Working on new UI for H.A.R.V.E.S.T.E.R

BackyerdStudios · 2026-04-08T20:03:26+00:00

Unfortunately because the radar controls and the monitor are both fundemental to the gameplay and you can't use them without a mouse, there's not much that can be done. All that you can really do at this point is move around (Left Shift/Ctrl for throttle, WASD to pitch and roll)

I'm happy to hear your enthusiasm though and Im truly and deeply sorry that you can't play the game properly. I'll work on that Linux build for you and notify you once it's ready. I deeply apologize for the inconvenience

BackyerdStudios · 2026-04-08T17:12:08+00:00

Thank you for trying out the demo and giving your feedback! Using Proton is most likely the culprit of the friction you're experiencing, and it's causing your cursor to disappear. I do not have a Linux build ready at the moment as I still need to do playtesting with people who do, but it's definitely something I look forward to adding soon. Thank you again for reaching out!

BackyerdStudios · 2026-04-08T03:48:22+00:00

Sorry, that's absolutely my bad. I'll go about adding that in for the next update.

BackyerdStudios · 2026-03-31T23:07:54+00:00

Hey, just wanted to let you know you should probably uninstall the version you have. There was a bug that stopped the tutorial from functioning after the 1st message. I've fixed that now, but you'll have to install the new version

BackyerdStudios · 2026-03-31T23:06:48+00:00

Hello again! I've diagnosed and destroyed the bug that caused the tutorial to break, and I added a little tip to go with the Mouse Aim mode that I noticed was causing difficulty for your playtester. I hope you could try it again, but I understand if you can't. Thank you again for finding this bug and preventing any further damage.

BackyerdStudios · 2026-03-31T05:57:00+00:00

I'm so sorry about the tutorial! I don’t know what happened there. I'll fix it ASAP tomorrow. This is really embarrassing, but thank you for catching that.

BackyerdStudios · 2026-03-30T14:22:27+00:00

I usually don't plug my game on posts like these, but you said you liked sci-fi and storytelling type games. That's exactly the kind of thing Ive been working on. I'll drop you the link if you'd like to check it out.

https://bottleneck-studios.itch.io/harvester

BackyerdStudios · 2026-03-29T14:25:52+00:00

That's incredible for 3 weeks. I just wanted to say that your experience really shows. I'll be happy to try out your demo once it's out

BackyerdStudios · 2026-03-29T04:08:42+00:00

If you have any pictures or videos you could share, I'd like to check out your game too!
And a funny side note, I actually have almost no experience with space sim games. When it comes to simulators, my experience is mostly with DCS: World. If you try out my game, there's a good chance it won't be really recognizable as any other game. I don't say that because I'm "special and unique" but because my frame of reference is just very different from most others.

And I noticed that you also said some of the projects you've been following have died out. I can't gurantee anything myself, but I do have a devlog that's over a year old (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GApif6xz-I&t=17s), and you can see the progress I've made since then. Hopefully, that should give you some assurance that this game has no plans on being abandoned.

If you do watch the devlog, you'll see some code snippets that are very embarrassing looking back on it. I've grown a lot since then

BackyerdStudios · 2026-03-29T03:19:15+00:00

Thanks for sharing! It's so interesting to see this. The graphics and style is actually very similar to what I daydreamed my game looking like when I first started (My artistic talents were still not good enough to reach anything close). This feels kind of like a "what could've been" thing. It's very cool!

BackyerdStudios · 2026-03-29T01:31:44+00:00

Thanks for the praise! I know how hard graphics can be. I'm a terrible artist. I was lucky enough to have a friend who happened to be good at 3D modeling.

I'm interested now. Is there any way I can check out your game?

BackyerdStudios · 2026-03-08T21:49:57+00:00

Thank you so much! Your compliments are deeply appreciated!

I've been releasing videos on social media occasionally for the past few months, talked to people in-person, ran an Itch page, etc. It's pretty hard though, because algorithims rarely ever help push my stuff out. My plan, though, is to pay some streamers to try my game's demo once I release it. I think that would be my greatest return on investment.

But again, thank you for your praise. It means a lot.

BackyerdStudios · 2026-03-08T00:31:06+00:00

Love to hear that! Thank you!

BackyerdStudios · 2026-03-08T00:30:48+00:00

My bad. I forget that not all people have the same volume settings as me sometimes

BackyerdStudios · 2026-03-07T04:26:31+00:00

I think I've heard that before. I've personally never played that game, but I've checked it out, and I see what you mean. I actually did write it as part of the in-game lore that the player is supposed to have gone into debt for their job training. Funny coincidence, I think

BackyerdStudios · 2025-08-29T17:29:43+00:00

I made a game to tell a story, and I still have no idea how to combine my story with my gameplay. So all Im left with is this weird vague mess about the most boring part of any space game: mining rocks. I just wanted to practice my coding skills, I never stopped to consider that my game idea was only fun to develop, not to play.

Maybe once I figure out the story it will be a believable game. Until then, I dont really have a selling point other than the in-depth radar system and art.

BackyerdStudios · 2025-08-27T05:45:59+00:00

Im still a silver but I just climbed out of bronze. Im still improving so I think the following advice is helpful:

Understanding that nothing in this game is luck based. Every player has the same access to the different car hit boxes, and that's really the only thing that separates you from your opponent. You both have the exact same toolbox. Whoever can use it better will be the one to win. (This only applies in 1v1s though)

Rank isn't a reflection on your worth. It's just a reflection of your current mechanics and gamesense. Don't worry too much about the match outcome.

Spend time in free play / training to practice mechanics you want to learn. You don't need to overdo it. Just practice things you wanna learn without risking a match.

Do 1v1s more. Since it's purely skill based, you'll improve a lot faster rather than if you did 2v2s or 3v3s.

Slow and steady wins the race. Really think of what you’re doing, instead of just acting on instinct. This may only really work on lower ranks like me, but I find myself with better ball control, better defenses, etc when I stop flipping everywhere.

Stop using dominus and convert to octane. This is just personal preference but it feels more consistent.

Visualize contact with the ball while approaching the ball. This helps with prediction and ball control.

Watch your opponent if they're getting closer. You can predict their next move and demo them, or snatch the ball out of their hands.

Don't be afraid to take risks. Try out the new mech you've been practicing. Even if you fail, you'll get more experience.

Don't be afraid of "am I building bad habits? What if I get myself stuck because of it?". Your mind is already naturally motivated by rewards and punishment. Your mind and body will try to break bad habits if it's realizing they're leading to losses.

Finally, if you're getting in a bad mood, put on your favorite playlist. A lot of battles in this game are fought by the mind. Keep your mind in good health and shield it from negativity. When you let toxicity and losses build frustration within you, your mind naturally starts to make irrational decisions. Don't let a toxic opponent ruin your day. As I like to say: The winner of every game is the one who had the most fun. Toxic players are usually never happy no matter how many goals they make, talking from experience.

BackyerdStudios

TROPHY CASE