Hi Tycoons,
I'm happy to announce a new version of Computer Tycoon again. Here is a bit of blah blah and then the usual changelog.
Game Difficulty
The biggest change is in AI for sure. Many said, that they do not offer a challenge and that the harder difficulty levels are actually easier in version 0.9.5.02 than before. This was due to the higher potential starting money reached by loans (that the AI was not using yet), and the fact that you were able to expand faster and the AI was not focusing enough on technological development -> catching up with you. So if somebody was fast enough, then he was able to push down the opponents at the start. Well, I hope this time it won't be that easy!
Handling money better is just one thing, there were smaller adjustments around opponents, such as fully using the CPU multiplier (as it was a bad idea not using it), or going for real displays earlier, etc.
I tried to make the AI more willing to invent on the Beginner difficulty, too - but on the other hand, they will expand now even slower than before. It is the opposite of Very Hard. The Beginner difficulty level was reported to be still too hard for casual players, I just hope that it will be a slightly more relaxing experience now - but against a little bit more interesting opponents.
New Technologies
It was a problem for a long time now that you were not able to create big enough storage devices in the game, because the game was missing given technologies to make it happen in a more realistic way. Many have recommended adding file system technologies (to the OS), but eventually, I decided not to put them in the game (at least for now - but who knows), because I didn't find it a logical way of how the player should increase the capacity of his/her devices. It is true, that whenever we had bigger storage devices, there was a need to handle it on the software side, too - so we really needed newer and newer file systems, but the real challenge of increasing capacity was dominantly a physical challenge. While the files system technologies could serve as another side of this story, this would require checks between/over hardware parts that I think would make the experience frustrating for most players.
So instead of this, I've added new technologies which will increase specifically the capacity of the different kind of storage devices. (also, the first available storage type was nerfed - and other changes happened, too).
We also have new techs for the OS tho, maybe one of the interesting ones is the "Smartphone" capability. A smartphone is basically a handheld computer with a phone module. Many have asked before that "why can't we create smartphones?" or "why can't we create consoles?". The answer is simple: you can and you always could. You just didn't realize that a console is a "home computer" with gamepads and games plus a better name, and a smartphone is a "handheld computer", with a phone module and a touch screen - and with a cool name, so more people will buy it... So now that you have a "smartphone" tech, so basically a phone module, you can imagine it easier (I hope so).
A side note is that I think the generated DPP is still too high in the game. Please be a bit more patient yet, I will try to reduce it - also the Manager System (upcoming feature) will very likely give you more PP, too. It might be frustrating on the highest diff. levels, that it is hard to keep up with the AI now, but I will try to solve this as soon as I can - it is just not easy to find the perfect balance.
So here is a list, too:
- New hardware technologies for OS, STORAGE, and POWER SUPPLY
- Updated AI
- You can delete saved games inside the game
- The LP window was changed to use button "A" instead of "ENTER" to set 1LP and autoclose
- The Market List's buttons were adjusted so that a double click opens the LP window instead of the site-building window. etc.
- You can remove hardware parts from your Computer Design (before you start testing it)
- The red line graphics glitch between elements is removed
- There was a bug showing incorrect user-group percent numbers on the market survey screen - fixed, too.
- There was a but concerning research prices between multiple game loads - fixed.
I'm sure I'm forgetting a few smaller things, but that's all that is important I think. Before going for a bigger update again, I will try to make the current experience as smooth as I can. Then I will likely put the time into either the "diplomacy system" (trading, talking with the opponents) and the CEO stuff (they have connections), or the management system and the offices (it won't be like Startup Company or Software Inc. at all, you won' be able to customize your offices, we will have a bit more focus on the managers (you will also have way less of them), and hey, the offices are going to be pretty, and you will see your own computers in your office!
There were a few bugs reported that I was not able to recreate, neither other players, so please, if you see a bug, help me by reporting them and sending a saved game with a description about how I should be able to reproduce it (when you know).
THANK YOU for all the feedback I’ve got, it means a LOT! Please if you like the game, don’t forget to leave a review, too! It might help a bit with my game's terrible visibility in the store.
Your friend,
Andris aka Progorion
http://www.computertycoon.com/ROADMAP/Roadmap.html
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Pictures of The Still Unreleased features of the ROADMAP:
7 Managers from the coming 101:
