Ahoy, everyone!
This is Developer Diaries,
and it's the first episode of the show from our new office in Belgrade!
In today's episode, we're going to present you... battle ducks!
That's right, don't be surprised,
and don't think that the developers have lost their marbles during the move!
Just remember that April 1st is on the horizon,
and that means that we're preparing to have some fun
with the return of our suitably absurd bathtub battles!
Let's dive in!
Can you tell us what this event is about?
This is about yellow rubber ducks fighting in a large bathtub.
Some of our players may already be familiar with this jacuzzi map
and fun battles there.
Last time around the battles were between toy ships.
This time, it's yellow rubber ducks!
How did you come up with this idea of rubber duck battles?
I'm actually surprised we didn't come up with it earlier.
When I think of bathtime, a yellow rubber duck is the first thing that comes to mind.
How do these ducks correlate with the in-game ships?
You know, your typical rubber duck is quite round in shape,
and round ships aren't particularly good at sailing anywhere.
I'm serious now about round ships. There were some in history.
So, we tried to adjust the duck's shape so that it better resembles a typical ship.
How do the ducks look from the inside?
They have got side and deck armor,
turrets, citadels, and everything a warship ought to have.
And what about the turret?
It's the head, of course!
You know, ducks can twist their heads at amazing angles,
just like all birds, so it came naturally.
And what about different types of ducks?
You can expect battleship ducks, cruiser ducks, and destroyer ducks.
All very familiar classes with their familiar gameplay.
And how does one differentiate between these ducks?
They will be marked differently in the in-game UI.
And are there any hints for us? Where should we aim?
All the ducks will have weak stern armor. So, we should be okay shooting from behind.
Battleship-ducks should have very strong, impenetrable front armor
but they will have weaker sides,
so you should be able to hit a citadel shooting from the side.
Will there be guns on these ducks?
No, they will spit water droplets from their beaks.
Some ducks will penetrate armor better with their droplets,
others will inflict floods instead of fires.
Will the ducks have any new armaments?
We're introducing mines in this event.
All the ducks will be able to lay mines.
They will stay on the water surface, quite visible but still dangerous.
So, you should be careful when you approach your rival duck.
So, no torpedos?
Oh, destroyer ducks will still have torpedoes.
So, now you understand that our ducks will be armed,
dangerous, and ready to show how loud they can quack.
However, the participants of our bath-time battles are only half the story;
we still need to visualize the battlegrounds properly as well...
To be more precise, the very bathtub where our ducks will be sinking each other.
For this event only, the game will feature the new Hot Tub map!
What's that? We'll tell you right away!
Come with me!
What is this map?
So, our experienced Captains will know this map from an old event
dedicated to April 1st when Cap threw a party on the Bathtub map.
What was the source of your inspiration?
We're inspired by some cartoon films and series.
And most of all by the Bad Advice cartoon.
Our favorite cartoon.
Is there anything else interesting that you can mention?
First of all,
we'll have familiar characters from the series, almost all of them;
the islands will be pretty cool;
and the interior of this room with the bath will be fun.
All of that combined will immerse players deep into our surreal and fun April event!
Look around from the very beginning of each battle and enjoy the spectacle!
Will this map feature any specific gameplay?
Yeah, of course!
Two teams face each other in battle;
there are three inter-crossing base circles forming a sort of triangle.
The teams fight for the triangle,
and the ducks can use torpedoes, shells, and the new minelaying and crash mechanics.
Will these ducks have any special visual features?
Yes! All ducks have special features in their looks.
Because, as I told you before,
we were inspired by some stuff from cinema or cartoons.
And we added some special visual things for every duck.
What about easter eggs?
I would recommend our players keep their eyes peeled from the start of the battle.
What about water?
The water has been changed absolutely!
The water is simulated not for the size of an ocean but for the size of a bathtub,
and it's absolutely clean,
allowing you to see Fishy having fun
and make you feel like a small rubber duck in a bath.
Have you changed any other physics in the game?
We've added rubber-like properties so that now the ducks will bounce off each other
and the islands without taking damage.
You can now also push your opponents toward minefields!
That's all!
This was the first Developer Diaries episode from our office in Belgrade.
Play with us, swash around the bathtub, quack valiantly, and win!
Good luck, Captains!
See you next time!