Hello Inventors!

We've got a a very wholesome dev log for you this week! We're looking ahead today to the future of the game and all of the exciting things coming both just around the corner and further into Early Access


It's here, our Early Access roadmap that will be guiding us to our launch and hopefully giving you all a much better idea of what's coming. Please bear in mind this is not final and some of the content could change, especially with your feedback! There's also lots more smaller changes and improvements we'll be adding so not everything is included. Without further a do, feast your eyes on this:



Please let us know all of your thoughts in the comments!


Tomorrow it is time for our first content update to Main Assembly! It will have new content and a lot of fixes.

A big thanks to all the feedback we have received, we have added several requested things (and more are coming, we are adding things as fast as we can!)

Here's a quick sneak peak at one of the big or should I say... dig features coming!



We'll share the full patch notes when the update goes live tomorrow - be on the lookout!


We don't want to sting people with too many puns, but this must bee one of the best themed dragsters we've seen! Earning its racing stripes over on the Main Assembly Sub Reddit this bot 'Angry Bee' was designed by newgenome! It has a lot of buzz in its engine and is definitely worth checking out!



We hope everyone's enjoying the game so far and we can't wait for you all to get your drone appendages on the update tomorrow! We'll see you next week for the Dev Log #15!

You can also keep up with Main Assembly's development on all these channels:
Main Assembly Twitter
Main Assembly Reddit
Main Assembly Facebook
Main Assembly Discord
Team17 Twitter
Team17 Facebook

Hello Inventors!

Because we wanted more interactions with the environment - and because smashing things is fun – we decided to add a new type of objects in our game.

We call them


Since our game is not going for realism, we wanted and simple way to handle those destructible objects while keeping them flexible enough to be used in many different contexts throughout the game.

The system ended up working like this:



Destructibles have states, with an associated health.

When the health of that state is depleted the destructible moves on to the next state.

While doing so they can swap the 3D model they are using, spawn debris and particles, and many other things.

They will go through those states until the last one, where they are – for all intents and purposes – destroyed.

(3Dmodels used for each state of destructible objects)








Feedback is important to maximize players’ enjoyment:



A shine effect as shown above on destructible objects lets players know they can go nuts!



When hit the destructibles spawn a stylized hit VFX.



The model is slightly deformed on impact (it also flashes). This makes it clear to the player that they have damaged it even if it was not enough to force a state change.

Some weapons are more efficient that others against specific materials:



These destructibles can be used in many situations:




A new development roadmap is coming soon folks, keep your eyes peeled on Steam and our socials for our plans on content coming through Early Access! We can't wait for you all to see it!


This is a Hover Bike by 紫川幽冥, our team liked it so much, that they added a grabber to save dummies!



We hope you are enjoying the game so far, we are really enjoying trying out all of your creations! We'll see you next week for the Dev Log #14!

You can also keep up with Main Assembly's development on all these channels:
Main Assembly Twitter
Main Assembly Reddit
Main Assembly Facebook
Main Assembly Discord
Team17 Twitter
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Hello Inventors!

It has bee almost a full week since our release, and we have been busy with fixing stuff for the game.




We have pushed a new version of the game to the default branch with a crash fix, so it should be a lot more stable now! Let us know if you come across any other issues with the game and thank you all for your reports and feedback so far! :)


Then we have our Experimental branch. This branch is where we will put up our latest changes to test them and provide feedback on them. We will have things from bug fixes to new content in the branch, it will vary depending on what we are working on now.

The builds we put on this branch will not have been QA tested, so it will be more unstable and have more bugs, but it will be more exciting!

If this sounds like something for you, this is how you switch to the Experimental branch.
In Steam right-click on the game and then select Properties.



Then go to the Betas tab and select experimental from the dropdown.



That is it!
Here is a list of the things you get in the branch currently. (A bit of a teaser to some of the frequently requested changes)

• Added some missing wheels and bearing into the part progression.
  
• Better support for non-qwerty keyboards.
  
• Arrow keys no longer default to camera movement.
  
• Added more controls that can be rebound.
  
• Added mouse sensitivity support.
  
• Game progression can now be reset.
  
• Debug print node added to help with programming!
  
• Added switch node to programming.
  
• Grouped nodes in programming no longer overwrite all properties.
  
• CPUs no longer clamp their input/output between -1 and 1 but can be any value.
  
• Fix for flip bot sound getting stuck when bot is deleted.
  
• Fixed slowdown in programming mode when dragging multiple nodes.
  
• Bug fix for flipping parts.
  
• Non player-controlled bots work better in multiplayer.

