Devlog #4

We're excited to share another development update on Locomochi, our cozy puzzle game where you control a tiny toy locomotive 🚂🧩✨

This month has been all about adding our final features.

We've been refining many of the systems already in the game, improving usability based on player feedback, and preparing for the next big milestone: our public playtest.

Quick recap

🗺️ New Camera Map

Following the received feedback, players can now access a strategic overview of the level from anywhere, making puzzles much easier to read and plan.

We've also replaced the old request panel with diegetic in-world popups that communicate deliveries much more naturally.

🚂 Platform snapping

We have implemented a key feature for the game feel: platform snapping.

Now wagons are gently attracted to delivery platforms, pressure plates, and other gameplay elements, making interactions much smoother and eliminating one of the biggest frustrations we observed during playtesting.

📖 Instructions Booklet

We have designed a brand-new scrapbook-inspired instruction booklet that serves as a tutorial guide.

It is complete with embedded gameplay videos and written explanations in order to understand complex mechanics and puzzles.

⚙️ Technical art & optimization

We've also been receiving technical art mentorship focused on rendering performance, optimization, and visual quality.

These improvements will help us achieve a better-looking game while keeping future platforms like Steamdeck in mind.

🌿 Visual polish

Environment Blocking V2 is now complete across every level of the Vertical Slice.

We've added placeholder vegetation, improved water shaders, expanded the HUB to accommodate optional challenge levels, and started integrating placeholder VFX to make interactions feel much more satisfying.

🎯 Reducing scope to improve quality

After reviewing our priorities, we've decided to postpone locomotive cosmetics until after the Vertical Slice.

Instead, we're investing that time into polishing the core experience, improving UI, fixing bugs, refining transitions, and making every mechanic feel as good as possible.

🚀 What’s next?

Next up, we’ll be focusing on:

🚂 Final polish for the Vertical Slice

🏡 Replace all art placeholders inside the HUB

✨ More VFX and visual improvements

⚙️ Performance optimization

🎪 Preparing for Steam festivals and Gamescom

This next phase is all about cohesion and presentation: making all the systems we’ve built finally feel like one unified experience.

🧡 Stay Connected

The next few months are going to be incredibly exciting for Locomochi!

As always, thank you so much for following our journey and helping us improve the game with your feedback💛

See you in the next update!

Best regards,

Jon Gomez

Producer & Game Designer

Little Lantern Games