Jun 4, 2018

Death Road to Canada - Rocketcat Games

The GIZZARD Update is out! This update tweaked the ending of the final level of the game, added a new song to the soundtrack, and added a new Rare Special Character to trading camps. Read below for a full list of changes, along with news on our big Anniversary Update!

EDIT 6/11 12 PM: A new mini-update is up to add some bonus content and fixes! Read below for details.

New Game, Wayward Souls, Coming Soon!

We also put up our next game's Coming Soon page! See the trailer here:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/559260/Wayward_Souls/

Update Changes

6/11 Extra Mini Update

- Added the Last Mall on Earth, a new special trading camp. Has gas trader, weapons buyer, recruit campfire, 6 random traders, and a guaranteed rare 7th trader!
- Added the ability for trading camps to force a rare trader
- Fixed a hospital generation bug

- Changed how the on-death attributes work. Now Phoenix, Shield of Hope, and the July 4th and Bort characters will not drop their weapons on resurrection.
- Adjusted a bunch of city generation code for less getting stuck on trash.
- Made that really narrow city no longer generate door-trash.

6/4 Update

- Moody added
- New weapon support added for Rocket Launchers and Electric Tools
- New weapons for Moody: Off-Brand Plasms Rifle, Moody Launcher, Moody Chainsaw
- You can no longer sell no-drop weapons to the Weapons Buyer, partially due to how exploitable this was on Moody

- New Song Added: One More Road. Plays during credits and as a random road song.

- Snubnose Pistol will now replace normal pistols 20% of the time
- Double-barrel Shotgun will now replace normal shotguns 10% of the time

- Ruined Trading Camp/Fire Sale: Removed the flaming car that was right next to you as you spawned.
- Fix for a crash caused by completely empty rooms

:mountie::mountie: Canada Crossing Changes (posted 4/30) :mountie::mountie:

- Snow plows added as border gates.
- The former back line of Mounties that didn't attack/blocked your way are now above the snow plows.
- If the game detects you've never won, a Mountie now gives you a message of hope as you're running to the border gate. This text event stops showing once you beat the game in any mode.
- If you're playing on one of the "Easier Bandit" difficulties (Normal, Rare, Familiar, Long Road, Short Road), the ending zombies will stop attacking you right before THE BIG REINFORCEMENT arrives. This is mostly to stop beginning players from dying in a hilarious way.

Next Update Plans

The next update will arrive in August, and will celebrate our 2nd Anniversary of Death Road. We have big plans for this one, including new Gameplay Modes! We will reveal more of what's going to be in this update as we get closer to the Testing Branch for it.

Many of the features are dependent on how things go in testing, but you can see our current plans on the Trello: https://trello.com/b/TPTmWaDP/death-road-to-canada-update-megaboard

Not all of the plans under Anniversary Update may make it, but this is what we're shooting for!

Feedback and Following Us

As always, if you like what we're doing, tell your friends about the game and leave a Steam review. The success of this game was mostly due to word of mouth!

Leave feedback and suggestions here as a comment, or post to the discussion boards. Thanks for all your support!

For frequent news, you can follow me on Twitter or Facebook:
http://www.twitter.com/rocketcatgames
http://www.facebook.com/rocketcatgames

Jun 1, 2018

GIZZARD Testing Branch

Death Road to Canada - Rocketcat Games

Our Coming Soon page is up for Wayward Souls, our randomly generated action-RPG. It's coming to Steam Early Access on July 16th.

See the trailer and wishlist it here!

---

This update's smaller than normal overall, as the 2nd Anniversary Update is going to be big. We also had some difficulties, which is pushing some things back we need more testing on. I will add a few things in a small update after the initial update, still planned for Monday.

Changes below! I'll update this post as I post builds.

INSTRUCTIONS

IMPORTANT NOTE: The testing branch and the retail version use different save files! Testing Branch saves also get cleared out on occasion.

HOW TO INSTALL: Right click Death Road to Canada on Steam. Go to Properties. Go to Betas. Select Testbranch, no password necessary.

CHANGES 6/10 8:40 PM

- Added the Last Mall on Earth, a new special trading camp. Has gas trader, weapons buyer, recruit campfire, 6 random traders, and a guaranteed rare 7th trader!
- Added the ability for trading camps to force a rare trader
- Fixed a hospital generation bug

CHANGES 6/7 4:40 PM

- Changed how the on-death attributes work. Now Phoenix, Shield of Hope, and the July 4th and Bort characters will not drop their weapons on resurrection.
- Adjusted a bunch of city generation code.
- Made that really narrow city no longer generate door-trash.