It's the last chance to get Main Assembly at the launch discount of 10% off, which will raise in price tomorrow following the Early Access reaching a whole week in the wild! Thanks again to all of you early adopters! :)


This is the Hover Board by Lemon Listener, it has been interesting to see people using the new hover part. This may be a classic skate board. Though we can all feel our inner Marty McFly saying awesome when piloting this!





(Things took a turn for the worst...)

We hope you are enjoying the game so far, we are really enjoying seeing all your creations!

You can also keep up with Main Assembly's development on all these channels:
Main Assembly Twitter

Main Assembly Reddit

Main Assembly Facebook

Main Assembly Discord

Team17 Twitter

Team17 Facebook

Hey Inventors!

It's time to become a master inventor and get crafting in Main Assembly with the Steam Early Access release!

Lift off with the new launch trailer:


If this is the first you're hearing of Main Assembly. You'll take control a drone inventor to create incredible contraptions ranging from cars and planes to even a mechanical pair of trousers! Test these creations against many challenges and an advanced physics engine. Invite your friends to play online and see who has created the best bot! You'll also take advantage of powerful crafting tools to customise them in countless ways. Crash, crumple and lose all of your parts with the destruction engine. Plus, head to the Steam Workshop to share your contraptions with the world and try out the many incredible inventions from other players!


https://store.steampowered.com/app/1078920/Main_Assembly/

Construct any robot or contraption imaginable and customise them with 65+ cosmetic parts!



Make specialised robots to jump, save crash dummies and even ride roller coaster tracks to collect 106 stars in the single-player challenge mode!



Compete against friends in online multiplayer activities like races and ski jumps with live scoreboards. Share inventions over Steam Workshop, and enjoy endless gameplay possibilities!



Experience advanced robot destruction! Fly, drift and destroy your creations with advanced physics and aerodynamics. Destruction will also be effected by the physics engine, so each part lost will make your bot harder to control!



Harness the power of Main Assembly’s visual programming language to set up unique controls for creations, and even automate them with various types of sensors!



Customise your creations with a whole host of cosmetics and make them truly unique. You can also dress up your drone with a whole bunch of just as inventive accessories!



So what are you waiting for? Become a master inventor by joining the Early Access on Steam Now!

You can also keep up with Main Assembly's development on all these channels:
Main Assembly Twitter

Main Assembly Reddit

Main Assembly Facebook

Main Assembly Discord

Team17 Twitter

Team17 Facebook

Hey Inventors!

Welcome to our 11th Main Assembly Dev-blog this is the final dev-blog before our Early Access Release, that's happening tomorrow, how crazy is that? Also the 11th day of June!



Time flies by when you are having fun, and we are so happy that we are finally releasing the game. We can't wait to see all of your fantastic creations and see how you approach all the challenges and activities that we have. The most important thing is all of your feedback and ideas on how we can make Main Assembly as good as it can be.

You can wishlist now so that you will get notified on the dot to pick-up your own copy tommorow!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1078920/Main_Assembly/




Those of you that have played the latest Beta might have seen the signposts teasing about Dummy World, this is in fact a new challenge sandbox map. An amusement park filled with jumps, stars and other fun stuff for you to explore!

We’re really excited to see all the different ways you will approach this map with your crazy inventions.

We’re also adding the new Save ‘em challenge set where you need to save dummies stuck in difficult situations in their idyllic summer village.




The PCGamer beta is now closed, there have been tonnes of incredible community creations to the competition and we'll tie in a quick community bot spotlight for this week.

Here's the Robot Butler V1 from 'MaginificentOne' and it'll be bringing great service to a sandbox near you! :)



You have until the 12th of June to submit your bot creations if you haven't already for a chance to win a £2000+ gaming PC - here.


Tune in to GamesRadar 'Future Game Show' to see some awesome games in action... including a great free-form robot crafting game... *raises eyebrows*

twitch.tv/gamesradar



Finally we want to thank everyone that has taken part in all of the betas leading up to launch and that have provided vital feedback, helping us shape the game! We look forward to everyone playing the Early Access version and we'll be listening to the community all the way through to our full launch!

You can also keep up with Main Assembly's development on all these channels:
Main Assembly Twitter

Main Assembly Reddit

Main Assembly Facebook

Main Assembly Discord

Team17 Twitter

Team17 Facebook

Hey Inventors!

Welcome to our 10th weekly Dev Log.

There are only seven working days left until the Early Access release and we can't describe how excited we are to show the latest version of Main Assembly!



