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We heard you wanted some trains… It’s time to unveil the newest mission coming to our Unlocked & Loaded update this month: Rolling Steel. For this dev blog, we interviewed a Level Designer and Level Artist from our team who were in charge of bringing the vision to life: Jacopo and Roberto.
Our goal of this blog is to tell you about the new mission and how it formed, etc. without spoiling all the fun of playing it the first time for yourselves. We’ll have to leave some things out, because we want players to still be surprised when they load into the mission for the first time.
Let’s get rolling. 🚂 (I’m a comical genius -Straw)
Where Did the Idea for This Mission Start?
The idea for “Rolling Steel” began about a year and a half ago, following the release of Ascension Riser 31. In that mission, we experimented with creating a more dynamic end event where players fight atop an ascending platform in a massive vertical shaft. After completing that challenge, we wanted to create something with even more movement. A mission to explore more visually dynamic and immersive events.
Our devs continued working on this with the latest mission, Clandestium Gloriana, where players are in the lateral elevator.
A key moment that influenced this concept was a scene from the “Rejects Will Rise” trailer, where a train crashes and explodes into a station. This powerful visual helped solidify the narrative and set the pace for the objectives in the mission.
It was intimidating to start. While we had worked on similar movements with Ascension Riser 31, we knew this would require a tech investment to create the movement we wanted players to feel. We didn’t want the background to be a constant loop of the same elements. At first, the endeavour was put on hold. However, we saw the community's interest in a mission involving a train. This reignited our enthusiasm for the idea and it led us to resume development.
What Will Players Be Doing in Rolling Steel?In Rolling Steel, players are thrust into a high-stakes scenario where they must stop a moving train hijacked by cultists who have repurposed it with tox bombs onboard to spread the Nurgle plague. The mission immediately begins with high-octane adrenaline as players are dropped directly onto the speeding train. From the beginning, players are immersed in the action.
The primary objective is to prevent the train from crashing into its destination and releasing tox gas. To do this, the players must work their way through a series of train cars. Each car presents unique challenges and escalating threats. Cultists will relentlessly defend the train, and the players will need to stick together and push forward quickly.
What are the New Objective Types?Yes, we said quickly. One of the most significant additions to this mission is the timer as an overarching objective. We wanted to introduce this mechanic to create a stronger sense of tension and urgency throughout the mission.
The timer in "Rolling Steel" is intended to force players to move very quickly, adding a layer of pressure that should elevate the intensity of the gameplay. Our goal was to offer a new harder challenge that requires players to work more closely together to succeed. It is not like the classic missions where there is a mid-event and an end-event. Rather, it’s one full event from beginning to end.
We wanted to see what happens when you break the rules, or at least suspend them.
Additionally, we're experimenting with a potential new auspex minigame that also plays a part in the importance of teamwork and communication in the mission. (We’ll leave this for you to learn more about through playing.)
Additionally, Rolling Steel is part of our effort to experiment with a different mission format, which we call Operations. It is a shorter mission than we’ve created historically. By introducing shorter, more cinematic experiences, we hope to offer a fresh alternative to the normal types of missions in Darktide. Something else to sink your teeth into when you have the urge to slay heretics, but you’re more limited on time.
As this mission is somewhat of a test, we’re eager to hear feedback from our community. Your input will be invaluable in determining how we evolve these new types of missions in the future. (Thank you ahead of time!)
Any Learnings From Past Missions?Absolutely, we’ve learned a great deal from designing past levels, but with "Rolling Steel," we also wanted to challenge ourselves and try new things.
One of the most significant changes is the level topology. Unlike our previous missions, which often feature wider environments, "Rolling Steel" has a highly linear layout, which naturally funnels players into more close-quarters combat scenarios. This shift strongly affected how we design encounters and balance the overall experience, especially considering the added pressure of a time constraint and how all these elements impact our combat director.
In many ways, "Rolling Steel" is informed by our past experiences, but it also represents a step towards new possibilities and gauge how these innovations resonate with our players.
Inspiration for the EnvironmentsAs mentioned, the Rejects Will Rise trailer was one of the inspirations. This Nurgle train is based on an industrial cargo train which creates more room for slaying. Then a heavy coating of 40k grimdark, as always! (That’s the best part). The art team did a tremendous job providing a variety of assets for us to include throughout the mission, and we look forward to players trying it out.
New MusicWhen we told Jesper about the new type of mission and the timer, he was really excited. He said he immediately had some ideas in his head of what he could create for players to add to the rising tension. He delivered a certified banger, as always. It is a blend between a standard and a high intensity track, so when the heat ramps up, players will definitely feel it.
Future MissionsWe are expecting players to ask if we’ll have more missions on a train. The answer is…we’ll see! 😉 Let us know what you’re feeling.
We can’t wait for players to start running this mission and trying out the new objective. Let us know how it feels and we’ll be reading the feedback!
Until next time. May the Emperor protect!
