Big Ambitions News

[h2]Hello and Happy New Year! [/h2]

Let's kick off the New Year with some fixes for EA 0.7!

Firstly - we've seen the reports of some players getting stuck in the loading screens. With this patch, we've made a few changes to the loading system, which we're hoping greatly reduces the issues people are having here!

If you're still having issues launching, scroll to the bottom of this post for some suggestions!

[h3]Changelog Build 2851:[/h3]

• Fix couldn't enter 8 12th Street warehouse
  
• Fix can skip time repeatedly using the hotkey
  
• Fix player working doesn't stop skipping time when an employee shift starts
  
• Fix can't rent player-owned building
  
• Fix Manhattan Movers not initialized correctly
  
• Fix some old savegames can't enter gas stations
  
• Fix electric scooter despawning too soon
  
• Fix cars taking damage in ramps
  
• Fix loudspeakers desyncing
  
• Fix customer complaint after trying to buy overpriced items
  
• Fix chance of AI seeking trash bins
  
• Double speed of throw-away-trash animation
  
• Fixed issue causing corners to become unpainted
  
• Fix interior design floor/wall folding mode issues with new design
  
• Fix unable to place objects on rugs
  
• Fix stage lights stacking on other objects
  
• Fix issues that happen when you pass out while holding mop or cleaning
  
• Fix vehicle/garage collider, especially when reversing a freight truck into a warehouse
  
• Fix cash registers containing unneeded paper bags
  
• Fix can't interact with paper bags on workstations
  
• Fix wrong average player business income (BizMan & Rivals apps)
  
• Fix sitting pedestrian in benches triggering hider
  
• Fix business logo generator not matching custom logo settings
  
• Fix employee getting stuck if can't reach an item they are trying to get
  
• Add compact fix for IRS with wrong business type
  
• Fix slot machine texture
  
• Fix interior installation firm and furniture delivery message address not being localized
  
• Fix vehicle taking damage when leaving NY Distro
  
• Fix blueprints Min/Max Price sorting not working
  
• Update treadmill Icon
  
• Fix can walk around on Casino while playing games
  
• Fix incorrect supercar capacity calculation
  
• Fix issues with employee tasks and objectives and calls
  
• Fix Tall Potted Plant can be placed in tables
  
• Fix incorrect layering in the object placement system
  

[h3]Stuck in Loading Screen[/h3]
If you're still having issues getting the game launched, here are some suggestions that might help.

Firstly, make sure your computer drivers are up-to-date!

Also, keep in mind that if the game crashes while loading on a slower system, that's a good thing! Launch again, and the game should detect that it crashed, and should lower the settings!

If that still doesn't get the game working, you can try to add these launch parameters:

• On Steam, right-click Big Ambitions and go to "Properties".
  
• In the "General" tab, add this to the "Launch Options" section:
  
• -screen-quality Low -screen-fullscreen 0 -screen-width 1024 -screen-height 768
  

However, some of these issues are from Mac computers, and the issue seems to be between the Mac OS and Steam. But we have a few methods that have helped several people as well:

1. Disable "Game Mode" for the Mac, as that can sometimes cause issues.
   
2. Restarting the computer sometimes fixes it, and if not, reintalling the game often does the trick.
   
3. If it's still not working, reverting versions might clear the issue:
   
   • On Steam, right-click Big Ambitions and go to "Properties".
     
   • Under "Betas", choose "EA 0.5".
     
   • Then let the game update back to EA 0.5.
     
   • Try to launch the game, then exit the game.
     
   • Go back to "Properties" and select "None" to switch to the current version.
     
   • Let the game update to the latest version.
     
   • Try to launch the game.
     

If that still isn't solving the issue for you:

Please email us at [email protected] so we can take a look!

Please include:

• Your operating system / version
  
• Your GPU / graphics card drivers
  
• The PlayerLog ("Player" and "Player-prev") files and anything in the "Crash" folder (located in the folder nested above the save games)
  

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As always, we greatly appreciate your feedback and motivation as we continue improving the game!

~Hovgaard Games, and the Big Ambitions team!

[h2]Hello Everyone![/h2]
As we approach the end of another exciting year, I wanted to take a moment to share some updates about Big Ambitions and our journey at Hovgaard Games.

[h2]500,000 Copies Sold![/h2]
First and foremost, we're thrilled to announce that Big Ambitions has reached a milestone of 500,000 copies sold! We are incredibly grateful for your support and for being part of this amazing community. Your passion and feedback continue to drive us forward.

[h2]Success with the Experimental Branch[/h2]
Earlier this year, we introduced the Experimental Branch to allow for more robust testing of new features and updates before they hit the live version. We're happy to report that this approach has been a resounding success. Thanks to your participation and invaluable feedback, we've been able to catch and address issues more efficiently. We'll definitely be continuing with this strategy moving forward.

