DevBlog #42

Redbeet HQ reporting! If you are curious about what we have been upto this month and also want to see new teasers for The Third Chapter, keep reading!

This month we continued to work on assets and puzzles for the next destination, had meetings about the new story notes and have also been going through your suggestions as we are on the design phase for the next chapter and destinations. Oh, did I write destinations? Yes, we can confirm that Varuna Point won’t be the only destination we are planning on bringing with The Third Chapter.

On that note, feel free to leave us your suggestions in this Raft Community Suggestions Form. We appreciate your feedback a lot!

VARUNA POINT

Let’s start with another concept art on our next destination. We already shared a concept piece for Varuna Point in our past blog DevBlog #41, but now we have one more we can show you! This time you can also see what our vision is for this destination above the sea level.

NEW ENEMY

Varuna Point lays deep in the ocean. But does that mean there are creepy creatures waiting for you as well? Let’s answer this by showing you this enemy we have been working on:

We were planning on making another Dev Insight video for you all, showing how we created this cute fishy, however, we forgot to press the record button. ːsteamsadː But fear not! We got some concept art and progress pictures for you!

BUILDING EVENT WINNERS

As you might already know, we have been holding a building event the past weeks! Yesterday this event ended and we picked our 4 winners! If you have missed, you can check out the winners and their rafts here:

Building Event Winners

Congratulations to the winners and thanks to all who shared their rafts with us! We were blown away with your creativity and what you could build!

DEVELOPER AMA

Last but not least, we had an “Ask Me Anything” event last friday on our discord server and we thought it might be nice to collect the answered questions here as well to make it available for all. You can also read all of the questions and answers in our discord server in the channel “ama-answered”.

The Redbeets who were online and answered your questions during this AMA session were;

Semih, the Lead Programmer & Co-Founder of Redbeet Interactive
Ellen, 3D Artist & Co-Founder of Redbeet Interactive
André, 3D/2D Artist & Co-Founder of Redbeet Interactive
Gabriel, Programmer
Petter, 3D Artist

We also want to thank our wonderful Discord Staff who moderated this event and made it possible for us to answer your questions.

Here are the AMA questions we had time to answer this time:

