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1
General Discussion / Re: Question about the new branch
« on: February 28, 2019, 07:00:15 PM »
Thanks for the blog link! Should've just read that first. Love how once you know how the entrance to the branch works finding consistently is easy peasy.
I went to the exiles a bunch of times and then restarted just to see what sort of goodies you can get. I then did an ole fashioned tread run after getting the farcom to try out the new mechanics. I loved the buff to treads, the accuracy buff really helps you mow stuff down. The run also showered me with quantum capacitators which was great.
Farcom is amazing in the main complex, but it kept me out of caves since I didn't really care about any of the branch rewards since I couldn't imprint or go into research branches. My exiles prototype was the trap converter, which was more helpful for avoiding damage rather than setting up fireworks.
My favorite non-hacking way to do Access is with Z's help, which was out of questions as an exile so I did access blind. Guessed which path to take, smashed everything in my way, found Command (of course), and died to attrition back tracking. Pretty typical run for me, and I was pleased to clear 20k points despite not winning.
After going far in the game once with Farcom, I would use it occasionally, but not if I wanted to seriously play in the branches. Good tradeoffs and definitely the beginner's faction. I still think Imprinting might be objectively better since it doesn't make Testing/Quarantine a horrorshow.
I went to the exiles a bunch of times and then restarted just to see what sort of goodies you can get. I then did an ole fashioned tread run after getting the farcom to try out the new mechanics. I loved the buff to treads, the accuracy buff really helps you mow stuff down. The run also showered me with quantum capacitators which was great.
Farcom is amazing in the main complex, but it kept me out of caves since I didn't really care about any of the branch rewards since I couldn't imprint or go into research branches. My exiles prototype was the trap converter, which was more helpful for avoiding damage rather than setting up fireworks.
My favorite non-hacking way to do Access is with Z's help, which was out of questions as an exile so I did access blind. Guessed which path to take, smashed everything in my way, found Command (of course), and died to attrition back tracking. Pretty typical run for me, and I was pleased to clear 20k points despite not winning.
After going far in the game once with Farcom, I would use it occasionally, but not if I wanted to seriously play in the branches. Good tradeoffs and definitely the beginner's faction. I still think Imprinting might be objectively better since it doesn't make Testing/Quarantine a horrorshow.
2
General Discussion / Question about the new branch
« on: February 27, 2019, 04:42:37 PM »
Hi! I just finished a whole buttload of Tangledeep runs and figured hot damn is it time for some Cogmind again. I looked over the changelogs since I last played and the new content looks great - balancing, RIF, Exiles, oh my! Congrats K on making an amazing roguelike even better.
[some minor spoilers follow]
I love the new Exiles map since it really gives you a reason to go into Mines which wasn't there before. Some great roleplaying happens down there too. My first time trying to find the Exiles, I (obviously) hit an infestation, have to dodge them and the demolisher teams sent in response, have to dodge a bunch of ARCs carrying pests, and only survive cause some derelicts appear from nowhere and do me a solid blocking a choke point. Your robomartyrdom is appreciated.
Here's my Q. In caves, it's very easy to find the special branches - just go left. Is there a similar mechanic to know which exit is the exiles exit, or is the only way to be sure carrying around a signal interpreter?
[some minor spoilers follow]
I love the new Exiles map since it really gives you a reason to go into Mines which wasn't there before. Some great roleplaying happens down there too. My first time trying to find the Exiles, I (obviously) hit an infestation, have to dodge them and the demolisher teams sent in response, have to dodge a bunch of ARCs carrying pests, and only survive cause some derelicts appear from nowhere and do me a solid blocking a choke point. Your robomartyrdom is appreciated.
Here's my Q. In caves, it's very easy to find the special branches - just go left. Is there a similar mechanic to know which exit is the exiles exit, or is the only way to be sure carrying around a signal interpreter?
3
Ideas / Re: We make bad suggestions and come up with horrible ideas
« on: January 26, 2018, 12:41:15 PM »
Turn based games promote overthinking things, indecision, and degenerate strategies. Make cogmind realtime instead of turn based, changing nothing else. Hope you're a fast typer if you like to hack a lot.
