Big Ambitions News

[p][/p][p]We know you've been waiting for the big EA 0.10 update, and the preview branch is finally here!
Bringing you Cinemas, Theaters, a Factory revamp, massive optimization and more![/p][p]Phew - Who's ready to preview and test this fantastic new update for Big Ambitions?[/p][p]The complete patch notes will be included when EA 0.10 is ready for its full release, but for now, here are the changes in EA 0.10.[/p][p][/p][p]Please notice: This version is unstable, unoptimized and might contain game-breaking bugs which may destroy your savegame. The branch will be updated frequently as we squeeze bugs. [/p][p][/p][p]Similar to how we handled EA 0.9's preview branch, all progress/savegame will be retained once this testing period is over (assuming no major bugs are found - remember to make back up saves!) and your savegames will continue on through the full EA 0.10 release![/p][p][/p][p]This is an opportunity to help us find bugs and get some early insight into the development of our next update. The experimental/preview version of the game is not simply a way to play the new update earlier. [/p][p][/p][p]Please don't leave us negative reviews based on your experience with the experimental branch, thank you! ❤️
[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]There's a LOT of new stuff in this update, so let's walk through it all![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Roll out the red carpet! EA 0.10 introduces two brand-new, high-end businesses: Cinemas and Theaters.[/p][p]These premium venues are ready for you to expand into large-scale entertainment operations. You’ll gain access to new employee types and new products to sell.[/p][p]Hire Actors, Stage Crew and Projectionist and provide your customers with Popcorn, Cotton Candy, [/p][p]Slushies, and a Cheese Platter![/p][h3][/h3][p][/p][p][/p][p]They’re the largest businesses in the game with some steep licensing fees, but if you can pull it off, you’ll be running some of the most impressive businesses Big Ambitions has to offer.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]For EA 0.10, we really wanted the Broadway area to feel epic and more unique. Now you'll find it loaded with more billboards with varied sizes as you walk the streets. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We've added the new C.A.S.T Recruitment Agency, and a brand-new furniture store, Red Carpet Decor. As you wander the area, you'll also encounter new street performers, just hoping you'll leave them a donation![/p][p]With newly designed Cinema and Theater buildings and radiating with neon delight, Broadway really shines now![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Okay, this is a big one - factories have received a complete overhaul in EA 0.10. We’ve taken all your feedback to heart and made some big changes to how the system works.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]With the factory overhaul in EA 0.10, factories are now designed to be clearer, more efficient, and far less frustrating to manage. Here’s what you can expect:[/p]

• [p]Factory layouts are clean and unobstructed — no more belts blocking pathways or navigation[/p]
• [p]Employees work efficiently without constant back-and-forth walking[/p]
• [p]Factory lines no longer hoard all the ingredients in a single input station[/p]
• [p]Factory line production speeds have been ramped up[/p]
• [p]Every product can be produced by factories[/p]
• [p]Factory Worker skill matters now has a noticeable impact on production[/p][p][/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p]Here are a couple quality-of-life improvements for managing a massive fleet of logistics vehicles! If you're already having flashbacks to driving back and forth over the bridge - don't worry, we have two little features for you![/p][p] [/p][h3]Truck Delivery[/h3][p]Call General US Trucks and get them to deliver your vehicles directly to your warehouse. Order as many vehicles as you want in one afternoon - no more weeks of driving back and forth![/p][p][/p][h3]Bridge Skipper[/h3][p]Or maybe you don't mind driving - you're just tired of crossing the bridge over and over again. That brings us to the second improvement: the ability to quickly skip over the bridge![/p][p][/p][p]Employee poaching and negotiation have received some much-needed love in this update![/p]

• [p]Employees negotiate more intelligently now, allowing you to get a better price[/p]
• [p]You can now see the demands of employees you are negotiating with[/p]
• [p]Negotiated wages now scale better with skill to make that negotiated difference even more noticeable[/p]
• [p]Rival employees now carry over when you take over their business[/p]
  • [p]Previously, these employees didn't match the "poach" list[/p][p][/p]

