Badlands Crew News

Hello! It’s Jon from Runner Duck here. Badlands Crew is out next week, 28th April! Thank you for all your support so far. It’s been a big project for us, and we’re really excited that you’ll all finally be able to play it!

As it’s now close to the game’s release, I thought we should write a different kind of news post, and give you a few little tips and tricks which will help you out along your way in the Badlands.

[h3]USE THE MIDDLE-CLICK SHORTCUT MENU[/h3]
One of the new features in Badlands Crew is the middle-click shortcut menu. With a crew member selected, middle click somewhere on the screen. The shortcut popup menu will appear. It has shortcuts for common actions, such as sending crew to other stations, attacking enemy boarders, or repairing broken systems. This is a great way to quickly do common actions (e.g. sending a crew member to a rejuvenator to heal, or quickly sending someone to repair the engine).

The middle-click shortcut menu

This works especially well for Badlands Crew, as unlike our previous games, your vehicle may have multiple rejuvenators, and loads of turrets. Don’t forget to try it out, and hopefully it’ll bring your command of your crew to a new level!

[h3]RE-BIND YOUR KEYS IF YOU DON'T GET ALONG WITH THE DEFAULTS[/h3]
We’ve had a lot of back and forth on what the default keyboard controls should be. We’ve set them to what we think will be the most consistent throughout the title, and give you the best chance of survival long-term. However, some players will probably prefer to remap their vehicle nudge/speed adjustment inputs to WASD. This is fine! Please do this if you find it easier or more natural.

The control rebinding options

Control rebinding options can be found in the options menu. There are also options for axis inversion.

[h3]USE 'SLOW TIME' WHENEVER YOU'RE UNDER PRESSURE[/h3]
Things can get intense quickly in the Badlands. If things aren’t going so well, you can use ‘Slow Time’ to give yourself a bit of time to get all your problems sorted. By default ‘Slow Time’ is bound to the Shift key.

The ‘Slow Time’ shortcut (Top-Left Corner of the UI)

Don’t forget to use ‘Slow Time’ - it really can give you the time you need to save your crew and your Battle Wagon.

[h3]UPGRADE YOUR VEHICLE'S FUEL CAPACITY EARLY[/h3]
There’s nothing worse than running out of fuel in the middle of the Badlands. I would recommend adding an ‘auxiliary fuel tank’ to your vehicle as soon as you unlock it. As the game progresses, and you are able to, I’d recommend adding a couple more!

An auxiliary fuel tank being added to a vehicle in the garage

[h3]DON'Y GET EATEN BY A SANDWORM[/h3]
Don’t get eaten by a sandworm. If your vehicle sits idle for too long, there’s a chance a sandworm will snap it up. Repair your engine, get someone in the driving seat, and get moving!

A sandworm about to eat a Battle Wagon

If you start seeing a sandworm rising up from the ground around you… stay calm, and try to escape through the gaps!

[h3]USE ABILITIES (USE THEM ALOT)[/h3]
If you’re not using your crew’s Abilities, you’re not getting the most out of them! It can be easy to forget you have them in the heat of battle, so use ‘Slow Time’ too if you need to! Using your crew’s Abilities strategically can make the difference between success and failure!

The ‘Swerve’ ability being used

If things are intense, get your driver to use ‘Swerve’ - enemies will have a harder time aiming at you, and this can buy you some time…

[h3]LOOK OUT FOR OPTIONAL OBJECTIVES[/h3]
There’s loads to discover in the Badlands. Crew at your Command Station can be used to spot Optional Objectives. Of course, be careful not to get in over your head - if you’re low on fuel, or your crew are in poor health, then perhaps it’s best to stay on mission!

A cache bunker containing some blueprints

Finding relics around the Badlands will reward you with additional Blueprints, giving you more options for your Battle Wagon and your crew’s gear.

[h3]USE ESCAPE DEVICES TO SAVE YOUR CREW[/h3]
If it looks like you’re not going to get back to base in one piece, but you want to save some of your crew: use an Escape Device. It’s not always worth battling on - escape, and live to fight another day! Unlike Bomber Crew, crewmates who use an Escape Device will always survive (however, they may not always return to base instantly, and might need to be rescued in a subsequent mission).

An escape device on a Battle Wagon

[h3]UPGRADE YOUR CREW & GARAGE FACILITIES[/h3]
Upgrading your Crew & Garage facilities will lessen the blow of losing your crew or vehicle, so it’s definitely a good idea to remember to do this.

Upgrading Crew Facilities

You can upgrade your Crew facilities to increase the starting level of new recruits.
You can also upgrade your Garage facilities so that more of your Battle Wagon is salvaged (for free) when it is lost.

[h3]THERE'S MORE TO LEARN![/h3]
There’s even more to learn than I’ve written here… but hopefully these tips will help you get off to a good start! The Badlands is a dangerous place. You will lose crewmates, you will fail missions… but I hope that ultimately you will triumph. We’re all looking forward to the game’s launch on Monday. See you then!

– Jon, Dave, Joe, Greg (Runner Duck)

Hello, Crewmates!

Put those keys in the ignition, we are only 3 days away from release! This is going to be a quick one from us today – we wanted to chat about pricing, launch and bundle discounts. Quite a few people have asked us what the price will be ahead of launch on Monday, so we thought we’d drop by and give you an overview of what to expect, either as a new player or a veteran to the franchise. But before we get to pricing, we’ve got a new trailer to show off!

[h3]NEW TRAILER – WATCH NOW[/h3]
Buckle up, our brand-new trailer has just dropped on YouTube! Check out a preview of the high-octane chaos that’s coming your way in a few days.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h3]LAUNCH & BUNDLE DISCOUNTS[/h3]
The game’s launch price will be £14.99 / $18.99 / €18.99, but we are offering a launch discount of 15% off that price for all players!

