Mall Craze News

[h3]Hello everyone! 👋[/h3]

The second major update to Mall Craze is here! It brings a completely new shop, improvements to Build mode, and lots of other changes and additions!

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


[h2]Flower Shop 💐[/h2]
I'm happy to share that another big shop is now in the game: the Flower Shop! It consists of 11 placeable product shelves, which together contain 33 sellable products. These include colorful bouquets, cute tabletop plants, decorative pumpkins, a variety of plant pots with unique styles, and much more.

If you're looking to add some greenery and life to your mall, this shop will definitely do the trick!



[h3]Build & Move Mode Grid Overlay 🚧[/h3]
Although objects in Mall Craze snap to a grid of various sizes (mostly 50cm and 25cm, which can be temporarily turned off for most things), there was previously no visual indication of this. Grid placement naturally leads to a desire to build things precisely and symmetrically, which could sometimes be difficult, given that, until now, there was no visual representation of this grid, as I stated above.



Update 0.3.0 addresses this by introducing a grid overlay that will be visible during Build & Move mode. A positive side effect of this is that it will now be easier to tell whether you're currently in Build or Move object mode.


[h3]Starting Cash Slider for Pre-Made Malls 💵[/h3]
To extend the sandbox options for pre-made malls, I've added a cash slider that will allow you to choose the level of challenge you'll face when starting a new mall. The slider has a range of $50,000 to $5,000,000.



[h3]New Customers Overview List[/h3]
It's time to yet again start introducing deeper simulation and management options. Update 0.3.0 does so with the improved customers overview list inside the Mall Management window.
Below, you can see the comparison between the old and new versions.

0.2.7 0.3.0

Currently, only age, money spent, and current cash are the three new pieces of information provided,
but the new UI is ready to host a lot of other useful information in the future.

Concept

[h3]Construction Design UI Moved 🎨[/h3]
Although there’s an option in-game to change the design of an object that's currently being built, it was hard to find, and many people were therefore unable to easily change the design of a floor, for example. And no wonder—it was tricky to find. When you selected an object to build from the Mall or Shop construction menu, the left blue area switched from Object Categories to the Construction Design panel. To make the Construction Design panel more visible and easier to navigate, it’s now been given its own small pop-up window above the construction menu.

0.2.7 0.3.0


[h3]New Character Mesh Shading[/h3]
The character design of Mall Craze has evolved many times over its development, and today it takes another small step forward. The low-poly design of in-game 3D models works great for inanimate objects, but it showed its shortcomings on the character models.
Here’s the comparison between the 0.2.7 and 0.3.0 shading:



[h3]Controls Visualization Improved[/h3]
I've made it easier to view keybindings inside the Settings menu.

0.2.7 0.3.0

[h3]Renaming of Various Elements[/h3]
In the name of simplicity and better understanding, I’ve decided to rename a few aspects of the UI, such as renaming the material parameter “Emission” to “Luminance.” The full list can be found below in the Full Patch Notes under the Small Changes category.

[h2]"How can I support Mall Craze?"[/h2]
I occasionally get questions about how you can support the game even further, given that there are no DLCs or microtransactions. The best way to help is by sharing Mall Craze with others—friends, your favorite YouTuber or streamer, etc. If you like the game, writing a review here on Steam naturally also helps a lot ❤️.

[h2]What's Coming in Updates 0.3.x 👀[/h2]
The main focus for the next couple of updates will be adding new content, along with additional management features. The next big milestone for management is adding the Business game mode (name may change). Business mode will introduce progression in the form of Research. To have something to research, we need more content. New content will therefore come in the form of new shops, kiosks, vending machines, scenery, object designs, and so on.

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


[h2]Flower Shop Added (33 new products)[/h2]

• Bouquets (Colorful Bouquet, Bouquet of Love, Cutie Tulips Bouquet, Sunflower Bouquet, Bouquet d’Hortensia)
• Tabletop Plants (Large Plant, Small Plant, Plastic Table Plant Pot, Clay Table Plant Pot, Decorative Table Plant Pot)
• Plastic Pots (Medium Plastic Pot, Small Plastic Pot, Decorative Plastic Pot)
• Small Flowers (Arthurium, Calla Lily, Glass Vase)
• Small Cacti (Medium Tabletop Cactusm, Small Tabletop Cactus, Cacti Clay Pot)
• Decorative Pumpkins (Large Decorative Pumpkin, Small Decorative Pumpkin)
• Monstera
• Small Pots (Medium Clay Pot, Small Clay Pot)
• Flower Boxes (Clay Flower Box, Plastic Flower Box, Decorative Flower Box)
• Handmade Baskets (Large Basket, Regular Basket, Small Basket)
• Large Pots (Large Concrete Pot, Large Clay Pot, Large Plastic Pot)

[h2]Additions & Improvements[/h2]

• Grid overlay added for object Build & Move modes;
  
• Level Selector: starting cash slider added for Pre-Made malls;
  
• Mall Management: customer overview list improved and new info added:
  
  • age
    
  • money spent
    
  • current cash
    
• Construction Design UI re-designed (now having it's own small UI window).
  
• Settings UI & Controls UI - controls visualization improved.
  
• New character mesh shading;
  

[h2]Small Changes[/h2]

• Settings UI graphical options renamed:
  
  • Global Illumination -> Dynamic Lighting
    
  • TSR (Anti-Aliasing) -> Anti-Aliasing (TSR)
    
  • all Screenshot options renamed to Epic
    
• Material Designer UI - material parameters renamed:
  
  • Specular -> Reflections
    
  • Emission -> Luminance
    
• Material Designer UI - notification added on Design Save;
  
• Lumen dynamic lighting brightness improved;
  
• Volumetric Fog marked as Experimental;
  
• Pavement Decoration Blocks renamed to Floor Decoration Blocks;
  
• Default entrance text size & position adjusted;
  

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed: Painting StallTable crashes the game.
  
• Fixed: Changed colors for kiosk / vending machine doesn't transfer from ghost object.
  
• Fixed: Starting New Game while currently playing very old save can sometimes cause this New Game to save incorrectly.
  

[h2]Available Now[/h2]

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

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/