Can't Drive This News

Hey all,

popping in for a short update on the development, and it's really going places.

The art and design are pretty much done – a few pieces of UI and small details on game modes are missing, but that's pretty much it. Most artists have now switched to meta artwork (artwork for storefronts, box art, etc.) or our next title.

Our programmers are still working hard on getting network code hammered down. There's been some problems with the networking SDK we'd been using before, but the current system is well on track. Once that's done, they'll be adding in an invite-system and user management. And once that's done, you'll all get to play the new Can't Drive This we promised so long ago.

For the data connoisseurs among you, here's a graph of our development hours by discipline.


If you have any questions, as usual, we'll be happy to answer them.

All the Best,
Steve

Hey y'all,

just popping in to let you know the base of the game is coming along nicely.

We now have a strong code-base, with stable physics and input handling, and which supports adding new game modes quickly.

That means can finally start working on getting Online Play and Vehicle Customization going again. And when that's done, the game will finally be on the same level as the current Early Access build (feature-wise), and we'll finally be able to roll out the new version to all of you.


With the new code-base, CDT now supports up to four players. So now, the classic 'go-as-far-as-possible' Yardage, supports two, three and four player co-op. Every player adds to the score (even the builder), and drivers are able to revive each-other, when they explode or fall off the track.


With the code now supporting four players, it's time for team-based versus modes! The first one we created is a variation of Capture the Flag, where both teams have a driver and builder each, and must get to the opposing team's base and back to score.


To enable greater recognizability for tiles before they are placed, we've redesigned the Ghost's shader. In turn, we also used colors, which are distinguishable for colorblind gamers as well.



We're now getting networking going again – everything is already coded in a way to make this as easy as possible, but considering the implications of real-time physics over a (potentially slow) network, this is a rather complex thing to do, if you want to do it right (which we do).
The goal is to make online play as stable as possible, and have matchmaking work to reliably find players – unlike in the current version.

Also, we'll be re-implementing vehicle and street customization. Again, the code-base is already designed in a way to allow for relatively quick implementation, but things like the customization UI, synchronizing customization over the network, and new customization options, will have to be done again.

Hope that helps give you an idea of how things are going – and THAT things are going.

As always, if there are any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Cheers,
Steve

Heya,

Time for another update for all you beautiful patient gamers! :silverworker:

We've been making good progress in getting the new version of the game up and running again. It's not finished, but as our systems are becoming more and more complete, we're getting closer to finally having a playable version again.

So, let's go straight to the news.


Here's the new textured Monster Truck Model:



And here's our new vehicle controller. It features far more dynamic wheel placement and chassis damping, visually. As far as physics go, we also completely revamped the way it behaves, so less floaty driving, and more direct acceleration.



When playing Yardage with one builder and several drivers, and one driver explodes or falls off the track, the other drivers can bring them back to life by driving back to where they died. Their soul will be waiting to be saved.



To enable Single Player gameplay, we started implementing AI players. The builder is now complete, and allows you to practice driving offline, without other players. The driver AI appears to be far more difficult to implement, and a lot of work is still needed on that. For the time being, we'll focus on more important issues (like getting the game running again), and go back to a driver AI once we have the time.


We're technically able to "play" online as of now – cross-platform and all. We hope to keep that, but whether or not cross platform multiplayer will make it into the game in the end, is not certain yet, as that depends on multiple factors.
* The word play is in quotation marks, because this is really playing in the broadest sense. There's no logic to rounds, no points being counted, no teams, etc. Basically it's only the building and driving, without any rules. But not to fret, we're on it.


Our roadmap is pretty tight, as we're trying our hardest to get the updates into your hands. Here's a quick rundown of what's happening now, and what's going to happen next:

• [In Progress] Vehicle Effects (skid marks, boost particles, etc.)
  
• [In Progress] Bonus Points (for certain actions while playing)
  
• [In Progress] Sound Effects
  
• [In Progress] UI (HUD and Menu Flow)
  
• Implement Gameplay & Mode Rules
  
• In-game Music
  
• Re-implement Customization
  
• New Game Mode: Capture the Flag
  
• Implement missing tiles
  
• Performance Optimization
  
• Fix network glitches
  
• Bugfixes
  

We're hoping to have an offline playable version ready in time for gamescom, where we will be displaying the game. If you're in town, please stop by and come hang out!