There is even better news for owners of either Bomber Crew and/or Space Crew who will receive additional stacking discounts for owning one or both games via our special bundles, resulting in an equivalent maximum discount of 28%!*

*final discount and price will depend on number of Crew games owned, region and purchase currency.

[h3]TWO GAME BUNDLES[/h3]


[h3]TRILOGY BUNDLE[/h3]

The countdown is on. We’ve got one last dev blog tomorrow before we launch on Monday. We’ll see you then!

Curve Games.

Hello, Dave from Runner Duck here! I wanted to complete our series of posts about the enemy factions you’ll face in Badlands Crew with a look at ‘The Gun Nutz’…

To the South East of the starting area of Home Plateau lies the red eroded desert of the Lower Badlands, where you’ll run into The Gun Nutz patrolling its valleys and canyons.

The Gun Nutz are descendants of a community of preppers who sprung into action as society crumbled,
gleefully raiding army equipment storage sites, claiming the vast majority of conventional firearms and military vehicles in the land.

A heavily armed Gun Nutz patrol harassing an ambushed Battle Wagon

Their commander in chief is the ruthless disciplinarian, Major Krank; as brutal to his own subordinates as he is to his enemies. Rumours abound that during his raids on military storage sites, he stumbled upon the last viable nuclear warhead in existence, which he wields to cow any potential challengers into submission.

Early Concept Art for the Gun Nutz Faction’s Warlord (Major Krank), Symbol and crew characters

As for vehicles, The Gun Nutz bring to bear a range of military rides including jeeps, hummers, MRAPs, pickups and half tracks. With their ready-made fleet of piercing and blast damage resistant war machines, it’s wise to prepare carefully before confronting their patrols! Perhaps try ‘turning up the heat’ on them ;).

The Gun Nutz’ fleet of military vehicles in our ‘Virtual Parking Lot’.

The Gun Nutz’ armoury comprises a range of lethal conventional weapons, including machine guns, rifles, shotguns and grenade launchers. They have guns that are effective from close to long range, so keep those heads on a swivel!

L-R: A good ol’ 50 cal, a water-cooled electric drive ‘Scattermaster’ auto shotgun, ‘Doomster’ sawn off shotgun

Time for me to get back to the finishing touches on the project; it's been a long road, but now we’re just one week from release!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2078230/Badlands_Crew/

Thanks for reading!
Dave

Hey, Crewmates!

We are only 10 days away from launch! We have some awesome news directly from The Citadel...

[h3]✅ STEAM DECK VERIFIED[/h3]
Drop the clutch and buckle up, Badlands Crew just got the green light. That’s right, we’re happy to announce that we are fully Steam Deck Verified, so get ready to tear up the Wasteland from your couch, on the road or train. The possibilities are endless when you can build and ride, verified!



[h3]💬 REDDIT AMA WITH DEVELOPERS - DAVE AND JON [/h3]
Being so incredibly close to launch, we want to give you all an insight into the creation of Badlands Crew. Have you ever wondered what’s under the hood of the building mechanics? How were the environments created? Enemy AI mechanics? Now is your chance to ask away! On April 22nd we’re going to be running an AMA with Runner Duck developers, Jon and Dave.

How do I ask a question?
Head over to the r/curvegames subreddit here and simply ask your question in the AMA thread pinned to the top of the page. We encourage you to drop your questions in the thread right now!

When will Jon and Dave be answering questions?
Jon and Dave will be online between 5-6pm UTC on April 22nd answering your questions directly on Reddit during a live event.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2078230/Badlands_Crew/

Thank you, Crewmates, for your continued support. We really can’t wait for you to experience the game in its entirety! If you haven't already, make sure to Wishlist the game to be among the first to know when the game drops.

Curve Games

Hi! Jon from Runner Duck here, sharing a quick look at another of the enemy factions in Badlands Crew - ‘The Klowns’.

To the East of the Lower Badlands, in the glistening whiteness of the Dessicated Salt Flats, is where you’re most likely to first encounter the Klowns faction. Devoid of shame, the Klowns intentionally appear ridiculous in order to obfuscate their true ruthless nature.

A Klowns “Ice Screamer” and “Re-Educator” terrorising the Salt Flats

The Klowns are ruled by “Giggles the Klown”, their psychopathic leader in greasepaint and a clown wig. Many of his followers who initially fell for his charming, harmless facade wish to escape from his faction, but the consequences for those captured are severe. They also hold territory around the edges of The Atomic City, and further to the East in Krazed Quarry.

Early Concept Art for the Klown Faction’s Warlord, Symbol and crew characters

The Klown’s fleet of vehicles feature some unusual choices, matching their origins as a chaotic circus troupe; their brightly coloured food trucks, school buses and even dodgems may look comical, but are bristling with weapons and pack a punch!

Klown vehicles in our ‘Virtual Parking Lot’ scene, where we assemble the many variations

The Klowns primarily use two types of weaponry: toxic gas weapons which can inflict poison damage, and makeshift pneumatic cannons, firing golf balls or even bowling balls, which deal blunt damage and can cause crew to become stunned. Having spent too much time fooling around with their own toxic weapon supplies they are somewhat immune to toxic damage, so you’re better off using other weapon types against them!

L-R: ‘The Stinger’ BB gun, ‘Toxic Balloon Launcher’, ‘Screaming Splitter’ Bowling Ball Cannon

I hope you have the last laugh when you go up against Giggles in the Badlands!

That’s all for now, we’ve got to finish the game, because it’s out soon!
Jon