The college update is here! First off, want to give a big thank you to everyone in the Discord who has been diligently testing this for me. There is still work to do in terms of content I want added but after all the playtesting I feel we have a very viable, balanced game mode that doubles game content.
Here's a rundown of everything players can expect!
So what is this college update?
In the original game, at the end of your senior season of high school you got to choose a scholarship offer and then experienced the rest of your career as an epilogue.
Now, that choice is only the beginning. Once you make your college decision, you continue on for four more years of competition.
What Changes Entering College
Once you enter college, your stats are reset so you have more room to grow, you have new records to break, and more championships to win. But those aren't the only changes: training is a bit harder, there are new elements including coaches, team scoring, and relays, and the major competitions now have heats.
Achievements, milestones, etc. are all new. The goal for college mode is to feel like the game world is opening up a bit more.
Season Structure
4-year college career, 12 weeks per season.
Weekly schedule includes dual meets and invitationals (with varying field strength/tiers).
Postseason ladder: Conference Championship → CTFA Regional → CTFA Championship (Note: CTFA = College Track and Field Association. Modding is being added to the game, check the discord out for more on that).
Team & Relay Mechanics
Duals and select invitationals score as a team — your result plus teammates' results all count.
4x100 and 4x400 relays available at select meets, opt-in, with real teammates and real baton exchange risk.
Specialization System
Each build unlocks a specialization path — one of two options tied to the build (e.g., 400m vs. 100m/200m focus for sprinters).
Unlocks bonuses in stages as real career milestones are cleared (podium finish, conference title, deep national run, etc.).
Later tiers branch into real sub-path choices — not a single predetermined track.
Rankings, Qualification & Honors
Rankings boards now directly determine postseason qualification. Just like in real collegiate track, you achieve your placement in championship meets via rankings set over the season, not a qualification time.
Season-end honors: All-Conference, All-Region, All-American, plus a separate All-Freshman team.
A preseason watchlist projects where you'd rank before the season starts.
Records & Achievements
Separate college records book (school records + championship records), isolated from HS records.
New college-specific achievements: First Collegiate win, First College PB, conference title, national title, All-American, relay win, dual sweep, full specialization, team conference title, perfect dual season, back-to-back titles ("dynasty"), and more.
New Steam achievements coming soon for college mode.
Offseason
Between seasons, choose a location (e.g., summer job, national elite training camp) with real tradeoffs — camps boost a chosen stat but cost energy; other choices are safer
Classes rollover: seniors graduate, new freshmen enroll, program strength drifts year to year
Endgame & Legacy
College careers get their own Hall of Fame chapter, separate from HS. A single career can produce two HOF entries (HS legacy + college legacy)
More to come!
Goose