____HELP SCREEN
You can access that by pressing "F1" button. Should be handy in case you would forget what does what hehe.
____MORE BUG FIXES
~ Arrow in in track selection screen fixed
~ Snow on track 6 - fixed
~ Pick Ups for Spitetire - fixed
~ Pick Ups for Mudrunner - fixed
~ Pick Ups for Mudrunner Desert - fixed
~ Some cars had their texture disappeared on track 6 - now they have it again lol
~ Track 8 in Freeride Mode still had Damage System active. Now it doesn't, as intended.
~ Black tire tracks disabled
____ICE TORCH AT DIGITAL DRAGONS
Eagle has landed! :D We are on Digital Dragons event in Krakow in Poland. If you happen to be around - feel invited to drop be to say hello! You can find us
This is also the reason why we went so silent lately hehe. Preparing for this event took a lot of time and man power.
Here, lemme 'drive you around town' :)
Preparing the spot.
This place is huge!
People starting to pile up around us <3
Special thanks and our kindest regards to all our friends who already dropped by to check us out. Which is Drageus, Better Gaming Agency, AddApp, RedDeer Games, Huuuge Games, TwoMammoths, AMD, Epic and Krakowski Park Technologiczny. You guys are awesome! :D
==========🚗WHAT'S DOWN THE ROAD🚗==========
1. We are still working on fixing steering wheel support once and for all but its more complex than we initially thought (Thx Thomas_A_H for helping! )
2. Soon you'll be able to play Ultra Off-Road from First Person Perspective as the first car interior is almost complete!
3. Still looking for better audio for cars. :( IF you have someone affordable - please push him to our direction, thx.
4. We got dynamic weather, dynamic snow, dynamic trees and soo - another 'dynamic' will join the family! And it'll be grass! :D Not that sort of grass that just wiggle left and right no. A grass that will bend if you drive on it.
5. Still trying to figure our how to implement proper, dynamic mud. In theory - the code is the same for both snow and mud. The thing is - on Winter Map you have snow like everywhere - but we don't want to have mud EVERYWHERE on Summer Map. Just some here, some there. But the code is very binary, 0/1. So you either have it all or none. Piotr is doing his best to figure it out.
6. We got various cars with various colors. So our next step on the road of cars customization will be adding stickers and various wheels. But that further down the road (remember - we got only ONE person working on the code of the game and day is only 24h long...:'( )
==========⛰️AS USUALLY...⛰️==========
Thank you for supporting us guys :) Reviews and score are starting to climb up again and it means the world to us. I know we have a long way a head of us, but seeing our hard work starting to pay off...
Thank you. Just thank you.
(ಥ﹏ಥ)
UOR - Update #11
Overview
This one is a bit smaller content-wise. Past 3 months our entire focus had been on adding new features, content and extending the game. But if/when you keep adding more stuff - you don't have a lot of time left - to fix what already there.
First Stage of Customization Expansion.
As I said in the past - we want to add some degree of customization to the game. Mainly many colors variants of of cars, being able to change wheels, add stickers and extras. Initially we wanted to pump it all into one update but having so small manpower and so many things to do - we decided to start adding Cars Customization in parts. As for Update 11 - you now can change colors of your car. To do that - go to your profile, where you chose your car. Colors selection is now under the care types.
Bug fixes
Fixed game crashing; car rotation from roof won't send the car into space if there are trees or others obstacles nearby; Freecam won't make the Pause Screen UI to disappear, Added 'Back to Game' option to Pause Screen, shader for light on grass remixed stoping grass from shining at the sun break point, rocks and stones collisions polygons tweaked, backward acceleration fixed (it previously had no limit lol); Game not saving selected car - fixed, wheels clipping through car model fixed; more widescreen resolutions added; +around dozes of other small fixes.
Have fun guys :D hope you enjoy our game.
UOR - Update #10 (and -30% Weeklong Deal!)
This update will be special. A lot of things happen and lets take this 10th update and our 100th follower as an anniversary and a cool opportunity of summarizing past months. But lets start with the usual Update Notes :)
Dynamic Snow+
Result of Piotr's hard work is further expansion and extension of last update's Deformable Snow. Now its lighter (less CPU/GPU hungry) and looks nicer. But that's not all! It became even more dynamic and now the longer you stay in one spot with your car - the deeper it'll become (I mean, the snow, not the car D:). Moreover - snow height/depth takes in calculations WHERE it is. So less snow at the hills, slopes and steps - and more on flatland and holes.
