Hey Folks,

We’re back with our first dev blog since the release of our Paris map in July, and we’re going to be taking a different angle for this one!

For the first time since publishing our Steam Dev Blogs in May 2022, we will broaden our scope and provide some context on crea-ture studios along with Session project updates.

Prior to 2023 crea-ture was Session, and Session was crea-ture, but it’s been a while since this has been the case and it’s time we share some more info!


Since early 23, crea-ture has been working and growing on more than one front. This was a major direction change to what had been our day to day life working on Session, with all decisions and all efforts focussed solely on the output and success of Session.

Session has been a relative success since its launch, and it continues to outperform our humble expectations for a Skate Sim. This reality has led to unique challenges as we adapt our team and Studio to account for this success while also preparing for the future.

Day to day life at crea-ture is now focused on 3 major topics:

• Studio growth & establishment
  
• A second project
  
• Session production

The studio management, and team, needed to grow to enable the continued production on Session while also defining and establishing our direction beyond. This studio growth is also critical to allow us to build teams in new disciplines (Audio/UI-UX/Anim) and provide ample feedback, growth, and professional challenges for our current team.

In conjunction with the Studio growth and continued production on Session is the need to secure future development and revenue for the studio. This comes in the form of our second “To Be Announced” Project. This second project allows us to continue recruiting top talent and building the depth and breadth of experience here at crea-ture studios.

More info on our projects, current team, and open roles can be found on our website at https://www.crea-turestudios.com

https://store.steampowered.com/app/861650/Session_Skate_Sim/

Before we get into the specifics of this release there is a big ticket item for us to officially address… UE5 has been officially dropped.

After in depth study on the stability and feasibility the investment required to get our physics and core gameplay integrated with the change to the physics engine is too high. There are also no guarantees that we would be able to match, or improve, the core gameplay beyond what can be achieved in our current engine version. We have instead vouched for a more focussed approach to the core skate experience, starting with addressing the more general bugs for the majority of the player base.

What has been delivered for this release?

Fixed - Day 1 Bounce bug - this issue has been drastically reduced, but will never be fully gone. We have worked hard to get the best overall improvement in terms of tricks and terrain to minimize its overall impact.

Fixed - Ghost Pop - this issue has been addressed and greatly improves rail skating & flat drops. However, it is to be noted that speed has an impact on this and going too fast will still result in popping off a rail at the kink.

Stats sharing - All gameplay sliders now have an associated value on screen so that stats can be shared more readily amongst players.




For this map release we have stayed on the European continent - and wanted to go with a map that delivered a real life location in near one to one accuracy.



We’re excited to introduce Stalin Plaza in Letna Square, Prague - a unique and distinct DIY spot that provides fun and unique gameplay opportunities in a new and refreshing setting!

For inspiration don't be shy to check out @Stalinplaza on Instagram 🤟

As with all DLC maps, we like to provide some unique and fun skateable Object Dropper Assets. This latest batch is a mix of items you would find at Stalin Plaza along with creative additions from the crea-ture art team.



We’re excited to be adding two new outfits for this release, providing further customization options for your skaters apparel.


Each outfit component also comes with multiple colour & material variants:

*Please note that hair/hat combos will also be provided for all free hats in the future, but we need to test & improve our system with these new assets before rolling it out globally. On that note - the original early access hair/hat combos were cut due to production & budget constraints and not to be sold at a later date…*


Following this release with the Bounce bug and “ghost pop” fix we will be proceeding with the integration of animation mirroring - or bringing true Goofy to Session while still working on fun and engaging maps & content.

Peace,
The crea-ture team!


crea-ture Discord Session Instagram Session Twitter

Hey Folks,

We’re happy to be releasing our latest map - and another European stop to the session Transit system, bienvenue a Paris!



Not only is Paris home to the 2024 Summer olympics as of next month, but it is a hotbed for
up and coming skaters, european skate tours, and skate culture in general.

From the Paris freestyle scene in the 80s to the revival of street skating in the 2020s, Paris has a rich history of street spots and iconic marble ledges. So join us on a cruise through our homage to some of the most iconic skate spots in the French capital.



