V2024.10.17b — The Long Drive
Before we dissect the v2024.10.17b update, it’s worth remembering the core loop of The Long Drive. The game drops you into a seemingly infinite, procedurally generated desert. Your only goal is to drive. There is no map marker, no fast travel, and no hand-holding. You find a beat-up car, scavenge for fuel, water, and food, and manage your vehicle’s health—from engine temperature to tire pressure.
The magic of the game lies in its emergent chaos. A broken fan belt can leave you stranded miles from a wrecked building. A rabbit jumping in front of your car can crack your radiator. The quiet, simmering tension of the desert is the game’s real antagonist. Every update, including v2024.10.17b, aims to refine this experience.
Summary
Pros
Cons
Gameplay & Mechanics
Visuals & Audio
Replayability
Who it’s for
Verdict
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The Long Drive v2024.10.17b is a recent update for the open-world survival driving simulator that focuses on improving mechanical interactions and fixing longstanding physics-related bugs.
This build, currently accessible via the Steam beta branch, continues the developer Genesz's mission to create the "ultimate open world car driving game" by refining the granular interaction system that defines the experience. Key Features of v2024.10.17b
The 17 October 2024 update introduces several specific mechanical and visual fixes:
Handheld Lighting: Players can now manually turn on all headlights and bulbs even when they are not slotted into a vehicle.
Physics Lock Enhancements: The metal bar now features a thinner Physics Lock area for more precise attachment.
Pumpkin Improvements: The in-game pumpkin has received visual upgrades and restored on/off functionality. Combat and Destruction Fixes:
Explosive items (like paint cans) now correctly detonate when shot.
Weak firearms are now properly calibrated to destroy lightbulbs.
Resolved a visual bug where bulb and mirror slices appeared with purple "missing texture" shaders. Context: The 2024 Anniversary Beta Updates
Version 2024.10.17b is part of a larger series of rapid-fire "test" updates released in late 2024. These updates introduced transformative features to the base game: The Long Drive v2024.10.17b
The Tape Measure: Added in mid-October, this tool allows for complex object manipulation and measurement.
Expanded Map Content: New road types and the "FPS Dungeon" map—which includes enemies, corridors, and specific goals—were added to diversify the core gameplay.
Multiplayer Stability: Recent builds have worked toward better item positioning and synchronization for the experimental multiplayer mode. How to Play the Latest Version
Since this specific build is a test version, it is not always on the main public branch. To access v2024.10.17b or newer "test" builds, follow these steps on Steam: Right-click The Long Drive in your Steam Library. Select Properties. Go to the Betas tab.
Select the "upcoming version test" branch from the dropdown menu. The Core Experience
For new players, The Long Drive is a post-apocalyptic road trip through a procedurally generated desert. Unlike traditional driving games, it emphasizes freedom and immersion over structured goals. Players must manage fuel, oil, and water while traversing a road that stretches for 5,000 kilometers, occasionally stopping at abandoned buildings to scavenge for parts or fend off hostile NPCs like "Munkas" or giant rabbits. The Long Drive on Steam
The update v2024.10.17b for The Long Drive is a recent developmental patch released by the solo developer Genesz (Gus) for the popular post-apocalyptic driving survival game. As part of a series of "Upcoming Version Test" (UVT) updates, this version reflects the developer's ongoing effort to refine the game's core mechanics—driving, exploration, and immersion—within its vast, procedurally generated desert. What is The Long Drive?
For those unfamiliar, The Long Drive is a 3D open-world simulation that prioritizes freedom over rigid objectives. Unlike traditional survival games, it features:
Minimal Maintenance: You don't need excessive fuel to travel; a full tank can last roughly 500 kilometers.
Procedural Vastness: A seemingly infinite desert with distant landmarks (like mountains) that are actually reachable.
Tactile Interaction: From adjusting mirrors by hand to throwing them out the window while speeding, the game emphasizes physical interaction with your vehicle. Key Highlights of the v2024.10.17b Update
This specific patch was released on October 17, 2024, and was primarily available through the "upcoming version test" branch on Steam. Key aspects of this developmental cycle include:
Beta Access: Players can access this version by right-clicking the game in their Steam library, selecting "Properties," then "Betas," and choosing the "upcoming version test" branch.
Content and Fixes: These mid-October patches typically focus on squashing bugs introduced by new engine features or experimental assets. Community discussions around this time often highlighted requests for new vehicles, such as the Opel Manta B, to fit the game's Eastern European aesthetic.