Rock Crawling!
Oh yea!~ Piotr is contentiously working on remastering our game's physics and had raised the center of mass of all cars, made all cars suspension more soft and rocks - climbable. Have fun and watch out! Now it's much easier to land on car's side :D
Speed of all cars adjusted
Long story short - they were too fast. Now they aren't lol.
==== The 'Thank you' ====
Ultra Off-Road had been released only 2 months ago. In that time span the game changed big time.
In only this 2 months, we added: deformable terrain, better physics, Depth of Field, Birds, dynamic trees, controller support, steering wheel support, ultra wide-screen support, Freeride game mode, Free Cam, dynamic weather on all maps/tracks, new interface, remastered gameplay, improved car models and textures, Ultra Control panel that gives you FULL control of all your car's specs, more tree/rocks,terrain types and variations and fixed many bugs.
In this 2 months we cried, we laughed. We slept little and worked long and hard. I've met and talked with dozens if not hundreds of players.
Some of them are simply wonderful and great. Some of them...
...not so much.
Just two months, that feels like two years.
I would like to thank you. And thank you with a full sentence.
Thank you guys. Really. None of this would be possible without you. Without your kindness, faith in us, feedback and comments.
I read everything you say. Every forum topic, every comment, every review. Everything. And I am incredibly grateful and honored to have you around as our players, fans and friends. You guys are the wind for our sails and wings.
So, to celebrate our 10th update, 100th follower and 2nd month post-release, and show my(our) gratitude, here's a Weeklong Deal for ya.
Have lots of fun and Thank YOU again =)
UOR - Update #9
Dynamic Snow
So it's finally here. Still in testing because - believe it or not - dynamic deforming snow is not such an easy thing to add. It either looks great but melts your CPU or looks like 'ugh' but doesn't affect FPS. For now we went for a middle point, between quality and performance. But the work is far from done - when Piotr will manage to optimize the code - the snow and its deformation will become much more detailed but won't eat more FPS.
Also - the snow is not only Deformable but also Dynamic. Which means that the tracks you leave behind when driving around - will slowly grow back up due to snow falling 'patching' your tracks. Pretty cool eh?
Fixed Dynamic Trees on Winter Map
Some trees after becoming Dynamic - had sometimes weird behavior on Winter Map. Namely - if you would drive into them on full speed - they would start doing back-flips (lol). Well now they don't do that anymore.
Of course, we can always re-add them if you guys request ;DD
More Pickups on Winter Map
On later tracks on Winter Map - it was near impossible to finish the level due to lack of Pickups. Piotr added some more so now it should be fine.
First Stage of Physics Overhaul
Piotr started expanding our physics engine with more detailed calculations and variables. So the game will now take in consideration much more elements of the game upon Car Vs World interactions. It should be noticeable even now. But it is only a taste of things to come in near future. Please - give it a go and feed me with feedback D:
UOR - Update #8
Winter is Here
WINTER MAP UPDATE
Finally here! :D Dynamic Trees and Birds on Winter Map.
MORE BUG FIXES
Thank you for reporting!
- dynamic weather on track 5 fixed
- Alt-Tab'ing from the game now pauses the game
- deleted duplicated resolutions
- pausing the game won't make UI disappear anymore
- Pickups stopped from rotating on minimap
IN THE NEXT EPISODE...
As you see at the clickbait-ish image at the very top - Deformable Snow is close to being finished. After that - deforming mud (as its using the same tech). Mud won't come as quickly because when snow is practically EVERYWHERE on the Winter Map - we don't want to deformable mud to be splattered all across Summer Map. Just some splats here and there - where it make sense.
Eight Updates later - Score frozen solid...
I don't want to come out as whinny or demanding but...
I mean, come on - eight updates. Tons of content. We keep updating the game once or twice per week. We keep updating and updating and updating... yet barely anybody updates all those old, negative reviews... just as barely any new positive reviews roll in.
Sorry. I am just getting a bit depressed.
Happy Easters everyone. Kudos.
UOR - Update #7
New Hud + Extended Functionality
UOR got some shinny, new things!
