City Game Studio News

Hello all!

Welcome back this week!
Have you seen yesterday's update?

If you haven't, check it out on steam's unstable branch:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/726840/view/7407930719721859727

Once you've tested it https://discord.binogure-studio.com]come to the discord server to give me your thoughts, because your feedback is important to me.

This week, I finished reworking the consoles, and it wasn't easy.
With the help of several Excel files, Desmos and other chart tools, I managed to make console design profitable, but not too profitable. But also that it involves risk, but not too much, and that it suits the level of difficulty. I think I've succeeded, but that remains to be seen.

Interface-wise, things have changed. When you publish your console, you have a specialized magazine that reviews your console and gives you feedback on the choice of components, and the overall quality of the console. You can now make games for your console even before it's published (I've yet to test this out to make sure it works properly).

In terms of game creation, I've added information when you choose a theme to create a game, to help you make the right choices. I've also started to lighten up the mailbox. Now, when you announce a game, there will be no notification, just the hype bar, which will adjust according to player feedback. It's more direct, easier to read, and makes for a lighter mailbox.

In the coming week, I plan to rework the way conventions are announced, to lighten the mailbox once again, and enrich the interface.

That's all for this week.
Have a good weekend
Xavier aka Binogure

Default version of the game, we want to make sure to have a chance to discover bugs and adjust the balancing, to give you the best game experience possible.

Access the Unstable branch on Steam by right clicking City Game Studio in your Steam library, and then select ‘Properties’. In the new window, select ‘Betas’. The Unstable branch should now be available for you to choose from.

Please leave any feedback you may have in the appropriate channel in our Discord, or in the subforum on Steam.

As always, remember to be considerate towards players not partaking in the Unstable, in case they want to avoid spoilers.

Please make sure to make backups of your save files before playing.

[h2]Changelog[/h2]
[h3]Custom-platform[/h3]

• Add console manufacturer (assembly)
  
• Rework the refund rate algorithm
  
• Rework the custom-platform sale algorithm
  
• Increase the game catalog size based on the console sales
  
• Can start making games as soon as you start working on a custom-platform
  
• Add a simulation of the current platform genre/theme/targetted audience matches

[h3]UI[/h3]

• When announcing the game, the indev panel will show you how well the announcement is received, no more email. It's updated live.
  
• Theme panel: Grey out themes that will get you a bad score
  
• Catalog list: add a tooltip explaining we show only the video games made by your studios and the competitors.

Hello folks!

Hoping you're all well. Last week, I worked a lot on consoles.
Let me tell you about it right away.

[h2]Creating the consoles[/h2]
I shared it with you last week, and here's a more finished version of the console creation panel.
Component selection is complete, and console manufacturer selection is well advanced.
I still need to make the console compatibility previews, as well as rework the console pricing.

Once you've selected all the components, the manufacturer and defined a price for your console, you can start working on it.
From then on, you can start making games for your upcoming console, and hire studios to do the same. And that's just great.

When your console is ready, you publish it and get a review from a professional magazine. This review will help you understand what went right and what went wrong during the development of your console.

Finally, your console is available on the market. The manufacturing price of your console will decrease according to the number of units sold, but in a reasonable way. It will no longer be possible to make a profit in excess of $100 per console. And the higher the price, the lower the sales. And conversely, if you sell your console at a loss, sales should rise faster.

Basically, consoles will be more balanced. It will therefore be possible to go bankrupt by releasing a console, but releasing a working console won't give you infinite money either, as is the case in the current version of the game.

I've taken the time to add some components to give you more choice in creating consoles in the early 80s.

This week, I wasn't able to send an update to Steam's unstable branch, because console creation takes time. Rest assured, I think I'll be able to send out a build next week (or the week after) so that you too can test these changes.

In the meantime, rest well,
And take care of yourself
Xavier aka Binogure

Hello everyone,

You may have noticed some changes on City Game Studio's Steam page?
Well, the logo has changed, and so has the game's main presentation page.

The logo is more attractive and readable, and that's what matters!
Thanks to the new logo, traffic on the Steam page has increased by around 30%. Which is no mean feat.

This week, there were fewer changes in the game than usual. I've resumed work on the consoles, and I'm thinking about a design that will better integrate with the game's gameplay.

First, the obvious changes. The assignment of a marketing manager at the console design stage will give you an overview of your console, the genres it will work with and the audience. As soon as you start working on your console, you'll be able to send out devkits, but also start designing games for your console. You asked for it, I'm listening, and it will be possible from the next update.

The major change concerns console publishing. Once it's on the market, a specialized magazine will review your console, its game catalog and give you feedback.
This feedback will give you a better understanding of how to make and sell good consoles.

Another important change concerns your consoles' game catalog. Until now, your direct competitors have been able to publish games on your console, but from v1.18 onwards, studios that aren't on the map will be able to publish games. This should boost your game catalog.

Here's a sneak preview of the console creation page. It's not complete, and I'm still working on it.
That's all for this week.

Have a great weekend!
Xavier aka Binogure

Hey fellow gamers!

With Vincent we teammed up to make you a bundle!
I know you've made a bunch of games with City Game Studio! So why not run a stunning Arcade Centre’s, purchase a range of arcades machines, manage troublesome staff in this colourful and humorous simulation management game. Inspired by Two Point Hospital, Let's Build A Zoo and Megaquarium.

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/39131/From_Pixels_to_Profits_The_Developers_Journey/

Cheers
Xavier aka Binogure