Dust Raiders News

The world of Dust Raiders is filled with roaring engines, ruthless gangs, and desolation spanning deserts, swamps, and arid steppes. It’s a realm where, through trade and violence, you can seize power and dominate the perilous wastelands and key routes between enclaves.

Creating such a world from scratch is an immense task. Designing diverse map areas to each enclave, NPCs while making sure the world is believable and full of dozens of little storylines that player approaches through quests.

To help us craft a rich and intricate world, we’ve invited Marek Mydel, narrative designer and co-author of the critically acclaimed board game “Waste Knights: Second Edition”. We posed several questions to him about his inspirations, workflow, and past experiences.



Hello, Marek! Could you tell us a bit about yourself? How did you become a board game designer?
I’ve been working in the industry for 20 years now, but it’s hard to say what makes you a designer. First I played any games that were available in the ‘90s in bleak Poland and then I was a guy who had a chance to work with great licenses either as a developer or translator. Hard to say when it happened. So, all in all, it’s more a matter of being in the right place at the right time rather than having a planned career as a designer.

With Waste Knights, and now Dust Raiders, you’ve delved deeply into the post-apocalyptic theme. How do you blend expectations from these kinds of worlds with unique twists?
It’s always a bit of what I see in various games, movies and books and what I read on the news. Our world is already fu**ed up enough to give me inspiration. And then I fu** it up even more (for players’ sake, of course). Oh, and there are so many post-apo conventions in Poland and tons of great people who inspired me. Kudos to them all!



What are the differences between designing a board game and a video game?
One word – assets. It’s easy to write a passage in a choose-your-own-adventure book. It’s simple to create whole worlds like that.
But with a video game, I must limit myself to what the producers have in store. So, it’s a game of making the most of what they give you, which is a challenge by itself, but a nice one. Plus I quickly get to see what I imagined, while in a board game some things forever stay purely textual.

You have experience translating ancient Japanese literature; what lessons from that work are useful today?
Don’t be a peasant in feudal Japan, ‘cause you might get cut. And then – appearances matter most. Samurai might not be your noble warriors, but they look like ones. Oh, and working 14 hours a day is a normal thing. Comes in handy when you’re handling a game project close to a deadline.




In Dust Raiders, we will continually fight and gain influence at the expense of different gangs. Could you describe one of the raider groups?
As I don’t want to spoil too much, so I’m going to tell you about the Skaters. One day after the Apocalypse they looted a hockey stadium and thought that wearing a mask with a bad-ass illustration sounds good. Some of them even tattoo their faces to make them look really fearsome!


What are your main sources of inspiration when designing the setting for enclaves in Dust Raiders?
This one is easy. I look at some place through my window or imagine one I don’t see and then think what will happen to it if no one delivers power and water to it. And when some bad guys come to claim what’s of any value there.


What’s the secret to creating unique characters in a post-apocalyptic world?
I don’t think that such characters are far different from people living here and now. Post-apocalyptic world is simply one 20 years from now if we lack food and water. Imagine your neighbor in this situation – how would they react? Or you? And you have your unique someone.



Could you share with us some events that occurred before the plot of Dust Raiders?
There’s a whole plot twist we had to bury deep inside the game which basically underlines the whole idea behind the setting, but one thing which literally “sticks out” of it is “The Windmill”. Just get far enough in the game and you’ll see.


What’s your favorite element of Dust Raiders so far?
I think it’s combat. As I work mostly with board games, all the action happening there is turn-based or dice-oriented. All in all, pretty static. But in Dust Raiders when you start a fight, better be prepared for some fast-paced decision making and exploding fun.

Dust Raiders offers a unique blend of strategy and action, challenging you to make crucial decisions on the fly while also mastering the art of vehicular warfare. Each vehicle in your caravan is unique, boasting its strengths and weaknesses. Some machines are fast and agile, designed to dodge obstacles and pursue enemies. Others are heavy and robust, ready to ram and smash anything that stands in their way.

Tactical combat with an active pause
The combat system in Dust Raiders works in real-time but still lets you have a lot of tactical depth. Using the active pause can help you prepare the plan for the whole combat, but if you are more willing to make decisions in split seconds, you still have the option to do so.



Manage your fleet
During later stages of the game, you will be able to control not only your caravan vehicle but the whole fleet of supporting vehicles with its strengths and weaknesses. You can't move the caravan during the fight to let you focus on the perfect positioning of other vehicles.



The joy of ramming
There's nothing like the thrill of ramming another vehicle in Dust Raiders. A visceral sense of impact, sending enemy vehicles flying in dramatic explosions of twisted metal and flaming debris. But it's not just about brute force. The game's tactical depth means you'll need to choose your moments to strike, using the environment to your advantage and striking when your enemy least expects it.



Risk-and-reward
However, these adrenaline-fueled battles come with high stakes. In Dust Raiders, combat isn't just a risk to your life - but your resources, modules, and crew members. Each vehicle lost is a blow to your caravan's strength and a drain on your goods. It means that every battle is a calculated risk. Are the potential rewards worth it? Only you can make that call.



