This week, we've worked on the grocer's shop. It's an integral part of the happiness system. Until now, colonist's only daily demand was food, and it was magically teleported straight into their bellies. In 0.7.0, they'll require a lot of other items to keep them happy. To get these items, they will have to visit the grocer.
The grocer's shop is a physical block that has to be manned by a colonist. As long as the position is manned, other colonists can visit the grocer and get their daily bundle of food and other happiness items.
Instead of letting hundreds of colonists storm the grocer simultaneously, they choose a random moment during the workday for their daily trip to the grocer. It would be dangerous if guards did that, so they visit the grocer at the end of their shift.
The grocer's shop doesn't have textures yet and the system isn't 100% done, but we expect to be able to show you a video next week!
It has been a while since we gave you a general overview of work that has been completed and things that still have to be done. Here's a new rough summary!
I hope we can finish happiness, trading and some unique content per biome before the end of the year. Once those features are done we can start a beta! A form where beta testers can apply will be released here and on Discord in due time.
Rough outline for new content in 0.7.0 and 0.7.1
New systems like happiness, VAT/XP and multiple colonies are merely that, systems. They're a framework on which new content, new items, new recipes, new jobs can be build. Here's a rough sketch for new content.
First period: before 1500
This is where most of the current content is set. Muskets are on the edge of this period, they're early 16th century weapons.
Possible new content that would fit in this period:
- A cook, to turn ingredients into meals
- Fishermen
- Beekeepers
- Chicken coops
- Barley, as chicken feed
- Olive trees and olive oil
- Water gatherers
Early modern period: 1500-1760
I was excited to go straight to industrial tech like steam engines, but we were warned on Discord by players like Aljetab that the change would be too abrupt. So we've been thinking about intermediate tech.
A realistic solution that could work in-game are engineers who can craft printing presses and clocks. The first mechanical clocks were installed in churches in the 12th and 13th century. They were big and often lacked faces or hands. They're not small clocks that could be purchased by colonists as happiness items.
In the 15th century, watchmakers invented spring-driven clocks that are more like modern table clocks. They became very popular in the 16th century.
Printing presses were adapted from wine presses in the 15th century. Like clocks, they became very popular in the following century, printing hundreds of millions of books.
Both technologies seem a perfect bridge between current Colony Survival and more industrial Colony Survival. Their complexity and technology is comparable to muskets, which are already in-game. But when looking at printing presses and spring-driven clocks, the core of the Industrial Revolution is clearly visible.
At the end of this period, a lathe was invented. The importance of this is brilliantly explained in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djB9oK6pkbA
First Industrial Revolution: 1760-1860
The First Industrial Revolution took the complex mechanical machines described above and added power to them in the form of steam engines, and used these steam powered machines to produce important items like textiles. For the first time in history, labor productivity went up dramatically.
This will become highly necessary in Colony Survival, because of the exponential nature of the happiness system. Every single new colonist adds unhappiness to every other colonist, meaning that the now grown population needs more happiness items per capita.
Rough graph to demonstrate the principle described above
To be able to sustain the exponentially growing need for happiness items, you'll need to use new machines. Luckily, these were invented IRL as well. Where the blacksmiths that are currently in-game require a significant amount of time to produce a single metal part, I'm envisioning new advanced machines that can quickly craft a multitude of a single part. This should give your economy the boost it needs.
Second Industrial Revolution: 1860-1914
The First Industrial Revolution barely required any exotic resources. Iron and coal are enough. But we'd like to integrate far-away biomes in late-game tech. Luckily, the Second Industrial Revolution provides plenty of opportunity to do just that. In this period, electrification got started, just like the use of rubber, petroleum and advanced chemistry. It's the age of light bulbs, bicycles, telephones and early cars.
End-game tech: 1914-1945
We'd like to have something special for diehards who build huge colonies, explore the entire world and research all the tech. I'm still a fan of early nuclear technology. On one hand, it is absolutely futuristic, but on the other hand, it's already outdated and a bit "retro". We don't want to add "clean", modern tech, white and shiny with touchscreens and fancy displays. We like older tech that squeaks and creaks, with plenty of switches and nixie tubes. It should be advanced for Colony Survival, but historic for players.
These plans are still rough and can be changed based on your feedback, so let us know what you (dis)like!
Programming Progress
Last week, I showed an example of the kind of interfaces I was making while learning how to combine C# and Unity. I made some good progress this week and made a practical interface that's a lot prettier. Warning: not a true countdown!
The basics of interfaces seem easy and clear to me now. I've tried messing around with controlling 2D objects and physics, and it's pretty daunting. But I still remember how daunting simple interfaces looked to me only a short while ago, so I hope I'll pass this obstacle in the same way!
Thanks for reading the blog, and don't forget to share your opinion!