Beta 16 X1 Prelease: Achievements+

It's time to buff your non-prototype parts via Scanalyzers, and you can start to go after the many new achievements NOW.

Although Beta 16 is officially dubbed "Unchained," you will find that the Unchained are the only thing not in this prerelease :P

Lots of bug fixes, a few tweaks and other features here and there, but the main mechanical draw for this version will be the new Scanalyzer tech, which turned out neat in practice (I streamed a recent run using it). You can read more about its implementation in the earlier post if you haven't already.

The other main draw is our huge new batch of achievements, over 200 of them.

You can begin earning these immediately in the prerelease, though note that if you are playing via Steam, for now they will only be stored in your game-side data (and of course the data backups on their cloud if you're using that), but not actually shown in your account until the full public release. I can't put the achievements on Steam itself until they can be earned by everyone, since that would cause a lot of unnecessary confusion :P

But rest assured, you can earn them now, and once the support is added Steam-side, Cogmind's syncing system will upload them all at once.

The lack of parity will also mean that some of your local achievement icons will not perfectly match those on Steam, since there were a few updates to old ones as well. I do not look forward to having to add all these achievements on Steam, which will take many hours xD (lots of adding text, setting settings, and uploading two files for every achievement... plus going back to edit some older ones to meet new requirements)

Most achievements (especially anything with unusual or challenging requirements) have been explicitly tested and should work fine, but it's a lot of new stuff so be on the lookout for any issues there which may need resolving.

More achievements will be added in the future for new content, as the system is now quite flexible, and maybe even more for Beta 16, though there are no explicit near-term plans beyond just one that was suggested and some of you may want to weigh in on: Winning without attaching any prototypes. This pairs well with our new Scanalyzer feature, so could be worth testing out how fun or interesting it is to include immediately. (A majority of challenge-type achievements come from things people have already actually done before and demonstrated them to be worth adding.)

Changelog

• NEW: 200+ more achievements covering new content since 2018 {number pending full release}

  NEW: Use Scanalyzers to study common non-prototype 0b10 parts for an additional permanent modifier to using any such part

• NEW: Separate Heavy ARC variant specific to assaults and other non-patrol uses

• NEW: Using RIF Installers restores any lost Relay Coupler IDs

• NEW: Item search window results include any Unknown parts and unidentified prototypes

• NEW: If part data visualization in info mode, item search also shows info summary instead of last known integrity

• NEW: Prefix item search window text string with '-' to exclude it from results

• NEW: Added .mat(ter)-specific type search filter to item search window

• NEW: Added .unc(ollected) filter to item search window to limit to items not yet in gallery

• NEW: 1 new type of build class modifier

• NEW: Contextual tutorial message on first time affected by Drag when moving

• NEW: Option to intermittently show full text of map comments even outside comment mode (advanced.cfg: mapCommentsPersistent)

• NEW: Option to persistently highlight all known Heavy sensor ranges (advanced.cfg: alwaysShowHeavySensorRanges)

• NEW: Option to bypass warnings for removal of fragile/fused parts (advanced.cfg: ignoreDestroyOnRemovalConfirmation)

• NEW: Scoresheet records "Prop Armor Coverage (%)"

• NEW: Scoresheet records "ECM-based Alert Blocks"

• NEW: Scoresheet records total thermoelectric energy gain

• NEW: Scoresheet records part restoration tallies

• NEW: Scoresheet records Scrap Suit usage data

• NEW: History log records successful CPS Tube targets

• NEW: All patron supporter names registered since Beta 15 added to in-game list (see Credits menu and item collection gallery)

• MOD: Allies will not swap with Botcubes during build sequence

• MOD: Selecting an item to path to via search window ignores advanced.cfg warnOnMoveOutsideMapView setting

• MOD: Deep Caves detects a wider variety of intruders

• MOD: Moved Cep. Phasing Heat Sink into the lab area

• MOD: Multinova Projection Cannon can no longer be faulty

• MOD: Immobilizer description specifically indicates target must have innate disruption immunity to be immune to the effect

• MOD: Myomer Exoskeleton speed improved from 100 to 90

• MOD: Removed bothacking penetration bonus from offensive hackware (low-impact remnant of older system)

• MOD: Updated C-30 ARC analysis text

• MOD: Special prototype robot variants added in Beta 15 now explicit about RIF immunity

• MOD: Luggers generally smarter about selecting goals and dealing with more complex scenarios

• MOD: Access(Main) branch hacking results inside Garrison no longer report specific exit destination

• MOD: Fabnet override duration increased from 10 to 20

• MOD: Several log message colors for non-controllable allies switched to use same as controllable allies

• MOD: Comments created via autocommentHeavies advanced.cfg option are not automatically cleared upon security rotation

• MOD: Scoresheet "Initial Warlord ECA Mod" records highest value for overall stat rather than total

• MOD: Achievement "Wheee!" description now more specific

• MOD: Splice Drones no longer indirectly award "Error 47" achievement

• MOD: Removed achievement "What Is This Thing?"

