Slow and steady: tips and tricks to successful runs [Videos]

[jimmijamjams]

I'm noticing from posts here and on reddit that people are struggling to make it through the early-game.  I've decided to start recording my runs and methodically explain my thinking in the hopes that it might make getting into the game a little easier.

Just a few points:

• I'm by no means an expert (the game has only been out a week!), but I've spent a lot of time with the 7DRL and I usually get to about level -5 in the Alpha
• Don't expect a fast game.  I will take my time to explain my thinking
• I'm still new to the game too!  If you have some pointers feel free to state them here and I'll try to cover them in the videos
• If you have any queries feel free to post below or PM me

Run 1

• Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 1 | Ep 1 | The Cogmind Has Arrived!
• Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 1 | Ep 2 | Kill All Haulers!
• Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 1 | Ep 3 | Shoot Recyclers On Sight!
• Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 1 | Ep 4 | Drone Bays!

Run 2

• Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 1 | Fun With Fabricators!
• Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 2 | Back In Storage...
• Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 3 | Escape from Storage!
• Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 4 | The Hivemind...?
• Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 5 | Exploring The Factory
• Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 6 | Need For Speed
• Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 7 | Behemoth!
• Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 8 | Run Away!
• Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 9 | Can We Build It?
• Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 10 |

Run 4

• Cogmind [Alpha 4b] | Run 4 | Ep 1 | I'm Back!
• Cogmind [Alpha 4b] | Run 4 | Ep 2 | Fabrication
• Cogmind [Alpha 4b] | Run 4 | Ep 3 | Lrg. Matter Storage Unit
• Cogmind [Alpha 4b] | Run 4 | Ep 4 | Swing Of Things

[jimmijamjams]

Episode 3 is up!

Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 1 | Ep 3 | Shoot Recyclers On Sight!

In this Episode:

• We look at some more useful Options in the Menu
• Further explore the benefits of using cover appropriately
• Press "Q" to easily look at item ratings/stats
• Shoot more Recyclers!
• Quick look at the benefits of using Scanners

[jimmijamjams]

Episode 4 is up!

Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 1 | Ep 4 | Drone Bays!

In this episode:

• I find out Scanalyzers have stuff in them
• Drone bays are fun!
• You should open all crates when in Storage
• I die

[Kyzrati]

Sorry for arriving late to change your title, you could've PM'ed me

I've been staying out of the Strategies board for a while since I was too busy to do "fun" stuff like read these. I like the way you've got a little guide for the contents of each. Hopefully this weekend I'll have an opportunity to check out the details since that first video! Although darn, I already see when the conclusion is coming

[jimmijamjams]

Sorry for arriving late to change your title, you could've PM'ed me

I've been staying out of the Strategies board for a while since I was too busy to do "fun" stuff like read these. I like the way you've got a little guide for the contents of each. Hopefully this weekend I'll have an opportunity to check out the details since that first video! Although darn, I already see when the conclusion is coming

Thanks for the title change, I knew you would see it eventually.

It's a very unfortunately short run and not a great example of getting to the mid-game

Ahh, the joy of daily recording. I might prerecord the next one, but I do like pace of recording daily.

[jimmijamjams]

New episode is up!

Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 1 | Fun With Fabricators!

In this episode:

• We look as some of the easily accessible information/lore/schematics tucked inside Terminals
• We explain some tricks to employ when using the same Terminal
• We use a Fabricator to make a friend!

[jimmijamjams]

New episode is up!

Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 1 | Back In Storage...

In this episode:

• I winge about my crummy internet
• We discuss the benefits of having Technicians as allies (Thanks Kyzrati!)
• We discuss how to take your allies to the next level
• I talk a little bit about Melee Weapon mechanics
• We start thinking about how to predict map layouts/exits for the Materials levels
• I have some more fun with Drone Bays
• I show how to use the "All" function in the Allies Menu

[Kyzrati]

We discuss the benefits of having Technicians as allies (Thanks Kyzrati!)

On this topic, I happened to be considering some other ally advantages that would make Operators a little more valuable, and combining that with another feature I'd like to provide: Perhaps when you have an Operator on your side they'll also report to you any changes in the current area's security level. Kind of like a semi-effective free Alert(Check).

