Hey, heroes! 👋
First off, a huge thank you to everyone who participated in our Open Beta! Your feedback has been nothing short of amazing, and it’s helping us improve the game.
But before we get into the latest updates, let’s talk about what’s right around the corner...
Demo Coming in Hot on October 4th! 🎮
That's right! Mark your calendars because the Steam Demo is just a few days away! 🤯 Whether you missed the Beta or are itching for more, this is another opportunity to explore the game and experience all the new features we’ve been working on.
Here’s what you can expect from the demo:
- 7 Markets 🌎: Test your strategy skills in diverse markets, including the USA, China, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Russia, and South Korea.
- 3 Localities 📍: Grow your business across Noisy Playground, Street Corner, and Big Station.
- 15 Days of Gameplay 🗓️: You’ll have two in-game weeks to reach Master Lee’s ambitious profit targets.
- Tiered Research Options 🔬: Unlock new capabilities and refine your business strategies with access to both Tier 1 and Tier 2 research opportunities.
- Events 📰: Face real-world challenges with Level 1 and Level 2 events that will put your decision-making skills to the test.
- Promotion Mechanics 📲: Attract more customers with pamphlets and social media advertising.
- Basic Banking 🏦: Secure small loans with a basic bank account
Get ready for a fine business challenge because this demo is bringing all the heat! 🔥
Now, let’s get into some of the exciting improvements we've made based on your recommendations.
Incremental UI Reveals
One of the key pieces of feedback we received from the Beta was that, while the UI has greatly improved, it still felt overwhelming for many players, especially in the early stages of the game.
In response, we’ve introduced conditional visibility to ease players into the experience. On your first night in business, you’ll notice a cleaner, more streamlined interface.
We’ve hidden non-essential elements initially to prevent overload.
How it works
As you complete Master Lee’s early goals, additional UI components will progressively unlock, allowing you to discover more complex aspects of the game gradually.
For example, here's how the research tree is revealed after the ordering task is completed:
Hopefully, this method, paired with the navigational guide and goals system, will gently guide you into the game's deeper complexities, ensuring each phase of discovery feels manageable and engaging.
Meet Your New Research Guide: Grace!
Speaking of research, A common challenge we noticed was players struggling to prioritize projects and locate unlocked items. To tackle this, we’ve introduced Grace, Master Lee’s trusted research assistant, to guide you through the research selection process.
Grace provides useful recommendations to help you make the best decisions on which research projects to prioritize for success.
Grace also explains the purpose of each research item and points you directly to where it’s located once unlocked. For example, here’s her visual guidance for finding Service Insights after you've unlocked it:
New Ways to Target Customers
We also recognized a need to improve how players cater to the different customer groups. We've now added upgrades that allow you to attract specific customer groups while discouraging others. 3 of these upgrades will be available in the demo:
Student Saver
Adjust your menu to offer budget-friendly choices for students. This upgrade not only attracts students but subtly diminishes the stand's appeal to other customer groups who might be looking for more premium options.
Toy Giveaway
Keep parents happy and kids entertained by offering a free toy with each meal. This upgrade makes your stand a hit among families looking to enjoy a meal without the usual fuss from the little ones.
Quick Serve
Speed is the game for busy workplace professionals. By ensuring your service is swift, you make your stand the go-to spot for a quick lunch break, reducing wait times for Staff and increasing turnover.
These upgrades allow you to mix and match strategies based on the type of customers you want to attract, giving you even more control over your business.
That's it for September! 🥂
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Live Long and Prosper 👋,
Team Visionaries