(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pA2gl2d9a8)
I've decided to take Wreck Arena in a bit of a different direction and have been working on a "refresh" with new ideas and mechanics. As of right now the game is called "Robotstacles" (probably a placeholder name), and you'll understand why by reading further.
As of right now, the game will no longer be a fighting game and this focus will be redirected to the puzzle aspect of the game. Players will be given a vast set of obstacle courses they can attempt, and their times will be shown on a leaderboard for other players to see. I'll be working on a level editor in the coming weeks so players can construct their own obstacle courses and share them online. The editor will be the same one I use to build the game so you won't miss out on any features :)
Back to the video; I've implemented a basic power mechanic in the game. A robot must have a power source (battery) and any motors or mechanical blocks (steering, etc.) must be connected (directly or indirectly) to a battery for it to function. You can see this happening when I use a decoupler - once I decouple the battery from the other components the robot becomes dead and uncontrollable. Later I'll add power drain mechanics so you won't have an unlimited power source.
I've also implemented a custom wheel collider with proper slip calculations, etc. which will offer much, much better control and more accurate physics for wheeled robots.
The robot building system has been revamped and is much less restrictive. You no longer need to attach blocks to other blocks to build your robot, you can simply place them on the grid. Blocks don't have attachment points anymore either, they use what I call a "glue" system, in which certain areas/sides of the blocks have "glue" applied to them and where two glued surfaces touch, the blocks will stick together. This is all transparent to the player.