[jimmijamjams]

We discuss the benefits of having Technicians as allies (Thanks Kyzrati!)

On this topic, I happened to be considering some other ally advantages that would make Operators a little more valuable, and combining that with another feature I'd like to provide: Perhaps when you have an Operator on your side they'll also report to you any changes in the current area's security level. Kind of like a semi-effective free Alert(Check).

I like the idea of that!  The benefits of Operators seem fairly minimal at the moment and they get taken out so easily (you'll see a Sentry target my Operator especially, even by-passing me in this video).

On the topic of uploading videos:  My Internet is not going to be fixed in the near future so I've batch recorded five videos and will be uploading them today from another location.  Once everything is sorted out I'll uploading less sporadically

[Kyzrati]

Whoa, FIVE more?!

We discuss the benefits of having Technicians as allies (Thanks Kyzrati!)

On this topic, I happened to be considering some other ally advantages that would make Operators a little more valuable, and combining that with another feature I'd like to provide: Perhaps when you have an Operator on your side they'll also report to you any changes in the current area's security level. Kind of like a semi-effective free Alert(Check).

I like the idea of that!  The benefits of Operators seem fairly minimal at the moment and they get taken out so easily (you'll see a Sentry target my Operator especially, even by-passing me in this video).

If you want to protect your allies, you can aggro hostiles by firing at them ASAP. (And of course there are Remote Shield Generators and the like, but that doesn't solve the ultimate problem that they're still squishy against things like Sentries with big guns.)

[jimmijamjams]

New episode is up!

Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 3 | Escape from Storage!

In this episode:

• We experiment with Ally orders
• I forget to equip a perfectly good High Capacity Storage Unit D:
• We find the exit out of Storage
• We explore some more lore
• We us Maintenance Status [Enumerate(Manitenance)] at a Terminal to help predict the layout of a level

[jimmijamjams]

New episode is up!

Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 4 | The Hivemind...?

In this episode:

• We explore some more lore
• I explain the benefits of ECM Suites
• I explain the benefits of using Terminals to discover Prototype ID Banks
• I explain the benefits of Advanced Visual Processing Units
• I explain how "Disruption" works
• I make it to the "mid-game" (i.e. the Factory)

[jimmijamjams]

New episode is up!

Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 5 | Exploring The Factory

In this episode:

• We look at some of the very different items available in the Factory
• The Cogmind experiences some the detrimental effects of System Corruption (i.e. Data Loss, low to-hit percentage)
• I explode some Neutrino Reactors!

[jimmijamjams]

New Episode is up!

Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 6 | Need For Speed

In this episode:

• The Cogmind is fast
• I follow hallways to find the exit in the Factory
• I use a Scanalyzer to destroy a perfectly good Light Angular Momentum Engine
• My 3% System Corruption deletes knowledge of the map
• A really bad explanation of map zones
• We look at some more lore

[jimmijamjams]

Whoa, FIVE more?!

If you want to protect your allies, you can aggro hostiles by firing at them ASAP. (And of course there are Remote Shield Generators and the like, but that doesn't solve the ultimate problem that they're still squishy against things like Sentries with big guns.)

Yep, it's been a slow day waiting for a guy to come and tell me my Internet is stuffed

Good to know about aggro-ing the hostile robots.  I'll keep that in mind for next time (the Operator had it coming anyway).

[E.I.G.]

Wow, big update here. I just finished watching Run 2 | Ep 2, but I do have one thing to say:
The Footprint Analyzer only works if you never used the terminal before. So putting one on after using a terminal and then using the terminal again doesn't help.

[Kyzrati]

The Footprint Analyzer only works if you never used the terminal before. So putting one on after using a terminal and then using the terminal again doesn't help.

That's a good point, and something which should really be fixed. Ideally you should benefit even on a later connection if you didn't scan it before, but rather than have a separate indicator for whether or not you'd connected with an analyzer before, at the time of implementation I took the easy route and just checked whether you'd connected to that machine at all before, and only checked for analyzers on the first hack (successful or not).

