Video Dev Log
For those who prefer watching over reading, the video dev log for this month is now also available.
New Name, Same Game
The project formerly known as Car Trials is now called Auto Trials. The change came after I spotted a similar named game on the Google Play Store and thought it would be better to pivot early than risk confusion later.
But for those who are new to this dev log: Auto Trials is an arcade-style driving game focused on testing experimental vehicles through structured challenges. Players complete a series of tests, each with multiple objectives, pushing cars to their limits while mastering control and precision.
Auto Trials Is Out Now
Auto Trials launched on Google Play in mid-March!!
To slightly dim this celebration, the game performed below my expectations in terms of downloads. While I anticipated a small launch due to zero marketing, the actual numbers were lower than expected. In hindsight, my expectations were likely outdated as I hadn’t released a mobile game in over a decade, and the ecosystem has changed significantly since then. Visibility without marketing is extremely limited.
That said, getting the game out the door and into players’ hands was still valuable. Even a small amount of player feedback was more useful than none.
Updated Car Physics
One area I’m still very confident in is the vehicle physics system, which was built entirely from scratch by myself.
Leading up to release, and even after, I continued iterating based on both testing and player feedback. A key adjustment was the steering sensitivity, particularly for the tutorial vehicle (which is called Prototype in the game).
Some players found it overly responsive, which created friction early on, even in a no-fail tutorial environment. That was not an ideal onboarding.
To fix this:
- The turning curve was softened.
- The effective turning radius was increased.
- Low-speed control was made more forgiving.
Personally, I preferred the original tighter handling, but that’s a classic dev bias from familiarity. The updated version is objectively better for new players and aligns more closely with the game’s onboarding goals.
The Last Test
The original plan post-launch plan was to expand the game throughout the year by adding more trials, vehicles, and game modes.
However, given the low traction and, if I’m honest, a drop in motivation tied to that reception, I’ve decided to end active development on Auto Trials.
A final update has been released that:
- Removes most “coming soon” placeholders.
- Leaves the game in a clean, complete state.
So as it stands in the current live version of the game, it includes:
- 1 full trial, which consists of
- 5 tests.
- 1 session mode.
It’s not the full vision I initially planned, but it is a complete, playable slice of the core experience of the game.
I spent around 6 months on this project. It’s always disappointing when a game doesn’t reach its intended scope, but that’s part of game development, especially when working solo. Not every project scales the way you expect.
The New Project
With Auto Trials wrapped, I’ve shifted focus to a new project, currently in early pre-production.
It’s too early to share details, but one thing I will be carrying forward is the vehicle physics system from Auto Trials, which will be refined and expanded.
That system was one of the strongest parts of the project, and it makes sense to build on it rather than start over.
Summary
It’s a bittersweet update, but also a necessary reset. Every shipped project, whether successful or not, feeds directly into the next one.
That is all for this month. Until next time, happy gaming!