Put the sound files into "Cogmind/data/audio/" and rename it to game.x MAKE SURE TO NOT DELETE THE OLD game.x
Beta 12
Seed: DispersionFusionClaw
game.x sounds: https://files.catbox.moe/z8lhhv.x_serflord
Beta 14
Seed: FlightTrackerGuard
game.x sounds: https://files.catbox.moe/s3iyh6.x_beta_14_serflord
Here's your plot hook:
Imprinter has imprisoned the soul of the Data Chimer. You must release Data Chimer and then follow the story given to you in order to win.
You know you will win when someone in particular tells you "cogmind gaming" during the end sequence of the game.
This seems awesome, thanks for putting together... a different ARG--now I'm curious about how it's done, although even without explanation or testing yet I think I have some clues based on what you'd been working on in the past ;)
I didn't see it advertised on most Cogmind communities though so I wonder how many people have tried it out yet! Maybe should've dropped a notice on r/Cogmind and Steam forums etc for more exposure, unless you were mainly targeting just the Discord community. Also directly mentioning it in some Discord channels rather than just pinging, which I think was what you tried?
Could take a little while for people to pick it up in that case.
I played the Serflord ARG and so can you!
It was so much fun: I laughed, I cried, I even sneezed once
Play this, you won't regret it :)
Hey Luigi, glad you enjoyed it and thanks for sharing! I imagine I'll have to try this later, but I might want to stream it and still can't do that after my injury, so I guess I should wait for now...
I saw you had streamed it with the community, and that at least one other player has been enjoying it as well. Good to see it finally getting some love :D
Fixed dead link, hopefully catbox will keep it around for a long time. You are encouraged to keep your own copy to help prevent this from becoming lost media!
Ah so it still requires Beta 12, eh? Was hoping it was updated or at least compatible with at least 13 so I could stream it with the new UI...
Quote from: Kyzrati on October 12, 2024, 12:51:54 AM
Ah so it still requires Beta 12, eh? Was hoping it was updated or at least compatible with at least 13 so I could stream it with the new UI...
I'm not sure if the seed still works. I'd have to find a new seed for a B13 version.
Oh right, forgot it was seed-based. That would be important.
Thanks to aoemica for checking the previous seed to find it doesn't work and then locating a new seed. I've made an updated version of the soundpack required for the ARG to work.
https://files.catbox.moe/19gxi9.x_beta_14_serflord
Oops the seed doesn't work. The pack is still updated to b14 we just need to find a seed.
Seed found! Thanks to aoemica.
Awesome! To be honest as I was thinking of what to stream this week Serflord topped the list, but decided against it since I couldn't do it in Beta 14... ended up playtesting a different roguelike instead. Maybe there'll be another opportunity before too long.
Nice, I missed the original version so I should give this a shot.
I'll try it too, after my current run.
Should i turn off score uploading, though?
Since this seems to be a purely audio mod, i wouldn't think so, but just to make sure.
Just an audio-based mod, so uploading should be fine.
Alright, thanks!
I finally started a run, and almost reached the "plot hook", but i noticed something that feels weird :
Spoiler
When i reached zion, i realized i didn't bring anything capable of breaking through the Sealed Doors or Reinforced Barriers to the Deep Caves.
(The best impact weapon i have available has a maximum damage of 63, but i'd need 65 + full momentum bonus to break the Sealed Doors.)
Given the "plot hook", the Deep Caves seem to be my target, so i'd imagine there would be some guaranteed way within zion or at least the previous cave maps to reach the Deep Caves.
There are none, though; So my only options now are to either ram the Sealed Doors at full speed and have my flight units survive at least two of the rams, or go on a murder spree.
The latter is the only option that the player is guaranteed to have, which seems a bit "heavy-handed" as the first thing i need to do for this ARG.
(Also there is a hammer in zion, but it can't break the Reinforced Barriers because they have a bunch of 50% type resistances as of Beta 14.)
Or am i just overanalysing? I feel like i might be.
Quote from: R-26 Lightspeed on November 10, 2024, 10:22:43 AM
I finally started a run, and almost reached the "plot hook", but i noticed something that feels weird :
Spoiler
When i reached zion, i realized i didn't bring anything capable of breaking through the Sealed Doors or Reinforced Barriers to the Deep Caves.
(The best impact weapon i have available has a maximum damage of 63, but i'd need 65 + full momentum bonus to break the Sealed Doors.)
Given the "plot hook", the Deep Caves seem to be my target, so i'd imagine there would be some guaranteed way within zion or at least the previous cave maps to reach the Deep Caves.
There are none, though; So my only options now are to either ram the Sealed Doors at full speed and have my flight units survive at least two of the rams, or go on a murder spree.
The latter is the only option that the player is guaranteed to have, which seems a bit "heavy-handed" as the first thing i need to do for this ARG.
(Also there is a hammer in zion, but it can't break the Reinforced Barriers because they have a bunch of 50% type resistances as of Beta 14.)
Spoiler
If you want to enter the Deep Caves you can always get the codes from Imprinter's Corpse.
Quote from: Theyflower on November 16, 2024, 10:38:30 AM
Spoiler
If you want to enter the Deep Caves you can always get the codes from Imprinter's Corpse.
[/quote]
Spoiler
That's what i ended up doing, and what i was referring to as feeling a bit "heavy-handed". I was probably just overanalysing, then.
Updated the B14 Serflord to restore an easter egg which originally existed in the B12 version but I forgot to include when I made the B14 version. All gameplay is the same but for the fully authentic experience fresh installs should use the new one.
Awesome, good to hear and I will finally be trying this out tomorrow for the first time on stream :)
Did the first stream today! It's archived below, and will be continuing next week.
