Mar 21, 2024

The Good Truck: A Truck Painted With Light

Euro Truck Simulator 2 - Tiktak

We are excited to join Renault Trucks in making automotive history with the reveal of the groundbreaking paint job design on their fully electric marvel, the Renault Trucks E-Tech T! This unique paint job will come to life for the first time ever on a truck with LumiLor technology - a cutting-edge method that allows layers of colour on any surface to be illuminated by small electric impulses.

Taking a step back, let's revisit the journey that led to this historic moment. Back in Autumn 2023, we joined Renault Trucks in Lyon for a design contest among selected influencers and truckers. Guided by specialists from Renault Trucks, LumiLor and our very own talented 2D graphic artist Annie, the group crafted designs featuring the innovative LumiLor paint job – a luminescent technology capable of creating mesmerizing animations on the truck's surface. You can read more about the design process in our previous blog or watch an SCS On The Road episode from our visit to Lyon below.

After that, two designs were chosen for the public vote in which our community also participated. The beautiful Diamond Echo and Lightning Bolt designs faced off in this vote, with the Diamond Echo eventually taking the first place. Then, the E-Tech T made its way to the LumiLor labs near Dresden for painting.

We are honoured that Renault Trucks invited us to personally attend and amplify the reach of this grand reveal event on April 9 at Renault Trucks' headquarters in Lyon. We can't wait to be able to bring that moment to our #BestCommunityEver through a live stream straight from the venue! It's a testament to our partnership with Renault Trucks and their recognition of our community's importance.

Also, in recent days, you might have noticed some teasers coming from Renault Trucks on their social media and through their newsletter. Now, we are happy to confirm that you have the chance to find something hidden under a blue veil at selected Renault Trucks dealerships in Euro Truck Simulator 2.

Who knows, perhaps if you can locate this spot, park your current Renault Trucks vehicles in front of the concealed truck, and share a screenshot or video on social media channels tagging SCS Software (X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) and Renault Trucks' (X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) main profiles along with the hashtag #ETechTrucking, you might be fortunate enough to receive some exclusive gifts from us and Renault Trucks!

We're proud to be Renault Trucks' trusted partner, ensuring that this historic moment reaches not just automotive enthusiasts but also our #BestCommunityEver. Stay tuned for more information about this project on Renault Trucks' website. Also remember to follow us on our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok so you won't miss out on any news!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/227300/Euro_Truck_Simulator_2/

Mar 21, 2024

Devlog #4 - The Evolution of the Mech

BIG SHOTS - mikehotshotross

Introduction Chat

Greetings, Rookies! I'm Mikail from the BIG SHOTS® team, and I'm excited to welcome you to the fourth edition of our BIG SHOTS® Devlog, dated 03-21! Today, we're excited to share an inside look into the artistic evolution of BIG SHOTS®, shedding light on our creative process.

In this fourth entry, we're focusing on the initial concept sketches to the latest iterations, as we've worked hard to refine and perfect our vision. We'll explore our mech design's transformative journey, highlighting the important changes and innovations that have shaped its current form. Expect the inspiration behind our designs, the challenges we've faced, and the breakthroughs that have pushed us forward.

So, without further ado, let's dive into the artistic evolution of BIG SHOTS® and uncover the story behind the mechs that have become the heart and soul of our game.

The Mech Evolution in Big Shots

From the beginning of our development journey, we've gone through various visual iterations, shaping and reshaping some of our core assets. Today, let's delve into the captivating evolution of the mech.

In the early days of preproduction, our mech wish list was clear and concise:

1. Focus on Accessibility: We aimed for a user-friendly mechanical design, ensuring accessibility was at the forefront.
2. Natural Vignette for Movement: Seeking a seamless experience, we envisioned a natural vignette that seamlessly complements movement within the game.
3. A Sense of Scale: Our goal was to make players feel monumental in the vast world we were creating.
4. Tough and Solid Aesthetic: We craved a mech that exuded toughness and solidity, a visual testament to its resilience.
5. Expandability Options: With an eye on the future, we wanted our mech to offer numerous possibilities for expansion and customization.
6. Versatility for Weapons: Given the gameplay dynamics, we decided on a range of weapons for the mech—both long and short-range.

While we initially dreamed of incorporating melee attacks (which you can see in many early concepts), the reality check hit. Physics and IK didn't quite sync up with the tech of the time and didn't align with the gameplay we envisioned. It was a tough call, but we opted against it, knowing that, in the end, it wouldn't have added the desired punch to our game.

The old mech served us well initially, but as development unfolded, so did the understanding of its limitations.

