GameShop Simulator News

[p]Thank you to everyone who checked out the GameShop Simulator demo during Steam Next Fest! Now that the event is over, it's time to take down the demo, reflect on what we've learned, and start working on what comes next.[/p][p][/p][p]Across all the feedback we received during the demo period, there are two big topics that have stuck out:[/p]

1. [p]Our game has a ton of potential, but...[/p]
2. [p]It also still needs a lot of work[/p]

[p][/p][p]As we've pointed out before, this is our team's very first game. We expected a lot of bug reports and glitchy behavior; what we didn't expect was that so many of those reports came with a note to the effect of "this game will be awesome once they've cleaned it up." That's given us a ton of motivation to put even more effort into making GameShop Simulator the best it can be.[/p][p][/p][p]Getting this pre-alpha build of the game into your hands also helped us really nail down GameShop Sim's core identity. As a new studio, we're still learning how to identify what's going to resonate with players and what isn't. Bugs and glitches can be fixed. Knowing that we're on the right track conceptually is huge.[/p][p][/p][p]So what's next? Well, for now, the demo is going offline for a while as we work on fixing bugs, cleaning up the gameplay loop, and implementing suggestions and other new features. We'll be pushing our target date for Early Access back a bit more, but we hope to make it worth the wait.[/p][p][/p][p]We've got a LOT of ideas in mind for our next showing, and we hope to see you again next time GameShop Simulator opens its doors to the public. Keep your eyes peeled for more updates in the near future![/p]

[h3]Gameplay[/h3]

• [p]You can now drop a product from an open box using left click[/p]
• [p]You can now hold left or right click to add or remove multiple items when stocking shelves[/p]
• [p]Trash grabber now has a visual indicator of how much trash you have picked up[/p]
• [p]Added a "Lost and Found" area next to the bus stop for any tools or items that go walkies[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Bug Fixes[/h3]

• [p]Reconfigured some of how shelving works to reduce errors on load[/p]
• [p]Phone text box no longer overflows[/p]
• [p]Receipt printer now correctly updates its text when highlighted[/p]
• [p]Players can no longer pick up an empty box when already holding an item[/p]
• [p]Players can no longer accidentally drop credit cards when accepting a credit card payment[/p]
• [p]Removed an unintended keybind for the pause menu[/p]

[h3]Gameplay[/h3]

• [p]Receipt paper will now shrink to represent how much paper is left in the roll[/p]
• [p]Trash can basketball hoop now maxes out at 999 points[/p]

[h3]Sound[/h3]

• [p]Audio volume now starts at 30% when the game is launched[/p]

[h3]Bug Fixes[/h3]

• [p]Receipt paper should no longer fall through the world[/p]
• [p]Icons above NPCs now correctly follow the player's camera[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where placing furniture could lock you out of using other items[/p]
• [p]Fixed "ghost" furniture appearing when placing new furniture after moving other pieces[/p]
• [p]Crosshair settings should no longer reset when saving general settings[/p]
• [p]Players should now correctly collide with vehicles (remember to look both ways)[/p]
• [p]Subtitles have been reworked behind the scenes and should now display with more accurate timing[/p]
• [p]Report menu now closes correctly when submitting a bug report[/p]

[p]Note: These notes also include changes made in v.0.4.78.[/p][p][/p][h3]Multiplayer[/h3]

• [p]Multiplayer mode is now fully disabled in the demo. [/p]
  • [p]Going into Next Fest, we knew Multiplayer would have some very rough edges. We'd hoped it would be functional enough to at least give an idea of where things are headed, but there are just too many gamebreaking issues for it to be enjoyable. The bugs won this round, but we'll get 'em.[/p]

[h3]Gameplay[/h3]

• [p]Length of each day has been reduced slightly.[/p]
• [p]Total number of customers visiting each day has been reduced.[/p]
  • [p]While the chaos of retail hell is a core part of the GameShop Simulator experience, we overshot the mark a little bit for the demo, which doesn't have the difficulty options that the full release will. These changes should give you a little bit more downtime between customers, and make your time spent stocking up before opening last for more of the day.[/p]
• [p]The demo's Midnight Release event now occurs at the end of Day 2 instead of Day 3.[/p]
  • [p]There's a handful of issues right now that can break the game and prevent you from continuing. We're working hard on fixes, but in the meantime, we're making it easier to reach the end of the demo and see the Midnight Release.[/p]

[h3]Environment[/h3]

• [p]Reduced the chance for the weather to be raining, particularly on the first day.[/p]
  • [p]One of our devs swore that it was always only a chance and that other weather types could appear, but then made this change anyway. We think that speaks for itself.[/p]

[p]It's finally here: our first public release of GameShop Simulator![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]This demo version of the game drops you into a small store pre-equipped with a register, help desk, and shelves ready to be filled. All you need to do to get started is prep the register, order some merchandise (rush delivery recommended), stock the shelves, and open the doors. And... maybe clean up a little bit; the owner seems to have thrown a party of some kind before heading out of town.[/p][p][/p][p]While we're very excited to let you get your hands on what we've been working on, please keep in mind that this is a narrow, early slice of the final product. There are still several key features in development (including a proper tutorial), and likely to be a few bugs, glitches, and other weird behavior here and there. Our multiplayer implementation is still very rough, and as it's a short demo, game saves may not function properly.[/p][p][/p][p]We also recognize that, without a full tutorial in place yet, some of the less obvious aspects of the gameplay may be... well, less obvious. We've opened a help desk section in our official Discord to assist - if you have any questions or confusion about how the game works, please ask! Your feedback is vital in helping us grow GameShop Simulator into the best game it can be, so please share any and all suggestions, bug reports, and any other thoughts you have on your experience.[/p][p][/p][p]Across our entire development team, this is our very first game. We're as indie as it gets. We truly hope you enjoy what we're putting together, and are incredibly grateful you're here at the beginning.[/p][p][/p][p]Play the demo now![/p]