Demo and Steam Next Fest

[img src="https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images/45528489/cf7d45ab724ca08989a83e317f3682ff4a2f5021.png"][/img]

The public demo of no brake no gain launched at the start of May, and the response has been amazing. Huge thanks to everyone who jumped in, tore through the levels, and (sometimes reluctantly) shared feedback after getting obliterated by a spinning laser. The feedback has already resulted in multiple balance changes, UI tweaks, and bug fixes.

The demo features three areas and a fourth area, which is only available for the truly determined. And with Steam Next Fest kicking off, even more players will get to drive, crash, and rage their way through the chaos. Dont forget: the demo will continue to receive updates throughout the event, including...

Multiplayer Minigames

[img src="https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images/45528489/60e86c8e013f1a6ed33635d21cceadf258e0c4f8.jpg"][/img]

All multiplayer cars are now built, tested, and fully tuned for chaos. Each comes with unique skins and visual loadouts to help players show off in the level. These arent just cosmetic, each car has a slightly different engine so choosing the best car sometimes means not picking the prettiest car.

Minigames are fully playable in the demo, and theyre built to be short, intense, and endlessly replayable. Here's whats included:

• Pass the Bomb - Classic hot potato mechanic with a ticking explosive twist. If you're holding the bomb when the timer hits zero, you're toast. Drive fast. Think faster. And maybe don't get too close to anyone.

• Checkpoint - Race to collect checkpoints scattered around the level. First player to hit the score limit wins. Expect tight turns, brutal takeovers, and a lot of screaming.

• Capture the Flag - It's exactly what you think - CTF, but in turbo-charged cars. Steal, chase, defend, repeat. Don't drop the flag unless you're ready to lose.

• Delivery - Race to grab briefcases and return them to the drop zone. But its never that easy. Getting the case is one thing, keeping it under pressure is another.

• Survive - Zombies in cars? Zombie cars? Who knows, just stay alive as long as you can. The longer you survive, the faster and more aggressive they get. This mode is pure adrenaline.

New Hazards

With the new batch of game modes came a fresh wave of hazards to challenge players in both singleplayer and multiplayer modes:

• Flame Burst - A circular, instant burst of fire. Step into the blast radius and say goodbye.

• Teleporter - Warp across the map... but where you end up could be safety or straight into a trap.

• Turret - Auto-targeting and quick-firing. Think youre safe because you're in a car? Think again.

• Moving Platform - Timing-based platforms that move on loops. Precision is everything.

• Conveyor Belt - Subtly sabotage your trajectory by dragging you in unintended directions.

These are designed not just for spectacle, but for gameplay variance. Every hazard has a unique trigger or timing logic.

Summary

This months update is fashionably late, but rather late than never. The demo is live, multiplayer minigames are fully functional, and hazards are ready to terrorize even the most seasoned players. From a dev perspective, having these systems in place means I now have all the tools I need to finish building out the final challenge content.

June will be all about content. My goal is to complete the remaining singleplayer challenges, balancing them based on data and feedback from the demo. Once thats locked in, Ill be shifting gears toward final polish, performance testing, and preparing the game for release later this year.

Until next time, happy gaming!

[ 2025-06-09 16:18:54 CET ] [ Original post ]

The no brake no gain demo is officially out and available now for everyone!! Massive thanks to everyone who joined the playtest last month, your feedback directly shaped the demo and helped push the game to a much better state. Whats in the Demo?

• Drive through the first three challenge areas.
• Unlock the fourth area... if you've got the skills.
• Test your limits against high-speed hazards, precise platforming, and punishing level design.

Found a bug? Have feedback? Im actively listening. Your input helps fine-tune the experience, so please share anything you find. Coming Soon: Minigames Update In just a few weeks, the demo will be updated with the Minigames game mode, which is perfect for those who want to challenge friends or dive into chaotic local-multiplayer driving. Until then Stay sharp on the road, and see you soon!

[ 2025-05-02 17:56:05 CET ] [ Original post ]

Playtest Feedback - Fixes and Improvements

The Playtest has been running for a full month now, and I want to give a big thank you to everyone who participated, submitted feedback, and broke the game in ways I hadnt even imagined. From Discord discussions to private DMs, your feedback has been invaluableand has already led to a wave of fixes and quality-of-life improvements:

• Even Faster Challenge Starts: The intro sequences are now snappier, and hazards (like laser traps) are properly synced with player movement from the very first second. No more unfair early deaths!
• Clearer Interactive Items: Jump pads, boost pads, and other special items now have visible meshes that match their trigger zones, making it way easier for players to predict interactions mid-run.
• Improved Collision on Containers: Container colliders have been updated to prevent tires from getting stuck on gaps, smoothing out the platforming segments.
• Garage and Leaderboard Fixes: Numerous backend tweaks and UI fixes to make customization and stat tracking more reliable and satisfying.
• Instant Photo Mode Access: A dedicated button has been added to jump straight into Photo Mode anytime during gameplay. Perfect for capturing those glorious (or hilarious) moments.

Of course, a few stubborn bugs are still lurking, but theyre already on the hit list for upcoming patches.

