new faction(s?). Technically I've already built a sizeable chunk of one of the new maps, but want to at least offer it together with a second map which has yet to be created.

But enough about the future, let's talk about what's playable now in Beta 12!



The first stop on our so-called "detour" I mentioned in my announcement last October is the new Garrison design. There's a whole article about those I've pointed to before, detailing how they're put together, and some of what that design means for gameplay.

Hacking a Garrison registry to get All The Intel (yes, Garrisons can even have hackable Terminals in them now!):



The core layout should be familiar if you've set foot inside one before, but aside from a few new base layouts, the focus is really on integrating a variety of localized encounters, some good, some not so good, some risky. Sometimes you may even stumble across big events in there...

In the past, RIF (bothacking) builds have always been the most likely to visit Garrisons, often infiltrating many across a single run, so that alone is a good enough reason to improve Garrison variety. And in that vein we have new robot hacks (now up to 72), a new RIF ability (Code Merge, mmmm...), and even a new type of coupler (I won't spoil the surprise on that one, but it's huge).

But now aside from RIF builds I'm sure we'll be seeing just about any type of build willing to go into a Garrison under the right circumstances as part of new meta strategies, since doing so can earn favor with one of the other major factions. I've always wanted to make that connection, and expanding Garrison was the perfect opportunity to do just that, hence the introduction of the new utility after which this release happens to be named: Encrypted Comm Array (ECA).



Whether it's just one or two Garrisons, or many of them, getting in there and destroying stuff will make a certain robot very happy (if you know who I mean), and this will in turn open up new doors as you progress... One of the most obvious direct benefits you'll get is access to allies who you can track down and join up with to aid you in various ways, be it fighting at your side, repairing your parts, or even hacking terminals.

My most recent stream happens to be doing an "ECA run," although due to a royal screw up on my part we don't acquire the necessary tools until the end of that particular stream, which I'll be continuing next week. (Another screw up: The audio balance on that stream was completely off for the first segment, having accidentally used the wrong settings from a previous setup and only later being notified and adjusted it to achieve proper results xD) It also happens to be a full melee run, albeit a very non-optimal one, but evading and bashing things is fun? :D

For the RIF challenged, new types of Garrison intel could come in handy assuming you can't bring down a Phase Generator to use your own infowar utilities, like locating all the Phase Walls:





It's here.



Now you, too, can feed the engine in an attempt to influence what parts it creates for you, right on your core. The Scrap Engine introduces a whole new build type, and as such requires new strategies aimed at taking advantage of your strengths while avoiding exposing your weaknesses. It is very strong, but getting the most out of it requires a high level of "dedication" in your build--at the extreme end, become an almost unstoppable force of metal and might at the expense of funneling your build into a narrower set of tactical options.



In short, it vacuums up many types of parts to generate "constructs" in your empty slots, so picking what to feed it, and when, are key to success. There's a lot to learn about guiding its creative potential...

You can read a lot more about its features in the dedicated article. All you really need to know now, however, is how to acquire this thing in the first place.

The way you will normally find the Scrap Engine has not yet been added, so for now it spawns on the floor right at the entrance when you arrive in Recycling (sounds fitting, yeah? :D). It appears there because Recycling will indeed be the map in which it's found later, albeit not right at the entrance. Currently there is only one reliable route to reach Recycling, via Storage, so in this version you'll have to head that way if you want to try your hand at building constructs, but soon there will be a new second route to access that area... all of that's coming in Beta 13.

Other contents of Recycling itself have also changed, in preparation for what else is coming off in those parts... For one, the Spotters are gone o_O

Among the QoL things you'll notice while using the Scrap Engine, "edible" resources intermittently blink white while in view and the engine itself is in COLLECT mode:



And a list of your Scrap Engine's current contents (the items it will use to build new constructs) appears over the left side of the map any time you toggle it, or feed it a new item:



Effective use of the Scrap Engine will require experimentation and observation, especially when you're just starting out. I suggest you feed it some armor sooner rather than later ;)



As said, of course RIF users will enjoy the added variety on their many Garrison visits, making diving more fun and interesting both with new challenges and rewards. You'll quickly note that RIF Installers may be a little harder to find since they can appear anywhere now:



At the same time, once you've found the first, subsequent installers won't be so difficult to locate since you can ping them from a distance:



(...assuming you're doing it to actually install the RIF system rather than... *gasp* blow them up)

And in the rewards category, you can even find more than one installer in the same Garrison!

I'm sure bothackers will also enjoy the new coupler type and RIF ability, and can rejoice at the removal of [ARC] couplers, which had their slots in the pool replaced by [Specialist] (those being more common now given Heavy activity) while ARCs can now be hacked using regular [NC] couplers, and even fully controlled (including their contents!) if you have that much power.

purge_threat was also restored to its original (cheaper) cost (10, yay!), now that I had more time to implement the true intended effect of repeatedly using it: diminishing returns.



So that brings you up to speed on Beta 12's key content, but there's more! Actually there's still the full changelog so let's have a look at that...

