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Ah, I guess I was really close to learning what that hack did then!

Making it a mission to pass through Cetus on every run until I learn what's going on. My current run I made it to Cetus again, but in Extension experimented with blowing up an energy cycler and A7 didn't show up this time around. Learning new things each time.

Btw, current run I finally made it to Access while holding the mysterious Sigix containment pod. Last run I held it up to research before falling... if it is what I think it might be, it'd be nice to reach the finish with it. Thanks for such an amazing game!

Thanks for the quick reply, and for not sharing spoilers! Nice to know these aren't bugs -- it'll be all the more satisfying when I finally figure out how to do them.

I read every word of the lore, especially when hacks are involved, but apparently there's more context I must have missed. Case in point: when A7 shared the fabricator hack, I was expecting to find something akin to the (blue, if I recall correctly?) fabricators found on other depths down in the Cetus area. Instead, I found what appeared to be a terminal with no options presented besides attempting manual commands. I tried the fabricator command there and it returned a message along the lines of "process initiated... terminating session." (paraphrasing)  It was surprising to see that when I expected it to say it failed since it wasn't at a traditional fabricator, but then I didn't see any fabricators in the area so it was unclear what the initiated process did, if anything.

I've been to Extension a few times before, but never knew this kind of intricacy was beneath the surface there (prior runs I was mostly focused on surviving... recent runs I'm focused on learning). I'll see if I can decode anything additional if I can find a run in a similar scenario in the future.

Don't want to pollute the bugs forum with non-bugs, but it doesn't appear I can move this post to a different section. Please don't hesitate to move it to the most relevant area of the forums if you want to keep the bugs forums for real bugs only. (understandable!)

Related: another hack I've been told in the past is \\IAMDERELICT for recycling systems.  This one I can type fully as '\\IAMDERELICT', but it's an unrecognized command. Strange nothing seems to work for me when I try entering '\\' commands manually. I'm only able to execute them by clicking previously learned hacks if a list is provided.

Bug (or what appears to be): Met a friendly robot named A7 at depth -6 in an area called 'Extension'. I hacked a terminal that revealed an exit called 'Cetus' (first time going there), while walking through that area A7 suggested he was aware of a hack that should be spread across MAIN.C. \\M9P4 (I suspect this might be randomly generated this run only, but sharing just in case). He previously shared another hack (\\AFKJ) which was supposed to help with some Fabricators in that area.  Going to a terminal to input manual commands, the Fabricators hack shows up on a list of commands learned, but the weakness hack doesn't appear on the list. Not sure if this is a second bug, but while on the topic I've never been able to successfully input these manual hacks by typing them in directly (e.g. as I've done in this post: '\\AFKJ' or '\\M9P4').  When I go to a terminal and begin a manual command, I can start it with '\\', but when I try to put an 'M' after it, nothing shows up (same with other letters). The only way I'm able to successfully enter hacks I've learned from people is when it shows up in a list of hacks I've been told and I click on the item in the list. Bummed to have learned of what sounds like a really interesting hack from A7 (\\M9P4) but not have it appear as an eligible hack to try.

I'm still in this run and can try fixes/suggestions from these forums if there are any... that said, I proceeded a bit deeper into the archives and eventually into a hub area where I destroyed a couple network hubs bringing all kinds of pain down on me from ultra-strong enemies I've never seen before. Only way I was able to narrowly escape was digging an unorthodox path through some dirt. I've emerged onto a factory in depth 5 with what appears to be a 35% total reduction in network resistance (nice!), but saved/quit once I arrived, not sure how aggressive the alert status will be or if I'm about to get knocked out of the run. (playing on Extra Easy mode btw)  I suspect I can probably get to at least 1 more terminal on depth 5 to try some hacks if there are suggestions on how to enter it.

Interesting! Excited to try it out -- thanks!

Out of curiosity, has anyone ever tried a purely thermal build the entire run? (having a few alternatives when necessary, but relying primarily on thermals throughout?)  Wondering if it's viable.

Thanks for the mini-guide.  About 10-15 runs in (still no wins), much of this comes through experience, but it's helpful to crystallize understanding via this summary. Food clock #4 is probably the one I've neglected awareness to the most as a newer player. First several runs I didn't think about it at all. 10-15 runs in, I'm trying to avoid unnecessary fights and damage to neutral robots that request reinforcements, but am still not actively checking terminals to keep an eye on (or attempt purging) alert level.  Currently playing on 'easiest' mode until I can get a win and move up to 'easy' and finally 'normal', it seems alert level is much more forgiving on easiest. 

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. An all thermal volley is something I've never tried... when I consider your point that thermal weapons are 'somewhat situational' it seems like it might be difficult to build primarily around them (devoting many utility slots to heat management)... thinking about it, relatively few enemies have significant thermal resistance so perhaps I could try a primarily thermal build and see how it does.

