Mall Craze News

Hello everyone! 👋

A couple of weeks have gone by, and it's time for another update - version 0.2.7.
The main news for today is clear: Vending Machines! Plus, there are also lots of additional larger and smaller changes and improvements as well.
Let's dive in!





After normal shops and kiosks, vending machines are the 3rd distinct shop class in Mall Craze. Some of you may have noticed that there already was a vending machine object in the main construction menu, and you would be right!

But it was really just that - an object without any interaction from customers. The new Snacks and Drinks vending machines are completely different, as they are a fully functioning machines with their own dashboard and products for sale.



The funny thing is, I never realized how off-scale the old vending machine 3D model really was. 😅




I've added these 3 new controls options to the settings menu:

• Mouse drag camera speed.
  
• WASD movement camera speed.
  
• Invert mouse drag.
  

Apart from that, there is also a new Mute Music option in the Audio settings tab.
(Thank you for suggesting that in the community forum!)



In no particular order:

Shop filter buttons added to the main Shops Construction UI tab.



Shop Construction UI scales based on shop class that's being built.
Construction conditions are now hidden for kiosks and vending machines.

Old



New



Entrance construction thumbnail edited - "Shop" text removed. The same thumbnail with the "Shop" text was previously being used for mall entrances as well, which caused unnecessary confusion.



Feel free to list your tips and suggestions in the comments or on the community forum.
I have many things on my to-do list, but it's always cool to see your ideas! :)

Thank you everyone for your support, and I will see you in the next update!
- Milan, developer




[h2]Additions & Improvements[/h2]

• Snacks Vending Machine Added (13 new products).
  
• Drinks Vending Machine Added (7 new products).
  
• New Controls settings added:
  
  • Mouse drag camera speed.
    
  • WASD movement camera speed.
    
  • Invert mouse drag.
    
• Mute Music audio setting added.
  
• New shops now have default names.
  
• Shop filter buttons added to the main shop Construction UI tab.
  

[h2]Small Changes[/h2]

• Shop Construction UI:
  
  • Scales based on shop class that's being built.
    
  • Construction conditions hidden for kiosks and vending machines.
    
• Main Object Construction UI: "Object categories" renamed to "Object filter".
  
• Entrance construction thumbnail edited - "Shop" text removed.
  
• Customer AI:
  
  • 1s delay added after purchase is completed at cashier table.
    
  • Customers now buy more than 1 product from kiosks and vending machines.
    
• Old Vending Machine placeholder object is now deprecated and will not load from save files.
  

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed: Renaming shop in Shop UI Dashboard doesn't change the entrance texts.
  

[h2]Available Now[/h2]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1223530/

Hello everyone! 👋

I'm excited to share with you the latest update for Mall Craze - version 0.2.6. While it might not seem like a big deal upfront, this update is actually pretty significant for the game's future, thanks to some important background work that's been done.

Let's dive into what this update includes and what I'm talking about!


The main focus of this update is seating. Previously, there were benches in the game, but customers couldn't actually sit on them. The good news is, if you already have benches in your mall, customers can now use them without you needing to do anything extra.

Additionally, there are 6 new benches being added into the game. Some of these are even modular, which means you can get really creative with them. I'll talk more about that later.




Up until now, the interactions between customers and objects have been pretty basic. It was mostly just "Go somewhere -> Look at it -> Go somewhere else." But to introduce more complex shop types and objects, the game needed a more dynamic system.

That's where the Activity Slot system comes in, allowing for better communication and interaction between customers and objects. That is the exact thing that I've been working on for the past couple of weeks, and benches are just the first objects that utilize this system. In the future, this exact (or slightly modified) system will be used for objects such as vending machines, trash cans, info maps, or in shop classes such as fast foods or services. It'll even come into play for staff activities.

[h2]Dynamic Activity Slots in Action[/h2]
In Mall Craze, building philosophy for most objects is simple: you can build things however you want, as long as it doesn't directly block people's movement (customers can usually navigate through spaces that are at least 40cm / 16 inches wide). It was important to me to keep this philosophy true even as more complicated object interactions are added into the game. Let's take a look at what I mean by this in action:


The bench shown above has 3 seating slots accessible from both sides. If one side is blocked by an object like a wall, instead of preventing you from building the bench altogether, you can still build it. However, people will only use the unblocked side of the bench, just like they would in a real mall.


To extend the previous example, let's say we block 2 of the remaining slots as well. Even in this case, you can still build the bench, and people will still be able to use at least the one available spot.

The key advantage of this system is that it offers much greater flexibility for creativity and combinations than would be possible without it.

[h3]Let's take a look at some more examples:[/h3]


When placed alone, this tabouret can be approached from all four sides. When placed next to other tabourets in a creative way, in can still be used.


Similar to the example above, this tabouret can also be placed next to other benches or sofas in various ways.


This bench made of pallets can be decorated in many different ways.

