Vending Dokan!: Kozy Kiosk News

[h3]Hey everyone![/h3][p]We just want to start this post by saying thank you. Seriously, you all have been amazing![/p][p]From sharing your creations on the Workshop, to posting your thoughts on the forums and Discord, and especially to those of you reporting bugs and offering suggestions: we see you, and we appreciate you. Thanks to your feedback, this is now the third regular update we've shipped, and several of your suggestions have been directly implemented into the game as a result. ❤️[/p][p][/p][h2]📌 The Big One: Our Roadmap is Here![/h2][p]We're incredibly excited to share the first iteration of the Vending Dokan Roadmap![/p][p]We took our time with this because we wanted to absorb your feedback over the first few weeks of Early Access, now that we’ve had the chance to evaluate and prioritize everything, we’re ready to show you what’s next.[/p][p][/p][p]🗓️ This roadmap spans the first 6 months of development, with a major focus on July.
We’ll be updating it as we go, and expanding on details as features roll out.[/p][p]🖼️ You can also view the roadmap in-game. Just head to your office and check it out! If you’re ever wondering what’s coming next, you’ll find it there.[/p][p][/p][h2]📦 Staff Restocking Role (First Iteration)[/h2][p]Say hello to the new Staff Role: Restocking![/p][p]This is the first version of this role, and here’s what your staff can do with it:[/p]

• [p]Bin empty boxes lying around your office or in shelves[/p]
• [p]Restock vending machines when any slot falls below 50% & you have the stock for it[/p]

[p]✅ Pro tip: Make sure you have at least one bin in your office, or the staff won’t be able to do much! They can pick up boxes from both the floor and shelves, as long as they can navigate to it.[/p][p]In future updates, we’ll be expanding this role with the ability to:[/p]

• [p]Move boxes from floor to shelves[/p]
• [p]Combine boxes[/p]
• [p]Reorganize your office based on your assignment of what should go where[/p]

[p]We’d love to hear your thoughts on this new role, drop your feedback on the Steam forums or Discord![/p][p][/p][h2]🎁 17 New Reward Machine Items![/h2][p]We’ve added 17 new items to the Reward Machine, including:[/p]

• [p]🟣 11 new rare stickers[/p]
• [p]🪴 6 new decorative items[/p]

[p]Hope you enjoy unlocking and customizing with these new goodies![/p][p][/p][h3]🛠️ Rest of the Patch Notes[/h3][p]Some nice little quality-of-life updates and fixes:[/p]

• [p]WASD movement is now available in Build Mode and Freecam[/p]
• [p]Hotkeys added:[/p]
  • [p]O for Office[/p]
  • [p]Arrow Keys to switch location[/p]
  • [p]C to toggle between cameras[/p]
  • [p]F for Freecam[/p]
  • [p]B for Build Mode[/p]
  • [p]U for Business Menu
    (We're working on a rebind system so you can customize these soon!)[/p]
• [p]Machine hover prompts now update in real time[/p]
• [p]Machines no longer become un-interactable after staff interact with them[/p]
• [p]Stone Lantern 01 now spawns correctly[/p]
• [p]Deleting gnomes now gives back the correct gnome[/p]
• [p]Delivery zones now have consistent capacity regardless of their orientation[/p]
• [p]Reward Machine now takes 1 hour of real time to fully charge[/p]
• [p]Binning boxes now generates significantly less rubbish
  [/p]

[p]We'll have our next big update coming in early July, which will include even more decorations and most importantly: a bigger overhaul to the staff system. We're really excited about what's coming next and can't wait to share more with you soon.[/p][p]In the meantime, we'd love to hear what you think![/p]

• [p]📣 Let us know in the comments below, or join the conversation on our Discord.[/p]
• [p]🐛 Got a bug to report? We've got dedicated Steam Forums for that too![/p]

[p]If you're enjoying the game, you can help us out by leaving a Steam review! It seriously helps us reach more people and continue to grow.[/p][p][/p][p]Thanks so much for reading, and see you next time! 💛[/p]