In the end, the choice is yours. But whatever you choose, you can be sure that Dust Raiders' vehicular combat will deliver a thrilling, tactical experience that keeps you on the edge of your seat. So gear up, hit the gas, and prepare for the ride!

In the coming updates, we will delve deeper into the other gameplay elements of Dust Raiders. So, keep your engines running, and stay tuned for more exciting news about your favorite post-apocalyptic vehicular combat game. Remember, in Dust Raiders, it's not just about surviving - it's about thriving.

We'll see you on the wastelands.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2397450/Dust_Raiders/

Turn on the engines! Without vehicles, people who managed to stay alive through the apocalypse most likely wouldn’t survive for too long. Thankfully, even despite the step back that humanity faced, oil extraction still takes place, and diesel machinery comes to the rescue.

But let’s face it, these recycled vehicles wouldn't win a beauty contest, but still might have their own appeal. Let’s take a look at a few of the enemy vehicle designs.

The Boar Charger, designed to ram and smash enemies, is heavy, compact, and ready to jump over even the highest dunes. The front of the car was reinforced with metal spikes and a battering ram, while the back had a powerful engine and a nitro booster.



Ribcage Quad won’t provide the most security for raiders, but as a part of spreading terror, it is quite functional. Resembling a skeleton of a large animal. The wheels are spiked and can crush anything in their way. This vehicle is not very fast or agile, but it can intimidate and frighten anyone who sees it. It is a symbol of the raider's brutality and savagery.



Spiker is a vehicle that no one wants to touch. It is said that the raiders who drive it often display the corpses of their enemies on the roof, impaled by countless spikes. The intercooler is fused with a large-caliber, twin-barrel machine gun that unleashes destruction across the wasteland.

Spiker is fast and agile, able to dodge obstacles and pursue its prey.
These are just a few concept designs of the enemy vehicles, but how will you actually survive all those raiders' machinery?



Well, we won’t talk about your Caravan and its modules in detail, but let’s leave today’s update with a sneak peek of an upgraded mobile HQ and center of wasteland operations. Your Caravan won’t be the fastest or most agile, but through upgrades and supported vehicles will over time get a chance to survive more intense fights.

The good news is that this won’t be a free-for-all fight, because there will also be a supporting vehicle, enhancing your tactical capabilities. You will keep full control of all vehicles, and you can also assign your crew members to different ones.



But we will dive deep into these topics with the next few updates.

Our ride will take some time, and we will dive deep into various gameplay elements, our development process, or more stuff coming to Dust Raiders. Remember to add Dust Raiders to your wishlist and follow us on Steam.

See you next month!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2397450/Dust_Raiders/

From the borders of the Eternal Desert to contaminated marshes and abandoned Polis, the world of Dust Raiders is for the toughest. And even those considered reckless will only survive with proper armor thickness and well-oiled machinery.

In this devlog, we will start a monthly series sharing our inspirations, gameplay features, and development updates for Dust Raiders. Buckle up, and let's start the engines!



[h2]The world has shrunk[/h2]
It's been a long time since humanity broke the Earth's balance. The climate changed so vastly we can't even pinpoint the exact location. The old countries' names and continents are no longer used, with new practical ones being used.

The world shrinks immensely for the majority of people who remain alive. Worrying about their safety, they settled in small enclaves, desperately looking for resources and jobs that helped them make a living. But none of them could survive independently - mines are only located next to some of them, some have a better climate to grow plants, etc. They need to trade.




The desolate spread between them is harsh, overrun by raiders, gangs and self-acclaimed rulers waiting for goods to be taken by force. Achieving a good balance between safety and profit differentiates random traders from the most influential ones. And it will be your journey to ride along.

[h2]Recycling is all that's left[/h2]
People establishing enclaves need to work with whatever materials are at their disposal. Sheet metal is relatively cheap and easily adjustable, although it's not the best when the sun hits hard. Fortunately, clouds do appear in this world.

Humanity took a considerable step back in technology. Fortunately, the knowledge of extracting oil was not lost, and the power of petrol and diesel engines helped to fight the dark and cold nights.



Post-apocalyptic visions of small American villages inspire the design of the enclaves. The people there use whatever materials they can find to build their homes and defences, such as sheet metal, wood, concrete, and scrap. They also rely on oil and diesel engines to power their machines and vehicles, as they need to gain knowledge of more advanced technologies.

You might ask, why didn't people move on from such a harsh location to live in? Well, apart from the oil availability, they also can't.



It is surrounded by Eternal Dunes from one side, contaminated water from the other and huge mountains with collapsed tunnels. Stuck, trying to find a habitable place across the desert, nearby marshes and dunes. But also a perfect trade opportunity to rule the local economy in this new reality.

[h2]Stay tuned for more![/h2]
Our ride will take some time, and we will dive deep into various gameplay elements, our development process, or more stuff coming to Dust Raiders. Remember to add Dust Raiders to your wishlist and follow us on Steam.

See you next month!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2397450/Dust_Raiders/