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

1. Input Sequence Watcher (input_sequence_watcher.gd)

A node that listens for a specific sequence of InputEvents.

• Use for: Classic “Cheat Codes”, hidden debug menus, “Konami Code” implementations.
• Behavior: Buffers input -> Checks against target -> Emits sequence_matched.

2. Interaction Threshold Trigger (interaction_threshold_trigger.gd)

A component that tracks how many times an object has been interacted with.

• Use for: “Stop Poking Me” voice lines, breaking walls after N hits, hidden achievements.
• Behavior: Counts signals -> Emits threshold_reached at specific counts.

3. Secret Persistence (secret_persistence_handler.gd)

A standardized way to save/load “Unlocked” states.

• Use for: Ensuring a player doesn’t have to re-enter a code every session.
• Behavior: Wraps ConfigFile to save boolean flags to user://secrets.cfg.

Usage Example (Cheat Code)

# 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")

Anti-Patterns

• NEVER Hardcode Input Checks: NEVER use Input.is_action_just_pressed in _process for sequences. It is frame-dependent and brittle. ALWAYS use an event-based buffer.
• NEVER Pollute PlayerPrefs: NEVER save hidden unlockables in the user’s main settings.cfg (resolution, volume). If the user deletes settings to fix a graphic glitch, they shouldn’t lose their unlocked cheats. Use user://secrets.cfg.
• NEVER Trust Client Inputs for Competitive Secrets: If your secret grants a competitive advantage (e.g., in multiplayer), NEVER validate it solely on the client.