In the words of RTJ - “Ooh, la la, ah, oui oui”

Much Love,
The crea-ture team


https://store.steampowered.com/app/2877960/Session_Skate_Sim_Paris/

Update 10/07/24 : We've just added Cloud Saves, so you should have no trouble playing on PC or Steam Deck now.

Hey Folks,

If you wondered how Session: Skate Sim plays on Steam Deck, you can rest easy! Session is now fully compatible with Steam Deck!



You can take your skateboarding experience on the go, enjoying the game wherever you are. At the park, the beach or on your toilets. Whether you're perfecting tricks or exploring new spots, Steam Deck ensures a seamless and portable gameplay for Session.



Peace,
crea-ture Studios

Hey Folks,

From passing 2.2 Million players across all platforms, to seeing our last year of social content grab 8 million views, we have felt your support from every angle.

We also know that our players want more, and even though we’ve been pretty quiet to date, we are not dead & neither is Session!

Player support has kept us eager to continue developing our skating experience, and we’re excited to show glimpses of what we’re working on for future releases.

We’re starting with tackling some of the more core issues - such as the day 1 bounce bug…
Whether you’re a casual player, or one of our top content creators, this one is a real nuisance:


WIP FIX:


We then have more interesting bugs - such as the ghost pop…did you say ghost pop?

Current:


WIP FIX:


You’ll see in the latter clip that there is no mid-air force on the players legs/board that raises them up - leading to smoother transitions out of manuals.

This change also adds some noticeable improvements when grinding kinked rails, but not all rails are equal - as the steeper versions still have some kick…



That’s a brief glimpse into what we’re working on beyond additional maps & content. So keep an eye on this space as there will be more info to come.

We hope everyone had a great Go Skate Day!

Peace,
crea-ture Studios

Hey Folks,

Quick news to share: we are celebrating 2 million players! Thank you all for your support!
Check out this infographic with some cool stats!



Peace,
The crea-ture team!

Hey Folks,

Mark your calendars and join us at Nacon Connect 2024!




Peace,
The crea-ture team!

Hey Folks,

Welcome to 2024!

We’re back for the first time since October 2023, and we’ve got quite the year ahead of us, but we’ll save that for later. This Dev Blog is all about our latest release - DLC03!

Now to get right to it, this is a content focused DLC release, including our newest school map and object dropper assets. Skating is all about creativity and adapting to what you have, and we have an abundance of fun terrain and object dropper assets for you to enjoy in this newest DLC release!

On the note of releases, it’s important for our fans to know that producing and releasing DLC content does not exclude us from continuing to plan and focus on improving our core mechanics. It’s on this note that we are pleased to announce that we are currently working on transitioning Session to Unreal 5!

It's still too early to make any concrete commitments on the implications of this, but it is a necessary step in order to continue a sustainable production on Session.


Over the last few months we have continued to structure & grow our team in order to solidify our foundations to adapt for the future. Our current staff, as well as our open studio positions can be found on https://www.crea-turestudios.com/about/ & https://www.crea-turestudios.com/careers/


Now to the update….


The big ticket in this DLC is the Schoolyard map. As anyone who has ever watched a skate video can attest - Californian school’s delivered a unique hybrid of street and park skating before modern skate parks were a thing. They had small rails, banks, picnic tables, benches, and a wide array of sets to huck yourself down.

In order to pay homage to this terrain from the golden days of skating, we have compiled our favorite spots into one kick ass schoolyard map!

The map includes spots inspired by, but not limited to:
● Hollywood 12 & 16


● Carlsbad Gap
● Sylmar 9
● Skittles


● LA High Rail
● Walter Reed
● Lockwood
● Belmont 9
● Muirlands 14
● Elysian 18
● Leap of faith

● El Toro


So dust off the old VHS tapes, and reminisce on that dream trick you may finally be able to pull off 🙂

As with all DLC maps, we like to provide some unique and fun skateable Object Dropper Assets. This latest batch is a mix of items you would find in a schoolyard, or that you would bring to a schoolyard to improve the speed or run up to a specific obstacle.






As mentioned above, we continue to work on solidifying the future for Session. This is by no means a small feat, and we’re in the thick of defining what it implies and how it will impact our plans, but we’re working on it and will share more info as we progress.

Peace,
The crea-ture team!

Hey Folks,

We’re back with another Session Dev Blog, as we’re psyched to be bringing you some fun new content and terrain to skate.


