Roadclub on STEAM: First DEV REport

For anyone following our progress here's an update on what we've done since last week when we started moving Roadclub to Steam. I'll try to make this a weekly report if there is anything to add on the previous week.

New features

• Completed basic steam integration. We've added the Steamworks API and the in-game steam overlay is running nicely.
• Added technical support for any resolution. The old non-steam game was locked to 800x600. Roadclub looks great in Full HD! This does not include any UI improvements to support other resolutions, just that the lock is removed and we've prepared to make it possible to have hi-def UIs in the game. The races look good already though!
• Resolutions and refresh rates are now picked up from whatever your desktop is set at.
• We set the normal difficulty as default and added a "Very hard" difficulty.
  
• Changed logo screen to use our new Solid Core logo.
• You can now exit the game from the main menu with ESC.
• Menus and UI is now rendered with linear filtering which makes things look cleaner and not so pixely. (This is one of the few smaller indie games NOT running with a pixely retro art style :))

Fixed bugs and improvements

• Fixed AI so it is better at handling slides and spinning tires and low-grip situations.
• Fixed ghost car animation playback so it is smooth instead of jittery.
• Fixed camera now being able to render the game in widescreen resolutions.
• Fixed a nasty rendering bug that caused flickering objects which only occurred when v-sync was off, you ran in a release build and in fullscreen together with a very high framerate and a moving camera and using certain settings and a certain sprite class.
  
• Fixed a few bugs related to file paths and profiles.
  
• Fixed images and DirectX sampler states that caused artifacts and ugly colors to appear with linear filtering on UI elements.
• Cleaned up the menu backdrop animations a bit.
• We polished some elements on UI screens that were aligned improperly.
  

Working on at the moment

• More work on the AI and it's path following logic.
• Start work on resolution independent placement for UI.

• We've been playing a lot with different cars and tracks and listening to the old soundtrack and we are reviewing what stays and what doesn't. Soon we'll start making new tracks and improve on those that made the cut.
  
• We are looking into improving the worst parts of the current graphics together with an Art Director.
• Also working on the legal stuff to sign everything needed for a Steam release and our very own steam app id so we can start to play with achievements.
• Hopefully we'll make it easier to use a gamepad without having to setup your own config to play.
• We are thinking about adding new music at least from my own electronic music project Benni Sines but will also look into adding more music from other artists as well. Let us know if you want to contribute :)

That's it! Hopefully it proves we're working hard to get this game on Steam ASAP!

Until next time!
/Benny