Cogmind is now in its ninth yr of steady improvement, in order standard let’s check out the previous yr of progress in one more annual overview!

Though many of the function progress I share is within the type of animated gifs, there are a handful of static PNGs as properly which I’ve compiled into one other collage for a visible overview of 2021:

Number of pictures from the previous yr of Cogmind-related improvement as posted on this weblog, boards, and Twitter (bigger measurement right here).

Hourly recording of dev work continues as standard, and the trajectory is just like final yr with extra time put in direction of coding and work on the sport itself versus community-facing marketing-type stuff (an angle made simpler by the shortage of public releases, however we’ll get to that later :P). I’ve been so much much less interested by getting the phrase out and would relatively deal with spending time with present gamers (the Roguelikes Discord is the place we’re at!) and bettering the sport for these of us who’re taking part in it.

That stated, it’s nonetheless essential to do some varieties of that outward-facing stuff which incorporates loads of dialogue and writing, so even at this charge I don’t actually see, for instance, Code overtaking Group on this graph for an extended whereas 😛

A categorical breakdown of the hours which were invested in Cogmind-related improvement over time, via November 2021. (Extra knowledge and particulars about every class shall be shared in some unspecified time in the future sooner or later throughout a complete overview of those information.)

Like 2020 there was a good bit of additional time allotted to non-Cogmind-related roguelike group efforts (and subsequently excluded from my tallies), resembling the standard moderation, but additionally various 7drl reviewing and streaming, and introducing and streaming different roguelikes.

I additionally took a while out in the course of the yr to strive to herald funding via different means, however with out going into particulars let’s simply say that didn’t pan out in the long run (although it did sadly eat up that point xD). Regardless of, we’ve a rising patreon! (see additional under)

That is usually the place I’d cowl all the general public releases from the yr, however… yeah, in a relatively anomalous improvement we didn’t have any except for the fast AFD job again in April (it was launched in tandem with this progress report, although there was no changelog or different description for it, as a kind of shock since… all robots explode in dramatic trend when destroyed :P).

2021 marks the primary yr during which Cogmind had no main public launch, which for those who’ve been following the weblog (or trying out the occasional long-term progress bulletins or my streams) will know is as a result of the yr has been spent engaged on the subsequent large iteration of the sport together with patrons.

So 2021 is mainly the yr of Beta 11, in preparation for which there have already been eight main new variations (and different minor ones) launched for testing since January, masking a wide range of new and revamped programs as the entire of Beta 11 comes collectively. Improvement has been going fairly easily and I hope to have it out a while inside the subsequent few months.

Whereas the yr has been a particular one in Cogmind historical past for being totally dedicated to laying the groundwork for an important 2022, this isn’t solely within the sense {that a} game-changing Beta 11 is properly on its method to completion…

For one, assist through Patreon has actually come into its personal! The numbers don’t lie.

Patreon earnings knowledge, 2019-2021, straight from the dashboard.

Having reached and maintained the extent I set for funding “the Unchained,” guess what Beta 12 shall be bringing in 2022 :D. That’s one of many potential mini-factions which I haven’t actually talked a lot about, although they got a bit extra colour as a part of final yr’s Forbidden Lore ARG (search the walkthrough for the key phrase “unchained”).

The monetary assist is nice because it means improvement can proceed with out promoting DLC or expansions and so forth., which put extra awkward strain on the design and are one thing I’ve all the time needed to keep away from although it will technically imply extra income. Having a greater and extra cohesive expertise is extra essential to me, and I’m positive is extra appreciated by gamers as properly.

Talking of thresholds, not too way back Cogmind’s Steam overview depend lastly reached the objective I set two years in the past (800 whereas sustaining an OP ranking), and which means we additionally actually have a roadmap for subsequent yr’s Beta 13! It’s going to function one more faction, this one hailing from a brand new Derelict group presently dubbed “Scraptown” (a code title topic to alter as soon as implementation begins). I additionally gave the idea a bit of extra colour within the ARG (seek for that key phrase within the walkthrough), however nonetheless principally teaser materials relatively than particular mechanical particulars or lore implications. (Noticing a development but? That ARG is filled with ideas that might simply discover their manner onto Tau Ceti IV some day…)

Seeing as we’ve already received an prolonged roadmap laid out (bear in mind there’s additionally the Retailers Guild to return in a much bigger enlargement, too!), I’m not setting a brand new overview threshold for now, however hold ’em coming because it’s good for the way forward for the sport 😀

One might say 2021 has been a really large yr for third-party releases by the participant group 🙂

Though I’ve already talked about a few of them in earlier progress updates, it’s value highlighting the most important tasks right here once more as properly since they’re new this yr and forming an essential a part of the expertise for gamers that make use of them.

Cog-minder by aoemica is a superb useful resource with a filterable merchandise database, construct theorycrafting, fight simulator, and extra. It’s nonetheless getting occasional fixes and updates, however is a really great tool if you wish to plan out learn how to take your recreation to the subsequent degree.

Visible abstract of a few of Cog-minder’s major options.

Dataminer by leiavoia takes benefit of the great amount of run knowledge collected by Cogmind from gamers who decide into the leaderboard programs so as to current you with an enormous vary of graphs summarizing every run, even together with distinctive types of evaluation. (Dataminer can also be nonetheless increasing with new options.)

Excessive-level overview of a few of Dataminer’s run stat options. Direct hyperlinks to Dataminer processing have additionally been added to the run database.

Runia’s 3D-printed bots based mostly on Cogmind’s tileset each look nice and are additionally on the market for those who’d like your individual. (Runia might be discovered on our Discord.) It’s been enjoyable watching these come to life over the yr as Runia found extra of them in recreation 😀

A partial set of accomplished 3D-printed fashions from Cogmind, by Runia.

Additionally it wasn’t for everybody, however I did really create a particular one-time occasion for 2 of Cogmind’s streamers who had been taking part in collectively earlier this yr, Tone and MTF, and lots of the core gamers frolicked in these streams (or later watched the movies) to do a kind of “stream-only ARG,” mainly distinctive content material just for that one run which crammed in a little bit of hidden lore that no gamers had uncovered in final yr’s ARG. I’m fairly proud of out that turned out, and Tone archived the run on YouTube for those who’d wish to test it out, with the primary video right here:

A giant <3 to the good Cogmind group, which actually helps hold me (and this venture) going.

I gained’t submit a screenshot this yr, however for those who’ve received a second there’s some days remaining to vote for Cogmind over on IndieDB. At all times good to make it of their Prime 100 listing for a bit of additional publicity when that comes out (after which not trouble competing for the highest 10 as a result of these video games have a lot bigger communities–but we will handle Prime 100). Replace 211211: Aaaaannd we’re within the Prime 100! 😀

Usually I’d finish with a bit of speak about our roadmap, however this yr being particular and all I appear to have already coated that above, since what occurred this yr has performed an integral function in confirming what’s to return.

In abstract, we should always see Beta 11 in all its glory launched inside the subsequent few months, adopted by Betas 12 and 13 every with a brand new faction and mechanics, coming rather more rapidly than what you’ve seen with Beta 11 xD

I even have at the very least one main occasion within the planning phases (promise it’ll blow your Cog-mind), however I’m presently imagining that’ll be additional out past these releases. We’ll presumably have another smaller ones through the yr as properly, relying on how the discharge schedule aligns with different elements.