Cogmind Beta 12 "Encrypted Comms" (230303) changelog:

• NEW: 30 new encounters
  
• NEW: 11 new items (including new mechanics)
  
• NEW: 1 new derelict robot class (multiple variants)
  
• NEW: 3 new Terminal hacks
  
• NEW: 1 new unauthorized Terminal hack
  
• NEW: 1 new RIF ability
  
• NEW: 1 new Relay Coupler type
  
• NEW: 2 new robot hacks: emergency_deploy, formatsys_deep
  
• NEW: 3 new build type descriptors
  
• NEW: 1 new corruption effect
  
• NEW: 1 new scoresheet entry
  
• NEW: 1 new ambient machine track
  
• NEW: 25 new sound effects (total = 1123)
  
• NEW: Multiple lore entries related to new content
  
• NEW: Expanded Active Sensor Suite activity paths to include all maps and prefabs
  
• NEW: Exposed earth cells make use of background color to help differentiate from walls in ASCII mode
  
• NEW: Garrisons redesigned with new map generation algorithm including many encounters and events
  
• NEW: Major new way to use Garrisons to interact with a particular faction, without RIF (new mechanics and effects across multiple maps)
  
• NEW: RIF enables pinging of nearby RIF Installer locations
  
• NEW: Pinging a new special machine location via RIF or other capabilities automatically blocks movement for a moment
  
• NEW: Recycling entrance area includes free access to Scrap Engine (placeholder acquisition method)
  
• NEW: ECM Suites also prevent alert increases caused by 0b10 pursuers losing track of Cogmind
  
• NEW: Derelict Wizard class includes terminal hacking AI behavior under certain circumstances
  
• NEW: Additional AI behaviors during particular large-scale battle in Research
  
• NEW: Extended game major NPC data core contains additional map information
  
• NEW: Some derelict classes capable of moving through Twisted Machinery
  
• NEW: Item info window explicitly lists Chunk count for AOE damage, which may not always be 1~3
  
• NEW: Gallery data exporting includes explosion arc values for applicable weapons
  
• NEW: Tearclaw descriptions indicate they ignore armor
  
• NEW: On-map popup shows in white when attached part rejected due to system corruption
  
• NEW: More detailed old save incompatibility detection and help system
  
• NEW: Options for reporting on botnet effectiveness (advanced.cfg: reportBotnetSupportedSuccess/reportBotnetInsufficientFailure)
  
• NEW: [Polymind mode] Hosts require 1~2 turns to reboot after being released
  
• NEW: [Player 2 mode] Additional situations with more dialogue lines (total = 789)
  
• MOD: RIF Installers placed randomly instead of always near Garrison entrance or exit
  
• MOD: Having RIF installed no longer immune to "Garrison interior compromised" alert
  
• MOD: Alert increases from Garrison interior compromised effect slower to kick in, but rate increases over long term
  
• MOD: purge_threat cost decreased (15->10), has diminishing effect with each successive use on a single map
  
• MOD: Removed Relay Coupler [ARC]
  
• MOD: Relay Coupler [Specialist] more common
  
• MOD: Relay Coupler and Authchip descriptions listing multiple robot classes now order them alphabetically
  
• MOD: Heavies no longer call sensor-based reinforcements while aware of Cogmind's precise position
  
• MOD: GOLEM Unit activation never triggers within 5 turns
  
• MOD: Deep Caves wall more proactive if chambers disturbed
  
• MOD: Removed one potential Shearcannon source
  
• MOD: ARC storage type changed from Large to High-capacity
  
• MOD: Mechanic class built-in inventory capacity increased from 10 to 12
  
• MOD: Mass info no longer listed for unidentified items
  
• MOD: Some multislot treads not quite as common
  
• MOD: All VSS Leg coverage reduced (60->50)
  
• MOD: Imp. Q-Thruster support increased from 8 to 9, base speed reduced from 35 to 40
  
• MOD: Cmb. Linear Gravjet support reduced from 17 to 14
  
• MOD: GOLEM parts and installation of backup parts do not trigger Lightpack effect
  
• MOD: Wall/door destruction at a depth of -10/-9 in 0b10-controlled areas increases influence by 1
  
• MOD: Ranged robots no longer proactively back away from melee-equipped hostiles while standing in an open doorway
  
• MOD: Scrapyard renamed to Junkyard
  
• MOD: Adjustments to certain Mines layouts
  
• MOD: Operators/Mechanics no longer always start immediately adjacent to their assigned interactive machine
  
• MOD: Research branch firing range encounter no longer allows victims to attack one another if only some assimilated
  
• MOD: Zion more reactive to potentially hostile actions
  
• MOD: Zion defenses no longer infinite
  
• MOD: Data Miner now has Disruption immunity
  
• MOD: Propulsion of the same category may not always have the same Mod/Extra speed modifier (updated stat context help)
  
• MOD: Recycling defensive measures replaced
  
• MOD: Updated several lore entries to reflect changes to Recycling
  
• MOD: Expanded conditions under which Decoy Drones might self-destruct
  
• MOD: Latent Energy Streamer special behavior indicated as part of description in part info window, rather than under Effect header
  
• MOD: Several events with disabled bots no longer include possibility of Programmer class
  
• MOD: Updated large robot AI around blocking terrain
  
• MOD: Part auto-replacement system allows power sources of different subtypes to be swapped with each other if swap is desirable for other reasons
  
• MOD: Updated "Rincewind" achievement description to be more specific in light of NEM artifact
  
• MOD: Switched Toggle part auto-activation hotkey from F10 to Ctrl-F10
  
• MOD: [Player 2 mode] Player 2 ignores Fusion Compressors
  
• MOD: [Player 2 mode] "Corrupted" prefix not shown for items listed in Player 2 loadout
  
• MOD: [Polymind mode] Suspicion reduction from attacking 0b10 enemies restricted to more reasonable applicable scenarios
  
