New Tech: ID Mask (Patreon)

80 new parts! That's where Beta 13 is currently stands as I continue to build new mechanics and features that will support all these new NPCs and faction capabilities. Today I'll share another of them with you in advance, one which I think will be much appreciated and quite interesting to use: the "ID Mask."

In short, this is the consumable "disguise utility" that allows you to travel unnoticed and untracked in Complex 0b10. It's been requested since Cogmind's alpha days, but to me it wasn't the kinda of thing that could reasonably be designed in at that point--basically it's time hadn't come, but clearly now it has :)

Its usage is fairly straightforward, just pop it on and enjoy your anonymity for as long as it lasts. I'm sure it can definitely save your butt, or enable some sneaky tactics.

These will also fit deeper into the lore, as they need to in order to exist, though some of that lore (and more sources to acquire one!) will come in a future version, i.e. beyond Beta 13.

Special Modes, the Experimental Testbeds of Cogmind

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 new features were required for Polymind to work, one of which being the obviously new idea that "0b10 bots can ignore you." I imagine 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.

Or the first from that mode, anyway.

For one of its other new features Beta 13 is also taking a chunk of the code from Player 2! P2 also introduced a number of new mechanics, some of which I've always wanted to include in regular Cogmind but haven't had the chance. (No it's not the one you're thinking, but I definitely want to add that eventually, too :P)

In fact that has also sidetracked me a bit as I add a major item that is its own quest and play style of sorts. Kind of annoying, actually, since I really wanted to be forging ahead with the main new map itself, but oh well it should be fun xD

(You might also recognize the similarities between the Botcube and Abominations.)

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.