Hi all,
How's it going? Just thought I'd drop a quick note about what's going to be happening for SUPER IMPOSSIBLE ROAD in the run-up to 2017.
Fresh UI look
For the build I took to Unite 16's showcase in Hollywood last week, I updated the front end with a fresh new look, designed to be super clean and modern. The idea is that it should basically get out of the way as much as possible. I'll be spending a bit of time bringing this look over to the Steam version, so you should see this in an update soon. See the attached image for a mockup of the new main menu.
Handling
I've noticed that a lot of people are asking for pitch control in flight, and it's something I believe the game could benefit from, if done correctly. I see pitch control as being quite subtle - there will be no huge deviations, but it will allow you to adjust your landings a little and give you the feeling of greater control. I'll be experimenting with this locally at first, and depending on results I may push out either a beta version with this in, or simply make it toggle-able via the settings menu.
Another idea that I'm looking at is introducing bounce as one of the handling stats. This would be something else to consider during your vessel builds. Again, I'm not 100% about this yet until I experiment, but it's something I've been thinking about.
Sound off in the comments below, I would definitely like to get your opinion on these changes.
Sales
It has come to my attention that most people on Steam use the wishlist facility to wait for sales before they buy a game. Previously I've been against sales for SUPER IMPOSSIBLE ROAD, but this stance is hampering the push to grow the user base in time for online MP testing. And without enough users for online, matchmaking is going to be a terrible experience. Therefore, I'm changing my stance a little. You will see SIR in future sales on Steam in order to grow the player base, BUT there won't be any deep discounts during Early Access.
If you're currently sitting on the fence and you'd like to wait for a sale, go ahead and wishlist, we'll still be here later. It's all cool. Don't expect any huge discounts until well after launch though.
Controller Rumble
From your feedback, it seems that there are huge differences in the rumble response for different controllers. To this end, I'll introduce a rumble setting in the game's settings, probably with Off, Low, Medium and High settings to accommodate all the controllers (and personal taste). I've also heard from some users that some using PS4 controllers on PC are experiencing frame drops during rumble events. I'll take the opportunity while I'm digging around in this code to fix this.
The Start of Career
I'm not sure how much I'll get done in 2016, but work will start in earnest on the Career Mode. There might be something to show this year, but I'll only put it out there if there's something interesting for you guys to play.
That's about it for now. Looking forward to pushing out the new big update!
Cheers,
Kevin