[h2]More Frequent Updates[/h2]
Listening to your feedback, we've decided to shift our development approach to focus on smaller, more frequent updates. Our goal is to release new content approximately every three months, giving us some flexibility to ensure each update meets our quality standards.

[h2]Updated Living Roadmap[/h2]
Our Living Roadmap has been updated to reflect our plans leading up to the full release of Big Ambitions. You'll notice that we've added "Full Release" to the list. While this is not set in stone, it reflects our plan to stay in Early Access for at least another 12 months.


[h2]Expanding the Hovgaard Games Team[/h2]
In line with our growth plans, we've successfully expanded our team to 10 full-time members. Their talents are already making a significant impact on the game's development.

While we're not actively recruiting at the moment, we're always on the lookout for experienced and passionate individuals who share our love for management and tycoon games. If that's you, feel free to drop us an email at [email protected] or DM me on Discord.

[h2]Thank You for Your Support[/h2]
Lastly, I want to express my deepest gratitude to all of you. Your positive reviews, constructive feedback, and enthusiastic support mean the world to us.

Here's to an exciting year ahead!

All the best,
Jonas
Founder, Hovgaard Games

[h2]Hello, friends![/h2]

And here comes the second patch for EA 0.7!

Our devs have really been struggling with this one. We keep finding new hard-to-catch bugs that only affect a handful of players. Once again, for those of you who were affected: we're sorry for the inconvenience.

[h3]Changelog Build 2849:[/h3]

• Fixed error when entering a residential building holding a cash register
  
• Fixed bug causing customers to ignore some seats
  
• Fixed that some items weren't available for purchase in IKA
  
• Fixed gym trainers having too few demands
  
• Fixed issues with spawned customers
  
• Fixed too long queues in retail businesses
  
• Fixed issues related to alerts/todo tasks
  
• Fixed minus button not allowing to change textbox value from 1 to 0.
  
• Fixed bug causing Bizman Scheduler to break
  
• Fixed bug causing Bizman Purchasing Agent to break
  

[h3]Changelog Build 2850:[/h3]

• Fixed not being able to move character with mouse or WASD
  

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Thanks again for the feedback and encouragement, we'll keep improving!

~Hovgaard Games, and the Big Ambitions team!

[h2]Hello, friends![/h2]

We're ready with the first patch for EA 0.7 (out of experimental). Thank you for all your bug reports. Keep them coming! 💪

[h3]The drop in sales[/h3]
Unfortunately, a lot of players experienced up to 50% fewer customers/sales in their businesses after switching to 0.7. The reason for this is while we worked on 0.7, we found a bug in the way we calculate customers per hour which effectively ignored the building's limitation.

This led to unrealistically high incomes for those businesses, so it had to be fixed. The mistake was really that we introduced this change to existing savegames, instead of only new savegames. This patch will fix that, so all of you, existing players, will continue having the same high volume of customers.

Moving forward, we'll start increasing the time the update spent in "experimental" so we hopefully catch things like this in the future before releasing it to the public branch.

[h3]Changelog:[/h3]

• Fixed sudden drop in sales for some existing savegames
  
• Reduced energy consumption by gym equipment by 50%
  
• Fixed various font/text issues
  
• Fixed lighting issues in IKA
  
• Fixed issue causing players to get stuck when doing various activities
  
• Fixed bug causing some players not being able to access Factory Supply Depot
  
• Fixed bug with overlays not updating after exiting a vehicle
  
• Allow using AutoTow while indoor
  
• Fixed issue causing some players not to advance in time
  
• Rescued vehicles stuck after new IKA parking
  
• Fixed inaccessible pull-up bar in IKA
  
• Fixed customer queues pointing the wrong direction
  
• Fixed issue causing some players to get stuck/unable to move
  

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Thanks again for the feedback and encouragement, we'll keep improving!

~Hovgaard Games, and the Big Ambitions team!

[h2]Big Ambitions EA 0.7: Optimization #2[/h2]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h3]Hello to our big-shot business owners![/h3]

We know the last update took a really long time, so this update is coming faster than ever! It's a smaller update that focuses on optimization and quality of life, but we also got a few new features in it as well!

So let's dive into what's new!


You no longer have to choose between working out at home or at the city gym! Now you (and your rivals) can make your own gym businesses!

To go along with this, we added a bunch of new exercises and equipment! So go jump on the Fitness Trampolines and do situps on the Fitball! Plus we added new equipment like the Squats Station!



And lastly, we added a way to make your daily workouts more effective! Click on the Gym Training Board to add a personalized workout plan for an extra daily happiness boost!







We updated this new game screen to match our new streamlined UI while also addressing a few frequent quality of life issues:

1) Better explanation of the differences between the difficulties
2) Custom game settings can be defaulted to easy/medium/hard, then customized and saved!
3) Added option "No vehicle damage" when starting a custom game





We added a few nice visual upgrades in this update as well!

