The Karters 2: Turbo Charged News

Welcome back to another exciting update from last week's development progress!


Integrating workshop support for characters and vehicles is a two-step process:

1. First, you import your 3D model into Blender and usepecial tool created by Mortus (animator) . This tool automatically generates all necessary animations and configurations for your character and vehicle 3D Model.
   
2. The next step is copying these exported files into Unity project and use a special tool that I've been working on. This tool enables you to export everything into Mods Packages with just a single button. These Mods can then be directly copied into the game directory or uploaded to Steam Workshop / Mod.io.
   

This week, my focus was on this Unity tool for character export, ensuring proper recognition and initialization by the gameplay logic. Given that a character has tons of logic and over 160 animations for various actions, integrating that was quite a challenge. After the entire week of intense work I'm thrilled to share that this feature is now operational and functioning like magic!

An exciting feature is also the capability to define your character’s Name and Outfit. This means if multiple different Mods are customizing the same character, they're grouped under the same character selection button. These Mods are recognized as standard game skins, making them accessible from the Main Menu for creating Presets, and even AI can utilize them, which is fantastic. 🔥


In the upcoming week, I plan to finalize all aspects related to characters, vehicles, and wheels. Then I will proceed to work on custom tracks support. Lastly, I'll be looking into the integration of Steam Workshop and Mod.io for easy uploads and navigation right from the Main Menu

I must say, these Modding tools truly work like magic, and I can't wait to see everything that will be made by the community!

Sebastian

Hello everyone!

It's amazing to realize that the last devlog was released last year just before the launch of the online beta!
It feels great to dive back into these updates, so you can look forward to new ones every Friday 💪

Expected Release Date:
In short, it will be announced once the beta tests confirm that the game is fully prepared for launch. I am expecting one or two more closed beta test phases, with access limited to selected Discord members based on their feedback and forum activity.
But don't worry, we'll be showcasing all the game features, so you'll get a sneak peek of everything!

Development Roadmap:

1. Workshop Support - Custom Characters, Vehicles, Wheels, Tracks.
   
2. Clans/Guilds, Tournaments, Duo/Squad Online Systems Finalization** (Beta Phase)**
   
3. Game Modes, Tracks & Battle Arenas Finalization
4. *(Beta Phase)**
   
5. Game Progression (Campaign Challenges), Improvements, Bug Fixes, Polishing.
   
6. Track Editor.
   
7. Release!
   

Steam Workshop & Mod.io Support
In about 1-2 weeks, workshop support should be fully completed. The exciting news is that I have might found a way to support mods on consoles as well - its called mod.io! Content on consoles will need to be moderated but it is great to seee that it can be done :)

Last Week's Development
Over the past week, I focused on vehicle modding support and to be specific Vehicle Suspension system for custom vehicles :) It was crucial because it will ensure that the vehicle body consistently connects with the wheels and reacts appropriately. There will be some presets to choose from in Unity.

Upcoming Week
Next week I'll be finalizing custom characters and track support, then focusing on integrating mods into the game's Main Menu. After completing Workshop support, expect a special trailer and detailed tutorial on its functionality and usage 😊

Thanks!
Big thanks to everyone for your support and patience. 'The Karters 2' is truly shaping up to be fantastic 💪

Join our community: discord.gg/TheKarters

Hello, racers!

We are pleased to announce that the online beta for The Karters 2: Turbo Charged is now officially live! This is an opportunity to experience the exhilarating rush of online races before its full release.



Participants in the online beta will have the exclusive chance to unlock a special skin by engaging in online races. This skin will not only distinguish you in the beta but will also be a permanent addition to your collection in the full version of the game. Available only during the Online Beta—try to get it before it's gone!

We're excited to see you on the tracks and look forward to your feedback, which is invaluable in making The Karters 2 the best it can be.



We invite you to further enhance your beta experience by joining our Discord community. There, our community arrange races, share racing strategies, and share invaluable feedback to us.
It's the perfect pit stop to discuss, learn, and connect with fellow kart racing fans.

Join now and let the races begin!

Hello everyone, and welcome to the new dev log!

Over the past few weeks, my main focus has been on online features and I'm excited to announce that the online beta tests will start on 27 October 2023!



For registration details, please join our Discord where you'll find a beta sign-up form. Given that online features form a significant part of the game, you can expect the beta to continue until everything runs flawlessly. In addition to refining online functionality, we will also be concentrating on weapon balancing and final game touches to ensure it's prepared for its full release.

Today, I'd like to give you a brief glimpse of what you can expect during the beta. However, please remember this is not the final - I'll be actively seeking feedback during the beta tests to refine and improve everything.

[h2]Game Items Store - Offline & Online Separation[/h2]



I've spent considerable time thinking about how to make both offline and online play equally enjoyable. I recognize the importance of allowing players to unlock all items without needing to participate in online races. Simultaneously, the progression and competition tied to unlocking items through online races are vital. I've decided that items will be unlocked separately in offline and online modes.
In offline mode, this will be achieved through Single-Player Challenges, while online, players will collect coins from races to purchase items.