• MOD: [Polymind mode] Stasis bubble strength transferred between host and Cogmind where applicable
  
• FIX: Wall/door destruction in -10/-9 increased influence by 3 instead of 0 due to regression in Beta 11 [aoemica]
  
• FIX: Particular broken NPC might be given a line of dialogue in a certain extended game scenario (spoilers) [aoemica]
  
• FIX: Crash during rare Shearcannon-related NPC event if targeting its own position [aoemica]
  
• FIX: Scoresheet Last Messages section could include player notes [aoemica]
  
• FIX: [Polymind mode] Gunslinging by 0b10 bots could choose to target Cogmind even if unsuspicious [aoemica]
  
• FIX: Ablative armor flashed while at 200 heat, despite its description stating it doesn't take effect until rising above that level [aoemica]
  
• FIX: Interactive machines in extended game map were locked instead of disabled after major event [aoemica]
  
• FIX: Beta 9 update unintentionally dumbed down extended game major NPC during certain combat situations [aoemica]
  
• FIX: Swapping positions with stationary FOV-sharing drones did not update their FOV until a later visible action forced an FOV update [R-26 Lightspeed]
  
• FIX: [Polymind mode] Assimilating targets via hacking-capable host caused them to always share FOV with Cogmind [R-26 Lightspeed]
  
• FIX: Fabnet effect audio played globally regardless of map position [R-26 Lightspeed]
  
• FIX: Beta 11 Watcher Feeds AI targeting update also caused hostiles to ignore assimilated Watchers [R-26 Lightspeed]
  
• FIX: Item search window scrolled in opposite direction if using LMB on darkened item [ktur]
  
• FIX: Item search window could crash while attempting to scroll in some situations [ktur]
  
• FIX: Scoresheet could increment Reinforcement squad tally even if none was able to be dispatched in a certain extended map [leiavoia]
  
• FIX: Using full or partially loaded Trap Extractors moving over free nonmatching trap items would attempt to collect them [leiavoia]
  
• FIX: Prefabs might create door into adjacent room, which could later be blocked by a different prefab-placed machine [gammafunk]
  
• FIX: In rare cases certain actions during the Mines cave-in event could cause numerous excavation squad dispatches over a long period [Lumberblack]
  
• FIX: Context help for robot DORMANT state still indicated hacking was possible [nogimagogi]
  
• FIX: Context help for weapon Arc stat reworded to clarify projectile mechanics [Benkyo]
  
• FIX: Derelict-infiltrated ambush traps could exist in Research branches [Infomantis]
  
• FIX: Updating from certain older versions to newer versions with a run in progress could delete an older primary save file, leaving only backups [2zz423]
  
• FIX: Hard Hitter achievement could be earned indirectly by triggering Z-Power destruction [Paperbell, DeadlyBlueApples]
  
• FIX: Mechanics could complete repair tasks on target no longer affiliated with them if conditions met prior to faction change [CaptainWinky]
  
• FIX: Repairing or Scanalyzing a Broken part at a machine could break it again [JackNine]
  
• FIX: Crash due to replicating Broken LC Capacitor [Boris]
  
• FIX: In rare cases a patrol initially present on new map may remain stationary until certain unlikely conditions met [Youngster]
  
• FIX: Typos [Eltons Kuns, aoemica, lyra]
  
• FIX: New Control(Release) special hack missing from scoresheet records affected recording of some other extended-game spoiler hacks
  
• FIX: Relay Coupler [NC] description missing Minesweepers from list of applicable targets
  
• FIX: Attached broken multislot parts fixed by a Recalibrator did not update their "Broken" prefix for additional slots automatically
  
• FIX: Potential crash during system corruption IFF burst if passing turns while Cogmind offscreen near right/bottom map edges
  
• FIX: DSF deliveries could stack a cache on top of existing items
  
• FIX: Dying to a Fire trap caused game over screen to report death by cave-in
  
• FIX: [Polymind mode] Crash on taking control of Programmer host while default info panel already open
  

Saves from earlier versions are incompatible with Beta 12, but even if you're on Steam and Cogmind automatically updates, Beta 11.2 is still available via its own legacy branch and you can roll back to finish a run in progress first if you like.

Regarding save compatibility, Beta 12 actually comes with a more helpful detection and notification system which will display a log message like so:



(If you're not using the Steam version it would leave out the Steam-specific part, since updating is manual anyway.)

Cogmind always keeps your old save files, even in the event of an automatic update on Steam, so finishing a run from an earlier version is as simple as switching your branch to the one indicated (as read from the save file version). For example:



In pretty picture updates, the Active Sensor Suite first introduced back in Beta 11 alongside a bunch of other new infowar utilities has had its "desire path" data fully fleshed out!



All the main 0b10-controlled maps already had the majority of their paths set based on existing procgen content, but many outlying branch maps rely on heavy use of prefabs which, even though placed procedurally, also needed to specify just what kinds of realistic paths they might contain, and therefore how they might link to other parts of the map. This process involved revisiting hundreds of prefabs to manually place markers in order to help define paths that reflect the activity one might expect in these areas.

It's now done, making the Active Sensor even more useful than before, while also helping bring outlying areas to life from a different viewpoint.

The above example shows full Active Sensor data for a larger Proximity Cave base linked to an 0b10 outpost deeper in the caves, and below you can see an interesting scenario I came across that shows path activity generated for a small Warlord outpost linked to some of their guards nearby in the caves:



As one might expect, there's room for environmental storytelling out there, too.