4
Ideas / Re: Buff Repair Station
« on: January 12, 2018, 07:49:17 AM »
Yeah any fix would have to keep heavy hackware builds in mind to avoid wrecking balance. That's why I think a well crafted brute force trojan is the ticket, since it'll be a one time potential bonus per station that's not limited to hackers.
5
Ideas / Re: Buff Repair Station
« on: January 12, 2018, 07:27:12 AM »
Definitely needs a buff. I only really use them in materials and storage, where the time it takes to get it done is offset by no extermination dispatches.
Also agree that improving it too much will make them OP. My suggestion: a new unauthorized brute force hack like Force(Accelerate) or something like that. Overworks the machine to repair a part at a dramatically increased success rate and repair time (75% quicker or thereabouts), but shuts the machine down thereafter and like all brute force hacks causes an investigation squad to be dispatched. So you can have one reliable, quick repair per station if you wish, but it'll have costs.
You could could also give repair stations a chance to spawn with an associated Mechanic bot, kind of like the relationship operators have to terminals, and create a new Trojan that remotely rewires the mechanic (maybe temporarily, maybe permanently), so he can give you a touch up. Lets you address more parts but only gets them from red to 50%. Useful if a vital part is about to croak.
e: option 3: leave as is, but have a chance for main.C outposts in caves to spawn with a repair station. In-game explanation is for battlefield repairs to address combat attrition. Could give you an incentive to take a small base on for the shot at programmer-less repairing.
e2: agree with zxc about removing part destruction chance. That's what makes them go from suboptimal to borderline useless in the mid and late game. Anything worth repairing is usually too valuable to risk losing.
Also agree that improving it too much will make them OP. My suggestion: a new unauthorized brute force hack like Force(Accelerate) or something like that. Overworks the machine to repair a part at a dramatically increased success rate and repair time (75% quicker or thereabouts), but shuts the machine down thereafter and like all brute force hacks causes an investigation squad to be dispatched. So you can have one reliable, quick repair per station if you wish, but it'll have costs.
You could could also give repair stations a chance to spawn with an associated Mechanic bot, kind of like the relationship operators have to terminals, and create a new Trojan that remotely rewires the mechanic (maybe temporarily, maybe permanently), so he can give you a touch up. Lets you address more parts but only gets them from red to 50%. Useful if a vital part is about to croak.
e: option 3: leave as is, but have a chance for main.C outposts in caves to spawn with a repair station. In-game explanation is for battlefield repairs to address combat attrition. Could give you an incentive to take a small base on for the shot at programmer-less repairing.
e2: agree with zxc about removing part destruction chance. That's what makes them go from suboptimal to borderline useless in the mid and late game. Anything worth repairing is usually too valuable to risk losing.
6
Fixed Bugs & Non-Bugs / Re: Delay in game registering loss of signal interpreter
« on: January 11, 2018, 07:03:47 AM »
I tend to play games as is out of the box without fiddling with the options. Some cogmind players are super analytical - not me! I only get anywhere through a bloody mixture of luck and attrition. I don't even look at item stats, usually make equipment decisions based on ratings alone.
7
Fixed Bugs & Non-Bugs / Re: Delay in game registering loss of signal interpreter
« on: January 10, 2018, 07:34:10 AM »
Got it. It was odd to briefly still see bots without the SI, but the explanation makes sense. Figured I should flag it just in case.
8
Fixed Bugs & Non-Bugs / Delay in game registering loss of signal interpreter
« on: January 10, 2018, 06:38:13 AM »
So this is a tiny one. I was in caves with a flight build, sensors, and a signal interpreter. I was moving fast, about 374% or so. I was doing some digging and a cave-in destroyed my signal interpreter. On my screen, I could still see nearby robots that were out of sight represented by their tile as opposed to the "?" mark. I moved about 2 more spaces and could still see their tile. After a third move or so, they became question marks.
What I suspect happened is that since I was moving so fast, the game still showed their tile on the turn that signal interpreter was lost, and only switched to show the "?" after a game turn passed.
