Driveloop: Survivors News

• Players loved the chaotic mix of drifting, ramming, and shooting, but there’s still room for improvement in balancing and pacing.
  
• The placeholder boss was a frequent topic of discussion, and we’re happy to confirm that more unique and challenging bosses are coming soon!
  
• Many players highlighted the importance of better visual feedback, like making the health bar more noticeable, which we’re already addressing.
  
• We also received feedback on the game’s sound design and pickup mechanics, and tweaks in those areas are on the way.
  

• Playtests were live from 00:00 GMT+1 Fridays to 23:59 GMT+1 Sundays, giving players a focused time window to engage with the game.
  
• Players who gained access for one playtest kept their access for the subsequent sessions.
  
• We also encouraged discussions and feedback in our Discord, creating a space for players to connect with us directly and with each other.
  

• Health Bar Visibility: The health bar will be moved and resized to make it easier to spot during intense moments.
  
• Ramming Feedback: The explosion effect for ramming will be unique in future updates, differentiating it from weapon kills.
  
• Placeholder Boss: The Golem boss is temporary, and more exciting, polished bosses are in development.
  
• Minimap Improvements: We’re adding extraction markers and increasing the visibility of map edges.
  
• Vehicle Handling: We’re reviewing drifting stability and control to make it more dynamic and satisfying.
  
• Sound Design: The car hit sound has been updated, and concurrent sounds are now limited to reduce choppiness.
  
• XP Balancing: Progression will be adjusted to feel more rewarding as we expand the game’s content.
  
• Manual Aiming Crosshair: A gamepad-compatible crosshair with a small aim assist is in the works.
  

• Better feedback for pickups, including sound effects and visual indicators.
  
• Reworking the ramming shield to make its mechanics clearer and more intuitive.
  
• Adding map-specific mechanics and adjustments to make each area feel unique.
  
• Refining UI navigation and controller support to ensure a smoother experience.
  
• Introducing more content, including new cars, enemies, and abilities, to expand gameplay variety.
  

• A percentage of applicants will be granted access to this weekend’s playtest.
  
• If you’re selected, you’ll keep access for all upcoming playtests.
  
• Playtest sessions will run on weekends, starting Fridays at 00:00 GMT+1 and ending on Sundays at 23:59 GMT+1.
  
• Playtests will continue for 2-3 weekends, so even if you’re not selected right away, there will be more chances to join!
  

• Limited content and incomplete features.
  
• Bugs, balancing issues, and placeholder assets.
  
• A strong focus on perfecting the core gameplay loop.
  

• Super early access to the game before the demo is done.
  
• An opportunity to provide feedback and help shape Driveloop. We want to develop Driveloop with the community at the core.
  
• Sneak peeks at new features and updates.
  
• Unbalanced features and gameplay, as we are closing up the core of the game.
  
• Very little amount of content. Our main focus right now is to achieve a solid and fun gameplay loop.
  

• Playtest access will be granted gradually, so don’t worry if you’re not selected immediately.
  
• As we expand the testing pool, more players will get a chance to join.
  

Vampire Survivors and Mad Max vehicular combat you say? Sign me up doc! Driveloop was announced recently and it looks delicious.

Read the full article here: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2024/11/driveloop-is-a-mental-mixture-of-mad-max-and-vampire-survivors

• Added new enemies like the Tesla Spider, Clawguard, and an early iteration of a giant robotic Scorpion boss with unique animations and behaviors.
  
• Attack animations implemented for all enemies.
  
• Improved LODs for several enemies to enhance performance.
  
• Added VFX for electric explosions, green fire (chemical explosions with area damage), and molotov projectiles.
  
• Fixed numerous bugs, such as cars flying when colliding with objects or getting stuck in props.
  

• Implemented the crew member pickup mechanic, resolving bugs related to double pickups.
  
• Bosses now have 10x more health, but their damage has been reduced to balance combat.
  
• Explosive objects now leave persistent damage zones upon impact.
  
• The ramming shield (yellow bar above health) has been reworked. For now, it prevents slowing down when hitting enemies, allowing players to dodge attacks. However, it feels unclear and might become a spare part in the future.
  

• Paris map received visual upgrades, with new decorative elements like sign textures and additional vegetation.
  
• Desert map optimized with collision and navmesh fixes. Players can now drive under the Brandenburg Gate.
  

• Improved visibility of minimap icons, including off-screen markers.
  
• Adjusted the logic for abilities and balanced stats.
  
• Enhanced crew member pickups, making them larger, more appealing, and easier to collect.
  

• Confirmed attendance at Bullet Heaven Fest and the BIG Conference in Bilbao (both in December). Hoping to gather feedback and wishlist growth.
  

• Our marketing agency has contacted over 600 media outlets for the official game announcement.
  
• We have finished a long and more cinematic trailertrailer (around 1 min)! Check it out at the end of the post.
  
• Updated the Steam page with new images and text: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3183730/Driveloop/. More improvements (better gifs, a new trailer, polished translations) are planned for January.
  

• Addressing feedback from Talk&Play ahead of the BIG Conference in Bilbao.
  
• Launching the closed beta on Steam after the Bilbao event, avoiding manual build distribution.
  
• Post-BIG, dedicating a month to finalize remaining features (e.g., outgame progression like an item shop) and adding more content.