Skate. Ideas
Here's some stuff I wrote during my 60+ hrs during playtests and early access. From content suggestions to performance observations.
Sit & rest spots
Let us sit on park benches, derelict sofas, and ledges—rather than just “cheating it” with the emote to perch on the floor. People like to make “live screensavers” in these types of games when the world is always in motion, so having that active backdrop—like the “lo-fi girl” stream—feels like a natural fit. This should also apply to the objects relating to thus from the quick-drop browser library.
Day & night cycle
A simple but effective addition for variety and immersion. Imagine rolling around at golden hour—it makes the time and event feel happenstance and special.
Digs (personal space)
Give us a modest place to crash. There’s already plenty of variety in complex buildings and skyscrapers, so portable windows could open into downtime spots. The architecture and themes around San Van could yield different vibes that vary the “home” aesthetic. Maybe even allow a little customisation—akin to the quick-drop mechanic—to give your space some flavour.
Gameplay-driven elements could include:
A ‘floordrobe’/wardrobe (a lump of clothes on the floor, a rail, or similar) for changing apparel, costumes, and accessories
- A worktable to customise/repair* boards
- A vanity mirror in the bathroom to tweak appearance
- A radio to play music inside the digs
- A retro TV-console combo to play simple arcade-style games (in optional seating; folding chair, recliner, etc.)
- A plant that requires care if you log in regularly (a soft “daily check-in” mechanic)
- Collectibles picked up around the city (zines, posters, rare stickers, knick-knacks) displayed on shelves or mantles
- A mural on the wall that expands as you progress (like Hi-Fi Rush)
- A bookshelf to access the Skatepedia
- A visual display of your San Van Bucks (the more you own, the more they stack up—under the mattress, overflowing from a safe, etc.)
- A deck rack for the player’s six saved skateboard “loadouts” to swap between
- A bed could double as a spawn point when you log in, with a “Sleep” command that sends your skater into a surreal dreamland. Rotating dreamscapes would keep it fresh and give the devs space to go wild.
- A makeshift photo lab to develop screenshots taken from the replay tool into analogue-style prints to hang up in your digs or share with friends as collectibles
- A mini-fridge where you can grab a health/energy shot once per day to gain a timed buff (e.g. +2.5% increase to sprint, foot-push, or climbing speed)
- A sofa to kick back on—perfect for appreciating the space you’ve made into “home”
- A toilet you can flush (because of course)
I’d have suggested pets, but I don’t love the idea of promoting animal neglect in a perpetually existing game world.
Tagging & expression
Sticker-slapping and spray-painting spots around San Van seems like a no-brainer—both as expression and challenge. Inspiration could come from Jet Set Radio:
- Time trials to tag a set number of spots within a limit
- Higher scores for trickier-to-reach areas
- Style points if you trick into a tag
Vehicle interaction
Let us grab the backs of vehicles for momentum—Back to the Future style.
Sit-on-board emote
The “take a break” emote should also work while standing on the board (stationary), letting us sit cross-legged or perched on the deck.
Cafés & social spaces
Cafés and skate culture overlap more than I think we admit. They’re casual spaces to unwind, breathe, and watch the world. Imagine sitting inside or outside, watching another player cruise past and land a sketchy-but-cool trick. Red Dead Online let you obtain and carry a meal/drink to sit wherever to consume it at your own pace—yes, that leans into roleplay, but here it’d feel like strong worldbuilding. But if you’re not into that leisure tone, maybe add a to-go option, allowing to skip the theatrics, down the beverage and be on your way to utilise its benefits.
Features could include:
- A minimal drink menu with slight buffs
- A satisfying animation of the drink being made (almost something you’d see for ASMR or the oddly satisfying subreddit)
- A new use-case for in-game currency beyond cosmetics
- A cosy, slice-of-life feel that balances the shambles of skating
Live performances & culture
Events at designated spots (underground venues, outdoor pop-up stages, or even the arena in Brickswich) featuring DJs, bands, or artists. They don’t need to be big and bombastic like Fortnite concerts—just grounded and tied to skate culture. Imagine hearing a track in the playlist you thought was cool, then finding that artist playing live in-game. It creates discovery and makes the city feel connected to culture. I don’t want to see big names just for the clout, keeping to the music this game deems appropriate to skate with are the musicians we should give the stage to.
Bus rides
Let buses function as more than fast travel. There can be a simple pleasure in riding public transport and watching a city roll by. Let the player:
- Sit down with their board propped up
- Stand when seats are full, holding the board in one hand and the railing in the other
- Exit at any stop along the route
If a skater outside blocks the bus, it could pause a moment before bumping them away.
