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[Happylisk]

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?

[Kyzrati]

It's.... Happylisk!!! Nice to see you around again, indeed tons of new stuff since you were at it before

As to your question, there is a way to know: On entering the Mines you can simply check your log for a... unique message

I talk about this a bit in the latest Level Design blog post. It's a roguelike technique called "level feeling" which you might be familiar with from classic roguelikes.

[Happylisk]

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. 

[Kyzrati]

You could combine the Trap Reconfigurator with a Trap Extractor for some more tactical possibilities, although that would also require some extra inventory space (admittedly that's easier in Beta 8 w/Hcp. storage--in my last stream I was wasting inventory slots at various points simply because I had so much of it ).

Exiles were definitely envisioned as a beginner-friendly faction, although considering the potential extreme power enabled by some of their prototypes, some players have been doing Exiles-based extended runs. Having two extra utility slots is nice, too! But yeah, not for everyone.

Imprinting is still going to be the stronger option overall (as it was meant to be--kind of a fun crutch, to be honest!), though it's also easier to get oneself into more trouble when imprinted, so it offers some challenges in that regard (no Terminal access, harder to find exits, allies lead to higher alert...).

[zxc]

R branches are possible with farcom, just harder hehehe

Stealing from exiles is easy power spike for mid or late game, with fairly minor penalties limited to caves. It is very much meta now. Little reason to skip exiles.

Many of us want thieves to be avoided if you manage to kill brawn (or someone, maybe all of them)

[Kyzrati]

Read "Many of us want a way to get even more OP without consequences!"

[zxc]

It merely makes sense. Killing them is a challenge. Possibly buff them a little bit first, though. I'm not sure killing them is worth it right now.

[Kyzrati]

I dunno about that. Considering that some people already like to kill them it's clearly worth it to some. And buffing Exiles defenses too much more would all but make them invincible to an early-game Cogmind.

[zxc]

I have no idea why anyone kills them right now.

[Kyzrati]

Maybe it's the hugely OOD guns and 90% resistant armor that makes you practically immune to the most common enemy in the game?