SUMMARY
Hello everyone! I want to start this post by thanking everyone for playing the game. We are close to hitting the 150-player mark, a significant milestone for me. To celebrate, I'm excited to announce that a new challenge game mode and an unlockable theme are in development. Stay tuned!
Now, let's talk about game balance.
Your Feedback
I've been closely reading all your feedback, and many players feel the game balance could be a bit better. The question regarding game balance currently has the lowest score on the feedback forum, and some reviews have also discussed this issue.
The most repeated statement is that Solar Panels feel too strong, especially compared to Windmills. Multiple players also pointed out that Dams (and, to a lesser extent, Gas Plants) don't feel powerful enough. Is this true? Let's dive deep into the numbers.
How Generators Work
Generators mainly have three stats: costs (energy/environment), production rate (PR from now on), and energy produced. We can divide the energy produced by the PR to get the Energy per Second of a given generator (EPS from now on). Additionally, the generator's PR can be affected by the weather, both positively and negatively. This PR weather multiplier varies from generator to generator.
Solar Panel vs. Windmills
Both Solar Panels and Windmills produce 10 energy.
Solar panels cost 20/5 and have a PR of 6, for a total of 1.667 EPS. Meanwhile, Windmills cost 60/10 and have a PR of 8, for a total of 1.250 EPS.
What? So, Windmills are just a scam? Before you file a lawsuit for all the energy spent on eolic, let me explain the catch. The dichotomy between Solar Panels and Windmills is "99% of gamblers quit before going big" vs. "The ol' reliable." Solar Panels are cheaper and have higher highs but have way more downsides. Windmills, however, are that good friend you can always count on.
Solar panels's PR duplicates in sunny weather (3.333 EPS) but gets halved down in rainy or cloudy weather (0.833 EPS). Additionally, solar panels only work from 6 AM to 8 PM, so their real PR is always 60% of the actual value.
In the base game mode, given how the weather works:
- 30% of the time, you have a generator that is ever so slightly worse than a windmill (although way cheaper)
- 30% of the time, you have a generator almost as good as a Dam
- 40% of the time, you have a potato.
On the other hand, the windmill has no real downsides. If the weather is windy, the PR doubles, increasing its EPS to 2.5, the exact same value as an unboosted Dam (but for 1/3 of the price!). The windmill doesn't care about night, clouds, sun, or rain. The windmill is always there, unbothered, and producing energy. What a team player!
Overthrowing the Solar Panel tyranny.
Despite everything explained, I understand why the Solar Panels feel so OP: their highs are too high, outclassing every other building under intense sunlight. A great solution would be to reduce their favorable weather multiplier, but I'm open to more suggestions. Maybe windmills should also be cheaper, produce more, or both.
Are you a Team Solar Panel or Team Windmill?
Not so dam(m) well.
Dams have a 180/25 cost and produce 50 energy every 20 seconds for a 2.5 EPS. So, dams produce the same amount of energy as two windmills but for thrice the price.
"So dams are s***" - You, probably.
In A Better Tomorrow, you handle more than just the environment and energy; you also manage the available space. Yes, two windmills produce the same as a Dam, but two windmills occupy two tiles.
In the base game, no weather is detrimental to dams, making them very reliable. Additionally, dams fill three times faster in the rain, for 7.5 EPS. That's the power of 5 windmills in a single tile!
Still dog water, pun intended.
I don't blame you if you are still unconvinced about the dam's power. Dams can feel more situational than other generators, considering their steep price and the harm they cause to the environment for the energy they produce. If you have suggestions on how to buff dams, write them down in the comments!
Not too hot
Gas Plants cost 300/30 and produce 150 energy every 20 seconds (6 EPS). They are in a weird limbo between the absolute supremacy of Nuclear Plants and the early-game generators, making them not worth building in many games.
Some may blame this on how good nuclear energy is, but that's by design. Building a Nuclear Plant is a massive hit to your economy, demanding not only two tiles but also 550 energy and over a third of the environmental health. It is a significant commitment, and it should be and feel OP. That's why Nuclear Plants have 28.5 EPS, producing 1000 energy every 35 seconds.
Gas Plants have their niche in challenge modes. The risk of heatwaves makes them better than Dams on the Summer challenge, and they trivialize the Winter challenge entirely (by being proficient during the guaranteed snowstorms, increasing its EPS to 18). I don't think the Gas Plants need any changes, but I'm happy to read users' feedback.
Conclusions
Phew! That was a long post. I hope you enjoy the discussion. I'm trying to be active and interact with the community as best as I can. Feel free to reach out for anything you need!