Like I said, very minor issue (if I'm in fact right about what I observed, I wasn't in a position to reproduce)
What I suspect happened is that since I was moving so fast, the game still showed their tile on the turn that signal interpreter was lost, and only switched to show the "?" after a game turn passed.
Like I said, very minor issue (if I'm in fact right about what I observed, I wasn't in a position to reproduce)
9
Ideas / Re: We make bad suggestions and come up with horrible ideas
« on: January 07, 2018, 06:09:03 PM »
I am full of bad ideas.
Remove evolutions, add experience points to the game. Want to get those slots? Have fun grinding recycler and grunt kills for that delicious exp. Sorry pacifists.
Add classes. Now you can finally be a level 5 cogmind priest. What's better for taking on the big bad in Command, a high level cogmind barbarian or a multiclassed cogmind rogue/mage?
New branch whose rewards can only be obtained by solving the RiddleBot's conundrums. Riddles procedurally generated each run.
Replace all sentries with behemoths.
Replace all swarmers with imps.
Add mimics: robots that look like desirable items until you step onto them, at which point they spring to life and attack.
Give Cogmind a love interest.
New unauthorized hacks that let you prank call Command.
Pay to win. Paypal over a mere $1.00 and instantly reset core to 100.
Merchandising, merchandising, merchandising: plushy versions of Cogmind 'n friends.
New ending where you sit all factions down and work out your differences through constructive dialogue.
New ending revealing that all events were Zhirov's dream after a night of too much vodka and seafood on the Cetus.
Remove evolutions, add experience points to the game. Want to get those slots? Have fun grinding recycler and grunt kills for that delicious exp. Sorry pacifists.
Add classes. Now you can finally be a level 5 cogmind priest. What's better for taking on the big bad in Command, a high level cogmind barbarian or a multiclassed cogmind rogue/mage?
New branch whose rewards can only be obtained by solving the RiddleBot's conundrums. Riddles procedurally generated each run.
Replace all sentries with behemoths.
Replace all swarmers with imps.
Add mimics: robots that look like desirable items until you step onto them, at which point they spring to life and attack.
Give Cogmind a love interest.
New unauthorized hacks that let you prank call Command.
Pay to win. Paypal over a mere $1.00 and instantly reset core to 100.
Merchandising, merchandising, merchandising: plushy versions of Cogmind 'n friends.
New ending where you sit all factions down and work out your differences through constructive dialogue.
New ending revealing that all events were Zhirov's dream after a night of too much vodka and seafood on the Cetus.
10
Fixed Bugs & Non-Bugs / [beta 4] Enemy corruption FCS glitch affects your targetting
« on: January 05, 2018, 07:48:25 PM »
Pretty easy to reproduce.
1) Attack an enemy with an EM weapon.
2) Each time you hit f thereafter, the target will be right over the enemy, per usual.
3) Corrupt the enemy a bit.
4) Have the enemy do a misfire via corruption, one of the new beta 4 mechanics
5) hit f again. Instead of being right over the enemy, your target square will be where the enemy's misfire attack went.
1) Attack an enemy with an EM weapon.
2) Each time you hit f thereafter, the target will be right over the enemy, per usual.
3) Corrupt the enemy a bit.
4) Have the enemy do a misfire via corruption, one of the new beta 4 mechanics
5) hit f again. Instead of being right over the enemy, your target square will be where the enemy's misfire attack went.
11
General Discussion / Re: Should there be a corruption threshold before data loss occurs?
« on: December 11, 2017, 09:05:01 AM »
That'll be a very handy change for dealing with certain branches!
Will there be an ingame way to see what those thresholds are? Or will the manual note which effects have thresholds the point at which the effect is possible?
Will there be an ingame way to see what those thresholds are? Or will the manual note which effects have thresholds the point at which the effect is possible?