[p]With new products for Cinemas and Theaters and all the new factory recipes, we needed to expand and revamp the import piers a bit for EA 0.10![/p][h3]Piers 1 - 4: Product Importers[/h3][p]New items like Popcorn, Cotton Candy, Tea and Slushies have been added to the product importers[/p][h3]Pier 5: Party Pier[/h3][p]The previously hidden, once-per-week Casino pier has been expanded to a full party pier! Don't worry, the Casino boat isn't gone - it still shows up on Friday evenings - but now you can enjoy the pier all week long![/p][p][/p][h3]Piers 6 - 9: Raw Goods Importers[/h3][p]Pier 9, the last pier on the dock, is now open! With the factory update and new raw goods to manufacture, the items available at each importer has been updated[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]In addition to the Broadway upgrades, Street Performers, Pier rides, and Factory updates, the art team has been hard at work adding a wide range of new furniture and decorations throughout the game.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The new Cinema and Theater furniture store, Red Carpet Depot, features a massive selection of brand-new items to help you decorate your entertainment venues.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Existing stores like Ika Bohag and Lux Concept have also received several new additions.[/p][p][/p][p]While preparing all this new amazing content for EA 0.10, we realized that the game's performance needed some love for this update, so we took some time and really dug into some improvements.

For players whose computers are struggling the hardest, we added a couple options including disabling shadows completely! And for everyone, we also massively improved how large groups of customers are handled, along with shadow, animation and texture improvements that should boost everyone's FPS and reduce random lag![/p][p][/p]

• [p]You can now sell Cups of Tea alongside your Cups of Coffee. The Industrial Coffee Machines can sell either item now, so be sure to add a couple more machines to start selling Tea today![/p]
• [p]New Interior Designer "Packing Tool" allows you to quickly pack things into boxes, move items between shelves, or move items out of storage and to the floor![/p]
• [p]Hanging Delivery signs in stores to make it more obvious where you can get deliveries[/p]
• [p]Purchasing Agents can now "mass assign" items to warehouses[/p]
• [p]Customer seating in restaurants and coffee shops is now more random so they don't always sit in the same chairs[/p]
• [p]Game shouldn't continue to autosave if you haven't done anything[/p]
• [p]Better control over game sliders[/p]
• [p]Removed TAA anti-aliasing as it was causing most users to have ghosting artifacts[/p]
• [p]Can click on trash can to throw things away[/p]
• [p]VoogleMaps now has a "Rivals" filter so you can see the businesses owned by your rivals[/p]
• [p]Storage Shelves and Pallet Shelves now have a "Sell All" button to quickly empty their contents[/p]
• [p]If you hold an umbrella, the inventory now automatically opens so you can see it more easily to know how to hide or unequip your umbrella[/p]
• [p]Increase import limits from 1 million to 10 million[/p]
• [p]Increase box sizes to help with weekly import limits[/p]
• [p]Carpet/Rug layering[/p]
• [p]And more (extended list including bug fixes coming in the full release changelog!)[/p][p][/p]

[hr][/hr][p]Please notice: This version is unstable, unoptimized and might contain game-breaking bugs which may destroy your savegame. The branch will be updated frequently as we squeeze bugs.[/p][p][/p][p]Similar to how we handled EA 0.9's preview branch, all progress/savegame will be retained once this testing period is over (assuming no major bugs are found - remember to make back up saves!) and your savegames will continue on through the full EA 0.10 release![/p][p][/p][p]This is an opportunity to help us find bugs and get some early insight into the development of our next update. The experimental/preview version of the game is not simply a way to play the new update earlier.[/p][p][/p][p]Please don't leave us negative reviews based on your experience with the experimental branch, thank you! ❤️[/p][p][/p][h3]Here's how to access the branch:[/h3][p][/p]

• [p]Right-click Big Ambitions on Steam[/p]
• [p]Select Properties[/p]
• [p]Select Betas[/p]
• [p]From the dropdown menu, choose "experimental - Use at own risk - Unstable!"[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Remember to submit Bug Reports![/h3][p][/p][p]If you see something weird while in-game, be sure to hit F2 to submit a bug report so we can fix it! Any information on what you did before the bug occurred are greatly appreciated.[/p][p][/p][p]If you have additional information to contribute, or need a response, the best option is to create a thread on Steam, Reddit, Big Ambitions Forums, or our Discord, then mention that thread in the Bug Report, so we know it's yours and can reply to you![/p][p][/p][p]As always, huge thanks to all of you for the support you give. Every comment, bug report, feedback and words of encouragement means the world to us. You make this whole thing possible. So, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you![/p][p][/p][p]~ Hovgaard Games and the entire Big Ambitions team![/p]

