What's up?

We all need a rest and so we did rest! Past few weeks we were taking much deserved holidays and have been loafing around, regenerating our creative juices. For us, just like for you, pandemic made everything more complicated. It wasn't possible to meet our families or friends so we spent most of the time crammed in our houses and trying to be creative about how not to go crazy. Good news is that we didn't go crazy (yet)!

New art style

During the break we spent some time figuring out where we want to go with the graphics. We always knew that we want to go with the vaporware / synthwave / 80's look but we didn't know what that means for vehicles, details, scale etc. This lead us into thinking what is it that we do the best? We all had some experience with pixel art and we love it but this is a 3D game. Why not have both? This lead us into the idea for the new style - 3D "pixel art".

Enter Vindicator

After few quick sketches and about 30 versions later new main vehicle was born - welcome the Vindicator.

Enemy of mine

Rules of the game are quite simple. Smash cars, drive as far as you can. But why? We wanted to make enemies more tangible, we wanted to give a reasonable explanation why you can and are encouraged to destroy other vehicles on the road. Even if this won't be explained anywhere the visual language used in the game should be able to subconsciously tell the story of objects you see. The idea of evil AI was born.

You as a player are driving the Vindicator - the last human piloted vehicle in the galaxy. Self replicating AI took over few centuries ago automating everything on its way. Now you have to make your way through armies of autonomous cars. Take as much as you can with you.

But how to tell this story without saying a word? Process of answering that question started with looking at autonomous vehicles of today. The most obvious and striking visual element is that they don't even have a driver's cabin and look extremely utilitarian. So no drivers cabin and primitive base shape - that was the first design cue.

The second design cue was... an old audio card. If you've watched Star Wars all the models have "greebles" on them. It's a modelling technique where a very "familiar yet alien" mechanisms are slapped on top of a vehicle. In case of Star Wars they used a bunch of parts found in World War II model kits. This technique makes models look complex, detailed and functional. Taking the same principle we created our own greeble, one based on details found on PCBs, such as the already mentioned audio card.

We are hoping that once turned into 3D models it will tell the story without saying a word. In the end, what screams "evil robot" more than a utilitarian box with electronics parts slapped on it and a bunch of red lights?

Main Menu

Easily neglected part of the game received some love too! We added credits, options (not yet functional), exit, start, all the basics.

Planetary special

We've been also experimenting with the skybox. Especially with massive, big a** destroyed planets from the ancient past. Because why not!

See you soon!

I hope you are as excitied as we are to bring you all those updates in the upcoming version of early access! We don't have a set release date but it's going to be sooner than you think. Until then, stay safe and watch out for those pesky road robots.