What You Can Do
Reticle Cold War offers 10+ primary gameplay modes—each with unique mechanics, rewards, and playstyles. Whether you prefer strategic combat, puzzle-solving, economic optimization, or narrative exploration, there's something here for you.
Modes vs Experiences: This page covers primary gameplay modes (the main activity categories you choose from). For the complete list of 20+ gameplay experiences (including embedded terminal challenges, crafting systems, and more), see Complete Gameplay Experiences.
At a Glance
| Mode | What You Do | Primary Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Choose-Your-Own-Adventure-Style Missions | Make choices that shape stories and outcomes | XP, Faction Standing, Story Progression |
| Combat Operations | Command forces in territorial warfare | XP, Combat Ratings, Territory Control, Command Reputation |
| Intelligence Ops | Decode broadcasts, gather secrets | XP, Hidden Content, Universe Inflluence |
| Exploration | Discover locations, review signals intelligence | Location Knowledge, Hidden Opportunities, XP |
| Strategic Advisement | Counsel NPCs on critical decisions | Influence, Reputation, XP |
| Confluence | Full strategic digital card game | Skills Training |
| TriDyak | Spatial reasoning board game | Cognitive Training |
| Chronotrate | Real-time network hacking puzzles | Cognitive Training, Rapid |
| Decision Skills | ||
| Crafting | Create equipment and items | Equipment, Trading Opportunities |
| Economic Management | Optimize your Forge Engine | Forge Points, Resource Efficiency |
| Memory Machine Competition | Contribute to faction machines | Memory Fragments, Attractor Modules (Deliver Rewards) |
Narrative Missions
Story-driven operations where your choices create consequences.
Live Scenarios
AI-generated interactions with faction agents. These aren't scripted conversations—the AI responds dynamically to your approach while guiding you through unique and varied missions and objectives.
- Solve critical challenges
- Complete missions with planetary and regional sigificance
- Navigate complex political situations
- Build (or destroy) relationships
Pre-Built Scenarios
Branching missions featuring different paths depending on your faction; for example, a high-ranking Technomage player will receive differnt mission options than a entry-level Scion of Ogo:
- Ciphers — Decode encrypted messages
- Logic Puzzles — Solve problems using available information
- Pattern Analysis — Identify connections others miss
- Social Challenges — Read situations and choose your options carefully
Your skills directly affect your success/failure at specific tasks such as decryption, negotiation.
Combat Operations
Command forces in territorial warfare.
Accept missions from combat brokers and assume tactical command of sub-faction forces in contested zones.
- Extensive territories across the Reticle
- Six sub-factions competing for control
- Performance ratings from S (exceptional) to F (catastrophic)
- Real consequences — Mission failures and successes impact sub-faction territorial control and thier influence on the Great Sync competition (and your rewards)
Intelligence Operations
Gather secrets. Decode broadcasts. Know what others don't.
Numbers Broadcasts
Intercept encrypted faction communications. Decode them to:
- Reveal hidden intelligence
- XP (skill and charater rewards) and, for the most difficult puzzles, rare blueprints
Signals Intelligence Missions
Lead missions at specific locations; your succes/failure impacts location dynamics and future missions for other players
After-Action Missions
Your decisions during live missions matter. After live missions conclude operatives will reach out with new problems and challenges spawned by your actions.
Learn more about Intelligence →
Exploration & Advisement
Build your knowledge. Shape NPC decisions.
Location Exploration
More than 2,000 unique locations await discovery. Each has:
- Distinct history and current status
- Intelligence briefings
- Operational opportunities
- Secrets for attentive players
The Advisement System
NPCs face difficult decisions. They'll ask for your counsel. Your advice—based on your knowledge and judgment—influences their choices. Those choices ripple through the shared universe.
Learn more about Exploration →
Cognitive Training Games
Full-Fledged Digital Card, Board and Strategy Experiences.
Confluence Card Game
A complete card game with:
- 6 distinct archetypes with unique playstyles
- Dozens of special cards with strategic interactions
- 4 influence domains (Temporal, Spatial, Cognitive, Social)
- Multiple victory conditions
- Ranked competitive play
Confluence is a game that rewards mastery.
TriDyak Board Game
A custom spatial reasoning game featuring:
- AI opponent with 350,000+ opening book positions
- Custom neural network trained specifically for TriDyak
- Progressive difficulty that adapts to your skill
- Strategic depth rivaling classic board games
Chronotrate Hacking Game
A real-time network infiltration challenge featuring:
- Network Navigation: Capture nodes across a procedurally generated network graph
- Firewall Combat: Defend captured nodes against an intelligent AI firewall system
- Puzzle Challenges: Crystal Sequence (memory), Tile Sequencer (pattern matching), Gem Hunter (maze navigation)
- Time Pressure: Complete the winning path before the timer expires
- Three Difficulty Tiers: Progressive complexity with dynamic timing
Chronotrate tests rapid decision-making and pattern recognition under pressure.
Learn more about Chronotrate →
Crafting & Equipment
Create items that affect your success.
The Crafting System
Manufacture equipment using blueprints and resources:
- Cosmetic items (Badges and other items that deliver gameplay benefits)
- Functional equipment (feed transformation engines, contribute Memory Machine components for the Great Sync competition)
- Trade goods (gain economic value)
Probability Matrices
Special items manufactured through Memory Machine technology that warp probability itself—improving your odds on skill checks in specific domains.
Economic Management
Master the Homeostatic Economy.
Your Forge Engine converts raw Data Shards into valuable Forge Points through ecosystem mechanics. Understanding this system gives you advantages:
- Optimize production rates
- Manage resource decay
- Balance competing priorities
Learn more about the Economy →
Memory Machine Competition
Faction-wide competition with real rewards.
Every 96 hours, the four faction Memory Machines synchronize in the Great Sync. Your contributions during this cycle affect:
- Memory Fragment distribution
- Attractor Module Fueled by Memory Fragements, attractors have a chance to deliver special reward items
- Faction standing
The machines themselves are mysterious—no one fully understands what happens during synchronization.
Learn more about Memory Machines →
Finding Your Path
You don't have to do everything.You can specialize in 2-3 areas while maintaining basic competence elsewhere.
Playstyle Chooser
| If you want... | Focus on... | Key systems |
|---|---|---|
| Narrative/CYOA | Story-driven choices and consequences | Missions + AI Agents + Skills |
| Idle/Asynchronous | Progress while away | SIGINT + Forge Engine + After-Action Cases |
| Deep Strategy | Challenging strategic gameplay | Confluence + TriDyak + Chronotrate |
| Territory Warfare | Combat command and territorial control | Combat Ops + Broker Ladder + Sub-factions |
| Economy/Meta | Market mastery and resource optimization | Reports + Vaults + Marketplace + Memory Machine |
The choice is yours.
Next Steps
- Your First Steps — Where to begin
- Careers & Specialization — How specialization works
- Skills — What determines your success