[p][/p][p]We've seen the anticipation building as everyone is asking "Where's the update?" And we're excited too! The whole Hovgaard team has been working hard getting EA 0.10 ready, and it's looking really good![/p][p][/p][p]The only problem is we've run into some performance drops that we aren't satisfied with.
We really wanted to hit that January estimate, but decided to delay slightly - because most importantly:
We want to make sure everything is up to the standard that you all expect from us![/p][p]
So, we're doing an optimization pass before release.
We will be starting the Experimental / Preview Branch soon, but with January coming to an end, we wanted to keep you all informed![/p][p][/p][p]So, while you wait, here is a small teaser of what is coming in EA 0.10![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p] Thank you for your patience, and we'll have this out on the Experimental Branch as soon as it's ready![/p][p][/p][p]~ Hovgaard Games and the Big Ambitions Team![/p]

[h2]Long time no talk[/h2][p]Hi everyone! I'm Jonas, the founder of Hovgaard Games. It's been almost a year since my last studio update. Considering how much has happened at the studio since then, I think it's time for another update.
[/p][h2]1.1 Million Copies Sold![/h2][p]We are proud to announce that Big Ambitions has now sold more than 600,000 copies. Together with Startup Company, this pushes our lifetime Steam sales to 1.1 million copies sold 😯 This is an incredible milestone for our small team, and we are deeply grateful for all the players who have supported us, provided feedback, and helped spread the word. Thank you.
[/p][h2]Updated Living Roadmap[/h2][p]So what about Big Ambitions and its future? Well, as always, let's start with a fresh roadmap: [/p][p]As you can see, we are now actively working towards the full release. We hope to hit that in August next year, but quality comes first, and we might push it further if needed. If GTA6 can do it, so can we 😎

Additionally, we have changed our first DLC idea away from Costa Del Sol and to Shanghai, China instead. We're confident you'll have a lot of fun messing with the rival Huang in his hometown 😈 As the DLC will be a beefy one (around $10), we want to make sure the game feels new and fresh to you. Shanghai City is visually very different from New York and so is the way business is done, a perfect fit. More about that later!

Worth noting is that we're also promising two additional free content updates after release.
[/p][h2]The Future of Big Ambitions[/h2][p]Talking about BA being fully released, it's only natural to ask what happens after that. The honest answer is that we do not know yet. What we can say is that we plan to continue expanding the world of Big Ambitions after the full release, in one form or another.[/p][p][/p][h2]Startup Company 2[/h2][p]You might want to pay attention now! We have started early development of the sequel of what started it all: Startup Company 2 🥳[/p][p]While I'm still not ready to show you either screenshots or the Steam Store page, here's what you can expect:[/p]

• [p]Another Hovgaard Games title as you know it: high quality, fully independent and with unique and new mechanics.[/p]
• [p]Graphically on par (or better) with Big Ambitions, yet more performant (lower minimum specs).[/p]
• [p]Amazing animations and employee interactions.[/p]
• [p]And much more![/p]

[p]It will be developed side by side with Big Ambitions, as an additional development track. We're also expanding our team to meet these new demands to make sure we're not jeopardizing any development progress of Big Ambitions.

Our current goal is to release Startup Company 2 into Steam Early Access in February 2027. A full public announcement will come later when we are ready to show you more.[/p][p][/p][h2]We Are Hiring[/h2][p]To support our growing ambitions, we are looking for experienced Unity Developers and Unity Technical Artists to join our team.[/p][p]We are specifically looking for senior-level people with proven experience in Unity, a strong understanding of systems, and an interest in tycoon and management games. [/p][p]We're 100% remote and I'm not afraid to say that we offer some of the best remote-working environment in the industry. Drop us an email at [email protected] or reach out on Discord.[/p][p][/p][h2]Thank You[/h2][p]For something that started out in a basement 10 years ago as a solo project, I always have to squeeze myself in the arm when writing posts like this. I'm extremely proud that we can continue to contribute to the tycoon and management genre with independent and fresh games that aren't "optimized for monetization" or follow "proven concepts" set by some sleazy publisher.

This is all thanks to you guys, our amazing and (almost) always incredibly positive community. Keeping our Discord filled with memes, motivating the team with your positive reviews, creating videos on YouTube, streaming on Twitch and answering questions on Steam and Reddit when David finally takes a break. Oh and of course, playing our games 😁

From all of us at Hovgaard, thank you! ❤️

Here's to an exciting year ahead!