I'll change that behavior by adding a dedicated value, and also have it store the highest analysis level you've performed on it, on the rare chance you later attempt to re-hack the same machine with a more powerful analyzer and it can reward you with the difference.

[jimmijamjams]

Wow, big update here. I just finished watching Run 2 | Ep 2, but I do have one thing to say:
The Footprint Analyzer only works if you never used the terminal before. So putting one on after using a terminal and then using the terminal again doesn't help.

Cheers for clarifying.  I'll make sure to mention that next time it comes up (until Kyzrati fixes it that it .

[jpka]

Wow, big update here. I just finished watching Run 2 | Ep 2, but I do have one thing to say:
The Footprint Analyzer only works if you never used the terminal before. So putting one on after using a terminal and then using the terminal again doesn't help.

Cheers for clarifying.  I'll make sure to mention that next time it comes up (until Kyzrati fixes it that it .

Nah, that's actually as intended, as far as I can tell. The familiarity normally increases just once per machine, and the footprint analyzer just enhances that.

By the way, you're awesome! Whenever I see one of your videos is up I just drop anything I was doing and watch it. Keep them coming! One tiny little suggestion: maybe it would be better not to spoil the lore? We can always skip it I guess, but it's kinda hard, because I wanna know, and I rarely do the queries myself.

[jimmijamjams]

Nah, that's actually as intended, as far as I can tell. The familiarity normally increases just once per machine, and the footprint analyzer just enhances that.

By the way, you're awesome! Whenever I see one of your videos is up I just drop anything I was doing and watch it. Keep them coming! One tiny little suggestion: maybe it would be better not to spoil the lore? We can always skip it I guess, but it's kinda hard, because I wanna know, and I rarely do the queries myself.

Thanks and I'm glad you're enjoying it.

The perils of watching LPs is that they're inherently spoiler-y. I guess I could just quickly read it to myself and if people want to check it out they can pause the video, but I bet you would read it anyway

[E.I.G.]

So I have caught up.

... a Repair Station could have restored your Light Angular Momentum Engine to functionality.

[jimmijamjams]

So I have caught up.

... a Repair Station could have restored your Light Angular Momentum Engine to functionality.

Thanks for checking them out:)

I wondered if it could. My understanding is that a Repair Station will only repair damaged items that can still be used. I'll have to do some more testing and look at the manual when I get a chance. Cheers!

[jimmijamjams]

So I have caught up.

... a Repair Station could have restored your Light Angular Momentum Engine to functionality.

Thanks for checking them out:)

I wondered if it could. My understanding is that a Repair Station will only repair damaged items that can still be used. I'll have to do some more testing and look at the manual when I get a chance. Cheers!

You're exactly right.  According to the manual Repair Stations "both fixes broken parts and restores them to full integrity".  I'll make sure to remember for next time.

[jimmijamjams]

Three new episodes are up!

I'm still having some connection issues at home that won't be resolved until Wednesday next week (hopefully!).  I'll be holding off uploading videos until this is sorted out and then I won't have to release videos in batches in the future.  In the meantime these three episode will have to suffice.

Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 7 | Behemoth!

• I try to juggle/toggle items and weapons to avoid overheating
• We find out that Recyclers can call for back-up
• I explain how to identify stairs that are not in use (for the Alpha 1 release)
• I narrowly avoid a Behemoth

Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 8 | Run Away!

• I use a fabricator to build some well-timed friends
• I properly explain "Familiarity" with machines as it stands with the current build (Alpha 1)
• We find out Power Swords sound cool
• I escape to the next level... just...

Cogmind [Alpha 1] | Run 2 | Ep 9 | Can We Build It?

• We rebuild The Cogmind
• I use some weapon management to ensure that I don't blow holes in the walls and allow enemies more access
• We shut down an enemy with a Disruption weapon and rewire it
• We survive!  For now...

[Deliz Seemack]

Great series! Keep them coming.

I'm watching them so fast, they are only encoded to 360p on youtube when I start them