The latest and greatest Cogmind is now Alpha 8!
Alpha 8 is the first very lore-heavy release. There's been plenty of lore available from terminals before, and a few NPC encounters that shed some light on things, but now we have a new pair of maps dedicated to learning more about what has and is happening in the world. Both of them are found in the caves, meaning all but one of the four primary cave branches are now complete (although there will be one or more even deeper caves in the future).
Here are some of the more showable non-spoilery features included in today's release:
-1/Access has been barren too long, so now there are more machines to entertain you, some of them very asciiplody.
A couple dozen new parts, the art for which you can see a few samples of here.
If you can find drones equipped with terrain scanning gear, they'll share that intel with you, too.
Part/inventory data visualization includes a relative mass mode (for a total of six optional info modes).
Hold the ` key to brighten and color known areas outside FOV.
Some NPCs require bump-to-talk, and if they have unspoken dialogue when you see them they'll be marked with a blinking '?' (in addition to the regular indicators--a '?' in the scan window, and a glowing "(transmission)" in their info window).
Gallery item collection percent is now animated.
Real-time FOV updating as obstructions are destroyed (optional).
FOV reveals support fade-in (also optional).
AI initialization is now optimized to avoid the short pause during the first turns in large maps like Factory. Here you can see the AIs gradually waking up over the first few turns on the map, beginning with those closest to your starting position.
(As usual, I'm not spoiling the new maps or better content--you can discover those on your own!)
See here for the full release notes with plenty more details.
The full Alpha 8 (0.10.160427) changelog:
- NEW: Branch map "Zion"
- NEW: Branch map "[redacted]"
- NEW: 3 new alien artifacts
- NEW: 4 new major NPCs (unique robot classes)
- NEW: 1 more plot-related NPC encounter
- NEW: 1 unique weapon (completely different mechanics)
- NEW: 28 new items
- NEW: Several new common robot classes
- NEW: More lore to uncover in dozens of terminal records
- NEW: Hundreds of lines of minor NPC dialogue covering lore, plot, and in-theme tips
- NEW: Greater variety of cave encounters
- NEW: Experimental map-wide ambient sound in caves (on by default, deactivate via "locale" audio setting in options)
- NEW: Robot analysis benefits include a -5% hit modifier for those attackers (i.e. easier to dodge them)
- NEW: Robot analysis benefits included among full-detail calculations output
- NEW: Real-time FOV updating as obstructions are destroyed (optional)
- NEW: FOV changes revealed via fade-in (optional)
- NEW: Brighten and color known areas outside FOV by holding '`' (undocumented command)
- NEW: Part/inventory data visualization now includes relative mass mode (toggle via integrity 'w' command/button)
- NEW: 6 more machine types unique to -1/Access (some of them go BOOM)
- NEW: 5 more Trojan hacks
- NEW: Capable drones share terrain scanning data with Cogmind
- NEW: Robots with unspoken dialogue requiring bump-to-talk marked by blinking '?' (or by unique background color if motion trails inactive)
- NEW: Score sheet records total number of actions taken
- NEW: All supporter names registered since Alpha 7 added to in-game list (see Credits menu)
- NEW: All item-attribution names registered since Alpha 7 added to the item collection gallery
- MOD: Main Access Shell behavior changed for non-combat approaches
- MOD: Decomposers no longer break down matter, work slower in general, and are confined to smaller areas
- MOD: Derelict workers and recyclers destroyed in caves no longer have self-destruct mechanism on salvageable parts
- MOD: Derelict recyclers no longer collect matter or data logs
- MOD: Fire traps cause a greater heat surge in victim
- MOD: Relative encounter/prefab weights tweaked across all maps
- MOD: -1/Access has fewer empty rooms
- MOD: Operators no longer stationed at terminals that can be hacked to open a door
- MOD: Increased effect of Spotters (e.g. in areas like Recycling)
- MOD: Fabricated robots no longer leave salvageable parts (but still drop matter salvage)
- MOD: Derelict component schematics no longer accessible at 0b10 terminals via manual hacks
- MOD: Hackable (orange) blast doors immune to critical hit instant destruction effect
- MOD: Broadcast Trojan message uses different color and formatting
- MOD: Scan window unspoken dialogue indicator uses '?' rather than '!' (further differentiated from hostile spotted indicator)
- MOD: Context help for critical strike makes explicit mention of effect against props
- MOD: Dialogue triggered by robot entering view happens immediately regardless of player speed
- MOD: Gallery collection percent is now animated
- MOD: Optimized AI initialization to avoid the short pause during first turns in large maps like Factory
- FIX: Crash on opening data for remaining piece of interactive machine after destroying its interactive piece [Enno, Happylisk]
- FIX: Crash on triggering a fire trap with no occupant at that location (e.g. dodged or remote triggered) [Sherlockkat]
- FIX: One of the Extension exits inaccessible via auto-ascend (required manual key/mouse command) [Shobalk]
- FIX: Extra '0' shown at the bottom of score sheet's turn count list [Sherlockkat]
- FIX: In rare cases the only cave exit could be rendered inaccessible by earth collapsing directly on top of it [Sherlockkat]
- FIX: Experimental Hacking Suites and System Shields weren't classified as prototypes [Decker]
- FIX: Unique manual hacks used on the wrong target still counted against their usage limit [Decker]
- FIX: Recyclers weren't dropping entire inventory contents when destroyed
- FIX: Mechanic repairs to attached parts didn't update the integrity indicator in Cogmind's part list
- FIX: Fire trap heat transfer mechanic was activating for adjacent positions, but not the origin
- FIX: Derelict-installed traps in caves rigged to trigger on the wrong faction (intended to be friendly)
- FIX: Self-destruct Interrupters (new in Alpha 7) were auto-activating and running out of power (so no one's ever seen one :P)
- FIX: Log message output for pre-learned machine locations reversed inteactive/non-interactive designations
- FIX: Weapon info projectile count indicator added for Alpha 7 wasn't displaying
Alpha 9, due out next month, will include the last major cave map, more plot elements, and some revamped machine mechanics.