12
Ideas / Re: Steam Achievement Ideas
« on: December 05, 2017, 06:55:21 AM »
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap: Kill an enemy with a trap you hacked or planted
Lack of Comprehension: Lose 50% of item knowledge from corruption data loss
Deconstruction: Kill an enemy with a damage type other than melee, kinetic, thermal, EM, or explosive
Godslayer: Destroy Warlord's favorite toy
Kill 'em All: Activate the exoskeleton
Ride the Lightning: Kill an enemy with an overloaded fabricator
Maximum Potential: Kill two or more enemies with a single shot from a thermal weapon
Appetite for Destruction: fire a launcher at an enemy at point blank range
Wolverine Blues: Have at least 6 slots outfitted with regenerative armor
Left Hand Path: Enter Cetus without any allies
Maximum Killing Capacity: Inflict 250 damage against an enemy with a single weapon
Let Me See You Stripped: Instakill an enemy with the CS
Lack of Comprehension: Lose 50% of item knowledge from corruption data loss
Deconstruction: Kill an enemy with a damage type other than melee, kinetic, thermal, EM, or explosive
Godslayer: Destroy Warlord's favorite toy
Kill 'em All: Activate the exoskeleton
Ride the Lightning: Kill an enemy with an overloaded fabricator
Maximum Potential: Kill two or more enemies with a single shot from a thermal weapon
Appetite for Destruction: fire a launcher at an enemy at point blank range
Wolverine Blues: Have at least 6 slots outfitted with regenerative armor
Left Hand Path: Enter Cetus without any allies
Maximum Killing Capacity: Inflict 250 damage against an enemy with a single weapon
Let Me See You Stripped: Instakill an enemy with the CS
13
General Discussion / Re: Should there be a corruption threshold before data loss occurs?
« on: December 05, 2017, 06:31:47 AM »
Adventures in corruption being a problem rather than an annoyance!
Yesterday I'm in a research branch and I fry a lone grunt in a hallway. A previously unseen "you know what" pops into view, turned an ominous shade of yellow. I guess their vision is a pinch longer then yours? I flee, round a corner, and put on my best weapon. It's a special type of thermal cannon that does up to 100 damage, backed up my a particle charger. "Not today buddy," I smugly think to myself. The "you know what" rounds the corner and is at point blank range. I fire!
A corruption effect triggers and the weapon fails to cycle.
The "you know what" does to me what it does best. Next turn my weapon goes off and the little bastard is one shot, but by that point too little too late. ~roguelikes~
Yesterday I'm in a research branch and I fry a lone grunt in a hallway. A previously unseen "you know what" pops into view, turned an ominous shade of yellow. I guess their vision is a pinch longer then yours? I flee, round a corner, and put on my best weapon. It's a special type of thermal cannon that does up to 100 damage, backed up my a particle charger. "Not today buddy," I smugly think to myself. The "you know what" rounds the corner and is at point blank range. I fire!
A corruption effect triggers and the weapon fails to cycle.
The "you know what" does to me what it does best. Next turn my weapon goes off and the little bastard is one shot, but by that point too little too late. ~roguelikes~
14
General Discussion / Re: Should there be a corruption threshold before data loss occurs?
« on: December 04, 2017, 06:32:53 AM »
Egg on my face! I was pretty sure about this, but K's the only one who knows exactly what's under the hood.
Upon reflection, I think I know why I got this wrong. Some logs gives you level/branch exit data - they tell you where an exit is when you enter a level. Other logs give you entrance data. I incorrectly believed this meant you would find this specific entrance on your map when you entered a level, which led me to believe that intel loss was occurring when i wasn't finding these entrances. I'm now guessing that entrance logs act like a signal interpreter - they don't show you a staircase, but if you find it you know where it goes, just as if you had used a signal interpreter on it. Can you confirm K?
Knowing that corruption only effects item knowledge is a huge relief. I've been playing for months with the belief that corruption would cause schematic and unaware analyses to be lost - good to know that's not the case. K, might want to tweak the "data loss" corruption message to "component data loss" or something like that so players understand that data loss only effects item knowledge.
Upon reflection, I think I know why I got this wrong. Some logs gives you level/branch exit data - they tell you where an exit is when you enter a level. Other logs give you entrance data. I incorrectly believed this meant you would find this specific entrance on your map when you entered a level, which led me to believe that intel loss was occurring when i wasn't finding these entrances. I'm now guessing that entrance logs act like a signal interpreter - they don't show you a staircase, but if you find it you know where it goes, just as if you had used a signal interpreter on it. Can you confirm K?
