Steam-Key

[Hugin]

Bought this game on Desura - where it's no longer available - months ago. How will I get the Steam-Key?

[.Robert]

Hi,
please send me an email to [e-mail]

[Wardiaper]

Hey, I just got mine. I bought it through your webiste and got a Desura key and wasn't expecting a steam key. Thank you!

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Maybe you should send keys to some of the really smart youtubers from some of the bigger building games (Space Engineers, Kerbal, Medieval Engineers, Infinifactory, LogicBots, From the Deep, etc.). This game strikes me as the Dwarf Fortress of engineering games. Steep learning curve, graphics look terrible, building menu icons look like an older 3D modeling program (can't remember the name off hand), unorthodox controls, but under that is maybe the best building game ever made from what I can see - both architectural/engineering as well as logic for machines.

I'm going to try to find some time this week to play more and get some screenshots. I really hope some people discover what this game does and can show it off better than I can (and I just discovered that giant time sink known as Destiny). I bought this about a year ago because it reminded me of Tricky Truck, but that game is more about the driving than the level building (although has a nice level editor). This game comes from the opposite approach with building a level so you can drive your truck to the goal. I don't have enough gaming time (even though bought months ago) because of work and other games and rarely even start up Desura so I kind of forgot about the game for a long time.

And I believe the developer is from Germany? (sorry I'm an idiot about country flags from your website), so there may be a little language barrier and why the store page may be worded differently, a few misspellings.

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Edit - The main menu seems different in a good way from the last time I played with smaller, snappier buttons and a nice clean look. Maybe the build menu in the game could use a little makeover for a smaller, cleaner, sharper look.

Also, not sure if the terrain is editable. It would be great to be able to import some nice height maps from World Machine for some really great looking, realistic terrains and maybe able to place some objects like rocks and trees to dress it up a bit. Would do wonders for screenshots. Or as an alternative go the opposite direction - Just a clean look with vertex colored terrain without the textures because the terrain has a sort of faceted look to it already. Some recent games like "Grow Home," "Minimum" and "Autocraft" have a great clean look without textures.

By the way, the steam store page has 3 videos that are just black with no videos - might want to remove those or see why the videos are missing.

Sorry for being so long with this post. I'm getting kind of attached to this game for some odd reason (I'm not smart enough to build anything super complex) but would really like to see it do well. From the screenshots and videos of the bridges, cranes, walking machines I can see there is something pretty great to discover.

[.Robert]

hey,
thanks for your suggestions and appreciatory criticism!

Originally posted by Wardiaper:

This game strikes me as the Dwarf Fortress of engineering games. Steep learning curve, graphics look terrible, unorthodox controls, but under that is maybe the best building game ever made from what I can see - both architectural/engineering as well as logic for machines.

that sounds like a nice review i would say.

-yes its germany. Sorry for the kindergarten english, take it as a running gag.
-the terrain will be editable in the future. The leveleditor will probably come with the overnext big update. A height map would be nice, should be possible. Also placing objects like trees.
-the look and textures: i tried a bit, but ended up with simplified textures for the triangles. The levelterrains could be replaced by 3d modells, like in the norway level. But mostly makes sense for the 3d.Bridges part. Engineer will focus more on the tools and functions of the editor and a possible export of the constructions to other games.

[Wardiaper]

I just have to say that once you figure out the controls it really is a joy to bulid stuff in this game and the truck handles great. The camera was kind of odd but then I discovered "Q" and "E" for zoom and dragging and dropping the camera where I wanted my view centered. Also, took a while to figure out clicking the mouse wheel to quit building the current girder. But it's all good now and maybe I was too harsh about the graphics. The icons and building grid are kinda big and seem a little fuzzy or blurry, but the levels are nice and clean and most important the game plays very good and is fun. I would say the game is 75% building and 25% driving skill. It's a really good combination.

[.Robert]

i see you personalized the standard terrain textures.
The 3d interface is not common, but i have seen people getting into it fast.
Most problems is with the grids height and to get used to chancel the creation of girders with the middle mouse button.
you already made real bridges in the tutorials, what isnt needed to solve the task. I uploaded a screenshot to artworks and screenshots section to show how simple the constructions can be. You can build foundations everywhere on the terrain.

[Wardiaper]

Ah, I see about the building simpler structures instead of bridges (but bridges are fun!). I don't know if it's because I was using the default profile in the game that I was able to look at the levels deeper in the game without having to play through all the previous levels, but it looks like the goal for the castle level might be placed wrong? It is in the parking area near the truck instead of across the area where you need to build a bridge. There was another one like that also but forget which level. It might just be the "3DBE" profile I was using that has everything unlocked?

Your game is really excellent and I only changed a few textures to see if I could get a different look to the game. I think that might initially turn people away. Look at a game like Besiege and how popular that game has become so quickly. The controls are super easy, the graphics are beautiful. the building is very intuitive and fast to build things, and you have to squish little soldiers and blow up some structure on the map with your creations.

I really think the building in your game is at the same level or maybe even better in some areas than Besiege, but most people look at it really quickly and move along to the next game that is visually appealing (and where things blow up and you squish little people). And it's kind of hard finding your game in the steam store.

I wish I had more time to build in this game and post more pics and maybe even some videos. I have too much work lately and I have been playing with Unity and now Leadwerks. But your game has a permanent place on my hard drive.

Your game kind of reminds me of World of Goo but in 3D.

[.Robert]

yes with the default profile you can access most of the levels.
All terrains in the Scenes1 and Scenes2 campaign are out of 3d.Bridges. (You can choose to play the standalone game 3d.Bridges at the start), but without real tasks.
The idea is that you can use these terrains as playgrounds for any constructions. See 3d Bridge Engineer as the enhanced version.

Best idea is to start with 3d.Bridges, as it has simplified controls and functionality. And you have 29 tasks only about bridgebuilding and you have to fight through to access the levels.

Yes it should be more market friendly.
and maybe there is a way to make it easier to find on steamshop.
btw. the textures are deliverd to make changes possible. i just wondered first if it has a different look on your computer