That's it for now. Is there something you're missing in the current build that you'd like to see in the next version? Or something we really really shouldn't touch? Or something else you want us to know? Get in touch! ːsteamhappyː:goldworker:

Take care you all!

Hey y'all,

after spending some time away from the office at GDC and PAX, we're finally back and ready to do some gamedev. The engineers are hard at work implementing some of the new game design, and the network code, so right now is the perfect time to do some menu stuff.

So, here's a mock-up of our new main menu.



The idea is that as players join your party, their cars pop up in the background – whether they've joined local or online. Note that nothing is final yet, especially not the background. There will be a lot more happening around the vehicles, this is just placeholder artwork, to give an idea of necessary content.

Also, our artist Valerij is working on re-doing the vehicles. Right now, the monster truck is getting overhauled. Here's a work in progress:



The old one (you can still see that in the menu screenshot) had some technical flaws, and doesn't fit well enough with the new design.

What do you think? Like it? Hate it?
Anything you'd like to see, that we missed?

Take care,
Steve

Hello one and all,

how have you all been doing? I'm here today, to give you some news about the Early Access version of Can't Drive This, and a rough timeline of what's going to happen next.

Warning: Lots of text incoming.


As I've mentioned before, we've been hard at work updating Can't Drive This. So why, you may wonder, are you not seeing any of the progress?
Well, let's go back a step: Can't Drive This was born during a game jam – we prototyped the initial version of the game within 72 hours (This way way before the Early Access version. You can still play that prototype online. Don't though, it's horrible.).

And clever as we are, we kept building on that code base. Now let me tell you, working on game-jam code is never a good idea. At some point, we realized this, as the whole thing became too unstable to support continued development. That, while not being the only reason, was the trigger for us to re-work the game from the ground up.


When we started development during the game jam, we didn't have a specific plan in mind, we just started developing, and went with the flow.

Continued development after the jam was a little more strategic – but whenever we had new ideas (remember, we didn't have a design document, or anything), we just built them on top of the existing game. Whenever we decided to remove something from the game, we removed it.
If you've ever played Jenga, you know where that tactic eventually leads.

So we decided to go back to the drawing board. We took everything we'd learned, and put the vision that was evolved during development, to paper.
From this point, we're able to produce a coherent game, with a clear plan.
As beneficial as this may be for the game, reworking from the ground up has a few drawbacks.


The main issue of starting over is, of course, time. Whenever you begin anew, it costs time, especially when you're relatively far along in a project. But the main issue we're having, and the one that most affects you, is that it's a new project.

This unfortunately means we won't be able to publish regular updates, as we had originally planned. Right now it looks like the next update is going to be the full release, or at least somewhere very near it.


If you're reading this, having bought the game in the past, expecting regular updates, this may hurt. In a perfect world, this wouldn't have happened. But game development is more art than science, and these things tend to happen, as games evolve. We know it sucks, and we're very, very sorry about it.

We're confident that it will allow us to make Can't Drive This the best game it can be, and we hope you understand. Every decision we make (and this was a tough one) is for the sake of the game.


If you haven't bought Can't Drive This, and you're wondering whether or not to do it, please keep this in mind. You won't be getting regular updates until the full launch.
But, you will be able to play a working prototype of the game.
You will get the game at a super-discounted price.
And you will support the game's development.
Which makes you absolutely awesome.


First off, if the above text worried you that Can't Drive This may not ever be finished, let me assure you: It will.
We've received funding form the FFF, a Bavarian fund for film, television and video games. This will allow us to complete the game, in any case. Plus, every penny from sales of the Early Access version are going directly into the development – allowing us to add even more features.

The way it looks right now, we'll be releasing the full version of Can't Drive This in Q4 2018. The base of the game is getting close to production-ready, and we're beginning to plug everything together.
Right now, we're re-working the vehicle system, including everything from customization to the physics. Then, we'll be adding game modes, menu-flow, UI, and all the little things.

We're going to be at GDC and PAX East soon. I'll be there personally, along with our Lead Artist Valerij (at GDC), and our Lead Programmer Andi (at PAX). If you're in San Francisco or Boston during those events, feel free to get in touch, or stop by! We'd love to chat!


If you have any questions, feedback, or just want to chat, feel free to hit us up on the forums, or via email.

Thanks for your time, you all!

Cheers,
Steve