Here's a small gif of customers moving to their seats:



[h3]And here are all the benches in action! 🎬[/h3]




As the number of objects grew, it became increasingly difficult to find exactly what you needed.
To address this, I've implemented an object category system to better organize things in the build menu.



Thank you everyone for your support, and I will see you in the next update!
- Milan, developer



[h2]Additions & Improvements[/h2]

• Customers can now sit on benches.
  
• 6 new benches added.
  
• Build object categories added to Mall build menu.
  
• AI avoidance and navigation slightly improved.
  
• Notifications are now shown at the end of Marketing Campaigns and Bank Loans.
  

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed: Customers are still trying to use the escalator after it's been deleted.
  

[h2]Available Now[/h2]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1223530/

Hello everyone!

It's time for another update – version 0.2.5! But that's not the only number that matters for this update; it's actually the 10th update since Mall Craze launched into Early Access 🎉 (not counting minor hotfixes)!

Let's see what's in store for us today:

A local mall needs a new management, and you've been given the priviledge to become the general manager. The first floor of the mall is already up and running, but there are still a few things that need your attention!

Fun fact: This mall was initially built for internal development purposes.




With update 0.2.5, pre-made malls are no longer anonymous buildings, as each pre-made level now has its own unique backstory. Mini scenarios also provide a brief outline of what your next step with the new mall could be.



Thank you everyone for your support, and I will see you in the next update!
- Milan, developer


[h2]Additions & Improvements[/h2]

• "New Opportunities" pre-made level added.
  
• Mini Scenario implemented and added for the following levels:
  
  • Empty Map
    
  • Small Garden
    
  • New Opportunities
    
  • 80's Dream
    
  • Sunny Skies
    

[h2]Small Changes[/h2]

• Tutorial level thumbnail changed.
  
• Main Menu:
  
  • News design improved.
    
  • Animations added.
    

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed: Game crashes when object move is active and Shop Construction UI is closed.
  
• Fixed: Rare edge case in savefile load code that caused crashes during save loading.
  

[h2]Available Now[/h2]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1223530/

Hello everyone! 👋

It's time for another update, version 0.2.4.
Today's update brings a nice mix of new content and quality-of-life features. Let's dive in!


In the last update, the first kiosk was intoduced into the game - perfumes - and today is no different.
The second addition to the stalls & kiosks collection is a Dental Care Kiosk, offering items such as electric toothbrushes and dental hygiene products. In total, this new kiosk introduces 14 new sellable products.




Today, the selection of pre-made malls and levels gets expanded a little - something you can look forward to even more in the future. Until now, you've had the choice of starting a new mall with either 2 pre-made options or an empty map. The new level, Small Garden, strikes a nice balance between the two.




To make the building & customization process easier, I've added a small new window to the upper-right corner of the screen. This window shows the most useful keybinds for a given situation, such as object building, moving, and painting. Once you're familiar with the controls, you can minimize the window by clicking on the arrow icon.




There is an area in the middle of the main UI that will get utilized more with future mechanics.
The first use case for this space is rolling Quick Tips, providing you with useful information from time to time. The full list of these tips can also be found in the tutorial UI (also accessible by clicking on the rolling text bar).



I only just realized that I could've released this update (0.2.4) tomorrow, March 24, 2024. Well... maybe next time! 😄

Thank you everyone for your support, and take care!
- Milan, developer



[h2]Additions & Improvements[/h2]

• Dental Care Kiosk added with 14 sellable products.
  
• "Small Garden" pre-made level added.
  
• Contextual Controls UI added and implemented for:
  
  • Object Build
    
  • Object Move
    
  • Object Paint
    
• Quick Tips added into tutorial UI, and as a rolling text to the main UI.
  

[h2]Small Changes[/h2]

• DirectX 12:
  
  • Switched from Shader Model 6 to Shader Model 5 for wider compatibility & better stability.
    
  • Temporal Super Resolution sharpness improved.
    
• Tutorial level renamed to "Welcome to Mall Craze".
  

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed: Customers are still shopping for a while after shop is deleted.
  
• Fixed: Windows & Entrances don't have Rotate keybind disabled.
  
• Fixed: Character shading bug in DirectX 12.
  

[h2]Available Now[/h2]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1223530/

Hello everyone!

It's been 6 months (already!?) since Mall Craze launched into Early Access, and I felt like creating a small overview of the first batch of updates. Many of these updates were inspired or directly influenced by your feedback, for which I thank you very much! It's been an incredible journey so far, and I'm very much looking forward to the future as more and more things will be coming into the game.







https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1223530/view/3718340776839794461
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1223530/view/3716090245652899691
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1223530/view/3720595112950091779
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1223530/view/3814046073264274414
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1223530/view/3878226811989210568
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1223530/view/3985189839361587179
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1223530/view/7047640220324167970
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1223530/view/7353887524191305427


[h2]Available Now[/h2]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1223530/



Thank you very much for your support, and take care!
- Milan, developer