Other than working on the usual stuff, like parts, crafting improvements, and challenge sets. We have also started to implement achievements - you can find a few of them in the list below!

• A small step for a dummy, a future of an engineer.
  
  Description: Send a dummy flying really high.
  
  
• Will it float?
  
  Description: Throw a dummy in the water.
  
  
• Riding the Rails
  
  Description: Put a dummy in a train.

If you have suggestions for achievements, please fire away in the comments!


We've also released another video giving an insight into the developers, studio and the game's development! Watch it here:






This week in the community spotlight is the hexie spider by Mini, it's time to trigger your arachnophobia with this majestic bot! Mini is a moderator on the Main Assembly Discord and we're all very thankful for their time spent helping others in there! Plus they have made something amazing here!

Be sure to comment below or get in touch with any builds you feel we should feature next week! :)

Thanks for reading inventors, we'll see you next week for dev log #11! :D

Plus, if you want to be notified on Steam you can wishlist the game for it's Early Access launch on June 11th here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1078920/Main_Assembly/

You can also keep up with Main Assembly's development on all these channels:
Main Assembly Twitter

Main Assembly Reddit

Main Assembly Facebook

Main Assembly Discord

Team17 Twitter

Team17 Facebook

Team17 Discord

Hey Inventors!

We've partnered up with PCGamer to run another beta before launch!

They're also running a robot design giveaway where you will given the chance to win an incredibly powerful gaming PC.

Click hereto enter the beta and join the giveaway: https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/we-have-55000-main-assembly-beta-keys-to-give-away/

This beta is live up until the 8th of June, before the full launch on the 11th June 2020!

Good luck in the giveaway and we look forward to seeing all of your incredible inventions soon!

Hey Inventors!

Welcome to our 9th weekly Dev Log!

It's time to get creative with a new edition to the parts at your disposal in Main Assembly!


The Hover Pad is a new part in Main Assembly that works like a replacement for Drive Motors and lets you quickly create futuristic hovercraft.

The main purpose of this part is to make high-speed controllable vehicles, something that is hard to do with physical wheels. The part itself will handle hovering, steering and braking for you but it will not generate any forward thrust, so you'll have to combine it with another part that does just that.



How it works

This part works by applying three forces to the bot:
1. An upward force to create the hover effect. The strength of this force is proportional to the distance to the ground and it works similar to a normal spring. The more you compress a spring the stronger the resistance is.
2. A side force to keep the bot going straight and not slide uncontrollably. This force is also responsible for steering.
3. A brake force when brakes are engaged.



Programming

It offers four inputs that can be programmed:

• Hover controls the strength of the upward force and defaults to 1.0 if not programmed. Set to 0.0 to turn off this part.
  
• Drift controls the strength of the side and brake forces. Higher values will result in a “floaty” feeling with less grip. Setting this to 1.0 allows the bot to move freely with no resistance. This affects both steering and braking ability.
  
• Brake and Steer are self-explanatory and works like Drive Motors.

The Steer node offers a parameter called Lean that controls the position of the side force. At 0.0 the position of the force is exactly where the part is, and a positive value will offset the force upwards in centimetres. The effect this has on driving is that it changes the rotational effect when you take turns. Generally, a positive value will make the bot lean more into turns. However, this value depends on the center-of-mass of the bot, so it's not universal.



Under the hood this part is updated at 100 Hz, which is the same as the physics tick rate, to make it accurate and reliable regardless of your current FPS.

See it in action!









This week in the community spotlight is the Su-57 by Akaize, take flight with this impressive fifth generation stealth fighter jet!

See it in action here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H07_SvH8tUs

Be sure to comment below or get in touch with any builds you feel we should feature next week! :)

Thanks for reading inventors, we'll see you next week for dev log #10! :D

Plus, if you want to be notified on Steam you can wishlist the game for it's Early Access launch on June 11th here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1078920/Main_Assembly/

You can also keep up with Main Assembly's development on all these channels:
Main Assembly Twitter
Main Assembly Reddit
Main Assembly Facebook
Main Assembly Discord
Team17 Twitter
Team17 Facebook
Team17 Discord

Hey Inventors!

Welcome to our 8th weekly Dev Log.




First of all here's a video of us giving insights about Bad Yolk and Main Assembly!




Some of you may have caught the dev stream where we showed off the Search N Rescue challenges and the new sandbox level, Dummy Island. If you haven't, you should definitely check it out!



(Disclaimer: several dummy inhabitants were definitely harmed in the filming of this video!)