The game will support multiple customization presets (including characters, vehicles, and wheels). These presets will be accessible both online and offline, but certain items might be locked based on their availability in either mode (depending on if is it unlocked via challenges in offline mode or is it purchased in online mode via coins).

One important question is about the microtransactions. The game is paid and we're a dedicated small indie studio, therefore, we have no plans to introduce microtransactions in the game at this point.

[h2]ELO Rank-Based Rooms[/h2]



ELO ranking will be integral to the game. For those unfamiliar with the ELO system, it originates from chess and is esteemed for creating balanced competitive matchups based on players' skills and performances.

Within ELO-ranked rooms, race outcomes will dictate whether you earn or lose ELO points. Additionally, a fixed number of coins will be awarded. The higher your ELO rank, the better the competition and coin rewards.

[h2]Entry Fee-Based Rooms[/h2]



I'm looking forward to seeing how this addition plays out during Beta. In essence, these rooms have an entry fee, and the winner gets the largest share of the pot. For instance, if you enter a room with a fee of 20 coins and there are eight participants, the total pot is 160 coins. The pot distribution of coins based on race standings will be finalized during the online beta phase (for example 80-40-20-10-5-5). This feature promises thrilling high-stakes competition and it may work really well :)

[h2]Online Tournaments[/h2]

Online Tournaments feature will allow a limitless number of players to compete simultaneously to determine the best among them! Every day, there'll be three tournaments aligned with the major time zones. During the registration window, players can sign up, and as the tournament starts, they'll be grouped into rooms of eight. From each room, only the top three will advance to the next round, culminating in a final room consisting of just 8 players, where they'll compete to determine the tournament champion!

Additionally, there's a larger tournament weekly and an even grander monthly event having the most substantial rewards and prestige. Tournament winners will be presented on the special leaderboard, where they'll remain highlighted for 3 days, 3 weeks, or 3 months, respective to the tournament they won. I truly hope you're as excited about this feature as I am!

[h2]Private Rooms and Cross-Play Friend System[/h2]

Naturally, the game will support private rooms for friends. But that's not all - you can connect with friends across all platforms without any issues as well ;)

[h2]Team & What's Ahead[/h2]

@Mortus is currently refining the Blender tool for character and vehicle exports.
@Mariusz is enhancing and improving game battle arenas.
@Edward is working on music tracks for Battle Arenas

Next week you can expect an update about custom character and vehicle modding, as well as preparations for the online beta phase. Can't wait to see you in the game!

Thanks,
Sebastian

Hello everyone!

First and foremost, welcome to my DevLog series! My name is Sebastian and I am the programmer and game director of the game :) Until now, I've been posting these updates exclusively on our Discord server. Moving forward, I'll be sharing them here to make sure everyone stays informed, even if you haven't joined our Discord yet.
If you're interested in catching up, all the previous 24 DevLogs are available at discord.gg/TheKarters.

At the moment, my main focus is on preparing the game for the upcoming online beta, while the rest of the team diligently works on key elements for the forthcoming full release. Let's dive into the progress from the past week and in case you missed it, take a look at City Biome Race Track that we recently presented on our social channels!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]New Friend System [/h2]
In the prologue via Duels, currently, you have the option to discover and add a friend using a code. This makes it convenient to connect with someone not on your Steam friend list. The same system is integrated online to bridge connections across platforms (e.g., connecting a Steam user to a PlayStation friend).

The previous implementation had its challenges: codes were frequently incorrect, leading to connecting with the wrong player, or they changed inexplicably. I'm pleased to announce that I've introduced a revamped code system. More notably, I've developed an entirely new Friend system. Players no longer need to mutually add each other. Now, when you locate a friend using a code, you'll send them a friend request. The recipient then receives a notification, allowing them to accept or decline. I'm excited about this new implementation, as seamless friend interactions are essential for the game.

[h2]Custom Characters & Vehicles Tools :[/h2]
The custom character system is progressing, but a little bit slower than I anticipated. I'm optimistic about finishing it out by next week's end. I've created a custom project that contains a tool to very easily export your custom character files into the game. In the upcoming week, I will focus on implementing features and logic to load these custom character packages into the game. Once finalized, you can anticipate a brief demo showcasing its functionality.

[h2]Online Beta[/h2]
While the new friend system is a significant leap, there are a lot of fixes and improvements pending before the beta's launch. I can confidently say that it'll debut this month but I'll share the precise launch date as soon as I can. It's very important to ensure a great and polished online experience and I am sure it will be worth the wait. You can register via our discord

[h2]Team's Work [/h2]
@Mariusz has been focusing on polishing and improving the Battle Arenas. He's completed the first round of improvements on 5 arenas, which is really impressive progress!

@Mortus has finished the Blender export tools. Moving forward, our focus will be on improving these tools and thinking about new characters to introduce to the game ;)

@Edward has finished the final music track for the City biome. He's also put together a teaser, which you can find below! It's fantastic, and I'm sure you'll be eagerly awaiting its full debut in the game! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT8mMXbzb_E

The upcoming online beta is going to be fire!

Thank you all for your unwavering support.
Sebastian