My current run came across a friendly/neutral character named Zhirov (or something similar?) and he offered a few components which would have helped a thermal build quite a bit... I ended up leaving the items behind not having enough room for them in storage, but am curious to try them on a future run.

Thanks again.

Any tips for effective thermal weapon use?

Attempting a high level description of the weapon types to reveal my lack of knowledge on thermals:

• Kinetic -- pros: straightforward damage, low energy/heat requirements, effective on most enemy types, piercing; cons: matter consumption, recoil accuracy reduction, damages/destroys parts
• EM -- pros: best option for salvaging parts with minimal damage, effective against non-programmer enemies; cons: very weak vs programmers
• Explosive -- pros: efficiently clears several small/weak enemies, good option in emergencies; cons: can bring unwanted aggression, heavy matter consumption, ineffective at close range
• Melee - pros: excellent last resort if low on matter, high damage and resource efficient if you can fight at close range; cons: can't be combined with a weapon volley (opportunity cost)
• Thermal - pros: damages while heating enemies...  cons: very high energy consumption, very high heat generation, often damages and melts parts limiting salvage potential

I know thermal weapons are supposedly good, but my lack of understanding of them makes them seem somewhat like the worst. I'd like to understand how to use them most effectively so I can better appreciate their use.  Attached a screenshot of a WaveGun(.png) I happen to have equipped now. Comparing this to the KE Penetrator on the same tier:

KE Penetrator vs WaveGun
Damage: 23.5 vs 24
Energy: 2 vs 23 (both are manageable)
Matter: 4 vs 0 (yes, WaveGun wins here, but 4 matter isn't much and is rarely an issue)
Heat: +33 vs +81 (ouch)
Crit: 10% vs 0% (a notable disadvantage)
Penetration: 1x 80 vs N/A (another disadvantage)
Heat Transfer: N/A vs +37 (is this any good?)

Looking at the two side by side, the WaveGun looks far worse overall as the heat generation is going to require several utility slots dedicated to heat management to ensure you can reliably keep using the weapon in extended combat. (better hope you have access to multiple coolant injectors, or 3-4 utility slots for heat sinks). I figure I must be missing something.  Does Heat Transfer +37 mean the target heats up 37 when hit? (seems insignificant), or is it 81+37? (better, but still not good enough)    If I were fighting 1vs1 overheating the opposing robot via 81+37 heat seems a viable strategy, less so in 1v2, and much less so in 1vs3+ (often the case in Cogmind). In any of the above situations (except vs programmers), it seems EM weapons & kinetics have thermals beat hands down. Vs Programmers, thermals seem "just okay" as a way to get a bit of extra damage in a 1vs2 without consuming matter on ammo (setting aside the matter costs switching from EMs to thermals when programmers approach...)

Overall, I get the sense thermals are good, but don't understand why and feel like I'm missing out on something great in the game because of it. Appreciate any tips / suggestions on how you think about & use thermals most effectively.

Oh, April 1st!  Thanks 

Update: tried changing difficulty back to Normal and starting a new game, still launchers only...
Tried playing through the new game proceeding through 5 regions, still launchers only...
Tried restarting again, still launchers only...

Last 3 games I've started, the only item available in the starting room and scattered all over the floors are launchers (grenade launchers, mini grenade launchers, rocket & EMP launchers). Not sure if this is a bug, or the game trying to be nice to me after my last defeat. In any case, I don't want to start with only grenade launchers and tried self destructing twice, closing the game, restarting, and self destructing again. I'm still presented with only launchers.

Background on how this appears to have been triggered: I tried around 10 runs on normal difficulty and lost them all. Tried around 3-5 runs on easy and lost them all. I was on my 2nd or 3rd run on easiest and for the first time ever got to depth -1 into access then into command. It appears I might have made it all the way to what might have been a final escape room (there were a ton of extremely strong enemies I'd never seen before and what appeared to be some sort of blast door in the distance). Ended up losing that encounter and motivated to try again on a new run, but the new runs seem to be trying to shove grenade launchers down my throat. Seems like this might have been the game's way of trying to be nice, but it comes across as annoying. Almost feels like the game is trying to chide me "Easiest mode not easy enough for you? here, let's rub it in raining launchers everywhere."

At first I figured "Cute easter egg, I don't want extra help, but will grab a launcher since it's the only thing provided and try to revert to a more standard build as items are presented", but proceeding through 1-2 levels I didn't have the option to revert to a standard build. Not only were there no "standard" weapons lying on the ground, I couldn't even get any storage utilities or propulsion components. Blowing up one enemy dropped a mostly-destroyed leg, but it wasn't something to run with.

Overall:
- how can I start a new game without this hokey launcher-only setting? (already restarted 3 times...)
- player feedback: I don't think this start is as "fun" as the developer might have intended.

Tried searching online and in the forums to see if others had experienced this before and didn't see other mentions of it (searching 'cogmind all grenade launchers', 'cogmind launchers only', etc.,) but didn't see any other mentions of other players experiencing something like this. Appreciate any suggestions.