This beta tests the long awaited Staff AI update! This brings fully automated staff to Overcrowd, with a priority grid for tasks that operates in a similar fashion to games like Rimworld, Oxygen Not Included and Flotsam to name but a few.
Staff AI
You set the job priorities and your staff will take care of the rest, including picking up and swapping tools. It is optional so you can use the existing system if you prefer.
The Staff AI system maintains the need for wise placement of tool rooms (staff still need to pick them up, and if you want 5 people picking litter, you will need to build 5 litter pickers!).
Note that staff will still only carry out jobs within their perception radius as this is an integral part of the tactical challenge of the game - however a new GUI system highlights where they have been deployed and how far they can see when you have them selected.
You can toggle the Staff AI on or off in the management tab of staff. The "Staff" button now features new tabs - Staff, Schedule and Thresholds.
Thresholds
Another big request has been for player set activity thresholds. Want a staff to repair turnstiles at condition 75% or lower? Now you can set that in the Staff > Thresholds tab.
But wait, perhaps you want to empty bins at higher thresholds at night compared to day? No problem, you can set different thresholds for day and night.
You can also set at what degree of need (thirst, hunger etc) staff will choose to take breaks - if you have autorest toggled on.
Taken together the system gives you complete macromanagement ability for staff, while allowing you to fine tune their actions as much or as little as you wish.
New sky box
This update has a few other changes. One thing you may notice immediately is the fancy new sky box/background. This was developed by gamemaker shader wizard Xor (https://twitter.com/XorDev) who gifted me this around launch time.
Languages
Spanish, Portuguese (BR), Korean, Japanese and Chinese are now implemented. I'm aware of some font alignment issues on the last 2, which will be fixed in coming days.
Beta 131:
-Added Spanish, Portuguese (BR), Korean, Japanese and Chinese (set language in Options > Game)
-New day/night skybox as donated by Xor (toggle in display options)
-New staff AI system
-New Activity threshold system
-New perception radius display. Draws a flag where "home" is, and a circle to show how far they can see when selected
-Objects affected by thresholds now draw meters when they pass the threshold or when paused
-BUG. Prevent crash on queue is commuter ceases to exist
-BUG. Simplified repair system, may prevent "NO POWER" on turnstile glitch occasionally seen.
-BUG. Staff load in correct order now (do not reverse every save/load)
All feedback much appreciated! And thanks also to those of you on Discord and Reddit who I have discussed these changes with for many weeks/months. i hope I have found the right balance, but let me know there what you think! <3