godot-mechanic-secrets

What this skill does

# Secrets & Easter Eggs (Mechanics)

## Overview
This skill provides reusable components for hiding content behind specific player actions (e.g., Konami code, repetitive interaction) and managing the persistence of these discoveries.

## Core Components

### [secret_meta_persistence.gd](scripts/secret_meta_persistence.gd)
Expert logic for saving global unlocks and discovery flags across all save profiles.

### [secret_visibility_detector.gd](scripts/secret_visibility_detector.gd)
View-dependent hidden wall detection using optimized Dot Product calculations.

### [secret_sequence_combo_matcher.gd](scripts/secret_sequence_combo_matcher.gd)
Professional time-sensitive input buffer for detecting complex cheat combos and sequences.

### [secret_interaction_spam_tracker.gd](scripts/secret_interaction_spam_tracker.gd)
Logic for tracking repetitive player actions to trigger curiosity-based Easter Eggs.

### [secret_audio_environment_occluder.gd](scripts/secret_audio_environment_occluder.gd)
Spatial logic for dynamically adjusting AudioBus effects in sealed or hidden areas.

### [secret_progress_threshold_unlocker.gd](scripts/secret_progress_threshold_unlocker.gd)
Percentage-based unlocker for meta-content and 'True Ending' triggers.

### [secret_random_encounter_spawner.gd](scripts/secret_random_encounter_spawner.gd)
Weighted random system for rarest-tier entities and secret vendor encounters.

### [secret_lockout_cheat_guard.gd](scripts/secret_lockout_cheat_guard.gd)
Anti-brute-force lockout manager to protect secret integrity.

### [secret_vfx_discovery_glimmer.gd](scripts/secret_vfx_discovery_glimmer.gd)
Subtle procedural visual cues for hinting at hidden interactables.

### [secret_konami_legacy_code.gd](scripts/secret_konami_legacy_code.gd)
Specialized implementation of the iconic Konami code using the buffer matcher.

## Usage Example (Cheat Code)

```gdscript
# In your Game Manager or Player Controller
@onready var cheat_watcher = $InputSequenceWatcher

func _ready():
    # Define UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN...
    cheat_watcher.sequence = [
        "ui_up", "ui_up", "ui_down", "ui_down"
    ]
    cheat_watcher.sequence_matched.connect(_on_cheat_unlocked)

func _on_cheat_unlocked():
    print("God Mode Enabled!")
    SecretPersistence.unlock_secret("god_mode")
```

## NEVER Do (Expert Secret Rules)

### Discovery & Triggers
- **NEVER hardcode input checks in `_process`** — Frame-dependent polling is unreliable for fast combos. Always use an event-based buffer like `secret_sequence_combo_matcher.gd`.
- **NEVER use complex Raycasts for 'LookingAt' secrets** — Physics raycasts are expensive if every wall is checking. Use the Dot Product method in `secret_visibility_detector.gd` for overhead efficiency.
- **NEVER make 'Hidden Walls' identical to real walls** — Players need a subtle "Glimmer" or texture discrepancy. Total invisibility isn't a secret; it's a bug to the player.

### Persistence & Meta
- **NEVER save "Secrets Found" in the main Save Slot** — If the player deletes their save to try a different build, their meta-progress (Gallery, Achievement flags) should persist. Use `secret_meta_persistence.gd`.
- **NEVER trust client-side cheat validation in Peer-to-Peer** — If a secret grants a stat boost, other peers should validate the "Unlock" to prevent simple memory-editing cheats.
- **NEVER use `PlayerPrefs` (Godot's equivalent of Settings) for secrets** — Use a dedicated `user://secrets.cfg`.

### UX & Anti-Brute Force
- **NEVER allow unlimited rapid-fire cheat attempts** — A simple macro can brute-force a 4-button combo in seconds. Use `secret_lockout_cheat_guard.gd` to add a penalty for excessive failures.
- **NEVER trigger a secret without an 'Aha!' audio/visual cue** — The reward for finding a secret is the *feeling* of discovery. Use `secret_audio_environment_occluder.gd` to change the atmosphere.

## Best Practices

1. **Event-Based Combo Detection** - Avoid polling in `_process`.
2. **Subtle Cues** - Secrets should be hinted at, not invisible.
3. **Global Persistence** - Use separate save files for meta-progress.

---

## Elite Godot 4.x Patterns

### 1. Secret Flag Tracker (Achievement Bridge)
Use `Resource` objects to track discovery states and emit signals that bridge to your achievement system.

```gdscript
# secret_data.gd
class_name SecretData extends Resource
@export var id: StringName
@export var is_found := false:
    set(v):
        is_found = v
        emit_changed()

# secret_manager.gd (AutoLoad)
func _on_secret_changed(data: SecretData):
    if data.is_found:
        achievement_system.unlock(data.id)
```

### 2. Environmental Storytelling Lore History
Extend secret resources to include lore snippets. Record a history of discovered items to populate a player journal using `RichTextLabel` with BBCode.

```gdscript
# lore_item.gd
class_name LoreItem extends SecretData
@export_multiline var description: String

# lore_journal_ui.gd
func add_entry(lore: LoreItem):
    journal_label.text += "\n[b]Discovery:[/b] " + lore.description
```

### 3. Ghosting System (Collected Secret Visibility)
Instead of deleting found secrets, render them with partial transparency and disable their collision. This informs players that the area has been "cleared."

```gdscript
# ghostable_secret.gd
func _ready():
    if secret_data.is_found:
        _apply_ghost_visuals()

func _apply_ghost_visuals():
    # 2D: Use modulate alpha
    modulate.a = 0.3
    # 3D: Adjust GeometryInstance3D transparency
    # transparency = 0.7
    
    # Disable monitoring safely
    set_deferred("monitoring", false)
```

## Reference
- Master Skill: [godot-master](../godot-master/SKILL.md)