Hi there!
Beta 26 is now available. Restart Steam to get it right away!
We're super excited to bring to you Beta 26, which introduces a very controversial feature: Outsourcing.
To understand why, we have to go back to Beta 17. Back then, we had something called "Contract Work". The feature was removed in Beta 17 because it was such an easy way to earn money. It was probably the most unpopular decision I have ever made. Fortunately the game ended up being much better, as I was finally able to correctly balance out websites. You can read the original devlog here: https://steamcommunity.com/games/606800/announcements/detail/1709565386033916765
Today, with Beta 26 we are reintroducing "Contract Work" as Outsourcing. The feature has been completely rewritten and is now much more integrated with the rest of the game's ecosystem. It is "part 1" as I plan to introduce even more features in future updates.
Outsourcing: Completing tasks for money
You can use Outsourcing in two ways. To deliver components and receive money, or to request components and pay money.
To generate extra income, you have to first hire an Outsourcing Executive. Then you'll have to win the task by sending a good offer. The mechanics are similar to recruitment, but here you'll be competing against other companies.
Outsourcing: Get components/modules delivered
The second part of outsourcing is getting other companies/competitors to deliver components and modules to your company.
This is especially useful if you have a sudden demand for some specific components or modules or if you simply don't have the space to hire more employees.
To create a task simply use your Outsourcing Executive. You can define up to 4 requirements (max 500 each). The shorter the deadline you define the more expensive it will be.
Outsourcing: Market Prices
The new Market Prices Menu allows you to make clever choices based on the demand and prices of specific components/modules.
Another round of performance optimization
Improving performance across the board. This time the code that updates overlays has been improved. In my specific test case I went from aroung 20 FPS to a minimum of 120 FPS. I'm feeling pretty happy with that!
Pay bonuses to multiple employees
By popular demand, you can now pay bonuses to multiple employees at once using the Employees Menu.
Do you have suggestions or ideas for the game?
Check out our Conflux board.
As always, we'll be monitoring the release very closely for any potential issues that might arise or that we might have missed during testing. If you encounter any issues or bugs, please send us a message in our Discord channel (link provided below) or create a post in the Steam discussions.
That's it for Beta 26!
Best,
Jonas