Knowing that corruption only effects item knowledge is a huge relief. I've been playing for months with the belief that corruption would cause schematic and unaware analyses to be lost - good to know that's not the case. K, might want to tweak the "data loss" corruption message to "component data loss" or something like that so players understand that data loss only effects item knowledge.
15
General Discussion / Re: Should there be a corruption threshold before data loss occurs?
« on: December 01, 2017, 12:27:40 PM »
Another random thought: if you have to have intel data loss in the game, you could add a function to system restoration modules giving a slight chance to restore loss data per turn.
16
General Discussion / Re: Should there be a corruption threshold before data loss occurs?
« on: December 01, 2017, 07:01:20 AM »
Derelict logs simply give you a hack selected from a list applied to a future level (the hacks being zone layouts, component/prototype stockpiles, security intel (ie sentry locations), machine index, branch/main access/exit points, etc). In the same way you can lose data obtained from hacking a terminal, you can lose data obtained from these logs (ie future free hacks). Easy to replicate. On a factory level pull off a hack like Index(Terminals) and then let yourself get corrupted. Eventually a data loss corruption will erase that terminal intel. It's quite a bummer.
I've been mentally keeping track of the interplay between derelict logs and corruption for awhile. I am 99.99% sure that corruption can erase derelict log info. If I'm wrong Kyzrati will chime in. It's also worth noting that if there's some confusion among veteran players like us about this mechanic, you have some opacity here that needs addressing.
While I proposed a threshold before data loss occurs, zxc's weighting proposal works too. As it stands, it seems like all corruption events have the same chance of occurring, and higher corruption merely 1) increases the frequency of corruption events, and 2) decreases the chances of successful hacking . One solution to this problem is to make the worse corruption effects (data loss and FCS firings) have a lower chance to occur at low corruption levels. Regardless of whether you use a threshold or weighted chance dependent on corruption level, you can avoid meta knowledge problems by 1) mentioning this in the manual, and/or 2) having a friendly robot in Zion mention this mechanic.
zxc brings up a good point about the shooting corruption effects. My first serious attempt at a research branch ended because of a weapon triggered by corruption around you know what. I was barely corrupted, so that is quite the harsh result. Yet another reason to address the worst corruption events happening at trivial corruption levels.
There's a third solution besides weighting or thresholds: remove data loss as a corruption event except for the loss of item memory. I didn't include this in my first proposal, since I thought it might be too extreme, but I do thing that intel lost is a not fun mechanic. It reminds me of item destruction in DCSS: a not fun experience that was rightfully removed. No one likes losing stuff because your number came up on the RNG lotto. Note that item destruction in Cogmind is completely different: the entire game revolves around item destruction, and it clearly works as a mechanic. I agree that data loss is very flavorful, but flavor should always take a backseat to mechanics and gameplay experience, and once a feature ventures into "not fun" territory it needs looking at.
Upon reflection, I realize I said something in my OP that was not correct. The loss of derelict intel is not irreplaceable. Because these logs are just free hacks, you could replace any loss intel (with the exception of the unique zone layout logs) by simply pulling off the hack on the next level. The thing is, a pure combat build is not going to easily be pulling off top tier hacks like Access(Main) or Index(Machines), especially once you're in the research levels. That's why losing the intel from these logs is so depressing!
I've been mentally keeping track of the interplay between derelict logs and corruption for awhile. I am 99.99% sure that corruption can erase derelict log info. If I'm wrong Kyzrati will chime in. It's also worth noting that if there's some confusion among veteran players like us about this mechanic, you have some opacity here that needs addressing.
While I proposed a threshold before data loss occurs, zxc's weighting proposal works too. As it stands, it seems like all corruption events have the same chance of occurring, and higher corruption merely 1) increases the frequency of corruption events, and 2) decreases the chances of successful hacking . One solution to this problem is to make the worse corruption effects (data loss and FCS firings) have a lower chance to occur at low corruption levels. Regardless of whether you use a threshold or weighted chance dependent on corruption level, you can avoid meta knowledge problems by 1) mentioning this in the manual, and/or 2) having a friendly robot in Zion mention this mechanic.
zxc brings up a good point about the shooting corruption effects. My first serious attempt at a research branch ended because of a weapon triggered by corruption around you know what. I was barely corrupted, so that is quite the harsh result. Yet another reason to address the worst corruption events happening at trivial corruption levels.
