Trailmakers Developer Q&A
Howdy Trailmakers!
The wrenches are grinding here at Flashbulb Games. We are working hard on the new, exiting content for Trailmakers and want to provide you with some insights, and connect with you- our awesome community.
We picked a good mix of some of the questions you asked us on Twitter. Finally, here are our answers. We hope you enjoy them!
Q: Are you guys going to make a Trailmakers 2?
A: Yes and no. We are currently working on a large expansion for Trailmakers.
This expansion will contain a lot of new blocks (both functional and aesthetic), a large
new world (our biggest yet), and new character customization. There will also be general bug fixes, improvements, and new features to play with and explore.
We are not ready to go into details just yet, although some leaks have been made in our weekly live-streams and on Twitter already. If you’re interested in finding out more, that’s a great place to start.
Q: Why is this game so addictive?
A: For legal reasons, we aren’t allowed to talk about that!
No, but seriously, we have aimed at designing the game to continuously challenge you as a player - whether it’s building more complex builds, or exploring the different game modes and improving in those. So, if we have succeeded in that, that makes us very happy.
Q: Is there any chance we might see 1x1x1 rotating servos in the future? It would be handy for small-scale airplanes or submersibles to not have unneeded bulk because of the massive servos.
A: We have been considering this for a long time, but we fear it may be confusing to new players, as other similar games use these for turning wheels which would currently not work in Trailmakers. We don’t want to say that it won’t be happening before hell freezes over, but it is not currently in production.
Q: New Maps?
A: Yes!
Q: New Parts?
A: Also yes!
Q: Will there be new blocks in the game? Will there be new seats?
A:Yes, the new Trailmakers expansion will contain new blocks. A new seat may or may not be a part of it...
Q: Will we get more parts to build robots and walkers easier? (Please)
A: Counter-question: What parts are you looking for? Please send us your suggestions on the Trailmakers Discord!
Q: Any particular reason for not having a 1x1x1 wedge?
A: Yes!
There are several reasons. The main one being that it challenges the builder’s creativity when having to build around it. But with Trailmakers being a game in continuous development, we might change or add features like this in the future.
Q: Will there be any new Campaign maps in the future? Maybe a continuation to the first one but in space after the launch? Perhaps even with a survival aspect? Would make for a whole new exciting branch of the game! Block manufacturing from raw materials and the such :D
A: We have no current plans to add survival or crafting mechanics to the game, but the idea is certainly interesting!
Q: Do you plan on removing the 0 drag glitch at any point?
A: We find that this glitch negates some of the core mechanics of the game, as well as creating unpredictable physics behaviours.
On the other hand, some players find that it allows them to play the game in new exciting ways. The developers are also aware that it is not an easy problem to fix, so currently this is not a priority.
If we start to feel it undermines the enjoyment of racing against other players, we will consider changes to the current state.
Q: Will hover UFO glitches be fixed?
A: Good question! Please see the previous question regarding the zero drag glitch.
Q: Is there any chance we’ll get tank treads?
A: Tank treads is something we have always wanted, but due to the performance cost and the quality we’d like to provide, it has not been within scope yet, and will probably not be for a long time.
Q: Sinking wheels fix?
A: Wheels penetrating into the underlying terrain is something we would really like to fix. However, it’s not a single issue, and the most effective way to reduce it is to drastically increase the performance requirements of the game. That would make it less accessible to certain players. We might decide to improve it, but it is unlikely that the issue will ever completely disappear.
Q: Have you thought of adding more Easter egg parts? The 80's exhaust is an obvious Back To The Future reference. Maybe we can get Mr. Fusion, or familiar parts from other iconic vehicles.
A: Thanks for asking! We like Easter eggs, but we can not tell you more than that.
Q: Can you make the angle sensor work in all axes?
A: Our logic system only allows sending a single signal from one block to another, and this signal is a value between -1 and +1. This means it’s currently impossible to independently send values regarding multiple axes from a single block. You are, however, able to rotate and combine multiple angle sensors to make a plane that stabilizes both roll and pitch automatically.
Q: Do you plan to improve the Stranded In Space campaign by giving a use to the cannons?
