Apologies for the radio silence over the last few months, I've had a lot of stuff going on that has kept me away from my PC, so I've not been able to put much time into the development of the game.
However, things are back to normal now and I'm developing a new UI for the next update. This interface update will add:
Controller Support for menus
VR Support
Improved control customisation
New menu and interface art style
So more specifically, I've moved to a new city and have been slowly moving stuff over the during last three months and dealing with all the things that go along with that, so my machine has been out of reach for a while. I was also ill for a while after exhibiting the game at Play Expo in Manchester (nothing serious but it didn't help things). I'm sorry for the massive gap in updates, sadly this is one of the difficulties and dangers of solo game development; any issues can cause a total delay in development.
Everything is set up again now and I'm back into developing the game, so I'd like to apologise for the lack of content and reassure everyone that the game isn't dead (I understand that it looked that way due to the lack of updates, but my new situation means I can continue to work on the game for a long while yet).
Thanks for your patience!
Jack
Photo Mode Hotfix and new livery
Hi Everyone,
I've just updated the game to fix an issue with screenshots. Previously if you used the in game method of grabbing a screenshot the game wouldn't save it as the directory path was incorrect (it was looking at directories on my PC). I've now updated it to use Steam's screenshot system so you can now press the Y/Triangle button or F12 to take Steam screenshots.
I've also added a new livery to the DTG to replace the green livery. This new skin is in aid of Manchester Gamers Unite who will be hosting an event in Manchester at Impossible Bar on the 26th March (starting at 18:00). I'll be there as well as a load of cool indie games so if your in the area, drop by! Here's a link for tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/gamers-unite-2019-launch-party-tickets-54260486576
Apologies if any of you encountered the screenshot issue, but this should now be resolved!
Thanks,
Jack
Early Access Update 4 - New Sweden Stage!
Hi Everyone!
I've added a new Sweden track to the game! It's a very fast, wide and simple circuit that lends itself well to the MDX and PD cars. It should prove to be a nice change of pace from the technicality of the Japan stage as it features (possibly) the longest straight in the game.
Apologies for the delay with this update, it took longer than I would have liked to get this stage ready, so thanks for your patience. This update now brings the first Early Access phase to a close, so Phase Two will be about improving the game through bugfixes, polish, new menus and VR support.
Here's a list of additional changes in this update:
Car physics have been updated to be more consistent across different frame rates
LODs updated for lots of common meshes to improve performance
Temporarily removed tyre decals as they caused a massive drop in performance
Updated lighting and fog on all stages
Updated interior textures to improve performance
Car handling tweaks for DTG and PDX1
The next phase of development will focus on bug fixes (until the beginning of April) then I will be completely overhauling the menus and UI. This will include menu support for controllers and allow for VR support. It should also help establish the overall tone and style of the game I'm aiming for.
Thanks!
Jack
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year everyone!
I've just added a new car to the game, the Australian made Page Delta X1. It's unique as it has a special DRS type mode; if you press the "Special" button (default Space on keyboard, or A on XBOX controllers) then the car can exceed it's regular top speed limit at the expense of steering.
This means you can reach higher speeds on straights than the other cars can, so learning where to use this on tracks will be necessary to get the most out of the car.
Each new car addition will have a special mode like this to make it stand out from the others, so let me know if there are any cool modes you'd like to see cars have (like boosts, or E Brakes etc).
Here are some more images of the car:
I will now move onto making a new Sweden stage that will be a more traditional race circuit, I aim to add that around the end of January. When that's done Phase One will be finished, and I'll reveal plans for Phase Two of ZEROCAR's early access development. The major thrust of Phase Two will be to fix issues and bugs, but also to update the menus and User Interface (for use with controllers) and add VR support. I'll also make a poll regarding the next new track, so you'll be able to vote on the location of the next stage added to the game.
Happy 2019!
Jack
New Japan stage has been added!
Hi Everyone!
I've added a new Japan stage, inspired by the mountains of Okutama. It's a mix of technical and fast corners, as well as some long drifts and a big straight. The track features a mix of wide open highways, tunnels and mountainous roads, and I'd recommend driving as cautiously as possible on the narrow roads, then opening up on the highway.
In the next update I'll be adding a new car, which I aim to add around Christmas, so I'll add some screenshots in an announcement as soon as I get it in game.
In the meantime, have a good December!
Thanks,
Jack
Wales Rally stage now available!
The Clwydian Range Wales Rally stage is now available! It's a 40km endurance test along narrow country roads that will require excellent speed control and focus to master. Be sure to play it safe over the many crests and steep roads, and avoid cutting corners as there's not much margin for error!
With Wales released, the next addition in Phase One will be the Japan stage which will be released at some point in November, so stay tuned for more info!
Wales Stage coming soon!
Hi All,
Over the last week I've been working on a new rally stage set in Wales. Here's a sneak peek:
I'm aiming to add the Wales stage towards the end of the month, and I will upload a video lap of the track close to it's release. The stage is a 40km long lap similar to Solar Road and is a real test of concentration and speed control.
Additionally, I visited the Wales Rally GB over the weekend, which was great for research. As a stroke of luck I ended up behind some JWRC cars on their way between stages:
Finally, I'm also looking at improving some existing systems to reduce potential crashes and I'm implementing some of the feedback you guys have been making.
Thanks,
Jack
ZEROCAR: Future Motorsport - Winter 2018 Roadmap
Hi All!
Here's a list of upcoming content to be released throughout October, November and December:
New Tracks will include Wales, Sweden and Japan, and a new Australian hypercar; the Page Delta XM1 Sabretooth.
Over the course of the week I'll be talking about what to expect first, as well as continuing to identify and fix any issues you are encountering.
In the meantime, I hope you are enjoying the game!
Thanks,
Jack
ZEROCAR: Future Motorsport - Week One fixes
Over the last week I've added the following changes and fixes to the game:
- Added VSync option to the Main Menu > Graphics screen.
- Added social media links
- Updated leaderboard addresses for Solar Road
- Updated leaderboard addresses for Connect Raceway
- Updated leaderboard address for Halken Full Reverse Standard Class
- Updated time of day lighting
- Updated wrong way detection system
- Fixed minuites, seconds, and milliseconds from being displayed incorrectly on the leaderboard screen
- Fixed leaderboard user Steam IDs being invalidated when grabbing leaderboard times
- Added "Remove local saved time" option for removing corrupted times
Currently I'm investigating freezes, crashes and corrupt times being added to the leaderboard. Unfortunately I only have two machines to test on, so you may still encounter issues on your setup. Let me know if you do as it will help me identify where things are going wrong.
I will also be adding a project roadmap this weekend, so you can see what I have planned for ZEROCAR: Future Motorsport. When this is up and running I will also outline the ideas I have for involving the community in the game's development.
Thanks for your patience regarding the above bugs and issues, I hope you are enjoying the game!
Jack
ZEROCAR: Future Motorsport is live on Steam Early Access!
ZEROCAR: Future Motorsport is now available to buy on Steam!
As a thank you to early adopters the game will be discounted by 33% for the first week!
Let me know how you feel about the game, or if you encounter any issues, in the Steam community forum. I intend to use the first week to identify and fix major issues and bugs, so let me know if you encounter problems playing the game.
