Big Ambitions News

Release of Alpha 8

Originally posted by The Big Ambitions Team
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The "New York vibes" alpha!

If you ever wanted to feel what it's like to travel around New York City… This is your moment!

After almost two months of hard work, Alpha 8 comes with huge improvements and new features that will let you enjoy (and suffer) the life of a real New Yorker: from clothing to driving, from people being everywhere to awesome parks and skyscrapers…

Alright, it might not be that real (yet)… But we are getting closer to it update through update.

Let’s see what Alpha 8 brings!

[h2]Hell's Kitchen neighbourhood[/h2]
Brand new area finished, including a park and three skyscrapers. 2nd and 3rd Street have been widened, and three new streets have been unlocked: Broadway, 1st Avenue, and 2nd Avenue. Beware: emergency services are not yet implemented. So, don't get lost in the park!

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[h2]Advertising Agency[/h2]
You can now find on 17 Third Avenue an Advertising Agency that will let you order advertising packages to boost the number of customers your business receives per hour.

[video]https://www.bigambitionsgame.com/assets/devlog28/marketing-agency.mp4[/video]

[h2]Customer Capacity and Popularity[/h2]
Available on the Bizman App, customer capacity shows how many customers per hour your business can receive. It depends on the building size and the furniture placed on the building (number of cash registers, shopping baskets, and shelves).
On the other hand, popularity depends on the overall customer satisfaction, the people reached through marketing (using the new Advertising Agency), and the customer capacity.

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[h2]New traffic system[/h2]
We’ve switched to a new traffic system that lets us work faster and fixes several known bugs. Now drivers stuck in traffic are more clever (and annoying).

(click for high resolution)

[h2]WASD controls[/h2]
Together with point and click, you can now move the player using WASD. “Satisfy players” achievement unlocked.

[video]https://www.bigambitionsgame.com/assets/devlog28/wasd.mp4[/video]

[h2]Character Customization[/h2]
Choose your character’s name, gender, skin color, head type, and clothes. Available when creating a new game.

[video]https://www.bigambitionsgame.com/assets/devlog29/character-customization.mp4[/video]

[h2]Improved vehicle controller/mechanics[/h2]
In addition to fixing known issues, the new vehicle controller is smoother and more responsive.

[video]https://www.bigambitionsgame.com/assets/alpha-8/driving-a-car.mp4[/video]

[h2]Added more sounds/ambience[/h2]
Several sounds have been added to the UI and different ambience sounds have been implemented throughout the city.

[h2]Improved performance[/h2]
Overall performance has been improved with optimization of various models and systems, reducing FPS drops.

[h2]66 closed issues since Alpha 7[/h2]

[h2]And many more![/h2]
You can try all the new features and improvements on Alpha 8, available exclusively to our Gold supporters. If you aren't a Gold supporter yet and want to get immediate access to the Alpha 8 and support us in our adventure in creating the next tycoon era, you can order the Gold package of Big Ambitions at www.bigambitionsgame.com.

Originally posted by The Big Ambitions Team
We use the up-vote count below to measure how many of you read these devlogs. If you enjoyed it, please let us know by hitting the like 👍 button below, thanks! ❤

Thank you for reading!
Jonas#1 & David#NaN

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1331550/Big_Ambitions/

Dev Summary #2

The second dev summary of Big Ambitions are finally here!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

I would really appreciate any constructive feedback on how we can improve these video updates. Feel free to share in the comments! ❤

All the best,
Jonas

Devlog #29

Originally posted by The Big Ambitions Team
We use the up-vote count below to measure how many of you read these devlogs. If you enjoyed it, please let us know by hitting the like 👍 button below, thanks! ❤

Hi friends,

We're currently in the final stages for Alpha 8, hoping to release it to our gold supporters by early December.

Before we go into details, let's take a look at the updated Steam wishlist: 25,164!

New traffic system 🚦

The previous traffic system was pretty complicated to set up and also regularly caused trouble when playing. Our gold supporters can tell stories about massive traffic jams, blocked road crossings, and trucks getting stuck when turning around corners.

The new system is less complex and easy to configure. We hope that this will massively improve traffic flow and gameplay. Don't worry - we'll still try our best to assure you get some authentic New York traffic jams in the final version.

(click for high resolution)

Car controller 🎮

While Jonas #1 was working on the new traffic system, Jonas #2 started working on a much-needed upgrade to the car controller, meaning the mechanics you use when driving around in your own car.

Gold supporters will instantly notice how much easier it is to control their car, especially when parking.

Direction indicators and car lights 🚘

Cars will now tell you which direction they're planning to go! Except for those few annoying idiots who always go the opposite direction or don't know how to use indicators at all. You all know what I'm talking about!

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Additionally, we improved all the car lights for a more realistic impression.

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Advertising 📺

In our last devlog, we looked into the new marketing agency. The first version only allows you to market on the internet. This week, the 3D team has been busy adding real-world advertising billboards to the city. We're still working on it, but it's starting to look pretty good!