A: We are currently focusing on developing the new expansion, and as such have no immediate plans to alter Stranded In Space. But, we can say that the expansion will improve the Stranded in Space experience as well. New features could be added in the future, if it is easy to incorporate.
Q: Are there any plans to implement a direction sensor?
A: Maybe ;-)
Q: Are there any plans to implement logic parts that temporarily set the current value to the reference value of the sensor?For example, to maintain the current speed or to maintain the current altitude?
A: We can definitely see the potential! But it’s not something that is prioritized in our current development plans.
Q: Will we ever get self guiding blocks so we can create self guiding rockets?
A: Good question! We recently removed the (admittedly, not very effective) player-seeking functionality of the small cannon projectiles, as it was very expensive. So if we are to add that functionality, we would have to rethink how to set the limit of projectiles.
Q: Will more complex tutorials be added to the help tab?
A: We agree that the game would benefit from additional help tools, such as more help videos and UI improvements. However, it may be a while for that to appear inside the game.
In the meantime, we suggest joining our Discord, asking our awesome community for help and guidance, or checking our YouTube channel. There are a few tips to pick up from our Stranded In Space and How-To videos.
Q: Are you gonna make a space scene with zero gravity and stuff?
A: If you are playing on PC, we know that there are mods that allow you to do that already. If you are a console player, all we can say is that we hope to bring these mods to all platforms one day, but it is very difficult for us to prioritize at the moment.
Q: Will there be new ways to customize your character?
A: Yes. It’s something we would very much like to expand on. But we can not disclose to what extent yet.
Q: Will new animals be added? I really want to see a more diverse fauna!
A: Animals take a long time to add as they consist of many different parts such as Models, Textures, Animation, Sound and Programming. Depending on their level of interactivity between the animal and the player, they might also have a significant performance cost. As a result, we won’t be adding a lot of animals in the near future. But keep an eye out for any in the upcoming expansion, you might just stumble upon one or two…
Q: New Game Modes?
A: Not yet!
Q: Will you make a rope as a building block?
A: We would really like this feature, but it is a very complex feature to add if it is not to glitch through other blocks and the terrain. This means you will probably not see it in the foreseeable future, but perhaps someone in the community will make a mod for it someday?
Q: Bagel block wen?
A: We made one once, but Quality Assurance accidentally ate it...
Q: Why do servos have different speeds at positive and negative outputs?
A: When servos were very young and got all their features, it was a different, more chaotic time. Any changes we do to servos at this point would probably cause a lot of problems for existing creations and cause other problems, so we are very careful about changing these things. We try not to talk about it too often, as it makes us sad...
Q: Can we get an option for a server host to delete all unused creation or mode when you can spawn only one vehicle?
A: It is unlikely to happen in the new expansion, but it could happen one day.
Q: Are there any enemies in the new map?
A: The upcoming expansion map is not currently planned to have enemies, as they would take time from other more important features we absolutely need.
Q: I would like to adjust the initial position of the rotary axis in construction mode. Is there any chance of getting this feature?
A: Our builder is functioning in an axis-aligned grid. This makes it easier to use and it would require massive rewriting to achieve, which is why we aren’t focusing on doing this at the moment.
Q: Is it possible to make a tipping trucking using pistons to lift the bed that is hinged at the opposite end?
A: While we don’t have an existing blueprint in mind, you might be able to achieve it using zero-strength hinges and pistons. You should consider visiting our Discord and ask the master builders for advice:
Q: Can you add a bigger propeller with more blades and more thrust?
A: The upcoming expansion will contain an outboard boat engine. While it might not be exactly what you are requesting, we hope it might be something you will enjoy using as a substitute.
Q: Do you plan to create a remote control block so that we can make tiny distance controlled creations without having to put a seat on it?
A: This is something we would really like to add, but have yet to find the resources to implement. But maybe someday!
Thanks everyone! We enjoyed answering all of your questions. If you’re interested in finding out more about the new expansion, make sure to follow us on Twitter, Steam and YouTube or join the community Discord.
If you would like us to do another Q&A in the future, we would appreciate if you'd leave an uprating, or a comment below.
Thanks again!