Engine Refinements: Built on the Unity game engine, these updates continue to optimize the procedural generation that allows for seamless travel across hundreds of kilometers without loading screens. How to Play the Latest Version
If you are looking to dive into the latest experimental features:
Platform: The game is primarily available for Windows via Steam.
Experimental Branch: Remember that "b" versions (like 10.17b) are often "beta" or "bug-fix" iterations of a larger monthly update. They may be less stable but offer the newest content.
Community Hub: Check the Official Steam Event Page for the most recent patch notes directly from Genesz.
The Long Drive v2024.10.17b is a significant patch released for the "test" branch of the cult-hit indie road-trip simulator The Long Drive. This update focuses on enhancing physical interactions and fixing persistent visual bugs as the game undergoes a massive internal overhaul of its terrain and physics systems. Key Features and Changes in v2024.10.17b
This specific build, categorized as a "test" branch update, introduces several quality-of-life improvements and bug fixes: Before we dissect the v2024
Handheld Lighting: All headlights and bulbs can now be turned on by hand even when they aren't slotted into a vehicle. While the developer notes that batteries will eventually be required for this, they aren't implemented yet.
Physics Lock Enhancements: The metal bar has received a "thin physics lock" to help keep items secured.
Interactive Props: The pumpkin prop has been improved, allowing players to toggle its light on and off again.
Explosive Fixes: A bug where explosive items (like paint cans) wouldn't detonate when shot has been resolved.
Weapon Scaling: Very weak guns can now properly destroy lightbulbs, fixing a previous oversight where they dealt insufficient damage.
Visual Polishing: Fixed a bug where bulb and big mirror slices would appear with purple "missing texture" colors. The 2024 Overhaul: Context for the Update
The v2024.10.17b update is part of a broader series of "test" branch releases throughout late 2024 that aim to modernize the game. Players participating in this branch can experience:
Enhanced Terrain Generation: A new generator that provides windier roads, more varied elevations, and more engaging driving paths compared to the original "endless flat desert".
Multiplayer Stability: Significant work has been done to improve ragdoll sync and lobby filtering.
Developer Menu Improvements: A more user-friendly dev menu (opened with F1) now includes item searches and pictures to help players navigate the sandbox. Gameplay Experience in the Test Branch
While these updates bring much-needed features like mouse driving (toggle with U) and improved VR support, they come with the "jank" typical of The Long Drive.
The Journey: Players still aim to travel 5,000 km to visit their mother, managing fuel, oil, and water in a semi-post-apocalyptic world.
Community Feedback: Some players have noted that the new terrain generation in these 2024 builds can be punishing, with sharp inclines that occasionally make heavy vehicles feel useless or cause cars to flip due to physics spikes. The Long Drive is pretty neat
If you are currently enjoying a stable playthrough on an older version (like v2024.10.12), you may want to finish your journey before updating. The Long Drive v2024.10.17b fundamentally changes resource management and vehicle handling. It is harder, more punishing, and occasionally unfair.
But that is the point. This is not a road trip simulator; it is a survival road trip simulator. The new thermal system and regenerating flora make the world feel less like a static sandbox and more like a living, breathing desert that wants you to fail. For new players, this version offers the definitive challenge. For veterans, it breathes new life into a drive you thought you knew.
Final Rating: 8.5/10 Beautifully broken, intensely lonely, and deeply rewarding. Just remember to watch your temperature gauge.
Have you encountered a strange glitch or discovered a hidden oasis in The Long Drive v2024.10.17b? Share your stories in the comments below. Safe driving—and stay hydrated.
What comes after v2024.10.17b? Developer Genesz has hinted at two major features for late 2024 and early 2025:
For now, v2024.10.17b represents a stable, enjoyable milestone. It polishes the core desert-driving loop without adding unnecessary bloat.
For the uninitiated, The Long Drive is not your typical open-world game. There is no map marker telling you where to go, no soundtrack swelling at key moments. Instead, you are dropped into a desert with a car, a rabbit, and a single directive: drive. The world stretches infinitely, regenerated as you travel, populated by sparse ruins, abandoned gas stations, and the occasional eerie landmark.
