Hi ! I hope you are all doing well ! Finally time has come to reveal the new map !
This took a good bit of time but at last, after months of work the new map is here ! It is called 'Dead Tree Desert'. Working on it while delivering regular updates was quite challenging. I am very happy that despite huge amount of work that I put into it I could provide you with bug fixes and new content :)
This is the second map that I made with my photogrammetry assets taken from various trails in the USA. This time it is based on the scans taken in and around Joshua Tree National Park. Thanks to many systems developed in the previous map, it was more streamlined process for me and it made things easier from a creative perspective. Hope you will enjoy this new environment !
As of now there are 10 challenges to complete, all crawling style. But that will change in future update, as I will be redoing challenge system and things around it to make it more engaging and refined.
Not stopping here, I am working on bringing the other maps to a more polished state in which I will be able to implement the new challenge system and gameplay features.
So, stay tuned and expect new updates soon :)
Update list:
new map
removed driver hands from first person view
fixed bug causing vehicles to loose power after gear change
camera sensitivity bug fix
physics response tweaks
Cheers ! Have Fun !
Nominate Pure Rock Crawling for Labor Of Love
Hi ! I hope you are all doing great !
Big thanks to everyone who has played Pure Rock Crawling ! Your support over the years has helped to improve the game beyond my imagination. After over 50 updates in the last 5 years the game is becoming more and more complete. Nevertheless there is still much work to be done and many updates to come !
If you are having fun with Pure Rock Crawling, enjoying all the work that I already put into its development and look forward for more, please consider nominating my game for the Labor Of Love at the Steam Awards 2023.
Meanwhile, enjoy the Steam Autumn Sale !
Cheers !
TUTORIAL UPDATE
Hi ! I hope you are all doing well ! Tutorial is finally implemented !
In the constant evolution of Pure Rock Crawling, and after many updates some things might be quite tricky to find. That's why, thanks to the implementation of the new UI system and a previous test version of trailer tutorial, I added full tutorial on how to operate your truck, pick a challenge and how to use a rescue trailer. These things will start piling up and without proper explanation they might be confusing and unclear for the new players.
I hope this will help the newcomers to dive quicker in Rock Crawling, and all the veteran players to get up to speed with recent changes in the game. As more new things will be added to the Pure Rock Crawling, more tutorials will come. The game will save your progress regarding tutorials so you won't have to redo them all over. However, this tutorial is an exception, since it covers all of the basics. So, if you have completed the previous rescue trailer tutorial, some things might repeat.
Future updates will utilize this new UI system in upcoming challenges and new features.
Take care !
RESCUE TRAILER
Hi ! I hope you are all doing great ! A new way of recovering your truck is now available !
This update adds the Rescue Trailer, which is your new way of recovering whenever needed. For now, you can test this feature on Red Rock Valley map. At the start there will be a quick tutorial on how to use it.
This implements two important systems for the future development:
New trailer physics which are far more stable than the previous iteration. Now weight of the trailer has realistic impact on the vehicle physics. This is done by having a physical connection between the two rather than relying on the physical constraints. In the future I hope to implement back the hauling trailer and other trailer types related to missions. For now, let me know if you encounter any bugs.
New UI prompts. These are now used for tutorial on how to use the trailer but will grow in the future to clarify other things in the game.
Other important fixes are:
fixed bug that blocked user from binding wheel inputs
UI navigation in customization menu is now improved for gamepad
suspension physics now are more responsive
fixed bug with camera being zoomed to close
adjusted camera position to be in the center of vehicle
fixed suspension flex differences not changing between suspension types
Cheers and have fun !
DRIVETRAIN UPDATE
Hi ! I hope you are all doing well ! This update focuses on 3 things, input, UI and drivetrain.
Lets start with drivetrain update. Since drivetrain in Pure Rock Crawling is fully physical simulation, which means both torque applied to the differential and difflock can be controlled separately for front and rear. It is direct influence from few updates ago where I reworked the whole system. But until now there was only four wheel drive and difflock on or off for both axles. With today's update you can now disengage 4x4 and remain in 2x4 drive with rear wheels being driven. Additionally you can choose to lock diffs both for front and rear independently. This truly shows the physical simulation behind these systems :)
Adding these options required some improvements in the UI to show the player current status of the drivetrain. So I added whole new UI to the game showing what is currently engaged and whats not. Adding to this I cleaned up the gearbox widget and moved the pitch/roll indicator to make it more clear to read.
Lastly I added indicators of what your key bindings currently are to avoid being confused about what button lock which diff :) Also If you are controller player, UI will show separate icons for gamepad.
