Developer Q&A: Programmer Edition

An Interview with the Development Team Behind OCTOPinbs

【Developer Q&A: Programmer Edition】

We’re pleased to share another Q&A-style interview with the development staff at Tri-Ace, the creators of OCTOPinbs.

In this Programmer Edition, we dive into the technical challenges behind fast-paced multiplayer action, networking, performance optimization, and game feel.

Q1. In a Steam multiplayer social deduction game like this, where “revealing identities through action” is a core feature, latency can be fatal. What measures did you take to maintain fairness in moment-to-moment encounters and action detection?

For our network architecture, OCTOPinbs uses a peer-to-peer (P2P) connection model. By not relying on dedicated servers, we’re able to minimize latency between players.

In addition, we utilize relay networks to ensure stable P2P connections regardless of players’ geographic locations. Because the game is extremely fast-paced, syncing player movement was a major challenge early on, with noticeable discrepancies between clients. Through extensive trial and error, however, we were able to achieve a level of responsiveness and synchronization that we believe delivers a smooth and enjoyable experience.

Q2. To achieve a “pop” tone with “chaotic fun” where many players are moving simultaneously, what technical challenges did you tackle to reduce processing load and ensure stable performance?

Supporting up to 10 players simultaneously was definitely one of the toughest challenges.

In particular, there are many objects on screen at once—such as fire and water spray—and we implemented techniques like culling, carefully removing processing only where it wouldn’t negatively affect visuals or gameplay.

That said, because fire and players exist across the entire map, we couldn’t simply stop processing them altogether, which continued to be a challenge right up to the end. Thanks to persistent optimization efforts by the entire team, we were able to reach our target frame rate and ensure stable performance.

Q3. The game is developed using an original in-house engine. What strengths or unique advantages did this bring compared to using a general-purpose engine?

One of the biggest advantages of our in-house engine is that it can be customized specifically for each title and optimized to be lightweight. OCTOPinbs benefited greatly from this flexibility.

Another major factor was the strong support from our dedicated engine support team. They provided significant assistance with profiling, performance optimization, and load reduction throughout development.

For example, the physics simulation for the characters’ distinctive octopus tentacles turned out to be far more demanding than it appears visually. The engine team helped us fine-tune that system specifically for this project, allowing us to significantly reduce the processing cost.

Q4. During development and test play, were there any unexpectedly funny—or terrifying—behaviors that even the programmers didn’t anticipate?

Absolutely. We saw all kinds of programmer-nightmare scenarios, like characters teleporting instantly, or ghost-like characters appearing that couldn’t be controlled at all.

Interestingly, even when the game balance wasn’t fully tuned yet, the team still had a blast playing around—chasing each other in improvised ways. That’s when we really felt, early on, how much flexibility and depth this game had as a play experience.

Q5. From a programmer’s perspective, what aspects of the game’s “feel” or the sheer fun of moving characters do you hope players will notice?

We put a great deal of effort into making sure characters respond exactly as players expect. The control scheme was refined again and again to get that right.

We also tested many different approaches to the water-spraying mechanics, ultimately selecting the one that felt the most satisfying. On top of that, we repeatedly fine-tuned the behavior of the water itself so that spraying feels smooth and enjoyable.

We hope players really dive in and enjoy the firefighting action to the fullest.