The release of 1.8 and the Rescue Pack approaches rapidly. In fact, we are ready to tell you exactly when: April 24!
So channel your inner savior and get ready to rescue.
Watch the final trailer for the Rescue Pack here:
In case you forgot what 1.8 contains, take a look at our previous announcements here:
Cinematic Camera
Player Event Feed
Waves
1.8 Blocks
Rescue Pack Blocks
Rescue Pack Cosmetics
But that’s far from all we have for you on this wonderful Friday.
Flashblog is back and this time we have Product Architect Rune Holm mapping the process of adding new blocks to Trailmakers - from idea stage to shipping.
Holm has worked on Trailmakers for 7 years, making him one of the most experienced veterans of the Flashbulb team.
So without further ado, let’s dive into the Flashblog #2: The Birth of Blocks
How to make a block for Trailmakers?
Trailmakers consist of many individual parts, but perhaps the most important component is the blocks! So how do the developers design and implement a block and why do some blocks get made while others do not?
What is a block?
Roughly speaking a block consists of its graphics, sound, functionality and settings. But of course this is a gross simplification of the huge design and implementation work that goes into a block. For example the way a block looks has a huge impact on how it can be used. Some blocks are used to give character and details while others are for building larger coherent shapes.
The life of a Block
Step 1: Idea
A block generally starts its life as an idea. Sometimes it is from a player's suggestion, other times from the minds of a developer and in some cases because we are trying to build a themed experience (space, air planes, boats). We try to think about who the block is for and how it should be used. We also need to consider how important it is and how expensive it will be to produce as we have limited resources and are only a relatively small team. Finally we also have a lot of other things we want to add into the game, so every block has to compete against these.
Step 2: Concept and Design
The next step is to come up with the best version of the block. This involves considering all the different use-cases for the block, implementation costs and how it fits into the game as it is now and how it will be in the future. If a block is too close to what is there already it will not get made and the same goes if it will be superseded by an even better block in the future. It is also important to consider if the block should be made generic so it can be used in many ways, or detailed so it is perfect for its intended purpose.
Step 3: Production
Prototyping and implementation comes next. This involves programming, 3D modelling, animating, texturing, sound designing and implementation and tweaking the block. In this step we will find a lot of challenges that were hard to predict in the prior steps which in turn can lead to adjustments, redesign, reimplementation and even rejection of the block entirely in some cases. Often we implement multiple versions of a block before we find the best version. To avoid wasting time it is therefore often useful to evaluate the block as it is being implemented. We usually also give a closed group of testers access to the blocks at this stage to make sure it is something players will understand how to use and to enjoy.
Step 4: Polish
Once the block is done we enter into a phase of polishing which means identifying and fixing bugs, fixing visual glitches and optimizing when needed. Hopefully there are only smaller issues left at this point in the process.
Design Challenges
There are a ton of decisions and tweaks to be made when making a block and this post would be rather lengthy if we were to explain them all in detail. However, here is a short list of some decisions we need to make for each block: Aesthetics, sound, build bounds, nubs, collision shape, name, description, power core cost, complexity cost, aerodynamics, weight and health. On top of that we also have the specifics to functional blocks such as cannon blocks: Delay between shots, damage per shots, explosion radius, projectile speed, crosshair style.
Some of these decisions are easy to make or don't have to be super precise, but others will be incredibly hard to change later as it would mean breaking existing blueprints, or impairing fun play patterns. This may in some cases mean that we will make the game worse if we fix a bug or change the block (I’m looking at you UFO engine!). So in these cases we must try very hard to make the right choice the first time!
Conclusion
As a result, making blocks for Trailmakers is a very creative and challenging task involving a lot of different people, testing, listening to the players and trying to predict what will make the game even better. And of course a lot of hard work. Thankfully we have some very skilled people working tirelessly on the game, some really dedicated and creative players and a great community. The game and the blocks in the game have come a long way since the initial early access release more than 6 years ago - hopefully we will be able to continue this trend and improve the game for a long time to come!