[p]
We just wanted to say a massive thank you for the incredible first week since launch. It's been amazing to see so many of you playing the game, sharing your creations on the Workshop, chatting in the forums, and giving us thoughtful feedback.[/p][p]Your bug reports and suggestions have been invaluable, many of the changes in this update come directly from things you’ve pointed out. We’re committed to continuing to improve the game with your help, and today’s update is just the start.[/p][p][/p][h3]New Location: Galaxy Rise[/h3][p]We’ve added a brand new location called Galaxy Rise, a bustling shopping district that stands out from other areas in both design and vibe. It’s a bit more unique and visually striking, and we think you’ll really enjoy setting up shop there.[/p][carousel][/carousel][p]
🛠️ Available for all existing and new saves, no need to start over![/p][p]More locations are in the works, so keep an eye out as we continue to expand the game’s world.[/p][p][/p][h3]10 New Reward Machine Items[/h3][p]We’ve added 10 new decorative items to the reward machine! These include:[/p]

• [p]New lamps and lighting[/p]
• [p]Cat statues[/p]
• [p]Toad statues[/p]

[carousel][/carousel][h3]Bug fixes & QOL Changes[/h3][p]Here’s the full list of fixes and tweaks in today’s update:[/p]

• [p]Boxes placed on top of one another on shelves should no longer clip into each other when loading a game.[/p]
• [p]Improved chair collision, NPCs should no longer get stuck on them.[/p]
• [p]Navigation improvements across the map:[/p]
  • [p]Fixed a broken nav path at Meteor Lane.[/p]
  • [p]Fixed a shopping centre nav issue that caused NPCs (staff and customers) to occasionally fall off the map.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a vend point exploit where selling vend point items returned more than they cost.[/p]
• [p]Fixed inconsistencies with deliveries where you could receive more or less than what you ordered.[/p]
• [p]Adjusted janitor staff task priorities from:
  Clean Machine > Empty Bin > Clear Rubbish
  to:
  Clear Rubbish > Empty Bin > Clean Machine
  This makes them perform much more reliably.[/p]
• [p]NPCs should no longer get stuck on benches.[/p]
• [p]Delivery boxes now change brightness based on how full they are: brighter when full, darker when empty.[/p]
• [p]Delivery box collision has been optimized.[/p]
• [p]Brand new transition screen when switching between locations![/p]
• [p]Changed zoom behaviour in Build Mode and Freecam, it now physically moves the camera forward instead of changing the FOV.[/p]
• [p]Reordered the location list, they now appear in order of price.[/p]
• [p]Freecam is now available in all locations![/p]
• [p]When hovering over a populated item slot in a vending machine, you can now instantly see the demographic chart. No need to dig through your inventory anymore.[/p]

[p][/p][h3]What’s Next?[/h3][p]We’re working on a bigger feature update for next week, which will include:[/p]

• [p]More decorations[/p]
• [p]A major staff system overhaul, including the addition of a new staff role.[/p]

[h3]Join the Discussion[/h3][p]Want to share your thoughts on this update? Let us know in the comments![/p][p]Got a bug to report? You can do so in our Bug Reports Steam Subforum.[/p][p]👉 Join our Discord to hang out with the community and chat directly with us.[/p][p][/p][p]And if you’re enjoying the game so far, leaving a Steam review really helps us out. It’s one of the best ways to support the game and get more eyes on it. 🥰[/p][p][/p][p]Thanks for reading, and we'll see you in next week's update![/p]

[p]First off, thank you so much for playing Vending Dokan! Seeing so many of you dive into the game after the Wholesome Direct has been amazing, and we're so grateful to be a part of such a kind and supportive community.[/p][p]A special shoutout to everyone who’s already been experimenting with the Machine Designer! Some of the custom skins you've made are incredible. We absolutely can’t wait to build on this system and bring even more creative tools your way![/p][p][/p][h2]🛠️ Quality of Life Hotfix[/h2][p]We’ve pushed a small patch today that focuses on smoothing out a few pain points and addressing some community feedback. Here's what's new:[/p]

