PainGradient

v4.5.12·Updated 2026-05-09

PainGradient: gradient-descent DDA (not GA). Dynamic difficulty: HP, damage, speeds adapt. Genetics artifact Rico-style. Risk of Options. Research fork; telemetry: README/cfg.

About this mod Author’s original text

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PainGradient: Gradient-Descent DDA

PainGradient is a stochastic gradient descent DDA fork (not a genetic-algorithm mod): monster HP, damage, and speeds adapt as the run goes on. You still enable the in-game Genetics artifact Rico-style; the research build adds extra modes and optional telemetry.

Quick start (what you do in-game)

  • Install with r2modman Mod Manager (dependencies install automatically).
  • Start a run and turn on the Genetics artifact the same way as in Rico’s original mod (challenge, portal code, etc. — see Rico’s page).
  • Play normally. Monster health, damage, and movement/attack speed can change over time — the mod is built to squeeze difficulty, not to coddle.
  • Optional: open Risk of Options → PainGradient: Gradient-Descent DDA for balance sliders (limits, floors/caps, per-axis tuning).

You do not need to “launch” anything extra — it is a normal BepInEx plugin.

What you’ll notice

  • In a run, gene-style multipliers on monsters can adapt as combat goes on.
  • Between runs, the mod may rotate how adaptation works (fixed-style baseline, classic Rico-like genetics, and an extra adaptive path). That way you get variety without console commands — unless you turn rotation off (below).

Settings

| Where | What |

|--------|------|

| Risk of Options → PainGradient: Gradient-Descent DDA | Most gameplay knobs: learning limits, gene min/max, separate caps for HP / speed / damage style axes. |

| BepInEx config | Advanced / research toggles: auto algorithm rotation, telemetry, etc. |

Config file path:

Risk of Rain 2\BepInEx\config\com.RicoValdezio.ArtifactOfGenetics.cfg

Useful options:

  • Research DDA Rotation → Auto Rotate Algorithms = false — stop automatic mode changes between runs.
  • Research Telemetry → Telemetry Enabled = false — opt out of anonymous research uploads to PostHog (does not affect gameplay). The default in a fresh config may be on — set to false if you want no uploads.

After edits, restart the game or start a new run as usual for BepInEx configs.

Relation to the original mod

Fork / research build based on GeneticArtifact by Rico: same in-game Genetics artifact and “genes on monsters” presentation. PainGradient: Gradient-Descent DDA drives adaptation with stochastic gradient descent (and can expose other research modes); it is not a genetic-algorithm mod. Details are on GitHub (repository link package page).

Dependencies

Match the package card (BepInEx, R2API modules, Risk of Options, etc.).

Install

r2modman Mod Manager, or manual layout from the package zip (see package format).

Full technical docs and source — GitHub (link in the package description / website field).

PainGradient: DDA на градиентном спуске

PainGradient — это DDA на стохастическом градиентном спуске (не генетический алгоритм): здоровье, урон и скорости монстров подстраиваются по ходу забега. В игре по-прежнему включается артефакт Genetics в духе Rico; в исследовательской сборке есть дополнительные режимы и опциональная телеметрия.

Быстрый старт (что делать в игре)

  • Установите через r2modman Mod Manager (зависимости подтянутся сами).
  • В забеге включите артефакт Genetics так же, как в оригинальном моде Rico (челлендж, код портала и т.д. — см. страницу Rico).
  • Играйте как обычно. У монстров со временем могут меняться здоровье, урон и скорости — мод заточен поджимать сложность, а не обнимать.
  • По желанию: Risk of Options → PainGradient: Gradient-Descent DDA — ползунки баланса (лимиты, пол/потолок, отдельные оси).

Отдельно ничего «запускать» не нужно — это обычный плагин BepInEx.

Что изменится в игре

  • Внутри забега множители «генов» у монстров могут подстраиваться по ходу боя.
  • Между забегами мод может по очереди менять способ адаптации (базовый режим, классическая генетика в духе Rico, дополнительный адаптивный режим). Так можно получить разнообразие без консоли — если не отключить ротацию (ниже

Install & use Install: BepInEx plugin

  1. The archive from playbuff is the mod itself — usually a BepInEx plugin (a .dll or a plugin folder once unzipped).
  2. Recommended: use a community mod manager (such as r2modman) — pick this game, import the mod, and the manager sets up BepInEx and its dependencies for you.
  3. Manual route: install the BepInEx loader in the game folder, then drop the unzipped .dll or plugin folder into BepInEx/plugins/.
  4. Launch the game — the BepInEx console logs every plugin it loads; seeing this mod in the log means it is installed.

Mods with listed dependencies need those installed too, or they will not load. Options are usually changed in-game or in the plugin's config file.

Dependencies

Install these first, or the mod will not work:

bbepis-BepInExPackRiskofThunder-HookGenPatcherRiskofThunder-R2API_CoreRiskofThunder-R2API_ArtifactCodeRiskofThunder-R2API_ContentManagementRiskofThunder-R2API_ItemsRiskofThunder-R2API_LanguageRiskofThunder-R2API_RecalculateStats

File & checksum

Filename
PainGradient-4.5.12.zip
File size
315.3 KiB