Board wear & tear
Scuffed decks, chipped paint, worn wheels, shredded stickers. Mostly cosmetic, but it gives long-term skaters a lived-in feel.
*The worktable could double as a way to repair or clean up boards, with complimentary repair services available in Extravert shops. There is some scraping found on the trucks, but if that’s the only surface-level damage, there can always be more.
Delivery service
There has to be some way to earn San Van Bucks in-game. One idea: let players take on delivery runs across the map to earn a slice of the rotating shop offerings. The balance is key — players shouldn’t be grinding all day to afford almost everything, but nor should they only scrape together enough for a single sticker. A sensible daily earning limit would keep things fair and rewarding. Maybe even a weekly bonus for those who show up and put in the work every day. Fortunately, I don’t have to worry about the exact numbers—that’s for the devs who’ve already built the economy.
World detail
It feels odd to see hotdog stands and food trucks unmanned in a supposedly living world. Post-M-Corp’s exit and with the colourful community moving in, it’d make sense to see them staffed—even if interaction isn’t a must.
Tightrope Walking
With the inclusion of basic parkour systems, I could see the tightrope walk working quite well in this environment, as there’s plenty of railings and narrow surface areas to balance on. I did come across one instance where I was gentle walking on a traffic bollard and the avatar began raising their arms in a balance-like pose, which makes me wonder if there is some system that has yet to be full integrated.
Believable, Diegetic Music
It’s a little detail that doesn’t require much, but I think if the user uses the music player, they could do a short gesture putting in earbuds to listen to the track as they cruise, same goes for the music grab mechanic.
Film festival & photo exhibitions
Plenty of players will want to share the clips and shots they capture in-game, so why not facilitate it? San Van could host rotating events where you can view that work — whether it’s a small gallery space, an outdoor cinema, or even screenings in the existing theatre. Skate culture already has deep ties to film and photography, so this would feel authentic while giving creators a stage.
Camper-van
A camper-van could serve as a more compact, mobile version of the digs. The appeal isn’t driving it manually but embodying the on-the-go lifestyle — a skater who prefers mobility over a fixed residence. Players could park their vans at designated spots around the map, creating little impromptu communities when several gather together. NPC campers roaming the city would add to the illusion of life. Functionally, it’d be a scaled-back but cosier space, like the confined yet interactive hub of the helicopter in MGS V or Fortnite’s seasonal grotto. A fixed camera angle that shifts focus depending on the highlighted object would keep it smooth and minimal. If you don’t want campers clogging up your favourite session spot, you could toggle them off — including your own. And of course, light customisation feels like a no-brainer: stickers, body paint, accessories, and more to make your van uniquely yours.
⸻
Closing notes
I know there’ll already be plenty of bug and quirk feedback from playtests, but one irk I’ll voice is the clunky responsiveness when switching direction. Sometimes, after a trick that leaves you rolling backwards, the character takes far too long to adjust, even though the camera should snap to the correct trajectory with analogue prompts.
Character creation also needs expansion, especially around variance and inclusivity. Facial hair is one example—not all moustaches are droopy slugs, y’know? The culture is broad, so representation should funnel into a more inclusive medium.
Finally, the replay section feels half-baked. While welcome, it lacks tools to make images feel personal. I’m not expecting in-depth aperture or shutter controls, but even filters or film stock emulations would make a huge difference. Same goes for video—right now it feels very minimal and undercooked, so there’s little else I can comment on.
The heinous and broken own the spot challenge called ‘manual reversion’ left me more frustrated at the mechanics than the skill ceiling, repeating specific tricks to reattempt the all-in-one bonus didn’t register after completing them individually, and having to do a hard restart to retry the entire challenge often resulted in a ‘waiting for players’ pop-up that didn’t do anything and gave no means of exiting other than shutting down the entire game.
The bug I hit most often: after taking on a stunt activity, the floor crosshair HUD sometimes stays active even after completion, following the player while skating and on foot. Not a major annoyance, but clearly unintended and perhaps a bit of a cheese.
I wanted to end on a constructive note. As of late I get pretty exhausted hearing and reading about most points of conversation getting dragged into the dirt because it’s easy and more often captivating to an audience by being brash and loud than to criticise in a considerate fashion. I’ve had a rough patch recently and this game has given me some stimulation and distraction when needed most, which I appreciate. So I felt like sharing these ideas was worth giving back, I might put this on other forums to see if it helps the devs, if they notice it at all.
