When we decided to remove the Expedition from the game and add the Rally game mode, we knew it would be a controversial decision. We did not do it lightheartedly, but because we thought it would make the game better. Our reasons for removing the Expedition have not changed:
- The problem solving was too linear - like a string of puzzles instead of a challenging open world.
- The balance of many blocks were tied to the environmental challenges of Expedition so changing them or fixing inconsistencies would mean a broken game mode.
- It was too difficult for a small team like Flashbulb to expand it further.
Since removing the Expedition, many players who had not previously voiced their opinion about Trailmakers spoke up and told us how much they missed the game mode. We read everything in the reviews, the Steam forums, on Discord, Twitter, Facebook etc, and a majority of you wanted the same things:
- A clear sense of progression.
- Exploration in a big map.
- Rewarding creativity.
- Finding blocks instead of buying them with points.
We believe we can make something that gives you all of that while also solving the grievances we had with the old Expedition. We will soon begin work on something we will tentatively call “Exploration Mode”. It will not be the old Expedition or even a Expedition 2.0, but something new entirely. It will not replace the Rally mode - development of the Trailmakers Rally continues with many new tracks added in the next update.
When we put up the Steam page for Trailmakers back in January 2018, we answered the “Why Early Access?” question with this (and the answer has remained the same):
“Like any other game in Early Access, we need your help to decide what goes in the game and what does not. Trailmakers is a construction game made out of thousands of small parts. There is an endless opportunity to adjust and add to the features in the game, and we have a plan of where we want the game to head. It’s up to you to tell us if that is the right direction.”
For us, that is the essence of Early Access and open development. We want to thank you for letting us know what you think of Trailmakers. In particular, it has been a joy to read the very detailed feedback, and sometimes heated debate on Discord. With thousands of Trailmakers players, only a minority voices their opinion. If you took time out of your day to let us know how you feel, know that we appreciate you.