CHANGES 6/3 8 PM

- You can no longer sell no-drop weapons to the Weapons Buyer, THANKS MOODY
- New Song Added: One More Road. Plays during credits and as a random road song.
- Snubnose Pistol will now replace normal pistols 20% of the time
- Double-barrel Shotgun will now replace normal shotguns 10% of the time
- Ruined Trading Camp/Fire Sale: Removed the flaming car that was right next to you as you spawned.

CHANGES 6/1 9 PM

- Moody added
- New weapon support added for Rocket Launchers and Electric Tools
- New weapons for Moody: Off-Brand Plasms Rifle, Moody Launcher, Moody Chainsaw
- Temporary ability to start the game with Moody

Apr 30, 2018

4/30 Testing Branch (Windows)

Death Road to Canada - Rocketcat Games

Testing out a fix for a map generation crash, that should hopefully tone down the Danger Rangers/Bruce Li crashes among other ones from generating a lot of rooms. This also contains some changes to the end fight, now featuring snow plows.

5/5 EDIT: This is now up for the release version of the game.

-----------------

INSTRUCTIONS

IMPORTANT NOTE: The testing branch and the retail version usually use different save files! Testing Branch saves also get cleared out on occasion.

HOW TO INSTALL: Right click Death Road to Canada on Steam. Go to Properties. Go to Betas. Select Testbranch, no password necessary.

CHANGES

- Crash fix for a crash that could happen when an empty room was generated.

Ending Spoilers :mountie:

:mountie::mountie::mountie: Canada Crossing Changes :mountie::mountie::mountie:

- Snow plows added as border gates.
- The former back line of Mounties that didn't attack/blocked your way are now above the snow plows.
- If the game detects you've never won, a Mountie now gives you a message of hope as you're running to the border gate. This text event stops showing once you beat the game in any mode.
- If you're playing on one of the "Easier Bandit" difficulties (Normal, Rare, Familiar, Long Road, Short Road), the ending zombies will stop attacking you right before THE BIG REINFORCEMENT arrives. This is mostly to stop beginning players from dying in a hilarious way.

Mar 27, 2018

3/27 FEMUR Bonus Update!

Death Road to Canada - Rocketcat Games

A second FEMUR! This adds 5 new common trading camps to the original list, for 15 total camps. Each one has a new quirk that sets it apart from the original 10 trading camps.

The original FEMUR update post will also be edited to have the below notes.

https://steamcommunity.com/games/deathroad/announcements/detail/1663390171358293944

Update Changes

Trading Camps

- Fence of Values, with 4 traders and also a fence of some sort
- Ruined Camp, but not so ruined that it's not having a FIRE SALE!!!
- Farmhouse Camp, with a barn and dogs and hay
- Big Trading House, with a chance for bathroom reading
- Bazaar, it's the largest one now with 5 traders, gas and weapon buyer, and a campsite for getting a recruit. Its got it all

- Farm dogs that are well behaved but very aggressive against zombies
- Tsundere chicken
- Random egg chance
- Big Trading House has a 20% chance to spawn a magazine

- Ruined Trader/FIRE SALE guy is a special trader with a random inventory, some of which isn't for sale anywhere else
- Tier 1 item costs 3 food, Tier 2 is 6 food, Tier 3 is 10
- 5 tier 1 items, all supplies for about half the usual price
- 6 tier 2 items: 3 Grenades, Sturdy Machete, 5 Pipebombs, Aluminum Bat, Double Barrel Shotgun, Bow + 50 Arrows
- 7 tier 3 items: Uzi, Chainsaw, 9 Molotovs, Mega Maul, Scythe, Ultimate Log, Blowtorch XL
- Blowtorch XL is a blowtorch with extra charges

Misc Changes

- Burning Car Wrecks now have enough hitpoints to survive burning for 3 minutes instead of destroying itself instantly
- Double Barrel Shotgun can now be sold to weapon buyer for 3 food
- The Whammer now sells for 3 food instead of 2 (still a rip off)
- Plasma Rifle name change
- Various developer notes added and a TEMPROOM scratchpad
- Moved strength trainer's dumbrack down by 1 movey, as it was getting in the way sometimes

Feedback and Coming Up Next

As always, if you like what we're doing leave comments, tell your friends, and write Steam reviews. To follow us for news:

http://www.twitter.com/rocketcatgames
http://www.facebook.com/rocketcatgames

GIZZARD update should be coming in May, along with the Early Access launch of our next game, Wayward Souls! Console launch of Death Road to Canada should be some time in April.

