Welcome and gather 'round, newsbearers and aspiring media moguls of the roaring 1930s!
The presses are rolling, the news is hot off the wire, and today the 'Community Test Build' branch is now OPEN!
As you continued showing your unwavering enthusiasm for News tower, we have worked hard to make this playtest happen.
In this initial phase, we are testing many new additions and improvements and are gathering your feedback and opinion on it to improve it as much as we can before we release it on the main branch.
You can find a detailed list of what is implemented in this community test below!
Here's everything you need to know:
What's included in the Community Test Build?
- Reader's Perception: This is a brand new system that will be detailed in the changelog below. The key point here is that it will be unlocked once you have obtained 12 districts. We will keep improving and enriching this system with future updates.
- Image Production Chain: This new production chain lets you add a cartographer, photographer, and illustrator to your team. We have also added a bunch of buff items for the new equipment in this production chain!
- Last but not least as one says, we have also added a whole new in-game year: 1933. This should give you plenty of time to enjoy all the new features we've included in this update.
These new features are thoroughly explained in the game's tutorials. We highly recommend starting a new game "with an introduction" to fully understand and explore them. The tutorials will guide you step-by-step, ensuring you make the most of these additions!
Keep in mind this is a preview build, and as such, much will still have to be improved. This is also why we ask for your help!
Join the "Community Test Build" channels on the Discord to share your feedback on this playtest: https://discord.gg/V9ZRjXaq
Why a Community Test Build?
First off, we think the reader's perception system is going to be a game-changer, and we want to share it with you as soon as possible. This new system also changes how you gain subscribers, impacting the revenue your newspaper generates, which required some rebalancing in the game. We're eager to hear what you all think about it.
Since perception and the new production chain add more complexity to the game, we've added tutorials at different points to explain them. We've tweaked these tutorials internally, but now we want to see how they work for the players, you!
Your feedback during this testing phase will play a crucial role in shaping the final version - so thank you!
How do I join the Community Test Build branch on Steam?
To access the "Community Test Build" branch, simply follow these steps:
- Open the Steam client.
- Click on the "Library" tab.
- Right-click on "News Tower" and select "Properties".
- Click on the "Betas" tab.
- In the "Beta participation" field, select "community_test".
- Click on the "Close" button.
- The game will now be updated to the "community_test" branch.
You're in! :)
Important information regarding your saves
The game should clearly state that your saves are incompatible - however here is what you need to know in case!
You will not be able to:
- Continue playing with your old saves in this Community Test Build. It will allow you to access the content of the next update we're working on.
- Load a save of the Community Test version into the Live build available on the default branch.
KNOWN ISSUE
- To bring the new image production chain to life, we've added a bunch of new news items that include images, illustrations, or maps. We haven't had time to write all of them yet, so you might see some news items with placeholder titles and subtitles. This shows just how fresh our version is!
KEY ADDITIONS
IMAGE PRODUCTION CHAIN
- Photographer - Can add a picture to news item (Gold tag)
- Photographer desk - This is where the photographer sits when it’s not assigned to a news item. Similar to how reporter desks work.
- Darkroom - Unique to photographs. When the photographer comes back from a news item, he/she develops the negatives into a “real” photograph. The darkroom can not be under a regular light. There is a red development light available as a buff item.
- Repro Camera - “Scans” the photo into a format that can be used by the engraver for creating the printable image.
- Engraver - Makes a printable “mold” of the image. After this step the graphic is ready to be assembled.
- Assembler - As with any item that can be placed in the newspaper, the final step is the assembler.
- Cartographer - Can add a map to news item (Silver tag)
- Cartographer desk - This is where the cartographer sits when it’s not assigned to a news item. Similar to how reporter desks work.
- The cartographer chain is similar to the photo chain, except that it does need to go into the darkroom.
- Illustrator - Can add an illustration to ads (extra money)
- Illustrator desk - This is where the illustrator sits when it’s not assigned to a news item. Similar to how reporter desks work.
- The illustrator chain is similar to the photo chain, except that it does need to go into the darkroom.
