[DEVBLOG#203] Vanilla Vehicles Expanded - Stage 1 infographics (Patreon)

Hey folks and welcome to a devblog about a mod many of you have waited on for... well, for years now!

Vanilla Vehicles Expanded

Vanilla Vehicles Expanded is a long awaited mod utilising Smash Phil’s Vehicles framework. The main purpose of the mod is to add realistic and engaging mechanics surrounding vehicles of all kinds into the game. Not just the cars, but boats and airplanes too, this mod comes packed full of content and new production chains to allow players to dive deep into the vehicle production.

Vehicles come separated into many different categories and tiers, contributing to the overall progression. You won’t simply be making a car and driving it around - you will keep checking out other vehicles and options this mod brings to the table. Every car, boat and aircraft will have a particular purpose and thanks to the tier system, it will be easy to understand the differences between various vehicles.

This mod utilises the paint job system added in Vehicles framework, allowing you to fully customize the pattern and colors of each of your vehicles. Whether you want a camouflaged armored division, or a pink bomber wing, this mod has it all.

Vehicles Framework

This framework is created by Smash Phil and allows vehicles to be added into the game. Vehicles are not just RimWorld animals that feed on chemfuel, like some other mods have done before. This time, it's best to forget everything you think you know, and just imagine a brand new entity in the game called Vehicle. Custom vehicle component panel, movement rules, hitbox settings (that's right, hitting left side of the vehicle is bound to damage left wheel, not right passenger seat), fuel consumption, size (vehicles are not 1x1 pawns like elephants etc, they are more like mobile structures, and need bigger doorways to fit through) etc.

It's a tremendous undertaking that took Smash Phil years to code, and we are still a long way away from the final framework version.

The Vehicles Framework will release soon on Steam, alongside the Vanilla Vehicles Expanded content mod. It will not however be complete for a while. Here is some of the features that will come in future updates:

• Enemies using vehicles to raid you
• Enemies using vehicles for caravans
• Aerial combat, strafing runs, anti-air etc

This means that for launch, we won't be able to provide you with for example attack helicopters, but rest assured, once the Vehicle framework has this functionality, we will immediately add them into the game!

Now that this is out of the way, lets see what is coming in the first Testing version.

Please remember: This content is coming in the first testing version, not published on Steam. Until we release it on Steam, more vehicles will be added. What I'm trying to say is: This is only 30% of what the mod will actually have upon release.

The stats of these vehicles are not final, in fact nothing us, and things are likely to change during rebalance passes.

Tier system is primarily designed for us, the mod creators, to reflect on the vehicle selection and help design new vehicles to fill various niches. Every vehicle has an associated tier, as well as a vehicle type. Those parameters help us decide the purpose and stats of the vehicles, and allow us to make sure that every niche is filled for those players that need a specific solution to the particular situation they are in.

Tier 1 are the first vehicles player has access to. They are inefficient, expensive and weak, but until proper research is done, they get the job done.

Tier 2 vehicles are unlocked through separate research projects and are more efficient when it comes to fuel consumption. They are also significantly better in combat encounters. Tier 2 vehicles will include a Snatcher Van, a Smuggler airplane, a Mosquito helicopter, a Bulldog tank and more. These vehicles will be tested after we test tier 1 vehicles, and more information will follow on them.

Tier 3 vehicles are uncraftable by the player. These vehicles fill very specific roles. They need to be found on abandoned roads in the forms of wrecks, and then repaired and taken back into the colony. Examples of tier 3 vehicles are: A Marshall tank, A Military Humvee, A Cargobob transport helicopter, an APC, a Combine Harvester and more. These vehicles will be tested after we test tier 2 vehicles, and more information will follow on them.

We are also contemplating adding a brand new skill to RimWorld called 'Driving' which would affect vehicle acceleration speed and fuel efficiency.

That's it for this devblog. I will see you all soon!