HORROR TYCOON News

It’s been a wild year so far, and I want to start by thanking you for your patience. While I’ve been a little quiet on social media, I’ve been deep in development—polishing, optimizing, and improving Horror Tycoon based on your amazing feedback. It’s time to lift the veil and share what’s been brewing behind the scenes.

Today, I’m excited to announce that a brand-new update is now available for testing on the Experimental/Beta branch on Steam!

This build features a slew of additions, improvements, and fixes directly inspired by your suggestions and community reviews. It will remain in the Experimental branch for a few weeks to allow time for bug testing and additional tweaks before rolling out to all players on the public branch.

[h2]🧱 New Features[/h2]
PRE-FAB Rooms (First Wave): Modular room layouts are now available to streamline your haunted house design. More styles and themes are coming soon!

In-Game Owner’s Manual (WIP): A tutorial/guide system has been added to assist both new and returning players. You can access it by pressing F9.

Keyboard Arrow Support: You can now use the left and right arrow keys to pan the camera.

[h2]🔧 Gameplay Changes & Quality of Life Improvements[/h2]
Body Disposal Employees are now managed through the Services Menu—just like other employees.

These employees can now be upgraded, boosting their movement speed with each level.

Items eligible for breakdowns now last longer before failing.

Starting modes now grant more starting money and fear reputation, giving you a stronger launch.

Increased guest count per wave to ramp up challenge and immersion.

“Maybe A Slice of Pie” now speeds up body disposal based on its level.

Soul Meter Overhaul (WIP): Now requires only 10 souls to activate. It does not consume souls—just a requirement to use the upcoming Ultimate ability. Currently in testing, feedback welcome!

Guests now buy food and drinks when walking past concession stands, offering bonus revenue per wave.

Part Lists are now visible in item detail views:

Green = parts in inventory

Red = parts missing

Bonus: Store category icons added for faster browsing.

Part Names have been standardized for better readability and searchability.

Pressing M with an item selected will now move it directly—no need to go through the build menu every time. (Cooldowns still apply during waves.)

Guest Exit Animation has been updated. Guests now run when fleeing!

Item scroll list size reduced by 20% for easier browsing.

Power Areas now show a yellow grid when placing powered items, improving clarity for new players.

[h2]🧹 Bug Fixes[/h2]
Resolved hover animation issues in the Main Menu and Difficulty Select screen.

Fixed item filter reset problems in build mode.

Police should no longer investigate while the game is paused.

Fixed bugs related to save/load system, including disappearing saves and unsaved spawned items.

Resolved issues in Sandbox mode showing locked items.

Fixed visual clipping on Body Disposal employee's feet.

[h2]👻 Known Issues (Under Investigation)[/h2]
In-Game Manual still in development – Press F9 to preview.

Some strange behavior from police AI is being looked into.

A minor stutter (1-2 seconds) may occur when placing Body Disposal Offices.

Soul Meter is currently non-functional, but visual tracking is live. Activation effects coming soon!

Thank you again for being part of this twisted little community. Your feedback is crucial in shaping Horror Tycoon, and I’m incredibly excited to see what you think of this next chapter. Head over to the Experimental Branch on Steam to try it out—and don’t forget to share your thoughts in the forums or Discord!

Stay spooky,
Casey aka 3pm

Hotifx patch to fix an issue with sandbox mode not showing all items unlocked.

Hey Haunters! It’s time for some spooky updates! After months of hard work, I am excited to roll out the latest changes to enhance your haunted house experience! PLEASE NOTE: Some of the new features and gameplay elements are still in development and a work in progress. Previous save games may not work correctly with new builds, use those at your own risk. As with any update, please use the Steam Forums or Discord Channel to provide feedback or report additional bugs.

🔍 Major Changes: Gameplay Balance Shift
Old Balance: 90% Tower Defense | 10% Management
New Balance: 60% Tower Defense | 40% Management
This update introduces a wealth of new management features while keeping Sandbox/Creative modes untouched.

🚀 Future Plans
We’ll be gathering player feedback to refine the game further, fix any bugs, and polish existing features.

