Version/Bergsbruk

Bergsbruk was the first mining and excavation game developed by North Modding Company AB. It served as the early foundation for what would later evolve into Out of Ore.

Bergsbruk was created almost entirely in Blueprints using Unreal Engine 4.27 with PhysX-based machine and dirt interaction. At this stage, the project had no dedicated C++ developer, and most systems were implemented through trial, error, and experimentation.

While it demonstrated the core fantasy of digging and operating heavy equipment, the project eventually reached a point where technical limitations, engine constraints, and missing third-party components made further progress extremely difficult for a solo developer.

Development

Bergsbruk was built by Christian ("execut") over the span of roughly a year. During this time, he invested significant effort into understanding Unreal’s PhysX behavior, excavator arm stability, bucket interactions, hydraulics, and deformable material logic — all implemented primarily through Blueprints.

However, several essential multiplayer-related engine components were delayed indefinitely. Combined with the complexity of maintaining large Blueprint-based systems, this stalled the project.

Key developer announcement (01.03.2022):

Bergsbruk has now been in the works/reworks for over a year and due to several 3rd party components being delayed or just not done yet we have decided to put the project on hold...
— Christian, Development Announcement

Transition to Out of Ore

With Bergsbruk reaching a dead end, the team pivoted to a new project: Out of Ore, initially designed as a streamlined single-player experience. This shift offered several advantages:

• No requirement to support multiplayer at launch
• Cleaner systems built from scratch
• Better long-term maintainability
• Faster ability to add vehicles and features

It was during early Out of Ore development that Shih-Hung ("Darksider") joined part-time, bringing backend experience, C++ knowledge, and deeper Unreal Engine expertise. He played a significant role in stabilizing systems and pushing the project toward a sustainable codebase — an important factor in preventing OOO from meeting the same fate as Bergsbruk.

All Bergsbruk owners received Out of Ore for free upon release.

Legacy

While Bergsbruk is no longer maintained, it remains an important predecessor. Lessons learned — especially around machine physics, digging systems, and overall project structure — shaped the framework of Out of Ore.

Notably, even though Out of Ore shifted away from the multiplayer constraints that limited Bergsbruk, the game eventually added multiplayer support in summer 2024, marking a full-circle moment for the development team.