On a Roll isn’t dead after all. In a very unexpected email earlier this month, the creator of the game, Jelle, gave us some insight into what’s going on, why the delays, and what’s next from here. Here is the full update.
Hi everyone,
It’s been a while, hasn’t it?
I’m still alive and I hope each and every one of you is doing good as well, especially in these strange times. I want you to know that the project has NOT been abandoned as some people wrongly assume. I’m still working on On a Rollwhen I can! In fact, the Steam version of the game has been getting small, but regular updates every few months. The truth is, things don’t always work out the way you plan them to. On a Roll is a very ambitious project considering the size of its team which consisted of only 2 people when we started out. Since the Early Access release of the game, it has been reduced to a single person. So things are taking longer than expected. This of course means more budget is required to continue development. In the meantime however I’m doing all I can to further development in my spare time while doing freelance work for other game development studios, because I’m passionate about games and because the bills have to paid.
Meanwhile lots of exciting things have happened for the game, like publishers showing interest, rewards finally starting to ship and amazing creations being made by the fan community of On a Roll.
Want to hear the latest about On a Roll? Here goes!
Progress and new features
Since the Early Access release, a lot of new features and improvements have been implemented. Here are some examples of these improvements:
· Custom map support: you can now design and play your own levels in the game. Been waiting to skate your favorite local skatepark in On a Roll? You can now start building it yourself using the new Custom map loading feature, I recently implemented. All info about this can be found in the installation folder of your game and in the On a Roll Discord.
· Improved Inverse Kinematics. This system makes sure your skater’s feet always align nicely to the surface and also prevents the feet from sinking through the ground like they did before.
· The possibility to skate over low obstacles such as curbs and ledges without bumping into them or without having to jump
· New droppable objects added
· Performance Optimization
· Improved reaction time for reversing
· Lots of previously un-grindable obstacles are now finally grindable
· Pumping on quarterpipes no longer requires you to release the acceleration button
· Added support for NVIDEA Ansel to create up to 64k screenshots
Mods and community
Did you know that On a roll has an amazing fan community on Discord? And that people are modding skaters, skates, clothing and even building entirely new levels using the new custom map feature? Check out this video by Efori for example!
If you want to join the On a Roll Discord, you can do so here. The admins and members are a fun, friendly bunch, who are always sharing clips, creations and technical advice if needed. Please always adhere to the community rules, though. Offensive or derogatory comments will not be tolerated.
Awards are being shipped
I’ve started shipping awards, guys! Some of you have already received your rewards whereas others are still waiting. If you are wondering if you have to do something extra to get yours, don’t worry. All that’s necessary is to wait for an email from me to confirm your current shipping address. This could be next week, or a few of months from now. Please keep in mind that this is a slow process since I’m now a one-man team and am paying for shipping with my own limited funds, but rest assured, ALL rewards are being shipped.
Funding
We’ve had a couple of meetings with game publishers who are interested in taking On a Roll to a new level which is pretty exciting! Nothing has been set in stone yet, though. In game development, these deals tend to take a long time before they come to fruition, but so far, it’s all looking promising.
If you or someone you know works in games and knows of other serious investors/publishers who might also be interested in On a Roll, feel free to reach out to me. That way we can go for the most suitable business partner and bring you guys the game you’ve all been dreaming of without compromising.
The future with streaming
Since the Kickstarter for On a Roll launched, a lot has changed in the game development world. Streaming is becoming more and more sophisticated, and this could open possibilities for On a Roll. Streaming a game means you don’t need a powerful rig anymore, which could solve a lot of problems for those of you who don’t have a powerful gaming computer. I’m currently researching how to implement some of these possibilities.
More questions? The On a Roll FAQ can be found at www.onarollthegame.com/FAQ
In closing here’s another great fan edit by one of our community members. I’m so glad you guys keep making these, because they truly show how creative you can get with On a Roll. Keep in mind some of the footage may have been captured on a less than optimal gaming system causing the framerate to be less fluent than it could be. Nonetheless I like this edit so much I decided to include it anyway:
Thank you for your continued support!
All the best,
Jelle