You’ve asked, devs answered!
Some time ago we’ve asked you to ask us questions about Drug Dealer Manager, and you didn’t disappoint! You sent us a lot of good ones, so we picked out as many as we could. So many, in fact, that we decided to split this Q&A into 2 parts. Here are our answers, part one!
But first, here are two BRAND NEW SCREENSHOTS for a good start.
Q: What are the inspirations for this game? Where did you get the idea to make it?
A: It all started as a spin-off for Drug Dealer Simulator, but the longer we worked on this project the more we realised we want to make this game our own, unique. We’ve added a lot of new ideas and our own spins which completely changed the look of the game. We wanted to create a game where you are a mastermind behind the empire you’re building. You make plans and your underlings execute them. You can see the result in the teaser trailer.
The art style of our previous projects was very realistic so this time we decided to give our artists more freedom. The result is this 3D comics-like style. Thanks to that we were also been able to expand the scope of the game and create a huge interactive city.
Q: Will there be a demo or Early Access?
A: We’d like to release a demo but we will make decisions and reveal more at a later date.
Q: Do you have a roadmap?
A: We are focused on finishing and polishing Drug Dealer Manager, and only after the game is released will we start thinking more about what comes next.
Q: What languages will there be?
A: It highly depends on our wishlist. If we see there is interest from a large group from a region with a main language different from English, we will try to add this language to our game.
Q: What gangs will we see in the game? How will we be able to customise ours?
A: We’re aiming to create three playable gangs in our game, the Young Royals, The Phantoms, and Las Espadas. Each will have unique traits, starting location, etc. More about them in a future Steam post. How you will interact with them will be your choice as a player, as we want the experience to be that of an open sandbox with many emergent gameplay systems and events that will create unique situations each time you start playing.
Players can embrace the starting bonuses, or go in a completely different direction. While buying buildings, the player has to keep in mind that there are many special kinds of structures in the game which provide us with unique bonuses for certain gameplay styles. Want to play aggressively? Buy or infiltrate a hospital to increase the survival chances of injured subordinates. Can't keep up with your subordinates' salaries? Buy some bars and houses to satisfy their demands. What is more, certain in-game events can give temporary or permanent bonuses to your faction.
Q: What kinds of weapons are used in the game? Are there many different kinds or just one, like guns? When and how often are they used? Can we customise them somehow?
A: During combat, our gang members will visually use different kinds of guns or melee weapons, depending on the combat type. However, during our early testing of the game, we found out that equipping every single gang member is really daunting in a game which already requires us to manage a lot of other things, like drug transport, distribution, money laundering, etc. This is why the weapons are mostly a visual aspect.
Q: How many different drugs will there be in the game? Will you be able to create and refine drugs, like in Drug Dealer Simulator? What are the drug mechanics in the game?
A: There are currently around 12 different base drugs split evenly into two categories: “hard drugs” and “soft drugs”. We know that this division may not be sp straightforward but we decided this distinction will improve the readability.
It’s not all, however, because the game will be flooded with different mixes of these basic drugs. This includes good quality mixes as well as diluted drugs or even toxic mixes. Players will be able to modify drugs in lab buildings by adding new substances to the batch or trying to retrieve pure versions of a drug from a cheap mix.
Different districts in the city will have their own preferences for certain kinds of drugs but that will also change depending on how addicted your clients are. You can sell high-quality addictive drugs for a low price and, after some time, switch for a more diluted version at a higher price. If there is no other alternative for your clients nearby, they will be forced to buy what you offer them.
This is the end of part one of the Q&A with the devs. In part two we will answer some more questions, including how the economy works in the game, how the police work, and more! Stay tuned.