New Challenges New Hazards, New Cars

Development on the singleplayer Challenges continued strong this month. Although I didnt hit full completion yet as I wanted, progress is still going steady. Two new major areas have been added, each introducing fresh gameplay twists:

• New hazards such as wrecking balls that are timed to swing and timed gates that force players to either speed up or time their approach perfectly to avoid being crushed.
• New cars as the SUV that you will be driving in the Wild West, or drifting your Sports Car in Ancient Japan.

As always, the handling, weight distribution, and unique physics quirks of each car will challenge players to adapt fast.

Optimizations for Low-End Hardware

I've been heavily optimizing the game to make sure it runs well not just on PC, but on lower-end devices like the Nintendo Switch. Some of the updates I have done are:

• Texture Streaming and Compression: Improved asset loading and reduced memory footprint without sacrificing too much visual fidelity.
• LOD Adjustments: Smarter Level of Detail (LOD) swapping for distant objects to improve framerate stability.
• Mobile Test Builds: I even ran experimental mobile builds! While theyre functional and surprisingly fun, there are currently no plans for a mobile release, mostly due to the difficulty of finding a monetization model that fits the game's design without compromising the experience.

Still, its reassuring to know that scalability is there if needed for future expansions.

Minigames Mode A New Focus

Here's the big shift this month... instead of finishing all the singleplayer challenges first, I shifted gears (pun intended) and focused on setting up the Minigames game modes. Setting up the minigames has been way more complex than expected:

• Custom Car Selection: Players can now pick their ride for specific minigames.
• Cross-Level Compatibility: Ensuring all minigames work across every multiplayer level.
• Balancing: Each mode needs to feel fair whether you're driving a lightweight coupe or a hulking pickup.

There are five distinct minigames planned, offering a big change of pace compared to the main challenges. While they arent ready to be shown yet, getting them into a working, testable state ismy new top priority. This is because...

Playtest Ends, Demo Incoming!

The playtest is dead! Long live the demo! Thanks to all the feedback, Ive decided to retire the playtest with a full public demo coming early May. The demo will include:

• A slice of the Challenge mode.
• Several vehicles to try.
• (Hopefully) at least a couple of Minigames, if theyre ready in time.

If the minigames don't make the initial demo launch, theyll be added in a follow-up update shortly after. The goal is to give new players a real taste of the full games chaos, variety, and (sometimes painful) challenge.

Summary

While I didnt finish everything I set out to do (mainly due to shifting priorities), Im happy with the progress made and, more importantly, Im setting up the game for a strong public reveal next month. In May, I will be focusing on finalizing the first batch of minigames, wrapping up the remaining Challenges, and polishing the demo based on early feedback. Thank you again for your patience, support, and feedback. Its been amazing seeing players engage with the game alreadyand I cant wait to show you even more soon. Until next time, happy gaming!

[ 2025-04-30 16:58:51 CET ] [ Original post ]

Store Page

[previewyoutube=QD8GGQb1ZLE;full][/previewyoutube] A big milestone was achieved this month, with the Steam store page being officially live, and the game having been announced! Players can now wishlist the game and follow updates as I get closer to launch. Wishlisting is a huge help for smaller games like mine, so if youre excited to play, go ahead and hit that button!

Steam Deck

For all the Steam Deck users out there, good news: the game runs on Steam Deck! While there are still some minor optimizations to be made, the core gameplay works smoothly, making it possible to take on high-precision challenges from anywhere. Ill continue refining performance to make sure it feels just as tight and responsive on handheld as it does on a PC. If youre playing on Steam Deck, feel free to drop feedback - its always helpful to fine-tune the experience!

Steam Playtest

Want to get hands-on with the game before release? The Steam Playtest is now live! This is an extra, extra early way to try the game, provide feedback, and help shape development.

• How to join: Sign up via the Steam store page.
• How it works: Players will be let in in batches so I can gather feedback, fix bugs, and improve gameplay step by step.
• How long does it last? The Playtest will be running until the end of April, so theres plenty of time to jump in!

The goal of this Playtest is to gather feedback on core gameplay, physics, and challenge design. If youre into fast-paced precision driving and brutal obstacles, Id love to hear your thoughts!

New Challenges

More challenges have been added this month, expanding the range of environments, obstacles, and hazards players will have to conquer. New challenge areas also mean more vehicles to master, each bringing a unique handling style. While I didnt get as many challenges finished as I wanted, progress is steady. Balancing each challenge to feel fun, fair, and chaotic in the right way takes time, but the results are shaping up to be worth it.

Summary

March was a huge month with:

• Store page being launched and the game officially announced
• Steam Deck support confirmed
• Steam Playtest opened for early players
• New challenges and vehicles added

Next month, my focus is clear: more challenges. The goal is to make all singleplayer challenges playable to a certain extent. After that I will be focusing on making sure each challenge feels polished and exciting. If youre in the Steam Playtest, keep the feedback coming - its been incredibly helpful so far. And if you havent joined yet, theres still time! Until next time, happy gaming!

[ 2025-03-31 18:09:25 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello new drivers, Playtest sign-ups are now live! A huge thank you to everyone who has already joined - we're thrilled to have you on board.
We'll be rolling out access in batches very soon. While we cant give an exact date just yet, we're making sure everything is tuned up for the best experience possible. We cant wait to hear your feedback! Stay sharp on the road, and see you soon!

[ 2025-03-27 19:15:13 CET ] [ Original post ]