ASCII mode also got some prettification in the new rendering style for earth cells, which make use of a background color, although technically the impetus there wasn't aesthetics, but a need to visually differentiate cave walls from earth in that mode. (Tiles didn't need this, since that mode uses separate tiles for each anyway.) See here:



Doing various things to expose or view earth tiles:



Okay where we really needed the distinction was in the caves:



There weren't many more item adjustments in Beta 12, since Beta 11 took care of that with a comprehensive review, although we have a few stragglers that got tweaked. ECM Suites were buffed for stealth-minded Cogminds, while one of the top-tier flight units (Imp. Q-thrusters) got a 12% increase in support, and the only top-tier non-prototype hover (Cmb. Linear Gravjet) had its support dropped by 18% to bring it in line with the tech behind it. (Use the lower-tier Cmb. Antigrav System to fill the more heavy-support hover role, albeit without the linear hover speed.) Another notable propulsion update: Late-game multislot treads were way too commonly found just lying around, especially given how much they've been buffed over the years as even more types were added (technically increasing prevalence further), so they are generally a little more rare now to bring them back in line.

Overall balance is looking good, though, which is great because it confirms the foundation is ready for yet more exploration of interesting new mechanics :)

Beta 12 also brings a fair number of AI modifications, some specific to certain areas or events, but also a few applied more generally. Of particular note, robots fighting in doorways will no longer back away from melee-using enemies, so to use automatic doors as a convenient temporary shield you'll just have to rely on impact weapons to send targets flying back out the door ;). You can even hook up with AIs capable of hacking machines, something they can go off and do on their own before returning to report what was learned.

In the general QoL department, if system corruption rejects a part, in addition to the several other sources of warning feedback you'll now also get a popup on the map showing the name of the item:



Note we've always had the cogmindPartLossMapIndicator advanced.cfg option which could do this, but this new behavior uses a different color, and is always active.

You might enjoy one or both of the two new botnet-related settings in advanced.cfg, in order to know when your previously-installed botnets were what enabled you to succeed at a given hack, or inform you that you were close enough that you would've been successful with just a slightly bigger botnet, altogether useful for assessing how that ability fits into your overall hacking strategy (but entirely optional, and off by default).





aoemica's ultimate Cogmind tool Cog-Minder, including robot/item/hacking/lore reference materials and a battle/build simulator, has more recently been expanded with a great wiki full of strategy info and useful tips. There are tons of screenshots showing various encounters, supporting diagrams, and more.



Most of the maps are in there, with a great level of detail, but there are also plenty of wiki links and other topics that could be filled out with more info. Consider contributing if you have something to add!

Have fun playing around with Encrypted Comms! And in the meantime I appreciate the help with leaving reviews since the December Polymind update (after forgetting to remind everyone for so long xD), very helpful! I'll be analyzing Beta 11 stats to share soon enough, as usual, then be getting back to work on Beta 13. That expansion already includes several brand new robot classes and 25 new items, most with new mechanics, and that's just some of its tangential pieces--the real meat is going to be exciting stuff, as one would expect from a new major faction :)

A preview of more to come...

I finally had a chance to do my first serious Polymind run, yesterday on stream (archived here, a win!), but the important part is that that run combined with reports from other players over the past few days gave me plenty of material to work with regarding improvements for the event. I look forward to trying out lots of different play styles in future Polymind runs (I used only a handful of classes since I'm partial to Heavies :P), but here's what we've got so far for this update, available now (saves are compatible, so you can switch over from a Polymind run in progress if you like):

• NEW: [Polymind mode] Cogmind also gains host's innate mass support characteristics, if applicable
  
• NEW: [Polymind mode] Waiting in an armed host without enough matter to fire current volley gradually generates matter up to required amount
  
• NEW: [Polymind mode] Bump adjacent disabled robots to rewire even while controlling unsuspicious 0b10 host
  
• NEW: [Polymind mode] Minesweeper host can lower suspicion by disarming or reprogramming 0b10-installed traps to appear busy with relevant tasks
  
• NEW: [Polymind mode] Superbehemoth special ability also works while used as host
  
• NEW: [Polymind mode] Multitile hosts can autocollect resources anywhere under them, not just from their top-left position
  
• MOD: [Polymind mode] Waiting no longer increases suspicion outside 0b10-controlled areas
  
• MOD: [Polymind mode] Targeted dispatches (e.g. assaults) switch to wandering target area if while en route Cogmind drops suspicion below Very High
  
• MOD: [Polymind mode] Dormant 0b10 bots no longer sometimes wake up when Cogmind controlling unsuspicious 0b10 host within visual range
  
• MOD: [Polymind mode] Data Miner help no longer available if swapping with them while controlling 0b10 host
  
• MOD: [Polymind mode] Increased Protomatter cost of Trackers and Combat Programmers
  
• MOD: [Polymind mode] Recycler hosts no longer modify suspicion based on item collection/dropping
  
• MOD: [Polymind mode] Increased effect of Recycler item delivery on suspicion level
  
• MOD: [Polymind mode] Increased effect of Operator suspicion reduction method
  
• MOD: [Polymind mode] Adjusted Mechanic host actions effect on suspicion, added more explicit deconstruction limitations
  
• MOD: [Polymind mode] No suspicion increase from misfires targeting terrain
  
• MOD: Minesweeper matter capacity increased to 50
  
• FIX: New Force Melee mode also being toggled by regular force melee input [ktur]
  
• FIX: [Polymind mode] Automatic part sorting produced visual glitches for some hosts with zero slots of a given type [ktur, DeadlyBlueApples]
  
• FIX: [Polymind mode] While in an unsuspicious 0b10-affiliated host could also swap with hostile non-0b10 robots [DeadlyBlueApples]
  
• FIX: [Polymind mode] Protomatter could be picked up as a normal item once storage cap reached [Terminus]
  
• FIX: [Polymind mode] Mechanics used to fit multislot parts on ally with insufficient slots then taken as host would crash [CaptainWinky]
  
• FIX: [Polymind mode] Top 5 Hosts by Kills scoresheet records not always complete [aoemica]
  

Not much to say about the details besides what's listed above, but here's a quick shot of what should happen if you can throw off suspicion when a targeted assault was already on its way to you!



