The bottom line: signs are no longer just “type in some text”
Until now, signs were basically just about typing text into a preset block. Starting with V3.0, a new feature called SignTech has been added, and by placing a canvas block you can now draw your own logos and pictures right in the in-game editor. Not just text, but shapes, patterns, and decorations layered together, letting you seriously design shop signs and base logos — that’s the biggest change this time around.
What can you now do?
SignTech signs work by stacking together multiple “parts” (layers) to build a single picture. There are four main types of parts you can work with.
- Shapes: squares, triangles, stars, and more. You can even adjust corner roundness and bulge
- Text: type in whatever text you like. You can also choose from several fonts (such as the handwritten-style “Permanent Marker”)
- Patterns (noise): adding texture like grime, wear, and gradients
- Groups: bundle multiple parts together to move them all at once
On top of that, you can apply transforms to these parts such as perspective (adding depth), swirl, arc, and stretch. For example, you can tilt text to make it look three-dimensional, or curve a sign along an arc to decorate it — the range of expression has expanded quite a bit. You can also specify colors in fine detail, right down to transparency.
What happens when you place one? — The “default sign” you get first
When you newly place a canvas block, a ready-made design is displayed first. V3.0 comes bundled with several preset signs to use as examples, starting with the “Default Sign” and including gas-station and donut-shop styles. You can use them as-is, or freely redraw them in the editor — that’s how you start out.
Elaborate designs get their outlines, shadows, and sense of depth by layering the same text or shape slightly offset while changing the color. At first, tinkering with the bundled presets should make it easier to grasp how it all works.
Benefits and things to watch out for
The benefit is being able to build your base or shop signs exactly to your taste. You can create faction or group logos, directional signs, and more entirely within the game, without having to prepare any image files.
One thing to watch out for: because expression is so free, trying to get fancy means more parts and transforms, and the controls get a bit more complex. We recommend starting from a preset as your foundation and adding to it little by little.
Related: List of V3.0 articles