Dev Log #1: The First of Many

While this is the first dev log published for Ride Technician, we've been hard at work on this game for some time now. One of the unique challenges we are facing is the fact that Ride Technician is a mash-up of 2 genres, Simulation and Horror, set in a run down amusement park. Not only do we have to make a fun and engaging horror experience with a story for the player to uncover, we also need to make a convincing simulation game where the player has to fix broken down amusement park rides. This gives us the burden of essentially developing two games in one. However, we've made a lot of progress since the team was first formed last year.

The "Red Wood"

Since the teams formation we have conceptualized and designed the "Red Wood" level that will serve as the first level players will get to experience. Set in a magical forest, the player will need to fix this unique ride that sets guests on a quest to save Grandma from the big bad wolf.

On this ride, guests will need to shoot at the wolf as it pops up throughout the ride. Depending on the guests score, the ride ending will change by either entering the Wolf's stomach and needing to escape, or entering Grandma's house for one last duel with the wolf.

So where does the player come in? Well it will be the player's job to fix this ride as several of it's elements are no longer functioning properly. During this time, however, the player may or may not trigger this ride's haunting. In doing so, the player will need to fix the elements in the ride while being chased down by a previous victim of this poorly maintained ride.

Game Mechanics

We've spent most of our time researching and developing how this ride will function as an actual ride. However, that doesn't mean we haven't made progress on actual system mechanics and gameplay. While it may not seem like much, we have successfully created a working inventory system that will serve as a base for how the player will collect materials and tools needed for each task. This system allows the player to carry only a certain amount of items at one time, while being able to stack multiple of the same item.

In addition, our team has added a simple yet functional flashlight system to later be iterated on. One of the things we are most proud about, as little as it may seem, is the fact that when the flashlight it turned on and the player looks around, the flashlight actually leads the player instead of trailing. This has provided a unique challenge in balancing responsiveness while turning so that the player doesn't feel as though there is lag in input, or an large dead zone.

Here is a glimpse of these mechanics in action:

While it isn't anything to gawk at, this is game development and these mechanics are at nowhere near "feature complete." Even though Ride Technician is still in the early stages of development, progress is still being made.

What's Next?

The next set of goals for our team is to continue to add features to the gameplay, while blocking out the final design for the "Red Wood" so we can start to create art assets.

We plan on keeping these Dev Logs going so check back often to see all the progress we are making on Ride Technician!

- Neil London, Producer