The leaderboards were spun up a day after the event began, and you can check those out here. Those will be running until the end of the event period (1/7), after which we can check out some aggregate stats and maybe some of the individual accomplishments. Several wins were recorded in the first day, and we already even have a couple extended wins as well :D



(The full list of Polymind runs can as usual be found in the version run list, for example here for Beta 11.2.)

Edit: I put out a quick hotfix for yesterday's update (saves still compatible), 221230a:

• NEW: Integrity Redistributor effect description includes minimum contribution requirement
  
• FIX: [Polymind mode] Crash under certain rare conditions upon releasing a host [bugsniper]
  
• FIX: [Polymind mode] Protomatter collection not being added to gallery records [lyra]
  

It's the end of another year, Cogmind's 10th, and to celebrate we have another special event that turns the world on its head for an extremely different experience in an otherwise familiar environment: Polymind!

Ever want to roleplay a Worker bot? Okay maybe not... What about a Behemoth? That's more like it... Well, in this version you may feasibly consider each option for their respective advantages, and many many more :)

In Polymind you can take control of almost any other robot--in more typical roguelike/game terms you can think of it as essentially "possession" mechanics.

This version is so non-Cogmind that you can't even attach or remove parts (say goodbye to inventory paralysis!), you don't even evolve slots! Instead you're entirely dependent on your host's capabilities.

The first thing you'll notice is the event-specific info panel that appears in the bottom left:



This allows you to reference the name of your host there at the left, your current Protomatter stores (45 in the example), get access to more info via the button (or the '9' key), and also keep track of a dynamic suspicion meter which we'll get to later.

As you can see, Protomatter is back. Originally introduced for our Winter 2019 RPGLIKE event/mode, it serves a different purpose in Polymind, functioning instead as your resource for taking control of an adjacent target. Collect Protomatter from among the salvage of some destroyed combat robots, or if you're really desperate you can eventually gain some by ramming other bots.



The cost of controlling a given robot is shown in its label as "p-X," where X is how much Protomatter you need. It shows as "N/A" if control is impossible, but very few are completely out of reach :)



When you have enough Protomatter, simply moving into an adjacent target will take control of them.



Releasing control, which you can do at any time, is handled by what is normally the "Purge All Parts" command from the special commands menu (Spacebar).

These instructions are available via the mode info button, as is other robot-specific information when you have a host:



Most of the robots and their functionality are pretty straightforward, but a handful of those with special functions are more complicated than others, so be sure to check out their info in the new panel when learning about new host types.

This mode will likely also help provide intimate experience with various other robots in terms of familiarizing yourself with their capabilities and limitations, including for example damage resistances/weaknesses, all of which are pretty important for improving play in the regular game.



Now why might you want to larp as a Recycler? Or a Worker? Or some other maintenance bot? Well if you look like a native of Complex 0b10, and aren't flagged as a suspicious system, they'll ignore you!

So you can walk right past patrols, or sneak right up to a particularly dangerous bot and just assimilate it. That said, generally speaking keeping your distance from too many potential hostiles is still the better option when possible, especially those you might imagine are likely to be especially suspicious, to avoid blowing your cover.

If undetected you can also swap places with Complex 0b10 bots as if they're normal allies. Overall you have a lot of freedom when not suspicious, so some players may often try to stay that way as long as possible. At the same time, the only way to get more Protomatter in order to switch control to other bots is to harvest it from combat bots, so you may need to do some fighting (or encourage their destruction some other way).

As long as you're not at or above very high suspicion, you can even dodge all targeted dispatches, meaning newly-dispatched Programmers and assaults will not even be sure where you are. You might notice the messages are different when that applies, along with their resulting behavior.

While in a host and unsuspicious, you'll have much darker UI borders to reflect that status (there are also audio cues):



If you want to take control of a true ally such as a derelict or fabricated bot (which as you might notice also has a cheaper cost), because they are allied you won't normally be able to move onto their position since the default behavior is a swap. For this you'd need to use a force melee/ram "attack."

Because not every input method has an easy time trying to force melee a target (and in fact diagonal force ramming has always been impossible with arrows/vi-keys), this was the perfect opportunity to finally add in a very important new feature for general Cogmind use: toggleable force melee mode!

Force melee mode is toggled via the Spacebar actions menu, under 'e', so a quick spacebar-e will get you ready to do this, or shut it off (Shift-Alt-e also works, as all other commands on that menu).



While active, a "FORCE" indicator pops up at the top of your parts list, and of course the usual attack/ramming warnings will apply to help you avoid making unnecessary mistakes.



Yep, everyone will now have easy access to force meleeing a target compatible with their preferred directional keys.