(click for high resolution)

Character customization 🧍

David#NaN has just finished the character customization at the beginning of a new game. You can choose your name, sex, skin and hair color as well as your face and clothes. Just be yourself! Or anyone you like to be...

(click for high resolution)

Full shopping baskets 🛍️

We weren't happy about the always empty shopping baskets when buying booze and souvenirs. That's why they'll now change their appearance depending on the number of items inside. Just a minor change but feels so much better now!

(click for high resolution)

Maximum customer capacity 🏪

Yay, your customers now get their own capacity! Only one beer and two cigars per person!

No, that's for sure not what we meant with this headline. Instead, your shops will get a capacity limit. It is based on the store size and furnishing. Metal shelves, cash registers, and everything else will have a limited serving capacity. To get more customers into your gift shop it might be necessary to buy another shelf.

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Closed issues since the last devlog 🐛

#81 - Not Starting work if clicked before shift time
#126 - Wrong grammar in Research Data Page
#134 - Very slow scrolling in Purchase Screen When Queueing
#194 - Drive-in wholesale store Bizman view doesn't show market value and building size.
#249 - Income Statement has no padding at the bottom
#255 - Slow scrolling in cargo list
#256 - Options dialog (Save / Quit) opens behind cargo dialog
#325 - The first time opening BizMan after loading a game, "Insight" doesn't immediately get underlined if you're indoors
#328 - More than two workplaces in one business will cause the additional places to be out of the screen.
#337 - Multi-line error message doesn't fit into red box
#407 - Progress bar not showing proper progress
#642 - "Customers over time" in BizMan showing erroneous graph for yesterday

Coming soon to a Steam client near you!

Alpha 8 will be available exclusively to our Gold supporters. You can order the Gold package of Big Ambitions at www.bigambitionsgame.com to get immediate access.

Originally posted by The Big Ambitions Team
We use the up-vote count below to measure how many of you read these devlogs. If you enjoyed it, please let us know by hitting the like 👍 button below, thanks! ❤

That's all for today. We'll be back in 2 weeks with further updates. Don't forget to add Big Ambitions to your wishlist!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1331550/Big_Ambitions/

All the best,
Jonas#1 & Daniel#2

Devlog #28

Originally posted by The Big Ambitions Team
We use the up-vote count below to measure how many of you read these devlogs. If you enjoyed it, please let us know by hitting the like 👍 button below, thanks! ❤

Hi friends,

It's been a while since the last regular devlog. We've prioritized the Alpha 7 release as well as the post-release update. Now we're back with some fresh development insights. Before we start, let's take a look at the updated Steam wishlist: 24,452!

New team member 🖥️

With lots of work to do, we're happy to welcome another team member. David is assisting Jonas#1 and Jonas#2 with development and bug fixing. Besides, he's lucky to have a name that doesn't need a number (yet). Good to have you with us, David! 👋

What the Hell's Kitchen? 🏙️

We've talked about Hell's Kitchen several times before. Finally, it's ready to go: Jonas#1 has set it up and spent lots of time connecting all the roads to be used by traffic. Everything still needs a bit of polishing before being ready for a release to our gold supporters.

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Flood the city with ads 🪧

Marketing is one of the most asked-for features. The new marketing agency will work similarly to the recruitment agency. For now, you can order advertising packages for Friendbook, Jitter, Latergram, and Voogle. Of course, other options like billboards will follow later.

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David added a marketing tab to the BizMan where you can check all details of your current marketing campaigns.

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Building screenshots in BizMan 📷

Currently, the BizMan only contains static background images, which often don't fit the actual business. Jonas#2 changed it to display the actual view of the building and its signboard. This feels so much better!

(click for high resolution)

Improved building resume position ↔️

The building resume overlay showing whenever you move the mouse over a building has been repositioned by Jonas#2. While the previous position depended on the camera angle, it has been changed to always stay within the building outline.

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Asset optimization 🖌️

Many of the game assets are pretty heavy to display and reduce the game's frame rate. Our 3D artists are currently optimizing many of them to reduce complexity. Hopefully, this will make the game run much better even on older devices.

(click for high resolution)

Light up! But not all at once please... 💡

Jonas#2 has updated the street lights so that they will be flickering when switching on. Additionally, they also got some randomization in the time - just like on a real street, some will light up later than others.

(click for high resolution)

WASD - What Anyone Surely Demands ⌨️

Many of our gold supporters asked for WASD controls when walking. Good news: We heard you! They will come with the next update. Save the mouse buttons!