The magic lies in the physics and interaction. Every object can be picked up, thrown, or loaded into your vehicle. Engines overheat, radiators leak, and tires go flat. You must manage water, food, and your sanity while listening to the idle chatter of your pet rabbit. The Long Drive v2024.10.17b refines this core loop with a focus on vehicle longevity and environmental storytelling. the game wouldn't crash—instead
Developer: Moonburst Interactive (one man, Liam "Moon" Burst, in his Edinburgh apartment) Release Date: October 17, 2024 Patch Size: 1.2 GB (allegedly containing 47 GB of legacy code) Community Status: Revered, feared, and endlessly debated.
The Premise of the Game: For the uninitiated, The Long Drive is a minimalist, surrealist driving "simulator." You are alone in a randomly generated, seemingly infinite desert. Your only goal: drive. You maintain a dilapidated sedan, scavenge for fuel and water, and listen to a crackling AM radio that picks up mysterious numbers stations. The game is known for its eerie calm, Lo-Fi hip-hop radio mods, and a creeping dread that something is watching from the distant mesas.
What v2024.10.17b Was Supposed to Be:
The patch notes on Steam were deceptively simple:
Version 2024.10.17b
Players expected a routine optimization patch. They were catastrophically wrong.
The Unwritten Changes (Discovered by the Community):
Within hours of the patch going live, the Long Drive subreddit and Discord server erupted. This wasn't a bug fix; it was a ghost in the machine.
1. The Horizon Shift (The "Phantom"): Before this patch, the horizon was a static heat-shimmer line. In v2024.10.17b, players noticed that the horizon moved. If you drove for 20 minutes in a straight line, the horizon would subtly curve away from you, as if the desert was a sphere you were rolling across the inside of. Compasses became useless. Sunsets lasted for hours or minutes with no consistency. One player documented driving directly toward a mountain for 3 real-time hours, only to have it remain exactly the same distance away. The game was no longer a line; it was a trap.
2. The Radio's New Voice (The "October Tapes"): The AM radio, previously a source of ambient static and the occasional strange poem, began broadcasting fragmented, real-time audio. Players reported hearing:
Data miners found no new audio files in the patch. The radio was somehow accessing live microphone input or generating audio procedurally based on the player's own playtime and driving patterns.
3. The "Bonnie" Entity: This is the centerpiece of the patch's horror. Previously, there were no NPCs—just you and the car. In v2024.10.17b, if your fuel dipped below 8% and you were stationary for more than 90 seconds, a rusted, identical version of your car would appear in your peripheral vision. The driver was a featureless, charcoal-black humanoid shape with two faintly glowing white dots for eyes. The community named it "Bonnie" (because a player named "Bonnie_Belle" first captured her on stream).
Bonnie never moved her car. She simply stared. If you looked directly at her, your engine would sputter and die. If you honked your horn, she would honk back exactly 2.7 seconds later, but her horn sounded like a child screaming through a broken loudspeaker. The only way to survive was to get fuel and drive away without looking back. If you failed, the game wouldn't crash—instead, the screen would slowly fade to black, and you'd respawn not at your last save, but in the passenger seat of Bonnie's car, with no ability to drive. The game continued. The desert scrolled by. You were just a passenger now. Forever.
4. The Fuel Economy Lie: The patch notes claimed "adjusted fuel consumption on steep inclines." In reality, fuel now evaporated. Literally. If you left your car for 5 minutes to scavenge a farmhouse, you'd return to a tank that was 20% emptier. If you slept in the car, you'd wake up with zero fuel but a full bottle of water—except the water was now black and undrinkable. The game was teaching you that rest was death.
The Aftermath and "The Great Rollback":
On October 19, 2024, Liam Burst (the developer) posted a single, uncharacteristic message on the game's Discord:
"I didn't write half of that code. I'm rolling back to v2024.10.16. Do not install 17b. Do not seed it. Delete it if you have it."
The patch was pulled within 48 hours. But of course, it's the internet. Copies of v2024.10.17b are now traded like cursed artifacts on obscure forums and private torrent trackers. Those who still play it report that Bonnie has started appearing even when the fuel is full. And recently, players have noticed something new: her passenger-side window is now rolled down.
Verdict:
The Long Drive v2024.10.17b is not a better version of the game. It is a broken, malevolent, and deeply poetic experience. It turns a meditative road trip into a paranoid struggle against a sentient landscape. It is the gaming equivalent of finding a VHS tape in an abandoned attic—you know you shouldn't watch it, but you can't look away.
Play it only if you're prepared to never feel alone in a desert again. And for God's sake, don't check the rearview.
Every patch in The Long Drive is a double-edged sword—new features bring new types of chaos. Version 2024.10.17b is no exception. Here are the critical updates: