Modulus Dev Log 8 – The Decisions Behind the Demo
ːsteamhappyːIt's Demo Day!ːsteamhappyː
Hey Module Makers, and welcome to a special edition of the Modulus Dev Log! We’ve got big news: the Modulus demo is officially live! If you’ve been waiting to dive into our factory automation sandbox, now’s the perfect time to jump in, start optimising, and let those conveyor belts roll.
But today, we’re not just celebrating the demo launch, we’re also taking a look back at how Modulus has evolved throughout development. From early prototypes to the design choices that shaped the demo, we’re pulling back the curtain on what it takes to bring a game like this to life. As well as introducing you to some of the team.
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But first, we dive into an interview with Game Director David Prinsmel.
[h2]Designing the Demo – Interview with Our Game Director[/h2]
Building a game is all about choices: what stays in, what gets cut, and how every piece fits together to create the best possible experience. With the Modulus demo now live, we sat down with our Game Director to talk about the key design decisions that shaped it.
Core Design Choices What were the key goals you wanted to achieve with the demo?
I particularly wanted to show players the unique hook in modulus: voxel based operations. There is a huge amount of flexibility on what you make in the factory. It’s not recipe based like other factory games, you can make anything you like, in whatever way you like.
Also, these modules you make are the actual building blocks of the factory buildings, which are built up out of them. And what’s also cool is they make something new that goes back into the factory, creating somewhat of a factory inside a factory.
How did you decide what features made it into the demo and what got left out?
We wanted to show the unique voxel manipulating mechanic and include some buildings to show the core of the game.
We also added a single blue building, so the mechanics of using paint in the game are shown. There are many more coming, and the process will involve more steps, but this shows players a bit of what’s in store for them.
Also we wanted players to have a bit of a sandbox feeling where they can spend quite some hours in the demo. So we didn’t want to stop them from being creative and let them experiment freely with the tools they’re given. That’s why we don’t stop you from playing after reaching the first objectives.
Were there any mechanics you initially wanted to include but had to cut for the demo? Why?
Yeah the process of creating new paint is simplified in the demo, purely due to the fact that we didn’t have time to implement all the new operators for it. So the demo features a bit of a shortcut in progression but it gives players a “quicker” taste of what’s gonna be in the full game.
There’s also no research buildings in the demo, because including that would imply having a use for your science points and that would bloat the scope of the demo too much.
How does the demo reflect the overall vision for Modulus?
It’s the tip of the iceberg. It lets you play around with a unique mechanic, new to factory games. Just enough to make you go “Aaaah” and leave you wanting for more. And there’s gonna be more, like way more. I estimate we only show 5% of the content of EA in the demo. And our EA scope is only 66% of the full game. That should give you an idea of how much more is coming 🙂
What feedback from early playtests influenced last-minute changes?
Well first of all, a lot of changes came out of playtests, not just last minute ones. Usually it was addressing unclear mechanics, displaying information better, QoL stuff…
But a clear last minute change was the currency in the game: It wasn’t balanced well and caused moments of waiting for more money, which definitely didn’t sit well with players. After thinking this through more, we saw an opportunity to completely remove it from the whole game. It just wasn’t helping the game in any way. And since this being a zen game, where we focus on relaxing gameplay, not feeling any pressure and exploring your creativity, it just feels like a better design now. You are free to place and build whatever you want at any moment. It just made a lot of sense.
The Economy & Removing Money What challenges came with removing a traditional in-game economy?
Well the obvious one was the upgrading of buildings. Previously you’d need money to do that, because an upgraded building outputs way more, making it something you absolutely want as a player. By removing money, we removed the investment, hollowing out the use of the mechanic. Because after all, if it’s free and better, you just do it without thinking twice. That was a problem, because now you were just waiting for the upgraded building. There was no strategic decision to be made anymore. “Should I use my money for placing operators or upgrading buildings?” was no longer the case.
That’s why we added Datashards in the upgrade process as a cost. Datashards are kinda like our science points, which are hard to come by and need to be produced in the factory. They are also the main currency in the tech tree. So all of a sudden we have an interesting choice again: “Should I spend my hard earned Datashards on upgrading buildings, increasing my current output? Or should I get something new and fancy from the Tech tree?”
A tougher one was the upgraded versions of the Operators. We call them Mark 2 Operators. They are basically faster versions but some of them might have an additional bonus as well. Obviously, when money was still in the game, they would cost way more. Making for an interesting strategic decision: “Do I use the better one and spend my money on it? Or do I just use the cheap one for now?). Again, we lost that decision making when we removed currency. So we needed a player investment again. And in this case, we chose to have a logistics investment. These new operators are faster, have new features, so they need to come with a drawback as well. To actually make them work they require an optional chemical input. The supply tank will distribute this chemical to the Mark 2 operators so they stay operational. And of course, that chemical needs to be created in the factory. So in this case, it’s more of a challenge to set up, but once running, it produces way faster.
How does this change affect the way players approach factory-building?
Well now players can actually freely build without having to think about running out of money. They can experiment without a sudden message telling them they’re out of funds. The only limit is your available space, but that too can easily be expanded. It creates a feeling of freedom, there’s nothing holding you back from doing whatever you want to do with the tools at your disposal.
Were there any unexpected benefits (or drawbacks) to removing money from the game?
Not really. We just had to come up with some design fixes because of overlapping systems that were counting on the money mechanic, like the ones mentioned before. But in the end the design is simpler and fits the core pillars of the game better.
Did removing currency open up new gameplay opportunities that weren’t possible before?
It created more interesting decisions for players. It’s not about thinking if you want to spend money on this or that anymore. Money is not a bottleneck, so you can completely fill an island with operators and buildings if that’s what you want. It creates more freedom in how you progress through the game: You can either go straight for the next milestone, or you can spend a couple of hours creating a massive base factory before even delivering on your first objectives.
[h2]Player Experience & Game Flow[/h2]
What kind of player experience were you aiming for in the demo?
Well first of all it was crucial to teach players this new approach to the genre: Getting acquainted with these “Inside operators configuration screens”, as that’s new for a lot of our players. Once you understand the basics (by completing the tutorial) and in your mind it clicks like “Oh, but I could also do that, or that…”, you start seeing the freedom of choices and how unlimited the game actually is. We wanted players to get a small taste of this and leave them hungry for more.
How do you want players to feel when they first start automating in Modulus?
I want them to feel like they can be creative in how they reach their goals. They should feel like the way they tackled a specific problem is their own approach and that it might be very different from someone else. In the end, there are no bad solutions, just less and more efficient ones.
Was there a specific moment or feature you really wanted players to experience in the demo?
I’m pretty proud of what we’ve been able to pull off with the buildings. Seeing the modules you just created actually stack up and start completing a full building is something I haven’t seen yet in these kinds of games. I’m very stoked about the fact that the buildings are actually built like lego designs, in a modular fashion.
And once you connect the Harvester Pad to a building and you start gaining items from it. That’s also a nice feeling. I’m also very proud of the fact that those buildings are not arbitrary “item dumps”, but they are a factory in itself, requiring continuous input to keep creating newer items, for later use in the factory.
How does progression work without a monetary system?
Progression is purely based on your building efforts. The end goal of Modulus is to construct all Monuments: Massive building endeavours, that require a massive factory to support them. You’ll have to progress through the skilltree and produce enough modules to support the construction of them. All secondary objectives will grant you XP to increase your GNN rank. You’ll need a higher rank to get access to more islands with more available space and rare resources in order to even attempt to construct a monument.
Are there any hidden details or design choices in the demo that players might not notice at first?
You can link through Extractors with conveyor belts. It’s never explained, but it’s a nice “pro” move.
[h2]Beyond the Demo[/h2]
How does the demo set up expectations for the full game?
Hopefully it opens the minds of players so they see what is possible with our new voxel mechanic. Modules will get more complex, more colors will be introduced and many more logistic operators will help you manage a massive factory.
We currently only feature 3 islands, but there will be dozens more to support a massive logistics network in order to complete your monuments.
Are there features planned for the full release that couldn’t make it into the demo?
Yeah a lot: A new paint production system with more operator types, Rank system, GNN delivery targets, Module challenges, purchasing new islands, a tech tree with over 150 nodes, many new operators, Mark 2 and 3 operators, upgradable speeds of all factory aspects, Freight drones for inter island transport, Chemical mixing and distribution, at least 4 new raw resources Research of Datashards, Reworked mechanic of upgrading buildings, Monuments, cosmetic structures,… and I’m probably forgetting a lot more.
What’s one thing you’re most excited for players to experience when the full game launches?
The tech tree and progression. It will give a massive boost to motivation for players. And personally I really enjoy a well designed tech tree in a game. It infuses the game on regular intervals with something fresh.
And for sure a creative mode. I can’t wait to see what players will build if we give them a sandbox.
What kind of feedback from the demo will be most valuable for shaping the final game?
I have some worries about complexity and balancing. Hopefully players will tell us how hardcore they want to go with this. But I also hope that this game can attract more people to the genre of factory automation. Because numbers are beautiful.
And I’m aware as well that these kinds of games need proper explanation in them. I want to keep finetuning the tutorial and give players the information they need to fully enjoy the game.
If players could take away one key feeling or idea from the demo, what would you want it to be?
“Oh but wait, I could try to do it like this. Let’s go!” I want them to feel smart about tackling a specific problem and I want them to experience the joy of building a system and watching it work like the inside of a clock or computer.
We hope that gave you some idea of what went into the creation of the demo, as well as get you excited about the future of Modulus. Thank you David, for taking the time to answer our questions. Let us know if you have any questions by joining our Discord server.
[h2]From Concept to Demo – The Evolution of Modulus[/h2]
Modulus has changed a lot since its earliest concepts. Initially, the game had a minimalist aesthetic inspired by Sable and Monument Valley, in line with the style of our previous game, The Almost Gone. But as development progressed, we realized that a voxel-based look better suited the modular, factory-building theme of Modulus.
Beyond visuals, the gameplay itself has seen major shifts. At one point, Modulus had small citizens roaming around, leaning more into city-building mechanics. Then, we transitioned them into bots that worked within buildings. Eventually, we evolved that idea further—integrating bots directly into the assembly line itself, making them an essential part of production. They’re adorable, and they add a ton of charm to the production process.
From the first concept sketches to the demo you can play today, every step of development has been about refining and improving the experience. And with your feedback, we’ll keep pushing it even further!
[h2]Meet the Newest Members of the Team[/h2]
Every game has a passionate team behind it, and today, we’re introducing you to the two newest members of the Modulus crew. Our new Head of Communications, Jarvs, and Senior Engineer, Oliver, sat down to talk about their journey into game development, the games that inspired them, and, of course, their most unhinged nerdy obsessions.
Whether it’s the engineering magic behind Modulus or the stories that brought them to Happy Volcano, this chat is a chance to get to know the people behind the game.
You’ll be able to watch the full interview on our YouTube channel in the coming week but for now here’s a sneak peak at what you can expect.
What Games Inspire Us? Oliver’s love for game development started young with Spore, a game that let him create creatures and build villages—something that stuck with him. He’s also a big fan of Dark Cloud, a lesser-known but beloved classic that lets players rebuild towns piece by piece.
Jarvs, on the other hand, goes way back with Golden Axe on the Mega Drive, the first game that truly captured her imagination. These days, she’s inspired by the storytelling depth of Hades, the bold creativity of Death Stranding, and Kojima’s willingness to take risks and push boundaries.
Favorite Game Genres (Outside of Factory Building & Automation!) Oliver enjoys a broad range of games but has a particular soft spot for creative indie games like Inscryption. He’s also played his fair share of shooters but is trying to step back from the grind.
Jarvs leans towards roguelikes, loving the constant learning process and the “just one more run” addictiveness. She’s also a huge RPG fan and is eagerly awaiting the next Witcher game and the upcoming vampire-themed RPG from ex-CD Projekt Red developers.
Game Mechanics We Wish More Games Used
We had a lot of fun discussing this one, and Oliver had a particularly funny answer, which you’ll have to watch the full interview to hear!
🎥 Watch the full interview on our YouTube channel, next week, to hear more about our favorite games, inspirations, and nerdy discussions. Let us know your answers to these questions in the comments, we’d love to hear from you!
[h2]The Future of Modulus[/h2]
Whilst that is the end of this dev log, this is just the beginning for Modulus. The full game will introduce an expansive tech tree, complex paint production, purchasing new islands, inter-island logistics, research mechanics, and so much more. The Modulus demo gives you a small taste, but trust us, there’s a lot more coming.
We want to hear from you! Your feedback is invaluable, so be sure to join our Discord, wishlist Modulus on Steam, and leave a review after playing the demo. Your input will help shape the final game.
Thanks for being part of this journey, we can’t wait to see what you build!
The Happy Volcano Team