All the best,
Jonas
Founder, Hovgaard Games[/p]

[h2]It's time for an EA 9 patch with some more fixes!

Build 3234 Car Spawning Bug[/h2][p]Just a quick extra fix to yesterday's fixes listed before - some vehicles were being ejected from their streetside parking spots.[/p][p]We have prevented this from happening, and if your vehicle was flung onto a rooftop, it should be rescued and moved to the parking lot at 73 3rd St. [/p][p][/p][h2]Tutorial Fixes and Flexibility[/h2][p]We found a few more cases where your "freedom to choose" in the tutorial is not being acknowledged by Uncle Fred, so we fixed them![/p]

• [p]Fixed some cases where "Open a Second Store" wasn't being updated[/p]
• [p]Using the fancy James Lawn Chair now completes the computer gaming chair quest[/p]
• [p]Fixed the misaligned finger pointer for the "Get a Loan" task[/p]
• [p]Fixed Uncle Fred dialog wasn't appearing in the text messages for side quests[/p]
• [p]Fixed "Assign a Uniform" quest wasn't advancing for Gyms and Hairdressers[/p]
• [p]Fixed some cases where "Rent a Building with 40% Traffic" wasn't completing[/p]
• [p]Fixed some cases where the "Open Your Store" quest wasn't being triggered[/p]
• [p]"Buy a Building and Set Up Deliveries" quest now has two extra triggers[/p]
  • [p]If you buy an Office business, the delivery quest is auto completed[/p]
  • [p]If you buy a Retail business and whose wholesale deliveries, the quest is completed[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Changelog[/h2]

• [p]Fixed game hanging when exiting if in a custom game, or after deactivating Uncle Fred[/p]
• [p]Fixed saving Blueprints getting stuck if you saved while an employee was holding a paper bag[/p]
• [p]Fixed Ika was "selling" flat beds that would get stuck in your building and you could never remove them. Those have been removed![/p]
• [p]Fixed Schedule workstations weren't always being properly updated when using the moving services, leading to shifts for positions that didn't exist[/p]
• [p]Fixed cars in StockCo parking lot could sometimes spawn on your vehicle[/p]
• [p]Fixed Dash van couldn't exit certain warehouses[/p]
• [p]Fixed soft-lock if you try to exit a warehouse that is blocked by a scooter[/p]
• [p]Fixed delivery spots weren't appearing in new warehouses after using moving services[/p]
• [p]Fixed buying an item on a flatbed that is already holding purchased items would sometimes despawn some of the previously purchased items[/p]
• [p]Fixed Lytte car windows were solid black, and wheels were overlapping the vehicle body[/p]
• [p]Fixed can't use gym equipment if wearing some uniform items like whistles[/p]
• [p]Fixed "Reset Windows" option wasn't working to reset UI properly. If you have an issue where you can't see the activities like "sleeping" try using this feature in the options menu![/p]
• [p]Fixed some spots on the Manhattan Bridge where players were falling through or getting stuck[/p]
• [p]Holiday items (like carved pumpkins and Christmas trees) weren't visible in your own home or business when it wasn't the holiday[/p]

[p][/p][hr][/hr][p]
Thank you for your feedback on EA 9 and for all your excitement for the next update, EA 10!

We're just as excited for you to see everything coming in that next update including a couple new businesses, a big revamp to factories to make them more productive and easier to use, plus a lot more cool stuff!

Stay tuned for more![/p][p]~Hovgaard Games, and the Big Ambitions Team[/p]

[p][/p][p]We've got one small update, with a huge impact![/p][p]It looks like we found the causes of the hourly lag many players started experiencing in EA 0.9![/p][p]
We've tested this with a few players that were experiencing TREMENDOUS amounts of lag and taking several minutes to skip a day, and now the game is running smoothly with this new patch and they can skip 24 hours in more like 18 seconds![/p][p][/p][p]The biggest culprit? Dirt. The game was trying to add dirt all over town and had to be stopped! Now the dirt is behaving properly![/p][p][/p][p]Please let us know if you're still having lag issues, but this should have it covered! Keep in mind that some lag at midnight (some calculations for a new day) and 02:00 (warehouse deliveries), can still happen, but those should be much more minimal! [/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]Thank you for your patience while we solved this![/p][p]~Hovgaard Games, and the Big Ambitions Team[/p]