Summer Islands News

The year 2022 is over and we can look forward to the new year 2023.
I would like to write this year again a small review of the year 2022, what big changes there were and what we can expect in 2023.

But first of all I want to thank you for your support!!! For your feedback, for your found bugs, for your wishes, for your fun with Summer Islands.
I have the impression that since the release of the demo a little more quietness has flowed into many expectations and thus more time could be spent in completing it. I always notice people who immediately like news, tweets or toots and comment positively. There is constant feedback and with steamsales especially. I get a list of trackable bugs and requests that I always like to add to my todo list and integrate.
[h3]I thank you for this nice communication![/h3]

From my point of view, the biggest new features in 2022 were the following:

• Frontend Engine Migration
  
• Consultant level rework
  
• weatherfrog/weather map
  
• Harbors in light water
  
• New ways
  
• New sound effects
  
• Map editor rework
  
• Double speed
  

I sorted them by the fun factor ;)
The biggest plus point is the new frontend engine Pixi JS. Especially because it is still under development. There are many new possibilities that I could implement to increase the performance. But there is still a lot of potential in the engine. Since there is some feedback about low FPS after some game time. I am constantly analyzing, but a comprehensive analysis with a solution is still outstanding.

Just in the last update the new consultant levels came. These are much clearer and so far I have not received any negative feedback.
Along with this came the weather map and the weatherfrog. For the player there is thus the possibility to control the disasters better and react. Especially the number of disasters has decreased.

A change in the game principle was also the possibility of building a harbor in light water. This required some path calculation. But it was worth it. The deep water was only intended for this purpose at the beginning. But I think it's a good principle, so you can't connect all streets.

You can hear the new sound effects all the time when you want to build a new building and you also don't want to miss the double speed.

The map editor is a nice feature for people who only want to play in the sandbox. Full freedom, no money problems and if you want you can still play the map in normal mode.


[h2]Prediction for 2023[/h2]
Although already delayed several times, there is a plan to release Summer Islands from Early Access in 2023.
[h3]>>Drop microphone<
[h3]>>Pick up microphone<Yes this has been planned many times. But I'm positive and there must be some time to start with Summer Islands 2 in 3D ;D

But back to the remaining features for Summer Islands. There are some small things to be done here. The fine tuning in some places. The change of the code so that less problems occur in the menu navigation. But also e.g. to integrate the reputation better into the game.
The larger changes will probably be:

[h3]Gamepad support[/h3]
I would like to create a game feeling, so that one can control the whole game on the couch with a controller. This requires some adjustments. E.g. a constantly selected field on the map. You open the menu bar first by pressing a button and then the building menu.
The controller functions can be switched on and off.
Especially for the steam deck is often requested.

[h3]Auctions/Special buildings[/h3]
Many would be happy to see auctions again, which auctions special buildings. So that the player with the highest bid can build the building as the only owner. This would of course be a pleasant homage to the past.
However, I am not so sure if this fits into the gameplay.
The alternative would be the following: There are special buildings randomly distributed on the map at the start of the game. Around the special buildings you can build your buildings, which then get a boost. The radius can differ depending on the building, as well as the boost and the type of building. So every player has the incentive to build a special building.
Possibly one could also take over the special building.
I think this would be a nice idea.

[h3]Expansion Disasters, Sabotages, Plants, Animals[/h3]
These are not major changes, but rather the expansion of the content. There should be some more catastrophes (fires, ...), more sabotages (takeover, ...), the plants should grow/dynamically spread and in some places there should be some more animals.

These are my wishes and thoughts for our new year 2023.
Feel free to write your wishes in the comments here or via Twitter, via Mastodon or mail.
I would be very happy.

Last but not least, here is the link to the gameplay tutorial video. As a beginner there is the tutorial explained and as a professional you never stop learning:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Then here again a very HUGE THANK YOU to YOU and your support to Summer Islands.
You are the heroes and a Happy New Year 2023 to each of you.[/h2]

Best Regards
Matt

https://trello.com/b/FbC1a19w/devboard-summer-islands

Here again the biggest announced changes.
The consultant salary levels:



Each consultant has 3 different salary levels. At each salary level you unlock information/features but it costs more. You can terminate the consultant as soon as his/her protection against dismissal has expired. When hiring or increasing the salary level, the protection against dismissal takes effect for a certain period of time.

Let's take a closer look at the individual features and functions. I have always marked salary level 1 with RED, salary level 2 with ORANGE and SALARY LEVEL 3 with GREEN.