NEW (BUFF) OBJECTS:
- Photographer desk: Camera Cabinet, Camera Cleaning Kit, Camera Tripod
- Darkroom Technician: Chemicals Cabinet, Development Light, Dry Mount Press, Blackout Curtains
- Repro Camera / Photoprocessor: Sharpness Chart, Wet Plate Rack, Blackout Curtains
- Engraver: Drying Oven, Engraving Equipment, White Coat Rack
- Illustrator: Desk Pencils, Paint Can Cabinet, Painting Easel
- Cartographer: Drafting Triangles, Map Cabinet, Telescope, World Map
- Sweeping: Sweeping Tools, Big Trash Can (already existed but now buffs sweeping)
- Editor: Dictionary Books, File Cabinet, Issue Board, Paper Cutter
READERS' PERCEPTION
We are introducing a new mechanic called “Perception”. It’s about how your readers perceive your newspaper. You can be a “Sensational” newspaper, focusing more on fast, tabloid style news. Or an “Informational” newspaper, with more in depth coverage. The middle ground is also possible and it’s called “Moderate”.
We are laying a foundation to build upon in future updates, where perception will play a big role in long term planning, rivaling newspapers and other interesting mechanics.
With this update, its main focus is gathering subscribers.
Some of the tags that you will encounter have a “Perception side” associated with them. For example, the “Gossip” tag, skews your perception towards Sensational.
When you assemble your newspaper, the total perception value gets summed for the articles, and that determines the character of your newspaper.
Every week, the public perception gets nudged towards the character of your latest print. This moves rather slowly, simulating the real world where public perception doesn’t change overnight.
A big change that comes with this new mechanic is that the subscribers you gather from completing districts are no longer subscribers directly. Instead, they become “Potential” subscribers. They have gotten to know your newspaper based on the character of your latest edition. In order for them to subscribe, you have to be consistent in your newspaper’s character. The potential subscribers remember the character of your newspaper, and if you stay consistent, they will become subscribers after a couple of weeks.
Every perception “side” (Sensational, Moderate, Informational) has a distinct set of negative tags associated with them. For example, if the perception of your newspaper is Sensational, readers may find certain stories boring. With this update, you will probably not notice this as the content that utilizes this is still a work in progress.
Reader's Perception gets introduced and unlocked after you’ve completed 12 districts on the N.Y.C. map. Before it is unlocked, the subscriber system works the same as before.
Again, this update is laying the foundation of this mechanic. Expect more in-depth and interesting mechanics using the perception system in future updates.
1933
For the Community Test version, the content of this news is still placeholder content.
For the full release, the news will utilize a mix of events that truly happened in 1933 and some fake events we created to give additional content.
The new content also uses the new graphic chain items like photographs, illustrations and maps.
What about scores then?
Scores that were made with an older version of News Tower aren’t valid anymore. We’ve added so much new content that it doesn’t make sense to compare old scores with the new ones.
SMALLER ADDITIONS
AD BOYCOTT
You’ve printed something controversial and the ad companies aren’t too happy with that.
You will be punished and get only partial, or no ad deals at all!
AD QUALITY SYSTEM
With the addition of the illustrator, you can now make higher quality ads that contain illustrations. An illustrated ad is unlocked if you hit the top tier (8) in a given category.
AREA MAP LEGEND
Visible from january 1930, the area map legend helps you navigate the map. It shows you where all of the upgrades in a given category can be found.
IMPROVEMENTS & CHANGES
EDITOR
- Text (copy) editor and graphic editor remove all pre-production nags.
- The editor was undercooked in previous versions. With this update, the editor removes all negative tags from an item. (Except for sloppy production and old news, because this can happen after the editor by for example a sloppy typesetter).
- Negative tags now have a larger sales penalty, so in most cases it makes sense to edit those negative tags out. This is of course at the cost of longer production times…
- You have to manually enable the editor in the reporting menu itself. It will appear as a checkbox beneath the story file.
- Enabling the editor later is also possible via the right drawer. Click on the small diamond that represents the editor to toggle it on and off. Note that once the item has passed the editing stage, it is not possible to toggle it anymore.
- Editor can be enabled directly on the story file (if applicable). Default is OFF for now.
MISCELLANEOUS
- Added numerous new sound effects and ambience sounds.
- Newspaper x3 and x2 slots instead of only the above the fold
- Toggle all notifications at once can be done with N by default
BUG FIXES
- Fixed tower score recording ad revenue and newspaper sales profit a week behind
- Fixed employees picking an occupied side at the coffee machine
- Chain bubble log overhauled where it's now a separate root like Rush Mode brains and no longer interferes with employee logs
- Various minor fixes
NEWSBEARERS, ASSEMBLE
Join the community and talk with team, other players, and share your feedback anytime you want!
💌 Come to our Discord
✅ Follow us on Twitter
Take care of yourself and of each other, newsbearers!