Turmoil News

Dear oil entrepreneurs,

It's finally upon us: Turmoil Multiplayer has reached the playtesting phase! If all goes well, you'll all be able to play Turmoil campaigns online with friends and adversaries in the near future. But of course we want to make sure everything is in good order before we release this goodness onto our beloved players.

And we could use your help with this! Once the playtest build is live, a button will appear on the store page, which you can use to sign up as a tester for Turmoil Multiplayer. There will be a limited number of volunteer playtester spots available, and if you sign up via the button, you will receive an invite. If you decide to join the playtest, start playing and share your feedback via our questionnaire!

The major things we want to test are:

• Setting up a new game
  
• Customising your character and frame
  
• Playing the Multiplayer campaign (of course)
  
• Multiplayer Land Auction
  
• Multiplayer Stock Auction
  
• Recaps showing the outcome of the previous round and auctions
  
• Watching replays from your adversaries' turns
  
• The time it takes to complete a turn
  
• And hopefully any final issues you may run into :)
  

Once we've been able to assess your feedback from the playtest, we will iron out the final kinks, do another quick round of playtesting if we need to, and hopefully share Turmoil Multiplayer with you soon! And remember: it will be a free add-on to the classic campaign, so it will be there for all Turmoil players to enjoy.

For now: thanks for your patience so far, and for helping out to make the game even better! We hope you will be invited to join the playtest soon!

In the meantime, if you want to know more about the design for Multiplayer, please check our in-depth blog posts here:

• Multiplayer part 1: an introduction
  
• Multiplayer part 2: a match in action
• Multiplayer part 3: game history and end-of-game
• Multiplayer part 4: customization and matchmaking
• Multiplayer part 5: Q&A

Welcome to the final pre-release development blog of the multiplayer update. We’re really thankful for the positive interest so far. In today’s post, we are going to answer some questions that appeared in the comments on previous blog posts. After that, all that’s left is actually releasing the gamemode!

• Multiplayer part 1: an introduction
  A look at what the multiplayer campaign is and what a turn of playing looks like.
  
• Multiplayer part 2: a match in action
  A first look at the info you get to see about your opponents.
  
• Multiplayer part 3: game history and end-of-game
  A look at in-game player statistics and the History page.
  
• Multiplayer part 4: customization and matchmaking
  Cosmetic player customization and details about how you actually join a match.
  
• Multiplayer part 5: questions & answers ← You are here
  An overview of all the questions so far and our answers.
  

[h3]When is it expected to come out?[/h3]
We’re planning on doing a Steam Playtest in Q1 of 2022. The release date is not known yet, it depends on how much has to be improved after the playtest. The playtest will be announced on the Steam blog.

[h3]Will the game support local multiplayer?[/h3]
There are no plans for supporting local multiplayer or Steam Remote Play Together.

[h3]Will there be options for friends-only 2-3 player games with AI bots filling the other slots?[/h3]
You can create private matches with friends. A solution to fill the other slots with bots or for playing with less players is in the works.

[h3]Can we get more than 4 players in a match?[/h3]
The campaign is currently made for a maximum of 4 players.

[h3]Will there be more maps to play? / Will there be a full campaign mode to play with friends?[/h3]
It’s possible we will release a map selection option for private games, including the full unabridged campaign and The Heat Is On. But don’t expect it for the initial release. We also have a few concepts for new types of multiplayer maps already.

[h3]Can we get minigames in the town screen for when we’re waiting?[/h3]
You can play a single game from the menu while waiting, or close the game and Steam will send a notification when your game is ready again.

[h3]Won’t the expert characters be unbalanced in multiplayer?[/h3]
Character selection in multiplayer is purely visual, you don’t get any special abilities.

[h3]Does the stock auction require all players to be present? If so, what if someone leaves? Will the game not be able to progress until all players are present?[/h3]
Everyone bids on stocks and land in their own time. The game progresses as soon as the last player makes their bid. You get a recap of the auctions when you open the game again. More about this in the part 2 blog post: https://steamcommunity.com/games/361280/announcements/detail/3126057181561744166

[h3]Will the game support cross platform multiplayer with GoG?[/h3]
All the desktop versions of the game are planned to connect with the same servers. As soon as we have a solution for managing player accounts in GoG and other platforms they can play with everyone else.

[h3]Is there a Discord server for the game?[/h3]
There’s a Gamious Discord community. You are all very much welcome to join it here: https://discord.com/invite/ZQcQ7bQYTW

Hopefully this answers all your most pressing questions. Thanks for reading!

Hello and welcome to the last multiplayer blog post. The topics of the day are player portrait customization and matchmaking!