1. Compass - tells you what is where.
2. Finish Pointer - always points in direction where the finish line is and also tells you how far away it is (in meters - sorry 'inches' lovers :'( )
3. Minimap - shows you nearest pick ups.
Dynamic Trees Tweakage
Bigger trees - higher mass. So smaller will bend and skew easily but bigger and older might have 'bendage' of a stone wall. In general - now they act more realistic.
Code Optimalization
A solid block of code had been minified and optimized. Won't be noticeable on high-end rigs. But weaker PCs might expect even 5-10 FPS gain.
UOR - Update #6
Took us two weeks but it's bigger the usually
1. Formud & Alaskan - car body updated
2. Graphics Setting would not save visually
They would be saved, but the graphical representation of said settings would not. Consider it fixed.
3. River is not Radioactive anymore
Due to shader error/conflict - rivers/water was quite... 'bright'. Even during nights. Now its not.
4. Some Cars would cover too much view
E.g. Tarmot - would make you not see where you are going. Now all cameras for all cars had been adjusted a bit.
5. Intro Audio Was Too Loud
Volume decreased by 30%. So the probability of sudden blood eruption from your ears dropped too.
6. Dynamic trees are here! :D
Well, at least on summer map. In next update the winter map will get them too.
7. Mudrunner - fixed damaged system that
Previously the backup wheel could also be damaged.
8. Mudrunner Desert - enhanced damage system
Previously the car body was nearly indestructible - now it's not lol.
9. Freecam Disappearing Menu Fixed
Freecam would make ESC/Pause menu invisible. Now it doesn't.
10. NEW trees on Summer Map
Previously we had a small selection of trees and bushes. Now that pool had been TRIPLED.
11. Fixed Day/Night Cycle
For some mysterious and magical reasons (M&M?) the day/night cycle was stuck on default time on some of the levels. Now it actually cycles as intended.
12. Game Scaling in Window Mode Fixed
Interface sometimes went bananas if you would play in Window mode and some weird resolution.
13. Depth if Field (DoF) had been tweaked
Some users said it starts its blurring a bit too near and too strong (especially on ultra wide or 4K screens) so we taken care of it. Its still there but not so 'in your face'.
14. 'The Bird is The World'
We got birds now :D They fly around and stuff. They are not interactive but should enhance the immersion and overall vibe.
15. Freecam Without Button Holding
Previously you could adjust the Freecam camera position by clicking and holding mouse button. Now you don't have to do that and the camera adjusts its position all the time with your mouse movement.
16. New bugs added
Yea we decided the game is running way too smoothly so we added some nasty bugs here and there so we got stuff to fix later.
You know, because obviously that incredibly inspiring and motivating 18% 'Very Negative' review score is just too high... /sarcasmOff
What's comming next?
If nothing bad happens expect some cool stuff. Cars customization is a matter of 2-3 weeks. We also getting Interface overhaul with navigation addition. Also - we are getting that thing our competition had and we didn't - true terrain tessellation/deformation.
UOR - Update #5
Custom Depth of Field
You might know it from other games but I was never a huge fan of this feature. Mostly because it slaughters framerate and was always too blurry and too close to the camera.
So Piotr made our own DoF, that has NO IMPACT ON FRAMERATE, is more distant and more fluid (aka not a 'Mysterious Wall of Blur' you might know from other video games). And Boom - the whole world suddenly became even more beautiful.
Look at those smexy beasts <3 (click them to enlarge)
Car Damage System Revisited
You might not be aware but we actually have a dynamic car damage system. The problem is - we tried keeping it very realistic and we accidently made it... almost invisible.
I mean - you really had to drive off a mountain cliff to noticeably trash your car.
So now the damage should start popping up on your screen more often.
Of course - only when you don't have 'Freeride Mode' enabled (where you car has God Mode ON)
Fixed some trees, rocks and landscapes
Objects that did not have collisions - now they do lol.
Coming Soon...
Dynamic trees, birds ( :O), more tree types, car customization and car's interiors.
STEERING lower/high speed angle, degrees per second limit.
DRIVING ASSIST TCS, ABS, stability, drift assist.
SEPARATE CONTROL OF AXLES power coefficient, brake coefficient, handbrake coefficient, differential strength, steer coefficient, Ackermann percent, toe angle, caster angle, camber at top/bottom, anti-roll bar force.
So from now on if I'll see another Review bashing us for lack of customization - I'm seriously calling the cops lol.
2. Icons became a bit more 'serious' and a bit less 'arcadish'.
Hope you like them.