Despite the helpful warnings, I still suggest you toggle force melee on only for as long as you need it, then off again when done, because otherwise it could lead to unexpected behavior later on once you've forgotten about it! I predict many people unintentionally slamming into objects until the lesson is learned (I know this because it has been happening to me since I'm still not used to it :P).

Note that with the mouse you also won't be able to initiate an attack on a normally hostile 0b10 combat target while unsuspicious, since for movement purposes they are considered allies and you can walk to/through them, so if you want to start hostilities using mouse controls, you'd have to begin targeting mode through some other means, such as clicking on a wall first, or using 'f' to enter that mode. Or if your intent is to ram or take control of them, use a force melee action.

A new force melee option will be helpful in all runs, but is clearly especially useful for Polymind.



This is a pretty big mode and I won't cover all of its nuances, but aside from the basics introduced above there are a few other features I'd like to mention.

For one, I did actually make it possible to control multitile bots. It was a crazy amount of work and almost delayed the entire release, but so worth it for obvious reasons :D

By nature they are more limited in what they can do, like they can't operate interactive machines, but they have a distinct advantage in terms of movement in contrast to how, I'm sure you know, smaller bots tend to have trouble moving around them. Large bots can basically wade through crowds of other non-large bots, pushing them out of the way (hostile or not!), so don't worry about that part, just worry about how to navigate areas with tighter tunnels ;)

They do have one other quirk as well, in that they can only interact with one space on the ground, specifically the one under their top-left cell. This is something I would explore addressing if it were important now, but you can't even do much with items in Polymind anyway, so just know that's how it is--they'll always pick up from (and drop to, or operate on) that location.

Controlling a multitile bot is also missing a few pre-movement warnings, though I tried to fit in what I could in the time available.

I have some cool gifs of multitile bots doing stuff, but let's call them spoilers and worth challenging yourself to explore on your own adventures :)

Taking control of different 0b10 bots can also give you useful intel! Both combat bots and non-combat bots alike will provide you with information corresponding to their normal duties, in most cases akin to the sort of informaton you can extract from them via RIF hacking. The types of intel are listed on their info page, for example that earlier Scavenger screenshot I shared indicates that it will mark a Recycling Unit for you (the nearest one, if you don't already know about it), which you can also see marked just to the north of where it was controlled.

And you thought controlling a Watcher with it's speedy movement and sensor package would already be decent enough, well how about free route data on host acquisition?



Engineer wallhacks.



Okay this one's not intel, it's simply being able to use all the parts found on different bots, like the Mechanic's Machine Analyzer because hell yeah rainbow chip.



There are also various bits of QoL to help you be a good Polymind, and in addition to those already mentioned, you'll also notice highlighted areas designated by 0b10 for your host to operate where it wouldn't otherwise be obvious. This way you can be a good Tunneler and get all the cookies.



For some gameplay QoL, you also automatically get the analysis of any bot type you take control of, for those that have them, which will help fight against others. (There's a log message about this when you control a new host that didn't yet have an analysis for.) Technically this is also a new way to collect them for your personal lore record purposes.

As usual I did add also some mode-specific tweaks for the easier difficulty settings, the details of which have been added to the respective lists in the manual.

In this mode the scoresheet also got a new dedicated Polymind section towards the bottom, which records a number of relevant stats.



Some of these stats and others from your run will also contribute to your Polymind-specific bonus score, which will likely be a significant component of your overall score, so we can do the normal event-specific leaderboard thing like with Player 2, RPGLIKE, and more. I haven't set it up yet (coming soon), but by extrapolation I would expect the leaderboards to appear here when ready :P

As with RPGLIKE, regardless of your showBuildType setting your current host class will be shown at the top of your parts list, and instead of the usual approach to build classification the scoresheet records will purely be using your host class instead of loadout, which should make for some interesting post-run analysis, not to mention comparisons across runs once everyone starts submitting run records. (Remember, the submission feature is off by default and you have to turn it on manually in the options, and set your player name, in order to participate.)

As in the past I'll be sharing data from the event later, probably on the dev blog along with other information about Polymind.

There's quite a lot of room to bring crazy ideas to life in Polymind, so I'm looking forward to the fun stories to come out of this event. As with regular Cogmind there's both ends of the spectrum, from a really aggressive approach to a super stealthy one, and everything in between, but Polymind provides many new tools to achieve either goal, and lots of new strategic and tactical considerations throughout, so I also look forward to putting in some real runs myself. I've been so busy lately trying to bring it together in time (and keeping this huge array of changes and new mechanics from falling apart at the seams xD) that I haven't even had a chance to just enjoy it!



As a timed special event, Winter 2022/Polymind mode will automatically activate for you on new runs from 12/24 through 1/7 if you've played at least 10 runs of Cogmind before.

On days outside that range, or even if you haven't played that many runs before, you can still force it by adding a command line parameter when running COGMIND.EXE: "-forceMode:Polymind". (Within Steam this is handled by going to Cogmind > Properties > Set Launch Options.) If you want to play a regular run during the event, you can suppress event date triggering by adding the "-noSpecialMode" command line parameter.

Important: Special events can only be activated if the game starts up without loading a save. Even restarting/self-destructing won't work in this case, because it requires modification of underlying game data on startup, which cannot be reloaded while the game is running. So if you have another run in progress, be sure to finish/end that first and launch Cogmind without any save in progress.