Comments from the video description since relevant:
Quote
It's finally time to play "Serflord," a Cogmind mod by Theyflower! I had little idea what to expect, so my decision to take a convenient early shortcut to Zion meant I was not prepared for the requirements, and just barely didn't survive a return trip from deep in the caves... So I actually had to restart this run half way through, and you can find the beginning of the safer approach from 01:58:00.
That said, there were definitely some interesting times in the first run, plus it includes the main intro to the mod, and a bit more discussion about the process. The second run is not disappointing, either, and it was additionally interesting to be re-running a manual seed, which I've never done before. By the end we've reached beyond the overlapping segments for next time, where there's already a specific goal laid out for us...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUb8mlR9oWw
I reached a late-game point where i heard some modified audio, but i'm not sure what it said. I recorded it, but even re-listening to it i'm not sure that i'm hearing everything :
Spoiler
The SCP's dialogue, of which i basically understood "let's get out of here". Did i miss any instructions, or was that the entire thing?
Quote from: R-26 Lightspeed on December 21, 2024, 06:28:09 AM
I reached a late-game point where i heard some modified audio, but i'm not sure what it said. I recorded it, but even re-listening to it i'm not sure that i'm hearing everything :
Spoiler
The SCP's dialogue, of which i basically understood "let's get out of here". Did i miss any instructions, or was that the entire thing?
Basically that's it.
Spoiler
"They're coming! The exit is that way! (something) We must escape right now, do not miss this chance!"
Thanks!
I've finished it!
A few of the things that happened during my run :
Spoiler
I managed to salvage 5H-AD0's Cloak after they were obliterated when they tried to fight a Golem, it was really nice to have!
When i blew up the first network hub (NE), i'd already setup everything to get the 404 achievement, so i went for it anyway. (The other three explosions all occurred outside my view/hearing range, two (SW & SE) from allies i'd left in front of them, and one (NW) from sabotage.)
I also tried going to Testing and [redacted], but neither was particularly fruitful, though [redacted] made things more convenient. Testing, however, i had to flee somewhat early due to several mistakes and also the agonizing layout and additional patrols.
I wanted to finish with an Adv. Quantum Shading Machine instead of regular, but both of those carried by the Access Hauler were faulty.
For some reason, the game seems to consider Launcher Loaders (and other two-slot parts) to be "important" items, enough to report "found unknown device" and "identified Launcher Loader" in the history section, but doesn't consider finding a stockpile of Nanoswords noteworthy.
In terms of overall performance, this has got to be my worst flight run yet. I a lot of dumb mistakes that cost me a lot (losing my first Exp. Signal Interpreter to a Behemoth when activating the Behemoth Slayer without my utility shielding (it awoke in just four strikes, that part was lucky!), fighting a sentry in Hub without my utility shielding, causing me to lose both an Exp. and an Adv. Hacking suite) and many other small things that resulted in annoying long-term corruption.
I'm curious, what are the requirements for a Serflord seed?
Ah you got cloaking eh? Pretty nice, I didn't get that encounter on my main Serflord run, though did later pick up an Exp. Cloaking Device which came in handy.
Just finished the Serflord ARG myself during my stream this week, actually. Won! (scoresheet (https://cogmind-api.gridsagegames.com/scoresheets/Ks2cMmsp7WN3zGqYJ.txt), final video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FQZOC80G9c)) It forced me to do more stuff, so I ended up with a higher score than I'd normally get, and my highest in Beta 14 specifically :P
This overall is a pretty interesting seed (for Beta 14), regardless of the Serflord part, so that just made it better.
QuoteFor some reason, the game seems to consider Launcher Loaders (and other two-slot parts) to be "important" items, enough to report "found unknown device" and "identified Launcher Loader" in the history section, but doesn't consider finding a stockpile of Nanoswords noteworthy.
Just the settings for these items. Loaders are a more impactful build-enabler, whereas Nanoswords are just another regular melee weapon, not even uniques and you can get similar functionality through most late-game melee weapons.
Quote from: R-26 Lightspeed on December 25, 2024, 10:12:52 AMI'm curious, what are the requirements for a Serflord seed?
I'm sure it's just to be able to hit all the required plot points, as not all are guaranteed in every seed. Having won you must have seen them, so that's it!
Quote from: Kyzrati on December 25, 2024, 06:48:06 PMQuote from: R-26 Lightspeed on December 25, 2024, 10:12:52 AMI'm curious, what are the requirements for a Serflord seed?
I'm sure it's just to be able to hit all the required plot points, as not all are guaranteed in every seed. Having won you must have seen them, so that's it!
Well, yes, the required plot points have to all be accessible, but such a seed wouldn't be all that difficult to find. I'm pretty sure there are less obvious requirements.
Spoiler
The Serflord seed seems to have a bunch stuff (like Archives event) that don't really seem required,
and there's also some other conditions that i assume might exist, like Armory having to be exclusive to a required area, Hub having hubs on the corners, maybe Data Miner being on -6...
On seed choice:
Spoiler
The B12 seed was from a run I had previously completed and thought had a two interesting things in it.
1) Zhirov in Archives
2) The CRM is right next to the entrance to S7
The B12 Hub audio also specifically stated where in Quarantine the CRM was located. I had to change that sound for the B14 version.
I made the route require visiting hubs specifically to force the player into seeing the Zhirov Archives event. I wanted the B14 seed to also have Zhirov there. My only requirements for the B14 seed were Zhirov in Archives along with Extension and Zion being on different floors. Big thanks to aoemica for using wizmode to find a suitable seed for the B14 version.