PCGamer have a beta open right now that you can join to play Main Assembly, on top of that they are also giving away a high end gaming PC from Novatech. The prize, a Reign SENTRY MKII gaming PC is worth over £2,000. It features an RTX 2070, an i7-9700K and is built for 1440p gaming!

To have a chance at winning you just have to share a bot created in the beta on their forums. You can find out more here: {LINK REMOVED}https://bit.ly/MAPCComp

For the chance to win a


We have a short week this week because of a national holiday here in Sweden! Woohoo!

The 11th of June Launch is moving closer, and we're gearing up for the Early Access release of Main Assembly. We're very excited to share our game and have all the levels and parts open for you to try out!

The office is pretty much empty because of the current global situation, but a few of us walking distance to the office still come in. It's not quite the same when you are close to the release, and the entire team isn't gathered together. But we're in high spirits, feeling focused and happy!

We've also had Tomas, our screenshot specialist update the Steam page with new screenshots. Including this dummy filled beauty!






This is the Horten Ho 229 - WW2 german fighter by Krautregen which is an impressive look back at an extremely early jet bomber which may be mistaken for a more modern stealth bomber! So, it's both an impressive bot but also a welcome dive into history!

Be sure to comment below or get in touch with any builds you feel we should feature next week! :)



Thanks for reading inventors, we'll see you next week for dev log #9! :D

Plus, if you want to be notified on Steam you can wishlist the game for it's Early Access launch on June 11th here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1078920/Main_Assembly/

You can also keep up with Main Assembly's development on all these channels:
Main Assembly Twitter
Main Assembly Reddit
Main Assembly Facebook
Main Assembly Discord
Team17 Twitter
Team17 Facebook
Team17 Discord

Hey Inventors!

Welcome to our 7th weekly Dev Log.

Welcome to all the new creators that have joined from the PC Gamer Beta, which you can join here: {LINK REMOVED}https://bit.ly/MAPCGamerBeta Plus, a robot building competition opens soon to win a high end gaming PC!

We have a developer stream tomorrow at 1PM BST which you can catch here: https://www.twitch.tv/BadYolkGames

Onto the main event...


When driving your bot around in Main Assembly you've probably more than once flipped your bot or started spinning out of control!

This Dev Log will take a deeper look at the work and progress we've had during development and the different steps that we've taken to improve the driving experience.



We've been testing several different approaches on how to handle friction to give you a great driving experience that behaves in a way that you'd expect it to.

Being able to build basically anything makes realistic friction troublesome since not every creation follows a perfect center of mass. That led us to “gamify” how friction works by trying to make it clever based on what is happening in-game.

It’s easy to get snow blind while trying to balance these things. Because of that, we've had some breaks between each new iteration during the development. Each iteration has coincidentally happened not long before each of the different Betas. By testing your Bots on the Workshop we have been given insight by viewing all the different creations.

Early on in development we used data from the Drive Motors to figure out if you were turning or not and by doing that gave you some more side friction. This didn't work very well because it solved one issue of being able to turn easily but made over-corrections, tall and fast bots were especially prone to flipping over!



That leads us to the next step and what we have in the current Closed Beta. We removed almost all Drive Motor checks and started using the speed and direction of the vehicle to figure out when to add side friction and when to start sliding. This we believe, is a step in the right direction, many bots could now drive faster and still be reasonably controllable.

The difficulty of not being able to test every bot out there we've learnt that instead of flipping over we now have more of a spinning out issue.

Leading up to Early Access we're now working on our next approach where we add more friction again but also we're using an “anti-roll” system where a very small force is being applied when turning and if your wheels are starting to leave the ground.

This helps you to make more sharp turns and hopefully lowers the chance of flipping over with your bot!



Now you are caught up to where we are currently with Friction. Moving forward there's more work to be done on this before Early Access to make your driving experience as good as possible with all different types of impressive creations!

Plus we want them to pass their safety inspections!


This is the Jet Core Race Drifter by Hairybroness which has impressive obstacle clearance alongside the option of flight and upside down driving. We'd love to see this with some added anti-roll! Well done. Be sure to comment below or get in touch with any builds you feel we should feature next week! :) https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2088836433

Check it out yourselves in the PCGamer beta!

Thanks for reading inventors, we'll see you next week for dev log #8! :D

Plus, if you want to be notified on Steam you can wishlist the game for it's Early Access launch on June 11th here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1078920/Main_Assembly/

You can also keep up with Main Assembly's development on all these channels:
Main Assembly Twitter
Main Assembly Reddit
Main Assembly Facebook
Main Assembly Discord
Team17 Twitter
Team17 Facebook
Team17 Discord