• MOD: Removed challenge mode win achievements

• MOD: Some original achievement icon border types and default order updated

• FIX: Rigged power sources triggered by proximity centered the resulting explosion on victim instead of item itself [R-26 Lightspeed]

• FIX: New autocommenting features for known guard positions could be applied to allied bots under some circumstances [R-26 Lightspeed]

• FIX: Multiple rejection dialogues could simultaneously trigger at UFD gate if certain conditions met [R-26 Lightspeed]

• FIX: Inventory item predicted coverage value in item info window did not take into account the part itself [R-26 Lightspeed]

• FIX: Worker pushing bot into Chute Trap could partially reveal location even if out of view [R-26 Lightspeed]

• FIX: Security rotations almost never occurred more than once per map [R-26 Lightspeed]

• FIX: Download(Registry) intel results did not immediately show in map view if not already in intel mode while hacking [R-26 Lightspeed]

• FIX: Master Thieves starting with inventory contents would treat it as stolen [R-26 Lightspeed]

• FIX: Research Penetration Think Tank code could not stop Regen Lab Researcher specifically [R-26 Lightspeed]

• FIX: Garrison Behemoth garage spare parts may appear outside room in some layouts [R-26 Lightspeed]

• FIX: Activating Code Merge RIF ability on a Relay Coupler with no match attached or in inventory gave incorrect message [R-26 Lightspeed]

• FIX: Garrion exits might appear using an incorrect tile under certain circumstances [R-26 Lightspeed]

• FIX: Retrieve Components hack at Recycling Units dropped parts around Cogmind instead of from machine itself [R-27 Lightspeed]

• FIX: Attaching a multislot part into non-contiguous empty slots showed superfluous error message if first slot of next type was not empty [R-26 Lightspeed]

• FIX: Supercharged TR incurred double core cost to Cogmind [R-26 Lightspeed]

• FIX: "Advanced fortification protocols" reminder could appear in non-relevant maps [R-26 Lightspeed]

• FIX: Army drones always incurred a cost under new drone repair system, even if undamaged [aoemica]

• FIX: Crash if attacking Scraptown in Beta 15 while having exactly one ally [aoemica]

• FIX: Civil war avoidance guarantee following quickest exit route could fail if top-right Scraptown stairs not yet discovered [aoemica, calico]

• FIX: 0b10 autonomous weapons were unaffected by active ID Mask [Infomantis]

• FIX: [Polymind mode] 0b10 autonomous weapons could still fire on unsuspicious Cogmind [Infomantis]

• FIX: Ground-based part swapping did not work correctly if part sort animation in progress [N.W.L.]

• FIX: Right edge of map view could contain visual artifacts while zoomed in on a non-standard resolution resulting in an odd-number width [N.W.L.]

• FIX: Relay Couplers carried in ally inventories unaffected at time of learning Coupler Efficiency [Cracklepappy]

• FIX: Engineers constructing new machine on a patrol waypoint could block that patrol [Cracklepappy]

• FIX: Manual "Cooling Resolution" section still referenced old ITN value [CatPlusPlus]

• FIX: Manual missing advanced ignoreFlyingMeleeConfirmation option description [write-to-me]

• FIX: Autobeam Turrent could sometimes speak during major Scraptown event [Minty]

• FIX: Achievement "Equal Opportunity Bot" icon updated to match newer goal [FuriousWeasel]

• FIX: Deactivating keyboard mode via F2 triggered the mode activation tutorial if not seen before, or after resetting the tutorial [infinigon]

• FIX: Typos [Ibis, Malbec, McSaucyNugget, aoemica, infinigon, mathSq, pi3723, jumpy.map, Hermelin]

• FIX: Advanced.cfg remindCorruptedInventoryOnExit option was active by default, with no way to disable

• FIX: <LOG> button may remain visible in top-left corner of modal layout while game menu open

• FIX: Heavy destroyed count missing from scoresheet JSON version

Get Beta 16 X1

On Steam, Beta 16 X1 is located on the new beta branch "beta_16_x1" accessible with the code "TemporarilyChained", or if you don't have Steam and bought through FastSpring and would like to try the DRM-free version, send me an email at gridsagegames@gmail.com to be added to the Beta 16 cycle notification list. (This is a new list being created from scratch since Beta 15 development ended.)

Saves are not compatible with previous releases.

Additional hotfixes may come for this release, unannounced except to append a notice here and via an announcement in the #patron Discord channel. It's not uncommon due to the experimental nature of these releases, and if saves are compatible then the same branch is simply updated, otherwise a new branch is created and listed here.

(If you're using wizard mode, a new key has been added to the page for Beta 16.)

Update 250901a

There have been a few quick patches so far to fix crashes due to some of the checks added for new minor achievements. No known issues remaining on that front, but if any pop up they will continue to be patched immediately.