Postmortem: Angel Studios' Smuggler's Run

Contents

Smuggler's Run What Went Right What Went Wrong Conclusion

And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong.
Though each was partly in the right,
They all were in the wrong!

-John Godfrey Saxe, from "The Blind Men and the Elephant"

If you were to independently ask each Smuggler's Run team member to list the top five things that went right and wrong, I doubt any two responses would be identical. But unlike the parable of the blind men and the elephant, writing a postmortem is a valuable exercise. To anyone who hasn't, I highly recommend trying it. I wrote this particular postmortem from my perspective as lead programmer.

The Smuggler's Run team, trying to look tough

Smuggler's Run is a fast-paced off-road driving game in which you play the part of a smuggler whose job it is to deliver as much contraband as possible. Along the way you face rival gangs who want to steal your loot, and cops who want to bust you. The core game play is simple: Pick up contraband by driving over it, or steal from another smuggler by ramming them, and then make your delivery by passing through the drop-off smoke signal. Unlike most other games, you can choose any path through the expansive environments - but be careful! Smuggler's Run dumps you in the middle of harsh off-road worlds filled with rocks, hills, trees, cliffs, and other obstacles. The difference between success and failure often boils down to the route you choose.

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What Went Right