• Multiplayer part 1: an introduction
  A look at what the multiplayer campaign is and what a turn of playing looks like.
  
• Multiplayer part 2: a match in action
  A first look at the info you get to see about your opponents.
  
• Multiplayer part 3: game history and end-of-game
  A look at in-game player statistics and the History page.
  
• Multiplayer part 4: customization and matchmaking ← You are here
  Cosmetic player customization and details about how you actually join a match.
  
• Multiplayer part 5: questions & answers
  An overview of community questions that were answered previously. Make sure to put your questions in the comments!
  

[h2]Player customization[/h2]
In order to distinguish the players in a multiplayer game, we needed to make sure that you don’t look the same. We firstsimply assigned a random character to each player (Blanche, Joshua, Daisy or Ricardo). But this was pretty boring, and you would be playing as a different character in each match. Instead of this, you can now pick your own portrait, and we added a bunch of unique portrait borders as well.

Henry busting out of prison very politely with hat in hand is my favorite portrait so far.

You might notice the character customization menu is located in a completely new multiplayer menu. I hope you like it, because you’ll be seeing a lot more of it!

At the moment there are 12 characters and 11 portrait borders to choose from. The characters include all the classic, expert and Heat Is On playable characters and 3 completely new characters. We’ll certainly aim to add more in the future!

All the portraits are available from the start without any additional unlock conditions (or payment, no loot boxes to be seen here). We initially played with the idea of unlocking certain portrait borders by completing multiplayer matches or getting other achievements. In the end we decided against this.

We might reconsider unlock conditions for portraits added in the future. There is a certain prestige to using a cosmetic that no one else has access to, but we don’t want to turn picking your portrait into a negative experience either. Let us know how you feel about this in the comments.

[h2]Matchmaking: joining a multiplayer match[/h2]
Let’s talk a bit about matchmaking. How do you actually play a match and who will be your opponents?

Starting a new match is as easy as pressing the “Play now!” button. You will join a match instantly.

In the current system you can join a random online match, or play with a selected group. After pressing the “Play now!” button, you don’t have to wait in queue or anything like that. You join a match, get land from the mayor, and play your first level and auctions. Even if all the player slots aren’t filled yet.

Of course you can’t progress further than one level until all the player slots are filled and other people have played their first level as well. Just close the game and you will get a Steam notification when it’s your turn again. This might take a few minutes, or a day. So don’t plan your day around playing online Turmoil unless you’re playing with friends.
[h3]Joining multiple matches[/h3]
Playing just one match of Turmoil at a time might be fun, but what if every turn is taking 1-2 days and that just doesn’t scratch your oil drilling itch enough? The solution is simple, you can join multiple matches and play them all at the same time.

The lobby is the first screen of the multiplayer menu and shows you an overview of all the matches that you participate in, in order of importance.

When playing multiple matches, don’t forget to check which upgrades you purchased and what your opponents are up to. You can always refresh your memory by taking a look at the history.

[h3]Skipping a turn[/h3]
While it’s not a large obligation, sometimes life gets the better of you and you simply don’t have the time to attend to your multiplayer match in time. There two things you have to keep in mind when skipping a turn:

1: If you take longer than 2 days to take your turn, you automatically get $0 profit, a random plot for $2’000, and will bid only $1 at the stock auction.

This allows the game to continue and prevents endless stalling. There is no punishment for stalling and skipping a turn. However…

2: After not playing for 3 turns in a row, you will get kicked from the match and it continues without you. This counts towards your player statistics as if you conceded the game.

This brings us to the topic of conceding (leaving a match).

[h3]Conceding the game and repeated concede punishment[/h3]
When deciding to join a multiplayer match in any long-form game, you are expected to play until the end. Conceding in a Turmoil match is always an option, and will not be punished when used sparingly. However, abuse of the concede game option will be noted.

After conceding too many matches compared to finishing them, you will be put in a separate queue with other players who share the same fate.

This is to prevent the main pool of players from deteriorating into meta-strategies where you leave as soon as you feel like you can’t get first place anymore. It’s also required in order to keep griefers/trolls from polluting the pool.

Playing the game is not just about winning. When you’re at the bottom, adopt a different playstyle and try to aim for third or second place. Aside from doing that, you can still influence the game by saving up money and pressuring your opponents into bidding more on the stock auction.

In short: Don’t be a sour-puss! Keep some perspective and don’t turn the game into a grind of trying to get a 50% win rate or some other arbitrary statistic. You can’t win 'em all!.

[h2]Playing with friends[/h2]
For those who don’t want to deal with the shenanigans of playing with random people online, there is also a “Custom game” option where you can invite your friends.

Creating a custom game. You can invite players by name or use your in-game friends list.