*IMPORATNT* for keyboard players
You may encounter problems with key bindings. It could show as having multiple functions attached to one key. To remedy this you may have to delete this file (to be safe make a backup copy of it):
fixed reverse being overpowered and with no engine sounds
fixed gearbox loosing gear after crash
ability to change 4x4 to 2x4
separate difflock control
UI improvements
tire grip tweaks
UI key mapping hints
improvemed gamepad UI settings
As always, if you have any problems or suggestions, let me know in the forums !
Take care and have fun !
SUSPENSION UPDATE
Hi ! I hope you are all doing great ! Smaller update with some fixes.
Follow up to the previous update. For each suspension there are additional parameters that determine how it behaves. For example suspensions with Panhard bar will have a side to side movement depending on suspension compression. It generated a lot physics calculations and was quite heavy in terms of computing.
So I worked with the code behind suspension physics, cleaned it up and made more lightweight. That should hopefully resolve stability issues. Also now ride height preset by lift kit doesn't affect side to side movement, as if you would adjust Panhard bar to not have axle on one side sticking out to far.
Also worked on few parameters regarding synchronization in multiplayer.
Thanks for the help and if you have any issues with suspension, post it on the forums !
Cheers !
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ! - Anniversary Update
Hi ! I hope you are all well ! Pure Rock Crawling is celebrating 5th birthday !
In this update I have addressed a few things that were quite frustrating to deal with for a long time. First, the tire grip. Before, the main factors defining tires were mass, contact surface, and dimensions, while physical material was always the same. It was not by my urge or purpose to make things simple, but the logic behind such physical tires' behavior was much more complicated at the time. Finally, I came up with a suitable solution to the problem. Now, each tire is categorized with its performance on snow/sand, gravel/road, or rocks. For now, the tire performance is represented in customization menu and will be better visualized later. Second, tires' physics has been also improved, resulting in much better stability at higher speeds.
Suspension characteristics have been also enhanced. Now, every suspension type behaves like it should, with things like the Panhard bars pushing axle side to side and links arrangement making difference to the stability. Alongside this change, the suspension physics are also improved giving better feel and more realistic response.
The engine, gearbox, throttle response, and power curves have been adjusted to sound and perform better. Now, the vehicles change the gears in the auto mode more realistically, sound better, and can drive faster. Also, the new throttle curve allows for a smoother start.
As for the anniversary, Thanks for the amazing five years ! The way this game evolved during this time is far beyond what i have expected it to be. If anyone is wondering why it is still in Early Access, it is because the scope of the game grew and grew. it was never my intention for it to be this big. Yeah, it could be finished in its original form from 2018 in a year or so. However, having such and an amazing community around who wanted this game to look better and play better, I could not do that. I want this game to be the best I can do, so if that means more time in EA, I am all for it. It just means more updates for you ;) That is not to say, I want it to be stuck in EA forever. I will do my best to finish this game as quickly as I can, but this has to be done step by step and in a manner that will not harm the quality :)
Thanks again ! Cheers !
CUSTOMIZATION UPDATE vol.5
Hi ! I hope you are all doing well ! Last update in the row with customization elements for the second buggy type vehicle !
This update concludes adding new parts for the current vehicles, for now ;) I am very happy I could deliver these on regular basis, and hope to keep things this way :) Right now I am working on new updates which will bring new gameplay elements, map, physics updates etc.
Cheers and have fun !
CUSTOMIZATION UPDATE vol.4
Hi ! I hope you are all doing great ! More customization parts for Buggy Rock coming your way !
This update brings more customization options for next vehicle in line, Buggy Rock. Once with barely any items to choose, now can be made to fit your style ! Pick from the new bumpers, roofs and accessories !
Next update will conclude adding new parts for vehicles, for now ;) It will bring parts for the second buggy vehicle. This will be a huge milestone in terms of customization in Pure Rock Crawling, especially considering that the game launched without any. I could not be happier about how it turned out, giving me the peace of mind to work on the next updates. Now, I will be shifting my focus to gameplay and new maps :) Stay tuned !
Cheers and take care !
CUSTOMIZATION UPDATE vol.3
Hi ! I hope you are all doing well ! More customization available in the game ! Now with more items for the Medium Rock vehicle !
Moving right along my goal of filling empty customization spots in Pure Rock Crawling this update is also about new items for the trucks. Today for the Medium Rock vehicle :) I hope you like the pace of the last few updates :)
Hope you will create some good looking trucks !
Next update will focus on the two buggy style vehicles. Stay tuned !