Limitations of the Original Design:

1. Flexibility Challenges: The original design hit a roadblock regarding flexibility. It didn't offer the adaptability we needed for continuous improvement.
2. Issues with IK (Inverse Kinematics): The mech's Inverse Kinematics, particularly in the arms, posed a challenge. Achieving a 1:1 synchronization with the player's arms wasn't playing out as smoothly as we'd hoped.
3. Lacking Human Element: One realization was that the mech needed a more human touch. We wanted players to feel like a person was inside, adding a layer of relatability to the mechanical giant.
4. Infusing a Worker Vibe: Shifting gears in our vision, we sought to inject a distinct worker vibe into the mech's aesthetic, aligning it with the overarching theme.
5. Illuminating Darker Levels: Recognizing the need for versatility, we envisioned lights atop the mech, keeping the option open for future levels that could be darker.

As our artistic vision evolved, it became apparent that the original design needed a revamp to better mesh with our art style's newest vibe and overcome the practical challenges we encountered during development.

While these concepts were being made, certain elements stood out to all of us. It was like a collective "aha" moment for every part that we would need, eventually leading us to the glorious Mech we have today. These favored components came together, shaping our current powerhouse of a Mech. It's a testament to the collaborative journey, where each iteration contributed to the evolution of a mech worthy of becoming a Big Shot!

Mech 3.0

With the redesign, not only did the Mech gain the physical presence we desired, but the introduction of new weapons also made much more sense in design. It was like finding the missing pieces of a puzzle that brought the Mech to a new level of functionality and badassery.

Moreover, we tackled the Inverse Kinematics (IK) challenge head-on. The result? Vast improvements. The Mech's arms now sync up much more seamlessly with the player's arms, achieving that coveted 1:1 connection we strived for. It's incredible how these tweaks and refinements transformed the Mech into the powerhouse it is today in terms of aesthetics and functionality.

Final

This concludes today’s edition of our Big Shots Dev Blog. We will continue working hard on BIG SHOTS®

-Mikail, signing out

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2666530/BIG_SHOTS/

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Gear up, team up, and exterminate!
The Big Shots Team

Mar 21, 2024

Multiplayer Patch is now out!

Everdream Valley - UncyTales

Howdy Everdreamers!

We're walking on over with exciting updates to enhance your Everdream Valley experience!

Performance Polish: Our team has been busy buffing the game's physics and camera systems, ensuring smoother gameplay for all you dedicated farmers. Load times have also been optimized, so you can get back to your fields in a jiffy!

Global Greetings! A warm welcome to our new players from Japan and Taiwan! Everdream Valley now supports both Japanese and Traditional Chinese languages.

Equine Enhancements: Say goodbye to those pesky thin trees that were tripping up your trusty steed! We've also introduced a new centered horse camera option for those who prefer a different perspective.

Multiplayer Marvels! The lobby now functions flawlessly with gamepads, and single-player farmers can now interact with those impressive multiplayer backpacks. Speaking of backpacks, they now have a handy map icon for easy localization of your farming essentials.

Gate Glorious Gate! We've given our gates a visual upgrade, and the crafting recipes for gates and pennants can now be unearthed from the mystical Treasure Rocks! If you're not feeling particularly adventurous, these items will also be available for purchase in the shop after your third day in the Valley.

Chicken Crowning Glory! To celebrate these fantastic improvements, a free chicken hat awaits all Everdreamers who log in after their third day in the Valley!

Grass is Greener (and Prettier): We've listened to your feedback and adjusted grass cutting to ensure a cleaner, neater look around your flowerbeds.

Have a great day and let's enjoy the Everdream Valley experience together!

Mar 21, 2024

Early Access Launch of Sinners Landing

Paradise Lust 2 - JohnnyLee[FM]

What more can we say? SINNERS LANDING IS IN EARLY ACCESS! You can grab a copy now. Or better yet, grab like 10 copies and send them to all your friends!

YES, there is a release discount: 20%. This will be about as cheap as it's gonna be for a very long time. We WILL be raising the price once it leaves Early Access, so the EA price is already a discount, and the additional 20% is as much as we'll likely be discounting that for quite a while. So... Now is the time.

We have actually timed our release to coincide with the "Deckbuilders Fest" happening at Steam in a couple days. We're hoping that this will provide additional eyeballs on the game, and more coverage. We'll see how that plays out.

There will be a LOT more information soon - including an Early Access roadmap for the game and other stuff... But for now, the team is just working on small bugs we found in the final testing process, planning the next content, and celebrating this huge step for all of us.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for being on this journey with us - and let us all pray to the Seven Goddesses that this launch goes well.

Praise Flaminia!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1816140/Sinners_Landing/

Mar 21, 2024

Early Access Launch of Sinners Landing

Paradise Lust - JohnnyLee[FM]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1816140/Sinners_Landing/