• NEW: Special event for Winter 2022, automatically activates between 12/24 and 1/7 (inclusive) for anyone who has played at least 10 runs
  
• NEW: Command line argument "-forceMode:Winter2022" (or "-forceMode:Polymind") to enable the Winter mode from 2022, regardless of system date
  
• NEW: [Polymind mode] Blend into Complex 0b10 as one of their own!
  
• NEW: [Polymind mode] Cogmind does not evolve slots, and cannot attach or remove any parts
  
• NEW: [Polymind mode] Collect Protomatter from destroyed combat bots and use it to take control of almost any other robot
  
• NEW: [Polymind mode] Gain the form and functions of the controlled robot, and consider taking advantage of their capabilities to remain unnoticed
  
• NEW: [Polymind mode] Performing class-related actions keeps suspicion low, but be wary of especially suspicious enemies
  
• NEW: [Polymind mode] Once detected, either fight it out or try to lose your tail and blend in again by getting back to work as a local
  
• NEW: [Polymind mode] Robots from other factions will always recognize you for what you really are, regardless of your current form
  
• NEW: [Polymind mode] Extra "Polymind" section in scoresheet containing mode-specific stats
  
• NEW: [Polymind mode] Significant bonus points awarded for various Polymind-related performance factors
  
• NEW: Force melee mode, a new way to repeatedly force a melee/ramming attack (toggle via Spacebar+e or Shift-Alt-e), also compatible with vi-keys
  
• NEW: 0b10 Mechanics assigned to Repair Stations eventually resupply with backup parts from a station if available
  
• NEW: HUD Core/Energy/Matter readout uses higher contrast colors with Colorblind Adjustments option active
  
• NEW: Accessibility section of manual detailing ASCII map fonts, closed caption audio, colorblind mode, color customization features, and more
  
• MOD: Non-Cogmind-controlled Mechanics capable of carrying out full range of repairs, including allied robot cores and part integrity
  
• MOD: Non-Cogmind-controlled Mechanics can no longer engage in repairs if self or target in combat, as with Cogmind-controlled Mechanics
  
• MOD: Robot Size context help includes reference to that value's effect on lines of fire
  
• MOD: Toggle Sound default hotkey (F11) changed to Ctrl-F11
  
• FIX: Mechanics were capable of fixing even broken parts normally outside valid rating limits [MTF]
  
• FIX: Stat values referenced in manual's Coverage/Exposure example calculations reflected data from earlier versions [aoemica]
  
• FIX: Slow startup time on some M1 systems allowed muteAudioOnFocusLoss=1 to crash the game while alt-tabbing during loading [needausername]
  
• FIX: noAudio=1 advanced.cfg setting no longer always worked, might crash program on startup [Luigi]
  
• FIX: Using global audio toggle (Ctrl-F11) combined with muteAudioOnFocusLoss=1 still allowed audio to restart on returning to program from another
  
• FIX: Now compatible with all versions of Steam Deck software
  

This release does not include all the big stuff I've been working on this year for Beta 12, which is a separate big expansion.
I did, however, backport a few things that would be helpful to have as soon as possible, so the changelog includes more than just Polymind stuff.

I didn't realize the noAudio setting was broken for a long time (nor that anyone might actually want to use it, but they do!), and fixing it means you really can tell Cogmind to not even load sound files on startup, effectively dropping its required disk size from 48 MB to 13 MB. Outright delete the /data/audio directory and it will still work with this setting. But... then of course there's also no sound effects.

I also made an adjustment to the built-in colorblind UI mode which recolors the HUD to rely more on contrast than shades:





Some time next week I'll be streaming some Polymind, talking mechanics and strategy, though I'm not sure when. I've been pretty sick and extremely medicated for over a month now, hence the complete lack of streams since my health is just not up to it. Although I was hoping for a return to normal before starting again, it's been so long (plus there's an event!) that I'd like to try... (and also finish the final leg of that Zorbus run xD). If you want to check out my stream later on, it'l be archived with my other videos on YouTube.

In the meantime, folks on the Discord have been streaming Cogmind literally every day for the past couple weeks, so I imagine they'll keep doing that and some Polymind will be involved as well :)

If you missed it before, early this month I did my annual review taking a big-picture look at the past year and what's to come.



The current main project is following through on my promise to bring a significant expansion to Cogmind in the form of a new faction and corresponding maps/lore/NPCs/etc as a result of hitting one of our Overwhelmingly Positive threshold milestones on Steam a while back. We have since lost that status, but work is already well underway and it is happening nonetheless! (as will the promised Merchants expansion, but that one is likely a big post-1.0 thing, with only bits of them showing through via lore at present) On that note, it's been a very long time since I reminded folks to leave reviews, and it shows xD. Not something I really like to bother with, but they are certainly helpful for indie devs, especially those who work on their game full time like I do.

Lastly, a reminder to any of you in Argentina or Turkey: As described in an announcement on the forum earlier, Cogmind's price will be adjusted next month. Sorry about the mixup. Valve's currency system is not to be trusted xD

Oh yeah there's also the Steam Deck thingy mentioned in the changelog. Naturally it's not really recommended playing on the device itself with tiny screen and no suitable control scheme, but I know some of you wanted to experiment with it, and others wanted to use their deck as a console hooked up to external devices (and are already doing so with the specific versions that do work), so it should now at least be compatible with all versions of the SD software. Have at it!

Surprise!!!



Saves from earlier versions are incompatible with Beta 11.2, but even if you're on Steam and Cogmind automatically updates, Beta 11.1 is still available via its own legacy branch and you can roll back to finish a run in progress first if you like. To be extra clear, even in the event of an automatic update on Steam, none of your saves would be deleted--older save files simply wait in your user data for the proper version to start up, so you can even safely try the new event out and roll back to finish an earlier run on the previous version.

