In the last SITREP (Another Big Bang) I already gave a general intro to the expansions coming to Cogmind, including Subcaves, Scraptown, the improved combat log, and lots and lots of new tech embodied in more than 100 items to come. Since then I've been working on implementing more of that stuff, specifically having completed over 100 of those new items, some of them incredibly involved--there's definitely something in there for everyone :)
Over on the dev blog I've been picking out a select few mechanics to write about and tide you over until all the new toys are in your hands, so I thought I'd offer a quick summary of those progress updates here to let you know. (Also there's a surprise at the end :D)
"Post-Balance" Cogmind Item Expansion
This article introduces the series with info about where Cogmind item development goes from here, a review of balancing levers, and a new lever in the form of "chargeable" items.
More art samples from among the newer (and crazier) items I've put together since last time:
I just like looking at latent energy:
Also reasons :)
Teleportation Mechanics
Teleportation Mechanics is kinda spoilery, but yeah there are several ways to teleport in Cogmind, and more are coming.
If you have yet to be blessed by NEM, you're in for a treat one day.
Special Events Give Back, and Perfect Stealth
The ID Mask will no doubt be a hot item if you can get your hands on one. Plus talk about using special modes as design test beds.
You can do that?
A Simple Approach to Player-Designed Robots
Read all about the Botcube. Have no friends? Do the HoZ hate your guts? Well you'll just have to make your own. You want the Botcube.
o_O
Projectile Deflection
Who said projectiles must go straight? Guided projectiles already tell us that's not necessary, and the new projectile deflection mechanic adds a bit of chaos to the mix. It's only a matter of time before Cogmind has you swatting away projectiles with your energy blade. Even better is swatting them into nearby enemies ;)
Missile go thataway...
We Zoomin'
I've always wanted to experiment with optional scaled interface designs. and although the plan was to do this sort of thing more around 1.0 (an arbitrary designation at this point :P), most recently I've put content development on pause to run some of these experiments to see where they lead.
Check out map zoom toggling in action:
Doubling the map size is the only option there, since it must still obey all the rules of the terminal architecture. That sample is using the base size 12 font, so is only a 720p window, while most people are playing at a higher resolution than that (not that resolution actually matters in Cogmind anyway--the point is each map tile occupies four times its original screen area).
Here's a crisp version of the cover image scene, also from a 16:9 720p window. (And a link to the demo gif above.)
Results are promising so far and I'm hopeful this will be an optional feature for the next release.
Perhaps even more unexpected, I'm thinking of fast tracking the longer-term concept of full UI scaling with a new layout design, offering the option of sacrificing some data and convenience for size. However, trying to build and release these features sooner than originally planned will delay much of the new content, since we've got these 100+ items and dozens of new robots ready to go, but their homes have yet to be fully constructed!
Anyway, more info on this design direction will be coming to the dev blog soon.