Cogmind's "special modes," timed events with unique mechanics, can in one sense be seen as the experimental test beds of Cogmind. Sometimes ideas come along that are interesting to play with, but may either not be suitable for the regular game, or I don't feel the effort and architectural requirements to support them are worth it in the bigger picture compared to what they add vs. all the other content options awaiting development. And although I don't usually go into building such a mode with the intent to test ideas potentially applicable in the regular game, the results often do inspire such features down the line.
One new example of this phenomenon at work is the ID Mask.
Finally, Perfect Stealth
In short, the ID Mask is a new consumable "disguise utility" that allows you to travel completely unnoticed and untracked in Complex 0b10, waltzing right past enemies if you want to.
The holy grail of stealth tech, if you're not welcome in Complex 0b10.
The ability to disguise oneself like this has been requested by players since Cogmind's alpha days (shout out to its main proponent, zxc!), but to me it wasn't the sort of tech that the game was ready for, be it for balance, architectural, or lore reasons. A confluence of factors have contributed to now being the time it's finally ready to be designed in.
Using an ID Mask is fairly straightforward, just pop it on to start the clock and enjoy your anonymity for as long as it lasts. I'm sure it can save your butt, or enable some sneaky tactics.
Hm, more Behemoths maybe calls for more masks? :P
These will also fit deeper into the lore, as I prefer any tech does in order to exist, though some of that lore (and more sources to acquire one!) will be coming in future versions beyond the initial inclusion.
Polymind and Other Test Beds
If you played Polymind you'll probably recognize this ability, which is actually where the architecture comes from in the first place. As special events do, Polymind introduced new mechanics that needed to be built into the system, both showing us that they're possible, and also allowing everyone to test how they play out.
Several major new features were required for Polymind to work, one of which being the central idea that "0b10 bots can ignore you." It's possible there might still be some kinks in there somewhere when it comes to special cases, but it should at least work as well as it did for Polymind, and adjustments or fixes can be made if necessary.
But anyway this is one example of a mechanic originally unique to that mode now becoming embodied in a specific item available in regular Cogmind! Sooner or later the same thing may happen to some of the other Polymind-specific features, but as of now this is the first.
The first from that mode, anyway.
Another feature I've added for Cogmind's next release takes a chunk of code from Player 2, the mode in which you're accompanied by what is essentially an AI-controlled Cogmind capable of building and maintaining itself from items as you can.
"P2" introduced a number of new mechanics, some of which I've always wanted to include in regular Cogmind (after seeing how they work) but haven't had the chance. And no, the new feature is not a Cogmind-like ally, although that is something I would like to add to the regular game at some point if I get to it. (There are even perfect lore tie-in opportunities!)
Specifically, what I did was adapt Player 2's contextual dialogue system for... something interesting ;)
Player 2 commenting (at bottom) after letting loose with a ridiculously massive amount of firepower against some targets in the caves (screenshot provided by nikolayAg).
Among other previous event influences, you might notice similarities between Abominations (Halloween 2019) and the Botcube, which I'll be writing about next time.
Despite having never proactively used special events to test planned Cogmind features, based on my experiences incorporating and adapting ideas from past modes, and liking how they save time on both implementation and design (while not necessarily ever being something that must make it into the regular game), I've even started planning to use this approach for future special events, a way to test features I might want to add.
Specifically for the past year or so I've had an idea for an event that could tie in pretty well to a future faction, so long as the gameplay works out when it becomes a central focus. It could be one of the potential Merchant systems.
This is the third post in a series on new item mechanics. I won't be covering anywhere near everything (or even the coolest mechanics because I don't like to spoil much :P), but some of these also offer a chance for relevant discussion of the bigger picture:
- "Post-Balance" Cogmind Item Expansion
- Teleportation Mechanics
- A Simple Approach to Player-designed Robots - coming soon
- Projectile Deflection - coming soon
