Hi everyone, we’re back with another developer update. Today we’re going to focus on the relationships that you will be building with the businesses within your growing network of contacts. We’ll also be sharing progress on the game’s second city map, Pittsburgh!
Business relationships
Social currency is a big deal in City of Gangsters and effectively managing the relationships with individual businesses will be a key part of spreading your influence across the city.
Your relationship with each NPC business is the sum total of the interactions you had with that person - your various positive or negative actions towards them, the history of your business deals together, but also the gossip they overheard about what you’ve done to other people. On top of that, personal traits and your crew’s experience will modulate the relationship further. You can see how that is displayed in the UI, in the screenshot below.
So what are the advantages of a positive relationship and the disadvantages of a negative one?
This is the time of Prohibition, and booze is illegal, so in order to get anything done, you have to be trusted by the people you’re dealing with. You have to build and maintain a positive relationship.
But when you meet a new business for the first time, your relationship will start around 0 (neutral). At this stage you have very few options - they don’t trust you enough to participate in any illegal deals just yet. However, if you can get them to warm up to you, whether through mutual friends or by showing that you’re on the level, you’ll start to see a much more diverse array of options.
Benefits of a positive relationship
Gain favors - Favors are an invaluable resource that can be spent in a wide variety of ways to open up new social and business opportunities for your outfit, e.g. learning about a special event or getting a trusted introduction to someone new.
Open up illegal trade - Unlock access to a wider pool of tradable resources with the business. This is how you’ll be able to start selling the alcohol that you produce.
Set up a front - Fronts are the catalysts for territory expansion and will collect protection money from local businesses. NPCs who run fronts for your outfit will often be your strongest allies.
Set up exclusive trade deals - Prevent rival outfits from trading with the business for a set number of turns. Just don’t be surprised when rivals will try to do the same to you.
Learn new crew skills - Improve your outfit’s knowledge which will unlock entirely new production chains and opportunities.
Learn about new properties - Expand your operational capacity by purchasing new businesses and starting new production locations, bootlegging operations, speakeasies, and so on.
Disadvantages of a negative relationship
Refusal to do business - If the business owner dislikes and distrusts you, they will refuse to deal with you. So if you have only one supplier of a key resource, it’s crucial to keep them on your side.
Reputation damage among friends and family - People will talk to their friends and family about their interactions with you. Whether your actions were altruistic or ruthless, you can be sure that the news will spread. So you’ll need to be careful who you upset, because they might have bigger friends who could give you real problems!
So which actions impact the relationship level?
Positive actions
Doing legal and illegal business - Buying and selling with an NPC will create a small positive impression. But trading in illegal goods will boost the relationship much higher.
Offer good deals on tradeable resources - Offering % discounts is a show of good faith which will be appreciated.
Completing missions - Depending on the context of your existing relationship, some NPC businesses will ask if you could help them out in various ways, and they will warm up to you considerably and show their gratitude if you succeed.
Getting a trusted recommendation - Favors accumulated with other people can be redeemed to gain trusted introductions to new contacts, or improve relationships with existing mutual friends.
Defending your people - Whether it’s helping a local business that’s being harassed by hooligans, or helping out the poor and needy in the community, small acts of benevolence can have a very positive impact.
Helping a mutual friend - Remember, people talk, and the news of your good deeds is sure to spread.
Negative actions
Demanding higher prices on tradeable resources - Adding % premiums on resources that you trade will annoy the business.
Extortion - Demanding protection money from businesses within your territory will damage your relationship with them over time.
Destroying property - Some businesses will resist extortion but can be coerced into complying by trashing their place in various creative ways. This aggressive action will make them fear and loathe you in equal measure.
Physical harm - This goes without saying, but people will remember any physical violence you do against them. The more serious the harm, the worse the effect.
Hurting somebody’s friends and family - If you hurt someone’s brother or extort their cousin, that news will spread and affect your reputation. So be careful when you throw your weight around.
In future posts we’ll look at character traits and how relationships work with the police, local troublemakers and rival gangs, but for now, we hope that this has given you an insight into the fundamental social aspects of the game’s design.
Update: Pittsburgh map visuals and unique resources
With City of Gangsters we wanted to make a game that would have a high degree of replayability and from day one we planned to include three city maps that would each present a different experience. If you’ve been keeping up with coverage of the game so far you will be familiar with the Chicago map, which represents the core game. We’ve now turned our attention to the second of these maps, Pittsburgh, adding unique 3D models with architecture specific to that city, such as the colorful houses below.
The map also contains new resources linked to the production of two alcohol recipes that are unique to the city, Applejack and Rakija.
Applejack (Apple juice + small bottles + ice) - Jacking is an old technique that uses cold temperatures induced by ice or snow or other cold temperatures to extract alcohol. It takes longer than distillation, but is considerably easier and cheaper. And not at all prone to explode.
Rakija (Plums + small bottles + sugar) - Immigrants from certain parts of Europe are sure to appreciate and pay handsomely for a potent taste of home, made from distilled plum juice.
Thanks again for stopping by and as always, come say hi on Discord and follow us on Twitter for all the latest news and updates.
Matt & Rob
Co-founders - SomaSim