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PayPalTrailmakers has managed to pull in a lot of happy players since the original 2019 full release, and the developers at Flashbulb have been busy building up the massive free update with Trailmakers 2.0: Pioneers that's out now. Note: my key was originally provided by their PR team.
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Just to remove any doubt right away if you're excited to jump in — the game works great on Linux Desktop / Steam Deck with Proton 9.0-4.
It's currently rated Steam Deck Playable, due to Valve noting it requires manually bringing up the on-screen keyboard. In my testing, that was still the case with this update. Not a big deal though, but it would be good if the developer fixed that and it's not an issue on Desktop Linux of course. For the Steam Deck, I would suggest tweaking the graphics settings down just one level with the default being "Pretty but Slow" down to "Middle Road", as it just helps it keep more at 30FPS to make it smoother.
What we've been given with this update is practically a whole new game. It's a huge update, and quite surprising to see it be released free for all existing players as a plain update. While all the sandbox stuff is still there, it's a lot easier to get into now thanks to the brand new cinematic intro, new tutorial and a full campaign mode to play through.
Trailmakers: Pioneers Key Features:
- Campaign Mode: On Planet Gregory, craft blocks and build vehicles to protect the Froggit inhabitants from the evil BOTNAK robots, complete missions, and upgrade settlements.
- Physics-Driven Construction: Build everything from simple survival vehicles to massive, technical machinery with a system that reacts to weight, environments, and terrain. Go all out with designs or optimize for efficiency.
- Survival Mode: Build custom vehicles and navigate harsh environments while fending off threats in an exciting, survival-like adventure.
- A World to Explore: The Pioneers map expands across 7×7 km, offering vast landscapes for daring explorers, ambitious builders, and high-speed driving, sailing and flying.
- More Blocks & Builder Upgrades: A revamped builder UI streamlines creation, while new blocks and weapons let players craft advanced vehicles.
Trailmakers Base Game Key Features:
- Combat: Arm your vehicles with powerful weapons and take on both NPCs and other players in action-packed battles.
- Single and Multiplayer Modes: Play solo or team up with up to eight players in multiplayer mode. Build, race, or battle together… or compete to see who can craft the ultimate machine.
- Stranded: Crash on a mysterious planet and scavenge parts, build vehicles, and navigate treacherous terrain to leave the planet and return home.
- Modular Building: Snap together parts to create land, sea, and air vehicles that adapt to any challenge with an intuitive, physics-based block-building system.
- Sandbox Playgrounds: Experiment, build, and explore in four massive open-world maps with limitless creative potential, including Space Sector, Treasure Island, Danger Zone, or Stranded.
- High Speed Traversal: Build fast vehicles, capable of traveling faster than sound – a rare feature in the building genre.
- Rally and racing: Put your engineering skills to the test in high-speed, physics-based racing challenges. Build and customize your vehicle to handle extreme terrain and intense competition or take on the leaderboards on Race Island.
- Steam Workshop: Share creations, explore community-built vehicles and mods, and connect with other players. With over 550,000 player-made creations on Steam Workshop, players can share their blueprints and challenge each other’s building skills.
“Our players have shaped Trailmakers since its release in 2018, constantly pushing the boundaries of creativity and making vehicles that amaze us at every turn. Pioneers expands the breadth of possibilities, deepens exploration, and challenges players to build and survive like never before,” said Flashbulb Games Co-Founder Ole Teglbjærg. “Pioneers is a major step forward, but the future of Trailmakers is even brighter. Player creativity has always been at the heart of our game, and their feedback continues to shape what’s next.”
They also shared a roadmap of more to come:
If you enjoy games where you get to explore and be creative, this is definitely one to go and grab. You can get lost in it for so many hours as time just fades away.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
apocalyptech 6 hours ago
As a more concrete example I've got more experience with: I finally bought and played through Cyberpunk 2077 when it was at v1.6.x, and had a great time going through that playthrough. Then shortly after I finished it up, CDPR released their own 2.0 update which changed a lot about the game, including changes that I'm not personally super fond of. I'm really glad I finished up that playthrough before that patch dropped; it would have really sucked to have been halfway through and then suddenly find out I'm playing a totally separate game.
It just feels like the kind of change which would make more sense for an Early Access title where you already know that the game may radically change, except that we're dealing with games that were already theoretically "done."
Anyway, dunno -- I have no skin in this particular game, since I've never played it (or even consciously heard of it). Just something that always comes to mind when I hear about huge game-changing updates like this.
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