The turtles have found themselves at home in NY and their sewer lair, but we’re also seeing awesome clips from around San Francisco, Philadelphia, and beyond. So keep the clips & content coming - and don’t forget to tag our social accounts!

Since our last release we’ve continued onboarding new team members and building for the future while also ensuring we're producing fun content for you as the player. To that note we’re excited to announce the release of our latest DLC bundle - in collaboration with Black River fingerboards!



Black River” Object Dropper asset set

• 38 items from rails, benches, boxes, and more!

We’re excited to finally be bringing back one of our early supporters of Session, Black River Fingerboards. While fingerboarding is not skateboarding - it replicates the freedom, artistic expression, and counter culture roots of skateboarding, just at a table top level. Being able to share the love we have for skating and grass roots companies like Black River was an easy call for us, and the variety of skateable objects leads to some incredible opportunities in game!

Please note that while the Black River object bank assets are bundled with the DLC, once owned they can be placed & used in any map or locale.

• Phatt Nugget Mall

The 90s were the heyday of the megastore and the boom of giant multi storied shopping malls all across North America. Malls have always been the forbidden fruit for skaters. Being clean, indoor, and mostly tile or marble with an abundance of ledges and drops the terrain was perfect, were it not for society & security! Thanks to Phat Nugget Mall being abandoned for the last 10 years, you can now revisit those glory days of hanging in the mall, but now with your deck and a chunk of wax!


Object Dropper Overhaul!

• We have fully reworked the Object Dropper system to make it more user friendly & intuitive, while still allowing for maximum player freedom. While those of you familiar with the old system will have some adjustment, the ease of use is greatly improved with our latest iteration.
  
• A bundle of free objects has been included in the Object Dropper overhaul for those wanting some variety but not ready to jump on the DLC.
  
• Asset Grouping is now possible:
  
  
• Asset re-orientation & Snap-to-ground added
  
  

General de-bug & Fixes:

• Camera - Fisheye camera lens has been reverted to V1
  
• Historical Challenges: Nate’s New York challenge line has been fixed
  
• Crash - A random Replay Editor crash on loading replays has been fixed
  
• Object Dropper - Objects no longer sink into the world on map load
  
• Audio fixes
  
• Improved material sounds
  
• Improved landing audio feedback
  
• Implemented surface transfer fx
  
• Other general debug fixes…

We continue to build our team here at crea-ture studios and are focused on integrating our latest team members into the studio, and project. Once we have everyone grounded we can look at how, and where, they can contribute in a meaningful and impactful way for the players!

Even with our latest additions, we’re still actively recruiting - and you can find ALL open roles at: https://www.crea-turestudios.com/careers/

Finally - keep an eye on the @Session Game instagram & Tik Tok accounts for updates and additional content from Donovan!

Peace,
The crea-ture team!

Hey Folks,

In this DevBlog we’ll provide high level updates on where the studio, team, and ultimately Session: Skate Sim are heading.


In May, we were thrilled to release our first DLC bundle, "Chris Cole & the Abandoned Waterpark" and the response from the community was very positive.

Since then, our team has been working tirelessly on our next exciting update - the Session X TMNT collaboration.

As self-proclaimed 90s kids, the opportunity to bring the iconic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into the world of Session was like a dream come true - one we couldn't pass up for anything in the world. And now, the moment has arrived, and we are thrilled to announce that the TMNT collaboration is available for download as a free update!!!

We can't wait for you to dive into this thrilling experience and join our heroes on an unforgettable journey in the world of Session. So grab your gear and get ready to embrace the ninja power! Cowabunga! 




- Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael have joined the session roster

- Hard Goods - Decks & Griptape




- Soft Goods - Apparel



- Camera Lens → TMNT
TMNT Lens: - Changing the Camera Model in the Options Menu to → “TMNT” will add the distinct artistic signature of TMNT: Mutant Mayhem to Session: Skate Sim

- Replay Editor filter –TMNT
When editing replays as a turtle, with the TMNT camera model active, the Replay editor will become TMNT branded:



- Sewer Map - fun and innovative skate spots are the bread and butter of session - welcome to the NYC sewers…while the content is free, you need to do some NYC leg work to find the map BEFORE it becomes available through the transit system. Check the transit images for a hint on where to go!



