Alpha 5 is here, and with it... NEW BRANCHES!
Compared to previous major releases this changelog is a tiny bit shorter, but that's because much of the work is wrapped up in the branch maps, which are quite unlike anything that's been added so far, and which include plot events and new mechanics, none of which are detailed below. I do my best to keep you unspoiled whenever possible :P.
Before we get started, I'm happy to announce that Cogmind made the Top 100 games of the year here on IndieDB last week! Voting for the Top 10 is currently in progress.
Here are some of the more showable non-spoilery features included in today's release:
Firing overloaded weapons distorts your HUD, where the degree of distortion depends on the power of the weapon.
If you see this machine you can consider blowing it up. There might be consequences. (gif recorded in my testing area--not its natural environment!)
Onward to... somewhere!
Be the tank you always wanted to be. Fire bigger volleys than ever and get away with it.
It's dance time! Watch out for these guys...
Matter now spills out of matter-related machines as they're destroyed. Unless of course you vaporize everything in an explosion.
The EM effect from fabricator overloading also has its own spectrum for extra couple-that-power-source-and-blow-it-up fun.
The defensive shielding bonus for standing on an active stasis trap is now visible (with sound effect). Bet you didn't know that was a thing ;). Another robot is supposed to tell you about this "secret," but they're not in the game yet. I think this particular mechanic can be more transparent, so there it is.
For all your storage needs, every Materials floor now contains one of these :D
Keyboard running now automatically stops for adjacent doors and openings, as seen here in a recording where almost every stop shown is automatic. (Still room for improvement, but it's better than nothing :D)
Smart part auto-replacement directly from the ground simply by attaching.
See here for the full release notes.
Full Changelog - Cogmind Alpha 5 (0.10.151217):
* NEW: Branch map "Recycling"
* NEW: Branch map "Extension"
* NEW: Branch map "(spoiler)"
* NEW: 1 major plot event
* NEW: 3 story-related NPC encounters
* NEW: 9 additional robots (excluding NPCs)
* NEW: 1 additional weapon
* NEW: Quantum Generators produce an ambient sound
* NEW: Various additional sound effects (total now at 702)
* NEW: Allied Operator hacking bonus applies to robot hacking as well
* NEW: Every Materials floor now includes a guaranteed cache of Storage Units
* NEW: Attaching parts (from ground or inventory) while slots are full attempts to smartly auto-replace parts (see manual for priorities)
* NEW: Shielding bonus from stasis traps now produces visual/sound effect akin to phase walls and remote shield generators
* NEW: Matter-specific machines release matter as they are destroyed (Matter Pump, Pressure Siphon, Matter Filter)
* NEW: Fabricators overloaded by brute force hacks have a wide EM spectrum when zapping robots, and can couple with power sources
* NEW: Firing overloaded weapons temporarily distorts the HUD, with a greater effect for higher level weapons
* NEW: Keyboard running stops for adjacent doors, corners, and corridors when moving cardinally
* NEW: Score sheet includes breakdown of bonus point sources
* MOD: Vastly reduced time cost of large volleys (fire 5-10 weapons in less time than originally required by 3!)
* MOD: Alert(Purge) effectiveness halved!
* MOD: Lrg./Hcp. Storage Unit mass increased, making them less weight efficient as an alternative to increasing their size
* MOD: Threat-priority targeting preference option's accuracy improved
* MOD: Tweaked resistances of some props, including special/locked doors
* MOD: Barriers (brighter walls) take half damage from all AOE effects
* MOD: EM damage to regular walls and doors halved; doubled against phasewalls
* MOD: AI no longer attacks disrupted or disabled robots
* MOD: Beamcasters (used by Derelict Thugs) have a new sound effect, and alternate faster animation
* MOD: Buffed Rocket Arrays and Scatter Rocket Arrays
* MOD: Allies wandering around your position will step on nearby known traps less often, when possible
* MOD: Non-combat robots no longer trigger responses from hidden doors
* MOD: K-01 Serfs no longer clean disabled machines
* MOD: Removed chance of standard doors with nothing on the other side once opened
* MOD: Allied Operator hacking bonus applies to all machines, not just terminals
* MOD: Allied Operator hacking bonus only given for those within 20 spaces (direct range, LOS not required)
* MOD: Minimum volley duration set at 100 time units, regardless of individual or cumulative weapon delay modifiers
* MOD: Storage Units immune to severing by slashing weapons
* MOD: Engineers rebuild damaged Sentry/Behemoth cubbies rather than fill them in
* MOD: Critical damage multiplier against armor reduced from x2.00 to x1.25
* MOD: Item selection for dropping due to inventory overflow is now random, rather than based on internal list order
* MOD: Auto-ascend option will pass stairs without ascending if auto-pathing to another destination via mouse
* MOD: Updated a couple manual and context help entries
* MOD: Increased bonus points for a win
* FIX: Stairs might rarely be found in narrow corridors [zxc]
* FIX: Propulsion batch cycling via ';' was overloading propulsion where applicable rather than deactivating it [zxc]
* FIX: Couldn't fly over inactive non-rewireable robots [zxc]
* FIX: Inactive robot encounter in Storage (and a similar more rare encounter) broken in Alpha 4; robots were becoming unpowered [MJWkr]
* FIX: Crash on attempting to mine beyond the edge of a map [MJWkr]
* FIX: Rare crash on entering Mines with cursor over map in which path locations from previous map are no longer valid [SquigglyJ]
* FIX: Rare crash when aiming at a target and unable to retrieve volley recoil data because a weapon was suddenly destroyed [karlnp, Enno]
* FIX: Swapping out of extended log or calc windows while readout sfx in progress continued looping until same sound played elsewhere [Star Weaver, zxc]
* FIX: Rare crash when system corruption triggers a trap against a robot which immediately evades the effects via thrusters
* FIX: Potential crash on some ambush traps releasing melee robots
* FIX: Allied Protector class robots were always appearing red in allies list, even when capable of carrying out their role
* FIX: Out-of-sight projectiles within audible range were playing at slightly louder volume than intended
* FIX: Automated output of squad enumeration hacks produced typos due to the Alpha 4 plurality improvements
* FIX: Scroll buttons for gallery and supporter pages stopped working (broken by Alpha 2's support for left-click exiting of modal windows)
