Devlogs
Need for Rally: A post-mortem
Posted March 18, 2024 by Neutronio Games
#post mortem #rally fever #unreal engine
It's been a few exciting months ever since I started this game and this proof of concept is slowly on its way to become a real game.
With enthusiasm I am making my first game ever using Unreal Engine.
Initially I wanted to publish another version (0.06) this month but unexpectedly, a game-breaking bug occurred that delayed the version. Until I figured out what was wrong, I started working on features for the next version, such as a main menu with racetrack picker and different maps.
Instead, have a little post mortem!
I learned a lot doing this project and can't wait to share that with you.
Driver view as of 0.06. Includes working speedometer & RPM display
Don't forget to to follow me on Twitter for early development insights and check my website for more information!
Feasibility
As I worked on this prototype I evaluated the following requirements for feasibility, to find out what is within my grasp as solo indie developer.
The great news is: most of these planned features seem viable. Here is a list!
- Online Functionality & Multiplayer
- Different Racing Modes: Circuit Race, A-B Race, Pursuit, Sandbox
- Racetrack Editor
- Immersion: Climate, Weather, Day & Night circles, a certain realism
One big feature that might not make it:
- Vehicle Editor, due to Unreal's cumbersome vehicle implementation. I will continue to find a viable solution, but might settle with Vehicle Customization instead.
An early test for day/night circles
In the following I want to go into detail what went well, wrong, or could have been done better.
Things that slowed me down
- Screenshots and videos need to be taken much easier from within the editor!
- I spent a lot of time figuring out how to do things right in Unreal. Still am new to the tech after all!
- I still need a lot of time to learn about shaders before being able to do what I want, particularly with terrain
- I spent extra time on sound design for vehicles. It was worth it, but was it really necessary?
Things that sped me up
- 3D asset creation is easy and insanely fast due to the simple low-poly style
- Unreal Engine's features are so extensive that I can quickly add components that roughly complete the project’s vision, although these still need adjustments or customization
Things that I need to work on
- There is no proper QA-methodology in place, except for thorough manual testing and debugging. Some time needs to be spent to figure out how Automated Testing works in UE
- Work on an in-game console for playtesting purposes
Things I like about the prototype
- Art Direction: I really love the aesthetic of the prototype! It should be kept that way in the future
- Sound Design: I spent a bit of extra time to create realistic vehicle sounds, but it adds to the immersion
- Unreal Engine continues to prove to be a handy and good fit for the project goals. Overall tech stack choice is satisfactory so far!
- I personally love the first person driver view
Things I do not like about the prototype
- The HUD is still a little wonky/cluttered. I want a better speed indicator and a slimmer overall design
- While Vehicle Sound Design is nice, it can still be improved further
- Wheel particles should be emitted when the wheel direction deviates from travel direction too
Outlook
Great things are to come! An excerpt of features that I am considering to add:
- Climate, Weather, Day & Night circles
- Vehicle damage and dirtiness
- realistic sound design
- Police Chase mode
- Local coop Multiplayer, with 1-4 players
- Online leaderboard
We are already heading to the next version in light speed and I cannot wait to share it with you!
Thanks for reading. Don't forget to follow me on itch!