3. Physics tweaks
We are still trying to find a bullet-proof method to stop the cars from going 'Luis Armstrong', upon getting glitched between obstacles. Meanwhile - we tweaked the code a bit. Result? 'Skyrocketing' should be much, much more rare. Also: if anybody has screenshot or even better - videos of this occurrence - please share them with us. We still couldn't replicate this bug and experience it first-hand.
4. Car Lights and Wide Lights
Now you got two kinds of lights. We figured out Long Lights would be kind a pointless in off-road driving, but lights with wider cone might come in handy. So boom - you got them now.
'L' - for regular lights
'K' - for wide lights.
5. Xbox One Controller user - plug out'n'in.
Out of all controllers and funky apparatus - Xbox controller appears to be the most annoying to work with.
Sometimes you can map its input in the 'Input' tab of the launcher - sometimes you can't.
Sometimes even if you can't map it - it will still work in game (and sometimes it won't).
First time we plugged that lil' devil - it wouldn't work at all (but OS detected the device and installed the corresponding drivers).
Then we unplugged it - and plugged again. Boom - it started working.
Then we unplugged'n'plugged AGAIN and boom 'nope hot shot, now I won't let you use me'.
With all due respect to Microsoft - but their product appears to have some legit, mental disorder.
Regardless - we are doing our best to find a permanent solution and fix it once and for all. Sadly - not yet. Sorry for that :(
6. Terrain and Cars geometry optimization
We (again) modified collision polygons of cars and landscape. So the world become even MORE accessible than before. Of course - we still try to stay loyal to realism. Anyway - now you can try and accomplish stuff like this below.
ANNUAL NOTE
As usual - any bugs and weird stuff you'd find - report it right away. I might not reply ALWAYS - but I DO note everything. So yeah - keep that feedback stream flowing.
Oh and have a nice weekend =)
UOR - Update #3
CHANGE LIST
1. 'Freeride Mode' - now Hunger/Fuel/Damage bars won't be visible anymore.
2. Going back to Main Menu won't trigger Intro sequence.
3. Volume of Music can now be changed in Settings.
4. 'Freecam' mode now makes all the Interface invisible. So now you can shot some very nice screenshots and videos without any UI getting in the way.
5. Outside of 'Freeride' - Car Damage, Hunger and Fuel has been adjusted significantly. So now you won't have to stop every 60 seconds to refill/eat/repair.
6. Box for typing in your Profile name has been highlighted to be more user friendly and visible.
7. Fixed the bug with game restarting
8. Suspension of all cars had been made softer.
9. Audio for cars had been adjusted a bit. This is only a temporary fix - we are in process of obtaining new, higher quality sound effects for all cars. But getting those is not as easy, and when it is - its expensive.
10. You should be able to play the game with all sorts of controllers now. We tested Xbox Controller, Playstation, Generic, Steam Controller and Logitech G29 Steering Wheel.
But you have to adjust all of them manually, in Input tab of the game launcher. Bear in mind - this will change soon as we intend to disabled the default launcher and put all the binding into the Main Menu.
Sadly this is a rather tricky process so it might take some time as there is a risk we will have to rebuild the whole Main Menu from ground-up.
Unfortunately, for now navigation in Menus still requires you to use mouse. In near future - you will be able to control the entire game with controllers only.
11. We adjusted physics, car control and terrain colliders to make the game world more accessible. Of course - this doesn't mean you will be able to drive up on a vertical walls and stones. But something like this...
...became possible.
EXTRA NOTES
I would like to use this opportunity and bring some stuff to your attention... IceTorch Interactive has many people on board but of all those people - only 2 are in production and are being aided by an extra support programmer (so lets say its 2.5 :P ).
Yes, you read that right. Ultra Off-Road was made by 2.5 people. One game developer (Piotr), one 3d graphic artist (Iza) and support programmer (Robert) who is working on Ultra Off-Road only part-time.
Ultra Off-Road was never a 'AAA' game. We had a very tight budget and the game had been developed in only 8 months by 2.5 people.
I am not saying this as an excuse, but to make you more aware of some stuff...
WHAT'S NEXT
New sound effects for the whole game, native input mapping, First Person Mode, car interior.
In what order? For now I don't know. What I do know is what is most requested and awaited by our players, but also what takes the most time.
So we'll try to find the 'sweet spot' between what's quickest to implement vs what you want the most - and work from there.