• Will you add new clothes? Or our characters will be always in the same clothes? by SHURIK#5666
  André: Character customization is something we've been wanted to add for a long time, but it's quite challenging to do at the stage where we're at. So we're honestly not sure.
• Who came up with the screecher? Great modeling, but why, just why? by diamondblock1510#2034
  André: The screecher was my design. Thank you! And I'm sorry :/
• Are there any plans on the future to allow rafters to start and stop all engines at once using a switch from anywhere on the ship? by ThatGuyPlays#8335
  Semih: We do agree that it would be really neat to add the ability to start/stop all engines at once. I can't promise we will implement it but if we figure out a "logical/good looking way" for it we will probably add it. :)
• Is there a plan for new music in raft? by GlobaleiLP#4790
  Gabriel: Yes, our music producer Jannik is working on new music for each patch of the game.
• How many chapters do you plan to release before there's an ending to the game? by wout#8101
  André: We have a plan at the moment, but since there's a big change that those plans might change due to feedback and stuff like that, we can't really disclose that at the moment.
• Are you considering adding weapons like pistols, ak etc. in the later chapters of the game? by acog#5836
  Ellen: Advanced fire arms do not fit into our vision of Raft, so no, those are not the kind of weapons we are planning to add.
• Does the team have any sort of expected timeline for the seagull rework, and do you plan to add any additional seagull or seagull-related mechanics to the game? by C13#4269
  Semih: We are hoping to rework the seagull's bad AI in Chapter 3. We do not have a release date but I'm pretty sure it will be in that patch. We may change some mechanics but nothing is decided yet.
  ​
• What does a 3d generalist do? by Dahjro#1944
  Petter: I do all kinds of things related to 3D modelling, including texturing, sculpting, and sometimes animating and VFX.
• When did you guys found Redbeet Interactive? Are you planning on making other games? by Dahjro#1944
  André: Me, Semih and Ellen founded the studio in 2017, right after our university studies. As Devs, we always want to make new things, but we can't say for sure yet. :)
• How many islands are you going to add in nearest update? by AFgames#7405
  Ellen: There will be more than Varuna Point, and also more standard islands depending on biomes.
• As an avid player of the game, I wonder about the future of it more than anything. Specifically, whether or not the game will ever support any other platforms like, PlayStation, X-Box, or Nintendo?
  Also, I am a creator myself and I am wondering what version of Unity you are on. Also, if anything in the game itself is from the asset store . And one final question as both avid player, VR enthusiast/Player and game creator I wonder if the game will ever have VR support, Or if Redbeet Interactive will ever make a VR title? by Secretly You#9437
  Gabriel: We currently don't know about getting the game to be supported for console.
  We are currently using Unity 2019.3.5f1 and quite avidly using OdinInspector from the assetstore. VR support seems improbable but would be cool, and for future games. Only the future will tell. :)
• Any plans to make it possible to paint one side of a wall one color and the other side of the wall a different color? by Cenelo#5462
  André: No, not at this stage I'm afraid. :/
• Why was "Bruce you Bastard" removed, and can it please be returned? by HPLovelock
  #9734
  Gabriel: Currently it was removed because it was insensitive wording, and some people took offense to it, it will probably not be returned.
  ​
• Could you maybe add servers so that you could have multiple rafts battle each other or just server multiple raft fun in general? by ChocolateEater#7522
  Semih: Unfortunately it is not easy to add that kind of multiplayer with our current networking setup. :(
• What programming language is the game written in? by spencetrooper#7368
  Gabriel: C#, in Unity
• Are you planning to add bigger supernatural bosses,like mama bear but bigger? by ElChubbio#0646
  André: Perhaps... (hinthint)
• Will there be new sharks and new characters? by <>#9709
  Semih: Undecided for now. New enemies will for sure come, but we can't say if they will be specifically sharks.
  ​
• I noticed that all of the regular sized islands have shifted from needing additional buildings to climb on to not needing it at all. Are you planning to make all the islands walk on a return to that old kind or a mixture of the two? by Elixiroftheshield#2989
  Ellen: We changed the way we built the islands, from using models to the unity terrain tool, which forced us to change the over-all design of them. These island should also be possible to explore/reach no matter if you just have a 2x2 raft or a mansion, so to answer your question: The regular islands will continue to not require a big raft to reach. :)
• Will there still be steam key give aways? by Koga ᶜᵘʳʳʸ#7502