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Closed issues since the last update 🪲

#201 - Space for pause not working after clicking pause or speed change buttons
#217 - Game automatically unpaused when cancelling "Start working" dialog
#283 - Metal shelf at appliance store filled with boxes
#287 - Clothing racks in non-owned shops don't show type of clothes
#308 - Pedestrians often get stuck on the sidewalk
#326 - Percentage bars moving when opening a panel containing them
#334 - Prices displayed rounded to full numbers in stores
#389 - Cant get out of building if a hand cart is left in the door way
#400 - Hand Truck can block way between appliances
#410 - No scrolling in BizMan with many businesses
#437 - Apartment rent displayed as $64 but only charged $63.8
#511 - Loan payment shows 5 decimal places when deducted
#586 - No light from subway stations at night
#596 - Can work with hand truck
#627 - Missing scrollbar in upcoming tasks / objectives
#643 - Low amount of pedestrians and vehicles after exiting building
#650 - Able to have unpaused game while Apps Are Open
#661 - Pedestrians change walking direction after interview
#664 - EconoView shows only Yesterday's statistics but no older anymore
#673 - Pausing and unpausing while sped up makes your game run at 100% speed

(click for high resolution)

Coming soon to a Steam client near you!

Alpha 7 is available exclusively to our Gold supporters. You can order the Gold package of Big Ambitions at www.bigambitionsgame.com to get immediate access.

Originally posted by The Big Ambitions Team
We use the up-vote count below to measure how many of you read these devlogs. If you enjoyed it, please let us know by hitting the like 👍 button below, thanks! ❤

Alpha 7 post-release update

Originally posted by The Big Ambitions Team
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Hi friends,

More than two weeks after our release of the Big Ambitions alpha 7 version, it's now time for a first big update. We've fixed a lot of bugs in the meantime but also include some other changes.
All changes are entirely based on player feedback, hoping to enhance the first-time playing experience.

It's all about work 💼

You're now able to start working even before your shift starts. No more waiting for the clock because you're 5 minutes early!
Besides, the fast-forward toggle of earlier versions is back. Of course, you can still use the time machine to quickly move on to the end of your shift, but for those who like to see what's happening fast-forward will come in handy.
To make things even more convenient, you don't have to click on the small cash register anymore. Just clicking on the counter will open the work dialog already.

Bustling New York streetlife 🚕

When leaving a building, initially the roads were left empty. Vehicles and pedestrians only slowly started to spawn. Now, this is happening all the time even while you're inside a building, so the streets will always be bustling and there's no way out of traffic jams anymore.

...and even one more car on the streets! 🚘

Uncle Fred just expanded his own portfolio by buying a car dealership. Good news for you: One of the old cars wasn't good enough to be sold anymore, so you'll get it for free once you get your business running. It's old, it's in bad shape - but it's free.

Uhm... where was it once again? 🏁

We always had two types of arrows showing directions from your current position: for your objective's destination and for a self-set destination.
To navigate even easier, we've additionally introduced flags indicating the destination. Those flags show up at the buildings while walking on the street as well as in our Voogle Maps app.

Entering a building has never been so easy! 🚪

Until now, the information dialog opening when moving the mouse over a building could be a bit annoying. Depending on where you clicked you either entered the building or opened other functionality.
This has been simplified: A left-click on a building will always enter it, and a right-click on a building will always bring up a dialog containing buttons for other functionality like opening the BizMan or the Shop Sign Designer.

Objectives got simplified ✔️

The tutorial had some combined objectives like "Buy a metal shelf and stock it up with cheap gifts". Those caused some confusion and have now been split up into separate objectives, making it easier to see what's done and what's still missing.

Looking for a nice place for your next business? 📝

Commercial buildings will now indicate if they're available for rent. Stop asking the neighbors and just take a look at the large "for rent" sign!

Tell me my profits! 📈

Every new day you'll now see a little popup showing your daily profits and the number of businesses. In the end, that's what it is all about: Making money!

Pest control on duty 🪲

Besides all these changes, of course we also got rid of some bugs:

#597 - Clicking desk while holding handtruck displays 2 messages
#611 - Waiting forever in queue at El Gato after working
#624 - Green lines visible on boxes in metro wholesales
#628 - Wrong camera angle and camera rotation possible when loading a savegame while driving car
#633 - Can Run and leave building while buying car
#634 - Can't pick up king-sized bed at Ikea
#635 - Normal-sized bed missing at Ikea
#636 - Madame Ikea-Tussauds: People get stuck at Ikea when picking up any box
#637 - Time bug
#638 - Can't paint street facing corners of large business building
#639 - No customers when working myself on normal speed
#640 - Cloning myself when stopping to work before end of shift
#641 - Sudden shift from day to night lighting if saved between 20:30 and 21:00
#644 - Sign Appearance not closing when entering building
#645 - A2 building's supermarket is broken
#647 - Handtruck itemOverlay is not hiding when being "driven"
#654 - Misplaced speed toggle in working dialog
#658 - Work doesn't stop automatically in own shop after end of shift
#665 - Driving into Drive-In Wholesales breaks camera angle
#666 - Car duplicated when leaving drive-in wholesales

Coming soon to a Steam client near you!

Alpha 7 is available exclusively to our Gold supporters. You can order the Gold package of Big Ambitions at www.bigambitionsgame.com to get immediate access.

Originally posted by The Big Ambitions Team
We use the up-vote count below to measure how many of you read these devlogs. If you enjoyed it, please let us know by hitting the like 👍 button below, thanks! ❤

All the best,
Jonas#1 & Daniel#2