Mar 27, 2018

3/27 FEMUR Bonus Update!

Death Road to Canada - Rocketcat Games

A second FEMUR! This adds 5 new common trading camps to the original list, for 15 total camps. Each one has a new quirk that sets it apart from the original 10 trading camps.

The original FEMUR update post will also be edited to have the below notes.

https://steamcommunity.com/games/deathroad/announcements/detail/1663390171358293944

Update Changes

Feedback and Coming Up Next

Mar 24, 2018

3/24 Testing Branch (Win/Mac/Linux): Bonus FEMUR Content

Death Road to Canada - Rocketcat Games

This last but of the FEMUR update will add 5 extra common trading camps, all with some new quirks that weren't in the older camps. Read below for details!

As soon as I get some feedback on each camp, I'll release the update. Completing FEMUR will also let us launch the mobile versions and get the content on other/upcoming platforms!

EDIT 3/25 1:10 PM PST: Added the 5th trading camp, an outdoor market with 5 traders!

INSTRUCTIONS

IMPORTANT NOTE: The testing branch and the retail version use different save files! Testing Branch saves also get cleared out on occasion.

HOW TO INSTALL: Right click Death Road to Canada on Steam. Go to Properties. Go to Betas. Select Testbranch, no password necessary.

CHANGES

Added 3/25 1:10 PM PST:

- 5th new trading camp added, it's the largest one now with 5 traders, gas and weapon buyer, and a campsite for getting a recruit
- Moved strength trainer's dumbrack down by 1 movey, as it was getting in the way sometimes

Added 3/24:

Trading Camps

- Fence of Values, with 4 traders and also a fence of some sort
- Ruined Camp, but not so ruined that it's not having a FIRE SALE!!!
- Farmhouse Camp, with a barn and dogs and hay
- Big Trading House, with a chance for bathroom reading

- Farm dogs that are well behaved but very aggressive against zombies
- Tsundere chicken
- Random egg chance
- Big Trading House has a 20% chance to spawn a magazine

- Ruined Trader/FIRE SALE guy is a special trader with a random inventory, some of which isn't for sale anywhere else
- Tier 1 item costs 3 food, Tier 2 is 6 food, Tier 3 is 10
- 5 tier 1 items, all supplies for about half the usual price
- 6 tier 2 items: 3 Grenades, Sturdy Machete, 5 Pipebombs, Aluminum Bat, Double Barrel Shotgun, Bow + 50 Arrows
- 7 tier 3 items: Uzi, Chainsaw, 9 Molotovs, Mega Maul, Scythe, Ultimate Log, Blowtorch XL
- Blowtorch XL is a blowtorch with extra charges

Misc Changes

- Burning Car Wrecks now have enough hitpoints to survive burning for 3 minutes instead of destroying itself instantly
- Double Barrel Shotgun can now be sold to weapon buyer for 3 food
- The Whammer now sells for 3 food instead of 2 (still a rip off)
- Plasma Rifle name change
- Various developer notes added and a TEMPROOM scratchpad

Mar 24, 2018

3/24 Testing Branch (Win/Mac/Linux): Bonus FEMUR Content

Death Road to Canada - Rocketcat Games

Mar 12, 2018

3/12 FEMUR Update

Death Road to Canada - Rocketcat Games

The FEMUR Update adds the strongest zombie destroying weapon, a weapon that the government does NOT want you to know about.

TOILETS

Very strong characters that are over the usual strength maximums can now rip up previously immobile objects, with bolts flying out everywhere. TSTC and TLB fans now have more reasons to be swole.

In addition to the devastating power of newly throw-able sinks, bathtubs, and toilets, this update also adds bonesaws and a new bow and arrows weapon type. You can unlock a new perk that grants a starting bow with regenerating arrows. A fully drawn bow can sometimes send an arrow through an entire line of zombie heads!

The FEMUR Update adds a new special character that gets a bow in one weapon slot, and then a random melee weapon. This melee weapon changes every location, and can include some of the strongest weapons in the game. Or it can be a nice shovel. We've also added fixes, a new holiday event, and the ability to access the options menu through the pause screen.