[h2]Cleaning Employees[/h2]
Your cleaners are no longer invisible! Now you'll see the employees walking around and cleaning, so you don't have to wonder why they didn't show up to work!

And while we were in there, we also improved the cleaning animation!



[h2]Rain[/h2]
We did it - we added rain!! It's purely a visual (and audio) element that won't impact business, but it's cool!



This visual upgrade brings a whole new level of atmosphere to the game - just watch out for all the umbrellas and puddles on the street now!

[h2]New Flower Display Stand[/h2]

Do you want something unique to show off your flowers in your Florist Shop? Well, we've got you covered!



[h2]Ika - Full Revamp[/h2]

Last, but certainly not least on the art side, your favorite furniture store just got a major glow-up! IKA’s new design is more realistic and immersive, making shopping for decor even more enjoyable.



But that’s not all—IKA now features its very own cafeteria! Who says business can’t be delicious?




Some players with older machines have been reporting difficulty with getting the game launched, so we have added a few changes.

Firstly, we changed how the game loads in, which should help some systems already. However, if your computer is going slow - have patience and let it run through its process. If the game crashes, try to launch it again. It should automatically recognize that it crashed and should lower the settings when you try to launch again, increasing your chances of successfully launching!



One of the big focuses for this update was to clean up, streamline, and optimize some code and graphics.

This should help greatly reduce or eliminate lag spikes for each new hour, new day, and at delivery times as well as make the game run more smoothly in general!

• Improved taxi frequency, especially at night.
  
• Can put flatbed cart inside Freight and Courier trucks
  
• Added fade-out/fade-in when entering/exiting buildings for a smoother transition
  
• Camera no longer rotates when exiting a vehicle!
  
• You now enter a drive-in store and warehouse the same way you exit - by driving through the door!
  
• Fixed lighting in underground parking lots
  
• Fixed issue causing buildings to be owned by "undefined" when the rival shut them down
  
• Added ability to write custom text on glass barriers
  
• Fixed can't buy Checkout Counter (Right) from AJ Pederson if you're holding a cart
  
• Removed forklifts since they were causing lots of issues in warehouses and not being used much
  
• Added "Storage is Full" indicator to hand trucks, flatbeds and vehicles.
  
• Fixed issue causing rivals screen to break if a broken employee was poached
  
• Fixed issue where you could be parked "illegally" after using autopark
  
• Fixed issue where the truck repair shop would cause you to crash around after calling the tow truck
  
• Fixed issue causing the blueprints page to get stuck if you switched from blueprints to library in certain circumstance
  
• Fixed issue causing Interior Designer achievements not to be registered
  
• Lowered Casino ("Lucky Potato") achievement requirements
  
• Adjusted color of drive-in store product signs to be easier to read
  
• Fixed a couple issue with the interior designer not updating objectives
  
• Fixed an incorrect collider size of the industrial sewing machine
  
• Fixed lighting in the underground parking
  
• Fixed issue where you could grab a mop while already holding a box
  
• Fixed issue with windows flickering
  
• Fixed issue with delivery spots showing “Click to manage” in AI businesses
  
• Fixed an issue with switching business type
  
• Fixed inventory was sometimes lost if the customer didn't like the price
  
• Fixed an issue where paper bags weren't properly counted while you were in the store
  
• Fixed sometimes activity timers would reset to 1 hour
  
• Fixed an issue causing Electric Scooters to get stuck on their sides
  
• Fixed issue sometimes causing two music tracks to play at the casino
  
• Fixed issue where AI sometimes sits on player in chairs
  
• Fixed hanging sign lists don't change when you add new items to the store
  
• Fixed rotating an object then grabbing it doesn't reset rotation properly
  
• Fixed "free parking" if you cancel selling your car
  
• Fixed issue causing some damange when on parking ramp
  
• Updated money/number input
  
• Fixed import contract not cancelling when shutting down a warehouse
  
• Fixed can't grab cart in some cases
  
• Fixed can get stuck in queue if there are no paper bags in the register
  
• Added new animation for eating ice cream
  
• Removed restaurant LCD screens for sale as they currently are non-functional
  
• Fixed items not appearing properly in AI character's hands
  
• Fixed an issue where machines would output raw goods
  
  • Note - if this already happened to you, you'll need to clear the item from the conveyor belt, but it shouldn't happen again. Please report it if you see it!
    

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We hope you enjoy this update and we look forward to bringing you another speedy update next! Our goal is to aim for closer to 3 months for future releases!

And finally don't forget to set up your Christmas tree before December 25th, and then click the tree on the 25th to get your 2024 holiday decoration!

~Hovgaard Games, and the Big Ambitions Team