There's a third solution besides weighting or thresholds: remove data loss as a corruption event except for the loss of item memory. I didn't include this in my first proposal, since I thought it might be too extreme, but I do thing that intel lost is a not fun mechanic. It reminds me of item destruction in DCSS: a not fun experience that was rightfully removed. No one likes losing stuff because your number came up on the RNG lotto. Note that item destruction in Cogmind is completely different: the entire game revolves around item destruction, and it clearly works as a mechanic. I agree that data loss is very flavorful, but flavor should always take a backseat to mechanics and gameplay experience, and once a feature ventures into "not fun" territory it needs looking at.
Upon reflection, I realize I said something in my OP that was not correct. The loss of derelict intel is not irreplaceable. Because these logs are just free hacks, you could replace any loss intel (with the exception of the unique zone layout logs) by simply pulling off the hack on the next level. The thing is, a pure combat build is not going to easily be pulling off top tier hacks like Access(Main) or Index(Machines), especially once you're in the research levels. That's why losing the intel from these logs is so depressing!
17
General Discussion / Should there be a corruption threshold before data loss occurs?
« on: November 30, 2017, 12:19:46 PM »
I think corruption is a smart mechanic that's handled well in the game. Once you become moderately corrupted you begin to suffer heat spikes, misdirections, parts fall off, and energy drains. Mostly harmless fluff, but in the right (or wrong) circumstances this can cause a fight to go south. You also have weapons failing to cycle or even worse firing randomly. You can't play cogmind without quickly learning to never carry a launcher around equipped while corrupted.
The one aspect of corruption that I think has some problems is data loss. The worst offender, maprot, has already thankfully been removed. Data loss as it remains essentially takes two basics forms. One, you forget what parts are. As a mechanic I think it works. After you play long enough, you know what parts enemies are dropping after a fight. What this mechanic really does is it forces you to make a decision when you encounter stockpiles. Maybe those unrecognized devices are advanced force fields, maybe they're field recycling units. You can strap one on to find out and restore the loss data but that will cost matter and, more importantly, time. It forces the player to make a strategic decision with food clock ramifications, so I think it works.
My big problem with data loss is that it can destroy data that's effectively irreplaceable. Some of the best rewards in the cave branches are the derelict logs. A log that gives you a branch entrance, zone layouts, or index(machine) for a future floor is huge. The problem is, it's so easy to lose this data, even in the face of extremely trivial corruption.
An anecdotal example: I was in the proximity caves on -3, looking for the exit to research. I found a log giving me the entrance to Testing on -3. That's a huge bit of data! I bumped into a programmer who gave me 2% corruption. I slapped on my system restoration module and made for the exit. In that interval I still managed to suffer two "data loss" corruption events. On -3, I did not get the intel reveal for testing, and had to find it the hard way.
Maybe that was exceptionally bad luck, but I feel like it's way too easy to lose data from derelict logs due to corruption. The whole point of branches is that they're high risk / high reward scenarios, and if the rewards can be that easily lost, they're much less desirable. I know that the derelict logs aren't the main rewards in each cave branch, but they're certainly big reasons why I go in in the first place.
While there are anti corruption devices in the game, I don't think that solves this particular problem this given how easily data loss can occur. A system restoration module can take hundreds of turns to get rid of corruption, and walking around with a corruption screen to block corruption effects 1) is not guaranteed to work, and 2) handicaps your combat abilities. They're certainly useful devices, but they're not going to prevent you from suffering the occasional data loss effect. As it stands, even with anti corruption utilities, as little as 1% corruption in caves can result in you forfeiting extremely valuable intel.
tldr: People are inherently loss adverse. They'd rather not lose something they already have than gain something of equivalent value. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_aversion). It's a bummer to lose a branch reward, even if a minor reward, due to an RNG mechanic. My suggestion: Put a corruption threshold before data loss occurs. Even 5% would do it. If you're running around caves super corrupted that's one thing, but if it's extremely minor corruption it'd be nice to avoid corruption effects that are in essence irreparable.