[h3]Repair Manager:[/h3]



As before, you can automatically repair your buildings. At salary level 1 you can only do this when a building has only 40% of its health left. At level 2 you can repair your buildings at 90% health.
A new feature is the automatic reconstruction in case of disasters. This means that if a building is destroyed by a disaster, it will be rebuilt by the repair manager. ATTENTION: If you don't have insurance, you will have to pay the building costs again.


[h3]Resort Analysting:[/h3]



The picture is already known to you. Only the information will be shown to you with the individual salary levels. Tourist occupancy rates in each building category are shown with salary level 1. For the supply buildings with level 2.
With level 3 the occupancy rates of the enemy buildings are only shown to you at the edge of the buildings, as an example in the picture to see.


[h3]PR Manager:[/h3]



There will be a change in the PR manager. You no longer have the possibility to set the advertising to the maximum from the beginning.
Therefore, at salary level 1, it unlocks advertising to " average " and the progress of reputation with details. At salary level 2 you can unlock advertising up to "very much" and only at salary level 3 you can set "ultra much". In addition, there is also a PR boost.


[h3]Weatherfrog:[/h3]



Here comes the weatherfrog. A very quiet consultant who only explains himself with gestures and facial expressions. Now you're thinking "Why does he cost so much money?". The weatherfrog is a special consultant who also needs special food. He can tell you exactly when and where disasters will come.
His gestures and facial expressions will be shown directly to you. At food level 1 you will get the period when there will be disasters again. It is estimated that there will be no disasters even about every 3-5 years.
At food level 2 it can show you the compass direction where disasters will come. Lastly at food level 3 it shows the exact location of the next disasters.
I know, I know, I know.... UNBELIEVABLE what's out there.


[h3]Security Guard:[/h3]

The security guard, on the other hand, is not changing much. It protects your buildings and makes it harder for enemies to sabotage them.
At salary level 1 it will be 30% more expensive for enemies.
At salary level 2, it becomes 50% more expensive for enemies.
At salary level 3, it becomes 100% more expensive on the opponents.


[h3]Saboteur:[/h3]

The saboteur gives you more sabotage options with each pay level.
At salary level 1: Release cockroaches. Damages the health of the building
At salary level 2: Corrupt construction time. Construction time is shortened for your buildings and vice versa for opponent's buildings.
At salary level 3: evacuate people and depart buildings. BOOM!


Finally, here is a summary of all the salary levels and advisors



New buildings:
As you have already seen, 8 new buildings are added:

• 2 vacation cottages
  
• 2 villas
  
• 1 hotel
  
• photo shop
  
• climbing park
  
• skate park
  

The end of the update comes with a new version of the front-end engine.

Have fun with the new update. https://trello.com/b/FbC1a19w/devboard-summer-islands

[h2]FEATURES[/h2]

• Upgrade PIXI JS v6.5.1 to v7.0.4
  
• Added new consultant: Weatherfrog
  
• Added new consultantmenu with level
  
• Added Weathermap
  
• Added Repairmenu with level
  
• Added Advertisingmenu with level
  
• Added Insurance with level
  
• Added X Button to building info menu
  

[h2]USABILITY IMPROVEMENTS[/h2]

• COST of Terraforming cut in half
  
• FIX Tooltip Speedbutton wrong Text
  
• FIX Planes Landingposition too high
  
• FIX Tooltip Graphicmenü did not disappear
  
• FIX 1-Pixel Particle Color
  
• CHANGED ogg to mp3 musicfile
  
• CHANGED to slower Snowflakes
  
• CHANGED Field after demolition is immediately buildable
  
• CHANGED Help menu
  

currently the new update is getting the final touches.
Meanwhile I have recorded a small tutorial gameplay for beginners and professionals:
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Have fun.
Website: https://summerislands.de Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@SummerIslands Twitter: https://twitter.com/SummerIslandsQA IndieDB: https://www.indiedb.com/games/summer-islands

[h2]Introduction[/h2]
well, what can I say. This delay was definitely not planned. At the beginning of November the new update was planned and now it's already December!!! But for different reasons the day job keeps me on overtime so much that there is not much time left in the evenings. I try my best to integrate the remaining features for the update and plan 1-2 weeks for it. I would like to inform you about the changes now, so that I can possibly get some feedback from you. But mainly so you can look forward to the next update.

[h2]Preview:[/h2]
Let's start with the biggest changes.
The consultant salary levels:



Each consultant has 3 different salary levels. At each salary level you unlock information/features but it costs more. You can terminate the consultant as soon as his/her protection against dismissal has expired. When hiring or increasing the salary level, the protection against dismissal takes effect for a certain period of time.