EDIT 3/27: We've also done a small bonus update to add 5 new common trading camps, for 15 total! They all have new things to set them apart from the original 10 camps. The bonus update notes have been added to the update changes below.

Future Update Plans

We're planning an update some time in May, with some new content. New special character, a new location type, some new rare trading camps. This will include some new weapons and possibly common traders. By the time the May update hits, Death Road to Canada should also be out on consoles!

Then we're gearing up for the 2nd Anniversary Update in July! We're hoping to have one or two big new additions to the game ready for the Anniversary. We took a poll recently, and it looks like the two biggest requests were 4 Players in co-op and new Gameplay Modes. My top idea for a new mode is the Endless Mode idea we wanted to do before.

If we add 4 Player co-op, it would also include some features we were holding off on in hopes of doing 2 players with splitscreen first. This includes player 2 not losing control immediately if player 1 dies. We would also like to look into more co-op requests, such as making room transitions more smooth for player 2 and onward.

Update Changes

3/27 Bonus Update

- Fence of Values, with 4 traders and also a fence of some sort
- Ruined Camp, but not so ruined that it's not having a FIRE SALE!!!
- Farmhouse Camp, with a barn and dogs and hay
- Big Trading House, with a chance for bathroom reading
- Bazaar, it's the largest one now with 5 traders, gas and weapon buyer, and a campsite for getting a recruit. Its got it all

- Burning Car Wrecks now have enough hitpoints to survive burning for 3 minutes instead of destroying itself instantly
- Double Barrel Shotgun can now be sold to weapon buyer for 3 food
- The Whammer now sells for 3 food instead of 2 (still a rip off)
- Plasma Rifle name change
- Various developer notes added and a TEMPROOM scratchpad
- Moved strength trainer's dumbrack down by 1 movey, as it was getting in the way sometimes

3/12 Update

- Bow and Arrows Perk added! This will give a character a no-drop bow, which will regenerate 4/7/10 arrows when going back to the road screen, depending on level
- Special bonuses for Bow and Arrows + Specialist Trait, you get more max arrows and regenerate them twice as fast

- Special Character: Barbarian added, rare chance in trading camps
- Barbarian has a bow and arrow with 60 arrows maximum, and gets 20 arrows back per mission
- Every mission, she gets out a new weapon, with a pool of 17 different weapons for 18 total when you include her bow
- She either has +1 max strength or +1 max fitness, when recruited

- Bonesaw added, it can rarely be found in hospitals and clinics. Similar to a fireaxe, but with almost no knockdown capabilities and always cleaves an extra zombie

- Bow values tweaked. Strength and fitness make more of a difference for fatigue, fatigue is less harsh, and bows take 33% longer to draw to full power
- You can now rarely find bow and arrow sets in places with sporting and/or camping goods

- Special trading camp failure rate without City Seeker reduced from 60% to 50%

- Zombotown Rambeux has a new Haiku
- Free ZP Robot AKA the ZP Dingus now will automatically show up in Zombotown, in both Testing Branch and Debug Mode builds

- Mad Doctor Rare Trader now lets you "pick someone else" if you have 4 choices

- Some perks/traits will no longer give you a free "total heal" stat increment

Earlier February Update

- Spraying pipes added! Toilets, sinks, and bathtubs now spray water if picked up or destroyed
- Bolted furniture added! This mostly benefits T*S*T*C characters and T*L*B, giving them more stuff to pick up
- HP reduction to toilets, sinks, bathtubs

- Options Menu is now available from road and mission pause screens, replacing the old quit menu
- Quit menu is now in the in-game options menu

- Cupid event that shows up on Valentine's Day
- Cupid's arrows recharge at a rate of 10 every time you go to the road, max of 60
- Cupid Bow added! Silent and has a big piercing value at maximum draw

- Fix for the chainsaw hand event bug that would happen if you were a solo character
- Thanksgiving change to be 4th Thursday of November
- America and Canada Day both now let you skip the special character
- Grammar tweak for trade-firearms
- Phoenix trait no longer sets loyalty to max

Feedback

Let us know what you think in comments, in discussions, or on my Twitter or Facebook:

http://www.twitter.com/rocketcatgames - News on updates
http://www.facebook.com/rocketcatgames - New on future games

If you like what we're doing, review Death Road to Canada on Steam and tell your friends about the updates!