This past week we’ve been testing and polishing. Each day we conduct online multiplayer reviews, and we’re now working with two outside firms for QA and product strategy. In combination with all the feedback we’ve collected from you--the players--since GDC 2016, our third party firms are helping to give us some perspective on the game we have in our hands today.
Online Multiplayer
We’re thrilled with the online multiplayer experience. The goal has always been to achieve performance on par with any other online action game, and so far we have not only achieved that goal, but doubled our expected session capacity from 4 human players to 8.
Below is a 5-minute clip of online deathmatch play. If you have any questions about what you’re seeing here, let us know in the comments for this dev diary update.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI9DdmEvF5o
We are currently spending our testing time in a free for all deathmatch map, which we’ve shown in previous updates. It’s a bit small for 8-player games (just means the action is more intense) but we have a couple of other candidates for larger scale combat.
We continue to prove out some our MOBA-style play, keeping an eye here on what’s working and what isn’t. As with our last original game (a pinball RPG), we need to be careful about combining two genres (car combat and MOBA). There’s definitely a ton of fun to be had in MOBA mode, and we’re looking at ways to beef up our AI-controlled vehicles to improve the experience.
While we’re focused on Deathmatch and MOBA-style modes right now, we’re always working on additional modes on the side. We’ve tried Sumo, Race, and now our lead programmer has created a procedural road generator. We’re not sure yet what to use it for, but endless roads are on the horizon!
Configurator
Vehicles in the game are customized using our Configurator, a tool that lets you see the gear as it goes on. Here’s a preview of the tool’s current incarnation--
Brand New Heavy
We’ve rolled out a redesigned Dark Jaw H-Type (heavy) vehicle. The previous version was too blocky to see the weapons very well, or anyone in close quarters. The new one solves that problem, and fits in better with the Dark Jaw designs. Catch it in action here.
https://youtu.be/0H7cpg8fkHQ
We’re experimenting with the wheelbase right now, below are the two options we’re playing with.
Also looking at some tweaks to the SaiGe H-Type to get it a little higher off the ground. Below are both teams’ heavies for comparison.
And speaking of the SaiGe H-Type, a friend of ours sent us a classic Hot Wheels pic -- see any resemblance?
Odds & Ends
We continue to use data visualization to assist product design, below is a chart showing usage of each of the game’s current maps. Map list very much subject to change as we continue refining.
We’re working on a new 60-second trailer with new animated footage, new game footage, a snippet of our new theme song and a cool MOVIE GUY narrator. Hope to have that out by the end of this month!
Lots more to talk about as we continue this wild road trip!
Ask us anything!