The one aspect of corruption that I think has some problems is data loss. The worst offender, maprot, has already thankfully been removed. Data loss as it remains essentially takes two basics forms. One, you forget what parts are. As a mechanic I think it works. After you play long enough, you know what parts enemies are dropping after a fight. What this mechanic really does is it forces you to make a decision when you encounter stockpiles. Maybe those unrecognized devices are advanced force fields, maybe they're field recycling units. You can strap one on to find out and restore the loss data but that will cost matter and, more importantly, time. It forces the player to make a strategic decision with food clock ramifications, so I think it works.
My big problem with data loss is that it can destroy data that's effectively irreplaceable. Some of the best rewards in the cave branches are the derelict logs. A log that gives you a branch entrance, zone layouts, or index(machine) for a future floor is huge. The problem is, it's so easy to lose this data, even in the face of extremely trivial corruption.
An anecdotal example: I was in the proximity caves on -3, looking for the exit to research. I found a log giving me the entrance to Testing on -3. That's a huge bit of data! I bumped into a programmer who gave me 2% corruption. I slapped on my system restoration module and made for the exit. In that interval I still managed to suffer two "data loss" corruption events. On -3, I did not get the intel reveal for testing, and had to find it the hard way.
Maybe that was exceptionally bad luck, but I feel like it's way too easy to lose data from derelict logs due to corruption. The whole point of branches is that they're high risk / high reward scenarios, and if the rewards can be that easily lost, they're much less desirable. I know that the derelict logs aren't the main rewards in each cave branch, but they're certainly big reasons why I go in in the first place.
While there are anti corruption devices in the game, I don't think that solves this particular problem this given how easily data loss can occur. A system restoration module can take hundreds of turns to get rid of corruption, and walking around with a corruption screen to block corruption effects 1) is not guaranteed to work, and 2) handicaps your combat abilities. They're certainly useful devices, but they're not going to prevent you from suffering the occasional data loss effect. As it stands, even with anti corruption utilities, as little as 1% corruption in caves can result in you forfeiting extremely valuable intel.
tldr: People are inherently loss adverse. They'd rather not lose something they already have than gain something of equivalent value. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_aversion). It's a bummer to lose a branch reward, even if a minor reward, due to an RNG mechanic. My suggestion: Put a corruption threshold before data loss occurs. Even 5% would do it. If you're running around caves super corrupted that's one thing, but if it's extremely minor corruption it'd be nice to avoid corruption effects that are in essence irreparable.
18
General Discussion / Re: Cogmind beta 3 [SPOILER] thread
« on: November 21, 2017, 07:17:13 AM »
Ah yeah, didn't recognize your shorthand. Ironically, in my most recent run where I killed Imprinter to get into the caves, I had the MD in my inventory. For some reason I thought it only worked on bots, didn't realize it could be applied to terrain. Besides getting you into deep caves, the MD is really, really handy if you go all the way in there.
19
General Discussion / Re: Cogmind beta 3 [SPOILER] thread
« on: November 20, 2017, 10:53:53 AM »
Ah, thank you. I didn't realize that doors weren't resistant against thermal, and didn't realize the wall around the door had different stats. That means a good melee weapon or a cooled prototype (even without the charger) should do the trick. Finding either of those on -7 isn't too hard.
20
General Discussion / Re: Cogmind beta 3 [SPOILER] thread
« on: November 20, 2017, 06:14:45 AM »
Yeah I figured that killing Imprinter was guaranteed access, I just feel a pinch guilty murdering all those innocent derelicts along with him. Interesting suggestion on hunting for a weapon in factory strong enough for the doors before going in. Problem is, the doors are 45 armor and have a -25% modifier to damage, so there's not much early game weaponry that can get through that. Even phase sabers don't do the trick. My napkin math indicates that a cooled particle cannon in overload mode with a particle charger should do that trick, but getting both of those is not a given.
