Hello fellow asphalt enthusiasts,
Since the announcement trailer you have all massively wishlisted Car Park Capital (thank you!),
and I have been hard at work adding more features and content to the game.
So, it is time for a Devlog!
Also, thank you for your patience, making a game takes a lot of time!
"A full tank is a full heart"
Gas stations are a thing now! Cars will have a fuel tank, and you will need to satisfy your citizens with enough gas for a good price.
You will need to drill for oil yourself, and set up transport for the oil from the pumpjacks to a refinery, and from the refineries to the gas stations.
I might re-use this goods transportation system for other production chains (car tire factories?).
"Don't walk when you can drive(-through)"
You will be able to build Drive-thrus in the game. Because, why walk into a restaurant, when you can go to a Drive-thru? It's not lazy, it's convenience.
Now that the system is implemented, I'm planning to add more types of Drive-thrus, please share your ideas if you have them!
Drive thru Safari Park? Coffee Drive thru? Drive Thru ATM? Drive Thru Toilets?
"Trains have tracks, cars have freedom"
Just so you are aware: there are other means of transportation besides cars, and they can be effective. And so it is in the game.
People will use trains and underground subways to travel, until you convince them to buy a car, from one of your shiny car carousels:
It doesn't stop there though.
You will need to keep people satisfied with a convenient car life: cheap gas, enough parking spots, and lots of drive-thrus. Then actively remind them they're living the dream. Otherwise, people can get vulnerable to dangerous 'walkism' or 'commuterism' ideologies spread by protesters:
Protests & Riot police
Demolishing neighborhoods, cutting down trees, building seas of asphalt and drilling for oil.
These are the simple steps of progress towards an automotive paradise, but it will make some people unhappy. People will protest, block your drive-thrus, and they will influence other people's opinions on cars.
To deal with this, you can send out trucks full of riot police units and confront the protesters until order has been restored.
NPCs
More work has been done on the simulation of citizens:
A thoughts-system was added, so people will get thoughts from things they see or experience. This has impact on their happiness and how much of a carbrain they are (= their satisfaction with a car dependent life). You can read the thoughts of every NPC.
Also, all these beautiful people now have portraits when you click on them! A friend of mine made these wonderful portraits:
More things:
Some new cars were added, including a hamburger car.
A bank was added, where players can take a loan.
The Stat-o-matic now shows more detailed graphs for your income sources and spendings.
A land buying mode was added. You do not own all land by default anymore.
You can set out a patrol route for megaphone trucks that blast out pro-car propaganda.
Cows and UFOs
A lot of optimizations, allowing for larger maps and more simulated NPCs.
Scenarios can have objectives now.
I have been experimenting with adding player controls for driving a car..
What is next?
While I have tons of ideas for more features and content, I am also actively trying to improve what is already in the game: Making things easier to use, balancing variables in the simulation, etc.
One of those things is protests and demolishing homes. I am considering adding suburban type homes to the game, with big beautiful asphalt driveways, that you can build further away from the city center. Then, when you want to demolish a block of old homes in a city center to make space for parking, you can offer them this new lifestyle to 'ease' the pain: Avoiding protests and better for car business. Win-win.
If you have any ideas or want to follow development with more frequent updates, consider joining the Discord server, or following me on social media.
Thank you!
- Hilko (hilkojj)