Let's take a closer look at the individual features and functions. I have always marked salary level 1 with RED, salary level 2 with ORANGE and SALARY LEVEL 3 with GREEN.


[h3]Repair Manager:[/h3]



As before, you can automatically repair your buildings. At salary level 1 you can only do this when a building has only 40% of its health left. At level 2 you can repair your buildings at 90% health.
A new feature is the automatic reconstruction in case of disasters. This means that if a building is destroyed by a disaster, it will be rebuilt by the repair manager. ATTENTION: If you don't have insurance, you will have to pay the building costs again.


[h3]Resort Analysting:[/h3]



The picture is already known to you. Only the information will be shown to you with the individual salary levels. Tourist occupancy rates in each building category are shown with salary level 1. For the supply buildings with level 2.
With level 3 the occupancy rates of the enemy buildings are only shown to you at the edge of the buildings, as an example in the picture to see.


[h3]PR Manager:[/h3]



There will be a change in the PR manager. You no longer have the possibility to set the advertising to the maximum from the beginning.
Therefore, at salary level 1, it unlocks advertising to " average " and the progress of reputation with details. At salary level 2 you can unlock advertising up to "very much" and only at salary level 3 you can set "ultra much". In addition, there is also a PR boost.


[h3]Weatherfrog:[/h3]



Here comes the weatherfrog. A very quiet consultant who only explains himself with gestures and facial expressions. Now you're thinking "Why does he cost so much money?". The weatherfrog is a special consultant who also needs special food. He can tell you exactly when and where disasters will come.
His gestures and facial expressions will be shown directly to you. At food level 1 you will get the period when there will be disasters again. It is estimated that there will be no disasters even about every 3-5 years.
At food level 2 it can show you the compass direction where disasters will come. Lastly at food level 3 it shows the exact location of the next disasters.
I know, I know, I know.... UNBELIEVABLE what's out there.


[h3]Security Guard:[/h3]

The security guard, on the other hand, is not changing much. It protects your buildings and makes it harder for enemies to sabotage them.
At salary level 1 it will be 30% more expensive for enemies.
At salary level 2, it becomes 50% more expensive for enemies.
At salary level 3, it becomes 100% more expensive on the opponents.


[h3]Saboteur:[/h3]

The saboteur gives you more sabotage options with each pay level.
At salary level 1: Release cockroaches. Damages the health of the building
At salary level 2: Corrupt construction time. Construction time is shortened for your buildings and vice versa for opponent's buildings.
At salary level 3: evacuate people and depart buildings. BOOM!


Finally, here is a summary of all the salary levels and consultants



[h2]New buildings:[/h2]
As you have already seen, 8 new buildings are also coming. In which categories, what costs,.. is currently still being reviewed by the architects.

• 2 vacation cottages
  
• 2 villas
  
• 1 hotel
  
• photo shop
  
• climbing park
  
• skate park
  

[h2]Further:[/h2]
The end of the update comes with a new version of the frontend engine. I have already done the migration (https://github.com/pixijs/pixijs/wiki/v7-Migration-Guide). But there are still some details to be corrected.

Furthermore I wanted to test the compatibility for the steamdeck. Let's see how far I get.
Apart from that I'll try to add some small bugs with the remaining time, for the extra search fun ;)


Thank you all for your patience and support.

Best of all https://trello.com/b/FbC1a19w/devboard-summer-islands

You may have wondered and asked: "Why is no new update published? It's been more than 6 weeks since the last update. I have to wait here every day and the guy doesn't do anything. What is this? I want potato chips. What are these tourists doing on the islands and where do they even come from? Why are there turtles? What am I doing here and who is this Summer Islands guy anyway?"

All good and valid questions that I will try not to answer all.

I think the most important point is this: I'm back to work on the next update!!!

Reason for the delay was a short summer vacation and then an incredible amount of work at my day job (which is becoming more of a day and night job). But this is only a temporary deviation, a small fluctuation. It almost seems like the earth doesn't want me to work on the next update.

I can tell you this much already: The next update will contain new buildings again, the disasters will be revised by the frequency, improvement of the consultants and let's see what else is included.
Of course, I will also integrate a few bugs, for the seekers among you.

I am looking forward to developing the Summer Islands feeling with you and to your feedback.

Until then.

Have fun https://trello.com/b/FbC1a19w/devboard-summer-islands