You can only start a custom game when you have a full group of 4 players. We’re still considering how to handle less than 4 players.

[h2]Closing words[/h2]
As always, let us know if you have any suggestions, we’ll be posting our answers in the Q&A post next week. And if you’re not sure how you feel about any of this, you can sign up for the Steam playtest once it goes live and give feedback based on your actual game experience.

Hello all and welcome to part 3 of the multiplayer development log. We will be showcasing the match statistics available during a multiplayer campaign. Today’s screenshots are all from a real multiplayer match, played internally.

• Multiplayer part 1: an introduction
  A look at what the multiplayer campaign is and what a turn of playing looks like.
  
• Multiplayer part 2: a match in action
  A first look at the info you get to see about your opponents.
  
• Multiplayer part 3: game history and end-of-game ← You are here
  A look at in-game player statistics and the History page.
  
• Multiplayer part 4: customization and matchmaking
• Multiplayer part 5: questions & answers
  An overview of community questions that were answered previously. Make sure to put your questions in the comments!
  

During a match it is helpful sometimes to take a look at what has happened so far. Maybe you are playing multiple matches at the same time and need a refresher. Maybe you want to estimate your opponents’ next move. Or you just like to reminisce about the match events.

[h2]The history page[/h2]
Introducing the history page. The match history will be accessible from the townhall, showcasing the statistics of the match so far. The four history categories are Profits, Stocks, Land and Upgrades.


First off, the Profits history gives a nice overview of how much money has been earned by everyone each round. Not doing too great on stocks so far? There’s no shame in gloating about that one round where you beat everyone out on profits either way. If you’re the strategical type, you can glean information about your opponents off this page by cross-referencing it with the other pages.


Next up is the Stocks history page. The line chart represents the number of stocks owned by each player, and the money stacks the offer made to win the auction.

This screenshot taken from one of our internal test matches showcases a dangerous and bothersome phenomenon. Inflation! Since human players earn more money than the rivals in the average single player campaign, the stock prices skyrocket rather quickly. Beware of this, and don’t be afraid to shell out some extra cash to win an early auction. It might save you later on! Be wary though, in doing so you will yourself become an accessory to inflation.


The Land Auction history. It shows you how juicy the oil plots that everyone digged have been. And of course what they were willing to pay for it. Don’t make the mistake of directly correlating the oil supply values and auction bids though! The players didn’t know the exact oil values when making their bid. The bids are quite useful for determining how high players are willing to go though.

As you can see, in our test match no-one was willing to bid that high for land. But being picky can make a big difference in the amount of oil you get! The potential profit difference between a plot of land with 45,000 or 55,000 barrels of oil is much more than $2,000. So don’t be afraid to follow the inflation when bidding on land. Getting the best plot counts double. More oil for you, less for them. You can have your milkshake, and drink it up too!


Finally, the upgrades history allows you to see what upgrades have been bought in each year by a player. It’s not necessarily useful to the match at hand, but you can at least use it to copy someone else’s starting upgrades for your next match if you're not happy with how your initial level plays out. As usual, you can still view the total upgrades purchased by clicking the scroll in the town.

[h2]The end of the game[/h2]
After the final auction concludes and the winner is declared, you get to relax for a moment. Sit back and watch the end-of-game cinematic, where your stats scroll by one final time and your achievements get celebrated.


With the dust settled, your match stats get added to your profile. Don’t mope if you didn’t win. After all, what counts is that you had a good time.

Thanks for reading! Remember that there are 5 blog posts planned in total. The last one will be a Q&A where we answer as many questions as possible, so make sure to ask away in the comments. The multiplayer Steam playtest is still planned to be held in Q1 of 2022. Until the next one!

Dear oil entrepreneurs,

It’s finally here! Leiting Games and Gamious proudly present Turmoil for Android and iOS. Turmoil for mobile contains the full experience you know and love, adjusted for touch screens with zoom, tap, and swipe inputs specifically designed for phone screens. Additional features include:

• Android tablet and iPad support
  
• Classic and expert campaign
  
• The Heat Is On expansion pack, with normal and expert campaign
  
• Single game mode
  
• Daily Challenge mode with leaderboards. You read that right, daily!
  
• Save & Continue functionality. Automatically saves when minimized.
  
• COMING SOON: Multiplayer gamemode, play a campaign against your friends!
  

The game is available as a free demo with an in-app purchase for the campaign and for the DLC. Pay once, play forever.

Download for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ltgames.android.oil
Download for iOS: https://apps.apple.com/app/turmoil/id1485507408

Experienced desktop players might want to start with playing the first few campaign tutorials, in order to learn the mobile controls.

Happy drilling!