• [p]“Hold to Continue” Threshold Lowered
  These now confirm at 90% instead of 97.5%, making them a little easier to use.[/p]
• [p]Hold Button Redundancy Fix
  We’ve added some redundancy to holding logic in an attempt to fix a rare bug where “click and hold” buttons don’t progress. We still haven’t been able to reproduce it ourselves, but hopefully this solves it!
  👉 If you ran into this issue, please let us know in this thread.[/p]
• [p]Milestone Popups Now Show Location Unlocks
  Helpful clarity for when you unlock new areas![/p]
• [p]Milestone History Added
  One of the most requested features, thank you for the suggestion! You can now view a timeline of everything you've unlocked as well as what’s coming up.
  Find it under the Business Menu in a brand-new tab.[/p]
• [p]Persistent Tick Sound Bug Fixed
  Reaching a milestone while cleaning a bin no longer causes the tick sound to loop forever.[/p]
• [p]ESC Closes Business Menu
  You can now use the Escape key to close the business menu, in addition to the button on the UI.[/p]
• [p]Idle Mode Adjustments
  Machines now get dirty much more slowly and NPCs litter less while the game is running in Idle Mode. Idle mode activates when you click out of the game or your cursor hasn't moved for 2 minutes. This should make playing passively feel less overwhelming.
  👉 We’re still thinking about more QOL tweaks for Idle Mode. let us know what you’d like to see in this thread.[/p]
• [p]Expanded Volume Controls
  You can now adjust master volume, dialogue, and other audio settings from both the pause menu and the music drawer.[/p]
• [p]Real-Time Button is Now a Toggle
  Clicking it while in Real-Time Mode will now return the game to normal x1 speed.[/p]
• [p]🎨 Layer Re-Ordering in the Designer!
  Another big one! You can now re-order layers in the Machine Designer, giving you even more flexibility when customizing your machines. Keep those amazing designs coming![/p]

[hr][/hr][p]Thank you all again for checking out this update and for being part of our little vending world. We're just getting started, and your support means everything as we continue to improve and expand the game.[/p][p]If you’re enjoying Vending Dokan, please consider leaving us a Steam review! It seriously helps more than you know and supports the continued growth of our game. 💙

(Version number at the bottom right of your screen should say 0.12.17)[/p][p]Much love,
– The Vending Dokan Team[/p]

[h3]Hey everyone![/h3][p]We’re incredibly excited to welcome you to the world of Vending Dokan: Kozy Kiosk, now available in Early Access![/p][p]After being featured in Wholesome Direct (thank you all so much for the love!), we’re thrilled to open our vending empire up to you all everywhere. This is just the beginning, and whether you want to micromanage every box or relax in passive mode while working on something else, we hope you find something to love here.[/p][p][/p][h2]💡 What’s New in the Launch Update?[/h2][p]Alongside our Early Access release, we’ve also been hard at work responding to your feedback from the demo and our amazing Patreon supporters. Here’s what’s new:[/p][p][/p][h3]🏆 Reworked Milestones[/h3][p]Milestones have been redesigned to feel more rewarding and better paced. You’ll now unlock more content as you grow, including an entirely new brand of items: McLaffy’s Delites![/p][h3]🧠 NPC AI & Performance Improvements[/h3][p]We’ve rebuilt how NPCs work behind the scenes. They’re no longer affected by framerate, and their environmental awareness is much sharper. With this update, NPCs can now sit down to enjoy purchases, creating a much more "alive" feel for this window into another world.[/p][h3]🏢 Freecam in the Office[/h3][p]You can now enable freecam (previously only available in Build Mode) in the Office, making inventory management and box moving much smoother. We're currently rolling this out only to the office, but we'll be looking into potentially adding it to all locations.[/p][h3]🎙 Reworked Tutorials + Candoo Voiceover[/h3][p]Tutorials have been rewritten and restructured for clarity and pacing. And yes: Candoo now has a voice! Voiced by the talented Matt Gardner, our excitable vending guide now feels more alive than ever.[/p][p][/p][h3]📝 Rest of the Changelog[/h3]

• [p]Adjusted graphics presets for better visuals and performance across quality levels[/p]
• [p]New pause menu: cleaner layout, social links, and return-to-main-menu button[/p]
• [p]Build items no longer reset their rotation when picked up[/p]
• [p]Increased custom design layer limit from 20 to 30! Go crazy with the designs![/p]
• [p]You can now fire staff. we'll be expanding on the staff system in future updates but we thought it was neccessary to at least allow for firing for now.[/p]
• [p]NPCs should no longer keep playing the purchasing animation when walking away[/p]
• [p]NPCs now have proper consumption animations for snacks[/p]
• [p]NPC litter should rarely fall through the map now[/p]
• [p]Staff now consistently empty bins and do so when fill level >50%[/p]
• [p]Fixed a location rating visual bug that always showed 5 stars[/p]
• [p]Full Delivery UI implemented: You can now track your deliveries in detail, see how many boxes will arrive and what has been ordered![/p]
• [p]New feature: Unlock item stickers when you unlock stock items, usable in the Machine Designer![/p]
• [p]Removing an item from a vending machine no longer just refund you the money and instead returns it to your office in an existing box. If no box is found the game will try to add new ones in the delivery zone.[/p]
• [p]Vending machine inventory menu now shows all unlocked items, with a filter to only show in-stock items[/p]
• [p]Deleting a vending machine now returns its contents to your inventory[/p]
• [p]Vending machines no longer inherit custom designs from other machines by mistake[/p]

[p][/p][h3]🔮 On the Horizon[/h3][p]We’ll be sharing a public roadmap soon so you can follow our plans throughout Early Access. You can expect regular updates, quality-of-life improvements, and new features based on your feedback![/p][p]We’ll also be running community surveys to help shape the future of the game, and we’d love to hear from you. Join the discussion and share your alleyways, strategies, or just come say hi!

Join our official Discord here[/p][p][/p][p]From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your support. Whether you played the demo, backed us on Patreon, or are just discovering Vending Dokan today. We can’t wait to see what you build 💛[/p][p][/p]

Hey everyone!

We’ve been hard at work behind the scenes, pouring every ounce of energy into making Vending Dokan better, smoother, and more full of life. Now we’re finally ready to show you what we’ve been working on, and trust us, it was worth the wait. Let’s get into it 👇



Yes, you read that right.
The full vending machine designer is now live!

This is something we’ve wanted to do since day one. Create a deep, expressive designer that lets you make machines the way racing games let you customise cars. And now, it’s here.


You can find the Designer in the Customization tab of every machine. You’ll be able to change colors, apply patterns, add decals, and more.

Even better: Steam Workshop is fully supported in the non-demo version. You can upload your own creations or browse other players’ machines via the right-hand panel. Unforutnetly due to how steam workshop works with demos, we aren't able to allow you to upload or download creations from the workshop in the demo version of the game.

[h3]Looking ahead, we’ll be adding:[/h3]

• Unlockable stickers via milestones and the Reward Machine
  
• Brand-specific stickers that affect how customers perceive your business
  
• Fancy finishes like foil and galaxy colors (✨👀)
  

We can’t wait to see what you create.



You’ll now be able to preview a brand-new location: Galaxy Rise, nestled in the heart of the city’s shopping district.


While it’s not playable just yet, this preview gives a first look at how diverse the vibes and aesthetics of our locations will be across the full game. From quiet alleyways to bustling malls, each spot will have its own personality and Galaxy Rise is bursting with colour, signage, and a fast-paced, big-city energy.

Stay tuned, this is just one of several new areas we’re cooking up.



One of the biggest new features: the Reward Machine is here, and it’s for you.

This is a fully buildable machine that charges in real time. That means speeding the game up won’t affect it. It’s designed to slot gently into your real-life routine. The longer you leave it charging, the rarer and more valuable the rewards become. There are 5 lights on top to show its charge level.


The idea is simple: just play, and get rewarded.

You’ll be able to earn in-game money, exclusive decorations, and even new music tracks, all only available through this system. We think it’s going to become a fan favorite.

The reward machine is currently unavailable in the demo as we continue to playtest with our patreon community :)

• New music! Our composer Jellyfox has been crafting more lo-fi bops to keep you company while you manage your vending empire.
  
• Better tooltips and tutorials. We saw some of you didn’t realise the game could be sped up, now that’s much clearer. Customer groups are also easier to identify at a glance.
  
• More customer variety! You’ll see more diversity in customer appearances, while keeping each group easily recognisable.
  
• Improved build menu. Items are now organized into categories with visual cues for what’s available to purchase.
  
• New secondary currency: Vend Points. Earned through purchases made at your machines. Some items, like the Reward Machine, will require these.
  
• Box buying & basket tweaks. You can now buy items by the box, and use your mouse wheel while hovering over the "Add" button to quickly stack up.
  
• Atmosphere updates. We reworked ambient and environmental sounds to make your spaces feel even cozier and more alive.
  

We’ll be watching your feedback closely and will be running another survey very soon, so let us know what you think, what you love, and what you want more of!

And we’re not done yet, there’s so much more exciting news coming soon. Make sure to keep an eye out so you don’t miss it.



We’ve just launched our Aftabi Games influencer sign-up form!

If you're a YouTuber, streamer, TikToker, or just love sharing games with your audience, you can sign up here and we’ll be in touch.

Thank you so much for reading, and for your continued support!

– The Aftabi Games team 💛