v1.6.0 — Module Optimization + Packet Filter

v1.6.0 lands two big additions plus a fundamental contract-flow cleanup. The first big one is Module Optimization — a permanent progression layer that survives selling a brain. Certain brains discover optimization potential, and from that point on their modules quietly build know-how during runs that never resets. The second is Packet Filter, an optional calibration minigame that lets you push the optimization multiplier higher — or skip it and take the base rate. And underneath: the “accept contract first, then train” rule is gone — train whenever you want, match to whichever contract fits after. Plus a small copy fix on the Prediction module.

⚡ Module Optimization — permanent know-how

Every previous progression layer in NeuronIdle has evaporated the moment you sold a brain. Neuron Archiv logs the peaks. Module Optimization logs the habit — and the habit stays with you.

• Some brains discover optimization potential during a run — flagged in the Run Report with a “Slot N — module optimization unlocked!” popup. From that moment on, that brain’s modules (and their upgrades) start building permanent know-how every time you use them.
• Know-how slowly reduces the modules’ frustration and exhaustion cost. The more you actually use a module, the less it wears you out. It’s not overnight — it’s the long game.
• The know-how does not reset when the brain sells. It carries over to every future brain. This is the first progression layer in NeuronIdle where a sale is not a full wipe.
• Rare brains are meaningfully more likely to unlock optimization — think of it as a small jackpot on the rare-tier grind.
• Larger models optimize faster. The endgame chassis earns its keep here too.
• Every module and every upgrade levels independently. Know-how accrues only on the things you actually use, with its own level indicator in the Brain Lab — a new counter that didn’t exist before this release. In the current live version, modules don’t level at all; from v1.6.0 onwards, they do, and each one at its own pace.
• More modules on a build → optimization window opens sooner. Diverse builds see the mechanic earlier.

The screenshot on the left shows what that looks like in play. PREDICTION Lv 10 on that build is a real know-how level — accumulated across many runs of using the module — not a static “unlock tier.” Each module and each of its upgrades sits at its own level, quietly compounding as you actually use them.

🎮 Packet Filter — the calibration minigame

When a brain unlocks optimization, you get a choice: play a short minigame for a bonus, or take the base rate and move on. Packet Filter is that minigame — a fast reflex game about routing clean signals and rejecting damaged ones.

• Catch the clean (green) packets, dodge the damaged (red) ones. Green fills the bonus; red subtracts from it.
• Result is a 0.7–2.0× multiplier on that brain’s optimization speed. Play well and optimization runs faster than base. Play poorly and you land under base. Skip and you take base — it’s a fair floor.
• Three difficulty tiers scale with the size of your build. More modules on the brain means a harder minigame — but a good result applies to all of the brain’s modules at once, so the payoff scales with the challenge.
• Skipping is legit. Accept the base rate and keep playing. The risk and the reward are both yours.

Packet Filter is the first of a planned family of minigames. At least three flavors are on the roadmap: this one rewards reflex — the next two will reward logic and memory, each in their own way. Different mechanics, same idea of trading a moment of attention for a bonus. Exact ship dates aren’t nailed down yet; you’ll see each one here when it lands.

🔓 Contract flow — train first, match after

Historically NeuronIdle required you to accept a contract before training, and the trained brain would only fulfill that specific contract if the training happened after acceptance. v1.6.0 removes that constraint entirely.

• Train whenever, then match to whoever fits. Any completed brain can fulfill any matching contract on the board — no timing check, no fresh-train requirement.
• The old lock was a leftover from the single-slot era. Once multi-slot builds arrived, it already stopped being meaningful in practice — any unrelated training on any slot was ticking the same clock, so a brain effectively “armed” itself as soon as you did anything at all.
• Cleaner flow, same training loop. Fewer decisions forced in the wrong order. You can pretrain a brain that catches your eye first, and see which contract on the board it best matches after.

🔧 Small stuff

• Prediction module description tidied up — the tooltip now reads “reveals domain affinity”. The old wording still mentioned stress and exhaustion in real time, which stopped being accurate a while ago.
• Under-the-hood cleanup and minor fixes.

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Neuron Archiv records the peaks. Module Optimization records the habit. Between them, the long game finally has two different reasons to keep going.

— NeuroVault Research Systems