  Semih: Yes, make sure you keep your eyes on our social media where our Community Manager Ilayda does giveaways from time to time.
• What program do you use for 3D animations? And if possible 2D aswell. by ℝ𝕒𝕪 <𝟛(Bakugo)#6605
  Petter: All of us artists use Blender for modeling, Substance Painter for texturing and Photoshop for general 2D stuff like concept art. For animations we tend to either animate in Blender or in Unity.
• How did coronavirus impact the development? by Agnes Brickenden II#9610
  André: For quite a big chunk of the past year, we've been working from home. This has ofcourse forced us to adapt to a new way of collaborating, but I think we've managed it pretty well. But yeah, I'd say there's been some delays in productivity due to this, but nothing major. We're very lucky to be in an industry where we can work from home without major issues.
• In what year RAFT start to be created and how and in which program? by Octafoca#5985
  Ellen: We started developing Raft using Unity in late 2016 during a university course.
• Are there any Easter Eggs that you can give us a hint on? by Zakbar#7808
  Petter: Some things are hiding in a few obscure spots on Vasagatan and Tangaroa :)
• -Will there be any new materials in the new update?
  -Will there be any new building "blocks" in the new update?
  -Could you make it possible to split your raft in 2 pieces? Maybe you need to connect them with a rope or something like that? by BenniGameZ#5901
  André: -We're still early in the development for the next chapter, so it's hard to say for now. But hopefully :)
  -Kinda the same answer on this one i'm afraid :P
  -This requires quite massive changes to the core code of the raft, as well as major changes to design elements, so it's unlikely.
• Will we be able to automate the junk collection process more? Or maybe convert our junk into other junk? by qweekertom#2367
  Semih: Hopefully we can figure out some cool way to make use of all the resources you get too much of. :)
• How do you find the "OP" weapon? by CaiPlayZ#1410
  Petter: You're not ready for it. Nobody is.
• Will you add more sea life? Like dolphins, whales, sea turtles etc? It's such a vast ocean and it needs more life. by Gecko#0832
  André: We're definitely adding more life to the ocean, but at the moment we can't go into detail. ^^
• Will there be more stuff to craft with titanium? by AceD2#7558
  Gabriel: Yes, there probably will be. We have a couple of ideas to make the resource have continuous value. I like treasure hunting. ;)
• I have a question to you Ellen, I see you are working hard on the islands and destinations. I've been thinking if you can add a new underwater ore? It would be really nice, and that could add more materials. :) by I.L.Y#7383
  Ellen: When we add new materials we look at what items we want to add and if we need new materials in order to craft them. If we decide to add an item that will need a certain ore to craft, then we might add it to the under water reefs. :)
• Hello, I was wondering what you're ultimate goal is for Raft as a game, like the direction you wanted to take the game in? A survival experience with a story that guides it? Or a story rpg that also has survival? by Duffy1722#7981
  Semih: We are mainly focusing on Survival with a story that guides it as of now. :)
• Can you make it so we can smelt bolts and hinges into metal ingots? by Toyboy#9030
  Semih: Good idea!
• Are you guys ever gonna have any underwater building? Such as maybe underwater parts to your raft? by Wazowskeet#3051
  Gabriel: It does sound like a cool idea, but its practice will be rather hard to implement. We will have it in mind, and the future will tell. :)
• Can you make it so when in creative the raft can still go and not stand still? by Viktorz#7019
  Semih: We keep the raft anchored in creative in order to get better performance to make it possible to build bigger stuff in creative.
• What was your inspiration to make Raft in the first place? by Skiddles Mcdiddles#7589
  André: The basic idea of surviving on a small raft had been around for a while, but the previous courses during university wasnt really fitting to make it.
• Why can't we change the colour of the rug? by Silent Thunder#2924
  André: There's really no specific reason. We'll hopefully add this in the future. :)
• What is the most important part of game development? by Cowland#4563
  Semih: Communication and planning is one of the most important part of game development in my opinion.
• Will the Jellyfish have any use? by Parrot#9194
  Semih: It won't be harvestable but it will be able to sting/shock you.
  ​
• I loved the diving on Caravan Island. Any plans for deep sea content? Air hoses, diving helmets/bells, etc.? I'd love to explore the deep ocean! by sdJasper#5844
  André: There's definitely plans for more deep sea gameplay content. For example, the new destination we've teased, Varuna Point, is going to be quite deep. :)
• Can you tell me how to kill the pufferfish? by legit trash#6081
  Gabriel: Use bow and arrow, or be very careful with a melee-weapon. :)
• Do you think there is a possibility of adding whales to the game? by Taz#0003
  Semih: The idea sounds cool but we can't promise anything.
  I would imagine it would be mostly for feeling instead of gameplay. :)
  ​
• Will t-shirts or toys be produced? by Сом#9243
  André: We'd really like to make this available, but there's a lot of worked involved in making this sustainable and good quality, so we cant say for sure at this time.
• Could you add the ability to change game difficulty once the world has been created? by guilemus#6830
  Semih: I would like to do this in the future. It is not a priority right now but I agree that it would be great. :)
• Are we allowed to stream the game on Twitch with the soundtrack on? by tacticalillusion#1196
  Ellen: Yes, you can stream with the soundtrack since we think the music adds a lot to the game!
• On Oct. 13th, 2016, you made a blog post about a new unnamed concept for the course Game Design in Practice that you decided to call "Raft" as a working title. How does it feel comparing the scope of the game then to what you and the team have achieved now? Post in question: https://emellaker.wordpress.com/2016/10/13/new-unnamed-concept/ by Oppaikun#2226
  André: At the time we started the project we never imagined it would become what it is today. So the scope we had back then was in no way near to where we're at now. It's been an amazing oppurtunity to be able to work on this and we're super happy and excited about what the future might hold! :)
• Are you planning to add more recipes? by Spongebob#9712
  Semih: Yes, we will most likely add more and also revamp/rebalance the current once in future patches.
• Will we be getting some kind of automation? Maybe electric smelters and a system to automatically put smelted items into storages? by Thugloot#6963
  Semih: Automating is always fun. Since we now have a battery charger, there is no limit to electrical machines.
• Will there be more DevInsight videos? Cause I really love them! Im watching them over and over again to fall asleep! by xByNilzz#5157
  Petter: We're hoping to make more. We just have to get better at remembering to record footage to make insights out of! :)
• Hello dear devs, i wanted to ask if ur going to add some limited events in Raft in the future? Like with unique stuff on Halloween & Christmas? by Dynam1k#6354
  Ellen: Adding seasonal changes is something we definitely want to have in the future, like pumpkins for Halloween or decorated trees for Christmas!
• How did you guys came up with the idea to make a video game? And how do you keep motivated to keep working on raft? by Injectr#0001
  André: We studied game development when we started making raft :) Motivation comes a lot from the great feedback from our players. But before we had released the game, I think the best way to stay motivated is to frequently get a playable build ready, so you can clearly see the progress you're making!
• Why Unity? And are you using a tweening library and if so which one? by Loafwad#5676
  Semih: We chose Unity since that is what we had most experience with at the time. We are not using any tweening library.
• Will the old Bow System where you didnt have to shoot the arrow and right click to cancel the shot once charged ever come back? by ˚ . ✦ Gadzstar ✦ . ˚#6252
  Semih: We may put in an option for you to choose between the two systems. The reason why we changed is because some players were experiencing issues holding left and right mouse button at the same time, especially on laptops without external mouse.
• André and Petter, what models did you make? by Agnes Brickenden II#9610
  André: I've done quite a lot of models, but some examples are the butlerbot, shark, coconut tree etc.
  Petter: I've made too many to list here and I don't even remember all of them at this point. They range from items you use on the raft, to decorations on story islands, to general junk that you're not really supposed to be looking at up close. Some of the most prominent things you can find on the raft, off the top of my head, are the receiver, the engine, the large storage and the radio with all its cassette tapes. :)
• Are you guys hiring any creation directors? I would love to give you some ideas of my own and the community's. by velly#2020
  André: We're not planning on hiring any creative directors at the moment.
• Do you devs know or like JoJo's Bizarre Adventure? by Oskar#7456
  Petter: I do but I keep quiet about it. Part 7 is the best part.
• What is your favorite pizza topping? by Maxwell#4646
  André: I mean, i like to mix it up, but i think if i'd have to pick a favourite, it has to be kebab!
  Ellen: Pineapple!
  Semih: Banana and Curry!

Well, that is all for us for now!
Thank you so much for giving our blog a read. We hope this was fun and informative. ːsteamhappyː

Until we talk again, good luck Rafting!

//Redbeet HQ

P.S. Make sure to follow us on our social media to follow all the latest Raft news!
Discord: https://discord.gg/raft
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RaftGame/
Twitter: @raftsurvivagame
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/RaftTheGame/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redbeetinteractive/