💰 Price Increase Notice
Heads up! Due to the increased content and development efforts, a slight price increase will happen soon. Now's your chance to snag Horror Tycoon at the current price (USD $14.99) the new price (USD $17.99 will go in effect in 2025)!

🛠️ New Features & Improvements
Power Management

Off the Grid Power Supply:
Manage power for your attractions, with requirements displayed on item cards.

Fuel Management: Generators require fuel, which can be added manually or via a mechanic.

Upgrading Generators: Reduces refueling duration and cost without increasing power output.
Breakdowns & Repairs

Item Breakdowns:
Electrical and motorized items can now break down.
Repairs: Replacements require parts; repairs can be handled by you or hired mechanics.

Peculiar Parts Store:
Purchase Replacement Parts: Acquire parts for broken items, with stock varying based on suppliers.
Mechanics Office

Hire Mechanics: Assist with repairs and refueling.
Prioritize Tasks: Choose between repairs or refueling for mechanics.

Customer Service Office:
Mini Game Challenge: Negotiate payouts and generate passive income through customer service events.

😱 New Fear Meter & First-Person Mode
Fear Meter: A new HUD feature enhancing guest interaction. - WORK IN PROGRESS -
Ultimate Abilities: Triggered when the fear meter is full, unleashing terrifying effects on guests. - WORK IN PROGRESS -

Abilities Include - WORK IN PROGRESS-:
Inferno: Ignites all guests, causing damage over time.
Electro Shock: Electrocutes guests, inflicting damage over time.
Cold Wave: Freezes guests, slowing them and causing damage.
Let’s Make a Deal: Steals wallets from guests for a cash boost.
Heart-O-Tack: Causes immediate heart attacks, resulting in guest deaths.
Blood Bath: Makes guests bleed uncontrollably, causing damage over time.

First-Person Mode Scares:
Guest Camera Mode: Scare guests directly in first person.
Scare Stamina Bar: Depletes with each scare and recharges over time.
Tactical Scares: Use scares wisely to maximize effectiveness and impact.

⚙️ Gameplay Enhancements
Sinister Trap Re-Design: New soul meter replaces traps, allowing powerful abilities when filled.
Ultimate Abilities Include: Inferno, Electrocution, Cold Wave, Let’s Make a Deal, Heart-O-Tack, Blood Bath.

📈 Quality of Life Improvements
Fixed Build Window Issue: Move items without reopening the build window after a countdown.
Visual & Audio Effects: Enhanced upgrading experience for a more immersive feel.
Height Lock Key [X]: Lock item height for consistent placement.
Multi-Level Building: Now possible, still in progress for further improvements.

🐞 Bug Fixes & Minor Changes
UI Improvements: Resolved issues with power indicators, item cards, and selection buttons.
New Scare Traps: Blood Boil and Witches Cauldron added to your arsenal.
Item Rotations: Improved control over item placement for better customization.
First-Person Mode Improvements: Removed single-story roof and fixed level fall-through issues.
Stability Fixes: General bug fixes and improved level design for a smoother experience.
Added Items: New coffins (Wooden with/without lids, Concrete with/without lids) for more decor options.
Wall Adjustments: Walls can now be raised and lowered for easier layout management.
Game Progression Fix: Resolved an issue where stuck guests prevented game progression after the final wave.
FPS Scare Mode Fix: Ensured manual scaring is only possible in Guest Cam mode.
Poster Flicker Fix: Fixed flickering issues with missing posters in Z space.
Tooltip Fixes: Phobias now show correctly in item tooltips without duplication.
Construction Mode Visibility Fix: Filters for floors and walls now consistently visible in construction mode.
Blood Boil Trap Adjustment: This trap can now be raised or lowered by players.
Sandbox Mode Fix: Service items and employees can no longer be placed in sandbox mode, which doesn't require power generators.
Decor Prop Fix: The fireplace prop is now unlocked from the start.
Placement Guide Fix: The guide box is now visible when placing certain items.
Power Supply Fix: Ensured power supplies are inactive when turned off.
Breakdown Fix: Fixed an issue where items could still break down while OFF.
Finance Screen Update: Added an advertising & marketing campaign feature to generate Fear reputation every 30 seconds at a cost.
Pathfinding Improvements: Enhanced the Body Cleanup Service’s pathfinding and collision issues.
Wall Filter Update: New filter for construction items, including accessories for trusses and supports.
Body Parts Adjustment: Body parts will no longer spawn under floors.

