Dear Mechanics!

Welcome to our seventy-third Development Status update.
Let’s get straight to business.

Art Progress:

We wrote a nice PDF with instructions of how to make Custom Assets and how to put them to the game.

With this manual you will learn how to prepare files such as tank camouflage, decals, posters to your warehouse which can be used in Customization Panel.

Also you can learn how and where to put your own audio files like music to be played in the Radio.

This PDF Manual as well as attached files will be stored in same place as your game is installed with next demo build update. But you can preview it right now!

Download TMS Custom Assets PDF v0.1

From the new in-game stuff we have improved the layout in the mailbox.

For easier reading we added different colors for example for finished, active or failed contracts.

One of the new things is also the ability to hide the legend.

Code Progress:

Last week wasn’t very busy – getting back to work after Easter is a hard job. We’ve made good progress to clean reported bugs, yet we still need at least a week.

If you have any suggestions, ideas or questions share it with us! 🙂

TMS Official Discord server – https://discord.gg/HPbJj9y

TMS Official Feedback Tracker
http://tankmechanicsimulator.com/redmine/projects/tank-mechanic-simulator-feedback/issues

Or write to us at contact@degenerals.com

Have a good weekend and see you next week!

DeGenerals

Dear Mechanics!

Welcome to our seventy-second Development Status update.
Let’s get straight to business.

Art Progress:

Yes, this beauty joined our growing tank collection. We are currently working on implementing PzKpfw IV Ausf. G tank to the game. Can’t wait to run the engine and test it on a test drive.

The Panzerkampfwagen IV (PzKpfw IV), commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a German medium tank developed in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War.

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzer_IV

Our little tribute to Polish black and white TV series called “Four Tank-Men and a Dog”. In the TV show, the tank crew was driving the T-34/85 called “Rudy” (Ginger) with the identifying number “102”.

New posters has been delivered to the warehouse. You might of course still choose them in workshop, office and museum.

One of the member of our community ThatFryedMaus  suggested on our TMS Feedback Tracker a poster with KV-1 as being captured and used by Germans.

The Germans used Beutepanzers to gain insight into enemy technology and to augment its own armored forces. Beutepanzers were usually repainted to sport distinctive national emblems and unit insignia in order to reduce friendly fire from other Axis forces.

source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beutepanzer

Code Progress:

New tank loading process is finished. With next update we’re pushing this new process, so all feedback is welcome 🙂

Next week won’t be fruitful with new mechanics – we’re going to spend it to fix ALL reported bugs – so prepare for an update in upcoming weeks 🙂

If you have any suggestions, ideas or questions share it with us! 🙂

TMS Official Discord server – https://discord.gg/HPbJj9y

TMS Official Feedback Tracker
http://tankmechanicsimulator.com/redmine/projects/tank-mechanic-simulator-feedback/issues

Or write to us at contact@degenerals.com

Have a good weekend and see you next week!

DeGenerals

Dear Mechanics!

Welcome to our seventy-first Development Status update.
Let’s get straight to business.

Art Progress:

We added a compass to the extraction missions. A very helpful tool which can be used to find the direction. By default, by pressing (K) the key.

Compass

Code Progress:

First week of the total revolution in tank models loading is behind us. Why is this so important task?

The 10 tanks we have currently in the project, up to this point, were always loaded and held in memory. Both tank model versions, the one for the workshop and the one for test drive. This was very simple way to work with the tanks, without the need of loading them later.

But this creates a problem with memory management, 10 workshop and 10 test drive tanks that are constantly loaded require lot of RAM. Right now we’re receiving lot of complaints, that the game takes too much RAM. What is going to happen if we add another 10 tanks?

That’s why we need to fix this issue ASAP, although this is a delay in our plans. Deleting tanks and unloading the models when they are not needed is the only way to save RAM and allow us to add more tanks.

If you have any suggestions, ideas or questions share it with us! 🙂

TMS Official Discord server – https://discord.gg/HPbJj9y

TMS Official Feedback Tracker
http://tankmechanicsimulator.com/redmine/projects/tank-mechanic-simulator-feedback/issues

Or write to us at contact@degenerals.com

Have a good weekend and see you next week!

DeGenerals

Dear Mechanics!

Welcome to our seventieth Development Status update.
Let’s get straight to business.

Situation Report:

A new demo version has been uploaded, version 0.9.27. Check readme file for changelog.

From this week on, while waiting for the premiere, we’re going to show each week a module from the game – for example, how the assembly/disassembly system works.

Wrench Pistol

It’s one of the most useful upgrades available in Tank Mechanic Simulator. There are two types of screws in TMS:

• rusted screws – marked by red color require special tools to be disassembled (hammer, angle grinder or wrench pistol)
• movable screws – marked by green color, player can interact with them without special tools

If a part is blocked by rusted screws, the player needs to use:

• Hammer – hit and forget
• Angle Grinder – cut and forget
• Wrench pistol – aim and unscrew

The wrench pistol can be unlocked in the upgrade panel (one of the big tool boxes in the workshop). When unlocked, player can unscrew rusted (red) screws by right clicking on them. No additional tools required.

See the video below for a quick presentation.

Wrench pistol in action

Quad speedometer

Art Progress:

We are working on the development of new content to the game. One of it are new tanks extraction missions. Here are some work in progress screenshots.

We are not stopping and we’re still working on adding other amazing tanks to the game.

PzKpfw IV Ausf. G – Work in progress

Can you guess what tank is it? 🙂

Code Progress:

Since less and less bugs are being reported, we can switch the focus a bit to implementing more suggestions and improvements.

Our plan for April in coding departament:

1. Tank models loading – instead of loading all tanks at the beginning of the game and keeping them in memory (RAM), we’re going to load only tanks required currently. By saving RAM memory, we’re sacrificing the load time between switching Workshop scene rooms -> for example:
   1. Player has 3 tanks, each is a different type, one inside workshop, two in the yard
   2. When player moves from workshop to yard:
      1. The workshop tank is not disabled (like it is now), but it is completely destroyed and unloaded from the game.
      2. The yard tanks are being now loaded in from the game files, spawned and initiated properly
2. Tank modules interchangability – the player should be able to switch a gearbox or an engine between tanks, as a whole (not single elements).
3. Firing range prototype

If you have any suggestions, ideas or questions share it with us! 🙂

TMS Official Discord server – https://discord.gg/HPbJj9y

TMS Official Feedback Tracker
http://tankmechanicsimulator.com/redmine/projects/tank-mechanic-simulator-feedback/issues

Or write to us at contact@degenerals.com

Have a good weekend and see you next week!

DeGenerals

Dear Mechanics!

Welcome to our sixty-ninth Development Status update.
Let’s get straight to business.

Situation Report:

Thanks to our testers we have finally been able to find critical bugs which have been fixed. The coding departament is now trying to implement as much suggestions as possible to make the game more approachable and more polished.

Demo version has been updated to 0.9.12, change list is available in the README file in the game folder.

Have fun 😉

Art Progress:

There is ongoing work to add next tanks to the game. Can you guess which tank it might be?

One of many suggestions from you was to add mobile step stairs to the game. So we added them 😉

Code Progress:

We have added few features during this week:

• a simple tutorial for the Workshop area on how to make first steps (how to get a contract, what to do next etc.)
• an option to get inside tank with tool in hand (by picking up the tool, approaching the tank, opening a radial menu on it and selecting the proper option to get inside – Show Interior Options -> Get Inside)

That would be all for this week. If you have any suggestions, ideas or questions, write to us at contact@degenerals.com or visit our Discord server (https://discord.gg/HPbJj9y).

Have a good weekend and see you next week!

DeGenerals

Dear Mechanics!

Welcome to our sixty-eight Development Status update.
Let’s get straight to business.

Situation Report:

Thanks to our testers we have finally been able to find critical bugs which have been fixed. The coding departament is now trying to implement as much suggestions as possible to make the game more approachable and more polished.

That would be all for this week. If you have any suggestions, ideas or questions, write to us at contact@degenerals.com or visit our Discord server (https://discord.gg/HPbJj9y).

Have a good weekend and see you next week!

DeGenerals

Dear Mechanics!

Welcome to our sixty-seventh Development Status update.
Let’s get straight to business.

Situation Report:

Dear Mechanics,

New update has been uploaded for the demo TMS app, new keys have been sent out. We do not have enough keys to cover all request. If you have requested a key but did not yet receive it, please do not panic. We are waiting for more keys right now 😉

For old users – after the update gets downloaded, please delete player data in support panel in main menu.

Steps to delete data:

1. In main menu scene, click Support Panel
2. Click Delete Data button
3. Click Accept – the game will shut down.
4. Restart the game and you’re good to go

We’ve had problems with previous saves not working properly, and everytime creating new profile or clearing player data helped. We’re working on fixing this bug.

Art Progress:

This week was spent mainly on optimisation and fixing some of the issues regarding tanks and game visuals itself.

Code Progress:

Nothing spectacular to report. We are fixing all bugs and finalizing whatever we can before release 😉

That would be all for this week. If you have any suggestions, ideas or questions, write to us at contact@degenerals.com or visit our Discord server (https://discord.gg/HPbJj9y).

Have a good weekend and see you next week!

DeGenerals

Dear Mechanics!

Welcome to our sixty sixth Development Status update.
Let’s get straight to business.

Art Progress:

Next productive week for us. We are reworking shaders for the tanks in the game. New transparent shader has been applied to the elements on which we currently do not work. Also we added option in radial menu to preview tank elements conditions – Inspection mode.

Interior of the tank for the restored state also changed by improving shaders and materials.

We are working on improving driving system used on vehicles for example on extraction missions.

Code Progress:

We have fixed various bugs connected with assembly mode and renovation system.

We are now focusing on getting rid of any other bugs, as well as adding suggestions from you. Our main goal is to get the game as polished and accessible as it can be within these few weeks.

Situation report:

We received next batch of keys from Steam. Due to high interest not everyone is going to receive these keys at once. We will randomly choose and respond via mail. We asked Steam for more keys. Sorry for delay

That would be all for this week. If you have any suggestions, ideas or questions, write to us at contact@degenerals.com or visit our Discord server (https://discord.gg/HPbJj9y).

Have a good weekend and see you next week!

DeGenerals

Dear Mechanics!

Welcome to our sixty fifth Development Status update.
It’s time for month summary, so let’s get straight to business.

Art Progress:

Another hard work week for us. Lots of polishing and bug s hunting. But we do no plan to stop the flow and we are adding another set of tanks to the game. This weekend T-34/76, finally implemented PzKpfw III Ausf. M and StuG III 40 Ausf. G.

T-34/76, In-game

PzKpfw III Ausf. M, In-game

PzKpfw III Ausf. M, In-game

Code Progress:

The game is almost ready. With the help of PlayWay tester team we have got through most important bugs. We are still fixing whatever we can before release.

The release approaches, we would like to thank all of you for your support and kindness, for all patience you had for us. Big thank you from our whole team 🙂

We are going to continue this series after the premiere, maybe in some changed format. We will live, we will see.

We are sending new test keys to all who were interested, we’re not sending new keys after today. Highest priority is the main game now. Right now, we’re not planning to update the demo frequently after the premiere.

To those who receive keys: have fun, remember, you do not have to report bugs. If you want to, share your opinion or give us feedback. Treat this as a way to try the game out before it comes out 🙂

That would be all for this week an month. If you have any suggestions, ideas or questions, write to us at contact@degenerals.com or visit our Discord server (https://discord.gg/HPbJj9y).

Have a good weekend and see you next week!

DeGenerals

Dear Mechanics!

Welcome to our sixty fourth Development Status update.
Let’s get straight to business.

Art Progress:

The last weeks are marked by hard work on improving the visual side as well as gameplay aspects of the game. A lot of mistakes have been fixed but there are still plenty ahead of us.

We are listening to your feedback and trying to improve as well. We do not slow down the pace, we want to provide you with the most polished product as we can.

One of the developed things is improved Overview mode, where you can preview tanks in the game. It comes with options like changing lighting rotation, camera field of view, on/off interior lights or turning on and off whole environment with just one button. It still in work in progress through.

Next step is to add switchable materials on the tanks. For example to preview “Extraction”, “Workshop” or “Museum” stages as well as “Xray” transparent mode.

We plan also to add option to make “beauty shots” from desired angle and lighting settings.

Work in progress. Not yet implemented feature.

Work in progress. StuG 40 Ausf. G (Early Production)

The next toy from the German tree will join our expanding collection of tanks soon. StuG 40 Ausf. G is his name and its an early production version.

Code Progress:

Memory management. This is the main issue behind the game crashing after a while. We’re reworking how the memory is managed in the game, this needs to be fixed ASAP before release.

That would be all for this week. If you have any suggestions, ideas or questions, write to us at contact@degenerals.com or visit our Discord server (https://discord.gg/HPbJj9y).

Have a good weekend and see you next week!

DeGenerals