The end of deep caves is my favorite part of the game so far. So creepy and thematic. And hard. Only pulled it off once so far.
I'll give discord a shot!
e: This just caught my eye in your post ("for instance, moldy"), what did you mean by that?
The end of deep caves is my favorite part of the game so far. So creepy and thematic. And hard. Only pulled it off once so far.
I'll give discord a shot!
e: This just caught my eye in your post ("for instance, moldy"), what did you mean by that?
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General Discussion / Re: Cogmind beta 3 [SPOILER] thread
« on: November 19, 2017, 01:32:09 PM »That's lab related.
There are reliable ways to enter. Destroying the walls/door doesn't piss anyone off. There's also another reliable way.
Besides blowing the doors (hard at that point in the game unless you visit waste I guess and get lucky) and wanton murder, are there any other ways in? As silly as it sounds, going full metal rampage in zion makes me sad
22
General Discussion / Re: Alert lvl getting too high too fast using launchers?
« on: November 19, 2017, 10:36:48 AM »
For whatever it's worth, I had a winning run yesterday where I triggered high alert for the first time ever. It happened in -3 and I wasn't using launchers. However, I facerolled -3 with this squad, which is probably what did it.
I see the value of the cetus reward - you just gotta be prepared to deal with the consequences!
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
I see the value of the cetus reward - you just gotta be prepared to deal with the consequences!
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Competitions / Re: Weekly Seed #102 [Beta 3.1] [Seed: HardlightRagnarokMatrix]
« on: November 18, 2017, 07:32:21 AM »
This was a fun run. Went through storage and stocked up on armor and drones. Went through my favorite lower caves branch and got access to allies and supplies. Used the upper cave branches to get through factory quicker.
Caves -4 gave me some Research intel, including a Research exit. It turned out to be Testing, and I strolled through there stocking up on goodies.
On -2, I found an exit after picking up a ton of HERF cannons. That's when things got a bit silly. The following is very, very, spoilery.
Score sheet:
Caves -4 gave me some Research intel, including a Research exit. It turned out to be Testing, and I strolled through there stocking up on goodies.
On -2, I found an exit after picking up a ton of HERF cannons. That's when things got a bit silly. The following is very, very, spoilery.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Score sheet:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
400024
General Discussion / Re: Cogmind beta 3 [SPOILER] thread
« on: November 15, 2017, 06:49:32 AM »
And you'll get to see that I exited Access butt naked 
I hacked the surface exit and planned to go around back, but I got hit simultaneously by an assault squad, an investigation squad, and a programmer dispatch right by the front door, and a third colossus spawned by the normal two! I decided that standing and fighting was a mistake, so I switched to only defensive utilities and marched past the guards and right through the front door. Had just enough to make it, but only got out with 180 core.... close!
I hacked the surface exit and planned to go around back, but I got hit simultaneously by an assault squad, an investigation squad, and a programmer dispatch right by the front door, and a third colossus spawned by the normal two! I decided that standing and fighting was a mistake, so I switched to only defensive utilities and marched past the guards and right through the front door. Had just enough to make it, but only got out with 180 core.... close!25
General Discussion / Re: Cogmind beta 3 [SPOILER] thread
« on: November 15, 2017, 06:18:50 AM »
Finally got my first win of the steam release. The difference was I finally figured out how to manage the Research branches without wrecking myself (or guaranteeing future wreckage). I'm also now a hardcore believer in not upgrading weapon slots and rocking two cannons supported by combat utilities. Two enhanced nova cannons and an advanced energy filter, advanced particle charger, and advanced weapon cycler make short work of most things. By the end most programmers were getting one shot. Also, quantum warhead launchers are hilarious.
I think the game's balance, including the late game branches and end game, is spot on. Consistently difficult but doable.
Anyone know if transmission jammers prevent researchers from pinpointing you? If the answer is no, I'd hate to find out the hard way.
I think the game's balance, including the late game branches and end game, is spot on. Consistently difficult but doable.
Anyone know if transmission jammers prevent researchers from pinpointing you? If the answer is no, I'd hate to find out the hard way.