Time for another annual review! 2022 saw Cogmind's 10th anniversary, celebrated by its largest-ever release, and Beta 12 is still in development but getting quite large itself... Read about Year 9 of the Cogmind on the dev blog, concluding with the usual look at the months ahead.

WARLORD FOREVER!

Beta 12 development is well underway at this point, though I regret to inform you that it will contain even more than originally planned ;)

The idea was mainly to add a new map and new faction (in fact the one promised as part of this announcement if we got enough reviews), plus of course all the related features and content implied by such an addition. So, um, I haven't actually started on that just yet, and instead finished a huge Garrison expansion, a whole new multimap mechanic for interacting with one of the existing factions, and a crazy new randomized item system that seems to work, with plans for an actual three new maps, that new faction (and friends!), and a whole new ending (Cogmind's 10th!).

I've been summarizing some of the major features on the dev blog, but here's a shorter summary to fill you all in on progress.



The first order of business in Beta 12 was to implement what patrons voted for, an expansion of Cogmind's Garrison interiors, and it got waaaay bigger than expected :P



Overall the article provides a background on Garrison design, both the old and new, giving the reasoning behind the expansion and corresponding methodology.

Definitely one of the more time-consuming aspects was adjusting the unique map generation for compatibility with Cogmind's normal encounter architecture, so that we can greatly increase the variety of localized encounters. Here's an example of potential encounter rooms (dark gray) to expand upon a randomized original Garrison layout:



And a final Garrison layout after various encounters have been inserted:



That already looks quite different, with a greater potential for variation, than the original Garrisons, but there's more!

For years I've also wanted to tie Garrisons to one of the major Derelict factions (one in particular), and saw a revisitation of Garrison design as an opportunity to do just that, so expect more in that regard... In fact, most importantly the new mechanic I'm referring to (which I won't spoil here) offers a reason for non-RIF users to consider entering Garrisons as well! (aside from other possible normal reasons, which in fact there are even more now because Garrisons often contain even better loot)

Among the less surprising new features included with a Garrison expansion are a redesigned clock, several new Terminal hacks, and possible mapwide events to mix it up even more.

There are many other details covered in the full post.



Those of you who have played Cogmind before will know that there are quite a lot of items (>1000, actually!), and without exception all of them have static stats. True there are a handful of items which can be transformed into something else, but item stats always remain the same from run to run, allowing you to build an understanding and expectations of what is available from various sources, and in the end meaning less time spent figuring out how good something is and more spent planning and adapting your build based on past knowledge.

This fact won't change on a large scale, but in another major detour for Beta 12 development I did spot an opportunity for a true exception to the "all items are static" rule, built it, played it alongside patrons, and it seems to be interesting and compatible with the rest of the game :pogmind:

As part of the background for this topic, on the blog I wrote about "Item Variants and Randomization in Roguelikes" giving a brief history of non-static items in past roguelikes, all the way back to Rogue itself.



This is quite the Angband randart:



The post includes screenshots from a variety of roguelikes while demonstrating how randomized items evolved over time.

Then it goes into depth about how items being static is of fundamental importance to Cogmind's design, in a number of respects.

Then there's this collage of ASCII art for ~800 of Cogmind's items, because it's cool-looking :P



Getting back on topic, considering that Cogmind was built over a decade while assuming that items are all static, obviously it could be problematic trying to edge some randomization in there, so the latter section of that post covers the architecture and design that would make it possible to realize this goal. I wasn't confident that it would even work well enough to justify including in the end, but it was interesting to at least try if the end result would be fun and make sense.

In short, by imposing just the right limitations on the system, combined with some creative workarounds, it is indeed possible!

The result is a whole new mechanic and build style designed around a new utility: the Scrap Engine.



This utility is pretty amazing, collecting power sources, propulsion, and guns/cannons to create "constructs," basically Frankenstein parts that draw on various attributes of the component items, for better or worse. Continuing to eat more items further modifies existing constructs, and repairs them in the process, in the long run turning Cogmind into a true monstrosity of evolving scrap, one that might sometimes be a little on the weak side, and other times an unstoppable beast firing some giant multiprojectile penetrating cannon that rips through entire armies.

You know you want it:



(yeah the heat was challenging--I ran this for a while during one of my streams, but a couple of injectors were usually good enough, sometimes retreating for a moment when necessary)

In any case, playing with this thing really calls for a whole new approach to many aspects of play, and can get pretty chaotic and surprising for those who enjoy that sort of thing. Honing and testing one's skill at adaptation has always been high on Cogmind's list of strengths :)

With the Scrap Engine it's DIY exoskeleton time! (sketch by Zyalin)



Quite a lot of work went into fine tuning the Scrap Engine, perhaps evidenced by the number of related mechanics you can read about in the full article, including armoring itself, part repairs, multislot constructs, construct stacking, and of course the unavoidable amount of underlying number crunching to get something like this operational.



Inevitably there are also some new UI and QoL features to support more effective use of the Scrap Engine, including a popup list of previously consumed parts it can currently use to create or modify constructs:



Feed it well and it will (likely :P) do good things for you!

Up next: A new cave branch found waaaay down low, a new faction that makes up in spirit what it lacks in cohesiveness, and a new late-game map (MAIN.C isn't one to be left out of all the fun).