🙏 Thank You!
I appreciate your ongoing support and feedback. Dive into the new update, explore the exciting management features, and let me know what you think!

Happy Haunting! 🕷️

Greetings Haunters,
First, thank you for your continued support as I continue to develop this game, I am looking forward to hearing your feedback on the new changes and new ways to play Horror Tycoon!

My initial concept for the game was always a combination of 2 genres I love, Tower Defense and Tycoon/Management. I know a lot of players wanted more of the latter so this will be an exciting change to the game.

Speaking of new things...
Horror Tycoon is still being worked on and some big changes are coming to the core gameplay loop in Q1 of 2024. I originally had planned for this update to be ready before the end of the year, however, was unable to reach that deadline, but, I have been hard at work over the past few months implementing new systems and functionality to make the gameplay more exciting and interesting.

Note these changes do not affect Sandbox/Creative mode :)

What to expect in the coming weeks:

This new update will break any existing saves as there are a lot of new variables and data that is saved so be advised if you are attempting to load a save and it crashes... this is most likely the reason.

The experimental branch on Steam will receive a preview of this next update for you to test and provide feedback on if you wish to do so. Once testing has been completed and any major bugs squashed the update will roll out to the public version of the game. If you want to try the experimental build when it is live, Right click on Horror Tycoon in your steam library then access the Beta's tab to find Beta Participation and select Experimental. Steam will then download and update your game to the experimental version, and to opt-out just do the same as before but select none as the beta option.

Now, onto the fun stuff!



NEW Power Management system - Install generators/batteries to keep your off-the-grid haunts up and running. Items that require power will have a power level indicator of the minimum power needed for the item to run so you will need to plan accordingly to ensure you have enough resources to keep expanding your build.

NEW Refueling System - Most of the generators will require fuel so you will need to refuel, but as you are well aware fuel is expensive so you will need to manage your finances to ensure you have enough for the equipment, fuel and potential repairs! Refueling can be done via first person or regular top down view, if your fuel runs out attractions will turn off and each one will need to be turned back on to ensure you can scare your guests!

NEW Breakdown system - Items that require power or have moving parts will breakdown randomly over time, the chances can of course be reduced by upgrading your traps, however, even at max level it wont completely stop them from breaking down over time.

NEW Repair system - When your item breaks down you will need to ensure you have the correct parts in stock, if you do, you can easily repair an item in either first person mode or the normal top down view via the UI.

NEW Parts Store - There are hundreds of components, circuits, motors, gears etc... you will need to find the correct part, purchase it, and once you have all parts needed... install them to repair your item. You can find the parts needed on the backside of any item card in the build menu.

There will also be some new scare traps, decor, secrets to uncover and construction items added in this update as well but primarily this update is focusing on the Tycoon / Management aspect of the game with even more depth to come later this year.

Even more new and exciting things are coming!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday with family and friends and bring in the new year safely and with excitement for new experiences in 2024!

Happy New Year,
Casey
Owner - Smidge Games LLC

👻 Attention, Haunters! 👻

Even in its early access phase, this game is nothing short of a heart-pounding adventure, and guess what? We're in the running for a prestigious Steam Award! 🏆 But we need your help to make it happen!

Picture this: a passion project that has haunted my dreams since childhood, evolving from backyard haunted mazes to a full-blown gaming sensation! Now, I'm calling upon all you brave souls to rally behind Horror Tycoon and cast your vote in the Labor of Love category. 🎮🌟

Your support means the world to me. Together, let's turn this labor of love into an award-winning masterpiece! Thank you for your spine-tingling enthusiasm and unwavering dedication. Let the haunting games begin! 💀✨ #HorrorTycoon #GamerSpirit #LaborOfLoveChampion