- Mission Log status saved on reboot: “Untracked” missions previously became “Tracked” in the Mission Log on a reboot - this is fixed and track status is now persistent
- Scoop speed control
We have added the ability to dictate the speed of scooped tricks by managing the relative speed of the scoop input. Therefore a slow scoop on a shuv-it will lead to a slow shuv, and vice versa. Arc-length has now been cut as a scoop input method.
- Board pitch in Manual board control is dictated by the angle of the trick input and is now maintained for the duration of the trick - helping in landing orientation for grinds, manuals, and landing in banks!
- Board flip offset adjustments - Board position under player has been improved - as shared by Donovan on Instagram
- Camera - Fisheye camera lens has been revamped to improve granularity and improve fidelity.
- Other general debug fixes…

Skateshop content:
- Bug fixes on apparel
- Suck clothing integrated

Audio:
- Improved audio on manuals & kick turns
- Board flipping feature - dependent on rolling speed and flip speed
- Tweaked board breaking heights
- Added option to toggle flatspot audio
- Updated foot grip-tape sliding sfx for most tricks
- Added more wood scuff sound on pressure flips
- Split landing impact sounds so some follow the skater and some stay at the location of impact

We continue to build our team here at crea-ture studios, and over the last month we have increased 36% in size!!!!

Onboarding our new team members and integrating them into the studio, and project, is our priority. Once we have everyone grounded we can look at how, and where, they can contribute in a meaningful and impactful way for the players!

Here are the roles we’re onboarding:

● HR Director - Will be key to helping improve our studios presence in the market and driving recruiting

● Animator - Support for Session is a priority, but so is assuring programming support for animation additions / improvements!

● QA Lead - Driving the building and structuring of our QA team to ensure we continue to focus on quality and improvements for our core player base, a great addition to JL’s contribution in the QA domain to date.

● Art Director - A critical addition to ensure we’re sticking to our vision and building on what we have for both Session & the future.

Finally - we’ve been fielding a lot of questions on our social channels regarding Switch production. We’re happy to announce that there will be a Switch update including all of our updates for launch, and our DLC, closer to the year’s end.

Finally, Recruitment at crea-ture studios continues & Open positions can be found at https://www.crea-turestudios.com/careers/

Peace,

The Crea-ture team!

Hey Folks,

It’s been 4 weeks since our last PC specific update, and we’re already back!

It’s finally time to announce our May update and our first full standalone DLC bundle, included within our next Title Update, so here it is…

This DLC bundle welcomes pro skateboarder Chris "Cobra" Cole to the Session lineup and includes updated gear from sponsors Fallen, Spitfire, and Zero. Additionally, the DLC presents the Crea-ture Waterpark, the first map not set in a city location or skate park alongside six new missions featuring Chris Cole, four of which take place on the new map. Players can also look forward to six exclusive "DIY" assets and five Chris Cole Zero deck designs in the skateshop.

• Chris “Cobra” Cole officially joins the Session: Skate Sim roster
  
  • Sponsors in game - Fallen, Spitfire, Zero, Liquid Death

Adding Chris to Session is huge for us here at Crea-ture studios. His influence on the industry, and each of us as skaters is irrefutable. Whether you were picking up a board in the 90s, or 2020s, Chris’ presence has been consistent. He is one of the few skaters to have won Thrashers Skater of the year two times!!

• The Abandoned Waterpark is our first map outside of a city spot or Skate park
  
• The waterpark has an interesting combination of steep slopes with lots of speed, big gaps, and risky spots. However it’s not all that makes up this terrain. Take the time to shred the lazy river, or skate one of the awesome parking lot banks!

• Play 6 new missions with Chris Cole - including 4 in our all new DLC map!

• 6 Unique “DIY” assets

SkateShop content

• 5 Chris Cole Zero Deck Graphics

We continue to crack away at our Q3 & Q4 Roadmap for this Summer. The Roadmap relies fully on our capacity to output asd a team, and we’re still looking to add some key roles before we can lock down the plan. However, keeping aligned with players, and growing Session, continues to be our main focus! If you know anyone out there who would be the perfect fit for our team - do share!

Recruitment at crea-ture studios continues & Open positions can be found at https://www.crea-turestudios.com/careers/

Peace,
The Crea-ture team!