Roadmap

TL;DR: Meta loops coming. It's the big thing to get into Early Access. Lots of design ramblings below.

So if you played the Cruft demo, you may have noticed that it pretty much lacks a point. The core interactions are there. You can buy/sell/make stuff. Making stuff makes Cruft. You clean up and organize as you go... but to what end? A pleasant surprise has been seeing how many people have played the heck out of the demo with no real goals to guide you somewhere. That was the point of the demo, to really see if the core interactions of the game were engaging.

Time to take this thing from toy to fully realized game. Meta time.

So here's how things will work, assuming the design stays somewhat intact:

• There will be different maps to play in. Some available from go, others you need to unlock.

  • Each map will present different challenges based on the layout.

  • Each map will have its own set of contacts that you can interact with to buy and sell stuff.

  • The intersection of the size of the map, initial unlockable land (and potential goodies within), and who you have to work with provide a distinct experience on each map... with opportunity for real reasons to replay maps.

• There will be a list/tree/layout of goals, each of which grants you something permanent when you complete the goal, e.g.:

  • A new map.

  • A batch of new recipes.

  • A new contact.

  • A permanent buff.

• You achieve goals by packing up and leaving the current map.

  • I'll audit what is in your yard, just lying there. If the stuff you have so meticulously left lying around meets the criteria from a goal, when you leave you will achieve the goal.

  • The achievements/goals are agnostic of the map you are on so you can strategize what goals you want to achieve and use specific maps to your benefit.

  • For example, from the demo, if you leave the tutorial with a pizza on the ground, you might start each new playthrough with more cash money, unlock a new map, and unlock a couple contacts. Might is probably not the right word. I'm going to force this one on you.

  • Example the second: If you pack up and leave a map with 50 cows in your yard you unlock the secret cow level.

• Finally, when you do decide to pack up and leave, you really "pack up". You are allowed to leave with whatever (I'm not letting you pack a mine into your van buddy. Keep your pants on.) items fit in your van for use in your next playthrough.

  • You can plan out ways to make your next run easier, faster, or just a bit more interesting based on what you take with you.

  • Going to a new map where Sera is not available? Take some saplings and seeds with you to get started. Unlock an achievement somewhere that always gives you bonus seeds and saplings when you grow plants and this could get really powerful.

  • Want to always have a workbench, anvil, magnet, and sawhorse every time you start up? Pack 'em up!

  • Want to start up with a bunch of extra cash money? Take some valuable tiny items like bars of gold with you.

What you end up with is some of the nascent design work here. Each map presents its own scenario. Based on what you have done previously, you can gain some advantage in each one. There is also some value in going back for a quick playthrough of one of these if I set up the goals in interesting ways. I should do that.

Seems like a lot, and it is, but it really just builds on the core of the game that is already there. We just need to make the game have multiple maps rather than just one. Each map needs to present a fresh challenge and be conducive to working on a few goals. If you liked the demo, then the Early Access version will be a more focused version of that experience.

Also, the demo has 8 Grillion (I counted) things in it. Each of these new maps will have a more focused set of toys to work with. You will of course be able to expand your options by achieving goals.

"BUT I JUST WANT TO PLAY THE GAME LIKE A SANDBOX AND STAY IN THE SAME YARD FOREVER!"

Don't worry pal. I got my start in city building games. I know you're out there. I got you.

I'll figure out a sandbox mode. Probably just everything turned on and no access to goals. I'm already testing out just how big of a map I can make without the game falling over.

Enhance 224 to 176. Enhance, stop. Move in, stop. Pull out, track right, stop. Center in, pull back. Stop. Track 45 right. Stop. Center and stop. Enhance 34 to 36. Pan right and pull back. Stop. Enhance 34 to 46. Pull back. Wait a minute, go right, stop. Enhance 57 to 19. Track 45 left. Stop. Enhance 15 to 23. Give me a hard copy right there.

That's a lot of content

Heck yeah it is. But it is designed to build up over time. I can make a handful of maps, get them out to players, test, adjust, then make a few more maps and repeat. The goals can be created in parallel. Because the maps and goals are not attached, adding to one adds possibilities to the other.

Geometric growth.

None of these maps are "one and done" experiences. They change a bit based on the goals you have achieved and what you show up with in your van. I can make some blisteringly hard maps that eventually play through pleasantly if you've done some things to prepare. Likewise, I can make maps that are simple on the surface, but worth returning to in order to fill your van with goodies for a run elsewhere.

Maybe some day I can hire a junior designer to just make maps. That's how I got started.

There's more to do beyond this for sure...

...but this is what the start of Early Access looks like. Folks that played the game and gave feedback so far helped shape where things are at and will continue to do so as we move forward. When will Early Access be? A month maybe? Not 100% sure. I have a lot of stuff going on but this point in development is pretty motivating. You get to wield the machine... finally, after all the shenanigans just getting it running.

If you have not already, go check out the demo: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3289060/CRUFT/

Thanks for reading =)